Darlene standing in the location where John Dunston had recently removed a $500,000 opal deposit in Lambina opalfield.

6/22/00: Up early to head for Lambina opal fields in our 4 WD “Ute”.  Good ½ day drive each way.  We can’t travel too fast this early in the day due to the ‘roos on the road.  Absolutely lovely drive.  Very rough road after the Marla turnoff.  On the drive along a single lane track we saw huge castle-like termite mounds, lots of green lorakeets and rugged red escarpments in this beautiful, but almost forbidding, terrain.  Met John Dunston’s friend Gordon, an older opal buyer.  John showed us the diggings…open cut mining here…lots of conversation and stories before the trade of opal and money (from the purchase a couple of nights ago).  Set another appointment time at John’s home for Friday evening to look at more opal.   On the way home, we stopped at the nearby Broken Leg diggings, where there had been a little work done recently.  Back to Coober Pedy, gassed up the rental, grabbed a bite to eat at “Tracy’s”, returned the vehicle—and got another lead on a parcel of opal—-.  Home by 9:30 P.M.

Wedge Tailed eagle feasting on a road kill kangaroo seen along the Stuart Highway, on the drive to Lambina.