DAY 26 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

20 May 2010

PLENTY HIGHWAY – DEVIL’S MARBLES

It started to rain last night and continued throughout the night. I woke up as I felt a drip on my head. A little leak in the back corner that will need to be fixed when hubby can access a ladder. Otherwise we were fine. We think that when they fitted the third solar panel on the roof they may have dented the top of the top pop as it is slightly warped and we cannot explain the warp any other way. Outside we were surrounded with many large puddles of water.

A dingo came to investigate us. I tried to take a photo through the fly screen.

We spent time on the radio checking on weather and road conditions. Rain is forecast right up to Tennant Creek today and tomorrow and then on Sunday. We feel very safe now that we have a HF radio and belong to the VKS network. They are just so helpful.

We had parked on what appeared to be a very hard surface last night. Even though at this stage we might only have had 6-8ml according to the weather forecaster the conditions had totally changed. Because they have had much recent rain it was soaking in. We needed 4WD to get out. The Oka got out easily but it was slippery. We left quite a track behind.

We decided to abort the plan to go up Sandover Highway to the Binnes Track and to travel on the Stuart Highway instead. When we came to the interesection with Sandover we reconfirmed the decision. It would have been a slippery and muddy trip up the Sandover. It was light steady rain all morning. Couldn’t see much, even the ranges were obscured from view. At Aileron there are two magnificant sculptures. They were commissioned by the owner of the road house and made by Mark Egan. The first is of Anmatjere man known as Charlie Quarpot, the early day rainmaker.   It is 17.5 metres tall and weighs 9 ton.

The second set of sculptures were of a woman and chld. They were just as imposing and stood near the gallery. The gallery had some magnificent art works.

We stopped at Red Centre Farm where besides mangoes they were growing table grapes. This is the first time we saw grapes being grown so far north.

We continued on to Ti-Tree. The morning continued to be cold. 13C was the highest it got to. We’ve had days of over 20C ever since leaving Beetaloo. The nights have been cool but the days have been T-shirt weather. So today is quite a change. Ti-Tree is also the so called boundary – line between frost free and frost prone areas. A peacock was strutting around on the roof above the bowsers.

The scenery changed from Ti-Tree.

Past Ti-tree we saw our first termite mounds – ant hills of this trip. They are small and tended to be on the east side of Stuart Highway. After Ti-Tree the weather changed. The rain  cleared and it got to 18C and then slowly crept up to 21C.

We stopped for a look at Wycliffe Well. They claim to be the UFO capital of Australia.

The décor around the roadhouse and caravan park were obviously based on the UFO theme.

There was quite a lot of water here under the road bridge. The old road was now a detour into Wycliffe Well besides the waterhole.

We decided to stop at Karlu Karlu (Devil’s Marbles) for the night. At some places it is spelt as Karlwe Karlwe. It is fabulous collection of gigantic rounded granite boulders many of which balance precariously on each other.  This area is of cultural significance to 4 different grouups of indigeneous people.

At the campground on the last count there were 26 caravans/tents/motorhomes. A pity some are parked against the backdrop of the rocks. I had expected something totally different – just a couple of rocks.

There was an incredible number of red huge boulders in all sorts of shapes and combinations.

I so enjoyed walking around them and climbing up some.

I do not like heights and surprised myself when I came down this lot of rocks.

I just love this place.

The rocks seem to be shedding layers like an onion – around the boulders slivers that had fallen off lay on the ground.

Someone got a bit annoyed with the number of photos I was taking here.

As I cooked dinner with the mango marinade we had picked up at Red Centre Farm hubby serenaded away on the accordion.

In the evening the rain set in again.

DAY 25 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

19 May 2010

OLD AMBALINDUM HOMESTEAD –  BINNS TRACK - PLENTY HIGHWAY

It was a coldish morning this morning so showers in the covered area for us this morning.

We decided to explore the station in the morning. So off we went along the designated track.

The track was graded and frequently flanked by savahanh woodlands.
What the most striking immediate feature was the abundance of paddy melons along the track.

There were interesting rocks with bands of yellow along one creek bed.

We decided that driving for drivings sake with no actual destination or landmark to see was a bit pointless so we decided to retrace our steps and keep going to Davenport National Park. On the radio they were forecasting rain tomorrow and Friday in this area. Will see what happens.

We had been told that the Binn track was the most scenic way to get there.

As we travelled we saw many flocks of bright lime green budgies. Today we saw more animals than on any other day. We have hardly seen any signs of animal life on the trip. Still have not seen any camels but cows we have seen in the last two days.

The ranges were interesting and ever changing.

Eventually we hit Plenty Highway. Was I glad as nine gates I had to open and close today. We went on to Gem Creek Caravan Park to get some fuel as we had not anticipated doing the extra mileage at Ambalindum. We wanted to make sure we had enough fuel to go to Davenport National Park via the Binns Track. At Gem Creek they would only sell us $60 worth of fuel. Apparently they only get a delivery once a month and they want to make sure they don’t run out. They told us where else to get fuel. The information they gave us on the Binns track was very sobering. They were not sure we could get through the creek at Derry Downs. So after some consideration we decided to go to the Sandover Highway and miss that section of the Binns Track.

We bush camped off the Plenty Highway and planned tomorrow’s trip.

DAY 24 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

18 May 2010


ALICE SPRINGS – EWANINGA – JESSIE GAP – TREPHINA GORGE – ARTLUNGA – OLD AMBALINDUM HOMESTEAD

Well a very interesting day and a day of surprises. All well laid plans went out the window. It just so happens I sent mark 2 of our itinery to the kids and we have already strayed off it. Oh well – that is part of the journey, the adventure.

I have been wanting to see the Ewaninga rock carvings/petroglyphs for years. Two years ago when we were at Alice the road to Ewaninga was closed because of the Finke Races. So I missed out. Then I thought I would get to see them on the way up to Alice after Rainbow Valley. It was not to be. So today before setting out to the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges we went back onto the Old South Road from Alice to Ewaninga. On the radio we heard an interview with a songwriter Alison Oakley who was talking about her chilhood in Canberra and spending time at the Cotter. Then her song Camping at the Cotter was playd. It was strange hearing something about our home ground whilst up here.

I was not disappointed. A well laid out informative path took you to the rock carvings. The carvings were described as abstract in that they had hidden meanings revealed only to the initiated. The concentric circles could mean waterhole, campsite, meeting place or have another meaning whatsoever. The story could not be told as the symbols are potent symbols of the law of the Arrernte people and the creation time/dreaming. This is one of the sites that marks the rain dreaming.

Apparently this site has special significance for men’s business. The women were not allowed up here. They usually camped on the other side of the claypan.

I appreciated the fact that they were prepared to share this special place with everyone and that we could all see the carvings even though we did not understand or have access to the meaning behind the carvings. A viewing platform helps to deter people from climbing onto the rocks themselves.

We retraced out steps to Alice Springs. I do love this town nestled in a gap of the MacDonnell Ranges. From every entry into the town the dramatic ranges set Alice up as a special place.

We turned onto Ross Hignway to explore the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges. Before we left this morning we tried to get up to date information on N’Dhala Gorge and Ruby Gap. Northern Territory Roads phone number was useless. It did not ring at all after dialling. We stopped at Jessie’s Gap to ask the rangers and they had no idea. At Trephine Gorge the road update on the board was for 2 April.

Anyway, at Jessie’s Gap there was a litte water before the gorge but the gorge itself was dry.

Trephina Gorge was nice. There was considerable water. It was shallow in places and very deep in others and it was flowing.

There was even water around the bend.

The aboriginal rock carvings were still within reach.

One could see the recent flood height by the debris on the trees in the creek bed.

This was a very different sight to the one we saw two years ago. We had several creek crossings with water to get here. There was no sign of the ranger so after lunch we took off for N’Dhala Gorge. The road was okay until we came to the Bitter Springs Creek Crossing. The road here was a mess – totally washed out.

A track around the side allowed us to go on. So by the time we got to the turn off to N’Dhala we were not surprised to see a road sign with closed on it.

On the way there was an interesting memorial along the side of the road. A grim reminder of what can happen on these roads.

So we turned around and headed for Artlunga. How disappointing!!!!!!! All the brochures say fuel provided and camping. What a joke. There is nothing here except a pub for sale and an information board that told us that the track to Ruby Gap was closed. We continued on to Artlunga Historical Reserve. We had rung them in the morning to ask about the roads and they had not mentioned that there was no camping here when we had said we would see them later this day.

The road here was very interesting – very windy, up and down, cresty not hilly. Then we seemed to be on top of the ridge. The road train sign on this road seemed amusing but an indication of what can be on these roads.

A very good information centre was open but no ranger in sight. The ‚truck‘ toys were very interesting. They were made of tins and wire.

Signs said no camping in the reserve. We explored the reserve a little. The Police station had been restored.

We went in the direction of Plenty highway as that was in our plan. There were signs that there was camping at Old Ambalindum homestead. There seemed to be no alternative but to go there are we were on private station land.

What a surprise when we got there. A lovely area for camping. An old bush kitchen, hot showers and toilets with the choice of showering under a roof or having a solar shower in a cubicle under the stars. We thought it would be cool to have a shower under the stars but it is a bit too cold for that in the evening. So we will see whether we will have a shower under the lovely skies in the morning or opt for the one under a roof.

The locust plague has been through here. They have demolished most of the lawn, their veetable patch and most of the leaves on this palm tree.

The manger, Bob was very welcoming. Before long we rediscovered what a small world it was as we knew someone in common. Bob had been involved with car rallies/safaris and we know someone well who used to navigate in ralllies. We took a photo to send Fred at the next opportunity to send out emails.

Hubby decided that we should cook on the old wood stove in the bush kitchen. Neither of us had cooked on one before even though my aunt in Latvia till very recently was cooking on an open fire. So spaggetti bolognaise was cooked by hubby on the wood stove whilst I was writing this blog.

The sunset was beautiful. Now a decision has to be made – do we stay here another day or move on.