Australia September 2011

Travelogue 11

Stage 2 Alice Springs – Darwin/Katherine

from Bryan and Raewyn

Email: bryan.raewyn@yahoo.co.nz

Web: austadventures.blogspot.com

Alice Springs

Our last tales were from Alice Springs, where we spent almost three weeks enjoying the wonders of the red centre. Tuesday 23^rd August, we left Alice Springs and retraced our steps north along the Stuart Highway. We'd planned another overnight stop at Devils Marbles as we had done before, but on arrival, flames licked the roadside, and clouds of wind-whipped smoke and ash from a huge grass-fire drifted across the rock columns and roads. Though the campsite itself was clear, any wind change could have meant a panic exit, so we decided to carry on, stopping overnight at Bonny's Well, a little farther up the road. Next day we again passed Three Ways, and with Alice Springs now 500 kms behind us, we entered new territory.

Daly  Waters pub

Daly Waters

We'd been advised to stay a night at Banka Banka Cattle Station, 50kms north of Three Ways. We were greeted by the greenest grass we'd seen for some time, and fresh cool spring water. Happy hour was around a huge camp fire near the original homestead, as a distant dingo howled and talk was of a mob of loose cattle near the road.

Daly  Waters pub

We'd also been told to not miss Daly Waters, some 340kms farther north and four kilometres off the Stuart Highway. In this outback village, the tiny pub is a clutter of bras, knickers, hats, horse gear, money, badges, ID cards and various other paraphernalia attached to every available space. Rusting ironmongery sits in corners and outside, a sign reads “Angle Parking Only Mate – Any Angle You Like”. Adjacent is an open air restaurant which serves 'barra or steak' nightly from about 6pm. We ordered for 6.30pm, dining with friends we'd made along the way. Barra means barramundi, the famous fish of the north. Alongside this pub/restaurant, the caravan park filled quickly with travellers here for this legendary meal, and the comedy and songs show which followed. In true country style, too quickly it all passed, and many happy campers farted their way back to their caravans.

 

Warm stream at Bitter Springs, Mataranka

Katherine

Next destination was Katherine, via Bitter Springs, Mataranka. Here, clear spring water flows gently alongside palms, ferns and tropical trees. Birds flit amongst the trees, and small fish accompany you in the warm stream. A short track leads to steps to ease into the 33 degree water, and many people take floats to drift some 100 metres downstream to where even more steps make it just too easy to get out. An overnight stop at King River roadside rest area then it was on to Katherine.

With a population around 6000, Katherine is nevertheless an important town in the Northern Territory. Major routes go west to Western Australia, south to Alice Springs or Brisbane, or north to Darwin, some 320kms farther. We booked three nights at a local caravan park, drove in, and almost bumped into a French girl we'd met at Ross River. We'd given her a lift to Alice Springs and said our goodbyes there. She was hurrying to get to Darwin for work. She had got a lift, but at Katherine the van had broken down and she was desperately trying to text us to see if she join us again. Her text came through just as we saw each other, so it was hugs all round. She joined us for our journey to Darwin.

Katherine Gorge

The broken down van belonged to two long-faced German girls. They had been told the alternator needed replacing but the only fault I found was a loose battery which every so often shorted out against the van body – easily fixed. As a test drive, the next day we all went to Katherine Gorge National Park, some 25kms east of Katherine. Endowed with rugged gorges, thousands of bats, kangaroos, snakes and crocodiles, the area is spectacular and well worth the drive. The five of us opted to walk some 30 minutes to the lookout, which gave a wonderful vista over the first gorge. In the 35 degree heat, we decided to not walk to the next gorge, some 7 kms further in. There's thirteen gorges in this national park. (The fixed van performed well, and our delighted German girls drove on to Darwin the next day.)

Mindil Beach sunset, Darwin

Darwin
From Katherine, it was but a short 200km hop to our next overnight stop at Adelaide River. Though just a whistle-stop town, Adelaide River is home to the Northern Territory's Commonwealth War Graves, final resting place of the hundreds of military personnel who died defending this part of Australia during WW2.

Darwin Beach and harbour

Then it was on to Darwin arriving there on a 34 degree last day of August. First visit was to the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, on Thursday nights. This is a colourful mass of music, entertainment and food stalls bordering the beach. The outstanding moment was perhaps the sunset over Darwin Harbour. Most market-goers, perhaps 800, walked the few metres to the beach to sit on the dunes as the setting sun turned the sky deep red, the sea afire with shimmering ripples of golden light, ending only where the last wavelets touched the shore. Add to this the two didgeridoo players who decided playing to a packed beach crowd was better than playing to an empty market and you get some idea. The sun dipped below the horizon, the sky went through purple to indigo, people roused themselves from the dunes and went back to the markets, now ablaze in colourful night lights.

Crocodylus Park

Another day was to Crocodylus Park, which contains over 1500 salt water crocodiles, some bred there, others rogue crocodiles brought in from outlying areas, including one found in Darwin Harbour. Feeding them close up gives you a healthy respect for these reptiles. Handling a baby crocodile, with its mouth conveniently taped up was a unique experience. There's other crocodile attractions in Darwin: Crocosaurus Cove, or several river boat cruises to see the jumping crocs. With few other tourist attractions, Darwin is a place you go to “'cos it's there.” It has some small museums, art galleries and several historic sites from the 2^nd World War days, when it was attacked more than sixty times by Japanese aircraft.

Hot day in Darwin - note where the pointer is

This part of the Northern Territory is noted for having only two seasons – The Wet and The Dry. We were there in the shoulder season (known as The Build-Up) with temperatures around 33 degrees, and no rain for months. As the Build-Up continues, humidity rises until the air is heavily saturated. Late October, the monsoons arrive and The Wet starts. Darwin buildings don't have guttering. They cannot cope with the monsoon downpours. Floods close main roads, and those who elect to stay there apparently 'go troppo' in the 40 degree heat and constant rain. We were lucky, as this year's Build-Up is running late, and our days there were a comfortable dry 33 degrees.

Darwin is the terminus for The Ghan train after its three day journey from Adelaide and also a jumping off place for cheap airfares to Bali and Asia, so the city caters for the many itinerant travellers, mostly back-packers, passing through. It's a young persons city, and has a laid-back nightlife.

Kakadu National Park

Overlooking Kakadu wetlands

 

Kakadu landscape

A week in Darwin, then it was on to Kakadu National Park, 250kms east of Darwin. At 130 kms to the gate, another 120kms to Kakadu's main village, Jabiru, and over 20000 kms square, this is the largest park in Australia and only slightly smaller than Belgium. Distances here are colossal – 40 or 50 kms between sights is normal. Raewyn took a 30 minute plane flight over a very small portion of the park, seeing vast escarpments and the huge wetlands in the local area. We then visited Ubirr, where the park borders Arnhemland. Here are Aboriginal rock paintings, believed thousands of years old. At Ubirr, the East Alligator River separates Kakadu from Arnhemland. About 100 metres long, a concrete causeway joins the two riverbanks,allowing vehicles to cross. Upstream from this causeway, the muddy crocodile infested river flows deep. The river is only inches deep over the causeway to the tidal downstream side. From a viewing area, we watched as around five crocodiles lazily floated upstream, heads barely above the water. Apparently, for every crocodile one sees, another six are below the water. They're waiting for any fish which wanders into their territory – or any person who decides to walk across the causeway Signs warn people to not attempt the crossing, but sadly some have, with obvious results.

Litchfield National Park

Swimming at Wangi Falls, Litchfield Nat Park

With most Kakadu waterfalls dried up, and humidity increasing in The Build-Up, we stayed only two nights before heading back toward Katherine, via a two-night side trip to Lichfield National Park, south of Darwin. Not far within the park are huge magnetic termite mounds, some up to 5 metres high. These slab-shaped mounds have their narrowest side facing north, to keep them cooler at the hottest part of each day. The road then winds some 60kms passing other features to the main attraction, Wangi Falls. Here a pleasant waterfall drops into a large lagoon safe for swimming – as long as you don't mind the fresh-water crocodiles (which for the most part are harmless).

Katherine(again)

Now we're back in Katherine, resting, washing and writing this blog before we travel to Western Australia, and new adventures. We hope you join us. For those interested in this part of Northern Territory, I recommend reading “We of the Never Never” by Jeannie Gunn, a delightful tale of farming in the 1900s. This book will add a new dimension to your experiences in this wonderful area.

Mt Isa - Alice Springs

Australia August 2011

Travelogue 10

Stage 2 Mt Isa – Alice Springs

from Bryan and Raewyn

Email: bryan.raewyn@yahoo.co.nz

Web: austadventures.blogspot.com

Camooweal

Our last newsletter (#9) was from the mining city of Mt Isa, in western Queensland, where we stayed a week with our nephew and his family. After our goodbyes, we again moved westward and some eight hours later arrived at the tiny outback town of Camooweal, just east of the Northern Territory border. We'd been recommended a camp site there, beside the Georgina River. A wide grassy area on the riverbank became our charming home for the next two nights.

In winter (as now) the Georgina River dries to a series of long food-rich lagoons, haven to thousands of birds. Ducks, shags, tall brolgas, graceful egrets, swift kites and many others which we couldn't name surround the lagoons. Late each afternoon, birdwatching was a pastime enjoyed by the many campers along the river bank. Kites would swoop down beside us, grab unlucky fish in their talons and fly off into the blue sky in one movement, gulp it down, then turn for another swoop. Luckily, the 1.5 metre high brolgas on the opposite river bank stayed there – these birds, similar to a small emu, are quite aggressive and can kick and bite if approached. Sunrise each morning was a pink glow reflected in the lagoons, lasting only a few minutes before exploding into another clear blue day. A kilometre up the road was “Drovers Camp” where the locals have an exhibition hall recalling the old droving days, a credit to the efforts of the local community in this isolated spot.

Three Ways

Crossing into the Northern Territory on the 29^th July, it still took two days to reach Three Ways, a renowned tiny dot on the Australian map. Here, you have a choice of going, well, three ways. Back east, some 500kms behind us, was Mt Isa. North some 1100kms away lay Darwin, and south 500kms distant was Alice Springs.Extremely long and almost straight flat roads led in each direction and small shrubs and rusty grasses covered the stony country to the flat horizon, about 50kms distant. From there, a brilliant blue sky soared above us, untouched by even a cloud. It was then a realisation that the vastness of this country can only be felt, not photographed.

Raewyn between the rocks, Devils Marbles

Having been to Alice Springs in the 'Ghan' train last year for three nights meant 'we didn't have to go back there as it was so far off our intended route.' But, after a short discussion at Three Ways, knowing we were 'only 500kms from Alice' we decided to go again. First stop was 23kms down the road at Tennant Creek to refuel and stock up, then onto an overnight stay at Bonny's Well, some 90kms farther south.

Sunset at Devils Marbles

Devil's Marbles

The next night found us at Devils Marbles, a remarkable area where huge rocks balance on each other, as though some giant has been playing with blocks. Tracks led to the tops of many of these rocks. Raewyn and I got to the top of the highest rock pile and were rewarded with an uninterrupted view over the surrounding scrub-covered desert. A smoky haze from grass fires beyond the horizon filled the evening sky leading to an amazing sunset and next morning, before we left, dingoes walked nonchalantly through the camp, unafraid of any people.

Devils Marbles-20m high column

Alice Springs from Anzac Hill, MacDonnell Ranges bey

Alice Springs

A night at another rest area,Connors Well, then we reached Alice Springs on Tuesday 2^nd August. Alice Springs is the iconic red heart of Australia, so we settled in for a week, visiting the School of the Air (which transmits to children on distant cattle stations,) the Flying Doctor Headquarters, other local sights and even watched the Ghan train arrive – after all, we were now locals.

In our caravan park, we befriended a young family of four whose 4WD had broken down at Curtin springs, some 400kms west of Alice Springs. After a $1600 tow to Alice Springs and being told their vehicle might not be fixed for six of their seven weeks holiday, we took them under our wing to show them the local sights. Two days later, we all took a road trip following the eastern MacDonnell Ranges to Ross River Resort, 85kms east of Alice Springs. At the resort, it was obvious some maintenance was going on, and after a short conversation with the manager, I was offered a job as extra handyman at the resort. For 16 hours work, we were offered a week's camping plus meals, starting two days later. Fortunately, our befriended family's vehicle was fixed by then, much to their delight. It meant they could pick up their 4WD before we left them to start work at the resort

 Kings Canyon

Holidaymakers at Kings Canyon

 A highlight at Alice Springs was a bus tour on Tues 9^th August with our new family to Kings Canyon, only 480kms each way. The bus picked us up at 6,30am, and the 3 hour hike around the tops of this ancient horseshoe-shaped canyon meant all our muscles were tested, though the views were unsurpassed, and whitewashed ghost gums contrasted with the rustic rock strewn background. We were back at the caravan park at 11.30pm that night, tired but happy. Next day was a rest day – if washing and shopping are considered rests.

Ross River Resort

Ross River landscape

Ross River- we had to cross this twice a day.

We'd wanted to stay near Alice Springs for the annual Henley-on-Todd Regatta a week later, so going to Ross River Resort was an economic move, rather than stay in the Alice Springs caravan park.  Thursday 11^th August, we shifted to the resort, the last 200 metres driving across an almost dry sandy Ross River to reach our camp ground. That afternoon we started work, helping re-clad and paint several forlorn cabins The rule was if the stress level reached 0.5, we'd all stop for a cuppa. Leaving our camp ground, even to 'work', meant crossing the wide Ross River, driving through water for the last 15 metres. We became quite adept at driving across the sand, though others came to grief.

We worked on and off for the next ten days, and used our off-time visiting local sights such as Altunga, an old gold-mining area where tunnels riddle the ground and many of the old stone buildings have been authentically reconstructed. Some mines have been reopened for exploring by sightseers.  It's a tough countryside here. Fresh water is close to non-existent, the air hot, the ground hard and unforgiving.  Some mining families walked over 600kms to reach Altunga, which in the 1800s was bigger than Alice Springs– very few walked out any richer, and many died and are buried in the local rusting cemetery, last vestiges of the graves barely seen.

Henley-on-Todd River Race

Henley-on-Todd

One of the big boats-armed and ready to battle

The “Henley-On-Todd” is a famous boat race held annually in Alice Springs. This year, August 20th was its 50^th anniversary. The problem with these races is for most of each year, the Todd River, which runs through Alice Springs, is totally dry. This small problem is overcome by not having a bottom on the boats, instead the various crews using their feet to run along the riverbed while trying to remain within the boat sides. As you can imagine, it's a hilarious load of fun, many boats 'sinking' when they turn. The kayaks have their own course – rails laid along the sand, on which they slide. Their oar is a shovel, which is used to paddle through the sand. The finale is the Battle of the Boats, in which three very large 'boats' – a galleon, Viking boat and naval destroyer, each powered by a hidden 4WD vehicle, battle it out for supremacy. Each scurvy crew of eight has high-pressured water 'guns', several flour cannons some containing more than just flour, water balloons, and other secretive weapons. The result is a mad-cap battle in which nobody wins, but all (including some in the audience) are covered in an assortment of water, mud, food colouring and above all, grinning like Cheshire cats.

Alice Springs Again

Raewyn at Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell Ranges

After our time at Ross River, we again shifted back to Alice Springs for two nights, using the day between to drive some 425kms on a round route this time following the West MacDonnell Ranges through Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen, and Hermannsburg. These names might mean little to many people, but knowing this day trip included 70kms of unsealed roads might give some idea of the isolation of these places. Flanking us most of the way, the saw-toothed MacDonnell Ranges were a rugged display of 400 million years old rock outcrops, hot,dry, and desolate in the day's sun. Yet every so often, a river would break through the ranges and form gorges of refreshing water. These oases would have an abundance of green trees and animals, in contrast to the desert like conditions close by.

Notes

Roadside reserves

The roadside reserves where we often overnight are a boon for travellers, Many have toilets,barbecues, picnic tables, water, and rubbish bins. Late each afternoon, anywhere from around four to perhaps forty or more caravans/motorhomes pull into these sites and set up a mini-village for the night. Like ships passing, friendships are made and tips passed on. Next morning, it empties again. The reserves are quite safe with few snakes about, but some are infested with mice. You soon learn to not park too near any high grass, as the mice like to get into a warm motor to chew the wiring.

Driving in Northern Territory

Driving here is unlike any other state in Australia. Once out of main towns, the speed limit for all vehicles is usually 130 kph, but several vehicles travel faster than this, including road-trains carrying three or four trailers. Most sealed highways are long, almost flat, and often almost dead straight for perhaps forty or fifty kilometres. Far from boring, the scenery changes subtly, from desert to green foliage or burnt trees. At this time of year, much of the countryside is being deliberately burned to get rid of the half-metre high dry grasses.  This helps stop major fires from lightning strikes in summer storms, should the grass grow much higher. Smoky haze fills the air for thousands of hectares. We've driven through a couple of fire fronts, with flames beside the road.

Overnight, the roads are best left to the huge rumbling 53 metre long road-trains. It's safer for smaller vehicles to stay off the road at night.  Many large wild animals- camels,emus, kangaroos,cattle, horses- wander onto the roads at night. The road-trains don't slow down, and with their huge roo-bars, several animals are killed each night. The eagles, falcons and crows don't mind and each morning it's a feast of road-kill meat for all of them.