Tourists urged to “sit tight” as dusty roads turn to sludge
Experts are warning Big Red Bashers heading south tourists currently in outback South Australia to “sit tight”, as a rare rain event turns dusty dirt roads into muddy mayhem 🌧️.
The warning distinctly targets novice four-wheel drivers eager to lock in the hubs and “send it” for the sake of the muddy 4×4 Tinder profile pic at the finish line.
While patchy falls of between ten and 18mm of rain fell around Marree yesterday, more rain overnight and throughout today will replenish puddles. Some crystal ball rubbing weather-watchers are predicting totals in North Eastern SA will reach 25-50mm. While other parts of regional SA would give their eyeteeth for the timely downpour, for these remote areas, it could equate to an entire Winter average.
Tourists are urged to heed the road closures now in place, and spend the next 24 to 48 hours “soaking up” the rare outback phenomenon .
Custard tarts and Camels cancelled
The legends at Farina Bakery have declared today (Sunday July 7) a Grey Nomads sleep in forced closure day, with yesterday’s 10mm of rain already causing slippery chaos to the entry via Outback Way. The Restoration Group hopes to re-open the Farina site, Cafè and Bakery at 8am Monday 🥧.
Further along the Outback Highway, unsafe conditions put a halt to desert taxi racing this weekend 🐪. Marree’s famous Camel Cup went ahead without the main event. In true outback style, over 250 visitors still turned out for a red hot after party, with the added bonus of a stranded Sunday sleep-in.
If you think SA has had its fair share of obscure Winter weather (or maybe it seems relatively normal 🤔), imagine being stranded in a roof-top tent eating cold baked beans in Liawenee, Tasmania, where overnight temperatures plummeted to -13.5 last week, officially colder than a Polar Bear’s toenails!
