24th July
Well after a few days (6 nights) of R & R at the McDonnell
Range caravan park and seeing a few more sites before we headed north. We visited
Stanley Chasm, which was beautiful and definetly best viewed in the middle of the day to catch the colours and
Simpsons Gap which we were lucky enough to see some Black Footed
Rock Wallaby's, and they are very cute and extremely nimble. We also visited the Reptile park which was Jaxon's highlight of the trip, so far. On Monday we headed out to the Desert Park which was another good day, we watched the birds of prey which was awesome as was the nocturnal house. We went back after dark and did the nocturnal tour which once more was really worth it, it definetly changed my opinion on letting cats out at night.
Once we visited Woolies and the best butcher
shop we have ever been in (Milner Meats) we packed up and headed for
Tennant Creek, or there abouts. After a visit through The
Devils Marbles (another place that is just out there) We found a great little spot just of the road 40km south of Tennent Creek. It’s so nice to be above the
Tropic Of Capricorn and in the warmer weather.
Diesel price at
Caltex Alice Springs $1.80/lt
25th July
After the earliest packup we’ve had (8:45) we were on the road and heading towards King Ash Bay, its not the same being on the highway but we are on mission. Called through the old telegraph station at Tennent Creek stopped for lunch on the Barkley Highway. After a look at the map we decided to take the dirt road, which was about 30km shorter to get onto the Tableland Highway so headed for
Rockhampton Downs then East through the first
gate then all of a sudden we were in the middle of what was like a 1000acre paddock with a few hundred cows, so we carried on through the next
gate, we could see where the road was meant to be but it didn’t look very inviting, more cows and people on the two way, We were hoping that they went mustering (we had seen a couple of cattle trucks go past while we were having lunch), it didn’t feel quite right so we turned around found a track that headed south so we took that and ended up back on the Barkley Highway with a sigh of relief.
We checked into the roadhouse, what a great place that is, had a shower, dinner and a few off the wood.
Diesel price at
Tennant Creek $1.81/lt
at Barkley
Homestead $2.09
26th July
Up and away again up the
Tablelands highway, didnt take long to realise why they called it tablelands,
miles of nothing and cows. The road was a good road as long as no else was coming the other way, which was unlikely as it is quite a busy road, its just a one lane tar sealed. Once we got further north the country side changed again trees and rocky ranges where the McArther river runs, and crocodile country. We got into King Ash Bay found our friends and a camping spot just off the river and set up for a few days.
Diesel price at King Ash Bay $1.83/lt
27th July
Quiet day today,in a beautiful location went up to the club to see the fish come in to be weighed (Fishing Comp Weekend.) A nice variety of fish and one large
Barramundi, just under 10kg and a metre long.
28th July
Today we went off for a look around, headed up to Bing Bong and had our first glimpse of the ocean, bit hard to see amongst the load out facility that is there, but we did see it. Went into Mule Creek, Wal and the kids had a little flick around but was a little to windy to cast out very far, I just stood on guard for crocodiles but didn’t see any all though I’m sure they are there watching us. Took a few tracks on our way
home and had a good look around
Batten Creek, there are some beautiful locations, the steep banks are more relaxing (crocs wont get up there).
Pizza night at the bar so the kids and I tried our luck at bingo (and we were so close) while Wal played darts, another great day!
29th July
Tried our luck with a little fishing today on the bank of
Batten Creek (a steep bank at that) but didn’t catch anuythig. Went for a bit more of a look around, found more tracks which that go nowhere. Loving the weather!
30th July
Went out on a friends boat today and it was so beautiful out there, winding through the creeks and rivers at low tide, saw our first crocodile with his head just visable, only a small one about 6 foot. Wasn’t to long before the first fish was caught, by Jaxon and it was a Barramudi, beautiful fish 56cm, wasn’t to long before he another and then another, Wal and Kacie finally got one, 72cm, what a beautiy, I pulled one in but couldn’t really clame it as
mine, 2 Finger Marks were also caught. We realsed all but enough for dinner. Today has definatly been a hight-light of our trip so far and Jaxon was on top of the world. Plans for leaving tomorrow have gone out the window as time flies when you are having fun.