Category: Northern Territory

We are back in Katherine before we start heading towards Queensland, taking the opportunity to have some downtime and to visit Edith Falls.

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I know what you think, another National Park but Nitmiluk NP, that is dissected by the Katherine River and Katherine gorges (13 in all, has been a fantastic experience. Nitmiluk NP is on Jawoyn land, handed back in the 1989 to the First Nations people that together with the NT government, created a NP to share with all people. Very nicely done.

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Lichfield NP is approx 130km from Darwin so locals as well as visitors use this great NP. The positive is that the park has great accessibility and facilities to the walks and sights. I guess the negative is lots of people, but as we always get up early we were not bothered.

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So we are back in Northern Territory (and getting used to losing 1.5 hours).

On 19/07/2021 before we headed off to Timber Creek on Highway 1, we managed to get our spare tyre fixed (no mean feat as all tyre fitters are flat out (no pun intended!) at this time of year). FYI: Highway 1 is the ring road around Australia and the longest in the world.

Timber Creek is a roadhouse with a lovely shady grassy caravan park behind it. The creek has a colony of flying foxes (big bats…..yuk…) and a resident fresh water croc (who seemed oblivious to us photographing him/her). A very pleasant overnighter.

On 20/07/2021 we continued along Highway 1 to Katherine (to get 4 new tyres 😄). There are lots of caravan parks but again we have chosen well (Katherine Holiday Park). After setup we went into town to the visitors centre to get a list of things to do. In the evening we ate at the caravan park restaurant. Not our best meal out unfortunately (and of course, expensive…., getting a tad fed up of the prices up here).

On 21/07/2021 we went for a walk along Katherine River and it’s crossings. In the afternoon we watched the Tom Curtin Outback Experience. Great family entertainment with a huge variety of animals (horses, dogs, donkeys, fowl, water buffalo to name but a few). They had demonstrations of horse breaking and dog training along with a cowboy singing whilst riding and standing on a horse.

On 23/07/2021 we drove out to Cutta Cutta (aboriginal for Caves) Caves. I took along a lightweight fleece as I usually find it cold in caves. Not these ones! There is no air flow because there is only one entrance. Not only were they warm but the further we went in, the humidity went up as there is water at the end (which is not open to the public). Very unpleasant. But interesting formations all the same. We didn’t get to see any bats as they stay at the end away from our light. We did, however, get to see a Banded Tree Snake (poisonous but not known to harm….we were told!).

On 24/07/2021 we start travelling towards Lichfield National Park (NP) and the 13th degree of latitude which will be the most northerly point of our trip. When we arrive in Lichfield NP we will have been through the 43rd degree to the 13th degree of latitude which is 3,300km as the crow flies (although we have actually travelled approx 33,000km between these latitudes).

We arrived in Uluru on 13/04/2021 for 1 night on our way to WA. We have been here twice before visiting both the Rock and the Olgas and this time visited the Field of Lights.

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I had missed out on walking Kings Canyon in October 2015 due to illness but this time I walked the 6km Rim Walk that starts with 100m climb upstairs known as heart attack hill (Trish and Pete will remember it well 😄). What an amazing experience.

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We travelled briefly through the West MacDonnell Ranges in October 2015 with our good friends Trish and Pete who were visiting from the UK. The countryside was so amazing we decided to put it on the Big Lap route. We have not been disappointed.

We arrived at Ormiston Gorge campground on 08/04/2021 for 3 nights to walk and swim in Ormiston and the surrounding area.

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Fab news, the NT border to QLD has reopened. So on 03/04/2021 we left Winton heading further west on the Donohue Highway for a night in Boulia and then on 04/04/2021 our first night in NT at Tombermorey Station.

The road from Winton although tar was only single track with the prospect of 50m road trains coming towards you. Soon after Boulia it was time to deflate tyres as the road turned to gravel. The road was great all the way to the NT border where it turned into the Plenty Highway with plenty of lumps, bumps, cows, cattle grids and floodways to catch you out. About 100KM from our destination, Gemtree Outback Wilderness Retreat, the road returned to tar. Phew! We’re here for some downtime, a whole 3 nights 😊.

On 06/04 we went fossicking for garnets. Great fun and a great competition with the Farrows. I am not gloating, but the Tedders won; we found two 3mm garnets and the Farrows found one 3mm garnet. We all enjoyed the experience, but I am not sure any of us are cut out to be professional fossickers 😊. We followed the hard work with a swim and a yummy cream tea. In the evening we had homemade beef pies delivered to our campsite.

Today (07/04) we went on a 3.5km nature trail laid out by the retreat. Hot work which had to be followed by a final swim. Later tonight we are going to the camp oven kitchen meal.

Loved our time at Gemtree but tomorrow (08/04) we head towards to the MacDonnell Ranges for 3 nights.