Hot springs So Cool

Tuesday, July 8 and Wednesday, July 9:

At Mataranka. Both days we spent a couple of hours in the lovely warm Bitter Spring which was a 500m walk from the caravan park. Unfortunately, we were in the newly opened part of the park which was bear earth and little shade but with the air con we kept cool.

 

Swimmers enjoy the hot Bitter Springs.

Wal after spending an hour or so in hot Bitter Springs.

A beer at historic Daly Waters Pub

Monday. July 7:

We arrived at Daly Waters and the pub early and wandered around. We decided not to stay as it was tail to nose, dusty and only two toilets. We had a beer each and left but not before visiting the airport and explorer  John McDouall Stuart’s tree.

The souvenir shop at Daly Waters.

The Daly Waters Pub.

 

 

We also called in briefly at Larrimah and was greeted by the resident wallaby. This was a massive base in WWII and hasa great little museum depicting life of a town which is now struggling to survive.

The mayor of Larrimah greets all visitors.

Then it was on to Mataranka where we stayed at the caravan park at Bitter Spring rather than the Mataranka Homestead.

Pub With No Beer or CustomersThe drover at the Drover's Camp at Newcastle Waters, NT.

Sunday, July 6:

As everyone had said it was difficult to get into the park at the Daly Waters Pub we decided to go and stay nearby and then would be early enough to get in there. We chose to stay at Dunmarra.

On the way we stopped at the Todd Memorial and Newcastle Waters.

The Todd Memorial marked the efforts of Sir Charles Todd who was in charge of the Overland Telegraph project and the memorial is a mile from where the northern section joined the southern section to complete the line.

Newcastle Waters occupied a couple of hours of our time. It was established as it was the point at which the stock routes from the north, west, south and east meet. With a permanent water supply the stockmen would gather, go the pub, get supplied before moving on. In the wet season they stayed in the stockman’s camp and literally drank way their wages.

Today, the town at the entrance to the Newcastle Waters station has an operating school, a couple of occupied houses and the rest are relics and a great reminder of life up until the 1960s. Fed funding has seen the development of information panels which give the whole history of the people of the town and even lists all the drovers who worked along the various stock routes. What characters they must have been.

 

The drover statue at the Drover's Camp at Newcastle Waters.

Wal behind the bar of the Junction Hotel, Newcastle Waters..... but there is no beer or customers.

Wal is ready to fill up any passing cars at Newcastle Waters - not sure if there is any fuel in that there pump.

 

We pulled into the roadhouse park next to Graeme and Wendy who we were next to at Banka Banka. He was a fellow Vietnam Vet but served in the Navy. We also met another fellow on his own in a huge Winnebago his daughter-in-law had bought him after her father left her $8m. Sadly, his partner had left for home in Darwin so he was travelling alone to visit friends in Adelaide. We ended up having dinner with him in the roadhouse where I had a magnificent piece of Barra and chips while Wal had the roast - $17 each.

Fabulous Banka Banka

Saturday, July 5:

Left Tennant Creek and headed towards or next stop – a cattle Station called Banka Banka north of Three Ways.

The homestead is right on the highway and had a lovely green circle of grass where she directed all the vans to the spot she wanted. It was $10 a person and the showers and toilets although in portables were spotless. The place is obviously popular as soon there were vans everywhere – no power but water.

That night they had an entertainer who was staying in high fifth wheeler at the park. I admire people who have a go but he was really very bad and apparently his jokes the night before were quite racist.

Banka Bank has a great history as a cattle station and is now owned b the Central Land council on behalf of the traditional owners. The managers lease the homestead area from the Aborigines.

Banka Banka homestead and caravan park for the lookout.

Just in case you didn't know where Banka Banka is.

Tennant Creek

Wednesday, July 2 :

We headed towards Tennant Creek where we planned to spend a couple of days. However, we had a couple of interesting stops along the way.

The Camp 7 book noted that Wycliffe Wells had a UFO Centre so we had to stop as it was in the middle of nowhere. We had lunch and chatted to a couple who pulled up behind us who were from Montrose.  This place had everything about UFOs and more and was a great little attraction. Also part of the place is a Big4 Caravan Park and was offering great deals.

Some of the UFos at Wycliffe Wells.

Next stop was the Devil’s Marbles which is amazing as it looks like someone has cut the stone  in half with a precision saw. The rocks were huge and the story of them both geologically and in Dreamtime make interesting reading.

Wal at the Devil's Marbles.

Some of the Devil's Marbles.

Thursday, July 3 to Friday, July 4

The caravan park on the highway was great. New people had taken over and for $25 a night it was good value. We fueled up and I spent time doing the washing etc. It was really a few days to chill out rather than sight-seeing as there was little to see. We did need some more wine but casks are only available. There was only one brand of bottled wine and it was in plastic bottles. Again police officers stood outside while the bottle shop was open. A sad sight.