Cairns to Broome

Across the top with PJ and Tim. Read more

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Trip start
June 28, 2024
Cairns to Broome Traveler
Cairns
June 28, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
It was an early morning start, but we were farewelled by most of the Woodlands Ave crew. Feelings were a mix of excitement and trepidation.
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Cumberland Chimney
Jun 28–29, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Cumberland Chimney is a free camp spot recommended by Martin and Sally. Lots of water after the long wet season and huge numbers of birds. The sound that woke us up this morning was magical. Major disaster discovered at breakfast. We left the stove top espresso pot at home. We have an electrical one we can use at powered sites.Read more
TravelerHave you replaced the off grid coffee maker? That *is* a disaster!
7/6/24Reply
TravelerWe also have a small electric one, so far the solar has been enough to power it. But anything that heats like that chews through the stored power. We are spending four days in Limmen national park next, so we may be borrowing P&Ts plunger! Unbelievably there are not a huge number of mocha pots for sale on the Savannah Way.
7/6/24Reply
TravelerTsk tsk. I reckon they might have had one in the Lockhart store - they had just about everything else! Marty asks if you will be visiting the "Lost City"?
7/6/24Reply
TravelerYes - it is on the plan!
7/6/24Reply
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Normanton
June 29, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Revisiting Normanton. Len first had a drink at the purple pub in 1977. Tim last visited 16 years ago - but his name is still written on the post.
Traveler You two look like you own the joint, awesome!!
7/6/24Reply
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Karumba
Jun 29–Jul 1, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Trip down memory lane today. A beer at the purple pub and camped up at Karumba enjoying the sunset.
Great photos! [Cads]
6/29/24Reply
Traveler Love that top, Jo! Very Karumba (without going down the BCF fishing apparel line!) xx
7/6/24Reply
TravelerLOL. Fishing apparel is very popular everywhere we go.
7/6/24Reply
TravelerXmas presents sorted... (joke!)
7/6/24Reply
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Burketown.
Jul 1–2, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Spent yesterday in Normanton at auto electricians. He couldn’t fix the problem on the BT50 so we were about to set off for Isa - 500k out of our way when the problem magically fixed itself. Ended up in Burketown at dusk. No room at any parks so found a spot on the river. Thanks to Leanne Bell for using her family contacts to get Yanner approval for camping on country. The stars were amazing. Magical stop, but also very eerie. The wind was whistling through the trees all night.Read more
TravelerYikes! I'm glad whatever it was has magically resolved.
7/1/24Reply
Traveler Beautiful
7/6/24Reply
Traveler Spooky beautiful...
7/6/24Reply
TravelerSally the whole spot was pretty spooky. The wind was howling around us the whole night. It seemed like the trees were alive with portent
7/6/24Reply
TravelerI know that feeling (some of my most memorable disturbed swag night dreams!). Just as well you had the Yanner blessing or your heartbeats would have been well and truly racing all night!
7/6/24Reply
Traveler Spectacular
7/6/24Reply
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Hells Gate for lunch.
July 2, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 22 °C
TravelerHello Hells Gate! I've enjoyed a couple of sessions there with the Doomadgee crew.
7/1/24Reply
TravelerYes it’s very pretty here. Also has great burgers.
7/1/24Reply
What Jo! Leaving already? [Richard Huelin]
7/1/24Reply
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
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Calvert Crossing
Jul 2–3, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Camped up beside the crossing with one other van. Pretty spot
Traveler Very pretty. Looks peaceful
7/6/24Reply
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Seven Emu Station
Jul 3–6, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Had a hard time finding the camp site - we missed the sign and spent 90 mins circling around. Eventually we were rewarded with a great spot on a cliff with an amazing view. We also had a ‘donkey’ to heat the water for hot showers. The camps sites were all several hundreds of meters apart. This was our favourite camp on the trip. The station has been owned by the same family since the 50’s and is part of the “Staying on Country” network.Read more
Traveler Ooh, that's pretty...
7/6/24Reply
Traveler Great capture!
7/6/24Reply
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King Ash Bay
Jul 6–9, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 28 °C
Arrived and set up camp. Seems to be more involved every time. LOL. We are staying at a Fishing Club. It’s very informal but has power and water….and a washing machine. Will be happy to get some red dirt out of our van, clothes, hair and skin.Read more
TravelerOh that will be heaven Jo. That red dirt loves to linger.
7/6/24Reply
TravelerIt was lovely to get clean. Tomorrow we tackle the van and washing.
7/6/24Reply
TravelerDid you pack Sard wonder soap? I have just restocked, having worn through a bar yesterday as we did our washing back home here! It seems to be the only thing that gets the red clay stains out
7/6/24Reply
TravelerNo we didn’t! but had success so far.
7/7/24Reply
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Butterfly Falls - Limmen NP
Jul 9–12, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Beautiful spot in Limmen National Park. We arrived hot and dusty, set up camp and had a cool swim at the falls. The only place you can swim in the park. The falls are just beautiful and it was wonderful to wash away the dust. We were also lucky enough to catch up with Digby and Sharon. Great to hear of their daring adventures on the trip up the centre of the country. The falls have walls of rock in the shade covered by thousands of common crow butterflies! It was a bit of a journey to get here. See the video.Read more
TravelerSensational! Good driving, folks. How hot has it been in the daytime, Jo?
7/11/24Reply
TravelerIt’s been pretty hot - but not muggy. Nights are great. Only need a sheet.
7/11/24Reply
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Southern Lost City -Limmen NP
July 10, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
We did a morning walk through these amazing rock formations. The views at the top were spectacular. The rock clambering was fairly challenging for Jo but we all made it back safely.
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Tomato Island - Limmen National Park
Jul 11–12, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
A short stay at Tomato Island - it’s in the National Park and populated mainly by fishermen people. People are camped here for months at a time while they fish is the Roper River. I did another thing I said I would never do - communal camp fire.Read more
TravelerWow, Jo... outside the comfort zone alright... (and I am not being sarcy - I am pretty sure l will *never* want to join a communal campfire!). How did it go?
7/12/24Reply
TravelerIt was great. I talked to Peta! LOL. In truth it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
7/12/24Reply
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Mataranka
Jul 12–14, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
The Mataranka hot springs system "holds great cultural significance for Aboriginal communities in the surrounding area." The springs form the headwaters of the Roper River; they are fed by the Cambrian Limestone Aquifer. Over 30 million litres a day flow through the pools.

There is supposed to be a colony of bats living there but we saw so evidence of any. The homestead seems locked in some sort of 80’s ocker mindset. Some guy at the bar singing 80’a songs. A dreadful tiny enclosure with a goat and a water buffalo, wandering peacocks and an entertainment area showing “We of the ‘never never” on continuous loop. I have not seen any reference to indigenous culture anywhere. The park is huge and we are on top of each other - but we have power and Friday night was sparkling wine night - always a welcome milestone. We have been on the road for 2 weeks. 6 weeks to go.Read more
TravelerHearin' ya. I get down when I see important, subtle stuff effaced by unimportant stuff that's in your face. Kind of like going to a spot to check out fairy-wrens and not finding any because Indian mynahs have moved in. Anyway. Trust the sparkling wine helped! You are going great guns xxx
7/12/24Reply
TravelerThanks Sal. Looking forward to WA.
7/12/24Reply
TravelerAlso loving the map feature on this app. Thanks for the heads up.
7/12/24Reply
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Bitter Springs
July 13, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Beautiful spot for a swim, floated down the spring and climbed out and did it again. Also visited the original site of Elsey Homestead - home of Jeannie Gunn who wrote we of the Never Never. Visited the Elsey Homestead Cemetery which is very well maintained. When we travelled along the old Stuart Highway we found the most amazing billabong absolutely flush with bird life. Unsuccessfully tried to send pics to Sally. No BB.Read more
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Katherine
Jul 14–17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Three nights in Katherine was lovely. Great park. Shopped and ate out at the Katherine Club. Swam at the Katherine Springs - but forgot to get photos. Just one of Lovely Len at a lovely coffee shop.
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Victoria River
July 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Stopped at Victoria River for morning tea. Only instant coffee.
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Timber Creek.
July 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 24 °C
Tragedy - bakery is closed - complained so much Len unpacked the kitchen and we
Made our own excellent coffees. We visited the Gregory’s tree at Timber Creek. It’s a really interesting site with lots of cultural significance to the local aboriginal people but also the site of A..C Gregorys “entrenchment” camp. From October 1855 to July 1856 the team used the camp as a base to explore the Roper, Macarther and Elsey Rivers. The date July 1855 is carved into the tree and still very visible. We have been so lucky to see lots of wildflowers on our journey, in this stretch the highway is lined with acacia.Read more
TravelerHaha. Well done, must have coffees.
7/17/24Reply
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Kununurra
Jul 18–21, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Love Kununurra. Visited the diversion dam - this one regulates the water coming from Lake Argyle to the farms. The Ivanhoe crossing was closed - much to Len’s disappointment. Visited the town galleries and tried on a $280,000 pink diamond ring. Saw the sunset at Kelly’s Knob and purchased fruit and veg. We also had a fab dinner at the pump house. Best restaurant of the trip so far.Read more
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Lake Argyle
July 20, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Long day on the lake and an hours journey to get there and an hour back to Kununurra. The cruise itself was pretty ordinary but the lake was amazing. Saw lots of wildlife and the sunset was incredible. Powering along to get back to the jetty in the twilight was very special.Read more
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Emma Gorge
July 21, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Arrived at El Questro. Very small sites. Stopped at Emma Gorge on the way. I didn’t do the walk too rocky and lots of jumping between rocks. Len Pj and Tim took some amazing photos. I chilled at the resort with an excellent coffee.Read more
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El Questro Gorge and Zebedee Springs
Jul 21–25, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Springs gorges and sunsets.
TravelerWow, stunning scenery Jo!!
7/24/24Reply
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Brancos Lookout
July 23, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Well some very serious 4WDing to get to this location. The rocky river crossing took 8 minutes. But the views were amazing.
Traveler Happy campers there 😊
7/24/24Reply
Traveler Serious views...
7/24/24Reply
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Ellenbrae Station
Jul 25–26, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
One night or maybe more - depending on which solution we come up with to replace the shock absorbers on Pj and Tim’s van. Nice scones at the homestead today.
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Cairns to Broome Traveler
Manning Gorge
Jul 26–28, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Got to the roadhouse at 1pm so P&T decided to go straight to see Neville the mechanic. 30k down the road. Got the four shock absorbers replaced. Back to camp by sunset. Photos of the Mount Barnet Roadhouse (best burgers on the Gibb), the road to here, the waterhole at Ellenbrae and our camp at Manning Gorge.Read more
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Manning Gorge Campgrpund
July 27, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Lazy day with a walk to the gorge for some and a simple swim for others. The walkers had to ferry their walking clothes across the river in blue barrels. Tonight we are baking bread roasting pork and cooking veg. Some wine may be imbibed!Read more
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