Alice Springs to Katherine

Spent a week at Alice then a week up to Katherine.

April 19th A year on the road today!!!!! Had a wonderful holistic massage at the physio clinic. Brazilian lady.  Bumped into friends from Showgrounds at Burra – they are working on a station about 50km from here. Chatted for ages – lovely couple.

 Ute to Nissan – booked in for Tuesday to check the towbar - recall letter received!!!! Will take all day – or even longer so have booked another 5 days here at the Caravan Park. Polished the ute!
Loved the corner wall on the Stuart Highway.

Worked out how to get the TV on to the bracket – quite a bit of trial and error and growling but did it! Not sure how I will stop it moving when travelling but will sort that out when the time comes. Stumbled across classic gold radio and have been singing along all day – all the OLD familiar ones!!!!

Up to ANZAC hill, telegraph station, and Simpsons Gap. Decided just another gap in these ranges so no point looking at the rest of them – getting cynical again!

Found Todd Mall – yuk! Empty shops other than lots of art ones, a couple of coffee shops, and R & M Williams. Obviously the big malls have killed it off. Went to Target – a ‘mall’ but it is the only big shop there. A few spits of rain during the night.

 Ute service done but they didn’t even have to take the towbar off!!!! Now I am cross. They should have decided that last week instead of me staying 5 extra days at this Caravan Park – extra $160! I asked a couple of times for the old coot to come and look at it for me! Still – peace of mind I guess! Trying to have a thunderstorm this afternoon – few spits. Should have put the awning in!

Off to Taylors Rest area . Went in to Aileron – photo of statues of a man and a woman. In to the mango farm for an icecream and a filled roll for lunch. Stopped for fuel at Ti Tree. Cannot believe all the rubbish between Aileron and Ti Tree – ALL along the verge and back into the farm land. Bottles and cans mostly. Thrown out of vehicles I am told. Saw cattle and a big mob of camels in stock yards, then a bit further down a cop paddy wagon parked and a couple of their passengers relieving themselves – right out in the open! Should have given them a
 toot. Called in to Wycliffe to see the 'aliens'......

Passed the nutter Irish runner again not far out of Alice. More hills but mostly vast flood plains still. Up into the Barkley Tablelands again. Very dry on the hills but still plenty of dry grass on the flats. A couple I met at Jericho are here. Someone using a chainsaw down a bit further, and cattle mooing – wonder if it is weaning time? Beside the road here but at least a bit more room than most of the other ones.

Very pleasant happy hours. Chatting to 2 other couples for ages.  Cowboy singing for a while – was going to join them until I realised I don’t know any C&W music!

Thought about staying but decided to go to Devils Marbles instead. Very nice spot. $3.30 per person per night. Walked around the amazing rocks. Another good chatty happy hour. Very windy in the mornings the last couple of days. Flies bad but the cream does seem to work on arms anyway.

  Decided not to stay so left about 10.30. Drove to Tennant Creek – fuel at United at the north end. Tidy looking town but didn’t stop. More very long straight roads, heaps of feed everywhere, other than where a large mob of cattle were resting. Must be standing hay everywhere for the winter I think. Almost no road kill up through the centre –seems odd but maybe there is enough feed inland for now. Lots more ghost gums and one area of really good high road – was over a swamp area according to the sign.

Stopped at Threeways to do emails – Tennant Creek had full coverage but the connection was ‘busy’ so could not get on. On up to the rest area at the Attack Creek. Very pleasant happy hour again with 4 couples. There is a Mardi Gras on at Elliot tomorrow with people from Alice to Darwin expected so roads could be very busy.

 Kindle seems to have frozen – darn. Will have to find the warranty and sort it at Darwin. Will be very quiet with no internet or kindle and crappy radio. Almost stayed another day but decided to head to Newcastle Waters  Fuel (6c litre cheaper than last year) and lunch at Renner Springs. Easy driving again, used aircon a bit. So much grass and getting greener. Starting to see the pink pompom wild flowers. Stopped at Newcastle but decided to go on to Dunmara Caravan Park - $20 and no internet yet! Green lawn and power so that will do. No sign of Mardi Gras at Elliot. Maybe they are coming out after dark to party.

Some of the termintes along this part of the road have been 'dressed' - one was Santa!. 

Change in vegetation once past Newcastle – out of the Barkley Tablelands with low trees and in to bigger trees and masses of long green grass. Heaps of road kill now and have to slow right down for all the eagles eating it - especially in the mornings. They are very slow to get into the air and there is always one that sits there until the last possible moment.

To Daly Waters – fuel and internet/emails etc. then to DW pub for a toasted sandwich lunch. Met the people in the yellow bus who were at Devils Marbles. Chilli not there for a few more weeks so on up to Larrimah – Pink Panther pub. $22 at Caravan Park. Had a shower then to the pub for a beer – chat to old stockman for a while then looked at all the birds etc. in the cages! Tour van with backpackers staying also and a couple of others. No meals here. Very hot night.        

Passed 2 good camps – one just passed Larrimah, the other 46 south of Katherine - dump point there so emptied loo. Staying at Shady Acres Caravan Park – lovely spot and very nice facilities. Managed to back in right beside the pad too!!!!  Saw the yellow bus in town. Seem to be bumping in to the same people often on this trip.

May not post so often now - going over 'old' ground soon, but am trying to find different places to stop, and will definitely camp more.

Uluru to Alice Springs

Only drove 130 km today – too hot. Stopped at Cadney homestead roadhouse. $25 for power & water! Very featureless country today – so flat but came into more scrubby land. Seem to come to a different pastoral station about every 50 km and plenty of girds again.  Checked a couple of rest areas. Although they have ‘carports’ there really is no shelter from the sun. I think the aircon unit might be just too high for me to sneak the van under them.  Pretty dusty otherwise but managed to park under 2 trees.

Saw an ‘utter nutter’ on the road – guy running around the world!!!!! I know this is the shortest route to Darwin but surely running during the day is madness in this heat. He has a support vehicle now – was doing it solo I heard on the radio a few days ago. Pretty skinny bloke totally covered in lycra and wearing a blue fly net!

Gave the pokie machine $15, had a couple of small bottles of wine and a very ordinary chicken wing and rice dinner.  Met the nutter- Tony Mangan from Dublin. Left there October 2010 and jogging around the world – back to Dublin by Oct. 2014. Had a mate in a car for his Australia trip up to Darwin, but pushes a hand cart with his gear otherwise! Tells me it is hotter in the Mexican deserts by a long way!  www.theworldjog.com

Restless night – some idiot had a gen going all night – so annoying. Then they all start leaving around 7am – not like the GN who seem to stay in bed until 9!

Fri 12^th

More interesting country now – actually seeing grass a lot more and came across ranges north of Marla. I think this road has more dead vehicles  than livestock road kill – only a couple of cattle, no roos but lots of cars burnt out. Saw a couple of flocks of birds – galahs and cockies. Have only seen a few crows and eagles otherwise.

Stopped at Agnes rest – lovely shady spot well off the road. Read for 3 hours then realised it was 4pm and no one else there so drove another 30km to  Marryat Creek – one couple so  stayed here instead. Beautiful peaceful night – no wind either but did put the blankets on – got a bit cool early morning.

Sat 13^th    Off at 9 to the NT border. Sealed park area there and toilets. I think you can camp. No time change – SA finished daylight savings last week. A sudden change in scenery it seemed though. Rocky out crops, and those wonderful wide mown verges. At 130 km one would need to see anything on the side of the road well in advance I guess. I am still amazed at how much grass there is along this road. Goes right back into the farms now so not just the urea from the roads any more. A few cattle, better fences. Stopped at Kulgera for fuel – that must be the place the guide said to avoid - $2 per litre! Escarpments, knobby hills and more undulations in the road but feel as though I am going downhill a bit. Stopped at Eridunda for lunch – a busy road house on the Uluru corner, then headed towards Uluru. The road is still good but not as wide as the highway. Mt Connor is pretty spectacular with it's very flat top. Also stopped for the eagles eating road kill but they

wouldn’t come back to the road for me! Stopped at a couple of rest areas with plenty of space, and water but finally drove to Curtin Springs. All the powered sites have gone but can free camp here. 

Sun14th

To Yulara.  Nearly had a run in with a dopey Roo that was on the right hand side of the road but decided to turn and jump back to the left in front of me!!!! Lucky I was expecting trouble – stopped before I hit it. Also some young cattle wandering towards the road there! Been fires through here – some fresh green grass but lots of very red bare sand dunes as well.

Yulara is mainly a tourist resort – tucked in amongst the tress and hills – quite pretty.

Anyway – got a bit of fruit and lunch at the IGA, filled up with fuel  - $2.10 litre but 6c cheaper than Curtin Springs,  then off to Kata Tjata – The Olgas. Stunning from a distance I decided so drove the 44 km to there first. Pretty amazing jumble of rocks.

Too hot to think about walking anywhere so back to Uluru and drove right around the base. Pretty enormous when up under it, but still like the Olga’s better! Trip of 140km, plus 80 each way from Curtin springs and $25 for a 3 day pass. Good thing the camping is free! $3 for a shower so using my own.

Mon 15^th

Spent the day on the bed reading. Back feeling better by afternoon. Cool breeze most of the day so pleasant.

This seems to be the time - or place - for Whizz-bangs full of young Europeans travellers - I am missing the nomads who sleep until 9am and who are quietly tucked up after dark!

Talking to a couple who came via Kalgoorlie to Uluru. Good dirt road nearly all the way, and they don’t have an off-road caravan either! About 40km of rough stuff but just went slow. Only needed a 3 day pass to come across the permit area, and didn’t have to pay the NP fee at Uluru either.

Fuel ($1.98) and lunch at the Erldunda roadhouse then on to camp #61. Near a bridge over a dry river, some trees, and a couple of others camped here as well. Nice to see gums again and  a few bigger trees – black bark and quite ‘weepy’ looking – must have water in these ‘rivers’ sometime. Getting in to more hilly country but still with large flood plains. Hills are very rock. Happy hour chasing flies – not easy to drink under a net.

Wed 17^th

Drove to Alice Springs. Good road, into rocky hills, still heaps of grass around. Saw a few cattle. Flood plains amongst the hills. Alice is a pretty town with a dry river through the middle and lovely big white trunked gums. Not at all what I was expecting after the negative comments I have heard, but then I think some people are pretty one eyed about places and cant see the beauty - only skin colour. How sad. McDonald ranges either side. Booked the  Caravan Park for 2 nights, then off to Jesses Gap. No water but amazing rocks.You have to wonder what is stopping them sliding or breaking away when on such an angle.

Coober Pedy Tour

Thought I should do the 10 – 12 hour Mail trip to Onandatta – but you have to book at least 3 months in advance so that saved me $195. Got keen when I realised you travel in aircon vehicle! 

Had a bit of a look round – very dust place. Only main streets sealed. Quite touristy, heaps of opal shops and accommodation.  Had  lunch then off on the tour with a French couple, and a Bosnian guide. Showed us the 18 hole golf course with its bitumen ‘greens’.  No good for me - I tend to dig divots in the grass so would probably either break a club or my wrists!

Really good tour – we went right in to the mining areas, saw the test holes, then the shafts, watched a guy coming up on a winch and the trucks with suction pipes to remove the rubble. On to the 11 and 12 mile areas that were mined 50 years ago. Some open mines here also. The ground is unstable in much of this area. Only about 300 people still mining – from 3000 fifty years ago.

 The mines are not filled in as often another miner may go in to an abandoned claim and get lucky. It also means everyone knows where mining has taken place – a safety thing.

On to the Breakaway Range. Amazing colours in hills sticking out from a vast and very dry desert. White and brown ‘Salt & Pepper castles’. This area was once an ice covered ocean they say. 

Saw part of the dog fence – 5000 km all the way up to QLD.

 

 
Went to the museum and in to all the tunnels underneath it. Not my thing - pretty claustrophobic and rather warm. 
Imagine sleeping in a bedroom in absolute darkeness! Still - you have to admire their tenacity chipping away hoping to find the opals. Tunnels going off in all directions.

 










On back to town then to the Serbian Church carved in to a hill. The hall can hold around 400 people and there is a flat for a priest to live in - none there now as very few Serbs left. Was made using the round tunnel machines for the roof and the square ones for the side. Very lovely. They have planted fruit and vegies outside as well - most doing ok it seems.