Kakadu - National Park

21st September 2010

Had a short drive to Kakadu,we didn't realise how big this National Park was.  We had planned to stay in the National Park but now we have changed our mind.  We think the girls would like to have a bit of airconditioning and also a pool as there is nowhere in the Kakudu that you can swim safe. We found a nice little caravan park with a pool and attached was a bar and restaurant - nice.

Had an early start today to see the "Rock Art" at Nourlange and also some ranger talks which was interesting to hear some of the background about the works.

Nathan also drove us to a place called "Twin Falls". He was a bit excited as he gets to do some more 4wd and also our first real river crossing.  We made it without getting bogged or drowning the diesel. 

After a short ferry ride we had about 1km walk to the falls.  This is about all we can manage with 40% humid days starting to take their toll. We didn't realise the walk was over hundreds of large rocks and the walking along the cliff face. We did make it but it took us about 1 hour and a few times we nearly turned around. 
The falls were amazing and the water was so beautiful.

It was such a shame we couldn't have a swim.
We sat down to have lunch at the beach before we make the trek home.  We noticed a pretty vile stench and down on the bank was a Croc Trap with the bait of wild boar which was getting very ripe in the heat. I couldn't look at my lunch after that just wanted to go back to the caravan for a swim. We all swam till about 10pm that night it was so hot.

Today we took the girls on a cruise down the Yellow River. 

The wildlife was amazing and the girls finally saw some (heaps of) crocs.

In the afternoon we went to the local information centre where the girls played with some local girls. We would like to spend some more time and do some bigger bush walks, when the girls are a bit bigger and don't have to be carried.

Mataranka - Northern Territory

Friday 18th September.

We have left Queensland and have now crossed the border into the Northern Territory.  We can't believe we are here and we are all shivering we are so cold. We decided to do a free camp tonight which was a rest area called Attack Creek which was just past the 3 ways.  After setting up the caravan the girls were playing outside and screamed that they could here something in the bushes.  We also heard it and Nathan decided to investigate and out he brings a tiny little kitten only a week or so old.  The girls were screaming with delight "can we please keep it". The poor little thing had been dumped Nathan had another look to see if there were any others.  Thank God there wasn't.  The girls were busy making a bed for the kitten and Jade was finding some toys so it had something to play with.  Lucky I had a talk to some German backpackers and for a bottle of wine they took the kitten off our hands and would deliver the kitten to the RSPCA.

 

The next day we arrived in Mataranka and met up with a family we were staying next to at Mount Isa.  They suggested we stay at Bitter Springs which was nice and quite and away from the tourist buses arriving in Mataranka. They have been coming here from NSW for the past 6 years so they could give us some good advice.  The springs were a nice 34%.  The girls enjoyed using the noodles and just floating down the creek carried by the gentle current created by the springs.

A nice diversion on the way to Mataranka is the Daly Waters pub. The pub is decorated with all manner of personal items which you can attach to the bar for a small donation. Emily now has a photo on the bar. Well worth the stopover, the food is great and the beer is ice cold (Coopers Pale on tap too). 

We also stopped at Newcastle Waters which is now a virtual ghost town. The pub is where all the old stockmen came in for a cold beer and would have been pretty wild in it's time.

Lawn Hill National park

11th September
Making our way to Lawn Hill National Park.  Everyone has been talking bout this National Park so we can't wait to get there. After 2 hours on another bad road this time with some serious bulldust and road trains.

There is so much dust you need to pull over for a few minutes.  At least we get a chance to use our cb radio.  They let you know when another one is coming.  The girls loved the dust.

We arrived and we just cant believe in this remote place is this beautiful National Park. We decided to camp right in the National Park so we don't have to drive anywhere. For $10 per night it was a bargain.
The days we spent swimming in the lagoons, small bush walks, indigenous rock art, watching the wildlife and just sitting around.

The girls loved the canoeing to the gorge and feeding the spitting fish that jump out of the water.  They also have this very cute lizard called the ta ta lizard, this lizard looks like it waving ta ta.
The temperature was 42% so just a bit hot but we still slept very well after a few cold beers.

Still trying to find a Burramundi at BURKETOWN

10th September
We are leaving Karumba today to make our way to Burketown. We stopped at Normanton to buy a few groceries.  Small bottle of orange juice $10, I think we will give it a miss. All the food was very expensive, no wonder the locals can't afford to buy it.
The local tourist information told us the road was very good to Burketown, I think she was playing a cruel joke. We made it but only just with our caravan in tact.  The road was so bad that the back of the caravan flew open and the whole caravan was filled with red dust. Anyway we made it.

Burke and Wills Camp119

People come to Buketown to fish, we were only staying the night and as we have a lot of red dust to clean we decided to stay in the caravan park.
The girls had some sewing lessons with a lovely lady next door that had a lot of patience.  Jade only lasted a few minutes but the other girls were there for a few hours.
We didn't have the best nights sleep as the locals were partying over the road and the party extended from the afternoon to well into the early hours, they all were all well drunk and it got violent.  The screaming was shocking.  Found out the next day a 42 year old lady was bashed pretty badly. Anyway, tomorrow we are off to Lawn Hill National Park which is somewhere Nathan has wanted to go for many years!

Can we catch a Burramundi "up the Gulf"

8th Sept 2010
Today we have made it to the Gulf of Carpentaria "Karumba" from Georgetown via Normanton, home of the giant croc.

We will stay for a few days or we can catch up with school work, washing, and to put all the winter clothes away, we will not need them for a while, it's hot out here, damn hot.
As we arrived our car temperature gauge showed the outside temperature at 39% and it was hot and humid.  I'm hoping we can get a powered site so we can use the airconditioining in the van. 

The kids were really tired and very whingy,  so we decided not to cook and go to the local tavern and have a look at the sunset that everyone was taking about. It was spectacular and we started to get a nice breeze, so it was cooling down.

We meet a couple with 2 boys that were 12 and 10.  The parents were taking their kids on a road trip just like use but both there children had a disease called Battens disease (Neuronal Ceriod Lipfusinosesor NCL). Children have seizures and become disabled and they usually only  live till they're in their early 20s.
They have a website called http://www.thecartyboys.com.au/. They are holding a charity night at Cronulla Leagues Club in December if anyone can make it.
Finding out about all this we realise our bad day isn't really that bad.

Dunk Island

2nd September 2010

Since we are so close to Dunk Island we decided to go for a few nights.  The weather has been quite bad for the past week so they were having a last minute special which was more than half price off.

Today we left for Dunk Island the weather was beautiful, blue sky. We felt very lucky!!!!!!

The girls loved the water taxi over, the driver looked like a bit of a pirate and played Bob Marley over the PA, they keep asking if we can see him again.

Dunk island is beautiful with lush rainforest and heaps of different plants and insects. The girls loved the colourful Butterflies. The girls also loved the pools, kayaks and the trampoline in the ocean. We really didn't stop from the moment we arrived.

Dunk island is a very popular island for children, the kids eat for free if an adult has a meal.  So with all the buffet meals we are now on a diet!!!

Mission Beach

1st September 2010
Short drive from Townsville to Mission Beach.
Stayed at a fantastic place right near Mission Beach called Bingal Bay.  This was another place listed in our Camps 5 book.  It wasn't free but only $16.00 per night which had million dollar views. They only have 9 camping spots so we were very lucky to get one.

The girls met some other kids also travelling around Australia but going the opposite way from us. We have met quite a few families travelling around Australia. Spent the day on the beach swimming and walking along the beach.

We have decided that we like the "free camping" and National Park stays a lot more than the commercial caravan parks. They don't have the same facilities but your not crowded in like the others and the travellers are much more easy going.

Rainbow Beach & Fraser Island

26th August 2010

For the next few nights we are free camping at rainbow Beach, which is a great place only 5 steps to the beach.

27th August up very early today to get the 6.00am barge from Rainbow Beach to Fraser Island. Fraser island is somewhere we both have always wanted to go but have never had the chance. Access is 4wd only, which some reason I felt very anxious to do. I think it was because I have never been 4 wheel driving before.

After 20 mins on the beach I was fine and the girls were having the best time going over all the bumps and through the creek crossings.The day was a beautiful sunny day but not so hot that you couldn’t enjoy yourself. Fraser is the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, with Dolphins and Whales splashing in the ocean in the sparkling blue water.

The lakes were just stunning and the girls just loved the turtles. At Eli Creek you could just drift on your back with the light current down the stream. Emily caught her 1st fish which was big enough to eat. It was a dart which was 40cms. She was so excited but she still will not hold it. even for the photo.

Emily with her Dart

Great day, I highly recommend Fraser Island it is definitely one of the natural wonders in the world.

Surfers Paradise & Sunshine Coast

21st August 2010

Surfers Paradise

We were not spending any time in Queensland but there was a mutiny in the Prado and Nathan was out-voted so our whole itinerary has been changed to include east coast of Queensland and not return to the cold down south, given the recent heavy rainfall in the west of NSW. I also thought the girls would love Queensland and the lovely beaches.

We had a great day at Dreamworld it was a cold day which worked in our favour, we could just walk up to any ride and get on. A think the family favourite was the log ride.

We stayed a great place called Treasure Island with great heated pools and spas.

Gympie Muster 25th August

We arrived at the Gympie Muster which is the National Country Music Festival at 7.30am. We packed the caravan to spend the night at the festival. You would not believe some of the camp setups from some of the die hard festival goers, including double story camp sites with bars and pool tables.

XXXX 2 story B double bar

The girls really surprised us and enjoyed the festival and dancing around. Its nice to see them dance to other things but the wiggles.

The girls also enjoyed the clogging which is like line dancing but with loud taps on the shoes. I have never seen so many cowboy hats boots and Telecaster guitars.

Jill would of loved the Faulty Towers restaurant, where you were insulted by Basil, Sybil and of course Manuel.

We also enjoyed a young Australian artist called Adam James who is a great singer/songwriter.

We spent 12 hours walking around the festival by this stage the girls were about to collapse.

Fantastic Festival would love to come back and stay for the duration.

Ballina

16th August 2010

Spent 5 days in Ballina catching up with Nathan's Parents. Nathan had the man flu so we just took it easy for a few days.

We manged to spend a day in the hospital with Sami after she fell badly on her neck on those infernal jumping pillows in the van park, fortunately she only had a pinched nerve.

Heading Off

14th August 2010

It's day one and we are on our way. It is very exciting but also sad with leaving our family and friends behind.....anyway we were so excited to see our good friends Leigh and Leigh, Bridie, Lockie and Alex. The girls had the best time riding the horses and rides on the trailer. Bridie was trying to teach the girls how to do bush wees to get them used to the road ahead but the girls were too scared.

We have finally agreed on a name for the caravan. It has been changed from Julia to Amy Rapid. Amy is our last dog that the girls still miss and talk about all the time. We had a vote and the girls win its now called Amy Rapid.