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JulieReganAdventures
JulieReganAdventures

JulieReganAdventures

Regan and I make it our mission to have as many adventures as possible, even if it is just a weekend camping at a local park. Lue lisää🇦🇺Melbourne
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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    A long spectacular road of nothing
    Our lunch time viewAccess road to Bungles

    Not quite the Bungles

    20. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    So far on the trip the fact we have not been overly planned about where we are heading has to been to our advantage. It allowed us to enter WA and continue the adventure. Unfortunately today we came slightly unstuck. We had not done any research into the Bungle Bungles. I had assumed from our camp we would be able to sit and watch the sun go down over the Bungles.

    I was quite surprised yesterday when we arrived to find out there was a 53km dirt road with river crossings between the camp and the national park. Our friends had organised to go on a tour but we decided we could do our own thing. Last night we caught up with Trevor and Di after their trip and they told us how rough the road was and they wouldn’t drive it. It made us a little nervous.

    We decided to give it a go and if was too rough we would turn around. Looking at the video you can see why we turned around after 10km. Note on the video sound the chiming. This is the dash cam dropping into emergency mode as it thinks it’s about to have an accident.
    We couldn’t wait for 2 more days to get into a tour due to commitments in Broome. So we decided to pack up and drive on.

    There is not much between the Bungles and Broome. The two towns are Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing, both of them are not known for being particularly safe. The road was excellent and easy to drive so we decided to drive until we felt ready to stop. At Fitzroy Crossing which was 400km along we decided to push right through to Derby which was another 250km.

    We arrived in Derby just as the sun was setting which was spectacular. Tomorrow night we plan to see it dropping into the ocean from the wharf. It was a beautiful evening to set up the site, have a beer and go for a camp walk. It was a long day in the car but so good to be here. After the temperature hovered around 35 all day it was great to walk the camp and streets in a pleasant 27 degrees.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Sunset at Bungles camp. Note red dust
    Second Ivanhoe crossing from previous day

    Almost Bungle Bungles

    19. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Travelled 250km today heading mostly south east from Kununurra. Julie luckily drove wide roads nicely formed. When Regan took over the road narrowed and road trains arrived. Our drives are so unpredictable. This area is known as The Kimberly's which is rich in minerals. We passed a recently reopened iron ore mine. That explains the road trains taking the ore to Wyndham port for export. Still warm clear and sunny all the way.

    Our plan is to have a couple of nights around the national park. The campground is 1km of dirt road off the main highway. Really rough and dusty so any cleanliness we had in the caravan and car disappeared fast. The camp is just dust with little greenery. That is just the way it is, no reflection on the camp owners or upkeep. We set up camp and managed to stay outside for a couple of hours until the sun moved and our shade was reduced then it was inside to aircon again.

    We have researched tomorrows drive- into the Bungles is a 53km 4wd track which takes 2 to 3 hours. Going to be a bumpy ride for sure. Plenty of water and food to take. Hoping the walks at our destination are as spectacular as we have been told.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Ivanhoe Crossing
    Banana bread out of caravan ovenDriving through

    Ivanhoe Crossing

    18. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Our last day in Kununurra started early again with a bike ride after breakfast and before the heat. We don't think cyclists are very common in Kununurra going by some of the drivers who are going about their lives ignoring us. A couple of trails we were on had a lot of broken glass which was impossible to avoid. Sad that people treat their town like this with the expectation that someone else will clean up after them.

    As it's our last day in semi- civilisation we topped up at the supermarket and some laundry chores also. Julie also caught up on a few phone calls with decent cell reception. We also decided to explore a nearby ford called Ivanhoe Crossing. After watching a couple of vehicles negotiate it we gave it a go as well. There are two fords and the first one is quite long. As always we can't check depth as this is croc country plus the water is quite swift. A drowning earlier this year happened with a person wading across the ford and getting washed away.

    The heat was around today again so yet another swim in the camp pool and a quick clean of the ute after 6 weeks of dusty driving. The clean ute will last less than a day as we have dirt roads again tomorrow when we stay at the Bungle Bungles.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Kapok tree
    Kununarra damView of Kununarra from Kellys KnobBales of cotton. Same size as hay balesLake Argyle

    Kununurra

    17. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The time zone change sure gives an early sunrise at 5.40am. Definitely the best time of day with cooler air and long shadows. We made the most of this and the fact that our bodies are still in the other time zone and walked around the town before breakfast. Kununurra was a purpose built town that didn't exist before 1961. It was built to house the workers on the Lake Argyle irrigation scheme. Viewing the valley from Kelly's Knob shows such a contrast in the green irrigated valley compared to the rocky hill surrounds.

    After breakfast we drove to the sandalwood factory and shop then back through the cropping region. It was the first time either of us had seen cotton growing. There was also sugar cane and sandalwood trees. We have also been seeing a lot of wild kapok trees. Yet another natural fibre. Is kapok still harvested? We don't know that answer. Man made fibres seem to have taken over.

    After lunch we drove the 70km out to Lake Argyle and the camp we didn’t stay at. Nice camp and almost full yet quiet and shaded. Lake Argyle is one of the largest man made lakes in the southern hemisphere. There is also a small hydroelectric station there. 30MW and built in 1996.
    The afternoon was pleasantly cooler and overcast with 28 degrees. A nice relief for us.

    We had some contact messages from WA police today confirming a few rules due to our arrival from NT. Luckily we had arrived in WA approximately 4 hours before the deadline. If we were later we could now be in isolation awaiting covid test results or could have been in 14 days self isolation in the caravan. That would have been fun for the blog!    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Boab tree
    Great viewsFresh bread- a treat for us1Arriving at the WA border

    Leaving NT

    16. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 30 °C

    We were up early as we knew there could be long queues at the border. We did a quick stop at Timber Creek and a beautiful loaf of wholemeal bread just out of the oven. The smell teased us all the way to the border. The drive to the border was beautiful as it winds through the Judbarra/Gregory National Park. Amazing red rock ranges, our first Boab trees and sandy creeks. We tried to take photos of the Boab trees initially but soon saw hundreds of these. The Boab trees have huge trunks which they use to store water in the wet and use in the dry season and are very special to this region..

    We had had no mobile reception once we left Katherine yesterday afternoon until we reached the border this morning. We were very surprised to receive messages while waiting in the border queue about the lockdown in the NT. Talk about increasing the heart rate. It took around 50 minutes to get to the front of the queue ( there were 4 other vans in front of us). We were processed first by the police asking to see our border permit, drivers licences and proof we had been in the NT for more than 14 days. All of that was fine for us both and then the quarantine officer asked to see any fruit and vegetables. We lost some lettuce and onions leaving just the carrots. We were then free to leave and I finally started to breathe again. We suspect it could be a different story for people trying to enter tomorrow as WA is by far the most strict for border closures.

    It is only 55km from the border to Kununurra and we did have a time zone change. We are now on WA time so 2 hours behind the East Coast and 4 hours behind NZ. It will be strange with sunset at 5:15pm. As we were not sure if we would be able to enter WA we had not booked any accomodation, luckily we found a powered site pretty easy.

    After setting up camp it was into town to get some vegetables and fruit to top up. It is hot here but feels much drier. The usual swim at the hottest part of the day. I suspect it will be an early night tonight with the time change. We have now been travelling for 50 days and driven more than 10000km.

    The NT has been amazing with some incredible treasures if you are willing to hunt for them. From the incredible rock formations rising from the desert glowing in the sun to amazing waterfalls and rock pools in the north. Not to mention the hot springs and blue sunny days every day. Everyone needs to add Darwin to their travel destinations when we can all move freely again.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    A drink at Victoria River Roadhouse
    Waiting patiently for roadworks. 8 minutes!Victoria RiverOn tje road to WA

    Heading West

    15. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Our travel today took us south backtracking down to Katherine. The Stuart highway is wide and undulating with quite a few roadtrains. Our plan was to have a night at Edith Falls which are said to be spectacular . We were also aware that to get a campsite was first-in basis from 10am. We arrived at 11.30am to no vacancies. Temperature in early 30's again so we parked up as close as possible as the carpark was overflowing and walked in for a swim.

    Edith falls was pretty and the pool was really big but the previous few days has spoilt us as we have seen and swum some amazing rock pools. We dipped in for a swim for 30 mins. Water was cooler but very refreshing all the same. Stopped for lunch then headed to Katherine about 50km further on.

    As we had already stayed there we decided to push on and head west towards the WA border. Another 200km on and we made it to Victoria River roadhouse with a few minutes to spare before the 5pm drinks. Such a hot day still and after 400+ km it was nice to relax in the shade. The Victoria River is beautiful with a wide river, lush vegetation and spectacular hills which were glowing red in the late afternoon sun.

    Tomorrow is the border crossing into WA. Not only are there restrictions on fresh fruit and vegetables coming across the border, we also both had to apply to enter due to covid restrictions. We also have to prove we have been in NT for more than 15 days which thankfully I had kept some receipts from our first days in NT.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Lost City
    Windscreen cracked- now replacedAnother Buley poolLost city

    Housekeeping day

    14. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    This morning we headed to Darwin early. The ute was booked in for a new windscreen at 9am. While we waited for the job to be finished we had breakfast, collected my new debit card from the post office and picked up some more reading material (thanks Vinnies). Next was the dentist for Regan, he had been struggling with some nerve pain for a few days and was thankful to get an appointment today. Once again the day was warm and the walk to and from the car was hot.

    Luckily it was just some nerve sensitivity and the dentist managed to place a protective coating over the sore spot. He will need to be a bit softer when he cleans his teeth and a relief to know it was nothing more serious. While I waited I treated myself to a pedicure (my feet were far from pretty after 6 weeks in jandals) and stocked up the groceries.

    We also completed our WA border application while we had consistent internet, they came back immediately as approved. I then started to book some caravan sites assuming we get to cross the border. We think the accomodation is going to be the challenge as plenty of our fellow travellers are extending their trips to avoid heading home to NSW.

    No photos today so have loaded up some more from our adventures in Litchfield. Tomorrow we are leaving early to try and secure a camp site at Edith Falls. We suspect the internet could be sporadic for the next few days so if your breakfast routine is to read our blog please don't be too disappointed. Haha.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    1The Lost City
    CascadesTolmer FallsLarge wildlife here. Almost 10cm longBuley RockholeThe Lost City trackA bit warm today

    Full Day Litchfield

    13. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    For a change we planned our day around the increasing temperatures. We headed out quite early and took the 4wd track into The Lost City. This is an area of large layered rocks surrounded by bush. The walk through the area was warm but still not quite 30 degrees. We were first to the area and by the time we left there were more people and a few on the single lane dirt track.

    Next place we headed to was Tolmer Falls. There was a loop track to the top of the Falls then we viewed the falls from the very well built platform. No swimming allowed here due to the bats that live down around the pool. It would also be a hard climb down.

    As the temperature was into the 30's it was time for a swim so we walked into the Cascades which is a large stream with a lot of rock pools. The track was flat to start with but then got a bit tricky with hard rock and angled jagged steps. We got most if the way in and met a couple who was struggling to get back to the car park. Fred from SA had slipped and broken or badly sprained his ankle. He had managed to get a bandage and a stick to use as a crutch but the heat and the terrain was almost impossible for him.

    I helped him over some very jagged rocks and he and his wife Maggie were happy to go on their own. I went for a swim then we walked back out and caught up with Fred who hadn't got too far. So I helped him for a while longer until the track became easier. They were insistent that we leave them so we hope they made it back to their campervan.

    Next pool for a swim was Wangi Falls. This is an easy access pool with a lot of people but was really big with a split waterfall at one end. The fresh water in the pools was cool enough to be refreshing but not too cool. We then attempted another 4wd track to the Blyth homestead which is abandoned house. Unfortunately about 1km in there was a long water crossing which was dirty water and an unknown depth. Usually to test water the passenger would wade in and test the water but in NT this is a risk, as there are croc warnings at all waterways. So we backed out and went to the final stop at Buley Rockhole.

    Buley has approximately 7 beautiful separate swimming holes cascading down a hill. It was fun climbing between the pools and cooling off as the car temperature gauge hit 39.5 degrees. We made it back to the camp for a shower. We had happy hour and a meal with Di and Trev who we have caught up to again in Lichfield. They head to WA tomorrow and we have decided to do the same!

    Tomorrow is a maintenance day. New windscreen for the ute and dentist for Regan.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Overlooking Florence Falls
    Shaded campsite- needed itFlorence Falls poolSunset from csmp- burnoffs create great sunsets

    Onward to Litchfield

    12. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Well the heat is still slowing us a bit. 36 degrees for most of the day is quite draining. We left Jabiru by 8.30am and the sun was behind us for a change. Just under 300km to drive so we shared the task today. Drove with few stops to the Lichfield National Park and set up camp in a lovely shaded site. Someone had amazing forethought to plant palms and other trees around each camp-site to create a giant canopy.

    After a break we headed up to Florence Falls which is a very shaded swimming hole that we visited 4 years ago. Being down in the valley under a lot of trees was the best. There were quite a few people there also hiding from the intense sun. Even in the wet season the waterfalls run. After an hour or so just lazing in the water with fish nibbling now and again we walked back via the shady track and were almost dry by the time we got to the ute.

    Back to the camp for a leisurely drink and dinner with little respite from the heat. Lucky that the camp pool doesn't close so after dinner we had another quick dip.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Sunrise over Yellow Waters
    Lotus bloomsGreen ants feeding on dead stuff on our windscreenView of Kakadu from Mirrai lookoutVery relaxed crocAboriginal art

    Sunrise over Kakadu

    11. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    Julie booked a Yellow Water sunrise cruise. Sounded good at the time until we worked out that we needed to leave the caravan at 5.30am and drive in the dark for 50km of national park road. And the overnight low was 23 degrees so our sleep was far from restful. But the cruise itself was well worth the early start.

    The cruise was aimed at people wanting to see the wildlife and there was so much birdlife, fish life and of course crocs. We saw so many different types of birds and the birdwatchers on board were quite excited at some of the more rare feathered friends. The best story was about the Whistling kite which is also referred to as the "burning stick kite". When the locals do burn-offs of undergrowth the kite picks up a burning stick and flys to a new patch of undergrowth and drops the stick to set the grass on fire. Then it waits for all the small animals to race out of the fire and catches them. Very bright bird.

    We managed to get close to a lot of crocs too. Not as big as the ones yesterday at Cahills but the safety talk on the boat did mention that these ones are big enough to kill a human. The last death in this area was 4 years back when a guy was taken off the back of his tinny. So we of course kept our arms well inside our boat.

    We stopped for breakfast at the Cooinda resort then decided we really needed to burn off that food by climbing 1km up a hill to a lookout. Temperature was close on 30 by then so we really struggled as the track was in direct sun. After getting safely back to the car we went and checked out the local aboriginal rock art area as well. This was pretty good and was shaded which helped. We always take extra water as we drink so much of it in this heat.

    A heap of green ants decided to choose our car to feed off. These ants are quite large and bite. They also have the ability to stay on the windscreen during 110km/hr winds! They did finally leave by the time we got back to camp.

    On the way back to the caravan it was the 3rd milkshake and frappe in 3 days from the supermarket. The lady at the checkout also commented that the heat in the last few days is even hard on the locals. She said the weather was like it is in the lead up to the first rain of the season. So October and November they all wait eagerly for the first rain in December when the humidity drops and it gets better for them. Back to camp for a swim and relax after such an early start.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Looking down on the large floodplain at Ubirr
    Ubirr lookoutUbirr. Thankful for the cloud coverLets take the kids into the danger zoneThese were bigBig and quite closeNote if it looks like a log its not a log

    Cahills Crossing

    10. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    We set off earlier this morning with Di and Trev and headed out about 40km to Ubirr. This is a large area of Aboriginal rock art. The rocky outcrops have a lot of over-hangs where indigenous people would shelter. Just beside this area was a massive flood plain which I'm sure was a great food gathering place. We all climbed up to the lookout and luckily there was some cloud that kept the temperature below 30 degrees.

    The temp hit 36 later. Nearby was Cahills Crossing which is famous for croc viewing. (check out YouTube). This ford across to Arnhem Land has been around for a long time. We were told the best time to view is on the incoming tide where the water rushes in across the ford and the crocs wait for the fish to get washed into their mouths.

    For a start all was quiet but once the tidal surge got bigger the crocs all lined up in their respective areas ready to feed. There were the two largest crocs at the front with the smaller ones behind. We think there were at least a dozen large crocs with the biggest easily 3metres long. We also had some entertainment watching the tourists getting too close to the water.

    The signs are very clear stating that people have died here from croc attacks. There were parents with kids getting photos, people fishing and one photographer who was determined to get as close as possible to the oldest croc, not good for the heart rate. There were also multiple 4wd vehicles going across the ford then returning putting up a few waves over the crocs. Arnhem land across the ford is a permit only area which I doubt these drivers would have permission to enter. Oh well, all part of the entertainment.

    By now the heat of the day was on us so back to the only store in Jabiru for cold drinks then a swim at the camp pool and a few drinks.
    Di and Trevor head off tomorrow and we have a very early start for a sunrise boat trip.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Di and Trev
    Jabiru shopping plaza. Very planned and very quiet

    Jabiru

    9. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Just a small and easy 140km drive to Jabiru today which is the heart of Kakadu National Park. Another warm one though. Uneventful trip except when I recognised Trev (and Di) at a rest area. We had met these two at a party in Tassy in 2007 then at another party in Bali in 2017. Friends of friends so was great to see them. We decided to set up camp next to each other as well as sharing dinner and a few drinks to catch up with the last few years.

    Julie and I also planned the next week of our travels. This is a new idea for us to plan ahead but as I have to return to Darwin this Saturday for a new windscreen we need to make sure we are camped near Darwin on Friday.

    We did a quick drive to the Jabiru town Plaza to have a look. It was very like Twizel (NZ) and we found it had been built in 1982 to support a Uranium mine which explained the likeness. There was not much there so went to the local supermarket for coffee and milkshake. Back to the camp for a swim in the somewhat cool but refreshing pool and nothing else for the day except lots of conversation over a few refreshments ......    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Our pool including banana palm
    Mary River BillabongBird Billabong viewing platformBird Billabong very emptyBird Billabong- 4.5km around in dry season

    Billabongs

    8. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    We checked out two local walks today. The first was Mary River Billabong which was a small loop. A few people had already walked ahead of us so we weren't catching the overnight spider webs. The next walk was around the Bird Billabong. It was a bigger loop of 4.5km. By then it was getting warm and the first half of the walk was exposed on the flat lake bed where water would be during the wet season.

    There were lots of trails into the water through the grasses and we presume these are croc trails as they were wide and well flattened. There were a few roos galloping away as we approached. The roos up here are a lot smaller than down south. No more than 4 feet tall mostly but very fast of course. The Billabong lived up to its name with lots of water birds floating and hunting. We can imagine the view is completely different in the wet season with lots of fresh vegetation, flowering plants and plenty of water.

    Back to camp for a couple of swims in the pool and a book read. Also decided to try the pub meals for our last night at the Bark Hut Inn. The food was pretty standard pub fair although Regan's buffalo sausages were very tasty.

    We copped yet another stone chip on the windscreen yesterday but the heat of today has turned it into a very long crack. Will monitor its progress but we expect we may be heading back to Darwin soon for a replacement.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Croc country. The statues have started
    Mistake BillabongRegan looking brave in front of a banyan treeCouzens lookoutMary River wetlandsLarge lilypads. Not sure what lies beneath.....Burnoff

    To Kakadu

    7. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    The plan was to head to Jabiru which is the main town of Kakadu but as we travelled we decided to stop at Bark Hut Inn roadhouse which had a nice camping area. So after a 130km drive we are here for two nights to discover the Mary River National Park. On the way in we saw at least 3 giant crocodile statues so are pretty confident we have entered croc country. The heat is still draining our energy so a little slow today. Humidity has dropped thankfully.

    Once we set up the caravan site we headed out into the Mary River national park. Speed limit of 130km/hr was reached but the road/ suspension of a ute at that speed wasn't that comfortable. Down a few dirt roads so now we are back to dust again. Found a walk called Brian Creek Monsoon forest. Was hard to locate and ended up at Mistake Billabong first (by mistake).

     The monsoon forest was a wide track that ended up as a small loop at the end, except the track got very narrow and was hard to follow . It crossed the creek a couple of times with the obligatory croc danger signs. The track leaf litter was constantly rustling with small lizards darting out of the way so with the various spider webs and spiders on us we were glad to get back to the safety of the ute. Australia sure has a lot of biting animals and by the end of the walk we were convinced that most were watching us.

    A quick detour to Couzens lookout which was named after a ranger who passed away in 1985 . This lookout is over the Mary River area from a high vantage point. It was cool to still see the giant waterlillies around, they must be incredible at the end of the wet season. Very warm but great open views across the wetlands. Back to camp for a swim in the pool (predator free) and chat to neighbours.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    1Mind your step at the creeks
    Jungle ParkCyclone Tracy infoEast Point

    Final Darwin day

    6. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    This morning we had breakfast before heading to Palm Creek for a walk. Palm Creek is located within Holmes Jungle Park which is a wildlife corridor to allow native animals to move safely across the Territory. Our walk was only 3 km but with a few crocodile warnings to keep the heart pumping.

    A few house keeping tasks, making new muesli (Regan), washing down the gazebo of all the dust and some more laundry. After a swim and lunch we headed to the museum. We had a couple of hours there, initially being freaked out by all the things that can kill you in the NT both on the land and the sea. I said to Regan I am not sure I will leave the caravan for the rest of the trip.

    We also spent a large amount time in the exhibition about Cyclone Tracy which occurred on Christmas Day 1974. I remember it very clearly as a child and it was incredible to see the devastation now I know a little bit of the city. The remote location of Darwin really emphasised how difficult the rebuilding must have been. Initially every rebuilt house had to have its own cyclone bunker. These regulations have since been relaxed. The information about the evacuation of over half the population was interesting- pic attached.

    Later in the afternoon we drove back up to East Point where we found a picnic spot overlooking the beach. We called our Danish friends who were supposed to be meeting us in Darwin this time last year. It was a little mean to be sitting there in the sun but it had to be done. Back to the caravan for supper of the delicious treats we bought last night at the market.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Mindil beach relaxation
    Mindl beach after sunset. Note 2 people in water. Croc country!Mindil marketFamous Laksa

    Mindil Beach

    5. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    And again.....warm and humid. We have adjusted our day to suit. An early morning walk, housekeeping, swim, then a few shops and supermarket to top up before we leave for Kakadu on Saturday. Lessons learned from yesterday with both of us suffering from midge bites. Insect repellent at the ready.

    The famous Mindil markets were open so we visited along with thousands of others. Quite a walk as the very large carpark was bursting and overflowing to any space that would fit a car was also packed. There were a lot of food stalls with plenty of choice. Laksa was definitely on our menu and finished off with cold coconut and mango shakes. Such a family atmosphere there and no alcohol sales.

    We then walked out onto Mindil Beach to hundreds more people all sitting and enjoying the slightly cooler breeze and sunset. Social distancing really didn't exist by the food stalls. So many people. It is so nice to have lovely warm evenings and freedom to attend events unlike our friends and family in VIC and NSW.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Along the beach
    Darwin sunsetNT Parliament buildingBicentennial ParkSailing club

    Humid Darwin

    5. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Managed to get a walk in before breakfast and the increasing heat. Julie hit the city shops including a hairdresser and Regan browsed Bunnings for yet more caravan repairs from stone damage. Lunch in a Cafe in the cbd which seemed to have biting bugs also dining out mainly on Julie. This will be ongoing so the insect repellent will need to be used more. A walk along Bicentennial Park in the city but not for long due to heat and humidity.

    Back to the camp for a swim to cool off then out to the Darwin Sailing Club for dinner and sunset. We had dinner there 4 years ago and is the most spectacular site on the beach . Lots of food and people. Finished off with a walk along the beach taking note not to go near the water due to the ever present crocs. There were children playing at the waters edge. 3 kids last time I counted......    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Waiting for food. Regan and 100 flies
    Tropical gardens at Adelaide River pubCast iron railway sleepers. Used in Oz just before concrete sleepers arrivedBats at Pine Creek

    Into Darwin

    3. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Made the most of the cooler morning and had a walk before breakfast and packing up. Knowing we will be in the car for a few hours in 30 plus temperatures was a good incentive. Hit the road just before 10am for the trip north to the coast. We started seeing clouds late morning which we realised we hadn't seen for weeks in the desert areas. The humidity rose from 20% to 60% but the temperature dropped to about 32 degrees.

    First stop was Pine Creek which is a small historical village with a railway museum. It was a tidy little town. Thousands of bats there too.
    Lunch stop was the Adelaide River hotel for lunch. The food was recommended and didn’t disappoint. However we chose to eat outside which the bushflies were very appreciative of so shared our burgers.

    Just a little over an hour later we were on dual carriageway on the outskirts of Darwin. Having multiple lanes is so much easier on everyone as the speed limit of 130km/hr is never reached with a caravan so lots of cars overtaking freely.

    Camp tonight is at Discovery near the airport. No dust and 2 swimming pools. Such a welcome change from the last week or so. We popped into the city for a couple of tasks and was amazed to see office workers in business clothes and mingling. Such a foreign thing for us to see as not only are we not working but we also have seen little office interactions for at least 18 months.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Lower gorge
    Sheer rock wallsRocks brtween the gorges block the boats in the dry seasonView from the boatThe aroma of these guys is unmistakeableLots or arguments

    Katherine Gorge

    2. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 29 °C

    Early start this morning as we had to check in for our boat trip at 8:30am at the Gorge which is 30 mins from the camp. As we walked down to the boat jetty we were hit with a very unusual smell. Looking up we could see thousands of bats in the trees. They were all settling down to sleep for the day so lots of noise and wing flapping. They are quite abusive to each other as they jostle for hanging room.

    Our trip covered the first 3 of the 13 gorges and was for 4 hours including a swim. There were close to 50 people in our group and we were given a bottle of water, muffin, a biscuit and an apple before we left. The tours are run by the local Jawoyn people who own the land and boats. Our skipper provided a running commentary about the people, their history, the gorge as well as the native flora and fauna. He was so knowledgeable and delivered it in a very interesting way.

    We cruised up the first gorge and then had to change boats for the second gorge. The walk in between was about 600m with a large number of rock paintings to look at on the way. The second gorge was half the width of the first gorge with the towering cliffs on either side. Again a boat change which was much shorter then into the third gorge. We sat at the front of the boat so had fabulous views.. This gorge was much shorter so only 15 mins to the end. It ended with some seriously large rocks blocking the entrance to the 4th gorge.

    We made our way back to the second gorge where we swam for about an hour. So good to be able to cool off in the water in the most amazing landscapes. The air temperature in the gorge was slightly cooler which gave us pleasant respite. We were back at the dock bang on 1pm. As we were arriving our guide told us that if we had visited last week we would have seen way more bats as 75% of them had already moved on.

    As it was a public holiday in the NT (Picnic Day) there was nothing open so it was a quiet afternoon at the camp with a late afternoon swim at the spring. Ready to move on tomorrow to Darwin which is only a little over 300km away. Temperature should drop a few degrees and humidity will increase.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    1Katherine Springs. Fresh clean water
    Katherine River- Lower Level bridgeWe think these are black kites

    Katherine Day3

    1. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Still hot and no wind to give us relief.
    We got on our bikes again and reversed yesterday's trip. No puncture today. Sun was fierce.
    Decided that aircon was welcome so lunch in a town cafe then a supermarket shop. The day disappeared fast after a swim at the Springs then a zoom chat with kiwi friends.
    Our plans ahead changed this morning when an email arrived confirming the booking we made at a Darwin caravan park early last year. Due to covid I requested that the booking gets postponed for 12 months. Well that is this Tuesday for the rest of the week. Accommodation in Darwin is nearly impossible from what we understand so we have decided to head straight through to Darwin and take up our booking made 18 months ago.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Katherine River from the old railway bridge
    Katherine SpringsRiver trail.

    Katherine Day2

    31. heinäkuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Our second day in Katherine greeted us with the same heat as yesterday. We can see why people flock here in the dry season as each day is the same weather. Hot and dry. An early start before the heat with a quick plumbing repair on the caravan then onto the bikes for a circuit along the river trail. Julie copped a puncture so a quick pump of the tyre then home fast to repair. By then the temperature was 31 so time to relax and read a book.

    We wandered down to Katherine Springs which is only about 400 metres from the camp and lazed in the warm water for an hour or so before heading into town for an iced coffee/chocolate. Sadly the only place open was Maccas but they had aircon and good cold drinks for us.
    We stopped into the bottle shop to top up on wine etc. In NT there are always police at the bottle shops checking IDs and today even asked us where we were staying. Then when we buy alcohol the sales guy also scans our drivers licence. There are definitely strict rules on alcohol sales up this way.

    We were told that there are evening markets tonight so we headed back into town for some food. The markets were quite small but we managed to have some food and sat and ate with about 50 flies annoying us. The bushflies are still here!
    Back to the caravan for some aircon to help cool us a bit.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Sunset from the camp
    Our dusty corner in the camp1Bats in the trees trying to keep cool

    Katherine

    30. heinäkuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Short distance to drive today - a fraction over 100km. Bitter Springs was still closed this morning so it will have to wait until our return trip. We had a quick stop at Cutta Cutta caves, which are a series of limestone caves. We decided not to do the tour today.

    Katherine is the fourth largest town in the NT but it’s population is less than 10 000. There is a large defence base and a bit of a government department hub. Regan has always noticed the jobs available in Katherine which he used to tempt me with. After an extensive walk around the town in 36 degrees we weren’t quite so keen.

    Katherine is a tourist hotspot as people head into Kakadu and Lichfield from here. Our first stop was a caravan parts store as our plumbing challenges seem to have returned. The lady in the store was excellent and had everything we needed. We of course bought spares as we think we might need them 😂.

    Next stop was the tourist info centre to get some ideas and to book a boat trip up the Katherine Gorge. The tour we wanted was not available until Monday so we will need to stay an extra night. I hit the shops looking for some lighter clothes and thankfully the Vinnies provided what I needed, there wasn’t much of a choice otherwise.

    When we arrived at the camping ground I was able to book an extra night so no travelling for 4 nights - our longest stop so far. The camp is large and full. It has a swimming pool and it’s about 400m from another natural spring. We opted for the pool today and will do the springs tomorrow. I thought we were leaving the red dust behind but this site is the dustiest one yet. At least the showers are private. Regan shared both days showers with frogs while at Mataranka.

    We are still struggling with the heat but is is lovely to have dinner outside in shorts and singlets. Tomorrow is a bike ride along the river before the heat of the day, a trip to the thermal springs and night markets for dinner.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    1Mataranka Springs
    Botanical walk1The billabong at our camp.

    Handbag yet to be found

    29. heinäkuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Bitter Springs is still closed today but the rangers are trying to locate the missing handbag. Traps are set presumably and we have seen the rangers entering the area. So we went back to Mataranka Springs for another hour soaking up the clear 34 degree water.

    With the air temperature also at 34 there isn't much respite from the heat but I'm sure we will get more acclimatised in the next few weeks. We did give the caravan aircon a blast last night before bed and the overnight temperature dropped to a pleasant 17 degrees. Thought we would sample the town life this morning so strolled along the main street, into the supermarket, past the pub, museum closed then a coffee from the Servo. That took an hour or so.....

    There was a kiwi connection to Mataranka. The guy who named the town lived in NZ for a time and named it like a Maori placename. Except it only sounds like a Maori name. There is no place in NZ with that name.

    We also walked the botanical walk in the national park learning what a lot of the flora was used for by aborigine. This culture is very aware of keeping the land self-sustaining so they can return and find more of the same food supplies every year.
    We have acquired a few hundred ants in the caravan. Once I tracked and sprayed them we may be ok for the night. This won't be the last time. We did see some people have spread salt around each of their caravans contact points on the ground. We will keep that in mind if our 6 month insecticide fails.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Tropical colours
    We read theseBitter springs in the camp. Note to stand back from the waterStevies holeShaded campsite

    Mataranka

    28. heinäkuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Left Dunmarra early for a small 200km drive north. Temperature increased. We could tell the humidity was out there as there was a haze. We stopped at an old WW2 hospital site. The air had a tropical smell to it. The hospital site has fallen back to regenerated bush so there was no sign of it being there. We passed 2 more WW2 airstrips as well. Looks like nature has reclaimed them. As we travel we will learn more about the war history up this way as Darwin was bombed by the Japanese so a lot of infrastructure was set up inland.

    We tried to book a site at Bitter Springs campground but was told to be there early as its first in. So we were waiting in a small queue at 10.20am and have a site for 2 nights. Shaded woodland camp near the Springs. Thanks again to Annette and Shane for the recommendation.
    As we arrived there was chatter on the UHF radio talking about a "handbag" having been located at the springs. Turns out the Springs are now closed due to a crocodile wanting to bathe there. The guy at the camp says it was just a smaller one (about 6 foot). What! 6 foot is about 5 feet too big for me. And this is where we discuss the difference between "freshies" and "salties". This was a chat to us wide-eyed kiwis at the Bash a few weeks back. Apparently "freshies" are not partial to eating people. Honestly....... if I saw any croc I wouldn’t be dipping my toes.
    Anyway the rangers are down at the Springs with a trap to hopefully catch and re-house.

    As the local springs are closed we travelled to Mataranka Springs and had a dip there with a hundred others. All very safe. Maybe like a sushi train for a croc! The water was very warm so we stayed in for around 45 minutes then did a walk on a 2.4km return track. Temperature hit 34 by then so any thought of feeling refreshed after that was slim.

    Back to the caravan for a well deserved beer and cider, then showers in the "rustic" ablutions. I shared my shower with a frog and Julie is looking forward to tomorrow's shower in the caravan.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    1Old telegraph pole from the 1870's
    If you have an accident, your vehicle slowly disappears from the roadsideDunmarra campsiteFamous (and large) vanilla slice

    Dunmarra

    27. heinäkuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Another 450km heading north all day. Yesterday was warm but we have increased into the early 30's today. The drive was much the same - long straights into the sun, lots of caravans and roadtrains. We stopped at Tennant Creek for fuel and coffee then lunch at Renner Springs roadhouse. Julie drove for another few hours. The Stuart highway is good quality and wide enough for the roadtrains. We are now on new roads after we passed through three-way corner which is the turnoff to Queensland. Up until then we have been backtracking. The shrubs on the roadside have been steadily getting taller as we head north away from the desert centre to the more tropical areas. We are wondering when the bushflies are replaced by mosquitoes......or is there an area we have to suffer both insects?

    We stopped off at a rest area where the Adelaide to Darwin telegraph cable was finally joined in 1872. The guy doing it was pulling the two wires together to join and holding onto both of them at the same time. Needless to say he got quite a large electric shock as there was a lot of kilometres of wire being joined together. This feat of installing 3178km of open wire in 1872 was pretty amazing. 36000 poles through fairly rugged countryside.

    We reached Dunmarra roadhouse around 3.15pm and got an unpowered site. This means we take our pick of the paddock out the back. We are expecting the temperature to drop after sunset and as we are without mains power our aircon won't be working.
    Dinner at the roadhouse and managed to buy a couple of their famous vanilla slices to take back to the van for supper. They didn’t disappoint. Managed to share one together with a backup for sometime tomorrow. Thanks to Annette and Shane from Nhulunbuy for the recommendation!    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Emily Gap
    Jesse GapTi Tree AFL groundHow does it stay balanced?The campground we were too slow forRewarded with fabulous sunset at alternate camp

    Another day heading North

    26. heinäkuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Another 460km in front of us again today. We decided to start with some more exploring before we hit the track. Not very far from the camp are the East MacDonnell Ranges. We visited the two closest sites being Emily and Jessie Gaps. They are both lovely sandy creeks that over time have cut through the rocks. Both sites have rock art telling the creation stories of that region. There were strict rules on taking photos of the art work. No images are to leave the area. There is also a sign stating that no indigenous women or children are allowed to view.

    We left Alice around 10am and headed to our lunch stop at Ti Tree. As we were leaving we saw some of the old military vehicles we saw yesterday. They obviously make good speed as we did not pass any of them further up the road. Ti Tree is just a roadhouse with a bar, a school, police station and camping ground. The kids must be pretty tough as the Aussie Rules field is pure red sand so any tumbles would leave a mark.
    The road was long and straight mostly today and we shared the driving task. Most of the traffic today were caravans heading south with a few roadtrains to keep us alert.

    The intention was to camp at the Devil's Marbles but we were far too late to get site. It is a conservation area so cheap sites and I think you would have to be there by lunchtime to get a spot. We did a walk while we were there and went up to the lookout. We thought we might have to drive another 100km to Tennant Creek but found a parking spot 10km up the road at Bonney Creek. Around 20 campers there and we were rewarded with a fabulous sunset. Another big day tomorrow but at least most of it will be new roads.    Lue lisää

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