I went to Renmark in South Australia on Thursday for a business trip, returning Friday. It’s a 900km journey each way, taking nine hours by car. I could have stayed somewhere in between last night, but I was keen to get home, and with Olympics and football on the radio I had no trouble staying alert.

Here are some random observations and comments about the journey:

1) The Murray Valley Highway between Yarrawonga and Swan Hill is surprisingly busy with traffic. Next time I’ll stick to the NSW side of the border.

2) There has been good winter rain, it seems, across most of the landscape. There was lush green pasture up until Yarrawonga and good crops in the northern country and Mallee.

3) Water is gold in Mallee and the SA Riverland. Orchards dominate along the Murray, but once you head a few miles away from the mighty river it’s a different story.

4) Renmark is bigger (9000 people) and closer to Adelaide (250km) than I realised. Berri (population 7500) is only 20km away.

5) I don’t think Renmark has a winter. The days were a balmy 18 degrees, although the locals apparently think that’s cold.

6) Away from the river, the Mallee is a sad place. I drove back via Pinnaroo and Ouyen. Many of the places in between are virtual ghost towns, hanging on by a thread. Murrayville, Underbool and Walpeup have certainly seen better days, with empty rundown stores lining the main streets.

7) There’s a dot on the map called Boinka — I like that for a name — and another place called Galah.