Gluepot Reserve – Babbler Campground

 21 – 26 August 2023

After a couple of very pleasant and relaxing days at Lake Bonney, we set off for another one of our favourite places – Gluepot Reserve in the South Australian Riverland. We stopped in Waikerie to pick up a parcel at the Post Office and to do some more shopping. We then crossed the Murray River on the ferry and drove on to Gluepot.

Gluepot is a protected area and the largest block of intact mallee in Australia – and it is well known as a fabulous spot for birding. This would be our fourth visit. We stopped at the visitor centre to check in and also to have our lunch, then made our way to Babbler Campground. There had been reports of Scarlet-chested parrots in a location not too far from Babbler so it seemed the logical choice.

In the late afternoon one of the volunteer rangers called in and told us that we were the only ones camping in the whole reserve – there was no-one in either of the other two campgrounds. This didn’t last as over the following days a number of other campers arrived. The beauty of Gluepot is that the vast majority of visitors are birders – it’s too remote for caravanners looking for a cheap place to stay.

I went out with Mick a couple of times looking for the parrots, as well as to walk the Mallee Fowl Walk one morning. We actually did see a Mallee fowl not far off the track, but it didn’t stick around long enough to have its photo taken. We went out for a drive just on dark one night looking for Spotted nightjars but were not successful. Mick went out birding each morning and afternoon and processed photos during the middle of the day. I caught up on some reading and enjoyed relaxing and pottering around the camp.

Because there were a number of birders at the camp, much information was shared – not just about Gluepot. It was while we were there that we made up our minds that we would definitely go to another good birding spot – Mount Ive Station – even though it was a bit out of the way.

We had initially booked in for three nights but ended up staying for five. We could perhaps have stayed longer but had run out of drinking water so had to move on. Maybe next time we’ll allow a week. Even though the nights were cold – and fires are not permitted – the days were pleasantly cool and there was not a drop of rain while we were there.

Before leaving the reserve we called in to the ranger station and to check on another camper who had been having tyre trouble on his rented car, and to pay for our extra nights. We let Rob know that we would be spending about ½ hour at one of the hides before heading back to the main road so would be behind him if he needed help along the way. After the session at the hide – where we met up with another of the camper/birders we drove back towards Waikerie without seeing Rob. Knowing he had made it that far we presumed he had been able to get all the way to Waikerie where the two tyres could be fixed. I guess we will never know for sure.

Instead of returning to Waikerie we headed towards Morgan where we stopped to buy fresh bread and we discovered the local church market where I purchased a couple of books – just in the nick of time as I only had one left in my stash waiting to be read. We drove down to the riverside park to air up the tyres and have some lunch. While checking our location on WikiCamps, we discovered we were sitting near the Old Historic Morgue! It was located on the river so the deceased could be transported by steamer from outlying areas, for burial at the local cemetery.