Goodbye Darwin, hello Tenant Creek!
Today was a big day, driving out to Kakadu National Park, Jabiru, then south for 1,206 kms. Unfortunately we couldn’t do any off road exploring in Kakadu, as all of the tracks we wanted to see were closed due to the recent flooding.
So we drove through the park and headed back for the highway to Mataranka where the thermal springs are located. It was obvious that there had been a lot of water through this area, as the springs were surrounded by leaves and other plant debris that had obviously washed in.
After being almost eaten alive by mozzies, we jumped back in the car headed for the Daly Waters Pub. What a gorgeous little place to visit, filled with many personal items left behind by thousands of travellers. Business cards lined the bar and the walls, along with too many bras to count hanging over the bar! Outside there is a display of thongs with messages from their former owners, and walls of number plates.
Basically, if you can find a spot to place something, you will be given the staple gun and off you go! It was hard to find a vacant spot for my business card, which now sits on the door frame as you walk through the front door. I’m told that this place is pumping when the wet season is over, and is a favourite spot for travellers to pull into on their journey up or down the Northern Territory. It’s certainly not hard to see why!
After a quick coffee, we hit the road again and drove straight through to Tenant Creek. In the morning, we will make the short trip north to the three ways, then start heading east towards Longreach. Having already travelled this stretch of road on the way up, we hope to make good time tomorrow and re-enter beautiful Queensland once again.
I’m itching to get back home now and assemble all of the information gathered in this recce, so I can start planning the route for the next Rattler Run in my 88 year old Ford Model A! That’s when the real fun begins!
