Favourite Place #2 - Eulo

Eulo?  Where's Eulo?  Click HERE for the Google map!  Only 68 km west of Cunnamulla, we stopped (in true Grey Nomad style) after less than an hour on the road!!  We'd seen a locally produced brochure listing Eulo attractions, and thought it deserved a look.  

Did it ever! 

How could anyone pass up the opportunity to see the site of the famous lizard races?  Sadly, the races that used to draw thousands of visitors to the town are no longer operating, killed off by restrictions imposed by animal rights and insurance companies.  But who knows?  Maybe one day ... in the meantime the race track, complete with large lizard, is just across the road from the campground behind the 'Eulo Queen' hotel.

The hotel itself was named in 'honour' of a notorious opal-dealing previous owner - her story is told in the eponymous book I purchased from the 'Bilby's burrow', where we also had our first look at the opal for which the region is known.

The date farm and mud baths are just down the road towards the Paroo river (in flood during our visit) - tragically, we didn't experience the mud baths, but products such as 'Sticky Date Liqueur', date wine and fig tapenade eased the pain somewhat.

The 'Paroo Patch', with its locally made leather and patchwork products is also worth a visit, as is the General store where the local 'Paroo Honey' can be purchased, along with almost anything else you might be looking for.

The nearby Paddabilla stock route bore (with free camping area) was listed as a likely spot to view Bourke's parrot and/or Hall's Babbler - but sadly, neither made an appearance, thereby virtually guaranteeing our return!

Another drawcard is the Yowah opal fields, with unique 'Yowah nut' opal AND a French speaking local who used to be a Legionnaire!  Similar to other remote opal fields, with dwellings evolved rather than built, using 'found' objects and obscure machinery, but different in that the open bore drain running through the town allows for gardens, lawns and trees. 

The highlight of our Eulo experience was without a doubt the Friday night RSL fund raising bash held out back of the pub, where locals and visitors met around a giant gidgee campfire for soup, camp oven stew, damper with the local Paroo honey and live entertainment.  I didn't think it was possible to successfully sing Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' accompanied only by guitar, but Leroy showed it could be done!

The following morning, we baked potatoes in the still-hot coals of that fabulous fire, leaving us with only one question - how do we transport enough gidgee wood to make our own fire back home?

Pictures from top show the Eulo town sign (near the 'Lizard Lounge' rest area!), the lizard race venue, Yowah from the lookout (look between the rocks!) and the Paroo.

Truly a terrific place to visit!