From Katherine to Devils Marbles

Our stop in Katherine saw us being chased out by the rain again.  We don't really do these monsoonal rains very well in our old leaky tent even after weatherproofing.

We stopped at Stirling Mills just before Mataranka for an overnight stay.  The mills were used in World War II.  The Stuart Highway is dotted with many artifacts from the war, a big reminder of how close the war was up here.  Nowadays, the mill looks like a monster.

Bitter Springs at Mataranka was absolutely beautiful.  Thermal water that was crystal clear.  A real delight to swim in. 

A visit to the health clinic couldn't confirm what I thought, that Pete had picked up impetigo in Darwin (probably in the water park).  That humid weather is foul....  The nurse shrugged his shoulders and suggested cleaning the sores...

Daly Waters...a collectors paradise.  You name it, they collect it.  It did remind us a little of our home...what does that say?  Pete left one of his thongs there to add to the collection.

We stopped overnight at a roadside stop near Newcastle Waters.  NT really provides for the traveller well here.  There was even wood there for the fire.  We met a lady here who works for the Tasi Devil's future in terms of research.  It's great meeting people on the road and finding out what people do.

From there we went down to Tennant Creek, we needed to get to a doctor for Pete.  The hospital was great, they diagnosed impetigo straight away and a dose of antibiotics sorted it out within 12 hours. 

At the Cultural Centre in Tennant Creek

We stayed close at the Kunjarra (The Pebbles).  Beautiful and peaceful.

The further south we go, the more flowers we see.

Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) were very impressive and it was great camping right in there.  The boys had a great explore all around in the evening and in the morning.  Brilliant.

From here, we decided that we need to hit the dirt, the bitumen was getting a little boring and we felt that we were somehow missing out on a lot of what NT had to offer.

Umbrawarra Gorge...alone again with the cane toads

We decided on one last stop before Katherine, Douglas Daly or Umbrawarra.  We decided that as there was more bitumen to Douglas Daly, there would be more people there, it would be more touristed...ladadada....and so the discussion went on.  Umbrawarra it was.

It was only 24 km off the highway of dirt...  Great corrugation, and "dips" that us southerners don't really understand, but we are now getting to know as "ah, this would really be flowing in the wet, I guess", dips.  Dry as a bone road and hard as a rock, but it was interesting landscape, and that I have to say it what we like about the travelling - not necessarily getting there, but seeing the stuff on the way.

We got there pretty late as we had driven through Litchfield (on the 4wd track) and swam, and we were the only people there, again! Weird, hey!  We do quite enjoy the peace, however, of the bush to ourselves, it just doesn't happen very often.  Fly-orama, however, until after the sun set, then after that, the cane toads alighted on us. 

An interesting thing about them.  They come to you.  Like sheep to the slaughter.  Cane toads to the cricket bat.  I am yet to hit one (I am still repulsed and slightly freaked out by them), but the boys (of all ages) seem to have reverted to some primal instinct and delight in it.   Matt is now trying to teach the fine art of humane killing of the pest.  One fine hit to the head is plenty.  Nice.

Dragonflies at night all perched on the ends of twigs

Anyway, the gorge.  One other traveller, an Apollo (hire 4wd car) zoomed past in the morning to have a quick squizz, but were gone before we could even pack up.  

By the time we were done a 2wd had arrived (what?) and looked at the sign, read it, and then he popped back in the car, and drove back?  Double what??? 

We walked the very short 2km return and had a lovely swim with a water monitor before getting back in the truck that was making more and more noise in the back right wheel area.  Time to find a mechanic in Katherine.

car on the hoist in Katherine - brake pads

Tackling the heat..from one pool (resort style), to another (Edith Falls), to another (Gunlom, Kakadu)

If you can't bear the heat, jump in the pool (just after packing up),

then drive in the aircon to Edith Falls and have a nice cool dip (no crocs apparently), then drive again to Gunlam in Kakadu to find another pool.   We are now seeking places that have cooling spots, and stop in shade.  It's hot.

Katherine Gorge...Nitmiluk National Park - where did all those people come from?

Our first words were, where on earth did all of these people come from?  Then fear crept in.  We are not really used to crowds after being in WA for so long.  Katherine Gorge is what we would now call a very "touristic" place.  Car park was full....yuk....

The campground is like a resort and charges like it, but it does have a pool, which up here is worth it. 

So, first things first, kids plunged in for some cooling off.

Next day we went for a 10.6km return walk in 50 degree heat in the sun, 47 in the shade!!  Luckily they provide water tanks along the way. 

Everyone did really well and there was a lovely spot to swim in the middle (Butterfly Gorge). 

We saw snakes along the way and a million butterflies.

The ranger had told us that there were no salties in the water so it would be safe to swim (later locals told us that they would never swim as salties are regularly pulled out of Katherine Gorge....)

Big rest that afternoon!! and a laze by the pool

Dinner with friends in Katherine, then ready to keep moving onto Kakadu (we are moving a rate of knots!  it is incredibly hot here).