Katherine to Uluru

The travel-train departed Katherine, after 2 days at the Springvale Homestead Tourist Park http://www.caravanparkphotos.com.au/katherine_springvale/index.htm , towards the Alice on Friday 12.

On the way through Katherine we called into a car wash to wash the camper as we ended up dusty whenever we touched or set up the camper, a small job for huge gains.

We had a coffee at the Coffee Club in Katherine and noticed that there is an easy identification of caravan travellers apart from campers and that is that they have clean and well pressed clothes, we don’t. 

We made our way back to the Elsey National Park for the second time this trip,  http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/pdf/elsey.pdf , just South of Mataranka, and spent 2 enjoyable nights with the mozzies and wild donkeys. This is a really enjoyable bush camp ground, as we said after our first stop there on our way North.  In Mataranka we called in to the Stockman’s Gallery for another mango smoothy, I can confirm they are the best I have tasted so far. 

We are getting quite lazy in that anything over 200Kms travel per day is a big day but the trip from Katherine to Elsey was only about 110Kms so that was a very easy day.

On Thursday evening we had a few drinks with the caretakers of the Jalmurark Camp Ground and found that they hail from Harvey Bay and are only too happy to relate interesting stories about dealing with people in the park from time to time- some try to use the facilities and try to scarper early in the morning, those who run generators, which are banned here, camping in a no-camp area, sounds as though you have to be up very early to beat the caretakers.

On the way through a little place called Larrimah, just South of Mataranka, we called in for scones, jam and real cream with Fran. The scones and coffee cost $13 each but it was worth every cent to see someone put her heart and soul into her cooking and serving the customers.

After we worked our way past the numerous blackboard sign, some of which required some interpretation, Fran provided a running commentary on the situation. It was really good to see someone working for themselves and running the business their way.

We had a quick stop at Newcastle Waters http://www.smh.com.au/news/Northern-Territory/Newcastle-Waters/2005/02/17/1108500201649.html this now Ghost town was created on the intersection of 2 major cattle droving routes, the Murranji and the Barkly and was a meeting and watering site for the Drovers and their cattle. 

In 1917 Newcastle waters was the depot for bore sinking teams who were sinking bores along, mainly, the Murranji stock route, and when this was completed the stock route and the town became quite busy.

The road and rail transport of cattle lead to the demise of the town and there are only a couple of buildings remaining, namely “Jones Store” and the “Junction Hotel”. As this town was also on the telegraph route, there was a repeater station here, and remnants still remain.

On leaving the town we crossed some wetlands and saw a number of Brolgas dancing, unfortunately I did not have the camera ready and missed most of it.

When we called in to Newcastle Waters we were on our way to the Devil’s Marbles (Karlu Karlu) National Park,  http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/pdf/DevilsMarbles_000.pdf where we booked in for the night at a cost of 3.30per head. The camping area here had a great view of the Devil’s Marbles, but apart from that was typical of the roadside stops, especially with the number of caravans arriving, most of them late. The camp area had drop loos but no showers but the sites were really good. There were a couple of flea bitten dingoes hanging around waiting for people to feed them.

The ‘marbles’ occupy areas on both sides of the road and there is a very informative self guided walk which only takes about 20 minutes but provides information on the structure and geology of the boulders. 

Next stop on the road was a short stop at a little place called Aileron, 136Kms to the north of Alice Springs, where a local artist has created a statue of an Aboriginal http://www.alltravels.com/australia/northern-territory/aileron/photos/current-photo-34496101 metres high and is located on the hill overlooking the Roadhouse with the name Aileron below him, Hollywood style, very impressive it is. 

The artist has now created an aboriginal woman with a child at her leg and I think she is to be transported up the hill as well.

We arrived in Alice Springs to be met with smoke all around, fires to the North and the South.  By the time we were ready to leave everything was covered in ash and the inside of the tent had a very strong smoke smell.  The scenery around Alice is stunning with the MacDonnell ranges to the East and the West.

This is truly the Red Centre, as the soil is really red. We ventured out to Simpson’s Gap http://www.nt.gov.au/westmacs/places/simpsons-gap which was stunning and then ventured to Standley Chasm which, unfortunately, was closed due to the bushfires around.

The town is a typical smallish city with almost everything required even an excellent health food store.

I made a small adjustment to the Toyota here to try to add some positive air pressure to under the tonneau cover to keep the dust out, which hasn’t been tested yet, but will be in the next few days.

We arrived at Ayres Rock resort on Thursday and booked for 3 days at $41.00 per night. Access to the national park is $25 per person for a 3 day pass kid under 16 are free...... well worth the cost. 

Ayres rock is impressive and seems to be looking at you wherever you go here, and the Olga’s are very impressive as well. We went on a guided walk today, Saturday, and learned some of the culture of the local aboriginals as well as an insite to the geology of the area which really interested us.  After the walk we then did the walk around the base of Uluru which took about 3 hours.  Uluru was closed this morning because of the winds at the summit then closed again later this afternoon for the same reason.  John was hoping to do the climb but maybe next time the weather will be kinder to him.

It is after 9pm and we have to depart in the morning so we will not have time to add the photos to this post but when we get to Broken Hill we will post the photos.  We have so many it is time consuming sorting them out.  Doesn’t help that the computer battery has died on us so we can only do this when we have power which is not that often and since we have been here we have not had much free time.  Internet is also a long way between connections so by the time we have power and internet it gets to be a bit of a marathon.

Leaving Derby, Heading South

During our extened time in Derby we found a very nice Cafe/Gallery.......... Jila Gallery Cafe, which served good coffee, cakes and slices which was a welcome diversion from the heat.

Sunset over the Derby Pier

Sun still setting

 

While we were in Derby we went to visit the Boab Prison tree, where the indigenous people who had been captured were imprisoned while on their way to Broome to be used for pearl diving. We also saw the long trough which was built in the late 1880’s to provide water for stock being taken to the ships at Derby for export. I measured this trough and it was approximately 150metres long and apparently could water 500 bullocks at the same time. 

On Wednesday we went for a day trip to Broome, we only had a few hours there did the usual look at shops then a visit to Cable Beach, the caravan parks there are very busy with 3 overflow parks all full.  I wouldn’t like to go there during the season without a booking unless you're not fussed on where you stay

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Not sure if I mentioned that we ran into a family in Cloncurry who are from Caboolture.  We have now seen them in Mt Isa, Darwin and again in Broom.  They did the head on their vehicle so it made our problems with the springs seem like a minor bother.

Other repairs have included loads of tyre repairs/replacement, wheels falling off cars and trailers, a gear box replacement, broken windscreens and back windows, spare tyres on the back door parting company with the door.  These are just the ones we have heard about.

Maybe next time we will be able to have more time in Broome and see what it is really like.  John wasn’t impressed.

We noticed that the Victorian number plates say “Victoria – the place to be”, well why are they all in caravans in Western Australia. Mind you just about everyone else is up here as well.

When the springs had not arrived from Perth on the Friday and would not be there until Monday we decided to leave Derby to camp out at Birdwood Downs 13 Kms back out towards the Gibb Road.  The lady there suggested we contact another guy in Derby who may be able to help us, a phone call later and he was confident he could fix our problem if we were at his workshop on Saturday morning (July 30), which we did, 2 hours later and $200 poorer we were on our way again.

We travelled back along the Gibb River Road to Windjana Gorge, only about 150Kms and mainly bitumen with about 30% dirt road.

Windjana Gorge was really impressive with walks along the gorge with dozens of freshwater crocs sunning themselves along the bank. These crocs were so used to tourists that you could walk up close and take photos without them taking any notice of you.  Well we weren’t getting to close but there were lots of other people who did.  A sudden movement on the part of a croc would have seen a fast retreat by some.

There are so many caravans on the road, along the way at the free stops with loos and fire places where you can bunk up for the night, but to get a spot you have to be there at lunchtime. 

Anyway, back to the trip, while we were at Windjana we went for a drive down to Tunnel Creek, where the creek runs through a mountain and you can walk/wade through which I did but Kath reneged as she had managed to have unsuitable footware and a camera that she wasn't prepared to get wet which was likely to happen as she is pretty bumble footed at times.  The walk was quite interesting and walkers are monitored by a number of freshwater crocs along the way, you can see their red eyes as you walk. 

The history of these places, Windjana and Tunnel Creek have been part of a stage show doing the rounds up here and we just missed the show at Windjana. The play is about an aboriginal guy Jandumurra, who in the late 1800’s killed a white person so to avoid capture lived in Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. He was eventually killed at the entrance to Tunnel Creek after about three years avoiding the police.

We left Windjana heading for the Bungle Bungle (Purnululu) National Park. The road from Windjana to the Great Northern Highway was pretty ordinary and it took in excess of 2 hours to travel the 120Kms.

Demise of the Stone Guard

There have been a few places where they have run out of diesel and Fitzroy Crossing was one of them, we got there just after the tanker arrived which was lucky for us.  Not a place where you want to stay.

Ran in to a couple at Halls Creek who had done the Tanami and had done quite a bit of damage to their camper and had a forced stay of a week in Halls Creek.  We not sorry we had decided to not do the Tanami.  Maybe another time.

We stayed 2 nights at one of the freebie sites called Mary Pool, where, on the second night there must have been 200 caravans, and for that many people 2 toilets did not really cut it. We had an interesting interaction with the landowner of the surrounding property but too long a story to tell here, the short version is don’t put your generator on someone’s property in amongst long grass if you don’t want a bullet put through it.  Suffice to say we gained permission to go on to his property to take some photos of a disused cattle yard.

On Wednesday (August 3) we went in to the Bungle Bungles. If you Google Bungle Bungle Road Conditions they say the following – “To visit Western Australia's Bungle Bungles National Park takes some time and dedication.   -  From the turn off it is 53 km to the park entrance. This last stretch of road is strictly four wheel drives and single axle off-road trailers/caravans only. Don't even think about taking anything else. Dual axle and standard caravans/trailers are not allowed.”  It takes approximately 2 – 2.5 hours to do the 53Kms and that is after some of the road has been graded. 

There are currently 18 river/creek crossings with water in them, of varying depths and widths, and just as many dry crossings. I estimate that 50% of the journey was in second gear. The camper trailer, equipped with the new springs survived really well, although the Anderson plug for the camper battery did not, so I had to install the third plug for the trip. I am about to buy a couple of spares.

The Bungle Bungles were, in a word, unbelievable, and we had a helicopter ride over them on Friday which really set the visit off.

Bungle Bungles from the air.

Echidna Chasm.

Cathedral Gorge

 

Probably the most interesting part for me was a gorge named Cathedral Gorge, which was fantastic. Some people were telling us that when they visited people just stood there and sang and the acoustics were great. Would have liked to see that but didn’t happen when we were there.

The camp sites were pretty good there was a choice of two and areas where you could run a generator.  Drop loos and water on tap, a sign suggested boiling it but we found it OK.  The park supplied fire wood as you are not allowed to bring any in from outside, the wood they supplied came in from Perth.......go figure.

There are only four walks in the park and you have to drive to them all so it is a bit of a trap if you don’t have enough fuel, the furtherest we had to drive was 25km.  The walks weren’t that long but it was as hot as.

Up this way we have not seen much in the line of kangaroos and wallabies but heaps of birds and at the Bungles could hear lots of dingos though only saw one.  Every night that put on a real show with their singing, one of those nights they performed next to the car.  Thankful there was no need to get up and go to the loo.

We have been told all the roos are in the Flinders Ranges.  We’ll see.

On Sunday we started the long drive out and arrived back in Kununurra but could only get a powered site for one night, but allowed us to get the new Anderson plug and moved on to Victoria River to a powered site to fix another plug.

Somewhere along the way the zip on the gauze door broke which proved to be a nuisance because we had to keep the canvas door zipped up to deter any wild life that might fancy spending some time in the tent but also made the tent very hot. We had resigned ourselves to the fact we would not be able to get it fixed till we got home and it would involve taking the canvas off the trailer which we have had to do before.  Also as we are starting to head south it won’t be as hot so wouldn’t matter if the gauze door didn’t work.  On spec we went to a canvas place in Kununurra and they made a couple of suggestions of which cost us $2.50 (new slider for the zip) and after much holding your tongue right we managed to change the slider over and now we have a fully operational gauze door.

Spent Monday night in Kununurra and arrived back in Katherine on Tuesday.

Turtles at Springvale Homestead Camp Ground.

We are staying at the Springvale Homestead caravan park, which is interesting. Bush setting and we have a very nice site around a billabong with friendly geese, turtles and some freshies to keep us company.

The amount of families we are meeting who are on the road for 6 – 12 months with their kids and home schooling them as they go.   Some have sold up their homes others have rented them out.  Everyone is the same where you don’t notice how dirty things are or how dirty and dusty you are.  I am sure clothes will never come clean and it will likely take us a couple of weeks to clean the camper. 

Dust in the kitchen aftetr the Bungles.

The dust in it used to get on my nerves now I don’t even notice it.  John washed the car in Kununurra and the red was so bright it made everyone take notice.

Places with swimming pools are good for kids as it is the best way to get out some of the in ground dirt and I have found they are good places to sit around (water is too cold to get in) and put your feet in for a soak, the end result are nice clean feet, the next couple of days you wear sandshoes to keep the clean feet thing happening for a bit longer.

We are heading south towards Alice Springs in the next couple of days looking for some cooler weather and will update as soon as we have power and mobile coverage hopefully won't be as long.