Unless you’re considering making Audrey, your Maltese Terrier run alongside your 4×4 on this 4-day, 730 kilometre run there is no doubt your trusty sidekick will survive the run (health anomalies aside).
Even moreso if it’s a 2-year-old Staffy named Saffy. Or a Dalmatian pup out for adventure.
It’s an outback trip essentially; so all the usual water and safety knowledge applies. The Darling River itself is Australia’s longest – 2700 kilometres through outback NSW.
The ‘run’ starts from either Wentworth to travel upriver, or Walgett to follow the Barwon River past Brewarrina to the Bogan River junction. It’s from here they join and flow as the Darling River: to Bourke, Louth, Tilpa, Wilcannia, Menindee, Pooncarie. From there on, to the confluence of the mighty Murray River.
What a country, eh?
As for dogged resilience, a week surviving in the bush with an existing broken leg before a traumatic car crash, it is undoubtedly just one amazing survival story of our historical best friend. Though there are almost three thousand kilometres between the specific area of that story of canine courage and our most darling river, it’s still an incredibly darling story to know.
So far, ‘Family Dog’ seems to be faring A.O.K in the Darling River Run and-within-3000kms survival stakes.
Or steaks, as they’d prefer.
It’s to make up for the fact that with your beloved, you’ll have to give the National Parks a miss. It means in Seinfeld-Soup-Nazi lingo, “No Gundabooka for YOU!”
You’d better get some steak in for yourself. Maybe filet mignon, if you haven’t given it all to your mate. Kangaroo steaks if you’re getting into the outback vibe. Better tucker for the dog than the poshy beef. Kangaroo meat has less than 2% fat, making it a healthier red meat option. It is also high in protein, essential B vitamins, zinc, iron and omega 3 fats as well as omega 6 fatty acids. Compared to beef, kangaroo contains double the amount of iron; triple that when comparing to chicken and pork.
So dietary wise, it seems Dino would be dining, and therefore doing. well on this darling Darling River Run.
No fractured tail; but a fractured tale with the not only no-Gundabooka-for-YOU, but another six national parks that should be named because they’re such beautiful sounds of a stunning Australia: Culgoa, Toorale, Paroo-Darling, Mutawintji, Kinchega and Mungo.
Learn the names of the national parks you won’t be going to because you’ve decided to find out if your dog would survive this river trip. Granted, it’s a little harder than taking your pet to the dentist or the vet, but we’re not talkin’ about you taking the only 1884 La Marquise in the world on this trip and someone chucking in a bulldog.
Kudos for completely including your companion under the consideration they are of course, a member of the family. Otherwise they’d be out working and sleeping in the shed. Love sometimes involves sacrifices and you’ve made another Darling one for your darling.
The magnificent rock paintings, and the cultural and environmental influence of eighteen different First Nations People along the Darling River will not be seen by your own eyes and felt by your skin.
Know that you’re also not going to Mount Grenfell historic site, so add that to your rote-learning list. You can sing it like ‘I’ve Been Everywhere’. The song that had Geoff Mack make Lucky Starr lucky. Your version, however, will be ‘I’ve Not Yet Been Everywhere But I’ve Been Pretty Close To There’.
You may notice the Tracks 4×4 Tagalong Darling River Run en route to Mungo National Park. Who doesn’t want to experience a World Heritage Area?..
God love your beautiful dog. Truly. And forget ‘survive’ on the question of this trip – seems quite like ‘thrive’ really, safely secured in a mechanically sound 4WD. And with a supply of individual snack packs no doubt.
And of course their favourite blanket.
Not the toy. I think I draw the line at the toy. Maybe a ball or something. Oh wait.. they’re already having that.