Darwin NT

Darwin NT

After the long 3 thousand or so clicks up the Stuart hwy Nai and I were glad to see the end of that road as we arrived in Darwin. Staying with Anita and the kids for the first few nights and then the gang (up from Melb) for the next few. Was sure to be a big week!

Western bulldogs V’s Gold Coast at TIO stadium Darwin. The game was reminiscent of Nyah West V Koondrook Ressies but cool to be able to stand on grass in a singlet and shorts with beer in hand at an AFL game. Not possible anywhere else I reckon.

Fridge stocked ready for the arrival of the gang to the penthouse apartment.

Great sunset view over Darwin Harbour from our 19^th floor apartment.

One of the highlights of the Darwin leg (although Jonny might claim the Darwin museum) was the day trip to Litchfield National Park. Crystal clear waterfalls and swimming holes. Amazing place.

Leave some water in there for the kids Ruch....

With great ambition Jonny, Ruch and myself were lucky enough to be taken with Coota (an ex Balranald-ite come Darwin local) for a fish. We were unlucky however, and after trying 3 different spots on an overnight trip we were Barr-less. Highlight was the stay on Goat Island 22k down the Adelaide River with the crazy Kai. The Dutchman left with a lingering hangover the day after.

 

Us boys at Kai’s Bar on Goat Island.

Jumping crocodiles on the Adelaide river. Scary to think we were fishing on a boat in the middle of the night in that same river only a few days earlier....

Alice Springs, Tennant Creek & Mataranka

Alice Springs, Tennant Creek & Mataranka

Hi all from the ‘Top end’!

Alice Springs NT

The town itself is a cess-pool, but the surrounding country is fantastic. Nai and I had a little spare cash from previous weeks so thought we’d get involved with a hot-air balloon. Thought we’d be guided by the local Alice Springs Ernie Dingo  – instead it was Kim from South Korea! Great experience none the less.

 

We ventured out the West MacDonnell ranges for a day trip visiting a few of the major attractions.

Simpson gap above was amazing and well worth a look.

Good track in boys.

Serpentine Gorge.

Tennant Creek NT

Hmmmmmm.... 150 police for a town of 7,000. You do math and make the judgement. Luckily for Nai and I it was only a 1 night stop-over before our 500 clicks up the last leg of the Stuart Hwy.

Jimmy the bush tucker man put on a show for us that night. Best (and maybe the only) good thing to come out of Tennant Creek.

Mataranka NT

A lovely small town on the Roper River near the ‘Top End’. Famous for their thermal springs. Great place to visit.

The thermal springs (conveniently 400m down the road) were a 2-3 times daily event. Constant 34 degree water and also constantly flowing from deep underground... So that cheeky little wee didn’t matter at all!

In our spare time had our first dab at catching the elusive Barramundi. Went to the effort to catch some live bait and got the shock of my life when I pulled in the biggest shrimp i’d ever seen. They call them Cherobin up here and eat them if their big enough. But I wanted to catch a Barra so I used him as bait! Needless to say I should have eaten the Cherobin myself...no barra....yet!

The Red Centre

Coober Pedy, Yulara (Uluru) & Kings Canyon

Hello again folks, here is a brief description of our journey tthrough the red centre...

Coober Pedy SA

A 500km radius of absolutely nothing but road kill and burnt out cars along the Stuart Hwy surrounds the bustling metropolis of Coober Pedy. Originally planning to stay 3 nights Nai and I quickly culled back the stopover to 2 nights after driving into town!

Lets just say Coober Pedy is the weirdest place in Australia. A cross between Bangalore Road, Phuket, Thailand and a cheap 80’s film. Neon signs, Opal shops/mines/tours and underground buildings everywhere. And just heaps of seriously strange shit like this.... go figure... that’s what happens if you spend too long in the desert looking for Opals kids.

At least they give you a go at looking for Opals yourself. I reckon I found a little slither of opal but nai shut me down quickly ‘thats not opal’! A lot of work for what I reckon is an ugly gemstone thats worth bugger all anyway!

Some more weird stuff around town! Guess the bloke didn’t know what to do with his 40 rusted cars sitting in his front yard so he decided to chop them up! Of course the Ranger was allowed to pass though...

 

Apart from visiting underground buildings and avoiding falling down the mine shafts Coober Pedy has some spectacular geological features called the ‘Breakaways’ and the underground mine tour we did was very interesting!

Yulara (Uluru) NT

Everyone has seen pics or postcards of Ayers Rock and never thought much of it. But its definitely a must see especially if your travelling through the guts anyway, you’ve come this far!

Up close Uluru is amazing. So many caves, water holes, and rock features. Once inhabited by our native friends. Now a Mecca for Asian and German tourists, oh and the odd Aussie like nai and I.

 Apparently photographing the rock at sunrise from a distance is the done thing... people everywhere! I bet they didn’t drink as many Coopers as I did the night before though!

 

They say you shouldn’t climb the rock and that 35 people have died trying..but yet they give you a chain all the way up to follow! Go figure. Bugger that I’m going for it. I’m the small red spec about halfway up. Thats as far as I made it though, too steep and dangerous. Found out the hard way why they encourage you NOT TO CLIMB.

Probably underrated, The Olgas (Uluru’s little cousin about 50 clicks down the road) is as good if not more impressive than Uluru itself. We did an 8km circuit walk into the Olgas - amazing sights!

Kings Canyon NT

Just a lazy 350km down the road from Uluru is Kings Canyon. There is absolutely bugger all in between apart from the odd roo, camel, dingo or cow, most of which are dead, victims of the road train massacre. Kings Canyon is an amazing oasis in the middle of the desert.

The 6km hike around the canyon rim is not recommended for those who are unfit as it is steep and wearing. The 1 km hike through the creek in the centre of the canyon is recommended for those people. Nai and I did both hikes and the sign at the entrance says that both are as good as each other, i guess to convince those who cant make that they're not missing out. Well sorry guys you missed out big time, the canyon rim walk shits all over the creek walk.

Probably the worst part of Kings Canyon would be the howling dingos at night followed closely by the price of fuel! $2.15 /L! I nearly had a heart attack. Luckily I drink booze for my kicks and don't sniff petrol.

Next.... Alice Springs, The beautiful Tennant Creek hmmm, and Mataranka!

Melrose, Flinders Ranges & Port Augusta

Melrose, Flinders Ranges & Port Augusta

Hello avid blog readers, apologies for the delay in the latest blog however nai and I have been busy clocking up the km’s, some required, some not – I’ll explain later.

Melrose SA

A nice little town nestled at the bottom of Mt Remarkable in the southern Flinders Ranges.

The campfire outside our trailer was a great change, and required for the cool evenings.

1^st pic above: Half way through the 12km return hike up Mount Remarkable – the views were worth the effort, however I nearly blew a poofer valve 1km in when Naomi hit the skids after a friendly snake fell from the adjacent cliff onto the track infront of us. “Stop, don’t move!” she yells “you don’t want to startle it” too late, I had already legged it half way back to the start line! Needless to stay Naomi led the rest of the climb, she’s a good snake watcher!

2nd pic above: Alligator gorge. Spectacular views, however no water. Not surprising in South Australia though.

Our Weaver Drive Laundromat no.1 – does the job!

Flinders Ranges National Park (Wilpena) SA

At the top of one of the highest peaks in the National Park (Mt Ollsen Bagge 923m). Great views at the top! So good that we were almost higher that the scenic charter flights.

View to inside Wilpena Pond from the top of Mt Olsen Bagge. Well worth the steep 6km trek!

The trip to Flinders Ranges wasn’t all roses though. 2 nights out of four we had kangaroo’s inside our tent annex/kitchen at 2.30am in the morning. Lets just say Nai almost had a heart attack...twice, but we got our revenge............

Kangaroo burgers at the Parachilna pub, yum.

Our Weaver Drive Laundromat no.2 – did the job again!

Port Augusta SA

Well, unfortunately theres not many pics of the two nights spent at PA as most of our time was spent making a return trip to the Flinders Ranges to pick up the 5 fishing rods I had left standing next to a tree in our campsite as we were packing up! All good we got them back thanks to ranger Stacey!

We quickly found out that Port Augusta was a hole anyway, hence our caravan site besides the Alysum Seekers detention centre! Slept with one eye open those nights! Note the barbed wire fence to high level in the background – comforting stuff. See ya Port Augusta!

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned folks for our trek to the red centre. Shits gettin real!