E Sharp

Wide Open – Day 33 – When it all lines up

July 31, 2026July 28, 2026E Sharp

25 June 2026 – 80 kms – Hazel Vale Station to Mutawintji National Park

Pantjikali, Wanyuparlku, Wiljakali, and Malyangapa Country

The sun is shining. The wind is at my side instead of in my face. The road is empty and travels through country invigorated by rain. The bike is built for this sort of road and eats up all the terrain that can be thrown at it. I feel strong and capable and excited for the landscape to come. It’s one of those days where all the external variables line up positively and you can’t imagine being anywhere else but on the bike. These sorts of days are few and far between on this ride, so I enjoy it while it lasts and take none of it for granted.

Wide Open – Day 32 – Of road trains and caravans

July 30, 2026July 28, 2026E Sharp

24 June 2026 – 87 kms – Broken Hill to Hazel Vale Station

Wiljakali, Malyangapa, Wanyuparlku and Pantjikali Country

The road curves and climbs and weaves. It runs between the waves of ranges through the broad valleys of red sand and rocks. We make our way through the ramparts of the Barrier Range, so-called because they presented a barrier to explorer Charles Sturt’s progress on his way north to find a mythical inland sea in 1844. (There was an inland sea once, he was just about 810 million years too late).

Wide Open – Day 31 – The line of lode

July 29, 2026July 28, 2026E Sharp

23 June 2026 – 0 kms – Broken Hill

Wiljakali Country

Broken Hill got its start as a mining town. It is still a mining town. It is rough and gritty and polluted. It mines lead and silver and zinc. Around 40 percent of children here have unacceptable levels of lead in their blood. There are handwash stations at the playgrounds so that you can wash the lead dust off your kids’ hands after they are finished playing in the park.

But the town also has a thriving arts scene and more artists per capita than anywhere else in Oz, apparently. Every building you look at seems to have historical significance. There are plenty of things to see and do as a tourist. So let’s go check some of it out.

Wide Open – Day 30 – ‘In the system’

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026E Sharp

22 June 2026 – 0 kms – Broken Hill

Wiljakali Country

The woman peers at me from behind her glasses, unblinking and unsmiling. She is late 50s and the most sour and dour person I’ve met in a loooong time. She seems like she should be an old school librarian shushing unruly patrons instead of someone behind the information centre desk welcoming people to her town.

Wide Open – Day 29 – Topographic relief

July 27, 2026July 27, 2026E Sharp

21 June 2026 – 113 kms – Menindee to Broken Hill

Barkindji and Wiljakali Country

I’m riding by feel down the dirt road at sparrow’s gurgle once again. I’m away by 5.30am, trying not to outride my front light on the slightly gluggy road. This cut-through saves us 4 kms than if we rode out the entry road and double-backed on the main road. This short cut is the third side of a triangle in that sense. But in the dark and fog, it does ride a wee bit slow.

Wide Open – Days 27-28 – Direct hit

July 27, 2026E Sharp

19-20 June 2026 – 33 kms – Kinchega National Park to Menindee Caravan Park

Barkindji Country

I’m sitting, lizard-like, in a plastic chair facing the sun. My butt is on the edge of the seat and my head is reclining on the top of the chair back. I’m sitting on one of the concrete footpaths out of the strong and cold westerly wind that has pushed out the warmth of the past few days.

Wide Open – Day 26 – Bogged

July 26, 2026July 26, 2026E Sharp

18 June 2026 – 0 kms – Kinchega National Park

Barkindji Country

It’s a long process, and in the end, it doesn’t really get me anywhere.

I thought I’d have a go since we aren’t going anywhere anyway.

It started raining last night around 10pm. It’s 8am now, and it shows no signs of abating.

Wide Open – Day 25 – Thirst quenching

July 26, 2026July 26, 2026E Sharp

17 June 2026 – 25 kms – Menindee to Kinchega National Park

Barkindji Country

What do we do with today? The rain is coming again tomorrow. Today there will be strong northwesterlies. So a dash to Broken Hill before the rain is out of the question. I don’t have any desire to wait out the rain here in tiny Menindee.

There is a national park nearby that is an old sheep station. I feel like we’ve already covered off on ‘old sheep station’ history and sights, but there is cheap indoor accommodation out there, and the opportunity to see a bit more of the river vegetation and some of the lakes (dry at the moment) in the lake system. This sounds like the best plan I can put together given the wind and rain forecast.

Wide Open – Day 24 – The churn

July 25, 2026July 25, 2026E Sharp

16 June 2026 – 125 kms – Pooncarie to Menindee

Barkindji Country

The older man is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed even though it is dark and just before 6am. As I pack the final bits on my bike, he emerges from a donga opposite. He asks some questions and I respond in almost a whisper. It is very early to have to answer ‘the standard six’.

He is travelling with friends from Tasmania. They are going to Broken Hill today. They’ve hired a car and a holiday home there to spend a few days. I have no idea why he is up so early. It won’t take them long to get to Broken Hill. They are travelling by small plane! Pooncarie has an airstrip which is why they spent the night here.

Wide Open – Day 23 – Unofficial commentary

July 25, 2026July 24, 2026E Sharp

15 June 2026 – 88 kms – Mungo National Park to Pooncarie

Barkindji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa Country

Everyone is standing around with hunched shoulders, hands in pockets, backs to the wind. There is a layer of cloud over the sun and the wind is bringing the temperature right down. We’re all here for the aboriginal-led tour of Lake Mungo. And everyone is wishing it would hurry up and start because it’s freezing just standing here.