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A Horse with No Name
  • Gail Woodward
  • Gail Woodward

A Horse with No Name

A 58-day adventure by Gail Read more
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  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Darwin

    July 3, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We've had 3 nights staying in Darwin's city centre in preparation for the next leg of our journey and to catch our breath. We drove around the bays, the harbour and marinas, out to the burbs to the shops, Mindil Beach Markets, watched the sunset over the sea, participated in Territory Day celebrations, visited the military museum and Haydn bought some beautiful Indigenous art. Time to drive to Litchfield National Park tomorrow for a couple of nights then onto Broome via the Gibb River Rd.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Litchfield National Park: Florence Falls

    July 4, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 32 °C

    We drove 130klm south of Darwin to Litchfield NP this morning and set up tent. This is our 5th camp site since leaving just over 2 weeks ago. Litchfield was declared a NP in 1986 with its monsoon rainforest, waterfalls and sandstone outcrops. This was home to the Wagait peoples. It is named after a European explorer, and has been used for tin and copper mining. The falls are near our camp ground so an afternoon dip was in order followed by camp coffee and a drive to Buleys Rockhole and along a 4WD track to The Lost City (formation of weathered sandstone blocks and pillars...a little underwhelming after Kakadu).Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Litchfield- Wangi Falls+Tabletop Swamp

    July 5, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Wangi Falls and plunge pool was a very popular day trippers destination with number plates from all states in Australia evident in the carpark. We walked part of the boardwalk loop walk up into the monsoon forest canopy. There was a small colony of resident flying foxes. The water was cold and clear.
    The walking track to view Tolmer Falls was under construction so there was limited access. It has a gorge below which is home to Orange Horseshoe Bat and Ghost Bat, both protected rare species. Tabletop Swamp was a pleasant surprise. It is a depression in the tabletop which fills with water in the wet season. Lined with melaluca trees and filed with lilies, it is home to many birds.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Katherine to Timber Creek - NT

    July 6, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Overnighting at Timber Ck before we cross the NT/WA border tomorrow. The town of Timber Creek has a stream (from Victoria River) which runs behind the camping area and is populated with some fresh water crocodiles and a colony of black flying fox. I was lucky enough to spot several "freshies". The largest would have been 5 feet in length. They get fed 3 times a week but today wasn't a feeding day. ..guess they thought they'd come to see if they could get lucky. 😜 Timber Ck is also famous for its boab trees. Grey Nomads, regular visitors to this area, say the touring traffic has increased four fold over the past couple of years. Great for our outback! Some of these images are from the drive out from Katherine...as we drive through a corner of the Gregory National Park.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Lake Argyle WA and Durack Homestead

    July 7, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We are now in WA. When we crossed the border at the quarantine station, we had to surrender our Manuka honey 😣, as apparently honey contains spores which present a biothreat. 34klms off the highway is Lake Argyle (70klm south of Kununurra). The expanse of fresh water is the largest is Australia...19 Sydney harbours! home to 30 000 fresh water crocs, 26 species of native fish...making it a RAMSAR wetland of International Significance. On the road in is the Durack Homestead - moved from where the Dam now sits. Mary Durack is author of the book "Kings in Grass Castle", one of the books which documents her pioneering family's travels and their rise to wealth as cattle barons.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Gibb River Road, Western Australia

    July 7, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The Gibb River Rd is unsealed and cuts through the heart of the Kimberleys. It was originally built to transport beef from central Kimberley cattle stations to the ports at Derby and Wyndham. It showcases incredible ranges, gorges, tabletop escarpments, creeks and rivers and savannah plains.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Home Valley Station, Gibb River Rd WA

    July 7, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Our first night on the Gibb River Rd was spent at Home Valley Station...an amazing set up with pool, restaurant, bar etc. We elected to drive another 4klms to the campground by the river which on arrival, had 2 saltwater crocs sitting on the bank opposite the campsite (1 large male and his smaller female companion). You may be able to spot them in the last photo. The Penecost River has an incredible 8 metre tidal range! Sunset was spectacular and very popular. On the opposite side of the river you can see the Cockburn Ranges. We have now driven over 5000klm since leaving Townsville 19 days ago.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Windjana Gorge WA

    July 8, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This morning we rose early to watch the sun rise, then drove along the Gibb River Rd to Windjana Gorge National Park, calling into Mt Barnett Roadhouse for a Barra Burger.
    Windjana is a 3.5klm long Gorge carved through an ancient barrier reef. We saw 40 - 50 freshwater crocs swimming in the Gorge within 200m of entering it on foot. It makes my single sighting several days ago look quite mediocre.
    The Cruiser is handling the off road driving and we have been pleasantly surprised at the condition of the Gibb River Rd.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Derby WA

    July 9, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    After leaving Windjana Gorge we drove 145klms to Derby (220klm north east of Broome) on mostly dirt road. The soil is pindan, a word used to describe the reddish brown colour. Derby was celebrating its Boab Festival (in it's 55th year). We drove to the old jetty and of course the Boab Prison Tree, on the way towards Broome, believed to be 1500 years old. It was used as a staging point for prisoners when being walked into Derby in the early days. While in Derby we took a scenic flight (in a small fixed wing light plane) over the Horizontal Waterfalls and Buchaneer Archipelago.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward

    Buccaneer Archipelago Horizontal Wfalls

    July 9, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    The Buccaneer Archipelago is an area consisting of 800 to 1000 rocky sandstone islands off the WA coast above Derby. They are part of a drowned coastline. The tidal range is up to 12 metres. They are remote with rich and diverse fauna.
    The Horizontal Waterfalls were described by David Attenborough as "One of the greatest wonders of the natural world." They are formed from a break (up to 25m wide) in between the McLarty Ranges, in Talbot Bay. The falls run horizontally due to the seawater building up faster on one side of the gaps than the other. On a King Tide the falls can be 5 metres. When the tide changes the direction reverses, creating total whirlpools.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Broome - WA

    July 10, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Broome ( pop. 18000) is one of the few places in Australia where you get both a sunrise and a sunset over water. 130+ million years ago, dinosaurs inhabited the area. Dinosaur footprints are visible on a low tide at Gantheaume Point where the lighthouse stands.
    Cable Beach is rated in the world's top 5 beaches. It runs 22klms+ of pure white sand where we joined one of the daily camel rides. Broome has 10m tidal rises. Also famous for its pearls, Broome is home to the world's fine quality round pearl grown in Cygnet Bay. The museum had many interesting displays and information about parking as well as life in Broome.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward

    Fitzroy Crossing

    July 11, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We drove 392klms this morning after watching the sunrise over Dampier Creek inlet off Roebuck Bay, Broome, and pulled up briefly at Fitzroy Crossing township. We were amazed to see caravans queued up at the Lodge entrance as we passed. The Lodge was set on the banks of the Fitzroy River and was lush and green with beautiful trees.
    The Fitzroy River is one of Australia's longest river with a huge catchment (90 000 square kilometres). In the wet, enormous volumes of water flow down the Fitzroy.
    The Fitzroy Valley is home to mow than 40 Aboriginal Communities, a combination of 5 different language groups.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward

    Halls Creek

    July 11, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We have pulled up for the day at Halls Creek, in the East Kimberley region, Western Australia. The weather is cooler (24 degrees C) than what we've had on the coast (32+) and unseasonally overcast.
    Generally the town is a support centre for nearby cattle stations and local Indigenous peoples. From a tourist perspective, Halls Ck offers a great base to access the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park (120klms north) and leads on to the Tanami Road where you can see the Wolfe Creek Crater (200klms south) in the Tanami Desert.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)

    July 11, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    Today we took another fixed wing flight over the Bungle Bungles. It is said that the beauty of the Bungle Bungles can only be appreciated from the air although I'm sure it's magnificent from the ground as well. It is a significantly larger area than I imagined. It is made up of unique sandstone rock formations, striped with orange and grey bands. The sandstone area is named Purnululu by the local Aboriginal people. We flew with Nick from North West Airlines in a small plane made in 1977.
    Tomorrow we begin our trip across the Tanami Desert.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Wolfe Creek Crater

    July 12, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    This morning, in drizzling rain, we set out on the Tanami Rd to Alice Springs calling into. .Wolfe Creek (meteorite) Crater 😨 on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert and the spinifex grasslands of the East Kimberley. It is the second largest crater in the world from which fragments of a meteorite have been collected. It is 880m across and almost circular. Aboriginal people call it Kandimalal. The crater became more widely recognisable after the horror movie "Wolfe Creek" was made in 2005 starting John Jarratt.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Tanami Desert Crossing WA back into NT

    July 13, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    After leaving Wolfe Ck Crater we topped up on fuel at the Aboriginal community, Billiluna. It took some keen orienteering and a stop to ask for directions, to find the fuel bowser. After reading the messages, including the one to look out for the rogue camel who likes to corner people so he can kick and bite them, we fueled up (2.60L) and headed towards Alice Springs. We saw the camel as we were driving out. ..he was most indignant we had slipped by without him noticing and made a futile charge towards the car as a parting gesture.
    We made good time considering the wind, road was wet and gentle rain continued to fall. Then you won't believe what we saw!! 2 men on heavily ladened touring cycles, around 70 years old, pedalling in the opposite direction! So much so that it became apparent we could make the next Aboriginal community, Yuendumu, by sunset. Our map said food, bed, police...all manner of services. The sunset was spectacular but no time to stop for a photo as we had cows and roos to content with for the last 30klms which slowed us down; Combined with state time changes, we crept into town at 6.40pm in the dark...past the $7.6m police facility looking once again for the fuel. The "shop" (read house with a bowser out front, advertised they were open till 8pm but with no signage or street lighting, dogs, car wrecks haphazardly placed...we once again asked for directions. After several drive bys, a man flagged us down and offered to sell us the fuel (2.16L). He had to bang the bowser with his hand to get it to start but after some chatting he informed us there wasn't accommodation or food to be purchased and we'd just need to head back out and pitch our tent off the highway. Which we did! Temperatures plummeting, wind gusts increasing, we slept fitfully and resumed our trip with Alice only 300klms away and a hot shower and delicious brekkie to look forward to. It was a good test for our tent, which we have been very happy with thus far.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward

    Alice Springs

    July 13, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    On driving into chilly Alice (9 degrees) we headed for a double strength latte and Eggs Benedict inside at the Epilogue cafe, out of the cold. The Todd St mall was full of beautiful local Indigenous art galleries so we wandered for a while, picked up some brochures and admired some iridescent green parrots in the trees. Then turning our attention to the car...refueled, increased air in the tyres and washed her so she looks respectable.
    We have booked motel accommodation here in Alice before heading out to (Yulara) Uluru /Ayres Rock on Friday. The temperatures are set to plummet to below 0 over the next couple of days therefore we'll need to dig out our warm clothes.
    Ella arrived to spend a long weekend with us. We went to the Reptile Park, Desert Weavers Art Gallery and in the evening, dinner at Hanuman at the Hilton (specializing in Indian, Thai and pan-Asian cuisine). We will spend the day visiting some of the many sights (including Kings Canyon) on our way out to Ayers Rock tomorrow.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward

    Glen Helen Gorge West McDonnell NP

    July 15, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    From Serpentine Gorge we drove onto Glen Helen Gorge. Beside the Gorge is a waterhole, part of the Finke River, which has 9 species of native desert fish living in it. The landscape of this area was the subject for many of Albert Namatjira's paintings. He was born in Hermannsburg, not far away.Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

    July 16, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 1 °C

    This morning, in 1 degree, we boarded an AAT bus for our sunrise tour. We are staying at the Desert Gardens Motel, part of the Ayers Rock Resort. The sun rays hit the rock at 7.30am local time. The rock definitely had a very spiritual aura.
    Next we drove across the spinifex covered sand dunes, towards Kata Tjuta (the Olga) for viewing of the domes. Our tour guide/Ranger gave a brief history of the local peoples, fauna, flora and the park.
    This NP is a dual world heritage National Park. The rock formation dates back 550million years.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Walpa Gorge - Uluru Kata Tjuta NP

    July 16, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Following the sunrise over Uluru and viewing of the Olgas, we headed to Walpa (meaning windy) Gorge to do the 2.2klm walk up the Gorge and back. It was VERY windy and cold!

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward
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    Uluru - pushbike ride around the base

    July 18, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    What a wonderful way to experience the Rock's natural beauty and read more about the cultural significance!!
    This morning we hired a couple of "comfort" bikes and rode 15klm around the base of Uluru. We rode anticlockwise to avoid the tour groups and the loop is divided into 5 different walks. From where we picked up our bikes to the beginning of the Lungkata Walk (at the base of Uluru) is called the Liru walk (poisonous snake man). Then along the Lungkata (blue-tongued lizard man) walk to the Kuniya (woma python woman) walk including the art caves and the Mutitjulu Waterhole (home to Wanampi, an ancestral water snake). From there we rode around the back of the rock (Base walk) and back towards the start, onto the Mala walk where the Mala (rufous hare wallaby) people camped when they arrived at Uluru in the beginning. This is where Kantju Gorge is with its sheer vertical walls.
    Some areas are sensitive and sacred to the Anangu traditional owners, therefore we did not take photos of these. Although encouraged not to walk up the rock, people could be seen walking up at any time of the day. The walking chain etc remains in place with warnings and the request of the traditional owners not to walk up Uluru as it is associated with important Mala ceremonies and is believed that the Mala men would used this traditional route on arrival at Uluru.    Read more

  • Gail WoodwardA Horse with No NameGail Woodward

    Yulara to Kings Canyon

    July 19, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    We left Yulara (Ayres Rock) this morning and pulled up 100klm along Lasseter Highway to take a photo of Mt Conner. This is the footprint for this morning...Mt Conner is often mistaken for Uluru as it is a large mesa rising 343m above the area around it. Turning off Lasseter Hway we drove onto Luritja Rd which took us to Kings Canyon. Kings Canyon is in the Watarrka National Park however there is no camping facilities at the Gorge itself. The Gorge is mainly set up for the walks it offers, either along the creek bed, around the rim (6klm) or a several day hike starting at the Gorge. We pitched our tent in the Kings Canyon Resort camping grounds about 6klms up the road. At sunset we joined some of the campers to watch the sun reflect off the ranges. The local dingoes wander through the park scavenging for food and we had several close encounters....harmless enough though.Read more

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