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| OUR BIG TRIP MARY & OLI GOING AROUND AUSTRALIA |
ALICE SPRINGS - KATHERINE - Page 3
21 July 2007, Saturday
After the 4 trailer Road Train we headed straight for Daly Waters and the famous and eccentric pub they have in this little
village. Not much more than the Pub and lots of Oldies again - sorry I am not trying to offend older people, but this is their
travel season and they are using it. Obviously, we booked in for the famous Beef 'n Barra Dinner at the pub. Most of the
people during the afternoon were watching TV and seeing the Wallabies loosing the Bledisloe and Tri Nation Cup against the
All Blacks. After that, the wait for the Dinner was overcome with a few beers and the entertainment started at about 6.30 pm.
Frank the Crank with his "Wedgetail Eagle" show and his own songs and some of Johnny Cash. The guy was really funny
and the Wedgetail Eagles were actually Chooks. Some more pictures the next day from inside the pub. Good place to stay,
even if it is a little bit too touristic and pretty sure has lost some of its origin already.
22 July 2007, Sunday
Today we wanted to reach Katherine Gorge NP with a stop at the Mataranka Hot Springs. The main reason again was to see
how they have changed since my last visit 16.5 years ago. At the time, we camped just outside of Three Ways or Tennant
Creek and woke up something like 1 am in the night because mossies had entered our car and we just drove off towards
Katherine during the night. We came across the Mataranka Hot Springs sometime in the morning around 6 or 7 am and
thought that this was not a bad opportunity to have a shower and bath at the same time in the springs. It was fantastic
besides the thousands of flying foxes and the associated smell. This time, the Hot Springs have changed to a reasonable
sized Resort and no Flying Foxes, I think this is mainly due to the season we are in at the moment. The springs are still quite
similar and it was not as full as we expected. I had a swim and after a little walk we headed off towards Katherine. Being early
has one being advantage in this touristy part of our travel, you still get a powered site and it is not that full at the campsites.
One more story from the drive up here, we stopped for breaky/brunch at Larrimah and had scones and tea at Fran's. Very
expensive at $23 for both, but she is an Outback Original and lots of fun. Stay here for Dinner and you get Camel and Buffalo
sausages in a 3 course meal. Stop and try one of her homemade items - great place but a little expensive, well at least she
tells you that you should go to a Roadhouse if you want cheap stuff.
21 July 2007, Saturday
After the 4 trailer Road Train we headed straight for Daly Waters and the famous and eccentric pub they have in this little
village. Not much more than the Pub and lots of Oldies again - sorry I am not trying to offend older people, but this is their
travel season and they are using it. Obviously, we booked in for the famous Beef 'n Barra Dinner at the pub. Most of the
people during the afternoon were watching TV and seeing the Wallabies loosing the Bledisloe and Tri Nation Cup against the
All Blacks. After that, the wait for the Dinner was overcome with a few beers and the entertainment started at about 6.30 pm.
Frank the Crank with his "Wedgetail Eagle" show and his own songs and some of Johnny Cash. The guy was really funny
and the Wedgetail Eagles were actually Chooks. Some more pictures the next day from inside the pub. Good place to stay,
even if it is a little bit too touristic and pretty sure has lost some of its origin already.
22 July 2007, Sunday
Today we wanted to reach Katherine Gorge NP with a stop at the Mataranka Hot Springs. The main reason again was to see
how they have changed since my last visit 16.5 years ago. At the time, we camped just outside of Three Ways or Tennant
Creek and woke up something like 1 am in the night because mossies had entered our car and we just drove off towards
Katherine during the night. We came across the Mataranka Hot Springs sometime in the morning around 6 or 7 am and
thought that this was not a bad opportunity to have a shower and bath at the same time in the springs. It was fantastic
besides the thousands of flying foxes and the associated smell. This time, the Hot Springs have changed to a reasonable
sized Resort and no Flying Foxes, I think this is mainly due to the season we are in at the moment. The springs are still quite
similar and it was not as full as we expected. I had a swim and after a little walk we headed off towards Katherine. Being early
has one being advantage in this touristy part of our travel, you still get a powered site and it is not that full at the campsites.
One more story from the drive up here, we stopped for breaky/brunch at Larrimah and had scones and tea at Fran's. Very
expensive at $23 for both, but she is an Outback Original and lots of fun. Stay here for Dinner and you get Camel and Buffalo
sausages in a 3 course meal. Stop and try one of her homemade items - great place but a little expensive, well at least she
tells you that you should go to a Roadhouse if you want cheap stuff.
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Daily Waters Pub with its famous Beef 'n Barra Dinner
BBQ.
BBQ.
Most remote traffic light in Oz - not
sure about that, but if they claim it.
Mainly for the chooks to cross the
road.
sure about that, but if they claim it.
Mainly for the chooks to cross the
road.
Frank the Crank and his Oooomedoodle Birds and
Wedgetail Eagles. Obviously both of them are Chooks.
Wedgetail Eagles. Obviously both of them are Chooks.
The inside of the pub is mainly decorated with pictures
of people and personal items, like bras. See the Berlin
flag in the upper right ! I tell you Germans everywhere!
of people and personal items, like bras. See the Berlin
flag in the upper right ! I tell you Germans everywhere!
Like I said, a little bit too overdone for me, but you have to at least drop in once when on the Stuart Hwy. Now we have
been in most of the main Outback pubs, except the Pink Roadhouse and Mt Dare. I guess that will be reserved for the next
time... whenever that might be.
been in most of the main Outback pubs, except the Pink Roadhouse and Mt Dare. I guess that will be reserved for the next
time... whenever that might be.
The springs are 34 deg C warm and nice to swim in. Just a little small for the season, I guess it fills up in the afternoon.
Bitter Springs a few kilometers from Mataranka is better, but I wanted to see this place again.
Bitter Springs a few kilometers from Mataranka is better, but I wanted to see this place again.
Nice palms again, we are finally in the tropics and the weather is really warm.
This is the devastation
from one of the earlier
Cyclones coming over
the area - George
dropped 30 inches of
rain in the area and we
guessed that was the
result below the
palms. They have not
yet cleaned up and the
top of the palms also
did not look very
healthy.
This Mantis was on the
tree next to the hot
springs
from one of the earlier
Cyclones coming over
the area - George
dropped 30 inches of
rain in the area and we
guessed that was the
result below the
palms. They have not
yet cleaned up and the
top of the palms also
did not look very
healthy.
This Mantis was on the
tree next to the hot
springs