Katherine

We arrived in Katherine on Monday the 30^Th of May. After we set up we drove out to the Hot Springs for a swim.

The Hot Springs were quite nice but the foliage of the surrounding trees and palms were brown due to the wet season floods. The water wasn’t as warm as we thought it would be (34c) but it was a lot warmer than previous pools that we have been in. There were signs warning us about crocodiles.

This morning we went on a 2 gorge cruise up the Katherine Gorge. We left at 9am and it was beautiful.

We were on a flat bottomed boat with approx 20 to 30 people. It was open all round so everyone had a good view. We cruised up the first gorge and when we reached the end we had to walk along a path 300m to the second boat. The kids raced ahead because they wanted to be first on the boats all the time. The second gorge was called Katherine gorge and this is the one used to promote the area.

Kids on front of boat.

Walking between gorges to
get to the second boat.

In the afternoon we went and looked at some didgeridoos. (Todd has wanted one for a while but hasn’t seen any in his price range.) We went to Coco’s didgeridoo and art shop. It was in a little old garage on a back street. The man who owned the shop was very nice. He told us that he sold the didgeridoos by the sound that they make and how easy they are to play. I thought all didgeridoos are the same but they aren’t. They come in different keys e.g D, G, and F some make a good sound for meditation and healing others make a good beat like bongo drums.




Litchfield National Park.
On the way to Darwin we drove through Litchfield National park and stayed the night at a safari camp. We had a look at the giant Termite mounds and swam in the rock pools of Florence Falls and the Cascades.

Magnetic Termite Mound

Magnetic Termite Mounds

Florence Falls

Fish we swam with in the plunge pool
at the bottom of Florence falls

Tolmer Falls

Swimming in the plunge pool
Florence Falls

Reception at the safari Camp

Cascades Walk

Cascades Walk

Todd fixing the river crossing
Cascades Walk

Cascades Walk--Swimming

Cascades Walk

Alice Springs to Katherine

We have just left Daly Waters and our next destination is Katherine.
 I  had  a lot of trouble with our Internet Connection in Alice Springs so I am writing this in the car using word. (I hope that I will be able to copy and paste into my blog). I think it could have been due to a lot of other campers around us having satellite dishes e.t.c because it kept coming up about  our IP address was shared with someone else.

  Daly Waters

Daly Waters is a very small town which consists of a couple of houses, a pub, caravan park, restaurant and petrol station all in one.100% fair dink um, dinky die, Aussie Outback Experience famous for it’s Beef and Barra B.B.Q and nightly show, which was excellent.
The only thing not Australian was some of the staff were back packers working their way around Australia.

Daly Waters Pub

Bras hanging above the bar.

  In the pub hanging above the bar were bras, undies, jocks and T-Shirts. The walls were covered in business cards, pictures and other personal items.

Daly Waters was discovered by explorer John Mcdouall Stuart on May 28 in 1962.
It was here that Stuart carved the initial 'S' on a tree during his successful journey to cross Australia from North to South Coast. It took him 6 attempts.

The Tree that supposedly Stuart
carved the letter 'S' In.

It had the first international airport in Australia. It was the rear guard base during the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese in WW2.

Tennent Creek

Before Daly Waters we spent the night at Tennant Creek where we looked at The Pebbles and Mary Ann Recreational Dam.

The Pebbles

The Pebbles

There has been a high police presence in the Major towns with drive throughs in Caravan Parks. We think it is due to strict alcohol laws and the high number of indigenous Australians.
Alcohol can only be bought in small amounts with proof of Photo I.D required no matter how old you are.

Devils Marbles
On the way to Devils Marbles from Alice Springs we stopped at a little town called Wycliffe Wells. It is known as the UFO capital of Australia. We were a bit disappointed because there wasn't much on UFOs but we did take a couple of pictures.

We stayed the night at the Devils Marbles camping area. It was very full when we arrived but we managed to squeeze beside a Hippy couple from Nimbin. They were both dressed in swim wear soaking up the sun and drinking wine. They were quite nice. to talk too. Todd’s parents were parked on the other side of the camp area.

Sunrise on the Marbles

After we went for a walk around the Devils Marbles Todd’s parents came over to our van and we had a drink. ( Since I’m good at writing about everyone else, I guess I better write about myself.)

As most of you know I don’t drink but I had a glass and a half of wine and got a bit tipsy. Todd’s parents left and I started to laugh. Careena got a bit concerned and told me to stop laughing. Luke asked me what I was laughing about and Alanna just looked at me strangely.

Todd helped me into the caravan and I had to hold onto the benches as I staggered around.  I told the kids that the van was going uphill. Todd had to get dinner ready because he was worried I would cut my fingers cutting up the vegetables. After dinner the kids went and saw Nanna & Poppy and told them that they hadn't seen me like this before. ( they were a bit worried.) Nanna & Poppy told them that I was O.k and there was nothing to worry about. That I was just relaxed and happy.

 

Alice Springs.

After we set up at the caravan park Todd went out and brought a mouse trap to catch the mouse that was in the car. Approximately 10mins after he set the trap there was no more mouse in the car.

We spent a week in Alice Springs where we were able to relax and unwind for a few days. We also spent a couple of days exploring the gorges in the West and East McDonald Ranges. I really liked Ellery creek big hole, Ormiston gorge and Trephina gorge.

Ormiston Gorge

Ormiston Gorge

Ormiston Gorge

Simpson's Gap

Stadley Chasm

Stadley Chasm

Stadley Chasm

Trephina gorge

trephina gorge

Trephina gorge

trephina gorge

Corroboree Rock-Sacred site to Aboriginals
Like a church is to us.

The other activities that we did were
-The Desert Park—learnt about Aboriginal culture, food and medicine.

Desert Park

Desert Park

Desert Park

-Reptile Centre—We all were brave and held a 3 and half metre Olive Python except for Alanna. She just felt it.

Thorny Devil

-Royal Flying doctor service—bit disappointing, some of the displays weren’t working in the museum. 
-The Didgeridoo Show Outback –excellent.
-Wandered through Todd Mall looking at the Arts and Crafts.
Transport Museum-- Todd, Tony and Luke went to the transport museum while the girls stayed at the caravan and painted our nails and did our hair just for fun.

Luke driving Army truck

-Arltunga --We drove out to Arltunga  110k East of Alice Springs.

Arltunga was officially central Australia's first town, born out of a gold rush after alluvial gold was discovered in a dry creek bed in 1887.

Fortune seekers had to travel 600km from the Oodnadatta rail head, often on foot.
Arltunga once supported around 300 people. Some of the old mines are open to the public and if you bring your own torch they can be toured at any time of the day. Remains of some of the old buildings can still be seen today.

Arltunga

Luke

Todd looking down a mine shaft at Arltunga

Alanna

Careena

On Saturday the 21^st of May was Val’s birthday.( Todd’s Mum)Tony (Todd’s dad) was going to take her out to dinner but the place that he wanted to take her didn’t look very nice so Todd and I offered to get dinner ready.
Tony took Val out for the day and we told him not to bring Val back until 5pm.We went into town and bought a tablecloth, balloons, happy birthday banner, food, candles and napkins. We decorated their annex and Val was surprised when she saw it.Todd cooked fillet Mignon with Bearnaise sauce and hash browns on the B.B.Q. with Thai salad and garlic bread on the side.It was delicious. One of the best meals that we have had so far. For dessert we had mini chocolate mud cakes with Strawberries. After we sang Happy Birthday other campers yelled out “Happy Birthday Nanna”.

We had lots of fun at Alice Springs.