With the mechanic here to service our vehicles and only a couple of guests we take time to explore.

First we examined the biocrust, a layer of minute plants, fungi and bacteria that covers the mallee woodland floor. Using an electronic microscope we look at the fungi, lichens, algae, cyanobacteria and bryophytes such as mosses and liverworts that make up this extremely important community. Biocrust protects the landscape from erosion and the cyanobacteria and bryophytes photosynthesise, adding carbon to the surface layers of soils. Cyanobacteria also fix nitrogen, taking it from the air and converting it into a form that can be used by plants. Amongst the tiny communities of moss we found small eight legged creatures, a species so small its body was only several grains of sand wide.

Equally small is the Quandong flower but it produces a large red fruit that makes the best jam.

Later in the afternoon we explored the western dune system finding some of the largest dunes too dangerous to walk down as it would be likely to cause an avalanche of sand to follow you down.