Purposeful Meandering Savannah Way - Week 2

Week 2 started under a thick blanket of fog, this seemed to keep the fishermen at home a bit later than the previous day. We all packed away wet camping gear due to the heavy fog. We headed into Borroloola to grab some last minute supplies and top-up on fuel. We were pleasantly surprised to see fuel was only $2.55/ltr. I’m sure that’ll change as we head to more remote parts of QLD. Heading east from Borroloola the road conditions quickly deteriorated to very rough corrugated red roads. By mid morning the fog had been replaced with bull dust. The distance between each car was often beyond a kilometre apart and our CB’s kept us in touch with each other on the varying hazards ahead. Occasionally unfenced cattle slowed our progress as we’d have to wait for them to clear the road at their pace. We passed the “now closed” Lorrella Springs and pondered at “what could have been”. This outback station was one of the draw cards for us coming to the Gulf, but the NT government and the station owners had a falling out so the station is now closed to tourists. Creek and river crossings become a regular part of our day, each one proved more inviting but with the threat of crocs lurking in the unseen we kept our distance. We enjoyed lunch at one crossing and laughed as a group of motor-bikers crossed with their feet well above the water level. By mid-afternoon we’d arrived at Calvert River and decided this was enough for the day. The river offered good opportunities for us to jump in shallow waterholes as we all took in turns to cool off. Some indigenous locals made good use of the river as they caught a catch of water and land based animals. As the sun set we were amazed by the amount of wildlife that appeared from the bush. Pigs, Kangaroos, cattle and much more kept us entertained and on our toes as they used the water for life. 

To our surprise, Tuesday dawned with a few drops of rain, this had us scrambling to get the canvas swag packed away quickly. Thankfully the rain didn’t last long and it didn’t do anything to settle the dust which once again plagued us for the day. By mid-morning we’d crossed into QLD. We marvelled that our trip had already taken us to 5 states/territories. Our intended destination of “Hells Gate Roadhouse”, was upon us quicker than expected & we ended up having lunch here, not dinner as planned. This roadhouse oasis in the middle of nowhere had plentiful grass to squish our toes through and lots of trees providing shade from the heat of the day. We shared the roadhouse with a few couples doing the same as us and a Discovery tour group making their way across the top-end of our country. We googled their itinerary and then fell over backwards at the cost - OMG! We decided to push further east, passing through the community of Doomadgee and for the first time in a long time we were back on the bitumen. Our speed safely returned to normal road conditions and before long we’d arrived in the small rural town of Burketown, which ultimately was home for the night. We grabbed the few remaining sites in the caravan park which initially we were grateful for, that was until 1000’s of galahs came to roost in the trees overhead. “How’s the serenity” couldn’t be further from the truth, but these were our first-world problems. Thankfully as darkness fell peace n quiet resumed and we enjoyed a quiet night in the van park.

With the van park full of workers undertaking a project in town, Tuesday started well before the sun crested the horizon as cars one after another headed for work. By 9am we were out seeing the few sights of Burketown, the once thermal spring is now a rundown bore with hot 68deg water filling an ecosystem for the wildlife. The boat-ramp and kids waterpark were the most impressive features of this remote town. Soon afterwards we were heading south towards Lawn Hill, our progress being regularly slowed by cattle that shared the road with us. An hour later we found ourselves in Gregory Downs, what was once only a cattle station is now home to a pub, coffee shop, rest area and some basic accommodation. We stopped briefly before continuing our journey to Lawn Hill NP. A Suitable camp site was selected and we quickly setup before heading to the gorge and a well earned swim, the water making a refreshing change from the afternoon heat. As the afternoon wore on we continued exploring what Lawn Hill had to offer. We stumbled upon a trail which took us to a breathtaking lookout over the Indarri Falls. Being the adventurous type we scrambled down to the water level and had a quick swim under the falls themselves. It was the perfect way to finish the day. We spent the evening finalising our census submissions which is quite funny when you don’t spend the night at your usual abode.

Wednesday was the perfect day for a sleep-in, I wish someone had told the birdlife to hold off on the early morning chorus. By 9am we had our first swim for the day, temperatures were climbing into the low 30’s and the best relief was in the shade in the river, so that’s how we spent most of the day. We’d have a swim, get wrinkly from being in the water, get out, get hot, get back in the water, get wrinkly from being in the water, get out again. It was a tough way to spend the day but someone had to do it. Late in the day we called a round table meeting to discuss plans for the days ahead, our thoughts of heading to Cobbold Gorge were dismissed after reading of the exuberant costs simply to visit the privately run place. Our meeting turned into the perfect opportunity for happy-hour and liquid refreshments and dinner. As night fell we all realised we’d got a bit burnt and had too much sun for the day.

Thursday started very early for 2 of us as we’d decided to photograph Indarri Falls with the first rays of sunlight. Things were going great as we collected some great drone footage of the falls. That was until my drone decided to take on submarine qualities all by itself, effectively crashing into the water some 300m away from our location. Needless to say those in ear-shot heard a few choice words before we embarked on a rescue mission. Some 3 hours later we returned to camp with my tail between my legs, no drone and a badly sprained ankle. Further discussions followed and another rescue mission was hatched. A canoe was hired and a frogman was enlisted, using the “find my drone” technology on the controller we zeroed in on a likely spot and a few minutes later my drone was recovered. The relief and smile on my face was priceless, whether the drone works again or not, at least I’d recovered the SD card and the footage from earlier in the day. With the mornings crisis now behind us, the rest of the day was spent at a much slower pace. The weather had cooled significantly from yesterday’s heat so there was less enthusiasm to go swimming. We spent much of the afternoon relaxing around our campsite. After dinner we enjoyed a fun evening of card and board games with our travelling companions.

Friday had us packed up and on the road by 9am, that was never early enough for us to beat the caravaner’s and we spent much of the 90km ahead of us sucking the dust of caravans travelling at less than suitable speeds. Eventually we were back on the bitumen and passing through Gregory Downs on route to the Burke n Wills Roadhouse. We had lunch at the roadhouse before heading northwards. A few hours later after some monotonous driving we were in Normanton, we quickly found a home for the night, then for the first time in a couple weeks we found ourselves in a supermarket replenishing some much needed supplies. With the remaining daylight we visited the Gulf-Lander train and the Purple Pub. Our evening was spent in the camp kitchen as we were fortunate to have some Friday night footy to watch.

Saturday saw us on the road again but not before we checked out a few more attractions in Normanton. The highlight being “Krys the Croc”, apparently it’s the biggest recorded croc to be killed. At 8.63m in length and over 2 Ton I’m happy the only time we seen it was as a replica on display. With only 70km to our next destination it wasn’t long before we arrived in Karumba. This town sits right on the Gulf of Carpentaria at the mouth of the Norman River and is a haven for those who love their fishing. After a quick look around the main part of town we headed out to Karumba Point which will be our home for the next few nights. By late afternoon we’d spent some time by the pool, listened to some live music, had a drink and a feed from the bistro without having to leave the comfort of our caravan park. With full bellies we wandered down to the point to witness a beautiful sunset over the ocean. Living on the east coast I’ve often witnessed the sunrise over the ocean, but the setting sun over the ocean certainly has some spectacular colours. What a week it’s been.

Purposeful Meandering Savannah Way - Week 1

Week 1 plus a few days has been filled with so much contrast and varying scenery. From the cold wintry conditions of Wollongong, through to the fruit orchards of Mildura, to the vast open mullock heaps of Coober Pedy and finally the arid openness of central Australia, there has so much to see. We’d always planned to do 4 really big days on the road, so we could spend the next 4 weeks taking a more leisurely pace to get home. Some 4000km later we found ourselves at the most northern point of our trip. Mataranka and its hot thermal springs was the perfect way to unwind after 4 big days behind the wheel. No sooner had we setup camp, than we were jumping into the thermal water at Bitter Springs. By Saturday evening our convoy of cars and families were all together. We enjoyed the banter of catching up so far from home.

Sunday was meant to be a relaxing day and predominantly it was, but we all found ourselves doing the odd minor repair or job on our vehicles in preparation for the trip that lie ahead. Jobs were intermingled with frequent swims in the hot springs or taking comfort in the shade as we accustomed to the hot 30deg winter temps. Unusually Mataranka was a busy place as many locals made use of a long weekend in the NT to get away.

Monday saw us on the road but not before we stocked up with delicacies from the local bakery. We soon found ourselves heading east along the Savannah Way. This was the primary focus of our trip, it’s the last part of Highway 1 that circumnavigates Australia that we hadn’t done. For the first hundred kilometres the single lane of bitumen was pretty easy. Oncoming cars yielded as we both shared the road. By the time we reached the small community of Roper Bar the bitumen had been replaced with red dirt, lots of dust and corrugations. Wherever possible we’d stop along the Roper River hoping to see a crocodile, but alas each time we’d get back to the car with no croc’s spotted. It was at one of these stops where we had our first casualty, one vehicle sustained a flat tyre which pierced the sidewall….. not a good start to the trip. Pressing on and temporarily moving away from the river we were surprised by the array of wild animals we spotted. There were the usual herds of cattle, but then we spotted wild donkeys, horses and even Water Buffalo, all of which used the roads  for grazing. But still no crocs. By days end we’d made camp at a place called Tomato Island, on the banks of the Roper River. As was the case all day we still didn’t see a crocodile, but we did enjoy our first campfire of the trip that night.

Tuesday, and we were on the road by 9am, we detoured via a few remote camp sites which littered the riverbanks, at one spot we were amazed how close some people were setup next the river. Maybe they didn’t understand what being “croc wise” meant. We negotiated a few easy creek crossings as we trekked eastward along the Savannah. However it wasn’t long before we were alerted to another flat tyre on another vehicle. Once again the tyre was irreparable with 2 big holes in the sidewall. We all chipped in making the tyre change as quick as an F1 pitstop. We detoured into a small fishing camp on the banks of the Limmen River with the prospect of potentially getting a spare tyre. Ha-ha how wrong were we, the run-down community offered nothing more than good advice and a stopover for keen fishermen, but we did see our first saltwater crocodile sunning itself on the banks of the river. Pressing on, we marvelled at the hundreds of termite mounds and wild animals that litter the open plains. By mid-afternoon we’d arrived at Butterfly Falls, this was our home /base for the next 3 nights. The place offered a refreshing safe swimming hole backed by a cascading waterfall and thousands of butterflies that shelter in crevices of the rock walls. Despite the water being rather chilly, it made for great relief from the 30deg days we’d been experiencing so far. As darkness fell and with dinner consumed we all gathered around the campfire for some liquid refreshments.

Wednesday started at a much slower pace, most of us had a morning swim which doubled as a bath and wash-off. By mid-morning we’d set off to explore a place called the “Western Lost City”, a rough and bumpy track that led us to these amazing sandstone towers which reminded us of pagodas we’d previously seen back home but these ones had striking orange and red colours with bubble type layering with some having little top hats due to weathering. As we climbed and explored on foot we all commented on how beautiful yet weird these rock formations were that appeared in the middle of nowhere. By mid afternoon we’d returned from our 4-hour exploration, the refreshing water of Butterfly Falls was the perfect way to end a hot dusty day. As dusk fell some of us had a close encounter with a brown tree snake that tantalised around their feet before heading off into the nearby grasses. Once again, under the cover of darkness with only the crackle of our fire we watched the overhead light show as millions of stars sparkled above.

Thursday dawned with a blanket of fog hanging over the campsite, but it didn’t last for long as the day’s temperatures headed for a high of 32deg. One of our convoy opted to pack up a day earlier than the rest of us and head to King Ash Bay where they hoped the introduction of 240volt power would be better for their fridge cooling problems than the 12volts being generated by the car. Before heading to King Ash Bay we all headed to the Southern Lost City. These prehistoric looking pillars and columns were very similar to the previous day, but given the walking track that meandered through the columns and the amazing butterfly spectacle we witnessed, we all felt today’s rock formations were much better. Returning to camp we all enjoyed a refreshing swim and some lunch before spending the rest of the afternoon doing odd jobs on our gear. By late afternoon we all indulged in happy hour and a late dinner. As had been the case on previous nights, we concluded our stay at Butterfly Falls with a relaxing campfire.

Friday was moving day, but once again a thick blanket of fog covered the area making it feel rather cool. As the fog burnt off the temps quickly rose. We were on the road by 9am just as the temperature hit the mid 20’s. There were a number of creek crossings to negotiate throughout the morning and at each opportunity we’d stop to see if any crocs were lurking. By late morning we’d pulled up at a conservation reserve which had similar rock formations to those of the past 2 days and whilst it was nice to see them, it didn’t hold a candle to the rock garden that we explored yesterday. After lunch we made our way to Borroloola for some much needed supplies. Fuel wasn’t the only expensive thing in town, groceries and fresh produce on average were 2-3 times the price of back home. A dozen eggs cost $13, needless to say, they stayed on the shelf. We did however have some luck sourcing a new tyre for one of our cars but at a hefty price. Pushing on, we headed out to the small fishing village of King Ash Bay where we caught up with the 4th car in our convoy. By late afternoon and after some well earned showers we headed to the local bar (Groper Bar) for a nice pub meal and some live sport on the tv.

Saturday started at a much more leisurely pace for us, however it was well before 6am when we heard the first boats motoring up the river. We spent a few hours catching up on some domestic chores before heading out to do some sightseeing. The closest town is Bing Bong and it sits right on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It’s a shipping port for exporting iron ore offshore, unfortunately for us it’s off limits to the public so our views of the gulf were a little limited. We did find a cool spot for some of us to do some fishing, with one eye on the shallows for snapping handbags and the other on our lures. We had some fun as the Barramundi jumped all around us but not onto the line. Returning to camp it was no surprise our washing was crispy dry as temps nudged 34deg in the shade. The afternoon was conducive to relaxing in the shade, we had ice creams as we sat on the bank of the river watching the many boats return from a days fishing. Late in the afternoon as the sun set we par-took in our usual happy hour activities. Our first week on the road culminated with us around the campfire making cookie dough bikkies in the camp oven. Bring on week 2 and more adventures.

Purposeful Meandering - Gulf of Carpentaria

To coin a phrase “it’s been a while between drinks (trips) is an understatement. To be precise,  it was 2 years ago that we tackled the Canning Stock route in WA. Undertaking big block holidays takes a lot of planning and this current adventure has been no different. Some bloke on the other side of the world decided to start a war which threw world fuel prices into turmoil and temporarily derailed our plans. It’s one thing to pay exuberant prices, it’s another thing to ensure remote locations have fuel. As the prices see-sawed so did our plans, yes we’ll go, no we won’t, yes we will.

Today, before the sun had crested, we set-off on our next adventure towards the top-end of NT and FNQLD. One of the few areas we haven’t explored in Australia is the section of coastline through the Gulf of Carpentaria. So for the next 5 weeks we’ll be exploring the Savannah Way and the coastal communities that are dotted along the way.

Bring on the adventure’s over the next few weeks