It didn't seem possible that at last we were on the final straight up to Cape York. We stopped overnight at a place called Coen. Coen has a pub with a camp ground at the back of it with powered sites and nice green grass. The is very little else at Coen. The main street consists of The Pub, the service station which is a single diesel bowser at the front of the Pub, and a welding business at the side of the pub. Everything in town revolves around the Pub and it seems the same people that own the pub own all of the businesses. It is a nice spot for an over nighter as long as you park away from the trees that are infested with bats. It is quite a sight at dusk to see them all wake up and start flying around squealing and squeaking. It was deafening but we loved it.
The drive to Coen was quite mild but the next leg, to Cape York was a different story altogether..
The road up was very dusty and very pot holey. There were frequent rivers to cross which pleased Greg very much. He just loves those water crossings.
Water crossings are always fun especially when I get the job of filming it. I always have a fear that a crocodile will jump out of the water as we are crossing and steal my camera. They are definitely in there and as long as they stay in there that's fine with me
We thought we were never going to get there. It was an exhausting day and all we could think about was a nice cold beer relaxing by the water as we had previously booked grassy site with an ocean view. ....WRONG! |
These cattle were fenced but generally the cattle up here are left to roam free. Some of them look quite skinny by apparently they are healthy and this is how they are.The cattle are even more laid back than the people. If they don't want to move they wont...
This old bridge was moving as we drove over it. I was very disconcerting especially as I have a phobia about wooden slatted bridges of any sort. The road just got dustier and rougher and the track got narrower and this is a main highway . It is called the Peninsula Development Road. There are huge road trains using it and they don't give way... if one is coming in the opposite direction you have to get two wheels on the verge or get wiped out..
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There was something that the park management omitted to tell us. The ocean view is only if you stand on the roof rack with binoculars...And the grass? What Grass! It must have been a typing error.
But in all fairness we did have a very good view of all the 759 tents between us and the beach and in return they had a good view of us.....
But in all fairness we did have a very good view of all the 759 tents between us and the beach and in return they had a good view of us.....
We were just happy to be there and there was nothing we could do about it at this stage so had to accept it.
We had a few days to see what is around plus we planned to go over to Thursday Island on the Ferry. It was not far to drive to the tip from Seisha but we were warned that the road up there was rough... No worries the Hilux is supposed to be unbreakable. |
We settled in on our little patch of dirt and started to plan the next day. You know, the usual brochures spread out all over the table.The Thursday Island tour was fully booked for a few days so we had to hang around and wait for vacancies which was 4 days away so we decided to wait. The first day we went up to Cape York tip and the info was right.... the road was very rough.
There was Mud,Swamps,Rocks,Sand,Red Dust, Gravel, Fallen Trees, Wild Pigs, Dingos, Potholes and Creeks to negotiate.
It would have been much easier if we knew which way to go
It would have been much easier if we knew which way to go
Wow!! What a drive..It was full on 4WD stuff and only 4WD's can get through. When we got to the tip we had a bit of a climb to get up to the top but it was well worth the effort. The views were amazing. When we got to the actual tip the wind was blowing so strong that we had a job to walk against it.
View from the base looking down along the beach
There are piles of rocks like these all the way up to the tip. Some are just beginning and others are huge. We don't know what they signify but I would think that visitors place them and they eventually build up as if, saying "I was here" The Video is a 360 view of the top. It was so windy that it is hard to tell what is going on. Does it look like rain? I don't think so |
It didn't look like rain to us but as soon as the shutter went down on our kissing photo, the sky turned dark , the wind increased and the heavens opened. We had no where to shelter and the wind was so strong that the rain beat down on us horizontally, stinging like sharp needles against our skin... We had to take our glasses off as they would have been blown from our faces so then of course, we couldn't see where we were going. Our clothes were saturated down through to our undies.
We are all in the same boat and any one desperate enough to perv on us old buggers deserves what they get. It's the stuff that nightmares are made of.
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Poor Greg really had a problem as he is very short sighted and he had a bad knee to add to the drama. We were very wet but not cold, It was unbelievable how quickly it all started, I tried to take a movie as we were climbing down and I was actually doing a commentary that can't be heard because of the wind and rain. I had to give up in the end as I couldn't see what I was filming.There was another couple up there with us and we got back to our cars he was wringing out his clothes as he had nothing dry to change into. Luckily, we always carry a change of clothes these days as you never know what might happen. We have been caught out before. When you are on the road there is no room for shyness. Just get the quick change over and done with a fast as possible
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The next day we went out to a couple of beaches and called in at a 'Resort'. Up here a 'Resort' is not really what most people would imagine. It seems that anything with a playground and a pool can be called a resort. This place had both but by no stretch of the imagination would I call it a resort.
We had a great lunch there and the service was excellent. It was a pretty little place and probably a very nice quiet place to stay. The Beach was lovely but as is the norm up here.... You can't swim in the ocean.
We had a great lunch there and the service was excellent. It was a pretty little place and probably a very nice quiet place to stay. The Beach was lovely but as is the norm up here.... You can't swim in the ocean.
At somerset they had a kind of
'I was here' shrine which consisted of fishing nets draped over some trees and old sheets of tin and generally anything that got washed up. Visitors leave something behind on the wall and signed the article they have left. There were heaps of different artifacts from all countries hanging there. It made for great reading... You wouldn't believe what some people had hung there. We were quite ordinary really and chose to hang our red Lions Cap up there. |
From there we took a drive out to Somerset, which became a slippery experience because of all the rain from the previous day. But we were very confident.. Remember Hilux's are unbreakable. The end of the track turned out to be another great little spot where camping was allowed. It was run by the National Parks and Wildlife. There are some places that you wish you had seen first and this was one of them. It is so far from anywhere... totally natural and a great place to veg out Most people that come here come to fish but not may people do come here as it is so far off the beaten track so even the fishermen are few and far between.
It was a very pretty drive with , once again, trees forming archways over the muddy red dirt road. Of all the times on this trip that I have thought that I must have died and gone to heaven, this one ranks amoung the highest scorers.
It was like another world and the air was perfumed with the scents from the leaves and flowers from all the different rain forest trees and shrubs. It was not much short of Paradise.
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It is the custom here to leave something behind on the shrine. If you look carefully you will see that I left something very special behind. He is made of sun tuff materials and as long s someone feeds him 4 times a day he could last for ever..(SORRY GREG)
just kidding
just kidding
All joking aside, it was a simple fun filled day.
The following day we were going out to Thursday Island on a day tour.
Thursday Island
Thursday Island is an English name. The traditional name which is still being used is WAIBENE. The traditional owners of this island and the surrounding islands are called the KAURAREG TRIBE.
The naming of this island began in 1787 when the Bounty, commanded by Captain William Bligh, was collecting breadfruit in Tahiti. When the ship sailed back to Manila, some of the crew refused to leave Tahiti and Captain Bligh left them behind. His second in command, Lt. Fletcher Christian, executed a mutiny midway in the Pacific. Bligh was given a seven-metre boat with a crew and set adrift. He set a course for the Timor Sea, passing through a shallow channel in the Great Barrier Reef, to arrive on the east coast of Australia.
The first island he came to he named Restoration Island. As he sailed up the coast, he began naming the islands from the calendar, beginning from Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc etc... Thursday Island was named at this time.
The Torres Strait is situated midway between Papua New Guinea and Australia's most northern point, the Cape York Peninsula. The Strait was named in 1606 and at it's narrowest is less than 200 km wide. There are over 100 islands in the Strait, 18 of which are inhabited by people who identify themselves as Torres Strait Islanders. ,
Torres Strait islanders speak two main indigenous languages. which are unintelligible to each other so a common lingua franca called Torres Strait Creole is used to communicate
The following day we were going out to Thursday Island on a day tour.
Thursday Island
Thursday Island is an English name. The traditional name which is still being used is WAIBENE. The traditional owners of this island and the surrounding islands are called the KAURAREG TRIBE.
The naming of this island began in 1787 when the Bounty, commanded by Captain William Bligh, was collecting breadfruit in Tahiti. When the ship sailed back to Manila, some of the crew refused to leave Tahiti and Captain Bligh left them behind. His second in command, Lt. Fletcher Christian, executed a mutiny midway in the Pacific. Bligh was given a seven-metre boat with a crew and set adrift. He set a course for the Timor Sea, passing through a shallow channel in the Great Barrier Reef, to arrive on the east coast of Australia.
The first island he came to he named Restoration Island. As he sailed up the coast, he began naming the islands from the calendar, beginning from Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc etc... Thursday Island was named at this time.
The Torres Strait is situated midway between Papua New Guinea and Australia's most northern point, the Cape York Peninsula. The Strait was named in 1606 and at it's narrowest is less than 200 km wide. There are over 100 islands in the Strait, 18 of which are inhabited by people who identify themselves as Torres Strait Islanders. ,
Torres Strait islanders speak two main indigenous languages. which are unintelligible to each other so a common lingua franca called Torres Strait Creole is used to communicate
Both Thursday Island and Horn Island are rich in military history.
“The Queensland Government is working hard to preserve the rich history of Thursday Island and has invested a lot of money to preserve and restore historical monuments including a sizable grant that was matched by the Torres Shire Council, to enhance the 'Torres Strait Veterans Memorial.' The memorial commemorates those that served in the Torres Strait Light infantry battalion. There are underground bunkers that have been beautifully restored and now serve as museums for the visitors that come here.
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We departed from Seisha jetty around 8am and on arrival at Thursday Island we were ushered to a waiting bus to take us on a 'TOUR' of the Island. We were not aware that the Island has a small population of around 2,600, made up of 49% males and 51% females. The average age is 28'
Thursday Island has a Customs House and was the headquarters for the Royal Australian Navy during World War II and Milman Hill Coastal Battery.
Gun emplacements, underground bunkers, slit trenches, dispersal bays, machine gun emplacements and other locations all appear on the site.” Gun emplacements, underground bunkers, slit trenches, dispersal bays, machine gun emplacements and other locations all appear on the site.” “This project remembers the men and women from the Torres Strait who served in World War II, Malaya, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam and peace keeping |
Also along for the tour was Ex 60 minutes reporter Jeff McMullen and a film crew. They were doing some kind of documentary book with hand drawn illustrations that were being sketched non stop all day from boarding the ferry right through to the moment we got back to Seisha jetty..
View from the Gun Tower and the Bunkers
And of course a very important part of our sight seeing .
"The Top Pub"
not just any Pub but the northern most Pub in the whole of Australia.
We had lunch there with Bill and Lizzie..
some friends we made back at Seisha.
Another great couple of people on the road just like us
"The Top Pub"
not just any Pub but the northern most Pub in the whole of Australia.
We had lunch there with Bill and Lizzie..
some friends we made back at Seisha.
Another great couple of people on the road just like us
Bill and Lizzie
We enjoyed Thursday Island although apart from the Military History there was not much else to see.
We admired the fact that they are creating a tourism industry to keep the Island alive.
I hope that they can continue to operate the tours for a long time to come.
The people are lovely and they cannot do enough to please you.
Good on em!!..When we got back to Seisha we had to start packing up to move on.
We admired the fact that they are creating a tourism industry to keep the Island alive.
I hope that they can continue to operate the tours for a long time to come.
The people are lovely and they cannot do enough to please you.
Good on em!!..When we got back to Seisha we had to start packing up to move on.
That was one ugly mamma of a toad if I ever did see one.
Now I have a better understanding of why people hate these creatures. They really are very unlovable |
There were two young men camping next to us who had been out fishing and caught some Spanish Mackerel. We had talked to them the day before and mentioned a great meal we had at Somerset Campsite that was Spanish Mackerel. They remembered the conversation and it was so nice when they gave us the fish that they had caught (Spanish Mackerel) What a nice couple of guys. Mind you.. the fact that even though they both enjoyed going fishing, but did not enjoy the taste of fish had nothing to do with it. It was the thought that counted... If you ever get to read this you guys.... "Thanks"! I am writing this 4 weeks later in Kakadu, as we have been out of Internet range for most of the time since then. We still have one meal of that fish left in our freezer... Yummo Scrummo! We also saw our first big Cane Toad at Seisha which was pointed out to us by our two young fishermen neighbours in a shrubbery right next to where we were set up... |
Well enough about Cane Toads.. Cape York had shown us all it had to offer and it was time to head off to more places unknown. It was an awesome experience just to know that we had made it to the top of our beautiful country. We would do it all over again in the blink of an eye if we had the chance but we would stay at Loyalty Beach next time. It is so much nice and quieter too. I can't understand why everyone heads for Seisha and squashes in with the throngs when Loyalty is quite close. Having said that...WE DID!!.. I think it may be that it is the first one you come to and by the time you get there you are ready to accept anything you can get. We planned one night at Coen on the way back down to Cook Town but ended up staying 2 nights just for the sake of it. We were tired and decided to veg out for a day which was just as when we did set off to Cook Town it turned out to be a very eventful drive.
The Road to Cook Town
There we were cruising along in the searing heat getting all nice and dusty when BANG... bump bump bump etc etc etc...
That was a sound we had heard before... It was the worst possible place to have a blowout with all the Road Trains tearing by coating us in red dust while we tried to change the wheel, or I should say while 'GREG' tried to change the wheel... Several drivers offered help but we didn't want to say yes as they would have been all dirty too. As luck would have a 3 trailer road train approached and the driver got out to offer assistance and he was dirtier than us so we felt good accepting. He was a young buck, heavily tattooed, very buff with waist length dreadlocks. He had that wheel back on in no time at all and all Greg had to do was tighten the nuts. What a stroke of luck that was...
Someone had to take photos so I volunteered. The heat was almost unbearable and the dust was sticking to our sunscreen and becoming very uncomfortable. It was like being tarred and feathered but it was oiled and dusted.
Rattling along leaving a huge dust trail in its wake
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It is hard to understand why the drivers want to speed past some one who has broken when they know that they are kicking up more dust that way.
It is very inconsiderate and something we would do.. Thundering past without even slowing down just a little bit.
I jumped back in the car before that dust reached me.. |
On the road again and apart from running late everything seemed to be going smoothly. Just as we rounded the bend on the diversion at the new bridge works just outside Laura we came across several cars waiting to get through as a huge 3 trailer road trainhad jack knifed right across the narrow diversion road blocking it almost completely.
"OH FANCY THAT" Greg proclaimed.. Well it was something along those lines anyway
Some smaller 4WD's were squeezing through along the side but there was no way we would make it with the trailer on.
The Ironic part of it all was when I walked through to see if we could in anyway go through... the young driver was the same guy who had helped us with our blowout back along the road a bit. We just wished that there was something we could do to help him in return. We accepted the fact that we may have to set up here for the night and wait until they could clear the road.
By this time, Greg was becoming expert at changing tyres.
As time ticked we were getting to know the rest of the people who were waiting and most of them had caravans or campers of some type so we were preparing ourselves for a night camped on the road it would have been fun as they were a nice group of travelers. |
Meanwhile, when I got back to the waiting traffic I couldn't believe my eyes... A young British tourist had pointed out to Greg that we had a flat tyre. OH NO! Not another one and we didn't even feel it go. Once again as luck would have the young man set about lugging the last spare tyre off the roof rack and being a great help while a 2nd flat in less than an hour was fixed.
Then along came a large front end loader from the bridge works and proceeded to shunt one of the trailers sideways to try and open up an access to let traffic pass. It was all very exciting.
The drivers cab was unhitched and towed up the hill out of the way and hey presto after an hour or so an opening appeared and we were able to get through. It was totally amazing how those guys did what they did in such a short space of time.
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What a relief to get going again but it would be dark when we got to Cook Town and we don' t like setting up in the dark.
We had a booking at a place called The Peninsular which originally was only going to be one night but we now had to organise new tyres which sometimes takes a while in these parts and of course they cost a lot more as if they are not in stock they have to be couriered in.
We had a booking at a place called The Peninsular which originally was only going to be one night but we now had to organise new tyres which sometimes takes a while in these parts and of course they cost a lot more as if they are not in stock they have to be couriered in.
It was dark when we set up and couldn't really see what our surroundings were. All we knew is that we were in a grassed area at the top of the hill. When daylight came and we came out to see where we were we had such a lovely surprise. We were surrounded by grassy woodlands and the wild life that inhabited the area were not shy to introduce themselves. We were alone up there with only the Walabies for company. What more could you ask for.
Well as expected our particular brand of tyre is not a line they keep in stock so they had to be ordered in
and they took a couple of days to arrive and were
EXPENSIVE
and they took a couple of days to arrive and were
EXPENSIVE
There were a few things that we had not seen when e passed through the first time so we had the chance to see them this time. It took about 20 minutes to do that so we just relaxed around camp and cleaned the car and trailer and those kind of things. I also took some short movies with my small camera of my little buddies. It was nice.
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Archer River:28th June
Sure enough two days later the brand new tyres arrived and after mortgaging the house we paid for them, left Cook Town and headed for Archer River for the night at a free camp area on our way to Croydon.
There was very little traffic during the day but at night we heard the road trains thundering over the bridge. It was FREE so what can you say... free is always good value for money and the cost of foam earplugs is far less than the cost of a night in a pay campsite. Some of them up here are getting greedy and unfortunately pricing them selves out of business. Surely it's far better to have a full campsite at $20 the an empty one at $40..
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Archer River is very popular with over night travelers and we could see why. The grass is green and the amenities are nice and clean and there is plenty of room to spread out.. The river itself is quite picturesque and fast flowing.
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The Road Trains were not the only ones up all night. There was a certain little character that hung around camp and he took it upon himself to be everyone's alarm clock and just about at the crack of dawn, technically it was still dark he did his rounds and went to each tent, camper trailer and caravan and motor home, pecked the bugs off wheels and tent pegs etc and then announced himself in the only way he knew how..
CROYDON
Just a short distance from Archer River we were very pleasantly surprised by Croydon. It is situated in the heart of the Gulf Savannah country and has a splendid heritage which started with the discovery of gold in 1885 and led to the making of a rich, booming gold mining centre.
Croydon has what they call a Heritage Precinct which includes a Police Station and Sargeants Residence with a Gaol and Courthouse and Town Hall. The precinct is an open museum and all the buildings are unlocked for visitors to peruse at their leisure. The buildings kept in excellent condition and restoration is an ongoing pastime.
Croydon is the rail depot for and destination for the RM93 Gulflander train . It provides visitors with an historic journey on the original tracks. The steel rails are heritage listed. The train travels from Croydon to Normanton and back each day.
This place once houses factories, foundries, schools,and 36 Hotels. Of the original 122 liquor licences issued on these goldfields only one is still operational. The old pub has a good old fashioned feel to it, just as does everywhere else here. The Visitor Centre has been done very well with lots of original mining machinery and old artifacts to browse. The Gardens are dotted with modern art depicting Australian Wildlife This is the Entry Statement to the Visitors Centre |
From Croydon we were heading up to a place called Kurumba purely because everyone says that it is a 'must see' On our way out of town we drove to the old mine site to see how that was being restored. It has been lovingly looked after an it was an eye opener to see how they lived in those days.
Just couldn't resist this one... being the owners of a Hilux... we are pleased to announce the arrival of our baby girl ..
We checked out this caravan for sale..
We offered $365 but our offer was rejected.
Actually I thought that was a very fair offer so the rejection came as somewhat of a shock..
We never got to find out what the 'Heaps of extras' were.
Maybe some wheels or a sink... who knows?...
Our Loss!
We offered $365 but our offer was rejected.
Actually I thought that was a very fair offer so the rejection came as somewhat of a shock..
We never got to find out what the 'Heaps of extras' were.
Maybe some wheels or a sink... who knows?...
Our Loss!
Well with or without the $366 Penthouse on wheels we had to leave and move on to Normanton. Our destination was actually Kurumba... a coastal fishing village that every one we met had said that we must see... There was absolutely no accommodation left in Kurumba so we managed to get into a place in Normanton. It was a camping and caravan park at the back of the Normanton Motel...We called ahead and the manager/odd job man said it was all grassy sites with all mod cons but for a price of course. "Yes.. Book it" we said, and set the GPS to take us straight there.
OH MY!!!
What a strange campsite. It was to embarrassing to take photos of. We felt as if we were totally ripped off because there was no where else in Normanton that had vacancies. It was immediately next door to the airport and the grassy site turned out to be red dirt and stones. There were toilets and showers but every time you ran water or flushed, the whole neighbourhood knew about it, as the pumps were worn out and it sounded like some one hammering. I will not say how much the nightly cost was but it is safe to say that it was higher than any of the BIG4 sites we have stayed at. Just about everyone who was staying there (and that wasn't many) said they would not come back. It was appalling...But there you go... you get that and we marked it down as a minus 3stars in our log.
Hey!... If they are honest when you call up to book, and tell you the place doubles as an old caravan dumping ground and a homeless refuge and set the fees accordingly, you would accept that and say nothing.
It's the deception that makes people angry. It is a long drive to get there and once there, you either say "YES" or turn around and go back... They are well aware of that and take advantage of it.
Normanton began as a small port town that serviced the Croydon Goldfields during the gold rush. This brought all sorts of different trades and traders alike to the area. That is all in the past but Normanton still remains a very popular fishing haunt.
I can honestly say that Normanton is the "A**hole of Queensland"
That's my 'SoapBox' moment for today...
Or maybe not...We still had Kurumba to see and after all... we would not have been at Normanton if we could have got a place to stay at Kurumba..
It had better be good after all we have heard about it
That's my 'SoapBox' moment for today...
Or maybe not...We still had Kurumba to see and after all... we would not have been at Normanton if we could have got a place to stay at Kurumba..
It had better be good after all we have heard about it
Normanton to Kurumba
The two Caravan parks at Kurumba were absolutely pack to the rafters. You couldn't have even have squeezed a Sardine in there. We noticed that almost every caravan and tent had a boat parked there along side. Karumba was just another 'Fishing Village' Karumba has a large fishing and prawn based industry and has remained untouched due to its isolation and small population. It was originally called Norman Mouth, then Kimbereley and finally became Normanton.
During WW2 a telegraph line was established and it served as a radio base for the RAAF. In summertime (the wet season) the monsoon rains fill up the waterways and attract a multitude of birds.It becomes a bird watchers Utopia..It would be nice to maybe one day come back for a wet season.
In wintertime all the fishing enthusiasts descend here for the plentiful Barramundi and the place is full up..
The beach sits on the Gulf of Carpentaria and is famous for its sunsets. It is the only beach accessible via car in the Carpentaria shire. It ia a very nice as you can see, but once again you could not go in the ocean to swim because of sharks and crocodiles...
During WW2 a telegraph line was established and it served as a radio base for the RAAF. In summertime (the wet season) the monsoon rains fill up the waterways and attract a multitude of birds.It becomes a bird watchers Utopia..It would be nice to maybe one day come back for a wet season.
In wintertime all the fishing enthusiasts descend here for the plentiful Barramundi and the place is full up..
The beach sits on the Gulf of Carpentaria and is famous for its sunsets. It is the only beach accessible via car in the Carpentaria shire. It ia a very nice as you can see, but once again you could not go in the ocean to swim because of sharks and crocodiles...
We had been following packs of cyclist since Croydon. Behind...overtake...behind...overtake... behind etc etc. There were about 6 packs of 20 riders on a mission. It was a charity ride for the Endeavor group that raises funds for intellectually disabled children. Unknown to us they were on the last legs of a charity ride from Cairns to Kurumba...770 Kms- in 7 days and it was very very hot...When we eventually arrived at Kurumba the next day we learned that the riders were due in around midday and a celebration had been planned fore them at the Sunset Hotel...
There were around 300 riders and we were surprised at how few people there were to cheer them on. A party had been organised for the whole afternoon and evening with entertainment so may be more people would come later but we didn't stick around for that.
This is an annual event and it is customary for the riders to dip their bikes into the ocean once they cross the finish line. It seemed like they were everywhere and for all intents and purposes I suppose they were. There were all ages, shapes and sizes and they all crossed the finish line. I really do have to admire people that give so much of themselves to help others less fortunate than themselves. |
Kurumba was Ok but if it had not been for the Cycling event we would have not even got out of the car..We were both miffed at what people rave about.. maybe we are spoiled I don't know. I think if one is a keen fisher person it would be like Utopia but to us it was just another fishing mecca.... Sorry to be so negative ... That's just the way it is
Gregory Downs
On a more positive note we packed up very quickly and and made tracks for Gregory Downs.... Greg was so excited about that .. We had no idea what to expect as it is a free camp but we knew that it had to be better than Normanton Motel Caravan Park.... Anything was better than that.
Our destination on this leg of the journey was a place called Adels Grove. The overnight stop we planned at Gregory Downs was just going to be a breather.
Adels Grove itself is a base for visitors who want to see Lawn Hill Gorge and the surrounding waterways...
l
On a more positive note we packed up very quickly and and made tracks for Gregory Downs.... Greg was so excited about that .. We had no idea what to expect as it is a free camp but we knew that it had to be better than Normanton Motel Caravan Park.... Anything was better than that.
Our destination on this leg of the journey was a place called Adels Grove. The overnight stop we planned at Gregory Downs was just going to be a breather.
Adels Grove itself is a base for visitors who want to see Lawn Hill Gorge and the surrounding waterways...
l
We didn't hang around long but as we went back to the car to leave there was a 4 trailer road train loaded with 2000 cattle squashed in tight. I felt they were looking at us as if to say ..."Save Me",, It brought tears to my eyes.. They looked confused and scared...
I am not a vegetarian but many more sights like this and I could easily become one. I found it to be very disturbing..
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On the way to Gregory Downs we stopped at a road house called 'The Burke and Wills Road House'. With a name like Burke and Wills we expected some thing out of the ordinary and of great interest in some way but it turned out to be just another road house. A very smelly road house at that. We never did discover what the smell was but it bore a great resemblance to a Gents Urinal..
What a dump
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We have seen so many wondrous sights that it brings us back down to earth when we come across scenes like this and places like Normanton. Lets hope that Gregory Downs fits into the ' Wondrous Sight' category. It is a free camp so we have learned not to expect too much and anything better than nothing is a bonus.
Gregory Downs
Wow.. this is a beautiful spot and we were fortunate enough to be able to camp right on the waters edge of the Gregory River. The surrounding environment includes flat, savannah grasslands. The Gregory River, just west of the townsite, is the site of the annual Gregory River canoe races, and is considered to be one of the best courses in Australia.
Me preparing dinner for the camp fire
The good thing was we didn't have to rush off in the morning as we only had about 100kms to Adels Grove and Lawn Hill
I don't know who that old girl is but she kept trying to get into the photos so in the end we snapped her and she went away.
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Gregory Downs is an extremely small community, however, a townsite has been surveyed for the future. It is at the intersection of all roads leading to the Lawn Hill National Park which is where we were heading so it made sense to take a look as we passed through.
It was so relaxing listening to the water babbling by
Check out the photo below & see what is hidden in there..
We managed to capture this Cormorant just as it dived down and brought up a fish. It was right in front of us..
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We only had one night here but felt like we could have stayed for a couple of weeks.
It was pristine clear water and free for all.
The only thing is it was a 15 minute walk to the toilet ...
So the old pee bucket came into play and anything else required a short drive
It was pristine clear water and free for all.
The only thing is it was a 15 minute walk to the toilet ...
So the old pee bucket came into play and anything else required a short drive
SUNSET WAS AWESOME...GOODNIGHT GREGORY RIVER
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WE WOKE UP TO A BEAUTIFUL AT MORNING GREGORY RIVER
WE HAVE A BOOKING AT ADELS GROVE SO WE HAVE TO LEAVE.
BUT WITH A BIT OF LUCK WE WILL BE BACK SOON AND NEXT TIME WE CAN STAY LONGER
ADELS GROVE
I was hoping to portray the clarity of the water with the two little movie clips.
The water here is drinkable and it is pumped up to the resort for the the guests to use. The pressure is very low so it takes for ever to take a shower or do some laundry but it is as pure as you can get which has to make it worthwhile. |
These are two of the swimming holes at Adels Grove. It was like something you only see in magazines.. Absolute Paradise.
Lawn Hill Gorge
We also drove out to Lawn Hill gorge as we had heard how lovely it is.
We hired a Canoe for a couple of hours and just paddled up to the falls and what had heard was all true.
It is a breathtakingly beautiful place. Of course we took lots of photos.
We hired a Canoe for a couple of hours and just paddled up to the falls and what had heard was all true.
It is a breathtakingly beautiful place. Of course we took lots of photos.
Paddling up to the falls was against the flow but the flow was so gentle that we hardly noticed it. We were keeping a look out for Crocodiles but unfortunately we didn't see any. But we did see lots of fish as the water so clear...
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As beautiful as it was, and we are not biased...We still think that the Kimberley Gorges, especially El Questro cannot be beaten
It was so quiet... Nothing to be heard but the sounds of nature and the lapping of the water against the hull of the canoe. Occasionally we stopped paddling just to listen to the silence...It was another enchanting place..
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As we neared the bend in the gorge we could hear the falls were not too far away. Then as we rounded it we saw the first of several cascades . The mist from the falls, as small as they are was very cooling on what was a hot humid day
There was a second level at the top of the falls but it meant we would have had to carry the canoe up there to do the second section and then of course on the way back carry it down again to get back to base. We opted out of that as we are not experienced canoeists and we were already getting tired.. We watched as the young and fit struggled up the steps dragging the canoes behind them...
No thanks..just not out scene...
We stayed for a while in the lagoon just floating there and taking it all in.
It is a magic place....
Ho hum!... It was time to turn around and paddle back .
We both thoroughly enjoyed the experience would like to do some more canoeing...We need to become more co-ordinated though. There were some funny moments but all in all it was great fun.
No thanks..just not out scene...
We stayed for a while in the lagoon just floating there and taking it all in.
It is a magic place....
Ho hum!... It was time to turn around and paddle back .
We both thoroughly enjoyed the experience would like to do some more canoeing...We need to become more co-ordinated though. There were some funny moments but all in all it was great fun.
OOPS!! IT'S OK HONEY... IT'S ONLY THE SIDE WINDOW..
I was in disbelief..There was shattered glass everywhere as if a bomb had gone off.. Needless to say a heated discussion took place as we had to somehow repair it and make it dust and water proof so that we could move on the next day. How do we do that with no resources. There was no where between Adels Grove and Darwin to get it fixed.
Why do these things always happen at the worst possible time... I believe these things are sent to test us. We kind of got to like it.. It became a conversation piece amoung fellow campers. |
The best thing about camping is that some places allow you to have a campfire and Adels Grove is one of them. The previous night we were so enthusiastic that we burned all the wood that we had collected locally so had to pick up more on the way back to camp.. there wasn't much about so we had to resort to using some from the roof rack that we had carried around for months in case we ran out.
Unfortunatley for us as Greg was unloading the rather large log it slipped out of his grasp and aimed itself straight at the side window and yet another big BANG!!!.. this time it was the glass exploding and not the tyre. OH ! F***@#$% &****(((**^^^%$#and another F***$%@## Whaaaaaat the *****************... CRIKEY!! We managed to scrounge some cardboard from reception and bought some gaffer tape from the kiosk That was lucky that they sold it. Obviously Gaffer tape is a best seller as they had every colour you could think of. I had an old foam cushion that I cut into thin slices and used it as a backing inside the canopy and then taped the cardboard sheets onto it, inside and out. There was so much tape on there that a Cyclone couldn't shift it. We used red white and blue tape as it was July 4th (American Independence day) when it happened and it seemed appropriate.
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Despite all the drama we still managed to have our camp fire and it was a 'U Beaut' fire to beat all fires
Our plans now changed as we decided to fast rack to Darwin to get
it fixed. We were propping up our bed with a broom stick to get to the storage area underneath it, because the gas strut had broken. We could get both jobs done at the same time ...$$$$$ |
We decided to cook our dinner on it just to make sure we got the most out of that log. Greg made sure that the culprit log suffered a long agonising death .
We watched it burn right until the very last puff of smoke
What on earth was I thinking?... It was only a piece of old dry wood I must be going nuts. |
Unfortunately fast tracking meant that we would have to miss out on certain places along the way as we wanted to go the most direct route to save time driving,but there was little we could do about that. Even though we took the most direct route the roads were extremely rough, very remote and very dusty with gate after gate to open. It is hard to believe that this was a major highway. We were heading for a place called 'Hells Gate' for our over-night stop.
KFC?.... Yummy ...Can't wait
Hells Gate
With a name like 'Hells Gate' we expected some kind of iconic roadhouse with heaps of souveniers...T-shirts and a general Razza Matazz about it. It was quite the opposite. At one time it had been just that, but since they were stopped from selling alcohol 7 years ago ( NT Laws) they had to close the bar and the restaurant as there was no business.
There is camp ground at the back of the Roadhouse which turned out to be a really nice place to spend the night. The staff there couldn't do enough to please you and although all guests were just over-nighters they still bent over backwards to accommodate every need. I really liked it there. We could have a campfire and they even supplied the firewood which was brought to your campsite on a quad bike in person.... Nice Green grass.. shade and nice people. The perfect remedy for a pleasant stay. We met a couple who had cracked their windscreen so Greg kindly offered to give Chris one of his windscreen repair kits. They wanted to pay him....but there was no way Greg would accept anything. That is one thing about us old farts on the road. We help each other out when ever we can....
Hells Gate to 'HeartBreak Hotel' Cape Crawford
With a name like 'Hells Gate' we expected some kind of iconic roadhouse with heaps of souveniers...T-shirts and a general Razza Matazz about it. It was quite the opposite. At one time it had been just that, but since they were stopped from selling alcohol 7 years ago ( NT Laws) they had to close the bar and the restaurant as there was no business.
There is camp ground at the back of the Roadhouse which turned out to be a really nice place to spend the night. The staff there couldn't do enough to please you and although all guests were just over-nighters they still bent over backwards to accommodate every need. I really liked it there. We could have a campfire and they even supplied the firewood which was brought to your campsite on a quad bike in person.... Nice Green grass.. shade and nice people. The perfect remedy for a pleasant stay. We met a couple who had cracked their windscreen so Greg kindly offered to give Chris one of his windscreen repair kits. They wanted to pay him....but there was no way Greg would accept anything. That is one thing about us old farts on the road. We help each other out when ever we can....
Hells Gate to 'HeartBreak Hotel' Cape Crawford
More of the same .. I love the outback but this kind of continual road surface is very wearing on the back. It's like driving over nonstop speed humps that emit clouds of red dust ...The scenery was 10/10 but the comfort factor was around 2/10. My poor old back side really took a battering that day.
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We saw smoke in the distance and then found ourselves driving through a scrub fire. It is surprising how hot it got along the road side from those flames. There were several fires along the way.
>>> There was plenty to keep us on our toes along the
>>> wayside. This huge beast looked as if he would >>> charge us once he knew we were taking his photo. He >>> didn't like the camera going off at all... We didn't waste >>> any time getting out of there. |
Whoopeeeee..........At last we are at Northern Territory
We were heading for a place called Heartbreak Hotel. We hadn't booked and ordinarily there would be heaps of space but didn't expect the vintage car club to be running a fundraiser and also staying there on the same night.. There were 50 cars all together. The place was chokka block with cars and tents but it was a good atmosphere. We did manage to get one of the last vacant sites right over the back between the air strip and the main road and the both ran most of the night because of ferrying the workers back and forth from the mine sites.
LUXURY!!!
We had not planned on sleeping anyway.
The Heartbreak Hotel is an established ICON hotel in the Northern Territory being one of Australia’s last remaining frontiers.. It got it's name when the owner had a party with his newly-married wife, and then she ran off with a ringer.
It has a restaurant, a Dinki Di out back bar, a beer garden with its own pool and luckily for us, a Camping ground.
Our river walking neighbours from Hells Gate were also there but we didn't realise until we left as it was so crowded.
Just one night here and then ' Daly Waters' here we come. We had heard so much about this place that we just had to see it for ourselves. Daly Waters was not far from Heartbreak Hotel so as advised we got an early start to make sure we got a powered sight in he camp ground there.
LUXURY!!!
We had not planned on sleeping anyway.
The Heartbreak Hotel is an established ICON hotel in the Northern Territory being one of Australia’s last remaining frontiers.. It got it's name when the owner had a party with his newly-married wife, and then she ran off with a ringer.
It has a restaurant, a Dinki Di out back bar, a beer garden with its own pool and luckily for us, a Camping ground.
Our river walking neighbours from Hells Gate were also there but we didn't realise until we left as it was so crowded.
Just one night here and then ' Daly Waters' here we come. We had heard so much about this place that we just had to see it for ourselves. Daly Waters was not far from Heartbreak Hotel so as advised we got an early start to make sure we got a powered sight in he camp ground there.
As soon as we arrived we were escorted out on to the camping field and ushered into our 'spot'..John, the guy who directed us was meticulous about how far forward, back or sideways we parked. There weren't many there at that point so wondered why all the specifications but that was OK...
We set up the camper then headed to the Pub to check it out and have some lunch. It had been a while since we did that.
We set up the camper then headed to the Pub to check it out and have some lunch. It had been a while since we did that.
When we left camp for the pub lunch, there were not many campers and when we went back to the camper they were queuing up to get a place. Surprise Surprise.... who should end up right next to us but the couple who camped next to us at Hells Gate and walked the river risking life and limb checking for depth. They also were at Heartbreak Hotel as we later discovered.
They were a great couple and we agreed to meet in the bistro for dinner. It was our 9th Wedding Anniversary and it was nice to share it with some one. They had entertainment every night in the bistro and we were looking forward to it.
They were a great couple and we agreed to meet in the bistro for dinner. It was our 9th Wedding Anniversary and it was nice to share it with some one. They had entertainment every night in the bistro and we were looking forward to it.
It was a great night and what made it even better was that our friends organised a bottle of bubbly for our table ... That was so sweet of them. It was their way of saying "Thank you for the windscreen repair"...
Mataranka was a place we had been looking forward to. It is a community of approximately 461, in the Top End region
of The Northern Territory. The town is located approximately 107 km south from Katherine. Not far from
The town is located near Roper River and Mataranka Hot Springs. This area is the setting for Jeannie Gunn's well known book, "We of the Never Never." The homestead, which she shared with her husband until his death, has been reconstructed near to the hot springs.
It was the hot springs that we had come here for. We camped in the park and walked down to the springs which were about 300metres along a steel boardwalk lined by an avenue of huge palm trees
The town is located near Roper River and Mataranka Hot Springs. This area is the setting for Jeannie Gunn's well known book, "We of the Never Never." The homestead, which she shared with her husband until his death, has been reconstructed near to the hot springs.
It was the hot springs that we had come here for. We camped in the park and walked down to the springs which were about 300metres along a steel boardwalk lined by an avenue of huge palm trees
The palm trees are home to colonies of Flying foxes.They are encouraged to breed here and this area has become a safe haven for them. Visitors to the springs are asked to be aware that the creatures are there and respect them..
During World War II, the springs were discovered by army troops stationed in the area. The pool was enlarged and and the walls re-enforced with stone and it became a one of the perks that only the senior officers could use.one of those officers...Victor Smith, saw its potential as a tourist spot. He returned in 1946, and set up a resort close to the 1916 homestead and by 1949 he had erected 17 cabins for travelers It has since changed owners several times but has become one of Northern Territory's most 'must see' spots.
The water is around (34 C) which feels very comfortable. It does get very busy and the best time to get some peace and quiet is in the mornings and at dusk.. We just loved it The springs were lovely. So relaxing just floating in that soft warm water
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Flying Foxws actually
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Up at the camp ground.
(Sorry, I should have said 'Resort') as they like to call it but at the end of the day it is just a camp ground with allocated sites in the red dust. It was a nice place with a great clubhouse, meals, drinks, entertainment and everything.... just no grass. But in Northern Territory it is par for the course. Grass would cost another $20 per night and we don't need it But we did have the pleasure of some feathered visitors and the kept us entertained |
There were resident Peacocks and Peahens and at dusk the cock would call in the hens and they would make their way up into the trees to roost away from the snakes and beasts of prey. They would first flutter up to the roof of the bathroom block and then gradually level by level up into the treees until they were almost at the top. There were several Roosters and each had his own harem of hens... It was a very entertaining ritual... But then it doesn't take much to please us old farts.
He calls and here they come
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After a couple of days of body cleansing we were fighting fit and ready for anything so we left Mataranka for
Darwin so that we could get the Hilux side window fixed and hopefully the bed strut.
Darwin so that we could get the Hilux side window fixed and hopefully the bed strut.
As soon as we arrived in Darwin our first stop was ARB to organise it but unfortunately they didn't have one in stock and it would be at least a week before they could get one. Then the manager had a stroke of genius and remembered an old second one that had been kicking around out the back so he went and got it and luckily for us it was the right size. Even luckier still he took pity on us and GAVE it to us free of charge. All we had to do was take it to Windscreen O'Brien and get it installed which we did the following day and they made a great job of it. The money they charged us to install it wiped out the free window. I wish I could earn $200 per hour. Maybe I should get a job as a windscreen installer.
We didn't really spend much time in Darwin... we wanted to get back out into the country as soon as possible. I found Darwin to be a very pleasant City but apart from all the WW11 memorabilia there really wasn't much else apart from the harbour and souvenir shops everywhere.. all selling the same old stuff which was made somewhere overseas.
They have done a great job on the harbour with 2 lovely safe swimming lagoons that are always busy. They have also built a wave pool that looked like great fun but was too crowded for us. Pity as it would have been good. |
The man made lagoon and leisure area
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When we left Darwin not yet knowing that we would have to drive back there again in a week or so's time. We moved on to Mary River which is well known for it's Crocodiles. population and we were hoping to see some on our own without actually going on an organised tour that we don't really like.
Mary River at the edge of camp |
We stayed at Mary River Park which is an eco-tourist park just 33 khms from Kakadu and sits on 3 kilometres of Mary River frontage. It is also a sanctuary for many types of flora and fauna including birds of prey, waterfowl, wallabies, water buffalo, dingos, lizards, snakes, salt water crocodiles and many species of fish.
The Mary River itself is approximately 300 kilometres in length and loaded with Crocs. There are lots of places to see from here and we did our best to pick out the best of them starting with the 'Window on the Wetlands' at Beatrice Hill near Adelaide River. It is located just a few kms from the Adelaide River and is one of the highest points in the area, from there you can see for miles over the floodplains and wetlands of the Adelaide River. |
It was named Beatrice Hill by Naval officers surveying the Adelaide River on board the HMS Beatrice in June 1864. It seemed like every man and his dog were stopping here to take a peek en route to Kakadu.
As well as a terrific view, the information centre provides heaps of info about the Top End wetlands flora and fauna with fantastic realistic displays. Photographs were not permitted within the centre
The area also has an interesting history as the site of the first attempts to grow sugar cane, coffee and other tropical crops in the early days of settlement in the Territory.
A stone wall and a well are all that remains from those early efforts.
As well as a terrific view, the information centre provides heaps of info about the Top End wetlands flora and fauna with fantastic realistic displays. Photographs were not permitted within the centre
The area also has an interesting history as the site of the first attempts to grow sugar cane, coffee and other tropical crops in the early days of settlement in the Territory.
A stone wall and a well are all that remains from those early efforts.
Berry Springs park
Berry Springs Nature Park is a beautiful swimming hole and picnic area with several pools and a small waterfall fed by crystal clear spring water and surrounded by natural bush.It really is very nice. A low weir keeps the swimming pools full, while below the weir is
crocodile country so swimming is a NoNo ..Like many of the springs in Northern Territory, the area was developed during the Second World war as a rest and recreation area for troops and has been upgraded over the years to provide an excellent facility.There are three pools along the creek, beginning with a
small waterfall and then shallow pools suitable for smaller children which run into larger, deeper pools and ending up with a small weir.
It seems that the more we see the more we are in awe of this wonderful country. People have asked us if we ever get bored with travelling and we tell them most categorically "No Way"...We never know what is just around the corner for us .
After a hot and humid day slogging our guts out touring The Northern Territory there is nothing better than a nice swim when you get back to camp. Mary River Camp had a very nice pool and as luck would have it almost everyone was around our age so we didn't have to contend with bombing and jumping children.. It seemed to be a meeting place at the end of the day where everyone exchange stories about places they had been. It is a good way to learn about what's going on and places to visit. I am in there somewhere. During one our chats we got to know a couple called Phil and Kerry and they asked us if we wanted to share in the cost of an Air Boat Tour on the wetlands. It was just 4 people. Of course we said "Yes" |
Phil and Kerry
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It was quite a drive to Carmor Plains Wildlife reserve where the tours were run from. It is a 60,000 acre property of wetlands. The tours are run so that visitors who want that little bit more can see the wildlife and the flora, which are unique to this part of Australia up close and personal
Our airboat tours are the only way to access these grass covered waterways, which are usually too shallow for normal boats. They can travel at over 80km per hour to get where they want to go FAST, cruising along the edge of plains in a couple of inches of water .. It's going to be great...
We had the opportunity to view an immense range of wetland birds. Some of these are Magpie geese, Pygmy geese and several different species of duck often in flocks of a thousand plus. Other wetland birds are several species of Egret, Ibis and Heron and the little Jacana that walks on water! Large cranes known as Brolgas and Australia's only stork, the Jabiru plus all the predator birds such as Whistling Kites, Sea Eagles and Falcons are constantly circling overhead. just to name a few!
And of course the ever present crocodiles! We were told that a tour is never complete without seeing a herd of water buffalo or wild boar and maybe a brumby that can be spotted as we cruise past! In our case it was wild pigs. They sure are ugly Mammas and make a lot of noise wallowing in the mud not mention the mess....
Would hate to come across one in the dark.
Would hate to come across one in the dark.
Brolgas
Startled Brolgas about to take off
The birds could hear us coming and gave us some magnificent displays, soaring around us and over our heads. It was magical to see these beautiful creatures up so close. What a Buzz!
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That was one of the best adrenalin rushes experiences I have ever experienced. I would do it again in the bat of an eyelid. I didn't want it to end.
After the tour we had to go up to the homestead to pay the bill
and who should we meet but 'PIG'. Pig is an orphaned wild pig that just turned up on their doorstep a couple of weeks ago. They named him Pig for want of a better word. He is like a puppy. He plays. follows and rolls over for a tummy tickle. Who knows what will happen when he becomes a full size Boar. In the wild, these adult Boars are vicious and have been known to gore people to death. It is hard to imagine Pig being a wild animal, but in essence, that is exactly what he is and the owners are very much aware of that. Rehabilitation back into the wild will be on the cards for him as soon as he is old enough to fend for himself. I have never touched a pig before and I was surprised to find out how soft and cuddly they are. I could easily have scooped him up and taken him with me but in reality, once we get home a wild boar in the back yard wont sit well with the neighbours, not to mention the local council. |
Enough excitement for one day.. A quiet lunch by a billabong was on the cards. We found an out of the way place called 'The Leaning Tree Billabong' . It was at the end of a muddy track.
It was a nice view so we stayed and ate our picnic lunch and took it all in.
Then headed straight back to our camp to laze around the pool... Luxury!
It is surprisingly difficult to take photos of birds when they are moving.
Then headed straight back to our camp to laze around the pool... Luxury!
It is surprisingly difficult to take photos of birds when they are moving.
Kakadu
We were gradually getting closer to Western Australia and the realisation that we were on the last leg of our journey was beginning to hit home. We were having doubts about how we would feel when we eventually got home to Serpentine and back to reality and routine. Our lives had changed so much on the road that it had become the 'norm' and we had learned to live without all the mod cons, especially a television. It had been almost a year and we hadn't missed any of those conveniences, just our families and fiends.
We stayed at a very nice place at Jabiru called Araura Kakadu Tourist Park so that we could make Jabiru our base for seeing Kakadu.
We did check out the free camps in the area first but they were all more basic than basic and we do like to have a toilet available. Digging toilet holes is not our thing, so we declined on that. That is the only convenience that we insist on ..
We stayed at a very nice place at Jabiru called Araura Kakadu Tourist Park so that we could make Jabiru our base for seeing Kakadu.
We did check out the free camps in the area first but they were all more basic than basic and we do like to have a toilet available. Digging toilet holes is not our thing, so we declined on that. That is the only convenience that we insist on ..
Our first site to see was the Nourlangie Rock area
Nourlangie Rock Art Site Like is like a giant ship stranded in a shallow sea of trees, itr has been left behind as the Arnhem Land plateau slowly eroded away. For tens of thousands of years Nourlangie Rock has been home to the people of the Kakadu region. The true name for the locality is Anbangbang for the wetlands and Burunguy for the towering cliff tops. Nourlangie is perfectly positioned for people living off the land. . In prehistoric times this region was as densely populated as anywhere in Australia. Plenty of food, water and shelter gave the indigenous people of the area an unusual amount of free time to pursue cultural, religious and artistic talents
Nourlangie Rock Art Site Like is like a giant ship stranded in a shallow sea of trees, itr has been left behind as the Arnhem Land plateau slowly eroded away. For tens of thousands of years Nourlangie Rock has been home to the people of the Kakadu region. The true name for the locality is Anbangbang for the wetlands and Burunguy for the towering cliff tops. Nourlangie is perfectly positioned for people living off the land. . In prehistoric times this region was as densely populated as anywhere in Australia. Plenty of food, water and shelter gave the indigenous people of the area an unusual amount of free time to pursue cultural, religious and artistic talents
some placesAnbangbang Billabong is just a couple of kilometers from Nourlangie Rock . During the dry season this is an easy 2.5 km circular walk. The water surface is full of water lilies and although it is small, it is a seasonal haven for waterbirds.
You can also see Nourlangie from here and at some places along the walk.
You can also see Nourlangie from here and at some places along the walk.
Just to finish off the day we climbed up to the top and did the GUNWARRDEHWARDE LOOKOUT.
It was quite a climb but well worth the effort.
The scenery was astounding and we could see for ever.
Needless to say we slept very well that night.
It was quite a climb but well worth the effort.
The scenery was astounding and we could see for ever.
Needless to say we slept very well that night.
Up Up we climbed.. It was very hot and not what we were in the mood for but we may never pass this way again so we had to do it..
There were windy knarley little tracks that reminded me of scenes from one of those dark Mythical movies where trees come to life.
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As we got higher we began to see views that seemed to appear when you least expect them...As did this one.
We popped our heads up over a boulder and there it was and the surprises just kept on coming.
We popped our heads up over a boulder and there it was and the surprises just kept on coming.
Eventually we saw the horizon way off in the distance.
There is a plateau at the bottom of the climb that stretches right out to a ridge of red rock that marks the horizon.
There is a plateau at the bottom of the climb that stretches right out to a ridge of red rock that marks the horizon.
There were many places to see in this part of Kakadu and Yellow Water was one of them. There is a National Park campsite at the boat ramp here that we went to check out (as we do) but decided that we were better off in town as it was safe swimming there (Big Luxurious Pool) and not so safe here. Plus I didn't fancy any late night visitors of the reptile kind
This place is well loaded with the salt water Crocodiles. The Crocodiles do a great job of rounding up the fish cornering them and then brave fishermen take a line and fish in the same corners and compete with the Crocs for lunch.
Crocodiles are the Worlds largest living reptiles. They are also one of the most ancient having existed for almost 200,000,000 years virtually unchanged. Out of more than 20 different species worldwide only twp species occur in Australia. The Fresh water and the Saltwater.
The Fresh Water Croc is only found in Australia where they live in fresh water rivers, creeks and plunge pools. They are usually very shy and only become aggressive if provoked. This poor thing had some kind of growth or battle scar on it's back. It didn't seem to bother him though
The Salt Water Crocs are also found in India, Asia and Papua New Guinea.
The are commonly known as 'Salties' These Crocs are very aggressive and have attacked and killed people in Kakadu.
The are commonly known as 'Salties' These Crocs are very aggressive and have attacked and killed people in Kakadu.
In some visitor areas access is only available after park staff have trapped and removed any Salties that may have moved in during the wet season.
These areas are known as Crocodile Management Zones and are extensively surveyed at the begining of each dry season so as to reduce the risk to visitors.
Traps remain in place for the entire dry season as the Esturine Salties may still move in at any time.
Ubirr
Ubirr is another Aboriginal Rock Art site.. As much as I really enjoy Aboriginal Rock Art, the magic kind of wears off after a while. I do appreciate the cultural significance of the Art works but as with anything, sometimes it starts to go straight over ones head and one zones out....Having said that... the Australian Government are doing a great job of promoting and preserving these sites for generations to come. There is much knowledge to be gained from visiting these places.
Senior clan members own certain parts of this library and pass it on to younger people via story telling, songs, dance,music, ceremonies and food gathering expeditions. These lessons have continued for thousands of generations.
These paintings were done many thousands of years ago. In order to preserve the pictures some of them have been touched up by Aboriginal Artists, using the same materials that were used when they were originally painted..
Ubirr |
There are many Art Sites in Kakadu but probably the main attraction would be Ubirr.
Ubirr is very well organised and there are regular walking tours run by the National Parks that are very informative. There are also surveillance staff that keep an eye on everything and protect the sites from being damaged. There is a very pretty track that leads up to the sites
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Groups of Aboriginal people camped in rock shelters around Ubirr to take advantage of the enormous variety of foods available from the East Alligator River, the Nadab floodplain, the woodlands, and the surrounding stone country. The rock overhang of the main gallery provided an area where a family could set up camp. Food items were regularly painted on the back wall, one on top of the other, to pay respect to the particular animal, to ensure future hunting success, or to illustrate a noteworthy catch. Among the animals painted in the main gallery are barramundi, catfish, mullet, goannas, long-necked turtles, pig-nosed turtles, rock ringtail possums, and wallabies. Although Aboriginal people no longer live in the shelter, the animals depicted are still hunted for food today.
Close to the main gallery is a painting of a Tasmanian tiger. Archaeological evidence shows that they became extinct about 2000 to 3000 years ago.
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The main gallery Most of the X-ray art in the main gallery is from the freshwater period, so it is less than 1500 years old. There are also some interesting examples of contact art. One 'white fella' is depicted in trousers, shirt and boots and with his hands in his pockets; another, with a pipe in his mouth and his hands on his hips, is 'bossing Aboriginal people around'.
A painting by Mimi spirits can be seen high up on the ceiling of the overhang. Aboriginal people describe how the Mimi spirits came out of the cracks in the rocks, pulled the ceiling rock down, painted the yellow and red sorcery image, and then pushed the rock back into place.
There are so many paintings and they all tell a story. It would be impossible to post them all on here. |
After the Main Gallery there is a very pleasant walk / climb up to a lookout that was fantastic. The views were awesome
There are a few more rock paintings on the way up and some of them are in places that defy the imagination. How they painted the underneath of the precipices is a mystery to me.
I thought I had done my last rock climb for a while at the last viewing pint but it seem that Greg has become a budding mountaineer. The view from the top was spectacular as always and the way up was clearly marked with red arrows that guided you up the easiest way.
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We had a lovely two days relaxing at Jabiru Resort before pressing on to Litchfield National Park to explore the wonders that were on offer there. But before that we drove out to a place called Yellow Water..It was a very nice picturesque wetlands reserve that made us want to linger........ We had not had lunch so we decided to picnic here and take in the ambiance of the moment. |
A series of board walks crossed over the waterways which made viewing very easy. It was really well done. The Wetlands Boat Tours also departed from one of the walkways.
We must have come on a bad day as there was very little bird life to be seen apart from this chap who kept popping up to get his photo taken. |
On the drive back to camp we decided to call in and check out another free camp down by the river bank. The camp itself is situated in a lovely spot over looking the river through a screen of trees but is really only suitable for very small tents
The swim was almost as good as the beer and cap off the day, later that evening we were treated to a visit from a Barking Owl.. There he was right in the tree next to us and he allowed us to take some photos..
The Barking Owl is such a majestic creature. I fell in love with him even if he did bark all night..After a week of plenty of rest and relaxation our time at Kakadu was finished and we made the move to Litchfield. We had heard how beautiful it is and wanted to see it for ourselves.
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Litchfield National Park is an ancient landscape that has been shaped by water. The are many waterfalls and swimming holes that cascade from the sandstone plateau on the Table Top range.We stayed a town called Batchelor at another Big4 Tourist park. There is not really much to say about Batchelor apart from the fact that its a pretty little place with a shop and a pub. Oh and it has a double decker bus that doubles as backpacker accomodation when needed.
Litchfield is home to the intriguing Magnetic Termite mounds. Built by termites, they are amazing architectural feats complete with arches, tunnels, chimneys, insulation and nursery chambers. There is a viewing area made up of boardwalks. We saw literally 100's of them. The mounds are aligned north to south to minimise the exposure to the sun. They are very unusually formed with jagged spiky tops that resemble lizards backs.
From a distance they look like tombstones and you wonder what kind of graveyard this is. But what you see aren't tombstones.
They can reach three metres in height, are usually flat, and they all face the same way with the thin edges facing north and south. The thin ends are thus on a north-south angle.. This is why they are called magnetic termite mounds And this from these little chaps... Amazing!
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The biggest termite mound is known as the Cathederal. and you can see the ants busy at work. There are always other ants around to steal the termite eggs and take them back to their own nests for dinner.
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The walks to the falls were enchanting and enjoyed all the rain forest type lush greenery.
We had planned to swim in the pools and under the falls but we chickened out as it was really really cold in there . There were quite a few brave souls in swimming and I envied their courage. It takes a lot to keep me out of the water and I would certainly describe this as "A Lot " |
There are so many water falls and swimming holes in the park that it is impossible to visit and swim in them all. There is a crystal clear plunge pool under the permanent spring fed Florence and Wangi Falls.
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Maybe Buley Rock holes would be warmer. There you can sit in the three tiered cascades of the rock pools and be sheltered by the rain forest..When we got there the amount of cars in the car park was unbelievable and we had to leave as we just could not get a spot anywhere and vehicles were queuing up. We decided to come back the following day early so as to avoid the crowds. We had also failed to notice that in Northern Territory it was a long weekend and half of Darwin hits the pools on weekends.
The days were ticking by and we still so much to see...
The following day we drove out to the Northern Territory Wildlife Park.
The following day we drove out to the Northern Territory Wildlife Park.
The drive in to the park was beautiful with an avenue of tall palms to line the way in. It is a lovely entry statement.
Unfortunately this was one of the highlights of the experience. The bird show was very good and we thoroughly it but the rest of the place was some what disappointing. There were very long distances to walk between attractions and then when we arrived there was little to see... Even so we had a very nice day and the cafe sold Magnum Ice Creams so that made everything good. |
These Northern Yellow Faced Turtles were amoung my favourites
Our next port of call was Douglas Hot Springs. We bush camped in the National Park on the banks of the Douglas River at an exorbitant cost of $8.00 per night.
The Park protects part of the Douglas River, its riverine wildlife, and some of its thermal springs.
It is owned by the Wagiman people who jointly manage it with the Parks and Wildlife Commission.The Wagiman women have the cultural responsibility of looking after this land which is an important place for women's business ceremonies and Wagiman women retain the right to close the park should they wish to carry out ceremonies on their land..
The Park protects part of the Douglas River, its riverine wildlife, and some of its thermal springs.
It is owned by the Wagiman people who jointly manage it with the Parks and Wildlife Commission.The Wagiman women have the cultural responsibility of looking after this land which is an important place for women's business ceremonies and Wagiman women retain the right to close the park should they wish to carry out ceremonies on their land..
The spring consists of a billabong that overflows into the Douglas River.There was boiling water bubbling through the sand further up stream. Apparently people have boiled eggs in the water there.
As the water flows down stream it branches off just about where Greg is laying in the waters and the cold meets the hot and it becomes very comfortably warm. If someone walks across the river and disturbs the flow it can suddenly turn cold or hot depending on the moment. This was absolutely heavenly and we decided to stay for a few days and partake of the therapeutic waters. We were camped in the red dust and every so often the wind would pick up and give us a nice dusting. Apart from that ...What a lovely place to relax and plan how we are going to save the world.. |
The permanent flow of the water and the large variety of trees attracts many birds, fish and other animals to this conservation area.Along the river , springs bubble to the surface from below ground aquifers forming quiet shady pools, rushing cascades and sandy beaches.
What a great stay we had.. there is little else to say really, It was just delightful
We were sad to leave this place.
But we had bigger fish to fry in the name of 'Katherine' and as always.... the longer you settle in a place the harder it is to move on.
The third largest settlement in the Northern Territory is Katherine which has a population of approximately 10,000 people and sits on the banks of the Katherine River that flows down from the Katherine Gorge.
But we had bigger fish to fry in the name of 'Katherine' and as always.... the longer you settle in a place the harder it is to move on.
The third largest settlement in the Northern Territory is Katherine which has a population of approximately 10,000 people and sits on the banks of the Katherine River that flows down from the Katherine Gorge.
The main purpose of our visit to Katherine was the same as everyone elses...
We wanted to see the Gorge and of course the famous Katherine Thermal Springs.
We wanted to see the Gorge and of course the famous Katherine Thermal Springs.
We had booked in advance to stay at the Katherine Gorge Caravan Park and campground which is in the National Park and right on the edge of the Gorge. This was an expensive place to stay and we paid on arrival and then made our way down to our site.... (NOT)!!.. A large converted bus was parked across two sites... one of those sites them was ours. The whole place was nothing more than a dust bowl with guests setting up where ever they felt like it regardless of site allocations. We could have driven in there and set up camp and no one would have been any the wiser that we were there it would have cost nothing.... but being the honest souls that we are, we decided ask for our money back as although we do not mind bush camping, at $40.00 a night you expect something a little more comfortable. We didn't hang around but went on to a place called Shady Lane Resort which was just down the road. It was cheaper and it had all the necessities to support human life... I can honestly say that the Nitmiluk Park was a total rip off and would only recommend it to my worst enemy. ( Think about it)
As we were booking in Shady Lane we decided to also book onto a 'Katherine Gorge Dinner Cruise'. That was a good decision and the following evening we set off on the cruise.
The Park has 13 spectacular gorges and people just like me come here to enjoy its majestic serenity. There is also a lot of Aboriginal significance for the local Jawoyn people. The Katherine River has carved the deep gorges through sandstone over millions of years and some cliffs are over 60 metres in height. The ochre shades and textures in the rocks make for great photographs.
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When we set off, the the sun was still shining and the colours on the water and on the rocks changed with every turn. It was amazing.
The plan was to cruise up to the first level and then we would all have to get off the boat and walk up to the next level of the Gorge and board another waiting boat that will take us up and then back to the same spot where we will meet the dinner boat. |
The scenery was out of this world and I can honestly say that of all the Gorges that I have visited, this one surely has to be the most beautiful and the most spiritual. I did not want it to end... I loved it and the best was yet to come.
As we rounded the bend the shadows were reflecting on the the opposite side of the Gorge.. The sun was low in the sky and twilight was not far away. We were making our way back down to meet up with the dinner boat that would cruise us through sunset. It was magic.
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Hard to see, but there are a two Crocs over on the sand by the bushes. They were the only two that we saw on the cruise.
We met up with the dinner boat as planned and Greg was all set to take my photo as I was first to get on the boat... but 'Greedy Speedy Gonzales' above cut me off on the ramp and jumped in front of me. She is lucky she didn't end up in the water as was overtaking everyone lining up...This lady was obviously not aware that table places were allocated and being first in didn't mean that you got the seat you wanted. No one else was worried about it as all the tables were very nice..She was shown to her seat as were we all by the lovely staff on board. There was no point in taking a photo s planned at that point as the moment was gone.
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be doing these things. We only have one life and we may never pass this way again so we have to make the most of every importunity we get. We reminssed a lot on cruise about all the things we had seen and done over the last 12 months.. The time has flown past and we have barely scratched the surface. There is much out there to see.. We could travel for ever and still only see a fraction of it all. Australia is so diverse and so beautiful. We intend seeing more of it but for now we will concentrate on Katherine. Tomorrow we're going to relax in the Katherine hot springs and partake of the waters there. We have experienced quite a few of these thermal springs and they are all different.
The township of Katherine has its own little "Hot springs" to relax in.
They are tucked away in the Katherine River bed and the springs pump from deep within the earth at a mild temperature.The terminology "hot springs" is stretching the truth a bit. "Tepid" would probably fit the bill better. It averages a lovely temperature of 32C which it makes the springs 'just right' to laze about in.
Council have spent a lot of money over the years beautifying and restructuring the Springs area and the walking tracks along the Katherine River. The gravel bed keeps the sediment disturbance down, and the crystal clear water looking brilliant.
The area has been transformed from just a hole in the river bed to a well thought out recreational area. They have added a raised walking platform that has made it possible to see the source of the spring water from a viewing platform. From there you follow the stream a few metres down to the walkway/bridge to the main pool.
From there the springs flow along to another pandanus lined pool to a retaining wall that acts as a small waterfall, allowing water to flow over into yet another small plunge pool before the stream meanders amongst the paperbark trees and out into the Katherine River. It is really clever the way they had made it wheelchair friendly. There are several disabled groups that use the springs because of it. |
This just has to be the clearest water I have ever experienced. It was so blue . We spent a very long time there and had a picnic lunch.. A lovely relaxing day. Check out the guy with the Mahican haircut behind us. He seemed to pop up in a few of the pics at the springs. He had a great time body surfing over the falls....That top knot of his looked like it was a scrubbing brush... very bristly.. Maybe thats how it all keeps so clean.
What more cold anyone want. This is a little piece of paradise that we will definitely be coming back to
We had one more stop before entering back into Western Australia. We had planned an over nighter at a campsite in the Gregory National Park called 'Big Horse Campground' which is situated next to the boat ramp on the Victoria River just 178kms from Kununarra which happened to be our first stop back in Western Australia. It was a funny feeling..We would be back in our home state after more than 12 months on the road..
Surprise Surprise.... Who should drive in to camp but Robert in his motor home. We met Robert a few stops back and just passed the time of day with him. He pulled in next to us and we spent a very pleasant evening with him and we combined our dinners and made up a 2 dish buffet which turned out to be great. We had some fun talking with him and hopefully we will catch up again.. Robert is a full time on the roader and a very very nice bloke who plays guitar and sings beautifully. .
The perfect gentleman and great company..
Next morning we were up bright and early and couldn't wait to see the Western Australia sign..
The perfect gentleman and great company..
Next morning we were up bright and early and couldn't wait to see the Western Australia sign..
CROSSING THE BORDER BACK INTO OUR HOME STATE AFTER MORE A YEAR ON THE ROAD
As we crossed the boundary between Northern Territory and Western Australia we had to drive through a check point and hand over any fresh foods we had on board as the quarantine laws are very strict and strongly enforced.
The consequence of 'smuggling' things into Western Australia is a very large fine and possible jail time.
It had been a whole year since we stood on WA ground and it felt really good to be on 'Home turf'
The consequence of 'smuggling' things into Western Australia is a very large fine and possible jail time.
It had been a whole year since we stood on WA ground and it felt really good to be on 'Home turf'
Kununnara was only a couple of hours drive away and ever since our last visit there in 2009,
it has always been one of our favourite spots.
Kununarra brings back lots of happy memories for us.
it has always been one of our favourite spots.
Kununarra brings back lots of happy memories for us.
Kununurra
We checked in at the Discovery Tourist Park and were sooooooooooooooooooooooo lucky to get a prime spot down by Lake Kununarra with the most spectacular views.
Kununurra is the Kimberley's youngest town, It was built in the early 1960s to serve the Ord River Irrigation Project.
Even though the town is young, the landscape around it is not. This is the gateway to the Kimberley, a remote and magnificent wilderness region of rocky mountains, deep gorges and waterfalls that covers the north-western top of Australia, between Kununurra and Broome.
The oldest rocks in the Kimberley were formed approximately 2000 million years ago, and there has been so little geological activity in the area since, that the landscape has remained relatively unchanged, making it some of most ancient land on earth and how lucky are we to be experiencing it's beauty first hand.
Kununurra is the Kimberley's youngest town, It was built in the early 1960s to serve the Ord River Irrigation Project.
Even though the town is young, the landscape around it is not. This is the gateway to the Kimberley, a remote and magnificent wilderness region of rocky mountains, deep gorges and waterfalls that covers the north-western top of Australia, between Kununurra and Broome.
The oldest rocks in the Kimberley were formed approximately 2000 million years ago, and there has been so little geological activity in the area since, that the landscape has remained relatively unchanged, making it some of most ancient land on earth and how lucky are we to be experiencing it's beauty first hand.
Prime spot overlooking the Lake
We had the greatest view and very nice people camped around us. We couldn't wait for sunset over the Lake. We got set up and went out to stock up with the essentials and when we came back..............WHAT THE **!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This family just had to be friends of management. They had no power on the lakes edge and blocked the view of not only us but the people either side of us and brazenly showed that they didn't give a ****. The most irritating part about it was that when sunset came around they sat inside their camper with their backs to it while we had to carry our chairs further down the track to take in the views.
Hey!! If they are not interested why not set up somewhere else instead blocking out views of all the people that expressed a wish for and paid for a lakeside powered site...Management didn't seem to care either... Nice place to stay though..
They only stayed 2 nights and then left, along with their winging little brats..
Byeeeeee... Happy Travelling!
And we got our views back
Hey!! If they are not interested why not set up somewhere else instead blocking out views of all the people that expressed a wish for and paid for a lakeside powered site...Management didn't seem to care either... Nice place to stay though..
They only stayed 2 nights and then left, along with their winging little brats..
Byeeeeee... Happy Travelling!
And we got our views back
There is a crocodile that has lived here for a least 20 years and has claimed this stretch as his territory. He is a Freshwater variety so is not aggressive. Every night just as sun starts to set you can see him swimming across from the other side of the lake to the same spot on the waters edge this side and he just lies in the water while people take his picture. Each night a crowd gathers there in wait for his tell tale movement in the water. He never fails to show up. He seems to know when the photo session is over and casually swims away presumably to hunt.. He' s been nicknamed "George" |
We took a drive out to the Ord Diversion Dam.
Lake Kununurra is a long linear lake in the Ord River valley formed in 1963 by the construction of the dam to supply water to the Ord River Irrigation Area. Prior to the Diversion Dam construction a natural permanent waterhole held back by the Bandicoot Bar was known as "Carlton Reach," which was the largest waterhole in the Kimberley. The lake stretches for 55 km upstream from the Diversion Dam towards the larger Lake Argyle. On the subject of birds , our next port of call was a place called Parry Creek that was situated close to Parrys Lagoon, a wetland nature reserve, so we hoped to see a variety of wildlife there.
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It was just a short drive from Kununurra to Parry Creek, about 100 kms and as we drove into The Tourist Park the dirt road was an avenue of Boab Trees in every shape and size imaginable.. It was once again like being on the set of 'Lord of the Rings'. The grass was of course very dry and the campsites although spacious, had very limited little shade.
From here we had easy access to MarFarm Marigu Billabong and Bird Hide at Parry Lagoons..We had been there in 2009 and wanted to revisit as our time was very limited on the visit.. This time we could take things slow and enjoy it more.
The road to the Marlgu Bird Hide had dried out after a big down pour which made it much easier to negotiate. Driving in the wet on these roads is very hazardous and not much fun. The views from Telegraph Hill were breath taking looking over the billabong and wetlands out to the Ord River. Unfortuneatly , due to a technical problem. (Hmm!) we were not able to take photos up there but it was stunning.
We got photos from the bird hide though and managed to tick off every bird on the information board that can be seen there plus a couple of extras.
The road to the Marlgu Bird Hide had dried out after a big down pour which made it much easier to negotiate. Driving in the wet on these roads is very hazardous and not much fun. The views from Telegraph Hill were breath taking looking over the billabong and wetlands out to the Ord River. Unfortuneatly , due to a technical problem. (Hmm!) we were not able to take photos up there but it was stunning.
We got photos from the bird hide though and managed to tick off every bird on the information board that can be seen there plus a couple of extras.
Were had been at the lookout for quite a long time and we weathered a few bus loads of noisy tourists, Oooohing and ARrrrrring and appearing to not really be interested at all, thereby frightening all the birds away then all getting back on the bus and leaving us and a couple of others to wait for the frightened birds to return. Just as we were about to call it a day we spotted something in the water under the hide.
YES!!! The aliens have arrived in the Kimberely............
A nasty Ugly old Cane toad lurking in the water with his eyes firmly fixed on a blue dragon fly.
YES!!! The aliens have arrived in the Kimberely............
A nasty Ugly old Cane toad lurking in the water with his eyes firmly fixed on a blue dragon fly.
Then all of a sudden there were two blue dragon flies..
The Cane toad couldn't believe his luck and slipped quietly under he surface to hide and make his plan of attack
The Cane toad couldn't believe his luck and slipped quietly under he surface to hide and make his plan of attack
The problem is... Western Australian Blue Dragon Flies are smarter than the ugly old Queensland Cane Toads
and
while the Cane toad wasn't looking (while he was thinking about it) the Blue Dragon Flies made their escape.
and
while the Cane toad wasn't looking (while he was thinking about it) the Blue Dragon Flies made their escape.
We watched for quite some time and the toad was not very smart.
After all, we all know that you never turn your back on your next meal.
He wont last long in Western Australia if he doesn't sharpen up.
If they survive in WA there will be two types of Cane Toad
The Quick Cane Toad and the Dead Cane Toad..
After all, we all know that you never turn your back on your next meal.
He wont last long in Western Australia if he doesn't sharpen up.
If they survive in WA there will be two types of Cane Toad
The Quick Cane Toad and the Dead Cane Toad..
We had a few days of rest and relaxation at Parry Creek Farm and enjoyed cooling off in the pool.
The last time we were here in 2009 it was far too cold to swim in the pool. Mind you, the water was very cold this time too but we braved it..
We had hoped to see more wild life around camp as we did the last time we stayed here but sadly there was nothing that we noticed... just a few birds... We enjoyed them...
These Boab trees were plentiful each one was a fascinating work of nature. I wonder if the top of the tree mirrors what is under the ground.
They are like upside down trees.
The last time we were here in 2009 it was far too cold to swim in the pool. Mind you, the water was very cold this time too but we braved it..
We had hoped to see more wild life around camp as we did the last time we stayed here but sadly there was nothing that we noticed... just a few birds... We enjoyed them...
These Boab trees were plentiful each one was a fascinating work of nature. I wonder if the top of the tree mirrors what is under the ground.
They are like upside down trees.
On the Road Again
OK... Lets get out of here and do some free camping on the way to Fitzroy Crossing.. We have plenty of time up our sleeves now so we can take it easy .
There is a free camp called Leycester Rest which is situated just about 250 kms along the Great Northern Highway by the Ord River Bridge.
If we didn't like it there the plan was to move on to the next free camp and so on and so on.
When we got there we were very pleasantly surprised. It is a very clean reserve and plenty of space to spread out. Once again there was little shade and by the time we got there all the shady spots had been taken. We were allowed to have camp fires there too which is something we really like.
There is a free camp called Leycester Rest which is situated just about 250 kms along the Great Northern Highway by the Ord River Bridge.
If we didn't like it there the plan was to move on to the next free camp and so on and so on.
When we got there we were very pleasantly surprised. It is a very clean reserve and plenty of space to spread out. Once again there was little shade and by the time we got there all the shady spots had been taken. We were allowed to have camp fires there too which is something we really like.