Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu)
24 July 2016
Soft colourful sunrise greeted us this morning across the paddock. It is still striking on how much green is out this way, even in paddocks that have quite a few cattle in them. Just love the single gum trees that dot the landscape, they really break up the flat scrub look that is so common here.
Sunrise across farm paddock near Alice Springs
Early start today as we continued our travels north. Not a great deal to report as we travelled along, until we finally stopped at Devils Marbles about lunch time. Here there is free internet, which is pretty cool as there is no phone service. Waited until dusk before venturing out to take some photos. Camped locally.
Devils Marbles
Devils Marble snapped in half
Devils Marbles at Dusk
Devils Marbles at Dusk
Devils Marbles at Dusk
4WDAUS at Devils Marbles connected into free WIFI
25 July 2016
Woke early this morning and made our way back to the Devils Marbles and the free internet. It was about lunch time we started the trip north again. Camped in a secluded area.
26 July 2016 – 27 July 2016
Another couple days of driving. Stopped at a few of the WW2 airstrips that are dotted along the Stuart Highway. One of these was Gorrie Airstrip which is in great condition for something not utilised since mid last century.
The one big thing to happen today, 4WDAUS turned over 100,000kms and the remarkable thing was we actually saw it. That was just north of Newcastle Waters, a little ghost town with a very photogenic Brolga.
Brolga
We also visited Mataranka Springs, a place we last saw 10 years ago. Then the springs we home to many bats which was an issue for anyone camped here. Mataranka Springs now has a different set of issues, the bats are now controlled, but you can not longer swim in many parts of the springs due to crocodiles. The one place left to swim is heavily used by tourists and you might as well swim in a public pool.
Much of Mataranka Springs in now Closed to Swimming
Rainbow Springs Mataranka
28 July 2016
Finally arrived at Katherine Gorge. The centre here looks exactly the same as it did 10 years ago. Alas the free internet (a ground breaking step 10 years ago) is gone. The heat appears to be with us as the temperature has not been below 30 degrees since leaving Yulara.