Aldville Station

My wife and myself spent 2 nights and 1 very long and stimulating day with Alan and Louise. While the campervan hook up area was suffering the effects of a 7 year drought, this did not diminish from the warm hospitality of a shared meal and a day's inspection of the property. Alan shared his "Shangrila" waterholes where shooting was excluded and waterfowl abounded. I even got to drive the ute following a big dozer that was being shifted. The Paroo River flooding earlier in 2007 and some lasting waterholes and an Artesian Bore helped keep cattle and sheep alive in the hard times, but only at 20% capacity. Alan was a highly respected community member who was called on to participate in many rural forums, so his insights into life on the edge in a very remote area were readily shared. Louise had a strong love of sewing and embroidery, which she was happy to share with us, and this together with cooking up a storm at meal times and helping with much of the hard yakka kept her very busy. While we didn't use the station household accommodation, this was a higher luxury choice that looked interesting. In the middle was the Shearers' quarters which we discovered gave us a fly free lunch. We can recommend Aldville as a great introduction to an outback living and rural ingenuity.