The journey continues.

Queens Birthday Holiday    -    Alice Springs

 
View Larger Map

09 Jun 08 Day 9.
Today was the Queen's Birthday Public Holiday so the town shops were mostly closed.  We rested during the morning. We had to go into town to buy some bread and rolls for the trip tomorrow. Coles and Woollies are always guaranteed to be open every day of the year except Xmas and Good Friday. We tried a new coffee place where the old Qantas shop used to be.  It's called the QC restaraunt. (Qantas Club!!) In the afternoon we went with Mell, Leanne and Sherry to the Cinema to watch the girly flick, 'Sex in the City'.  It was interesting to listen to the groans and  giggles from the women in the theatre when the sexy scenes came on.  I of course, remained calm and had a proper demeaner!!! After we said our farewells to Mell and the other girls as we were leaving next morning when they would be at work.

In the evening we went to Joyce's at home for dinner and a chin wag about the granddaughter,Danielle,Son in Law Tim and Karen.  We got home about 10pm and went to bed and crashed out dead tired, full of good food and wine.

Dinner by starlight in the NT.

Alice Springs to Devil's Marbles

10Jun 08  Day 10.
We packed up and we're away by 9:30am.  Filled up with LPG at the Truck Stop Shell on the edge of town , then headed to Aileron for a morning coffee stop and a look at the new 'Anmatjere Man' statue overlooking the roadhouse.  Welcome to Anmatjere Country and the Tropics.  About 35 kms north of Alice Springs is the 'Tropic of Capricorn', that line of Latitude that determines whether you are in the tropics or not and of course subject to warmer weather.  We filled up again at Ti Tree Roadhouse with LPG, at $1.23 per ltr.   Will it never stop going up!! And I thought Marla was outrageous.....
Onward to the Devil's Marbles Conservation Park where we arrived about 4pm.  The camp area was packed with vans and tents but we managed to sneak in between two vans and set up for the night. When we got here I noticed that the water tank was reading empty.  I had filled it Alice Springs before we left so it looks like we have a leak in the water tank. I topped it up with the spare water from the emergency jerry can on the rear bumper.  At sunset we took photos and then had a moonlight dinner under the stars.  After wash up we read a bit, stripped the bed of the blanket and doona and packed them away.  We won't be needing them again until we move south. Places like these fill up with vanners now that the price of fuel has gone up.  Trying to save a penny by not going into a Caravan Park.  Cost is $3.30 per person for 24hrs. There are drop toilets located in the camp, no power and water. That beats $25-$30 per night in a caravan park. The main thing is that you have 12v lighting and gas for cooking and the fridge.

Fuel Prices:
Alice Springs
LPG=$0.85.4
ULP=$1.69.9
Diesel=$1.90.9

Ti Tree Roadhouse
LPG=$1.02
ULP=$1.23
Diesel=$2.23

Alice Springs to Devils Marbles

At the Tropic of Capricorn.

Tropic of Capricorn marker  on Stuart Highway.

Anmatjere Man stands guard  over Aileron Roadhouse.

Devil's Marbles to Tennant Creek

11 June 08  Day 11.
We were on the road by 8am beating all the others who were still waking up.  We drove to Tennant Creek and filled up with LPG again ($1.02).  The price of fuel has really gone up this last week. I then topped the water tank up again and we drove to Three Ways for a coffee break.  When I came back from the roadhouse I noticed a puddle under the van and when I checked it I saw that it was leaking from the drain plug.  The silicone sealant had broken away.  We decided that we would have to drive back to Tennant Creek (25kms) and buy some sealant and washer for the plug.  By the time we arrived the water tank was nearly empty so we booked into the caravan park for the night and I did a repair job.  This worked out well for us because today is Wednesday, (Origin night) so we can watch it on the TV.  Now we have to wait for the sealant to dry and harden before putting the water in the tank.  We did some more resting and reading in the afternoon.

Fuel Prices:
Tennant Creek
LPG=$1.02.5
ULP=$1.79.9
Diesel=$1.99.9

The camp ground at  Devil's Marbles NT.

Some of the rock formations at Devil's Marbles.

Sunset in the NT.

12 Jun 08 Day 12.

Tennant Creek to Dunmarra

We managed to leave Tennant Creek for the second try by 8:30am.  We had watched the Origin match between NSW and QLD last night on the big screen behind the camp kitchen as someone had set up a tv projection on his awning so that we could all watch the game together.  Qld won of course, 30-0.  Hahaha!  We headed for Attack Creek rest area for our coffee break.  Attack Creek is famous for when Mr MacDonnell Stuart met up with the aborigines and they had a fight with some deaths occuring on both sides. A historical monument marks the spot.   Now the only thing that attacks you are the flies. After, we continued on to Renner Springs for more fuel and another break. You do that a lot when on trips such as ours, drive a little and then rest!  About lunch time we arrived at the Newcastle Waters rest area and we were surprised that the place was all ready filled up with overnighters.  We drove into Newcastle Waters township for a look around because it is now a ghost town  with no services at all.  We couldn't stay overnight here so we decided to drive on to Dunmarra for the night.  Another 70kms up the track. We arrived there about 4pm.  Dunmarra is located about 316kms south of Katherine.  This roadside stop was named after a man called Dan O'Mara whose body was never found.  The aboriginal people of the area involved in the search couldn't pronounce his name and referred to him as 'Dunmarra'. After dinner we watched a DVD as there was no TV reception.  There were lots of other vanners here too.  A bus load of camping tourists arrived in the evening and filled the park up quickly.   Three toilets & showers and a hundred people.  What fun!!

Tennant Creek to Dunmarra

Set up in Dunmarra

13 Jun 08 Day 13

Tennant Creek to Katherine, NT.

Dunmarra to Katherine
We left Dunmarra about 8:30am and drove through to Larrimah where we stopped for one of  FRAN's famous homemade pies with a couple of dozen other vanners.  Fran has set up a small Tea Room next to her house and has become famous by word of mouth through all the grey nomads that have passed through the town.  Now everybody stops and has a pie, pastie or scones and damper with coffee or tea.  It got quite hectic as she tried to serve everybody at once, but she is a good sport and managed to keep all the guys and gals under control.  A good hour was spent watching the fun. The pies weren't bad either!!, but expensive at $7 each.  We then drove on to Mataranka for a tea break. Could'nt afford the tea as well as the pies.   Afterwards, we drove on to Katherine; but first stopping to look through the Cutta Cutta caves about 20 kms out of town before proceeding to the Big 4 lower level CP.  After set up we went into town to buy some groceries, restock the beer and buy some bathers for Geraldine. Who comes up north to the hot weather without bathers and shorts?  You guessed right!!  In the evening we had Barra and Chips at the bistro next to the swimming pool.  Might even try the pool out tomorrow.