Cloncurry to Darwin

Cloncurry to Darwin
We’ve left Cloncurry and made our way on to Mt Isa. The Curry wasn’t as bad as last time we were there, but you still have to wonder why anyone would want to live in this god forsaken hole. Pulled into the Isa and had to make our way straight to Maccas so Jules could have her cuppa. She’s quite a big town with two mines stuck right in the middle of it. Did some work for Ergon while Toyota had another look at the car to try and find out what the problem with it is? Bloody petrol heap of #@$%. Maybe that $90 million will drop tonight and I can leave this thing on the side of the road. (Mt Isa fuel $1.15/lt go figure).
We spent a week in town and moved on through Camooweal (fuel $1.40/lt) and a short way up the road finally made it to the Northern Territory border, Yeah!
Hundreds of kilometres, as far as the eye could see of Spinifex grass, Prickly Acacias and red dirt, with the occasional cow herd and Wedge Tailed Eagle to break the boredom. We spent the night at Avon Downs, which is a free campsite outside a cop station and nothing else for 100 kms, except the occasional road train through the night again. Another free night and we come to the Three Ways, which is where the Barkley Highway from Qld meets the Stuart Highway through the centre of Northern Territory. We took the 25km drive down to Tennant Creek to have a look around and get some fuel. We aren’t in Kansas anymore Toto. Dust storms, no grass, whirly whirlys, stinkin hot, Aboriginals laying in the gutters and the smell. Apparently the smell is because of what the locals eat, much the same as Indians with their curries, except these guys eat Goanna and Emu.
Back out of Tennant Creek and up the Stuart past Renner Springs and Elliot and into the little township of Daly Waters. We spent the night just out of town at the old historical RAF base where we met another couple with two girls and who had also bought a Retreat caravan. Difference was they had a list as long as your arm of problems they have had with their van. We must have been the lucky ones. Their awning has cracked, the fridge fell out of it’s mounts and blew up, the toilet packed it in, their table came out of the floor, one of the girls beds has to be dried out every morning as the floor underneath it sweats, the oven had to be replaced, the gas leaked, the microwave fell out of it’s hole and they our now on their third air conditioner. Then to top it off that night the youngest girl chipped her tooth and they had to make their way to a dentist. Needless to say we got away from them as quickly as possible as I didn’t want to attract the voodoo from the chinaman that they must have run over. The following morning we made our way over to the township with the famous Daly Waters Pub. Very different, the walls were covered with hats, badges, number plates, thongs, medals, money, bras and G-strings all signed by those that had been here in the past and wanted to leave their mark. Didn’t stay here, mainly because of the price. $30 a night with no power or water, burgers and meals all around $15 - $25 and a beer would set you back $6.50.
On the way to Mataranka I had seen brochures about one of the characters of the Territory and decided to stop in at Larrimah to try one of Fran’s homemade pies. Before you get to her shop you pass a petrol station which has been burnt to the ground (maybe someone objected to the price of fuel), which sort of doesn’t add to the image of the town. One thing we have learnt in our travels is don’t believe everything you read, as far as one the characters of the Territory, well, you walk into what is probably an old garage with tables and chairs set up outside in an area covered with paper clippings and stories and a fairly large menu of pies, sausage rolls, cakes and Devonshire teas. You are hollered at through the old style flyscreen to, “take a seat and I will get to you when I get a chance, as I am doing this by myself you know.” Every now and then a four foot granny that looks like a hobbit from Lord of the Rings, with the grey hair and large bare feet to match, would pop her head out of what was supposed to be a kitchen, flop down a coffee or cake on the table near the door and yell out ‘ere it is. We decided not to partake in her little fantasy world and on the way out asked a couple how much they paid as there were no prices up anywhere. They had a sliver of cake and a small cup of coffee each for the cheap price (according to Fran) of $24.00. After lifting Julie’s mouth off the floor, we made our way back to the cars and proceeded to hear about the cup of coffee for the next two hours as my beloved kept repeating “You have got to be F#@*ing joking , $12 for a cake and cuppa!”
We pulled into Mataranka, where Mum had to by some wine (as she had been on the dries for two days, and it was starting to show). After entering the locked vault where they kept the alcohol, making their selection, having their licence swiped ( so you couldn’t buy anymore in one day) and paying the premium price for their vice, we moved down to a caravan park for the night. Now you may have noticed in the past stories that most of the travellers with me cop a bit of a pasting for doing stupid things. I’ve been ordered to rectify this little slip by putting in a little mistake that I may have made today. It seems that while we were trying to find a spot to park, an old bloke said to me come look at this spot over near him. No worries, so I hop out for a walk down to the site, get about fifty metres from the van, when an ample amount of yelling and screaming is emitted from were I had come. Seems if you leave the car in drive and forget to apply the handbrake, it has a tendency to drive off by itself up the road, with van, Mum and Julie in hot pursuit. BUGGER!!!!! Still no harm done.
Mataranka is where we got to try our first thermal pools of the Northern Territory. The first was fairly ho hum, mainly because it was a small area and full of people. So you didn’t know if the water was warm because of the stream or from the stream coming from the groups around you. Bitter Springs near where we camped was much better. Crystal clear water, a handful of people and a constant water temp of 33 degrees. We put on the goggles and swam for about an hour through what was like a huge fish pond. Fish all around, the occasional turtle and tree trunks and grasses that made it look just like a fish tank that I used to own.
Made the drive the next day up to Katherine, which is a surprisingly large town. Had a walk through the Cutta Cutta caves which was well worth the dollars and the little bit of exercise. After camping near the cemetery ( free, and the aboriginals won’t come near it) and a morning walk up the Katherine Gorge it was time to keep heading north and into the Douglas Daly campsite, cheap national park but no grass at the campsites ( makes Jules so happy). Still there were thermal pools and a good walk up through the Butterfly Gorge. Of course only Tayla and myself did the walk up and over into the gorge. It was a good walk over rocky cliffs and down into the serene gorge, all went well until about two metres from the bottom Tayla decided it was okay to stop thinking about the walk down, and that is when accidents happen. After dragging herself up from the tree and grass debris mongst the boulders, we found that you couldn’t get around the gorge which meant we had to walk back up the hill again. This made her oh so happy! We were heading back to the car park, when the leader (Jack) decided to start screaming like a banshee and did the bolt up to the car. It appears that he may have spotted a snake and decided it was every person for themselves. Threw a couple of lures in the creek and came up with a long tom on the first cast. Then Jack thought he would show us how it was done by bagging his first Barra. Little B#@*&^!d.
Dinner that night was a roast chock in the camp oven with roast spuds and pumpkin in alfoil. Tommo eat your heart out. Moved on to Litchfield National Park where you can’t fit caravans of our size into the national park so the commercial parks range from $35 - $70 but luckily we found one for $30. Started the day early as it was going to be a long one. This made a couple of our party nervous. Into Florence Falls where mum said there is a lookout only 500m down the track. Cool, now let’s do the walk around the shady track, only 1.5km. I may not have mentioned at the time that, that was one way only. Oh well, do us gooood! This scenario went on for the first half of the day, look at a waterfall, have a walk and a swim to cool off, both temperature and tempers. Wangi Falls was the most popular of the areas as it was readily accessible by everyone. Had a swim with the goggles and spotted some huge Sooty Grunter and towards the end of our swim a Water Snake which of course led to the inevitable yelling and a departing of the water by the young hero of the family. Jesus had nothing on Jackson when it comes to walking on water. Now it was time for the four wheel driving part of our tour. All goes well till we hit the first water crossing. “You sure we should try this?” “Looks a bit deep!” “I don’t think anyone could explain it to my sisters if we drowned, in the car” “I won’t forgive you!”
After passing through the 800mm deep creek, “I never doubted you Darl!” Riiiiggghhhtt! We had to pass another coronary area then came to Blyth homestead which is an old shack about he size of a garage where the Blyth’s raised 14 children 200km’s from civilization.
Need to mention a bit of bush toilet etiquette at this point. When the urge comes and you are miles from facilities you gotta do what ya gotta do. Few tips- 1)Make sure hole is deep enough (bit hard to redig when full of your sample) 2)Forget about humility and remove those pants entirely (stops you from peeing all over them while squatting) 3)Move your thongs away from the area you are using (saves you from the same problem as No.2) 4)Ensure you have toilet paper in your vehicle before partaking in this bush activity (saves using gum leaves, never use Sandpaper Gum leaves, I’m sure can understand why) 5) Ensure you have baby wipes to clean your hands and bottom after tripping backwards into the pile you have just deposited. Now I only mention this because after making these mistakes it was thought we should pass on some valuable advice, and embarrass myself for a change. Happy now Jules?
Still, don’t get mad, get even. By the end of the day we had walk 9km’s, swum in five waterholes and belly ached for several hours about why are we doing this again? We are having a rest tomorrow and then making our way to Darwin, where we should be for a couple of weeks. You can get us on the mobile or email during this period.
Personal notes-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lover, another year, another wrinkle. Hopefully somewhere where no one will notice. Love ya.
Macca hope work is still being good to you and the women in your life aren’t too frustrating. Gotta love them. So I’m told.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Brooke. Sorry she couldn’t be there for your milestone. We were all there in spirit!
To all you Blue supporters SUCK S*&T!
To all you Ford supporters Get stuffed!
Thinking of you Bevan and Margit.
R & R hope everyone has settled into Rocky okay and Sam is feeling better sooner rather than later. Randall we met a Detective in Mt Isa, said she knew you from Albany Creek and wanted to know if you had been locked up yet? How’s Woorabinda? Can’t be anything like what the Territorians have to put up with.
Missing everyone.

The Wattevas