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Monday 24/5/10
18th May, we finished the painting of Peta’s bathroom & her other odd jobs and headed off from Adelaide towards the Red Centre. The first day was an easy 641KM into the Woomera Prohibited Area for a cool but peaceful sunset camp. Then north towards Alice Springs. A long drive to get to a favourite camp spot at Owen Springs. “Panic Stations” the January floodwaters have washed the track away and the detour has the driver disorientated. Set-up camp in the dark after a days drive of 835KM. Rain overnight followed by a rainy day. Owen Springs is just a paradise after rain. Thousands of breeding budgerigars, cockatiels, galahs and finches. Bad news from Halls Creek in W.A. there has been lots of rain there and the Tanami Track is closed for at least another week. So we settled back into our camp spot at Owen Springs to wait. Visited by Sheridan the local ranger. Will try the Tanami Track in a few more days.
Sunday 6/6/10
The Tanami Track was open again after the unseasonal rain so we headed off expecting a trip of 2 to 3 days. The first evening we stopped at Mt Doreen, an
old abandoned mine site and were joined by two other vehicles. We found an old concrete slab to set-up camp on. That slab kept us high and dry when the sky opened up the next day. The Tanami Desert was transformed into a quagmire. We eventually spent three nights at Mt Doreen before tentatively trying out the drying road. We decided not to buy diesel at Rabbit Flat Roadhouse at $2.30 per litre and $6.50 for a pie from the microwave oven. Camped overnight at the abandoned Coyote Mine camp-site. We stopped for a walk down into the meteorite crater at Wolfe Creek.
The last 100km of the Tanami Track into Halls Creek was the worst section with washouts, corrugations and huge mud holes. Welcome to Western Australia. Spent a night at Sawpit Gorge then off to Purnululu N.P. to spend three days at the Bungle Bungles. Then north to Kununurra to refuel and top-up groceries. Groceries and fuel at rip-off prices. Found out from the Shire Council that the roads to Kalumburu and Mitchell Falls were still flooded with fast flowing, one metre deep water. So off we go to the Lower Ord River to set-up camp and
wait for the rivers to go down a bit. We found our old camp-site at Mambi Island to be overgrown with weeds. So after a little bit of gardening we set-up camp. So its off to Wyndham via the Parry Creek Road for cheap fuel and then along the Gibb River Road to Home Valley Station for a couple of nights of camping by the river. Then we will try again to get to Mitchell Falls and Kalumburu.
Landed a Barramundi at Crocodile Hole near Wyndham-first one this year. Stayed at Home Valley Station on the edge of the Pentecost River. The Gibb River Road gets better every time we use it. The Kalumburu road to the Mitchell Falls turn-off is a nightmare with huge corrugations and the Mitchell Falls road was even worse. Managed to shake the bolts loose on the auxiliary battery . However the Mitchell Falls were worth the effort. Unbelievable ancient aboriginal rock-art. Took a helicopter ride to view the Falls - magnificent. Michael, the manager of the camp ground led us on a hike to the lower falls and some rare aboriginal art on the King Edward River.
Friday 11th June 2010 (must
remember - tomorrow is the cooks birthday)
The road to Kalumburu, even though it had some rocky sections and a few washouts was a dream compared to the road near Drysdale River Station. We stayed at McGowan's Island ($20 per person per night just to camp, that's after paying $50 for a permit), put the boat in and fished a lot. Leonie out fished everybody including landing an 86cm Queen fish. We stayed on the banks of the mighty Pentecost River on our return to phone coverage. Managed to put a rock through a tyre near Home Valley Station-it was nearly worn out anyway.
Wednesday 23rd June
Back through Kununurra and the Victoria Highway to Katherine in the Northern Territory. Picked up fuel and north towards Darwin. Set-up camp at Coolalinga Caravan Park. Pick-up some groceries, meet up with Lynne, Geoff, PK, Kim, Lilly, Aloha and Ken. Busy, busy, busy. Visited the Mindal Beach Markets and went for a swim at Berry Springs. Then out to Couzens Lookout to camp on the Mary River. Put the boat in and trolled and cast for the illusive Barramundi. Leonie landed a 62cm Barra, but all I catch is Crocodiles, Cod, Catfish
or Tarpon. We will try again tomorrow.
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