Tag Archives: Camping

Northern NT

Through The Forest Of Litchfield

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We only had a short 45 mins before finding ourselves crossing over into Litchfield National Park.  It was interesting that leading up to our arrival we hadn’t come across too many brochures of the NP but Nay had rummaged around to gather what we could.  The first small stop in the park was at the Termite Mounds.  Having seen so many grand variations of these on our journey up the Cape we were still impressed by the size Litchfield had to offer.  Even the crazy thin magnetic termite mounds were again a sight to see.

Needing to escape the arvo heat, we went looking for one of the many waterfalls ahead of us.  The tourist Parks must complete all their maintenance work just out of the dry season before the real wet season hits.  As a result, one of the two major attractions, Florence Falls, was closed but the look out was still spectacular.  Only a short 5 minute drive around the corner was endless entertainment at Buley Rockhole.  The car park was chock-a-block with tourists and we quickly discovered why.  A long series of waterfalls flowing into deep plunge pools allowed everyone to spread out and relax in their own space.  We still managed to find all the spots to take selfie bombies! 

We set up base camp at Wangi Falls (the most popular site) as the maintenance at Florence hadn’t given us many options.  We couldn’t complain as in the mornings, we had the most impressive ‘bath’ to wake us up.  Opening up from the bush, Wangi was a vast swimming hole with two cascading falls enclosed by lush vegetation.  We knew why this was popular but to our luck (until a school bus rolled up just as we left) there was never more than a handful of people swimming! 

We swam around to explore both waterfalls and found a deep little plunge pool 10m up the waterfall cliff.  A small climb gave us amazing views looking back from the falls – if only glass bottles were allowed!  We spent a lot of time floating around the base of the falls which to us, really put them into perspective, imagining what they would be like as Litchfield flooded in the wet.

One of the nights spent at Wangi Camp we enjoyed a fire with a few backpackers around the area.  The Dutch bloke that organised it explained to us how he was hitch-hiking around Australia – what an adventurous fella!

Once leaving Wangi, we backtracked a little through the park for some sightseeing.  With no access for swimmers, the Tabletop Swamp and Tolmer Falls were still great spots for lunch.  Fortunately for us we could escape from the main drag and went further south down a 4×4 track to Tjaynera (Sandy) Falls.  Along this path was the Blyth Homestead which was definitely worth visiting.  A couple of small 400mm deep river crossings (nothing like the Cape!) we came to the quaint homestead which seemed to be built for midgets as we had to duck as roof was so low!

There was a small display of old assorted tools and a ‘Family Album’ that was very well presented.  Reading through the book we learnt that the husband and wife had a total of 14 children!  The extracts through the album explained their hardships of growing up so remote and how they quickly improvised out in the bush.  One of the boys also had an entry that explained how he had a pet freshwater croc!  As it was hard to muster cattle in the wet, they also owned a Tin Mine a stones throw away to keep a steady income.  With an ore sample near the site, it was interesting how heavy a small clump of it could be!

When we arrived at the Tjaynera Falls camp ground, there was a 3.4km return walk to the swimming hole.  As soon as we left for the walk, the sun magically disappeared and it started bucketing down!  This didn’t ruin the experience but just kept us a little cooler.  The falls at the end were very rewarding with us both agreeing that it would have been one of the better spots at Litchfield.  The only downfall was that the population of march flies seemed to have quadrupled.  They were monstrous falls with sheer cliffs hugging the pools edges, Mark looked so tiny in the big picture. 

We crawled out from the 4×4 trail to enjoy a morning stroll to Tjaeteba Falls.  Litchfield was a gift that kept on giving.  Just as we rolled up a couple was leaving and we had the entire place to ourselves.  There were different levels with waterfalls of various sizes.  It started off with a small trickle through a paperback tree root system to a lower pool that flowed off to a sizeable waterfall.  In the larger pool we were shocked to see a goanna dive in the water with us!  We quickly shot out and went to another pool where he ended up following us!  He then put on a spectacular show for us as we watched him swim in the shallows chasing fish. 

The floating from waterhole to waterfall had come to its end as we took the northern road to Darwin.  We dropped into the Cascades and Walker Creek on the way out to have lunch and Nay nearly stepped on a snake while wading in the shallows!  A bit disappointed by National Parks for having no rubbish bins, we had to carry our rubbish with us for the better part of 5 days.   On the menu over this period included tuna, chicken, steaks and mouldy pumpkin.  You could imagine what the bin was smelling like!

On the way to Darwin we went to Berry Springs which was said to be a great place for swimming.  Upon arriving, the waterhole was closed because our croc mates had made a recent appearance.  Continuing along, it wasn’t long before making it to Darwin!  It is such a small capital compared to the others along the east coast.  We had planned our arrival for the Sunday arvo where we just made it to the famous Mindil Markets, the second last before they closed for the wet season.  This was a great evening watching entertainment, browsing the stalls and of course, watching the sunset as everyone gathered around – some even applauded once it slipped past the horizon!

The next days were spent around Darwin fixing up a few minor mishaps from past adventures and gathering everything together for the next two weeks.  Being budget smart, we found ourselves on the awfully cheap 1:40am red eye flight to Melbourne!  We’re going home to catch up with family and friends.  It will be interesting to see how we fare in the cold 18-20 degree max temperatures that Melbourne has to offer…

19/10/2016 – 27/10/2016

Northern NT

A Well Known Gorge And Her Relaxing Surrounds

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Having stayed just out of Mataranka, we were only a stones throw from the famous Katherine Gorge!  Once in the town of Katherine, we organised for the whooping cough vaccination as it was needed for the next big stint in our journey.  We then decided to browse through the Art + Culture Gallery in hope for some brilliant Aboriginal art.  Unfortunately there was minimal and instead, there was a series of ‘creative’ displays on.

We escaped from the heat that afternoon at Katherine Springs.  Similar to Mataranka, there were minimal people around as it was now the wet season and we were able to relax in the warm waters.  There was even a small flowing waterfall to add to the serenity.  We could have stayed there forever but instead thought it better to find camp.  Finding a cheap $10/pp camp out of town at North Bank Park, we were greeted by a very accommodating bloke and would highly recommend this hide-away in the Katherine area. 

We woke with excitement the next day to see what Katherine Gorge had in store for us.  When we came through the gates into Nitmiluk National Park, we were slightly disappointed on our arrival.  On numerous signs on the way in, we read the Gorge was closed for swimming due to the recent rainfall and increased chance of saltwater crocs.  As a result, we had to take the tough option of lounging around the pool for the arvo.

The staff at the tourist information had recommended a short 1km walk (with a couple of beers) to the Baruwei Lookout for sunset.  Listening to her advice we packed the backpack with the essentials.  By the time we arrived at the top we were buggered by the steep hill climb.  Luckily for us, the view was breathtaking and well worth it.  A group of backpackers also had the same idea and as we began chatting, we quickly discovered they had come from the W.A coast.  Many laughs were had in the exchange of stories from all of our adventures, as the sun slowly set over the Katherine River.  The full moon had also made an appearance at the same time as we returned to camp. 

Up at 5:30am to beat the heat, we decided on a walk to explore the Gorge as we couldn’t swim.  As the weather was averaging 39 degrees we wanted to be back by the pool early.  Hiking along the southern walks track we made it to two stunning lookouts, Pat’s Lookout and Jedda’s Rock.  These were outstanding views of gorges 1 & 2, only hitting the sides of a total 13!  Having some smoko at Jedda’s Rock Lookout as the sun was beating down on the river, we spotted the morning cruise returning from its adventure!

On the return trip we visited the Southern Rockhole.  This was still prohibited to swimmers due to a high risk of crocs but it was still a tranquil place to cool down and have a rest.  Back in the searing heat on the trail we couldn’t drink fast enough as the sweat dripped off our faces.  We had been 3 hrs and 43 mins, trekking for 12.2kms.  Nay even powered through the end as a gnarly blister was causing her serious grief!  Lucky we could retire to the pool and recover from the big morning.

We’ll be back to see Katherine Gorge in her entirety at full force, as we plan to return for a scenic chopper ride and experience her beauty during the wet season.

Back on the Stuart Hwy was the only way from Katherine to visit Edith Falls (Northern Nitmiluk NP) where the waterholes were open to swim!  Once again, dripping with sweat, we took the 2.6km loop to the upper falls.  It was a fantastic refreshing swim when we jumped in, trying to avoid the blistering hot rocks.  With minimal shade around we didn’t hang for long and hiked back to the lower pools.  We spent over an hour snorkelling around, swimming 150m to the waterfall and to our suprise, saw a barramundi in the shallows!  With a solid day like this, we could only reward ourselves with wood fired pizzas in the camp oven that night!

Having a rough sleep due to the heat and woken several times by an unbelievable thunderstorm, we were up at 5:00am for another walk.  It sounds crazy but we hoped for an amazing reward!  Smashing through the first 4.6kms the weariness subsided and we arrived at a brilliant private swimming hole, Sweetwater Pools.  Being so early and remote, Mark may or may not have been one with nature before the 4.6km return walk for some lunch!

After exhausting the Nitmiluk NP waterholes, we were back on the Stuart Highway.  A quick stop at Hayes Creek lead us to the Butterfly Gap, compliments of WikiCamps .  Following the directions on the app we were suprised to find hundreds of butterflies fluttering around us in the secluded ‘cave’ system.  Arriving at a free camp at Robin Falls we had our own little swimming hole.  Relaxing in the waters we were stunned when we thought a snake was only 3m away from us, luckily it was just a goanna!  Only a week prior we had learnt that the little buggers could swim!

Feasting on leftover pizza, we chatted about our next destination and what it had to offer.  We had heard numerous opinions, seen many brochures and known it was a very famous location in the northern NT.  We were thrilled to be heading to Litchfield National Park…

13/10/2016 – 19/10/2016

Northern NT

Heading Out Of The Gulf & Into The Territory!

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The next stop on the list was the old gold mining town of Croydon – not at all similar to the one in Victoria!  The information here was in abundance.  We visited the Old Chinese Temple Site in North Croydon which was Chinatown.  The Chinese excelled in mining during the gold rush of the north.  Being the racists the white settlers were, they didn’t allow the Chinese to work in a mine that was less than 3 years old!  This didn’t stop them walking 1,800kms (as other means of transport was too expensive) from Darwin and another great hike after leaving the Palmerston Gold Rush (Cape York).  Most became established bakers or fruit and vegetable growers and excelled in their trade.

Back on the main street we explored the Heritage Precinct consisting of old refurbished buildings from the mining days.  It was extremely well presented and we learnt a lot about the police station, town hall and courthouse.  A light and sound display of a trial back in 1903 was a highlight.  A lady was sentenced to 2 months jail for swearing in public, where the next case also recieved a 2 month sentence for drug trafficking – crazy times!  One last stop at the oldest store in Australia which was established in 1891 gave us an insight of how they roughed it in the bush.  Funnily enough, from the photos around the store we weren’t sure if they were taken yesterday or back in 1891.  The store still had its original shelves, benches and memorabilia.  Exhausted by the heat and history overload we retired at Normanton as we said ‘Hi’ to Krys the croc (a life size replica of the largest ever captured croc) on the way to the river.  It was hard to believe that a beast of 8.63m existed in our Age.   After marvelling for a while, we tucked ourselves into a magical spot by the river and had the camp all to ourselves!

 The next day we were slightly disappointed to be told that the Barra season had finished 2 days prior to our arrival at the fishing Mecca – Karumba!  To lighten the mood we spoilt ourselves with some fresh prawns caught that morning.  They were delicious!  That arvo Mark tried his luck in catching something decent but only managed to pull in a couple of small ones.  He was still having a blast.  

Having the sun set over the ocean at Karumba Point, only meant one thing… beers at the perfectly positioned beer garden that overlooked the ocean.  This pub really utilised it’s surroundings.  While returning to camp we were suprised to see the uncountable number of hermit crabs on our NMBWE (Nocturnal Marine Biology Wildlife Excursion).  There would of been hundreds of the little buggers, some even too big to hide back in their shells!  Shooting back out for a night fish Mark wasn’t very successful again and had his line snap from an unknown monster of the ocean.  It was still a great experience to fish under the stars while waves crashed against the shore.

Departing the following day, we sped through the hundreds of kms ahead of us.  We stopped by small points of interest along the way being Burketown (near here was Camp 119 – Burke and Will’s final camp), Doomadgee Roadhouse and Hell’s Gate Roadhouse which all had small glimpses of history .  Finding free camps wherever we could, it wasn’t long until we hit the NT border where Mark dug one last hole in QLD.

To enjoy some cool weather, we were up at 6:00am as we quickly discovered this was the coolest time of day, at 20 degrees.  It wasn’t long before 9:00am rolled around and it was already 30 degrees and rising!  Crossing through plenty of creek crossings to our next destination on the unsealed road, it was easy to see how this area could flood with rising water levels.

Just south of the small outback town of Borroloola, which back in the day was known as a ‘lawless town’ as it was so remote, we drove in to Caranbirini Reserve for the night.  Dodging the heat we were up early for the walk around The Lost City.  The city consisted of eroded sandstone formations which were made millions of years ago in shallow water, sand hardening layer upon layer.  They know this because when the rock is dissected horizontally (split) it has the same ripple effect as sand does in shallow water at the beach.  Over time water has eroded the sandstone down to create a ‘city’, where in some places it was quite a squeeze along the path.

Returning to the air-conditioned car to dodge the radiating heat, we smashed through the last 400kms to make it to Daly Waters.  This pub had character beyond belief.  It seemed anyone who wanted to could hand in a personal item to hang around the pub; their shirt, hat, undies, bra, thongs, anything!  Sadly since the dry season was over there wasn’t entertainment but we still enjoyed a date night and ate out.  


As we left Daly Waters we travelled along the historic trail that informed us this small establishment was actually the first International Airport!  Qantas flights would refuel, restock and grab a feed here before heading overseas.  This was carried out by the husband and wife at the homestead in the early 1940’s.

We were officially back on the main north-south artery in the NT.  Burning into Mataranka (home of the ‘Big Termite Mound‘) we visited the replica of the Elsey Homestead which was built for the movie based on the novel ‘We Of The Never, Never’.  Although the actual homestead has been demolished (due to roadworks) we were still able to visit the Elsey Cemetery which demonstrated the hardships they had the endure in the outback in the early 1900’s.  After the history lesson, it was time to relax in the thermal pools.  Being out of Grey Nomad season we were all alone except for the 200,000 bats that had migrated here for the months to come!  There was bat poop everywhere!

Still in the Elsey National Park we visited the Bitter Springs.  This was absolutely breathtaking.  It was the most natural 34 degree river that we’d ever seen as it had minimal impact from humans.  With a slow current we drifted in the crystal clear water along the stream until climbing out to walk back to the start.  The second time around we decided to grab our snorkels and an entirely new world appeared before us!  Sun glistening through the water lead to a picturesque sight, plus there was an added bonus of seeing at least 10 turtles!

As there were no free camps around Mataranka we decided to disappear further north as it was getting late.  We burnt away with a stunning sky displaying the colours of sunset.  We were fully refreshed after the visit to the springs as we found a perfect spot to call home that night.  Moments like this reminded us that it’s such a great feeling to be free on the open road…

08/10/2016 – 13/10/2016

Northern NT

Parting Ways To A Change Of Scenery

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Going on our own back on the road felt a little abnormal as we had spent the better part of 2 months with Stu.  Nevertheless, for the first time on our trip we went west.  Making some ground from Atherton we arrived at the Innot Hot Springs around 6pm.  After our big adventure up the Cape we quickly found that the Grey Nomad season was wrapping up and the Springs were deserted!

We quickly set up and had a feed, then retired to the warm therapeutic pools which were naturally heated from the local springs.  Each pool had a spa feature with temperatures varying from 23-25, 28 – 30, 32-24, 36-40, 41-45 degrees.  Having to try them all, we started in the cooler ones until reaching the unbearable 41-45 degrees, where we couldn’t even submerge an entire leg as it was that scolding!  We spent the following morning relaxing back in the spas until we dragged ourselves away to check out the local river and it’s springs.  To our suprise, the water here felt hotter than the warmest pool we’d just experienced!  Reading a sign we learnt that in 1991 the temperature in the river was 71 degrees with a flow of 3L/sec!

Once again the climate changed as we went from a cold Atherton to a much warmer and dry path along the Savannah Way.  Stopping at the 40 Mile Scrub National Park we stumbled into a dry rainforest.  Not knowing such a thing existed, we quickly discovered it still had all the characteristics of a standard rainforest (different levels of foilage and heavy rainfall during the wet) but during the dry most of the plants shed their leaves to save water in order to survive.

Burning through some more kilometres of straight never ending road, we made it to the eerie town of Einesly.  Going along the main drag we discovered there was a population of 15 people which included the publican and his mate who seemed to just play with remote control cars all day – what a life!  Entering the pub we checked out an award winning miniature doll house collection that his (publicans) father had crafted as a hobby.  Around the corner from the pub was Copperfield Gorge.  This was the definition of hot and dry.  Black, rugged rocks in an isolated environment surprisingly housing very welcoming water between its cliff edges.  Luckily for us we had an even better swimming hole in mind.  That evening we camped at Cobbold Gorge (100km west) where an infinity pool and cold beverages awaited us!

With not a soul around it felt a little strange to have the entire camping area to ourselves!  We booked on a tour the next day to see further into the Gorge (as it is on private property).  To our amazement, there was only 7 of us out of a possible 42.  We were taken by an interesting guide who at times seemed to be on auto pilot but still had a great repertoire of information.   The cattle property had been split between 5 siblings and the youngest son inherited the section containing the Gorge.  He didn’t come to realisation of what he owned until he was in his late 20’s during a camping trip with some mates.  The guide then introduced us to many native trees and how they were used by the Aboriginals.  Ones that spiked our interest in particular were; a tree used for soap, as well as asphyxiating fish as a hunting tool, another in which you smoulder the leaves as an insect repellent and one that if you inhale it’s fumes from a fire, you will feel like you have the flu for 2 weeks!

After a trek around the top of the Gorge we went down to a jetty where an electric motor boat (being a Nature Reserve) awaited us for a 400m cruise.  It was spectacular to go along between the narrow sandstone walls and be able to feel the smooth surfaces of where torrents of water would gush during the wet.  Our guide explained how they have the use a pulley system to remove the jetty and boats during the off season as the water level can rise 8m when the Gorge floods!  Seeing a few small fish along the way and a baby freshwater croc, we were disappointed to miss Claude (the big 3.5m croc) who was said to be patrolling under the surface.  The Gorge was a stunning slice of paradise and worth visiting even if it was just for the infinity pool with its swim up bar!  

Returning to the laborious straight highway hugged by savannah bushland, we went through the small establishment of Georgetown.  If we blinked, we would have missed it as we continued 20kms west to The Cumberland Chimney.  Being able to camp near a dam here, Nay was craving roti bread with her famous peanut sauce.  We quickly googled a recipe and before we knew it we were relaxing by a fire demolishing the home made bread.

The next morning we learnt how the gold rush around the area had a huge impact on the neighbouring small towns.  Only the Chimney remained from this township but you could see how they flourished for the 30-40 year period until the gold was depleted and the town was abandoned.  Having a suss of the birdlife at the dam we found there were free binoculars!  We honed in on all varieties of birds from far away and were amazed at what we could see – maybe we needed to buy a pair of our own. 

Back in the car, looking at the map, we had only just started our long journey along the dry Savannah Way.  We wondered what other small pockets of history we could discover…

05/10/2016 – 08/10/2016

Far North Queensland

The Finale Of The Infamous OTT…

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​The next morning at Loyalty beach, Stu discovered that he left his swag over on T.I.  He came to the conclusion that he still wanted a bed in reserve.  Moving to Seisia Caravan Park for some change in scenery, we lazed in the sun until the mechanic was open Monday.  Still being able to roll start Woody, we visited the mechanic who explained the simple problem of the starter.  Luckily for us as we retired to Punsand Bay along the corrugations, the rumbling was enough to get things going again.  Woody was back in full working order!  With slight miscommunication and the beauty of a swimming pool at Punsand Bay, the swag had no owner to pick it up at the Seisia wharf and ended up going walkabout, R.I.P swag.

Leaving the luxury of a swimming pool, we explored a couple of old plane wrecks which to our suprise, were large segments of the old bombers.  The next remote location on our list was Mutee Head.  Back south down the Cape, we slipped off onto a narrow sandy track.  Just when we thought we were heading nowhere, the vast mouth of the Jardine River was before our eyes.  Lowering the tyre pressure again, we booted off onto the incredibly soft sand until stopping on the foreshore with not a soul for kilometres.  During the sunset, we feasted on more namus and even spotted a cheeky croc before he dropped down into the depths of the ocean.

The time had come to make our way back across the mighty Jardine River.  To our luck as the power was out when we initial went over the crossing and as such, we couldn’t pay by card for our $99 ticket.  We were supposed to pay on the return trip but only after the ferry did we realise that no one had asked us and we cruised over at no charge!!
School holidays were now in full force and the roads had trails of red dust everywhere from all the cars – thankfully we were heading south!  We decided to bypass the north and head back down on the southern section of the OTT.   Resting a little way in, we camped at the insane crossing of Gunshot (infamous for its entries and exits at an 80 degree incline!)  We were able to have a swim here and watch people on the track but unfortunately missed watching someone do the incredible drop in.  When it was our turn to tackle the obstacle, we took the ‘chicken’ track which was still a feat in its own.  Stu needing MaxTrax to gain traction on the exit, Mark punched it a little harder and made it out!  We did leave a little souvenir on the novelty tree, a thong marking our ‘She’ll Be Right Tour 2016’.  

We found the southern section to be a lot tamer than the northern.  Less obstacles in between the shallow river crossings meant for an easier yet fun adventure.  Staying another night on the OTT at Birdie Creek we made most of the deep infinity pool next to the shallow crossing.  We went to town on a couple of dead trees with Stu’s axe and cranked a fire.  Big Red happily sat by and watched us party away.  Waking up in the quiet bush surrounds, we were coming close to our final challenge, Palm Creek.

Birdie Creek Boat Race Competition
After some funny attempts of Mark making bark and leaf boats, we all jumped on the bandwagon.  Stu (left), Nay (middle) and Mark (right) made for a heated competition.  Nay came out victorious and the boys boats had a sad death as they collided and sunk.

The last time we had seen Palm Creek was when we camped there on the journey north.  Back then it was a steep climb out which could of almost been impossible for us to make it through.  Slightly concerned we may of had to drive all the way back through the OTT and onto the bypass road, we still ventured to see what was in store for us.  Luckily with all the holiday goers the once steep section had been scraped out to an achievable exit.
Gathering an audience, Buzz crawled down the steep hill into the dry riverbed.  As there was a large ditch at the bottom of the exit, just as he was about to crawl out there was a loud bang!  This time the rear left box decided to sheer off!  As the crowd cringed, Nay explained to them that it was only a matter of screwing it back on.  Woody up next also took the entry with ease.  With roughly the same rear clearance, Woody punched it out of Palm Creek and  smashed his rear bumper to a 90 degree angle.  Some manipulating as we jumped on the back bent it to its original position!

The infamous OTT, both northern and southern sections, were conquered!  As we drove away back down to Coen we were excited by such an accomplishment with only minor setbacks.

Once back on the Developmental Road to Coen, Woody decided to pack it in as he struggle to go faster than 60km/hr.  With an unknown diagnosis we limped back to our oasis by the Archer River.  Stu was cursing at Woody and Mark took the time to screw the box back on Buzz.   Back on the red dusty corrugations we continued the crawl to Coen only 66km from where we camped.  2 hours later we arrived to watch the Bulldogs defeat GWS at the local pub.  Retiring to the Coen river we lounged around patiently waiting for the mechanic to help us with Woody…
19/09/2016 – 25/09/2016

Far North Queensland

A Large Accomplishment On The Bucket List!

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As Nay had just finished preparing dinner there were the torches of two complete strangers appearing only meters away from camp.  The figures of two Italian tourists came out of the shadows and through broken english, explained they were stuck 2kms away on the 5 Beaches loop.  Being 7:00pm with dinner ready, we explained it was best to help them in the morning and that they should have stayed with their car.  Disgruntled by our response they went back to spend the night in their rooftop tent awaiting our rescue in the morning.

As we woke with the sunrise, our Italian friends were at our doorstep bang on 7:00am!  Stunned at why they were there they insisted we helped them immediately (circumstance still being the same as last night).  Explaining we would be there within an hour they strolled off and requested the help of another camper without notice.  After a quick pack up we followed their trail to find the other camper pulling the bloody tourists out.  Scratching his head, the fellow Aussie camper wandered why he was called upon when we were already teed up.  Regardless, he helped the tourists and the three of us even earnt $20 for our troubles!  Dreams can come true!

From the Croc Tent’s recommendation we continued along the 5 beaches track with its breathtaking views.  Being so early, we had it all to ourselves.  With an untouched sand canvas, we could not resist doing doughnuts while the ocean sat at low tide.  It felt unbelievably remote as the only tracks in the sand we came across was that of a few wild pigs.  Deciding to have a bit of fun Stu shot up a soft sand dune with Woody but couldn’t continue along the track as we hadn’t dropped our tyre pressure.  Mark’s turn with Buzz, lead to him becoming seriously bogged at the top of the dune.  Another quick recovery lesson with Stu and the cavilary was called in to snatch him out.  

Once our couple of nights at Somerset were up, we were back in the trucks and aiming for Pajinka (The Tip).  Excitement kicked in as it was still so unreal to put our current position on the map in perspective.  Pulling up in the carpark we still had a 700m walk before our final destination!  Sounding a short distance, this took quite a toll on us since we had completed minimal walks over the last month or so.

As the edge was nearing the signposted goal was visible and only steps away!  Just as a family left we had our time at the top of Australia!!  We’d made it!  We spent a while here taking silly selfies and carving ‘Buzz and Woody 2016’ on some nearby rocks.  Mark even took the liberty to take a wizz off the top of Australia!  Once our cameras were full of wacky and zany images (a couple half decent) we made the slow climb back down to Buzz & Woody.

After achieving such a great accomplishment, we checked out the deminishing old Pajinka Lodge.  It was a rundown Aboriginal owned lodge at ‘The Tip’ which ended up not being very successful and shutdown around 2010.  Reminding us of a scene from horror movies, the desolate, left for dead buildings gave a slight chill down the spine.

Being cheap petrol Thursdays (saving 10c/L!) we filled up at Bamaga.  With savings in our pocket, we went exploring to see if the Loyalty Beach Campground lived up to its magical reputation.  We couldn’t argue with the reviews.  Great bushcamping with no designated camp spots, we pulled up along the coast with a perfect view of the sunset!  We could finally have a proper shower to scrub off the grime that had been accumulating since Cairns.  With this added bonus, we wandered down to the beachfront bar for an icy cold stubby.  It was a stunning sight to watch the sunset over the ocean with the silhouette of the Torres Strait Islands.

In the days prior, we had swung by the small town of Seisia and checked out the wharf to where our next destination lay.  Researching the timetable at Peddels, we booked in for the 8:00 ferry to take us to Thursday Island.  Here we were to meet some of Mark’s extended family.  We were to have one hell of an adventure…

​01/09/2016 – 03/09/2016

Far North Queensland

The Final Run To The Top!

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Back in the mind set of 4WDing we coasted through the shallow Canal Creek where we had been camping to continue along the OTT.  The track from here increased its difficulty with a few serious climbs and ruts to dodge.  We had to cruise at a slow speed majority of the way as there was always a new obstacle around the corner.  During a moment of bush brain, Woody head downhill on a crazy angle.  As Nay was recording, she thankfully gave Mark a heads up and he took the smooth path.

Making it to Sam’s Creek, there was a major cliff we climbed down before entering the dogleg in the water.  It was always fun to watch Mark climb out with style as he put a little more throttle into it and occasionally managed to have a wheel in the air!  After Sam’s Creek, there was another deep river crossing.  This time throwing a tarp over him Woody powered through with no hesitation.  Following close behind, Buzz shot through with excitement as water once again, lapped over the bonnet.

Still burning through after a couple of hours we were unscathed by the northern OTT.  This changed quickly as we found Woody planted into a tree.  Stu had been distracted by the CB and didn’t turn, smashing his bullbar!  Making it to the famous Nolan’s Brook there was a sigh of relief after discovering there was only knee deep water.  Finding out from campers,  the previous year this crossing was above the windscreen of cars and claimed the lives of 63 vehicles.  Taking a steep entry we slid down the muddy bank and dropped in.  With Buzz sliding against his box toward the end and Woody’s snorkel swollowing up some dirt, these was minor inconveniences.

Watching another convoy come through on a different entry, we quickly made friends with this group of blokes.  Getting back on the red wine as all of our beers were gone, we had another fire cranking.  As we had music pumping we went to another camp to recruit people to join us.  Big Red held the fort as we ventured out.  After stopping at the first camp we ended up staying there talking about the cape and 4WDs.  We still managed to have a seriously big night and may of crawled into bed at 1:30ish.

After waking up, jumping straight into a river and smashing a coffee, we were back in the game (Nay was struggling a little more).  As we left the last crossing of the northern OTT we had fully accomplished all challenges of this section!  Half of the OTT…ticked off the list.  Before we knew it the Jardine River Ferry was before us.  Stinging us for a massive $99 to cross, you can quickly tell by the picture why it was such a rip off!  

We only did a small grocery shop at Bamaga, as prices shot through the roof with packets of chips reaching $6.50 and a case of beer being $82!  Somehow we were lucky enough that petrol was down to $1.67.  We continued North aiming to reach Somerset, a recommendation of our friends at Nolan’s Brook.  Passing the Croc Tent (general tourist info on The Cape) we stopped in and had a quick chat.

Making it to our destination we had a very lazy arvo as we were still recovering from the previous night.  Mark even retired to the tent to watch a movie!  A relaxing night and early to bed fixed everyone up for the next days activities.  

As a lot happened around the area of Somerset and our free camp in the bush, the more immediate activities included going on walking trails and learning the history in the area.  Waiting for low tide to creep up, we scrambled over the rocks with Nay and Stu wearing shoes for the first time since Cairns!  We marveled at the Aboriginal Art that had been carefully painted with Ochre, hundreds of years ago in a cave.  On the return trip, we ducked into the sandy bush to look at graves of explorers that were barely legible, the oldest being in the early 1900’s.  Exploring the other end of the beach took us through mangroves where an overgrown abandoned windmill and well could be found. These had been decades since functioning last.

Choosing to spend a couple of nights by this coastal camp with its blissful surrounds, we had a few more adventures to go on while we were here.  Although in the back of everyones mind we knew The Tip of Australia was just around the corner…

​29/08/2016 – 01/09/2016

Far North Queensland

A Final Beach Bypass Before The Next Epic Saga

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Waking up in our dust bowl of a camp site at Palm Creek, we waved goodbye to the start of the southern section of the OTT.  We dropped back to Bramwell to get stung at the bowser for $2.05 for diesel (least it wasn’t as bad as $2.20 at Archer!)  Bypassing the southern section meant visiting a remote destination on the east coast, Captain Billy’s Landing.  This was a long draining 45 min drive with continuous large speed humps every 100m.  It was a sigh of relief when the road opened up and we’d made it to the lookout of our greatest beach camps ever!

We drove straight past the official camp ground, down a cliff and onto the beach.  Technically we weren’t allowed to camp past the designated area but when hide tide came in, we were all alone!  Being lazy at first lead to Buzz quickly becoming stuck in the soft sand.  Taking the time to deflate the tyres to 16 psi we were cruising.  Doing laps of the beach with no one around was freeing.  Nay went for a burn as well loving every minute!  Stopping under some palms we had some lunch before finding a more permanent camp.  Disappearing into the dunes under some trees, we dropped into 2WD to bog our rear tyres to level out.

We spent the afternoon using the bait we caught at Brown’s Creek to try our luck at fishing.  With no success it was still enjoyable to throw a line in.  We’d heard the fish ‘didn’t like’ Captain Billy’s Landing and we’re sticking with that excuse.  Even though we set up the gazebo for some shade on the beach, Stu still managed to find the sun while the radio was nicely protected!

Being so remote, a fire on the foreshore was a necessity.  Kicking around the flames telling stories as the sun disappeared over the horizon, it wasn’t long until the stars came out.  There were some great skies in the NT and we’d have to say this was right up there, absolutely stunning!  Discovering plenty of small crabs along the beach another NMBWE was in order.  This time after a few beverages, we ran rampage and chased after these little guys.  Trying to catch them only lead to them nipping us.  Relentless in our unknown goal, Mark even dropped his torch in the ocean to not let one escape.  Finally grabbing the crab the torch then failed to work – a little drying out and it was back in business!

Departing this coastal paradise, we made way toward the northern section of the OTT.  Arriving at Fruitbat Falls was the beginning of this adventurous 4WD track.  Spending a couple of hours here, it was fantastic to cool off in the freshwater as we couldn’t swim at the croc infested ocean.

Before setting up camp for the night, we had one final river crossing to achieve, Scrubby Creek.  We knew we were in for a challenge as the people before us had water lapping over their bonnets.  With Woody leading the charge, the engine died about three quarters of the way, with water filling the car at a rapid pace.  After a fair amount of cursing, we were lucky to have the blokes in front of us unhitch their trailer and pull him out!  Watching water drip from his car and later Stu explained ‘My thongs were floating around my knees!’ showed how much water entered the beast.  The same blokes that helped him explained tarping the front of his car and using WD40 on the spark plugs will stop this problem on future crossings.  A gift of VB cans as a thanks left our saviours with cheers as they departed.

After what had happened, Mark was becoming very nervous as he was next with Buzz.  With Nay’s head out the window there were frequent updates relayed to Mark and at one point the water was an inch from the window as we slipped into old ruts.  Keeping momentum and a bow wave in front, Buzz kept powering through to the other side!  

Finally making it to camp we set up next to Canal Creek.  As it was a great spot, we spent a couple of nights here and went for a day trip to Elliot, Twin Falls and The Saucepan.  These were amazing waterholes that could be walked to from the main carpark.  Swimming up the main waterway at Elliot, we had torrents of water smashing on us, giving a great massage.  At The Saucepan we did countless bombies in the ridiculously deep river.

Back at Canal Creek as night came, we all went on another Nocturnal Marine Biology Wildlife Expedition (NMBWE).  This time discovering dozens of smalls yabbies and bucket loads of cane toads!  Helping the Australian Wildlife, the cane toads did’t last too long with the shovel we had in tow.  On our woodfire trip that evening we had goosebumps after peeling back some bark from a big log to discover a couple of scorpions!  Back around the fire, Mark pulled a chisel out and carved a face and shredded rig in the log of Big Red, he was now a real boy!

After our two nights here, we continued through the infamous OTT.  Hearing cars have been towed out in previous years on the final crossing at Nolan’s Brook, gave us anticipation of what was to come!  Our goal to conquer this track would then lead us to the Jardine River where just on the other side, was the tip of Australia…

25/08/2016 – 29/08/2016

Far North Queensland

A Bypass Through An Untouched National Park

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Straight back onto the bumpy corrugated road we slowly became immune to the rattle of the car.  As long as we kept up our momentum, it lessened the pain.  It was almost like being in another country compared to Cairns, blue skies were out and the weather was a constant 31 degrees every day!

First stop off after Isabella was the historic site of Old Laura Station.  The remains of this old homestead were very much in tact.  Being able to freely walk through the grounds and buildings at no cost was something unusual for us since the east coast!  Taking photos of the blacksmith and stable yards in the winter, it was unimaginable of how tough it must of been in summer when Old Laura was flourishing.  Especially as it is so remote!

Arriving at Lakefield National Park we detoured past a lagoon blanketed in lilies.  Hearing this site had a residential croc, Mark was quick to spot it and we all had a perve on this impressive beast with Stu’s $6 binoculars.  Our first choice of a camp site that evening was at Kalpower Crossing.  After we were wrecked by the National Park booking system at the Ranger Base, we went for our second favourite spot at Hann River.  This was still an unbelievable spot to crank out a fire and relax.

Throughout this northern section of Australia there were copious amounts of termite mounds, majority built by Magnetic Termites.  These fascinating creatures build their enormous homes in a North to South direction.   After leaving Hann River we drove through the Nifold Plains.  Found here was a ridiculous amount of these mounds.  Hundreds upon hundreds in all directions.  A fine drop of our cask red on the car roofracks while watching a sunset behind these silhouettes would have been incredible.

One last stop in Lakefield for lunch at Sweetwater Creek, we were truly lucky to have great scenery surrounding us.  Unfortunately, upon departure a freak accident occured when a stick flung up under Buzz’s side step, smashing into the underside of the car.  With a bit of panel beating we were lucky enough to push it back into place!

Burning out of the National Park, we quickly found ourselves at Coen (Stu had been chanting “Co-en the saints!” theme song everytime this town was brought up).  After a short pit stop to restock on fuel and groceries we ducked beside a small river only 5km north of the township.  Having the 4WD luxury, we drove through the river and set up on the sandy banks.  By doing this, we were away from everyone else with our own private freshwater swimming hole.

Relocating to another river camp further along our corrugated nightmare of a road, we arrived at Archer.  WikiCamps pulled through with the goods again and lead us down a serious 4WD trail.  After hitting a pretty ordinary camp down one path, we decided to venture down the other where we lucked out and hit an amazing, beautiful oasis.  Another sandy waterhole that was even better than the one at Coen!

Pulling the hammock out for the first time we tied it to some trees over the river and had a great relaxing afternoon.  We even tried catching some small bait fish with a net but didn’t have much luck. Grabbing some firewood and using some red gum previously collected from our last spot, Stu got some coals cranking for dinner.  Putting on a delicious mouth watering chicken stew cooked in the camp oven, we were living the dream.  

In these past days, we made the most of our freshwater swims to clean ourselves up and escape the blistering heat.  As a change of scenery was on the itinerary, we were about to embark on an exploration that was to take us to a saltwater croc haven…

20/08/2016 – 23/08/2016

Coastal Queensland

 The Drier Outlook On A Grand Tableland

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Visiting Atherton, it was understandable why the tableland was named after such a town.  For a rather remote area Atherton was large but still held the features of a quaint country town.  Staying the night opposite the pub of Kiera we continued our free camping.  The next day had a few points of interest in store including an apparent impressive tree (not knowing how amazing this could actually be!)

We were awe struck at the sight of this ancient tree.  It just appeared so unreal as it towered over us as we strolled around the board walk with an upward stare.  Having seen nothing like it before we were keen to read the information boards.  Quickly discovering this fig had been a tiny seed dropped on a branch of its host tree, it slowly took charge from here.  Over many years it patiently grew and dropped roots to the ground for extra nourishment.  Once a substantial size the host tree had become a mere skeleton and gave way.  The Curtain Fig was strong enough to support itself by this stage and the host slowly decayed into the ground. 

Departing from the Curtain Fig we stopped to pay our respect at Yungaburra Avenue of Honour, a tribute for people who had passed away in the wars against terror over the last decade.

The next point of interest along the stretch was Lake Barrine.  Formed over thousands of years due to eruptions from a now dorment volcano, it is now home to a variety of wildlife and a quaint but well situated Tea House.  We smashed out another rainforest walk of 5km around the lake and in doing so stumbled upon some more Great Kauri Trees.  How enormous they were standing strong around the lake (compared to their chopped up cousins at Milla Milla).  We decided to treat ourselves with a well earnt devonshire tea once we had returned to the Tea House which had a magical view of the lake in all its glory.

Still fairly shocked at how fairytale-like a tree could possibly grow, we were excited to take a path to another impressive Fig.  With its devine and towering appearance, it was easy to see how it obtained its name as the Cathedral Fig.  A similar growing story to that of the Curtain Fig, the host of this particular tree withstood the parasite a little longer so it towers high instead of draping along a line.  Back toward the car we reminisced over how these marvels belonged in the movie, Fern Gully.

Being in the northern section of the Atherton Tablelands we found a great spot at School Point Campground, one of many around Lake Tinaroo.  As the skies still tried to rain on our parade, we took the liberty to have a tin or two overlooking the lake.  Unfortunately, we struggled to get a fire going as the wood was saturated from the previous few days of rain.  Once a fire was finally established, we were quick to use the heat to dry our dripping clothes as much as possible.

As we emerged from the tent the sun was cranking!  We made our way down to the lake side and sat in the sun eating our breakfast.  It was so peaceful with the sun glistening on the water and the birds resting on the bank.  Occasionally the odd fish would jump out in front of us too! The vast quantity of sights to see around this area seemed like we had only touched the sides with many hidden tracks darting off the main drag.  On our itinerary for the day was a visit to The Chimneys (two grand chimneys remaining from an old homestead), the Mobo Creek Crater (not an actual crater but created by erosion from cooled lava tubes thousands of years ago) and Lake Euramoo (formed by two volcanoes around 23,000 years ago).  

This road then lead us to Goldsborough.  Only a 30 minute trip off the main track, it was well worth it.  Having to book our camp before entering we claimed site #12 and upon arrivial discovered it was a non drive-in site.  With a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude (not wanting an hour return trip to find reception), we slipped into site #2.  An early retirement to the tent lead us to hiding away at 8:30pm as 4 cars were astonished to see someone set up in their camp (it was us)!  We cheekily watched from the tent as they undoubtably cursed and disappeared to sites #6-7. Bloody booking system!

Through our journey in the Atherton Tablelands, we found a variety of places to suit everyones camping desires.  Even though we were washed out in the southern section it was still a fantastic area to explore.  We hadn’t even seen the coastal side yet!  Having to adhere to our time schedule we thought we’d save the region for a future adventure as our sights were set on Cairns.  We had more visitors arriving who were escaping the cold winter freeze of Melbourne…