Katherine Gorge-Uluru-Murray River-Home

July 24th-Home

Day 95-110

Latitude 14 deg south of the equator..

Will you still be sending me a valentine…birthday greeting bottle of wine….when I’m 64… Declan and Trish both reached this milestone in the previous week.

There have been some pressing work commitments that I have tried to defer until our original estimated return date (end Aug- 1st week Sept). My son Ryan has done a wonderful Job completing this work in my absence. So we have decided to return approx 10-14 days earlier than anticipated.

We are in Katherine 350 klm from Darwin, so not a huge disappointment as we can return at another date to look at those places of interest. These included Darwin, Kakadu NP, Lichfield NP & Mataranka. See below

We will have to leave all these to another time. Northern Territory is 6 times large than Britain and is considered the home of the Australian Outback.

 

 

 

 

 

Set off on a hot day (35 deg) on the 3500 klm journey home. First stop for the night is Daly Waters, 300 klm south of Katherine. We had heard from many people what a quirky town this is and it certainly is. It has a population of about 20 people so it is hardly a town.

The main attraction for tourists is the famous pub, which is decorated throughout with banknotes hats, bras, many interesting signs and other memorabilia left by visitors from every corner of the globe.

  Helicopter with a cloths line rotor

There are an estimated 145,000 feral buffalo in the NT and 24 million feral pigs in Australia. They do damage to the wet lands of Australia as we do not have any natural hoofed animals.

 

 

 

 

Urinal cut out beer kegs Everything on display

Sign..Sign Everywhere a Sign…Love all the interesting signs, below, Angle Parking…any angle mate..

Some other interesting signs are….We don’t serve women….bring your own…..

We give credit to women over 80….must be accompanied by their mother….

We arrive around 1 pm and the caravan parking area run by the pub was filling, there would have been 200 vans staying overnight, campers etc. so the town balloons to 4-500 people. Live music all day, great meals, drinks flowing, this town would have a nice little bank balance. Mid morning everyone gone, waiting for the next batch of caravaners etc.

Fueled up at Renner Springs. This is cattle country. Another theme pub

We did consider stopping here, but had made good progress, too early in the day, so decided on Devils Marbles. This is 500klm from Daly Waters. Towns are few in Central Australia, only roadhouses with motel/caravan stopover attached.

Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles)

This is a very impressive geological wonder.

The “Marbles” have been formed over millions of years by the act of erosion and rise up out of the desert scenery in a surreal display of granite. What is amazing is that many of the huge stones are balanced on top of each other.

These are significant to the Indigenous Warumungu, Kaytetye, Alyawarra, and Warlpiri people

 

 

Wycliffe Well in Australia’s Northern Territory claims to be the UFO capital of Australia. They are ranked in the top UFO spots of the world. Located in the middle of the desert, this tiny settlement is mostly visited as a stop-over between the towns of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. There isn’t much in this part of Australia, so maybe it is just the right place for an alien or two to drop in now and then.

 

Barrow Creek. Pop. 12. This is one of the original Telegraph repeater stations established in 1872 that ran from Port Augusta to Darwin to enable Australia to communicate with the world in hours rather than 3 months previously. The Station Master and Linesmen were killed in 1874 by natives due to misunderstandings of land and property rights.

Water has also been a problem both in quality and quantity.

 

 

Alice Springs

Continuing further south after 400 klm we reach the only town of a reasonable size. pop 30,000.  We like the town very much, plenty to see and do. It is a popular gateway to Central Australia. Alice Springs was established as another repeater station for the overland telegraph station in 1872.

Cycads are very ancient plants, their ancestors 200 million years ago were the dominant flora on the planet. The Jurassic Era of the dinosaurs is also known as “The Age of the Cycad”.

Cycads existed before flowering plants. Often mistaken for palms, cycads are actually primitive seed plants along with and conifers.

 

 

 

 

Ellery Creek Big Hole

  Serpentine Gorge

 

Features of the landscape are significant to the Arrernte people, including the Ochre Pits that have long been a quarry for important ochre pigments.

 

 

 

 

Ormiston Gorge is a great place for a swim, or to see the towering walls of the gorge and pound, local plants and wildlife.

 

The Ghan is an iconic passenger train that travels between Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin. The 3000 klm trip takes 2 1/2 days. Here is passes through “The Gap” entry/exit into Alice Springs.

 

 

 

Wonderfully preserved Telegraph Station

With Covid, ever wondered where all the excess planes are stored? Alice Springs Airport is one place. Hundreds of Qantas and many Asia airlines. Dry hot climate ideal for storage.

 

 

 

 

Our Family Name ‘Mara’ I have a brother Tim, Tony, nephew Tim, grandaughter Tiarni, all Mara, maybe we have roots here?

 

 

 

 

 

We decide to stay at another Cattle Station. Curtin Springs which is situated 100 klm from Uluru and 200 klm from Kings Canyon. This cattle station is over 1 million acres

From a distance rising out of the plains you see Mt Conner. At first I thought this can’t be Uluru as we were 140klm away.

Peter Severin had previously worked as the head stockman on another cattle station and was gifted 1,400 head of cattle when he took over Curtin Springs for the value of the debts in 1956.

Peter Severin, his wife and young son had a lonely existence with only six visitors in the first year. Going was tough with the family residing under a bough shed for the first three years.

Len Tuit had begun operating return trips from Alice Springs to Uluru and was using Curtin Springs as a wayside to store fuel and water required for the return trip. This was the beginning of tourism in central Australia.

Soon the Severins installed fuel tanks to service the bus tours that had commenced from Alice Springs to Uluru and provided food and drink to tourists on board.

This is free camping providing good food and drinks and a lovely relaxing restaurant setting.

Uluru

Uluru is 460klm from Alice Springs. Another famous landmark are Watarrka NP,(King Canyon), Kata Tjuta (Olgas)

Watarrka National Park is only three hours’ drive from Uluru, and is home to the mighty Kings Canyon – a majestic destination featuring 300 metre high sandstone walls, palm-filled crevices, and views that stretch across the desert.

Australia’s Red Centre is home to natural wonder and cultural landmark, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). You can hike around the soaring rock domes, which glow at sunrise and sunset. Located approximately 40km west of Uluru, the ochre-coloured shapes are an intriguing and mesmerising sight.

Uluru is a huge sandstone monolith rock which is 348 mtr high above the surrounding plains. (higher than Eifel Tower). It is like a land iceberg as 2.5 klm is below ground. It is sacred to Indigenous Australians and was called Uluru long before Europeans arrived. (Named Ayers Rock in 1873)

They estimate 37 people have died climbing Uluru in the last 130 years. But since October 2019 climbing the rock is prohibited due to it’s great spiritual significance.

Kata Tjuta-Olgas

They are a group of red domes rising 546 mtr above the surrounding plains. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta are 500 mtr above sea level. They are 25 klm from Uluru

 

Watarrka NP-Kings Canyon

Watarrka National Park is two hours’ drive from Curtin Springs, or three hours from Uluru and is home to the mighty Kings Canyon – a majestic destination featuring 300 metre high sandstone walls, palm-filled crevices, and views that stretch across the desert.

There is a 6 klm rim walk (500 steps)with 360 deg views. steep initial climb on natural rocks that have been cemented together to create a steep staircase. They allow 3-4 hrs for the walk but very achievable within 2 hrs at a good pace.

Wonderful young couple from Ghent, Belgium

On our drive to Curtin Springs we noticed two cyclists heading in the direction of Uluru, full load, into a head wind. The bane of cyclists. The following day as we were visiting Kings Canyon, we again saw them quite close to Curtin Springs. I said to Sarah they will be camping at CS, sure enough they were set up by the time we arrived back from Kings Canyon.

Quickly introduced ourselves to listen to their story. This is Ed & Anna from Belgium. They have been on the road for 3 years riding across Europe through Germany, Italy, ferry across to Serbia, Croatia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, then Ukraine before catching a ferry to Istanbul and onto Georgia. Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, then Covid Hit the world. Fly to New Zealand, ride NZ, enter Australia, and have worked their way from Sydney to Melbourne, Adelaide, Oodnadatta Track to Central Australia. Also considering Tanami Track in NT. These would have to be some of the most challenging roads to navigate in a car let alone a bike. Great credit to you Ed & Anna.

The famous suitcase of mum’s

 

Compact cooking stove with cylinder. Alcohol was initially used but switched to unleaded petrol, because it was more readily available and takes half the time to heat up food/water.

Water is scarce and with Indigenous Communities closed due to Covid, water fill ups was difficult. Ed carries 20 ltr and Anna 10lt, Fully loaded the bike and luggage is 70kg for Ed & 60kg for Anna.

The suitcase is a family heirloom of Anna’s mum, they carry all the food supplies in this case. Ensuring food is in one location.

To their wonderful parents, they are in good spirits, very courageous, adventurous, good humoured and a great credit to you and Belgium

 

We spent a lovely night with Ed & Anna, surprisingly they spoke of how friendly, generous, and helpful all the people are in the middle east particularly in Iran and Saudi Arabia.  I wonder what that says to us about media and governments.

Ed’s parents initially hesitant to visit them in Iran, were amazed at their hospitality, they have been completely transformed. Peter & Prue I was thinking of you and your planned trip in this region. I mentioned your adventure, also the Surly Bikes, which they were envious, too expensive for young riders.

Ed says Eden Hazard a well know Belgium footballer was named after him. Safe travels, may see you in Melbourne?

 

 

Fill up at Erldunda and met a few of these local Emu’s roaming around.

Cross another border, complete entry permits online, no checks, photo op and keep moving.

After 400 klm rest up for the night in Marla Travellers Rest, another Roadhouse.

Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy has a hot desert climate where over 40 deg high can occur for 8 months. Average rainfall is 130mm (5 inch) with 21 days a year with some rain.

Approximately 150 million years ago, the ocean covered the Coober Pedy region. As the sea water receded, climatic changes caused the lowering of the underground water tables. Silica solutions were carried down to deposit in cavities, faults and fractures in the ground and now, millions of years later, these silica solutions have formed into opal.

It is the largest opal mining area in the world, with over 250,000 mine shaft entries which give it a “Moonscape” appearance.

For thousands of years, Aboriginal people walked across this area. Living in a desert environment, the people were nomadic hunters and gatherers who traveled constantly in search of food and water supplies, as well as to attend traditional ceremonies

Here I am standing on the roofs of peoples houses and businesses. Note the air ventilation shafts.

More than half of the town’s families live underground, where temperatures are maintained at a pleasant 23-25 degrees C throughout the year.

There are underground churches and art galleries too – plus the award-winning Desert Cave Hotel, the world’s first 4-star luxury property of its type, complete with mining display and opal gallery.

  

As Joe Cocker sang ” You can leave your hat on”

 

Many films have been shot here: Mel Gibson,Mad Max beyond Thunderdome, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Pitch Black. See what’s left of US Sci-fi featuring Vin Diesel spaceship.

5 steps to make a boomerang

Some underground shopping, no need to look for “Pink Diamonds” already sorted.

 

The caravan park office and entry to his garage.

 

 

 

 

 

Overnight stop at Glendambo, originally a Homestead, now a Roadhouse.

Lake Hart, is a very accessible salt lake in South Australia, with the Ghan Railway running along the shore line.

 

The Woomera Air Base is a major airbase and civil aerospace facility.

A joint Anglo-Australian project following the second world war, this range and the associated weapons research were the largest and most expensive scientific and engineering activity ever conducted in Australia in peacetime.

While participating in programs conducted here, Australia was in the forefront of scientifically and technologically advanced nations.

First generation British jet bomber Canberra

The successful launch of the Wresat Satellite from Woomera in 1967 gained Australia international recognition and membership of the exclusive “Space Club”.

During the early 1960s, the Woomera Range participated in the Mercury and Gemini space programs.

During the Cold War, Woomera had the second highest quantity and rate of rocket launches in the world after NASA’s facilities at Cape Canaveral

Between 1957 and 2007, over 518 launches from Woomera were recorded.

The Blue Steel was a British air launched nuclear missile, which was tested at Woomera in 1960 prior to entering service.

 

 

 

 

 

Peterborough (formerly Petersburg)

‘The Favourite’ a local built bike circa 1915-21

A great museum worth a visit for enthusiasts.

 

Peterborough is a historic railway town. Three different railway gauge once met here because state governments could not agree on a standarised railway gauge.  The town became hugely important as a railway link between the mines at Broken Hill and the iron and steel processing at Port Pirie.

 

All aboard the Y Class 2-6-2. Weather turning cooler now

Sarah’s maiden name, thought we would stop for morning tea.

We crossed the South Australian between Renmark and Mildura (Victoria) Follow the Murray all the way down to Echuca

Lovely town on the Murray River, Australia’s longest river at 2500 klm

Swan Hill for lunch

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robinvale for the night. Twin town of Viliers-Bretonneux

 

Echuca last stop before home

Echuca is one of my favourite inland towns, in the 1870’s it was our largest inland port and is the closest town between the Murray River and Melbourne City. (214 klm). Railways saw the decline of paddle steamers as a means of transporting goods.

 

Highwater Marks from the past and part of the historic port of Echuca

Sarah says I’m a barrel of laughs. Not!

 

Love seeing the Paddle Steamers

The original shared rail and road bridge linking Moama, NSW and Victoria. My friend from Perth see previous blog, we camped here in 1972 on the banks of the Murray in the picture. A rope was attached to the underside of the bridge and we would swing out from the bank into the centre of the river, great memories, also went to Bendigo for a drive-in movie 90 klm away.

We were 18 & 19, Michael had not long had his licence, it was Michael who introduced me to the phrase ‘Spanner Water’ after a swim in the river.

Camping was not the simple affair in those days with one piece pop-up tents, this had multiple guide ropes, canvas, no floor, snakes probably slithered by during the night.

The beautiful Wattle in bloom. Lets visit again Michael when you and Jan are back in town.

Melbourne is back in lockdown as Covid cases hit 20. Part of the entry into Victoria is to have a test within 72 hrs. Decide to complete in Echuca.  Next morning results come through ‘All clear.’ Have received our first Covid Vaccination also.

Final 3 hr drive to home. Melbourne.

A wonderful memorable trip, completed 19,746 klm, approx $6-7000 of fuel, Uluru was the most expensive @ $2.07 ltr. Ave was about $1.40-1.60c

For the much of the trip we traveled with Declan (cousin) & Trish. What a great experience, we learnt so much from their years of traveling in a van, I think we can say we are on the way to maybe even give advice to others. Learnt how to make Soda Bread in a Weber, partnered Trish in a game of Sequence v Sarah and Declan, a great way to relax on many a night. Sarah and Trish were incredible with the variety and quality of food that they prepared for us, Declan coming up with his own delight, a chicken cheese cake, also plenty of craic as the Irish say.

Being together helps us to appreciate each others qualities, gifts and vulnerabilities, celebrate and accept differences, How can we celebrate our own wonderful uniqueness if everybody were the same as us? For this we are eternally grateful, all things lead to good, positive and negative.

With much gratitude Declan & Trish, see you again on the road. Safe travels as you continue your journey to Queensland.

I hope our travels gave you some new insights into our land, it’s natural wonders, it people, culture, and new places to visit. We enjoyed the raw beauty and facilities that were adequate without being too slick & comfortable. This gave us a unique experience that you won’t find on a 5 star holiday package, we wouldn’t change it, a special aspect of caravaning in Australia.

To all those who read the Blog, I would like to thank you all personally, but I don’t know both of you by name.