Weird Stuff #6 - Little Topar, New South Wales

The 5 hour* drive between Broken Hill and Cobar in western New South Wales generally scores a pretty high 'tedious' rating.  Unrelieved except for the township of Wilcannia on the Darling river and a couple of roadhouses, the scenery is mainly dusty, dry and desolate, like this picture taken near Broken Hill about 13 years ago.


Near Silverton, Broken Hill NSW

But the wet spell that's afflicted most of Australia hasn't left the outback unscathed.  In the last couple of years, the drive has become downright fascinating with blooming wildflowers, new growth spurts and so much greenery it's almost difficult to play 'spot the feral goat'!

Then in October 2010, as we neared Little Topar, the last roadhouse before Broken Hill, we saw a lake where we'd never seen a lake before!


Lake in the desert at Little Topar

 Amazing - especially given our previous experience had been a hot and dusty 43 degrees (C) the year before.  But then, as we again drove past in April 2011, this body of water so far from the sea took a more sinister turn ...


What's in the water at Little Topar??


NOW the Little Toparians have a REAL tourist attraction!!   But is a white pointer this far inland a world first?  Or are the Little Toparians developing an entry into a future '101 uses for corrugated iron' booklet??

YOU decide!!


*Less if you're speeding!!