We finally got going at about 2pm on Monday 27th on our way from Balnarring to Balnarring via Adelaide, Alice Springs, Darwin, Broome, Perth.
Stopped over in Adelaide to see Mum, Dad, Ian, Carol and Alanna as well as catching up with Rikki and Michael who surprised everyone by getting married on the previous Saturday.
Mum had that much food that we were very happy to empty part of the fridge with some pre-cooked meals which might keep us going almost to Darwin.
Since we spent some time at Woomera, Coober Pedy, Uluru and Kings Canyon with the girls back a few years ago we didn’t stop anywhere (except to sleep) until Alice Springs. Got to Alice on Friday 31st about 10:30am.
A road train on the Stuart Highway
While driving into town the local radio station had an interview with members of the“Bite Sized Theatre”, an NT group who write and perform plays no longer than 10 minutes each. They are performing in Alice on Sat night and so we bought some tickets to see what sounds like a really interesting concept.
Walking around town (to get some exercise after sitting in a car for two and a half days) part of the CBD was shutdown as the police tried to persuade a young girl not to jump off the top of the K-Mart building. Heard on the news that she finally came down – it turns out she had escaped on route to court to face charges of car theft amongst other things. Spent Saturday cycling around town.
Had a look at the footy – NT Thunder vs Redlands (from Qld) – plenty of fast skilled indigenous players.
Up on Anzac Hill a blonde, young (40 something) slim, attractive Swiss lady approached me with a proposition I couldn’t refuse. Her name is Hidegard Fischer, a Software Training Consultant (her web site http://www.traicon.ch/). Whenever I am next in Switzerland she has offered me a lesson. I agreed only if the offer was open to all my friends – of course she agreed when Jill mentioned most of my friends are just like me. In return all she wanted was her photo taken. Then she took mine (photo I mean) and Jill’s.
The Bite Sized Theatre was OK given that the whole thing was written, produced and acted by amateurs – as the pre-publicity stated “if you don’t like the current play, just wait for 10 minutes and something else will be on”.
On Sunday 2nd we drove from Alice to a free camp about 70kms north of Tennant Creek. The location of this camp is Stuart’s monument at Attack Creek. Here John MacDoull Stuart and his exploration party was turned back after an encounter with Aborigines.
Not quite oriented correctly
From Stuart's monument we ventured on to Mataranka where I had a swim with about 50 German tourists - wasn't even all that warm
- and then on to Katherine GorgeThe scenery here is great - safe swimming and views thru the various gorges sensational. A compulsory boat cruise replaced the preferred canoe expedition (due to Jill's broken wrist) and several walks were just fabulous
I do all cooking, washing, drying cos of this broken wrist. Its been on for 3 months - I am sure it could have come off by now! Am I being suckered?
Cruise boat up the Katherine
Katherine Gorge - one of the great views
and another
A 3m freshwater croc (proper name is crocodilus johnsonii - looks a bit like Phil now that I come to think of it)
when these capoc flowers come out the crocs start bonking - been told some females will do anything for a capoc flower
Wednesday 5th Aug
Went for a 2 hour walk on the escarpment overlooking part of the 1st gorge before leaving (via stocking up at Katherine) for Batchelor. As we were motoring along, Jill managed to contact Jana Taylor who has moved up to Darwin from Balnarring and has arranged to catch up probably on Saturday. The plan is to spend at least a couple of days in Litchfield National Park first though.
Drove in to Wangi Falls campground about 10am. It’s the only location within the park where caravans can stay (unpowered sites – but with an excellent amenities - $6.60 pp per night). Not many spare spots but luckily we secured a pretty convenient one which has plenty of sunshine for the solar panel but with late afternoon shade.
After a short reconnoitre and lunch we took bathers and towel down to the swimming hole. There is a short (2km) walk up and around the falls which we did before Glenn went for a swim. Poor old Jill with her wrist still in plaster had to sit on the sidelines.
Try this Wangi Falls video with sound up
Thursday 6th Aug – Litchfield National Park
Got talking to a Kiwi couple(Geoff and Joy from Gisborne) before tea and they invited us over for a drink. Geoff reckons he is overloaded with wine and needed to get rid of a bottle or two. Compared notes about our destinations and invited them to our van tomorrow arvo for a couple more. Maybe he will need to jettison a few more bottles?
Went to some other great locations on Friday including the Blyth Homestead, Tjanera Falls, and then Bulah Rockpools and Termite Mounds on Saturday. Photos below don’t do justice to these great spots.
Blyth homestead (built late 1800's)
Tjanera Falls
Lost City
Termite Mounds
Bulah Rockpools (Glenn in the middle)
Saturday 8th
Caught up with Jana Taylor and her partner Trevor at their place near Berry Springs. Had a great feed of fish caught and cooked by Trevor
Sunday 9th
Continued on to Darwin where we were lucky enough to stay with Chris Hocking and his family. Chris, a former South East Water work colleague now earns his living at NT Power and Water where he is doing very well as their Water Asset and Risk Manager. The Hocking house has a great , self contained flat which we occupied for 7 days. How lucky! Chris and Jess (and Katie, Abi and Sam) were great hosts and we owe them big time.
One of the bonuses about arriving in Darwin was that we took delivery of some important bits of gear that were left behind in Balnarring, namely vital components of the boat trailer. I was able to inveigle Murray (never had a pony tail in his life as far as I can remember) to go down to our place, pick up the forgotten bits and post them to Chris’s place. Now I owe Murray as well!
Anyway having got all the bits we were able to assemble the trailer and put the boat in. First time Jill and I went for a long “cruise” from Nightcliff to Darwin and back. Saw several large sea turtles and a small pod of dolphins which followed us for a while as they were frolicking near the harbour. Lovely warm (32 deg day – as they all are up there this time of the year). Second time went fishing went fishing alone and caught one toadfish, lost a lure and a heap of line, 6 hooks and 3 sinkers. Not an auspicious start – but can only get better.
On Monday 10th met up with Mark, Gemma and Alana McCormack for a drink in the centre of Darwin. They were waiting for their son Justin to finish footy finals before flying up next week so they could continue to WA.
Had some enjoyable nights with the Hockings, mainly chatting over a few drinks in the evening but culminating in us shouting them dinner on Sat night at the trailer boat club.
The McCormacks joined us as did Steve McKenzie (an ex Mornington Peninsula Water Board guy who is now working with Chris). As you can see the outdoor venue was fabulous as was the grilled barrumundi.
They say things happen in 3’s. Certainly do for the McCormacks. First their son’s team kept winning and so delaying their trip, second his boat got stuck on rocks on a rising tide at Daly River and submerged his outboard (luckily easily cleaned and repaired) and third the welds holding the A-frame on their camper trailer gave way on the road between Daly River and Litchfield NP. Once again they were able to get repairs in a couple of days so no great drama. Lucky it happened near Darwin and not in the middle of the Gibb River Rd.
Darwin is a place you could spend a lot of time in (the dry season seems to be 30 – 32deg every day), however it would be an experience to see what the wet is like (at least for a couple of days).
We went swimming in the town lagoon and did plenty of sightseeing and definitely will come back for more in the future.
Macca was broadcasting his Sunday morning radio show at East Point Military museum
Sunday 16th left Darwin and stopped at Adelaide River on the road to Kakadu to see some crocs. The biggest was a 6.3m, 70yr old male (named Bogart) who only had one leg left (but you should see the other crocs who bit them off).
Bogart
and Lauren Bacall
Then off to Ubirr via Jabiru where we got a permit to go to Oenpilli in Arnhem Land. 
Murray and Geoff (from Somers Camp) recommended going across there. Unfortunately we were a week too early for the open day and a day too late to go on a guided look around (only a limited no of guides and they were all busy). Can’t win them all – anyway we had a look at the Art Gallery and a general reconnoitre.
Ubirr was excellent, with plenty of rock art, great views
(especially at sunset – after an informative talk by a ranger on the evolution of Kakadu wetlands), interesting walks and a pleasant camp site.
From Ubirr we next called in at Nourlangie Rock
(more nice walks, rock art and views) before camping at Cooinda (Yellow Water). At $40 per night it has been the most expensive place we have stayed but they have a captive market in this area. A bike ride, excursion on the Yellow Water boardwalk and a fantastic presentation by a ranger on wetlands wildlife.
On Wednesday we really enjoyed ourselves at Gunlom Falls and Rockpools. A short, steep and reasonably difficult climb was well worth it for the beautiful pools that feed the waterfall were just excellent. Even Jill got her feet wet. Photos of the view from the pools over the surrounding countryside don’t do justice. One of the best Kakadu locations.
Sitting in the pool gazing at the scenery was just fabulous
We're now back at Katherine having stocked up for a week or so's food. Tomorrow its the start of the next stage into WA.
Thursday at Katherine where I took advantage of the Katherine library’s internet facility ($4.50 per half hour) to update the blog. After a 45 min bike ride along the river, we left via the railway station where the Ghan had pulled in. I imagined that some nostalgia would be involved (since I worked on the Ghan in 1967 and 68) but the locos had no “personality” and somehow it didn’t look the same – bit of a disappointment.
However the rest of the day was as good a day’s touring that we have had. The Gregory National Park looks fabulous from the road. The red, pink and brown hills, gorges and plains, the great Victoria River will be hard to beat. If this is a precursor to the Kimberley then wow! Went into the picturesque Joe’s picnic ground instead of the Escarpment Walk which was closed due to roadworks. It is heaps better than these pictures show.
Stayed the night at the Big Horse Creek campground on the Victoria River (just west of Timeber Creek) where Jill finally took off the wrist plaster cast. 
No more excuses at dishwashing time! Big Horse Creek is a place for serious fisherman with a boat ramp adjacent. Across the river is an Army firing range (maybe they ping a few barramundi every now and again). Pretty warm day – around 36 deg.On Friday called into Gregory’s Boab tree where the explorer carved the date of arrival there on July 2nd 1856. Sounds quite a guy – must read up on him. From here we left the NT and headed for Lake Argyle just across the WA border.
