Archive for August 25th, 2008

We took a drive around Charters Towers and had a look at some of the great buildings they have. It was a very rich town when gold was discovered and had the first Stock Exchange in Australia. The building reflect this, none more so than the Australian Bank of Commerce and City Hall. We took a drive up Tower Hill to have a look out over the town. This is the city centre. We had a couple of constant companions in these magpies as they followed us around. It was pretty desolate up there , this is my impression of going walkabout.There were rock wallabies everywhere and we spent a good while scrambling around the rocks and searching for gold that might just be laying around on the surface. When we got back to the park our neighbours asked if we had come across any snakes as they had met one on the path the day before.Reminder to myself : Stay on the path ..do not venture into the bush!

We had lunch today in the Waverley Hotel, fish, chips, salad, bread and butter , delicious and all this for $5.00 each. We ate out in the beer garden enjoying the sunshine and the food.We left Charters Towers and headed for Mount Isa or The Isa as the locals call it.We are reliably informed that you are not an Australian until you have been to the Isa.We passed this giant windmill, the largest we have come across in our travels. How’s this for a road sign? Nobody would have time to read it all as they drove past. We stopped in Hughenden for lunch, we are officially in dinosaur country now and so we met up with “Hughie” in the main street.We stopped for the night at Richmond and were surprised to find this man made lake and a bush tucker garden complete with cycling and walking track right next to the caravan park, Richmond is a tiny community so to find something like this was a huge surprise. As we were walking around the lake, a hawk, one of many circling above us constantly, swooped down and tried to get me by the head. The noise of the wings was incredible. Now I know I look bad but we’ve only seen them go for roadkill before and I didn’t think I was THAT bad!. The wind came up strong and chilly and we wore jackets for the first time in a long time tonight.

We stopped for fuel at Julia creek and decided to treat ourselves to a full aussie breakfast. Came back out of the roadhouse to find this monster dwarfing the van. All along the road there are these termite mounds, mile after mile after mile. They get progressively bigger the further we travel.We had a friendly wave from the train driver as he passed as on the way. Not a lot of traffic around, the odd road train and the train.We laughed when we saw this road sign but not too far up the road we met a Brahman bull crossing the road and believe me he could have tipped both the car and caravan over, no worries!

This became a familiar view for many hundreds of kilometers along the road, the terrain changing from bright red soil to brown in the blink of an eye.We arrived in Mount..sorry ..The Isa ..mid afternoon and we are now officially Australians !! The mine dominates the town and as you can see from the oval there isn’t much grass around here.I love the evenings here the skies are beautiful, the photographs just don’t do them any justice. The pinks and blues in the early evening are my favourite.The wind came up during the night and blew chairs and tables and anything else not tied down around the park and not only that but it was COLD!! Time to move, we are so unaccustomed to cold weather now, it was a shocker!

Our first stop was Camooweal for fuel and then onto the NT border, these pictures here and here are just to prove it.  I was holding on for dear life as the wind was so strong, luckily it was behind us so we were having a great run.

Our stop for tonight was at the Barkley Homestead. We had tea in the pub here along with most of the people who stayed the night. Roast lamb and all the trimmings, delicious.

Sitting outside the van after tea and watching sky change colour was amazing. I find that one of the highlights every night.

We reached Three Ways the next morning and had to decide north or south, we headed south to Tennant Creek and filled up with fuel but here we learned that winter is still alive and kicking in the Red Centre and that Alice Springs was around 14 degrees during the day and into the minuses at night. So north for us.

We stopped for morning tea in a rest area as we were leaving Ben noticed that another van which was parked there had Traralgon written on the back of the van, so we stopped for a chat. Gary & Max, both towing their own vans had been travelling since April , so we had a yarn. Max gave us a copy of his CD, he’s a singer/guitarist and we set off singing along as we went on our way.

We were only about 20kms further on when there was a very loud bang from behind us and the van started to wobble all over the place. The wheel was broken and there was no option but to change the wheel even though it was impossible to get off the road. It doesn’t look like it in the picture but the banking was very steep and we were slipping and sliding in the gravel.Spare now on the van, we set off again.

Travelling along for miles and miles through flat countryside and all of a sudden you see something like this.

Our next stop was Dunmarra Roadhouse which we shared with this type of vehicle. We spent the night here and again ate in the roadhouse. Ben said he wasn’t too hungry and would just have a hamburger. I wish I had had the camera with me , the hamburger was about a foot high.

Next morning we headed for the Highway Inn at Daly Waters to top up with fuel. Here we came across this lady. Now that’s a small van but wait till you see what is towing it. We took a detour into Daly Waters to see the famous Daly Waters Pub.It’s the oldest pub in the Northern Territory apparently and was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures from around the place. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Rennick Springs was our stop for tonight, another roadhouse in the middle of nowhere. On the way we passed The Pink Panther Motel, in the middle of nowhere a bright pink building ! Well you wouldn’t miss it that’s for sure.

Just a little way up the road we saw this sign and stopped for morning tea. Fran was a real character and told us how she can understand wives who kill their husbands and become lesbians, she had everyone in stitches. She does her little coffee and tea stop to raise money for charity and I can tell you she would raise a lot as everyone who was travelling would pull up here.

Here I am standing in the middle of the Stuart Highway taking this picture of where we are heading now.Our next stop was Mataranka , the centre of the Never Never. We had a look around the park at the statues of the Gunn family and their aboriginal stockmen before heading off toward Katherine.

Our first stop after booking in to the park was a visit to the Katherine Hot Springs. Lovely..just what the doctor ordered after a long drive.

No visit to Katherine could be complete without a visit to the Gorge. So we got up early this morning and dropped our wheel off and the local tyre dealer to try and get a replacement. We wouldn’t want to chance our luck much further with no spare as we have already done around 700kms without one and then we headed out to the Gorge. You can walk a variety of different walks around an area of the gorge, there are actually thirteen gorges or take a cruise or a joy flight. We opted for the walk. They are designated, easy or difficult and knowing my limitations we chose the easier of the two. I’m glad we did as it was steep and through rock strewn areas but spectacular. Again it is just not the same in photographs but the best we can do.

On the way back we ran into a paddock full of horses and camels and these two appear to be very close. I think the camel is besotted with the horse, he followed her everywhere.

We stopped for lunch at Knotts Crossing which was the first crossing over the Katherine River. It was a beautiful little spot. You couldn’t walk on the sand as it was so hot. Ben decided to do the river crossing although he was very aware that the crocodiles have been seen here in the river . I stayed on the shore well away from the edge.

Lastly, here is The Katherine Icon, one and a half times life size in bronze.

We pick up our new wheel and tyre in the morning and head off again.So we’ll post from our next stop.

This one has been “War and Peace” so at least you will get a rest from my rabbiting on.