Weeks 6 & 7 (Qld to NT) Camooweal - Daly Waters - Mataranka - Katherine - Darwin

Well we've had a week in Darwin already so now's a good time to update our blog. The temperature here has risen in the last few days - first it was a warm 29 and around 17 at nights and quite pleasant but now it's in the mid 30s & more humid and the nights don't go below 20. So finally our airconditioner is getting some use while I'm in the van working on this blog (a good excuse to rest up a bit). The shade in the park or a dip in the pool is also very welcome. Here in Darwin we've caught up with Geelong Caravan Club members

Geoff & Shirley and David & Kay and enjoyed a BBQ together.

But first we back-peddle a little to 12th June when we left our campspot

 at Camooweal, the last town in Qld before entering the Northern Territory. 

Here are just a few photos from this very small town.

The Museum at Camooweal - with its rough cobblestones under the veranda

and the hitching post for the horses when stockmen came for supplies.

Many of the outback towns we pass through have great murals (Camooweal).

Leaving Queensland to enter the Northern Territory this sign - obviously the Queenslanders think they're ahead of their neighbouring state in more ways than one.

The Border Crossing in the middle of nowhere!

One overnight stop at Barkly Homestead - very interesting as many travellers -caravanners, cyclists and road trains collect supplies, a meal, fuel and/or a night's rest. 

At the Three Ways Roadhouse this mural three dimensional just be adding a bullbar

and below another mural...on a water tank behind the roadhouse.

Daly Waters

The 1930 Historic Daly Waters Pub is a very welcome sight for weary travellers. Welcome leaflet reads.... 'Pets Welcome-DOGS and HUSBANDS must be on a leash

at all times. PLEASE CLEAN UP ANY MESS LEFT BY YOUR PETS!'

Gerry at the Daly Waters Pub Bar with bras and other stuff left by passing travellers.

I decided my bra was still too good to leave behind!

Right of the bar has undies and t-shirts left behind as calling cards.

Check out the old helicopter on the roof of this market shack opposite the

pub and the McDonald's sign which says the Drive Thru is 286kms away.

You know you are really in the outback when you fill up your tank at the

sole petrol bowser next door to the market shack and then pay at the pub.

How's that for Honesty!

Mataranka

Mataranka Elsey Homestead replica - this area was home to Aeneas Gunn and his young bride Jeannie who arrived here in 1902 to live and work on Elsey Station. But in 1903 Aeneas died of Malarial Dysentry so Melbourne-born Jeannie returned south, but life in the Territory remained with her. She wrote of her experiences in the wilderness of Australia's

'Never Never' and of her time on Elsey Station in the 1908 book 'We of the Never Never'.

In Mataranka's Thermal Springs we decided to have a dip and it's here

that we saw my sister's brother-in-law Vince and his wife Clare travelling thro here.

Just shows you never know who's around the corner so better behave!

The Thermal Pool at Bitter Springs Mataranka - you can float downstream with

the current, get out the other end via a ladder and walk back to start again. We spent

several hours relaxing at this pool also. The water temperature is a perfect 34C! 

And now on to Nitmiluk National Park and the spectacular Katherine Gorge.

On our way to the gorge cruise - this young wallaby suckling.

Cruising in the magnificent Katherine Gorge

Katherine River

Even the crocodile was enjoying the gorge while keeping an eye on us!

Great view over the gorge from Pat's lookout (6km hike).

Beautiful wildflowers along the walking track.

Leaving the caravan park in Katherine this unique outback sign caught my eye.

Litchfield National Park

From Darwin we took a day trip to this magnificent park visiting three waterfalls - Florence Falls and the walking track along this beautiful stream above the falls;

Wangi Falls and swimming hole;

Tolmer Falls has this walking track which runs along the cliff-top and if you

look to the right side of photo you can see the tourists on the viewing platform.

This Grotto we spotted along walking track behind Tolmer Falls. There's

 the viewing platform again in the top centre of pic! A little harder to spot!

Grass-eating Termite Mounds stand 5-6metres high in Litchfield National Park.

Darwin

With good bike paths in and around the city, we saw some of the sights by bike.

Waterfront view taken from a walkway leading to the town centre - Smith St Mall.

Good food and good coffee at Tim's! My meal was a delicious Ceasar Salad with Avocado

and Gerry enjoyed a Lamb Shank. Thanks Martje for preparing such a great dish.

This Town Hall was opened in 1883 in Palmerston which later became known as Darwin.

In its history it had many uses including a Commonwealth Bank, a shore base for the

Navy, a motor vehicle registry and from 1968 it was used as a museum until Dec 1974

when it was devastated from Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve. And so these

Town Hall Ruins now stand as a reminder of Cyclone Tracy.

At the Territory Wildlife Park there were some native animals to marvel at

from the Black Breasted Buzzard to the Masked Owl....

Blue-winged Kookaburra..

Saltwater Crocodile keeping his eye on us.

To finish off a nice day, we checked out the Thursday night Mindil Market

with a great variety of delicious food stalls and unique entertainment like

this multiple Didgeridoo player accompanied by a drummer.

Enjoy sunset on Mindil Beach and another great day. More on Darwin next chapter.

Week 4 & 5 Cloncurry - Karumba - Lawn Hill - Mt Isa

This time our blog covers almost two weeks of our trip around the Gulf Savannah

country as we were without internet for a while and now back in Mt Isa we're online again. After some maintenance to our vehicles and replenishing of supplies we'll be

 on our way towards Darwin on Sat 11th June and should arrive there in about 9-10

days. After being spoilt with weeks of sunshine and 28C, it's suddenly cold and wet

 and only 12-13C so back to warmer clothes for a few days. We'd been used to

getting up each day without checking the forcast as it was the same each day for 

several weeks. So shorts, t-shirts and sandals have been well used. 

Here then are just a selection of the many pics taken . Enjoy!

Enjoying a cuppa and a joke in Cloncurry's Gilbert Caravan Park.

In Normanton (enroute to Karumba) stands this replica of 'Krys the Savannah King'. Krys at 8.63m, was the largest authenticated saltwater crocodile ever captured in the world. It was shot in 1957 in the Norman River by Krystina Pawlowski, one of the many crocodile shooters operating in the area at the time. The name it was given reflects the feats of this lady.

Also in Normanton at the historic Railway Station, the Gulflander runs between here and Croydon. This line was established after gold was found in Croydon. The low cost railway line with steel sleepers was designed to be submersible, allowing flood waters and debris to flow over the line leaving it intact when the water subsides. Today over 120 years since
 construction, most of the original steel sleepers are still in place.

Karumba

What a welcome to the Karumba Point Caravan Park toilet block with this sign on
the cisterns. We kept checking the toilet bowls before use however one time when 
Gerry flushed the toilet, he discovered a frog hanging on for dear life under the rim
of the seat. It's legs were frantically moving about but apparently that's their usual
behaviour when caught in this situation. Frogs reside at several caravan parks in
the Gulf Savannah country and sometimes can be found showering with you!
One was in the laundry sink when I did some handwashing and it didn't budge!

Beautiful Cooktown Orchids growing at the Karumba Point Caravan Park.

From one ocean to another - we've come from Ocean Grove, on the southern point
of Australia  (on Bass Strait) to the northern point on the Gulf - Karumba Point.

So boys what's on your minds?

Richard observes a 95cm Queen Fish being gutted at Karumba! Louise Fossey

(known in the park as Seagull) is in the background collecting fish scraps.

 Karumba sunset over the Indian Ocean with wine, fish & chips and good company.

    

Departing from Karumba - L-R Ray & Barb, Gerry & Maria, Kath & Keith (staying)

Richard & Marg and continue our journey....Thanks for your hospitality Kath & Keith.

Termite mounds - some as high as one metre are common in the area.

On the 95km gravel road from Gregory Downs to (Boodjamulla) Lawn Hill National Park we had several creek crossings and here's Ray just about made it through this one.

Here's Ray again - thought you'd help with the muster did you?

 Ray looks like the cattle are mustering you! Can just see top of your canopy!

First view of the Lawn Hill Gorge - WOW!

Indarri Falls in the Lawn Hill Gorge

View of the Lawn Hill Gorge and Indarri Falls from the Lookout

Jim and Caroline you swam in a gorge on your Oz trip and now it's us. What an experience! Canoeing was also available. Gerry enjoyed his swim but I just lazed at the water's edge which was refreshingly cool on a hot day- a bit of heaven on earth!

Oh nearly forgot - the sign did say "Freshwater crocodiles inhabit this area -

Do not approach or interfere with these animals! Take care if swimming!

Just spotted this dingo as we were leaving the park heading back to Gregory Downs.

Sign on the roadside leaving Gregory Downs followed by the Airstrip Runway

Nestled in the trees is our free camp site at Terry Hill Lookout between Burke & Wills Roadhouseand Cloncurry. Once we set up camp others soon joined us. 

In the outback on a clear and moonless night, the sky is ablaze with stars. 

Quamby Hotel (the only building) with its mural and rusty ute! 

On the Barkly Hwy heading west - the sign at the Fountain Springs Rest area -

'You are halfway through one of the most amazing drives in Australia....Enjoy!'

Mt Isa 60kms ---/---Cloncurry 60kms

 Heading to Darwin and that's where our next update will be posted.