171 - A Quick Trip, Through the Territory

Is it a bird, is it a plane...no its Super Retro Roamers  

Our last post we were at the Territory Manor in Mataranka, and our time there, went from the original two days to eleven. Yep the bride was busy tidying up the park guests, plus the new starter motor for the Val had to be shipped from Melbourne, so hence our time there was much longer than anticipated.

We had a nice quiet time there, nice park, lots of grass, but plenty of red dust as well, and we met a lot of great people, namely Geoff and Margaret who were our next door neighbours. Nice couple who had set up a couple days before us and were to leave a day or two behind us.

Goeff & Margaret

What did we do for eleven days.....not much really. The bride was busy and I was just the social little butterfly as I am. I did however go to the bitter springs for a float down the stream, but apart from that did very little...now where did all those days go.

In a previous post on our way up to Mataranka, we stayed at the Homestead CP, and I was quite critical of Mataranka and the CP. Well the locals are still a bit of a worry, but that's the Territory. Enough said about that.

All tucked up

So at the time of writing this post we are now back in Queensland at Cloncurry in Queensland..........yahoo!!!!!! said the bride. The bride didn't warm at all, to the Territory.......however been there done that.

Now seeing we were on a roll to get back to Queenlsand, we just back tracked back the same as we came up. So from Mataranka, we went to Daly Waters for two days. The bride was busy  so I went for a walk along the John McDonals Stuart Heritage Trail, which was extremely interesting.

The sign at the begining of the Heritage Trail

 The trail is not all that long, however there is lots of different stops with the various signs.

More info on the Stuart Tree.

The was an "S' on this tree somewhere

From the trail I ventured forth to the Daly Waters Airport. Now this airport is still an active strip, however was a major staging post during WW2. The hanger still stands however in pretty poor condition. However there is a lot of information about the hey days of WW2 around the walls of the hanagar.

The hangar at Daly Waters Airport

Speaks for itself

More photies and story coming soon!!!!!!!!!

170 - A different Look

No pikkies here boyz and girlz, just thought I would change the main pikkie on a very regular basis, as the old shot with the Val and the RetroLiner is definitely past its used by date.

Just a quick up date, we are still at the Territory Manor CP, and looks like we will be here till at least Thursday. We are still waiting for a new starter motor for the Val, and all going well should be in Katherine by the 24th of July.

As soon as I get the phone call, we will head into Katherine to get the part fitted, only a five minute job mind you, however the part has had to come from somewhere far away..............feeeeeeerk!!!

It is a nice place to be held up at the CP we are at.. Nice park, great people, and of course the weather is sensational. But we are both getting very toey, and need to hit the road again.

Went to Bitter Springs this morning, and in my opinion much better than the pools at the Mataranka Homestead.

Also I have finally reached the fact, that I am fully retired, and in doing so the partnership between the bride and I will be dissolved as soon as some registrations fall due. Although we still get on average a call a day to go and manage somewhere, it is all to hard. Just over it, the long days, the usually idots and ferals. However in saying that you never say never.

All the sign writing has now been removed from the RetroLiner, looks quite bare actually, however watch out for the new signage coming soooooon.

Stay tooooooned for when we hit the road again.

169 - Douglas Daly, Katherine, Mataranka

A cooling sit in the Daly River, playing spot the croc

Again as per normal, our travelling itinerary changed from the last post. We were suppose to go from Bundy Station to Douglas Hot Springs, then onto Edith Falls and then Mubuloo Station at Katherine. Well guess what, none of that happened, so what did we do:
(a) Ended up at Douglas Daly Tourist Park
(b) Shady Lane Tourist Park Katherine.
(c) Territory Manor Tourist Park Mataranka

...............why!!!!!

We headed to the hot springs at Douglas Daly, and after having our insides shaken out on the 7kms of corrugated dirt road, the bride took one look at the camp ground and gave me the "don't want to be here look." No need to argue, so it was back in the Val, and back down the bone jaring 7kms of dirt to the end of the road where we first commenced our journey.

Resigning to the fact the bride still wants that umbilical chord and the security of a CP, we saw a sign for Douglas Daly Tourist Park. That will do I thought, so off we went, and what a pleasant surprised at this CP, basically in the middle of nowhere.  Great atmosphere, not jambed up like Sardines, and all in all a lay back joint, with restaurant, bar and right next to the Daly River. Plus the place generates its own power.

The neat little restaurant area at the Douglas Day CP

We spent three nights there, and the bride was busy. Met a million nice people, especially the management, and workers. Could have stayed there for the whole season. On one the bride's busy days I went for a walk along the Daly river where all these isolated camp spots are, and took a few photos.

The Arches @ Douglas Daly

The weir @ Douglas Daly

Although we were advised the river was croc free, there were enough signs to advise the other, so we spent our swimming activities in the parks pool.

Our three days were relaxing, and didn't really want to move on, but Cairns is a calling.

At the time of writing this we are at the Territory Manor Tourist Park in Mataraka. But just to back track, we missed Edith Falls, and headed to the Shady Lane CP in Katherine. Spent three days there too....why I don't know really. Met some great people there as well, however Katherine is the sort of place one doesn't spend a lot of time wandering the streets. Katherine reminds me of a wild west town, with heaps of outlaws with the sheriff unable to control the crookies.  Sign of the times it seems.

After three days in Katherine we headed further south and decided to camp at the Territory Manor CP, as we were advised by friends of ours travelling ahead of us, that the staff and semi permanents of the park were hanging out to meet the bride.

Now into our fifth day here and the bride has been busy, plus the starter motor in the Val has shit itself. Hence that has meant a trip back into Katherine from Mataranka 105kms, then return to Mataranka. However it doesn't stop there............there is a need for a new starter motor....and what does that mean........one has to be shipped in from God knows where, with great expenses to your truly. So early next week I will be returning to Katherine to have the new starter motor fitted, then return back to Mataranka. Another round trip of over 200kms.

In hindsight however I am glad the SM shit itself here, rather somewhere across the Barkley in the middle of nowhere. To add to that I have not been all that happy with the starter for a long time.

We look like being in Mataranka till about the 25th of July at this stage. We will add some photos when we go to Bitter Springs, which is just down the road from where we are staying.

Stay toooooooned!!!!!

168 - Mt. Bundy Station Again

This guy had a harem in tow...lucky bugger

As we have decided to wander off to Cairns, with a possible arrival date late August maybe, we decided as we enjoyed Mt. Bundy on our way up, why not spend more time here on our return.

Not a lot to talk about as all has been said in the post about Mt. Bundy a little while ago. However we have put in 8 days, caught up with a few of the long term folks who hang here for the winter, and the bride was busy for the first couple of days cutting hair.

Hey lady....Any chance of a hair cut?

From here we will venture to Douglas Hot Springs, Edith Falls, Munbulloo Station @ Katherine. Then it will be the gradual return down the Stuart, then across the Barkley to Cammoweal. We are going to do free camping this time, so lets see how we go without the umbilical chard and the Sat TV.

And what are you looking at mate??????

Nice Kitty Kat

Ahhhhhh no neighbours..gotta luv that

Stay toooooned for Douglas Hot Springs, Edith Falls and Munbullo Station

167 - Litchfield National Park Revisited

Two good looking senior citizens or Tight Arse Pensioners

We left our retreat on Monday 2nd of July with a decision to back track our journey, and head back to the east to Cairns, to see the kidz and grandeeeeeeez. So it means instead of doing a right hand turn at Katherine and heading west to WA, we will be going back exactly the way we came up until Mt. Isa, then do the left hand turn just prior to Cloncurry.

The next part of the trip to Cairns is again a back track of the same route we took 2 years ago when we left Undara Lava Tubes. So from Cloncurry we will then head straight up to Normaton, via Gregory Downs and possibly Lawn Hill NP. Once there we will do a right hand turn along the Gulf  Development Road and back to Cairns.

However this post is all about LNP. Now the reason we are here, is because the bride was not with me when I visited the park a few weeks ago, which was when she had to return to Coffs Harbour for a funeral. So I felt it best she visit the park.....basically so she can say "been there done that."

So we booked into Litchfield Tourist Park for two nights and did the route to all the falls again. Not much to report as I did a post of LTP a couple of posts ago. However I will add a few photies taken on this day.

One mighty big termite mound 

Blueys Rock Hole

Getting a bit daring dear

Wangi Falls are the pick

We didn't expose the volumptious bodies to the multitude and go for a swim. The bride just wanted to see LNP. So a round trip of half a day was achievable because we were at the entrance of the park.

Ahhhhhhhh to be young

At the time of writing this blog, we have moved further south and now at, and again at Mt. Bundy Station. We really like it here and are spending eight days here.

More on Mt. Bundy Station next, so stay toooooned.