Mount Isa, Qld to Mataranka, N.T.
TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
Left Mt Isa and headed for Cammoweal just before the border between Queensland and Northern Territory. Whilst trying to find out what there was to see there I found out that it was not permitted to transport fruit and veges across the border. We had apples, bananas and mandarins, plus a fridge full of salad stuff. I knew that there were strict quarantine areas down south, but as there had been nothing on the border between NSW and Queensland I wasn’t expecting restrictions here. Anyway, we stuffed fruit from Cammoweal to the border (nowt to see in Cammoweal) and had a big salad lunch right on the border. I couldn’t eat all mine so I just wrapped the plate in a plastic bag and stuck it in the fridge. We crossed the border – no quarantine station. We then approached A along the Barkly Highway. There, by a carpark and rest area, were two policeymen waving us to stop!!! “Good afternoon, sir. Would you mind blowing into this breathaliser?” “Certainly” says Jeff. And of course it shows up green – inspite of yesterday evening’s little drinkeypoos. “Could I see your Driving Licence, sir?” “Certainly” says Jeff, and starts leafing through the cards in his card holder apologising because he can’t find it straightaway. “That’s OK, Jeff” says the copper, who had been watching the cards as Jeff was searching. He eventually finds it and hands it over, completely flummoxed as to how the cop knew his name. “Ah, we’re very observant” says the cop with a grin. I reckon he was routinely checking to make sure that all the cards carried the same name. We then asked about the fruit and veg regulations. “Oh that’s OK it really only applies to boxed fruit and veg, not the odd bits that the like of us would have in our campers!!!! Dhuh – why couldn’t they have said that in the book.
So we merrily went on our way and I amused meself trying to photograph roadtrains as they came towards us. Some were actually successful. Loads more termite mounds, some really big ‘uns.
Arrived at the Barkly Homestead Roadhouse and who should come strolling across but Tony, from our stay at Kynuna. So we had dinner with them and spent a very pleasant evening in their company. We were talking about guidebooks and the different ways they presented information about places, and Heather asked me if we would like a book that they didn’t find particularly useful but perhaps we would. It’s ‘Around Australia – The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Trip’ and it’s PERFECT. Talk about one man’s meat being another man’s poison!! It’s just right – telling us what is to be seen along each of the hundreds of different highways around Oz. Heather said that we could post it back when we’d finished out trip, or just keep it.
WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER
Left Barkly Roadhouse at 8:30 after refuelling. A few miles along the road Jeff saw a flock of budgies – I had me nose buried in our new book looking for stuff to see, so I missed ‘em.
We reached the end of the Barkly Highway and turned right towards Darwin. Jeff decided to refuel and pulled in to the Three Ways Filling Station. Sitting there were Heather and Tony. They had waited (well the dogs needed a pee break) to say goodbye, as they were now heading south towards Alice Springs, while we were going north to Darwin and Kakadu.
Overnight at Dunmarra Wayside Inn and Caravan Park. When we pulled in to a shady spot a guy whose motorhome was already there said something about no privacy – I just took it that he meant that the pitches were a bit small, but Jeff reckoned that he was being snotty – so we just turned Betty round so that we didn’t impinge on his privacy – what a pair of miseries. He was actually taking up half of a 4-space pitch – we was good little bunnies and only took up our rightful space. The majority of people we have met on sites have been so nice, but obviously you do get the odd ones you can do without!
THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER
Left Dunmarra at 7:39am. Called in at the Daley Waters pub about an hour up the road – oh we wished we’d stayed at the nearby caravan park – it looked a lot of fun. Had damper toast for a mid-morning snack – yum.
Booked in at the Mataranka Homestead Caravan Park and then had a swim in the ‘Thermal’ pool. Lovely and refreshing – a short walk through trees covered in roosting fruit bats – no, we didn’t get bombed, the walkway was covered. Met a great couple, Marcia and Derek and had dinner with them in the restaurant. There was a lady who obviously worked there who walked through with a baby roo (or wallaby) and I asked if I could have a look. She said that she would be back in a while and I could see it then. About half an hour later she walked by and plonked the baby in my lap and said “look after it for me for a minute”. Oh boy – it was the cutest little thing you ever did see – rather skinny but very curious. After about 15 minutes a young lad who had also been sitting in the bar/restaurant came over, reclaimed it and said that it was time for the baby’s feed and sat back at his table and fed it with a bottle. He said that it was a road-kill orphan and they had only had it for 3 or 4 days. I hope the little one makes it.