From the dusty dry heat to the tropics

From the Queensland border through the Northern Territory most places to stop end in "springs", "waters", "falls". From Lawn Hill on the Barkly Tableland the underground rivers make their way to NT reappearing at beautiful springs like Bitter Springs at Mataranka.  Jeannie Gunn writes of these in "We of the Never Never" as a respite place after mustering. Stark contrast from the Stone Country we drive through. 

We did meet some interesting get nomad characters along the way.

Everyone is taking about and waiting for the wet in Darwin. Some Caravanners stay for the wet and secure themselves under huge canopies. We met several working at Bunnings for a few months to cover their costs.  Darwin has a buzz about it. It is about to explode with big gas development. Prices are going up, housing developments racing to keep up. This will not be a short term boom and bust as we have seen so many places experience due to mining.  We enjoyed some good company, food and sight seeing here. 

 If we lived in Darwin we would love a house like this. It's a National Trust building. The elderly couple looking after it were delighted to see us and show us around the garden. 

The Mindel and Parap markets were a highlight for the multicultural food. Darwin has bee multicultural for longer than Melbourne and the integration seems much deeper. There are plenty of long term eccentric characters. One hippy type of fellow wearing a long canvas skirt and half-shaven head came into a bank with a huge bag of coins. Over $550 worth. I was tempted to say "you've hit the jackpot" as we'd just been to the casino, but thought better of it. 

The sunset at the Darwin Sailing Cub is spectacular. We were intrigued that locals and their dogs don't seem worried about a dip with the salties. We were told they haven't had one there for 5 months. 

We store the van at a place which is also a cattery. Flying with 5 kilos of cryovacced meat we arrive in Bali to have our luggage waiting for us in the hands of six porters. They even grabbed our handbags so each one could say they carried something. Before we knew it they had run away to a money changer so we could get some rupee to pay them. Somehow they got us out of the terminal without going through customs. We think they slipped someone a tip on the way. So we're not sure if this was a good thing or not but it cost us $20!

One night in Legian was enough. It's like Kuta now and I couldn't wait to get away so we hired a car to Lovina early next morning. It was a pleasant trip. The driver used very colourful English which we're sure he wouldn't have realised is highly offensive. We wound around the high mountains in incredible traffic. It's a bit like a long trip on the Big Dipper. 

We stopped to have special coffee. This is produced by the coffee beans passing through the gut of the lewaks. Possum like critters about the size of a cat.  The coffee was fine and cost $5 a cup. We hear it's extremely dear if you buy it in Australia. We liked some of the ten teas we were given to sample. 

The driver took us a small hotel owned by his cousin. It turned out to be very comfortable and a little way out away from the hustle bustle that is now Lovina so we stayed three nights. $35 per night, pretty standard. 

There are signs all over town about the big Sail Indonesia celebrations. We met some interesting ex-pats. There are many who choose to live here. The climate seems milder than Darwin and it is cheap to live and eat. 

We found Cecilie and John to our delight and started to join in with the yachties from 87 boats and 22 nationalities. Two hours of cultural events were staged last night followed by a welcome dinner.  The locals enjoyed the show too - we think the politicians are throwing money at events like this as an election is coming. 

This little girl was the Shirley Temple of Bali. 

After that we found our way to a bar where we were entertained by teenagers celebrating high school graduation. One could have thought they were graduating from a different kind of school from the dress and behaviour as they pouted for a constant series of camera shots.  Unfortunately we didn't have flash camera. 

Today we go on board. The previous crew members Trisha and Marilyn are very sad to leave after 8 weeks on board but they have found a good hotel so they can see out the festivities this week. 

 A few shots of places and people   

Barkly Tableland and over the border into Northern Territory

Lesson learned. From Mt Isa to Lawn Hill the short dirt corrugated road (250k) takes 7 hours. So does the long road out on bitumen via Burke and Wills roadhouse (750k). Lawn Hill is in Boodjamulla national park - a little bit of paradise in otherwise desert country in the Dry. We selected a perfect spot in the Grove right beside Lawn Creek just metres from the resident Johnson crocodile. You take a tube and float up and down in clear cool water. Water lilies you can see from the roots up in deep water, Birds of many species. 

The croc

Our view

A short drive to the national park early in the morning and up the creek we go in a canoe from the lower to upper gorge. Stunning scenery and delicious swimming near the falls. A highlight of this trip and well worth the extra k's.

A bonus on the trip out was a glimpse of a herd of cattle appearing out of the trees to our side being driven south by two quintessentially garbed drovers. There are a number of herds making up this large drive to the Riverina. An event that has not occurred for decades brought about by drought and fickle overseas markets This image is burned on my psyche.  No pic but I will try to paint it. 

On the way back to the Isa we spent a beautiful night at the deserted ex-town of Mary Kathleen. No neighbours and shooting stars in a perfect temperature after sunset.  Just past Camooweal we cross the border. The road is good and the speed limit goes up to 130k. A couple of stops at free camps Avon Downs (memorable for worst smelling toilets) and Newcastle Waters. Quick visit to drovers quarters museum at Newcastle Waters station.

A drovers life

 Barkly Homestead 

is a well kept road stop on way to the Stuart highway where we stop going west and turn north to our stop for the next stay at Daly Waters Hotel. What a great spot for food, fun and entertainment. Met another VISE teacher working at Sunday Creek station and loving it. 

At beautiful Mataranka we swim at Bitter Springs in the Elsey national park, the Roper River fed by Lawn Creek all the way from the Barkly Tableland. A tropical feeling at the van park here albeit the road remains dry and hot. We travel more hours a day now as the car is more comfortable than the heat. Time to slow down here where we can keep cool though the water temp is 35 degrees.  Jeannie Gunn's "We of the Never Never" was written here from Elsey station where she lived.  I am reading this now and it much more having experienced both the area and cattle station life.  

Up the road in Katherine we meet up with Edna and Karl, our neighbours and very close friends back home. They came via the Nullabor and WA.  What we won't do to have a drink and good times with them! We visit Cutta Cutta caves with them. "Cutta" means star. If you repeat the word it means "many of". 

The aboriginal presence increases and we see places like Cloncurry where integration and good relations is highly valued and proudly emphasised by all locals to places where incredibly poor looking people hang on the outskirts and ask for a six pack. We hear views from fellow travellers based on prejudice rather than knowledge and facts - aboriginal land rights, refugees, non-existence of climate change etc.  - depressing!  We have also heard from people who do know like a nurse in the jail and her husband. Genocide by alcohol to feed local economies. Choosing to go to jail to access medical treatment. 

Edith Falls is another glorious spot in a Nitimiluk national park. Nitimi is a colourful and rare cicada. "Luk" means "place of". Walks and swimming holes here. 

This episode has been late coming. Gone a bit troppo but tales of Darwin and Bali will follow soon.