FRIDAY 27 MAY 2022
We are now in the Northern Territory, having moved along from Camooweal. I need to catch up our ambles over the last few days:
Last Saturday we enjoyed a pleasant night at the PO Hotel in Camooweal. Rosie came with us and we joined several other dogs and their owners in the cool breeze on the lovely long verandah. There was a couple all the way from Kangaroo Valley – almost our neighbours! The Bistro served up wonderful meals – making it hard to comprehend just how isolated we are here. The yellow lighting does not do the photographs of our meals true justice.
On Sunday Morning, several of the local Whistling Kites gave a wonderful display of their soaring and gliding abilities, as they checked out Rosie and me under their flight path. It took me back to when I first visited the spot where Tony died, and the kites there took my breath away as they circled overhead, as if to provide support in my grief.
Just out of town there are some intriguing sink holes, to which we drove out. Unfortunately only very skilled abseilers and cavers could safely explore them, so we settled for exploring around them and peering down into the gloomy depths.
We paused in town to say “g’day” to the impressive sculpture in memory of all the brave and hard working drovers who passed that way.
CAMOOWEAL QLD TO 41 MILE BORE ON BARKLY HIGHWAY NT
MONDAY 23 MAY – DAY 22
Finally it was time for us to pack up and move on. The lake was like a mirror as I enjoyed a final fly over from some of the beautiful local birdlife.
We drove straight past the sign bidding us ‘Welcome’ into the NT. Last year, when COVID was in full swing, there was a road block at the border with Queensland and the Northern Territory, and we were required to prove our germ free status.
41 Mile Bore Free Camp was the goal for tonight’s stopover. We stayed there last year and found it was fine.
Along the way, at Ranken Station there were thousands of cattle yarded. They were waiting, I guess for the cattle trains to arrive. Having feasted on the lush pastures following the last wet season, they must now be either heading to market or are being relocated to other stations. We have driven past many cattle trains along the way on this trip. My thoughts drift back to the old days and those many tough teams of drovers, horses, camp cooks and others, who used to move the animals along the travelling stock routes that spread out over this country. Norm has been reading a book we bought at the Drover’s Camp in Camooweal, called “Wind on the Cattle”. It is a series of recollections of an old drover, Pic WIlletts, who travelled the Western Stock Routes in the 50’s and 60’s. I can’t help thinking that those cattle that were under Pic’s care probably arrived at their next destination a lot less stressed than the wild eyed animals I have spotted crammed into those cattle trains.
We set up camp for the night in a great spot right at the back of the camp ground at 41 mile bore. The Spinifex and other grasses were so tall that they surrounded our camp by high waving walls of golden and silver grasses. As the sun lowered in the sky the colours and special light took my breath away. Not only the amazing pinks, oranges, reds, purples, blues and greys in the sky, but the reflected light across the grasses as well took my breath away with the beauty that surrounded me.
DAY 23 41 MILE BORE TO DALY WATERS HI-WAY INN STURT HIGHWAY
THURSDAY 24 MAY
The early morning sunrise lit up the grasses even more spectacularly than the night before.
In about an hour we finally reached the Sturt Highway at Three Ways, then turned north towards Darwin.
We decided to give the Daly Waters Pub and the very entertaining evening to be had there, a miss this trip. Instead we stayed on the Sturt Highway and pulled over at the Daly Waters Hi-Way Inn, where we found a perfectly suitable grassy powered site for the night. The charge was $30 plus we received two drink vouchers to be enjoyed at the Inn. Bargain!!
Soon after we had set up camp our new neighbours pulled in. They were towing a huge caravan with a large brightly decorated truck, advertising ‘Barb’s Psychic Readings’ from the Gold Coast.
https://www.barbspsychicreadings.com
We joined the very interesting Barb, and her husband, Wayne at the Inn for drinks before dinner. There are so many people out here on the road, making money as they travel. We have come across hairdressers, dog sitters, sign writers, caravan repairmen and many others plying their trade along the road.
DAY 24 DALY WATERS HI-WAY INN TO BITTER SPRINGS MATARANKA
WEDNESDAY 25 MAY
It was a very short drive today so that we could arrive at the Bitter Springs camp early. They don’t take bookings, and we wanted to ensure we could get a campsite.
It is such a peaceful relaxing envirlonment here that we have decided to stay three nights. The pull of Coomalie is becoming intense now as we are now so close.
We had set up our van in this lovely tropical site, surrounded by palms, white bloodwoods, mangos and other beautiful sources of mottled shade and sunlight. After lunch Norm and I hastened down to the springs in their magical cabbage palm and paperbark suroundings, with the sounds of the half hearted laughter of the local Kookaburras, which have lost the art of a true chortle and peels of musical calls from other sweet little birds flitting overhead. The water is SO warm, and clear, sometimes aqua blue, cream, white and purple-black with the overhead trees and palms reflected in the mostly mirror like surface. The sides are edged with reeds and pandanas with waterlillies growing in amongst the floating green algae beside the banks.
DAYS 26 – 27 BITTER SPRINGS MATARANKA
26 – 27 MAY 2022
At the Kiosk we bought a full face mask for snorkelling around the springs and exploring the life underwater. The next couple of days we enjoyed morning and afternoon time floating, swimming and exploring the beautiful springs. I was thrilled to catch site of some of the little fish that live there. However, the huge moment was when I saw some of the tortoises gliding around amongst the grasses and rising now and then to catch a breath of air. Norm took many underwater photos with his camera, which I will add to this blog later.
We paid a visit out to the resort that is located where the old Elsey Homestead (We of the Never Never) used to stand. There is access from there down to the Rainbow Springs where the warm waters come bubbling up from deep beneath the earth. Swimming is not permitted there – it is a very deep hole. Further along are the Mataranka Springs which have been lined along the edges, and are clear with a white sandy floor. They look perfect and beautiful in their tropical setting of panadanas and cabbage tree palms. Somehow, though, I prefer our more natural environment back at Bitter Springs.
ON THE ROAD 