Alice Springs thru to the Flinders

We had decided to cruise through Alice, as we had really explored a few years ago. Mum and Dad gave us the details for some long time friends who live and work in the church up there, Ray and Janelle. We checked out that Tea Shrine (veg restaurant) was still open and BINGO, we had a yummy lunch, and planned to revisit before we leave tomorrow.

After sorting a few bits out we headed over to the mission and were welcomed into their home. We grabbed a quick shower then joined them out for dinner, which was a nice change, although lots of people for us to deal with after a quiet stint on the Tanami.

We then went back to their house, and as it was Ray's birthday they had bought tickets to go and see a show, so we watched a little telly, and when they returned we basically hit the sack.

The next morning we had a lovely chat and were sent off full of grapefruit, a fixed up laptop, a really cool painting by Tommy Crowe, actually Nick and I saw and fell in love with in Kununurra, and lots of love and Hugs. Not to mention some spring water and work boots for Nick.

 

After a stock up we hit the road, and made it to just before Kulgura, and spent the night at a roadside stop. The heat of the day in full bloom we were ready to get to the cooler weather.

The cannonball memorial, the snail dreams of being able to go that fast

We pushed on again, this time with a very helpful tail wind and made it to the boarder crossing. We spent another night here and I used some water to do a quick wash of some clothes. The flies were incredible, and the ants so we spent most of the day/night inside the van.

We then hit Indulkana community and to my deep regret the art centre closed. Still we drove in and noticed what appeared to be nearly 100 horses/ brumbys milling around the water tank on the outskirts, that's just part of community life, and why I love it/ envy it.

We got into Coober still riding the tailwind and after a fuel up made it on to the Oodanadatta track where we spent the night at Strangeways springs. Still being harassed by flies we decided to do a little walk and came up with some creative methods for keeping the flies at bay.
 



There were also the old ruins there of the community that existed and the old telegraph pole/line.






We climbed to the top of a little rubble range to watch the sunset...
 
Sahara and deltas loved our chosen camp, as there were many bunny rabbit holes to keep them entertained.

 

 

 

 
After a decent night sleep we woke to find a licked to death little baby bunny by the drivers side door. We don't think that's cool, and poor sahara was a bit down we weren't very happy with her gift...
This picture was before we found the bunny...


Anyways we shuffled on, after waking up to a magpie, and were glad to keep up with the tail wind all the way to Leigh creek. We pulled up stumps at Parachinilla Gorge for the night, well I was expecting water, It seems we have been spoilt up in the Kimberleys,  I must remember that we're in SA again, driest state and all that. so after another harassing fly evening we had a lazy start to the day and moved on to Flinders, Brachnia Gorge.

Where again I was disappointed  to find no water hole for a quick swim, but loved the actual park. We drove around and made the snail climb to the top of the ranges and continued our lovely senic drive through to Wilpena Pound.

We stopped for lunch at this lovely lookout

  

 

 

On the road towards Pt Augusta we saw a turn off for these caves and decided to go have a look, little did I know I would climb to the top of the peak behind this picture, totally unprepared wearing thongs.

 The walk itself was just stunning and the artwork nice to look at.

The Tanami

We set off from Halls Creek later than expected, around 530pm, aiming for Wolf Creek crater. We had to drive very slowly and carefully as there were many cows for the first part of the track. As we were late to leave we were obviously late to arrive, and hence had to spend the night there. I said to Nick that this would be the one time i would like to have other people at the campground. He replied "yeah but then you would spend all night worrying they would kill you!" For someone who hasn't seen the movie he was very blaze.

 

 

We arrived at around 8pm, dark of the night, lucky the moon was filling out so we could get a good grasp of our surroundings. At one of the many gates we noticed a fire and a man tending to it. We still had 15km to travel. I wasn't sure if that man was a good sign or a bad one, we are literally in the middle of nowhere, what was he doing out here?

After finding the campsite We ate a quick dinner, and went to sleep, it had been a big day behind the wheel. I was freakin out a bit, like replaying bits of the movie through my mind, i couldn't stop it either, while Nick was snoozing away. later later on i got some rest, and was pleasantly surprised that i woke up through the night cold (first time in months) and needed a blanket!

We awoke and packed up, keen to check out this metoerite crater. We read the signage, and i loved the traditional Aboriginal Story, that two snakes had come from this land, and that the reason the middle of the crater is salty is that one of the snakes came from the sea. One still lies underneath, while the other remains on the top,walked to the top, an easy walk, and decided not to follow the little goat track down to the centre. Was far to hot already and we wanted to smash some Km's before the arvo heat kicked in.



View from the top

 

We found a lovely shady spot and spent the arvo there, lucky we stopped as they were the last decent, tall Gum trees we saw in the Tanami Desert.

We aimed to drive small amounts in the morning and evening and rest at shady spots during the day. The Tamani is just over 1000km long and is a truck route. With cattle and stations making up a large portion of what goes on out here. Some mining is thrown in the mix too, if we passed a mine site we got some reception for our phone.

There are also a few remote Aboriginal communities up here, Balgo and Yuendemu to name a couple.



After crossing the boarder we camped there for the night. Again happy to notice the "cool" change through the night, maybe the temp was getting down to low 20's overnight! We also were impressed to wake up to an awesome sunrise we could witness from our bed. Bonus too that we had turned our clocks forward and we are now running on SA/NT time!

We spotted a few camels and Nick a dingo. Also pleased to say goodbye to the Kytes in the sky and welcome back the Eagle's.


After another long day driving and an arvo stop nearing Yuendemu( our plan to stop at the abandoned Rabbit Flat roadhouse had not happened, as the road was barricaded off). We decided not to push on for the rest of the day but to set op the good old camp shower and have a rinse off. We were both hot and stinky by now. We were rewarded with the most stunning sunset, it was as if NT was welcoming us.

We saw a few trucks and some tourists, no-where near as many as the Gibb, but enough that someone would pass you by through the day if you did need a hand. The roads in some points were pretty rubbish, particularly from the WA/NT boarder for a 100Km or so. We were both Glad we got the new tyres, as we saw may a shredded tyre and piles of them at roadside stops. Felt good to be able to drive with confidence.

We stopped in at Yuendemu arts, and absolutely loved the art work available. We almost bought a huge wall size art work at around$1300 , but after we realised we didn't have the money we also thought about the space in our home, and it wouldn't really fit anywhere. It was 40% off all art work, wit some very nice work up for grabs, but we refrained and moved on.

After filling up with Diesel at Tillmouth roadhouse for 2.25 per L, 50km further on

We found a nice little shady roadside stop to rest for the arvo and night, no lunch break stop today.

Aiming for Alice Springs Friday morning. That gives us still nearly 2 weeks to get to Kapunda, for dad's 60th.

All in all we spent 4 nights crossing the Tanami desert.

Bungle Bungles at Purnululu National Park

We said a goodbye to Kununurra, and it wasn't a sad goodbye (except for leaving Barb and Jim) and hit the Great Northern Highway. We got about 100Km from Kununurra and heard that familiar tss tss tss sound. Quick action plan, actioned, but the soil under the Jack wasn't solid and it collapsed... yes true! So after a grueling change completed by Nick in the middle of day (I was told to sit under a tree) we hit the road again, intent on making it to Warman Community to the Art centre. We had phoned ahead and had a verbal permit.


We made it, at 4:15, they were meant to close at 4, but she said she would stay open incase we were late. We had a mosey around, and loved the fact they the Warman artists use ochre dug up from the traditional Gidgi lands. The style of painting varies so much from what we have seen in Australia so far, from community to community, state to state. Different stories to share and many lands to paint with different cultures. We decided since we bought some amazing art in Kununurra to let it be, as this art was well out of our budget. One 76 year old Warman artist had her art on exhibition in Paris currently. I did like Shirley Purdee's work, but again it was out of the budget, by a few grand (??)

On we went and decided to camp just roadside of the National Park , wake up at 5am to make the trip in the morning better, as we could knock it off before the "heat of the day". How wrong we were....

We get into the Station gates and travel some 10Km of 55km dirt, corrugated and rough road, which we had read and been warned verbally takes around 2 hours. YES that's 55Km road taking 2 hours to travel(??) The first 55Km of the road is actually on Mabel station and doesn't really get maintained at all. So back to the story.... 10Km in  and tss tss tss, action plan... actioned! we put on our last spare and decide that Purnululu National Park wasn't for us this day. yes well we get about 7Km back (we didn't know that until later) and tss tss tss there goes our last tyre! Nick pushed the poor car along, shredding the thing and pulls over in some shade, and we have Telstra reception!!!

Yeah for Telstra


RAA, thankgod for Premium membership! After a hole lot of screwing around we had arranged for the RACWA to travel the 230Km return trip with 2 brand new tyres at $325 ea. After the RAA had forwarded a purchase order for the 150Km extra not covered by the RACWA. They would also not meet us on the dirt road, and after asking people passing us by how far we had to travel at 3Km Nick decided it was "walkable" and he would roll the tyres back if required. After he set off I had many cars stop, and after letting them know that my husband was walking received a few offers to pick him up on the way. I did what a woman does best and got on the phone to Eleanore and just over an hour later Nick had returned, two brand new tyres in tow, with the fellow that had stopped first, and offered a lift. He also stuck around and helped get them both on the rims. This was a blessing in disguise, as the bolt had slipped off the High lift Jack, and the shredded tyre was so low to the ground, we couldn't get the Jack under it. Then the compression pump blew up so we also had no means of putting air in the tyre. Craig was his name, was uber prepared, and helped out with the lot, even rolling around in the dirt and dust with Nick, and after another hour and a half we had 2 tyres ready to go.

Nick was set on going to the bungle bungles now so off we went, and true to form nearly 2 hours elapsed and we made it to the gates at 3pm. Mind you we have been on the road since 5:30am and its damn hot up here in the afternoons. I went to the gate lady and asked for some lenience as our National Park pass had expired by 4 days and explained all our drama's and she let us through, not having to pay again. (we  hid the girlies well)

Was it worth it you may ask...... TOTALLY!!! We arrived at Piccaninny Gorge around 3:45 and were only 2 other cars in the car park. We decided to walk the girlies through the domes walk and to the Cathedral.

 

The car park, after our walk we had a night time camp shower as he had this spot all to ourselves, best location for a camp shower ever!

 

 

 

  There is a baby in there.....

 They way to the stunning Cathedral Gorge

 

 

Walking through the iconic Domes

 

 

The downside of taking dogs into National Parks is that you have to pick them up to get them up ladders....



Cathedral Gorge....camera doesn't do it any justice



We drove through the night for another hour or so, feeling totally refreshed from our shower to get to Echidna Chasm. Surprised not to see any wildlife at all, but then when you spot a couple of cattle it all makes sense. Very poorly maintained National Park, as it was only "declared" National Park in 2003, before that it was all cattle station.

We wanted to be here for sunrise so to be able to walk the girlies before the other tourists arrived. After waking up at 4:30am we watched the sunrise at Osmand Lookout, looking over the aptly named Osmand ranges



The trek into Echidna Chasm was lovely, and through a riverbed. There were these lovely orange walls and palm trees everywhere.

 

It got quite confined it some spaces...

After Nick had hauled Sahara up a few ladders we made it to the absolute end of the chasm. This would be a very nice way to spend the day as it would be cool.

 

Notice the boulder over our heads, this was actually on top of where the ladder was to climb to the final bit. There were warning signs up saying not to stand under boulders for too long, its kind of hard when you have to climb a steep ladder.



On the way out we stopped and did this quick bushwalk where it had signs up for all the local bush foods and medicines and the traditional uses.



We had an uneventful trip back out, and managed to get out before the heat of the day and camped last night at Spring creek, which was an awesome shaded spot. We had it all to ourselves and nearly a dozen cows, then all the other travelers started rocking up through the day and by 6pm there were quite a few. We had a very rude older grey nomad couple who started there Generator at 5pm, watched movies, with the volume up so loud (probably deaf) and with the Generator on until 11pm. Then started it up at 7am the next morning! aggh!

So anyways we moved on and got into Halls Creek. Its a nice little town with an awesome IGA, so after a stock up and a refuel, oh yeah and we have purchased another 2 tyres. The place we got them from at the National Park, sold us their last two Hancook tyres at $325 ea, and they could only do other brand tyres for $280, and wanted to sell us a air compressor pump for $200. So after checking out the local Repco provider we got a mini compressor pump for $25 and two tyres for $230 each.

We are now about to set to head off to Wolfe Creek Crater, and the Tamani. Update this from Alice springs... Bye for now. Oh and if you don't hear from us again watch out for the wolf creek sequel.

Kununurra

To our excitement we get a tyre, (yeah another one) which helps us stop "limping" around town and catch up with Barb, who we surprise with getting in early. I also visited the markets which was just lovely, small and quaint but full of fresh fruit and veg, that I sorely missed. I also bought a really cool magnet from here with authentic Japanese whatsitsname paper. We went over to barbs and we relaxed in some air conditioning, had a shower (awesome) and made plans to catch up that night, being a Saturday, so Nick and Jim could have a "session".

Well let me tell you it was, and after a drunken phone call back to Adelaide to Dad, who was equally "festive" it was soon time to hit the sack. I awoke the next morning to find Nick in a somewhat shabby state. Jim although not sleeping on the floor was not in tip top condition either. Felt good to be a sober Sam and watch these two try to get on with their day.

We spent a few nights free camping at Kellys Knob (weird name hey) and watching the amazing sun rise over the ranges we thought this would be a tricky pace to maintain if we get some work.

Cool tree growing out of a rock at Kellys Knob


Sunrise over Kununurra, with the ranges in the background, they surround the whole town, very pretty...


Delta, Delta, Delta... Nick was really worried about her bum, and that made me worry too, so we looked up the vet who weren't open on the weekend we called at 8 when they opened and were in at 830. Well impacted anal glands was the cause, not a bite like we thought. So after what seemed a painful squeeze by the vet, and a quick talk about what med's we had in our "case" to give her we were on our way for a $80 bill , then soon as we knew it were booked back in for the next day, for another squeeze and at only $40 we were happier. I was a tad grossed out as I got to learn how to preform the squeeze on Sahara, but all in all this would save us money, so we endeavored to do our own squeezing and go back if required. I'm writing this now over two weeks later, and after a few home grown squeeze's and she is happy as Larry, its all back to normal down there, though sometimes I think Delta feels a phantom fly and goes to nip it away when in reality there is nothing there. Its a face only a mother could love....
 


After conceding and booking into a caravan park, Nick was keen to find work. With some help from Barb with all the "local" knowledge, and a visit to the Job shop, as well as some friendly chats to locals Nick had found a Job in no time. He is doing Tractor work, 6am- 5:30/6 pm, 6 days a week, in a nice, old, air conditioned tractor, with lovely views of the ranges. (the poor old tractor isn't coping to well with the heat, and has chucked a few hissy fits and broken down too, so its not all peaches and cream) Although boring and long he has got some money rolling in and seems to enjoy working with the nice mob of people that are out there.

The backpackers from the park are all envious and say they would do anything to drive the tractor, and not pick. I drop him off and pick him up, which also means starting my days around 5am and  packing up the snail, then coasting down the road 6 Km to drop him off and then setting it back up here. Which involves opening every damn window as it gets so HOT, by 8:30AM its almost unbearable in the van, and packing everything up (Nick has put up an amazing shelter to keep the sun at bay) Then doing the same process if I want to drive to the shops/ Doctors etc , come back set up/ pack up and go pick him up. I Tell you at the end of nearly two weeks i'm an expert at this now.

This is a stunning sunset, over a mango plantation, my favorite kind, note all the cloud's in the sky. (They keep the moisture in and make it real humid) On my way to pick up Nick from work.


This is our site, with the shelter and the view of the lovely ranges behind us..


So you may ask what do I do with myself for nearly 12 hours each day. After cleaning like a crazy obsessive person for the first few days, I have slowed that routine... let me tell you. I try and relax, but that's hard with this heat, I busy myself by hand wash all our clothes and linen, try to escape from my daily headaches in non-air-conditioned 40 odd degree heat, with the bonus of high humidity, walk the dogs, prep dinner, read, listen to music, go to the shops; for fresh food supplies like bread as kit doesn't keep up here, as well as many other things I have at least 5 showers daily. Did I mention that this caravan park is full of mango and banana trees, so yes in my daily walks, I visit the local "tropical free fruit shop" and harvest my own mangos and bananas.... mmmm.

The best investment, Ipod and speaker dock
 
These are just some of my free mangos...

 

 

I have picked more to come on the next part of our journey with us...

 

 .........can you blame me....

 

 The mango's are massive, and ripen over time, check 'em out next to a normal size avocado....

 

Tonight we snatch a whole stem of bananas too... (hehe) This is the "marked" stem, i've had my eye's on it 

Oh yeah I also am a wildlife friend, this one came to visit inside..



The park we are staying at is called Hidden Valley. It is a nice enough park and one of the cheaper in town at $13 pp unpowered per night. Nick asked for a "my wife is pregnant discount" and got a week at a one person rate! Awesome, the baby is saving us money, that won't last for long... im sure. Its full of long tern backpackers, from all over the world out here picking and harvesting. It has a nice swimming pool and 2 well equipped camp kitchen's as well as many loo blocks. Its been designed well, and has very large old mango trees and ferns all through the "older" part of the part, giving it a real tropical feel. Its also pet friendly, which is kind of rare up here, and we find it funny that the park backs onto the national park, which isn't pet friendly, we see lots of people, and do ourselves, walking their dogs thru it.

 

 

 

 

We "moved" in here on the Monday, the day before they had had a big bush fire and the whole back part of were the unpowered sites/national park unfenced boarder has been burnt. So it stunk like smoke for the first few days we were here, and then we got used to it, and by now its kind of gone.

We do wake up through the night to Delta alerting us that there are Kangaroo's everywhere. It makes sense, all the grass is burnt in the National park ,and its so lush and green in here. there are some real big ones too, we check each night the dogs are on a lead, the last thing we need is another vet bill.

This is the fire damage, its within 15m from where we have parked


Would you believe a toilet block is in here



This is what is in front of us, we look over this lovely "dome" range , its kellys knob, and the loo block is to the right, with some banana palms growing around them, to the left of the garden is the camp kitchen


This is Mr Brown, on my way to the loo I nearly stepped on him, so all thoughts of relief forgotten I ran off got the camera and torch and snapped this shot.



With lovely chirping from the parrots in the tree during the day, to the big ibis birds walking around through the park, the snakes and roo's, the lizards who say hi, to the frogs singing in the loos at night, to these beautiful Bower birds, with creative nests in the NP behind us, to the bats who we fall asleep listening to, this park is full of nature, and for that its pretty special.
 

We went for a day trip to Wyndham, glad we went to see it, but wouldn't go again. The most spectacular, well actually the only thing I would say that would be worthwhile to check out, was the 5 rivers lookout.

Simply stunning...

Of course we had to stop at the big crocodile



So anyways after a long  hot drive back, I actually felt quite sick and had to come back for a cool shower and a lie down.

Have had a 20 wk scan and a checkup done while we were up here, I feel well and truly pregnant now, I tell you... look at that little person. So cute I know, I think that's nicks nose and my chin....

I also turned 30 up here, Thanks Nick for waking up at 4am to cook me pancakes. Thank you Barb and Jim for throwing me a party, and cooking a lovely meal. Thanks mum I got to open up a parcel that had been sent up full of cards from family back home which was also very special. I booked in for a pedicure with some birthday money sent up Uncle Rob and had an enjoyable experience, but I don't think I would do it again.

Particularly up here, its thongs weather, red dirt country + pedicure = what was I thinking??? Wish I took an after shot, IN the shop because as soon as I walked out side.... enough said.

I took the girlies to valentines falls recommended to me by the lovely foot lady above, and we spent the afternoon here.

 

Nick and I visited the car "boneyard" again to get some more parts, we may also go once more before we leave just in case. Nick has done lots of work on the car while we have been up here, fixing the steering arms, suspension and replacing our spare tyres, has kept him very busy. This Boneyard has saved us lots of Money, that's for sure!

We also had this fella with a young pup stay next to us for a week or so, the puppy became good friends with our girls, even Delta (?) When I would get home from dropping Nick to work it would run alongside the snail and wait for me and the girls at the drivers side door. I miss the puppy.

 

 

 

This is Nicks New best friend, the Header which he has to clean after every crop, before they move onto another. The stop cross-contamination.

 

Our time is nearing its end at Kununurra and we have a goodbye dinner with Barbs and Jim tonight, where I will aim to take my camera out of my bag, stop yarning on and take some pictures of us all, to add in here. We have had a great time up here, its been amazing having someone we can connect with after being on the road for so long.

Sequence was played (lets not mention who won), Barb cooked some amazing dinners, and drinks were drunk. Barb also came to my rescue when I had a hormonal breakdown. Local advice was given, Love and hugs, and supplies passed on, couldn't ask for more. Was like a home away from home, they make lovely substitutes. We will miss you both!

Then we have a appointment with the midwife again and another scan then we set off, we'll be home soon.