Wentworth to Broken Hill

We breakfast alfresco, looking out over the river, away from motel (very clean and comfortable, but typical 60s motel architecture, all dark tapestry brick, indoors and out, somewhat gloomy). Down to the IGA to buy provisions, then we head towards Pooncarie. Fortunately Peter just catches sight of the sign which says which roads are open in his peripheral vision, because when we turn back to read it properly, we find that the unsealed section of the Pooncarie-Menindee road is CLOSED. This is a nuisance as we have books to deliver to Menindee, and we thought it would be nice to revisit Pooncarie on the way. Last time we came to Pooncarie from Balranald, following the Expedition route. This time we would have come from Wentworth, on a road new to us. But it was not to be, we would have to go to Menindee via Broken Hill.
So back through Wentworth, and up the Silver City Highway. Terrain becoming more desert-like, soil redder, trees are mallee, mulga, gidgee, and there are lots of what Wills describes as "salsolaceous" plants. We also see our first feral goats. No live kangaroos, although a fair bit of road kill. Emus looking more natural here than when we saw some yesterday, standing in a field of barley.
We make contact with the Menindee Information Centre on the way to Broken Hill, discover we won't be able to get there before they close. However we get the phone number of the bloke in charge who placed the order for books, and leave him a message. He responds as we are enjoying a very good Sunday roast with all the other pensioners at the Alfresco Cafe in Broken Hill and we make arrangements to meet him at the Information Centre later in the afternoon. After lunch we have time to book in to the Imperial Hotel before we drive to Menindee and deliver the books. After a chat with Bruce we stop for a soft drink at Maiden's Pub where we give them a poster, show them the book and have a chat about the Burke and Wills connection. We then head back, reaching Broken Hill again before sunset, and enjoy the luxury of the Imperial (electric blankets!).