Bike ride to the Living Desert Sanctuary and Sculptures

This morning I set off on my bike to a lonely hilltop 12kms out of Broken Hill to see the artwork of 12 sculptors.

 The work was completed in 1993 after a mammoth effort by local contractors to move huge sandstone boulders up a rough bush track to the top.

 Here they were transformed into an artwork of international standing.

These are situated in the Living Desert reserve amongst the Barrier Ranges.

There are picnic areas, BBQ's, toilets, shelters and seating throughout the park and it's really well signposted with plaques of information

A 900m walk up a steady grading takes you to the sculptures which look out across the wide terrain.

 Along the way there were wallabies.

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The reserve is a sanctuary of native flora and fauna, and educational and cultural experiences to enhance the understanding of the Aboriginal heritage and preservation of the environment

This bearded lizard was so well camoflaged that I nearly stepped on him

This simulated aboriginal shelter was constructed to show how the Wilyyakali people built them more than 20,000 yrs ago to gain protection from the intense heat. They were built out of Mulga branches and the leaves of the kerosene tree

These are Story poles carved from Red river gum by Aboriginal art students

I had to cut my walk short as the weather was rapidly changing.

The rain came in and by the time I'd biked back to Broken HilI I was soaked, but it was an invigorating ride