We're on the road again

Wednesday 16th June

The planned itinerary had us leaving on Friday but once the awning was replaced and the window fixed after last trip, we were ready to go. Unfortunately neither of us slept well last night; I know I was up at 3am amending an article for the Darwin Golf Club Newsletter. How silly is that? And as a result we didn't get to Mataranka as scheduled but pulled up in Katherine. There were plenty of other vans on the road, mostly heading north. 

The last time I stayed here was June 2019 on our way home from Broome. Eric was here more recently to play the NT Vets Open. I really enjoyed the drive through the Top End where the colours were so vibrant.  Fires have recently been burning off the undergrowth so there is a black background to the vibrant green of new cycad fronds.

The Kapok bush is in flower, their yellow blossoms are a sign that the mud crabs are sweet at this time. 

And then there is my favourite Turkey Bush smothered in pink and you remember the smell when you crush the leaves to use as insect repellent or liniment.
 

All set up, Eric whipped up a lovely pasta with his homemade passata sauce and the laundry is in the bucket for agitation over the next couple of hundred kms. Depending on how early we get away tomorrow we might even get to turn east. From then on we will be covering new ground, still in The Territory, but heading for Outback Queensland. 

Thursday 17th 

We were on the road out of Katherine by 8:15am. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to catch up with Trina on the way through but perhaps on the way back. First stop was a coffee at Fran’s in Larrimah. 

Eric used to drop in here on his way through to Borroloola back in our days at KSA. She was always full of stories, good cheer and plenty of pies on offer. Unfortunately, her health is not good, so these days her grandson Grant is running the place. He seems like a chip off the old block, as they say. The menu is not so expansive, but the coffee was hot.

We fuelled up at Dunmarra ($1.60 diesel) and made a sandwich in a shady spot before continuing. I was always keen to make it to Three Ways on the corner of the Barkley and Stuart Hwys but prepared to stop earlier if we had to.

Today we spotted our first brolga, wedge-tailed eagles and black-breasted buzzards for the trip. The country is becoming stonier and changing to spinifex, acacia and ghost gums. While we drive we listen to Eric’s extensive music collection. He has 4500+ tracks on a memory stick and we have started through the songs alphabetically. We’re still on A after starting with ‘A Beautiful Morning’.

With little delays for roadworks and light traffic going our way, we did make it all the way to the turn off. So that’s about 650kms today and a total of 1000 going south. Arriving at about 5pm, there were still a number of sites left but they quickly filled as we set up. As Eric was backing the van onto a quite narrow site I was giving him hand signals from the back of the van. I noticed a couple enjoying a drink and entertained by my antics, so in a friendly manner I asked, “Is this the way you do it too?” and as I did, I realised we knew them. Maryanne and I were on the TEGS team for a number of years and we knew her husband Bob too. They live in Tuross Heads, NSW now. I’d been following their trip on Fb but had no expectation we would cross paths. 

Quite amazing as neither of us had this location on our initial itineraries. I’d chalked us in for Renner Springs and they had planned to stop at Barkly Homestead. We shared the evening with them, swapping stories of old and more recent travel experiences. It was chilly to sit out but a flannel shirt over the t-shirt and shorts, along with a glass of red, sufficed.

Maryanne got a Covid 19 update on her phone about the new requirement to have a border permit to cross into Qld. The signal is so weak here we would have had trouble filling it out online, and besides, you need to submit it 3 days earlier than your crossing, or it isn’t valid. Feeling so lucky we left early and will cross the border tomorrow, it comes into force at lunchtime Saturday. Tomorrow is Friday and after all those kms, we head off on new ground for us.

Fri 18^th

So nice to snuggle up under a doona for a change. Our neighbours on either side were packing up and driving off before sunrise. We just burrowed in.

As we drove, I remembered that years ago when I was working for Sandy C she sent John E and I to Tennant Creek (usually beyond our range) and on the way back we visited Rockhampton Downs Sch. That’s about 100kms along the Barkly and 50 more into the station. Then we stayed the night at Three Ways before heading back to Darwin the next day. My goodness these Barkly Schools are spread far and wide.

The Barkly Hwy is long and straight with less traffic which gives you time to observe the cloud patterns and the morning sun highlight the seed-heads of the spinifex as it waves in the wind. 

And it is windy out here on the plains. Fierce crosswinds are to be expected and they had quite an impact on our fuel consumption. Despite refuelling at Three Ways ($1.82), we had to top up again at Barkly Homestead ($1.90) to ensure we made it to Camooweal.

We spotted crested pigeon, Aust. ringneck parrot, Aust. bustard and grey falcon today. Somewhere after the Barkly Homestead we suddenly found ourselves crossing the vast black soil-plains covered with Mitchell Grass. Trees were very scarce. Apparently in the days of droving cattle through here to eastern markets, the camp cooks found it difficult to make decent fires. 

We passed a sign that informed us that the rivers and floodplains contribute to the catchment for Lake Eyre in Sth Aust. Such a long way! We have moved through A to B. First song on the B playlist ‘Babooshka’. I'm going to take you on a musical journey too.

With about 80kms still to reach the boarder, Eric noticed something flapping on the roof. We pulled over to discover one of our solar panels had shat itself. We dawdled on. 

At the border we observed all the vehicles travelling west having their permits to the NT checked. We will have to do the same on the way back but avoided it today. Camooweal lies only 13kms on and we were very relieved to see a sign informing us that there is a mobile caravan repairer in town. What’s more, our new best friend Randall, could drop by this afternoon and check out the problem. 

We had planned to bush camp by the lagoon but since we need Randall to find us, we booked one of the last sites in a town van park. Camooweal has a roadhouse ($1.92), pub, post office and caravan repairer. How lucky are we?

Turns out one of our panels lifted with the wind and then was probably further damaged by a passing road train. It managed to smash the second panel as well. There are no replacements in town, but Randall will check out supplies in Mt Isa, and since he works there a couple of days a week, he will replace them as soon as he can. We just need to be there by Monday morning.

So, after dinner we sat and weighed up our blessings and the recent bad news. Can’t help thinking we never seem to have a trip without some calamity or other. On the other hand, things could be worse. At least we have a site, we have someone who can help, we’ve done the big km days….we were ahead of schedule….. let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Next problem to solve; I have no data on my phone. I’m with a wholesale Telstra plan and have little or no coverage out in these parts of the country. Will I be patient and just manage with Eric’s phone or will I get a pre-paid sim?

Saturday 19^th

In the morning we drove down to the billabong alongside the Georgina River which you cross just as you arrive from the NT. There is now a high bridge spanning the watercourse but when we lived in Katherine we often had colleagues who sat for days waiting to cross the flooded Georgina on their way home to family in Qld for Christmas. That is one of the reasons we have never been out this way before.

It would be a magic place to camp. Trees live the edges and there were a few lilies in the water. On the far side we immediately spotted brolga along with plenty of pied cormorants, a white-faced egret and wood ducks to name a few. Also, a flock of budgerigars rested in the tree beside the car. It was cool, no cold actually. My hands were aching holding the binoculars. Today’s top temp is expected to reach 18 deg. About 10 deg cooler than we like it, and it is not that warm yet.

About 9.30 we drove to Mt Isa and checked into the Sunset Tourist Park. We need to be on a powered site as we have no solar. We had planned to camp either at Corella Dam or Mary Kathleen, both free camping locations but maybe on the return trip.  Mt Isa is home to the largest rodeo in the southern hemisphere. That’s held in August, but as luck would have it, we arrived on Show Weekend. To relieve my technology frustrations I have been sitting in McDonalds to publish this.