Mt Isa to Camooweal

As we left Mt Isa we passed one of our favourite road signs, together with a warning that the road was unfenced to the Queensland/Northern Territory border. At several points along the road cattle were feeding and we saw a dead cow on the side of the road, the result of a collision with a vehicle. There was no sign of the vehicle, but it was a large cow.

A short distance out of Mt Isa was one of the 'freebie' parks that the government is trying to stamp out. These places usually have limited facilities, such as water or toilets, and are used by caravans and campervans for free overnight stops. This one appeared to have only a covered table and seats.

Initially the countryside was similar to the rocky hills we drove through on the approach into Mt Isa. After about 40 km the hills disappeared and we were again driving across a flat landscape. Once more we saw a variety of vegetation, including blue gums, obviously very common up here, and some ghost gums. One long stretch to  the left of the road had been burned off in the recent past. About the time the hills disappeared we saw a sign that indicated that we were entering Lake Eyre's catchment area.

In Camooweal we walked the length of the main street. This didn't take very long. The Post Office has an internet access point. The lady at the Information Centre/museum advised us to drive along the river where she said there were lots of water birds to be seen. There were indeed water birds to be seen, including brolgas, swans and ducks. One of the birds of prey that we keep seeing posed on the road for a photo shot. Camooweal has a lovely new bridge, built in 2000 after the most recent floods. So far, the river has not run under the new bridge.

There is quite a strong breeze today. It's the first time since we left home that we have had any wind.

Camooweal to Three Ways Roadhouse

We paid 74 c/l for diesel in Mt Isa (with a Woolworths discount), then $1.07 in Camooweal, less than 200 km down the road. At Barkley Homestead today it was $1.16.

We were kept awake last night by what sounded like a road train left running (very loud). On the CB today we heard that a road train driver had come into town and checked every one of his 132 tyres then changed one.

The first part of the drive today was across a very flat and dry plain. Lines of trees marked creek beds that presumably flow only when it rains. Microwave towers appeared at regular intervals, often at the top of a rise. The road was excellent, two lanes of bitumen and flat virtually all the way. We did not see a 'no passing' section along any of the 454 km. In the first 55 minutes we passed (travelling in the opposite direction) one 4WD and two road trains. In the next 15 minutes we passed 8 caravans and one 4WD.

The changes in the vegetation are amazing. Today we saw a large number of different types of trees and bushes. A particular combination of vegetation often lasts only a kilometre or so, then changes. Often the vegetation is different on the two sides of the road. We crossed one river which had water in it. There were plenty of birds on it, a number of caravans parked beside it, and a police station.

After depositing our caravan at the Three Ways Roadhouse we drove the 25 km south to Tennant Creek. We drove up to the lookout (great views in all directions), to the Mary Ann Dam, over the actual Tennant Creek (dry), looked around the Old Telegraph Station (one of four still in existence), and out to The Pebbles. The Pebbles (Kunjarra) are a smaller but more extensive version of the Devils Marbles.

Three Ways Roadhouse to Daly Waters

We left at 8 this morning but despite this relatively early departure were among the last out of the caravan park. Everyone here seemed to be in a great hurry to get away. Maybe the car that screamed in yesterday evening, closely followed by the police who had the driver of the first car in handcuffs before we had time to look out to see what was going on had something to do with the early departures. The main north-south road in the Territory is excellent, a little less flat than yesterday, with gradual rises and falls rather than hills. The vegetation was constantly changing as usual. The unusual hill formation we saw is known as Lubras Lookout. As we travelled further north the bushes and scrub were replaced by taller trees, with a more tropical appearance. There were large areas showing the effects of past fires. One effect of these fires is to kill many of the bushes and trees, leaving only the ugly blackened trunks and branches. The town of Elliott was unusually neat and tidy for this part of the world, with an impressive avenue of trees along the main road.

We are staying at the BP Roadhouse on the main road rather that at the Daly Waters Pub caravan park. After setting up we drove into historic Daly Waters, which is off the main highway. The Pub, which seems to be all of the town, is decorated to create an image that attracts visitors. They do have a nice pair of rocking chairs in front of the fireplace. We have booked for dinner, steak and barramundi, $17.50 per person — Barrie's tired of barramundi by now and just having the steak. This is the first time we have gone out for dinner since leaving home.

We also visited the tree upon which John Stuart is presumed to have carved an 'S' when he passed here crossing the continent in the 1860s. It requires imagination, and the help of a local lad, to see the 'S' today, the flowering plants nearby were more interesting. We then visited the airfield. Daly Waters was an international airport for many years in the early days of international aviation. It was also an important airfield during WWII. There is a well written series of posters around the walls of the hanger describing its history. Today it is used only for emergencies. 

Daly Waters to Mataranka

Last night's dinner was nice but unremarkable. However we were entertained with bush ballads then by a bush poet which made for a pleasant evening.

Today was only a short drive. The road is much busier and has more road trains than the roads we have been travelling westward. We have been interested in the trees with the orange trunks that we have seen from time to time. They were in larger numbers today, and it appears that the white ghost gums lose their bark and leave the orange trunk.

For the third day in a row our booking, made at least two months ago, had not been recorded. They were able to give us a powered site, but not the en suite we had requested. We have started confirming bookings now.

Our Lonely Planet book suggested a visit to Bitter Springs, newly opened as a swimming area. As everyone had told us how commercialised the Mataranka Springs were , we visited Bitter Springs first and took the circular walk. There are two swimming areas, and it is possible to swim between them. The water is beautifully clear, although there is a lot of weed growing around the edges, and spider webs with large golden orb spiders across the stream between the two swimming holes. Although the water doesn't look deep, finding a place where it is possible to touch bottom is difficult. However, the area is relatively quiet, and for a time during our two hours in the water we were the only occupants of our swimming hole.

Later in the afternoon we drove to the Elsey ('We of the Never Never') cemetery, then visited the Mataranka Springs. We remember driving up to the Springs in the bus 30 years ago, and having the pool almost to ourselves. Today there is a large hotel area, a large camping ground, and getting to the pool from the car park is quite a hike. There is paving and edging around the pool and it is very busy. Bitter Springs is much more to our liking. We used our air conditioner this evening for the first time. We expect to be using it regularly from now on.

Mataranka

We started out on a short 'Botanic Walk' near the Mataranka pool. Along the way we decided to take the detour off to 'Stevies Hole', which turned a relatively short walk into a moderately long walk. We are intrigued that there are so many people travelling yet many of the places we visit are deserted. A lot of the caravanners seem to spend most of their time sitting by their caravans in the caravan park. At Stevies Hole, a large, cool pool in the Little Roper River, we saw half a dozen people who had taken the shorter walk from the Mataranka Resort, two of whom continued along the river ahead of us as we walked back. There was another vehicle parked with ours when we returned, owned, as we discovered later, by a woman from Katherine who was showing a friend the local sights.

We returned to Bitter Springs about the same time as yesterday, stopping on the way to photograph termite mounds in someone's front yard. Today the small car park was nearly full. We returned to our preferred swimming hole, already occupied by eight others. However most of them left fairly quickly, and for the remainder of our stay we shared the hole just with the two women whose vehicle we had seen earlier, with occasional visitors coming and going.

Mataranka to Katherine

A short 100 km drive this morning and we were at the caravan park by 9:30 this morning. We took no photos along the way as the first section was burnt and the latter section was boring. This is a beautiful caravan park, thanks David and Janne. After setting up we visited the local internet cafe, the most professional we have seen, and the supermarket. Joy's phone is working here, so we also have internet access via phone for the next couple of days.

This afternoon we visited Springvale Homestead, where a volunteer conducts a short tour and describes the homestead history. It was established in the late 19th century, with 12000 sheep and 6000 cattle. After two years the spear grass had killed all but 70 of the sheep. The property was named for the spring by the house, and the residents enjoyed good health and long lives. In the 1970s the spring water was tested and found to be radioactive. The tree is shaded by four enormous South American rain trees, one planted at the birth of each child. There is also a South American quinine tree, used by the mistress of the house as medicine. From Springvale we drove to the Thermal Spring in Katherine which was cool and very crowded. We decided not to swim today. The bush tucker walking tour that we were interested to take, which used to run twice a day, now runs only on Saturday mornings.

Katherine and Edith Falls

We drove to Edith Falls, some 60 km out of Katherine. The map said the circular walk was 1.6 km, moderate difficulty, 1.5 to 2 hours. Close to the car park there is a large pool, fed by a waterfall. We crossed the river exiting from this pool, admiring the reflections on both sides, and followed the fairly steep climb up the escarpment and along the top. Most of the way the path is up or across large rocks. Over the years (or is it over the centuries?) the rocks have been worn smooth by feet, defining the pathway  At regular intervals there are pointers to assist. About half way around the loop is a second large pool, again fed by waterfalls. This is an excellent place to cool off for those with the forethought to bring bathing costumes with them (we didn't), or simply to rest for a while (we did). There are two lookouts, each giving an excellent view of the surrounding countryside. The descent (or climb from the opposite direction) was much easier, a pathway instead of boulders. By the end of walk, two hours for us, Joy was ready to cool off in the pool by the car park. No thermal pool this one, although it was most refreshing after taking the plunge. The afternoon was spent back at the caravan catching up on some paperwork.

Katherine and Katherine Gorge

Having enjoyed a Katherine Gorge cruise some thirty years ago we decided to take one of the walks today. There were no easy walks and only two moderate walks. We chose the longer of these (8.4 km return). The walk started out with a climb up the escarpment, then a reasonably flat stretch over small boulders to a lookout which gave some magnificent views over Katherine Gorge.. The last 450 metres of the walk was down to a pool fed from above down a sheer rock face. It would be very impressive in the wet season. One section of the walk down had down but the last bit was a climb over large boulders, no path at all. Once at the pool, Joy braved the slightly murky water, Barrie chatted with the two other couples who had taken the same walk. The small fish in the pool nibbled at Joy's fingers and toes if she remained still. We took the climb back up very easy, and arrived at the top without any difficulties. However, by the time we arrived back at the car Joy was more than ready for an extended rest. The remainder of the day is being spent quietly, with some shopping to be done before we move on to Kakadu tomorrow.

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