Streams in the Desert

I imagined the Northern Territory quite barren, but right through the centre is a large strip of underground limestone, and during the wet season the limestone is pourus, soaks up all the water, warms it, then releases into streams.  This has created magnificent springs of warm water dotted through the territory.   For the last week we have been staying at Mataranka Springs (home of the book 'We of the never never) - originally an overnight destination for us, but as always there is a story that has seen us stranded yet again in beauty and provision.

We planned to cross the border to NT early in the morning, with the kids in PJ's all strapped in to set off, but the car didn't start.  Thankfully it was only the battery - we hadn't switched the fridge to GAS and it drained our van battery, followed by the car battery.  Lesson learned!  We were quickly jump started by a kind stranger and in no time at all we were on our way.


It was going to be a big driving day, so for the first time since leaving home, John handed me the wheel of the car to share the driving.  Sam was a bit worried about this and asked 'mum, are you sure you have driven before'.    Photo below proves that yes I did drive, but not at the 130kph limit, I stuck to a steady 80.

We drive into Tennant Creek desperate for groceries.  After seeing the asking price of up to $9 for Tim Tams at the few and far between little grocery stores, we were eating the last rations of the cupboard with no treats.  The most we splurged on was a bottle of the cheapest wine we could find - $15, and we made it last. 

Driving through the town of Tennant Creek it was afternoon and the street was sprinkled with gorgeous little aboriginal children coming home from school.  They were just so dark and delicious I wanted to put one of them in the van and take them home with me.  Somehow I am sure that is not the done thing.   I had been warned that there was a rough side to the town, but the people in the supermarket were as friendly as they come. 

We decided to stay at a caravan park here the night because our battery was still flat in the van and needed to be plugged into a powered site for charging.  

We sat outside after the kids were tucked into bed to enjoy the amazing canopy of stars in the outback (you can see the deep swirl of the milky way so clearly).  We were serenaded by the sound of drunken fighting in the street and soon went inside.

It is also here that we discover our gas ignition switch on our caravan fridge, which had caused a minor problem earlier in the day had actually broken.  The means it need to be plugged into electricity. Now so glad for the flat battery on the car and van in the morning which had forced us into a powered site that night.  We would have been in a spot of bother if we were bush camping with no gas power for my fridge full of fresh groceries. 

There was no one in Tennant Creek to fix our fridge, the only repairer was in Darwin, so we decided to head quickly there.   Because we still needed electricity to run our fridge we stop at Mataranka Homestead for a powered site on the way.  .... plus hot showers, flushing toilets and running water -  luxury.

We find it hard to figure out what day it is, let alone what time of year - and the campers next door advise us that it is coming into the long weekend and Darwin is booked out.  So we need to stay "plugged" in at Mataranka or another 5 days before heading in.  

But as God's grace prevails once again we discover we have stayed at one of the hottest places for live music in Central NT, and they have two vacancies for a muso while we are there.  The money earnt pays for all the powered accomodation we need while we wait for our fridge to be fixed, and enough spare cash to relax and enjoy Darwin.   We have experienced a new meaning to 'springs in the desert' (Isaiah 43).


We spend our days swimming in the Thermal Pools and the boys get really confident in the water.  Amy also demanded to have her nappy off and do a wee in the toilet, which was a wonderful milestone for us to enjoy.  Meanwhile John and Sam watched the Star Wars saga (thank you Tegan for lending us the box set).  I also secretly enjoyed watching it, but don't tell my three brothers.


Still so much of NT to see, Katherine, Litchfield National Park, Kakadu, and of course a catch up with our new friends on the road in Darwin.

The price of unleaded petrol - WOW

Rifles, Roo's and more lost shoes

Lawn Hill is a stunning Oasis in the Dessert, a short walk through barren scrub reveals gorge walls opening into a blue lagoon with twin waterfalls and palm trees. 

We spend the day there, and while it is truly beautiful, the lagoon is steep drop into deep water and not really a safe place for toddlers to play.  John takes a kayack down the gorge, past the crocs (the fresh water variety).    At the other end of the gorge you could hire a tyre tube for a gold coin donaton to the royal flying doctors.  So John did that with the kids while I took a short paddle with Amy in the kayak.  Amy quickly fell asleep which tilted the kayak, and I began to freak out about crocodiles, so my trip was short lived. 

We camp nearby on the river at Gregory Downs – lots of fun to be had there, and a great spot for the kids.  Some shallow river areas, and other deeper spots with a rope swing.  I try a rope swing plunge into the water for the first time ever, being a little giddy of heights it was a brave feat.   Tony also set up a flying fox which the boys loved.  Josh insisted on flying from the greatest height possible.  Down the river there was a fast flowing current, and John decides to take his Kayaks over the rapids and was tipped over.  The Kayak was saved, but he returned to report he lost a shoe.  I really was happy about this, because although we have lost many shoes since leaving home, John had these shoes for about 10 years and they really were the ugliest flop flops ever made.  I had secretly hoped these shoes would disappear for years.  Now he can catch up with the times and get some cheap imitation crocs – the ugly shoes of tomorrow.

John and Tony go hunting and bring back a roo, which was marinated and slow roasted in the camp oven coals.   One of the best meals I have had, with gravy, campfire potatoes topped with bacon and cheese, and roasted corn.  Now I look at Kangaroos with a new perspective – road kill may just make a lovely dinner.  Thanks to Tony the camp fires were amazing, he would drag back what appeared to be entire trees tied to the back of his 4WD and carve them up with a chainsaw.  Wish I’d stocked up on more marshmallows, but I did get the chance to cook brownies and scones over coals which I had really been looking forward too.

Hanging out with our friends gave us the chance to enjoy so many opportunities and adventures which we are very grateful for.  John and I were even brave enough to shoot a 270 riffle.  I wonder whether we have much to offer these lovely people in exchange, feeling very urban and out of place in the outback, but loving the experience.

Leaving Gregory Downs we say farewell to our wonderful friends they are headed on brave roads we dare not travel.  In saying that we find out that there is a shortcut unsealed road that will cut 400kms off our journey, and having heard it just got ‘graded’ we brave the road.  It was a great trip, and we arrived at our next camp spot – a billabong in Camoweal – covered in red dust which had snuck it’s way into every open crack.

 

Tomorrow we cross the boarder to NT - a new frontiere.

(will have my hand on a camera soon, so should be lots more pics to come)

The perfect set up

Out here in the slow hum of Outback QLD time is finally loosing it’s hold.  Road houses, road trains, and road kill, linking tiny towns that seem like lands caught in time.   John is also having a break from music business stuff so we aren’t running to the next town to meet a gig deadline.   

 

We are crossing the Savannah way and In the past week we have enjoyed legendary coffee in Mareeba, fed the rock wallabies at granite gorge, taken a ride on a steam train at Ravenshoe, paddled in the thermal springs in Innot, driven across amazing sunscorched landsapes, and caught king salmon in the gulf of Carpentaria.

But the greatest joy of our last week has been meeting a wonderful family from Newcastle, who are travelling OZ….

After being charged like a wounded bull at the mechanic in Mossman to fix our van wheels, we headed inland.  By the time we arrived at our next destination late in the evening the wheels on the Caravan were overheating again, and the smell of burning rubber lingered around our tyre.  We were totally crushed, thinking maybe we had melted our electric brakes again – money was dwindling and there was not much left for another costly mechanics bill.  It was late on Saturday night, at a free campspot in the middle of nowhere, the only hope we had was to stay put until Monday and find our selves another mechanic.  In the mean time we prayed together. 

Of course as Gods faithfulness would have it, we woke up the next morning and there was another family camped nearby, Josh wanted to play with their little girl, so I took him over for an introduction.  We soon discovered that Tony, Deb were from Newcastle like us and travelling Australia with their two children.  Tony is a licensed mechanic and graciously spent the morning with John under the caravan helping fix our wheels, teaching John what to do as he went.  If this wasn’t enough of a miracle, they also go to Victory Church and have the same heart for God as we do.   They say they are headed in the same direction as us and we enjoy a great day together in Ravenshoe with the kids on the steam train.

The next morning we look out the window at 7am, and find their camper trailer GONE!  We heard nothing, and they were gone without a trace, and I thought to myself they were too good to be true, maybe they were angels.  But then we found they had left their mobile phone number on our caravan step, and angels don’t usually have mobiles.

We followed them onto Karumba, which is a small fishing town in the Gulf of Carpenteria.  Supposedly one of the best fishing spots in the country.  John told me there wouldn’t be much there, but we could watch the sunset over the ocean, and he wanted to ‘throw a line in’.   (John has no idea how to cast out a rod or bait a hook so that was going to be interesting).

I think people only come to Karumba to fish.  You can’t swim or stay on the beach because of the crocodiles, and almost everyone at the caravan park we stayed at has a boat to go out on the water with expectations of a big catch. 

Of course because God is great in all his ways, we arrive at the campsite in Karumba, and are designated a place right beside our new friends.   They are there with their boat, and Tony is the son of a Fisherman, so he takes John out and teaches him to fish.  They come back with delicious fresh salmon.   A big trip highlight for John. 

The kids were totally delighted to have friends to play with, and we enjoyed the company of great people.  As we get to know each other we find out that Deb and John went to uni together in Lismore.  Deb like me also does the accounts for her church.  Tony is like Bear grylls and has so many talents fit for an outback adventure.  Only God could position such a perfect set up. 

We are both headed for Gregory Downs before going in opposite directions, and we look forward to hanging out together there for a few more days.