We found an old photo of camels at the waterhole. Someone has dug a well and has pulled water out to fill a trough so the camels could get a drink. Even though the waterhole itself looks dry, there must be water not too far under the river bed.

Along the banks of the river near the Telegraph Station you can see lots of gums trees of varying ages and grass going right down to the sand. This grass is couch grass, which unfortunately has been introduced and has crowded out the native grasses. Its quite thick in places and is drying out so it could become a fire hazard.

The couch grass along the river probably came from lawns that have been planted around the Telegraph Station. This grass produces lots of seeds but can also reproduce by sending out ‘runners’ so it spreads really easily. It makes a good surface for playing on and having picnics, and the galahs even like to chew on it. But we worry about the native animals that live on the grasses that originally grew here do they still get enough to eat?

We decided to head up stream along the river bed to see what was there another time we might go downstream towards town. The gum trees along along the banks, even if they’re dead, make good hunting platforms for birds of prey. These are kites, which hang around the Telegraph Station because people leave rubbish around and they are scavengers.