May 2023 – great life – retired got nothing on

It is just a short jaunt down the Barkly Highway to the place where most people stop to take that sort after photo “I crossed into the Northern Territory”. We became part of that group too. There was no line of demarcation; just a simple sign with the NT logo and the words “Welcome to the Northern Territory”. The stickers that previous photo chasers have also included in their photos, are a bonus.

As we are away from the bouncy Queensland roads now, we can motor along without all the crockery and saucepans doing a dance while we travel. Yes, more open space with no trees above grass height still. I couldn’t work out how the demarkation between the two states were made decades ago; no sign of a river or border police until we further down the highway a bit when up popped a couple of border police at a roadhouse; we kept low because we haven’t obtained entry visas to the Northern Territory for our holiday.

At the Barkly Homestead, we topped up with fuel to get us to three-ways where highways meet heading north, south and east. This homestead has had a bad run this last summer when a fire gutted it and the floods swamped it. The rebuilding job is looking good with the best facilities and souvenirs we’ve seen this trip. Worth a visit when you get around to it.

We came across a rest stop that looked like it had grass around. After venturing in towards a large water mass, we found a spot to free camp for the night. Frewena Rest area proved to be satisfactory and, unbeknown to us, the guy next to us is an ex Army signals specialist and had a Starlink attached to his caravan. He knew “everything” about it and we’ve been convinced to purchase the hardware. Apparently, a new aerial is now being shipped designed to sit on top of caravans and motorhomes. Once fitted, Lyn should have almost perfect internet to do her travel agency work anywhere we are, even while moving. Back to the location; the drone had a workout again.

At three ways, we topped up with the dearest fuel so far on this trip. And, and we had reception for a half hour to receive emails and travel requests to be sorted at the next roadhouse that has internet reception. The pub in the roadhouse at Elliott had a wide range of hats “nailed” to the ceiling as a sound acoustics shield (perhaps). It was set up ready for the next band to rattle the walls. Rick Ferret, now there’s a great place for a gig on the road.

The experience of staying at Banka Banka Tourist Camp is worth it, just to see how these places work. Tourists only drop in for a night’s stay and then off in the morning heading either north to Darwin or south towards Tennant Creek. We met up with a couple we had met at our nieces wedding about 25 years ago. (We must look pretty young – they recognised us.) Once the caravans have vacated their sites, the owners turn on the water sprinklers to try and get the grass soft and “like home” before the next occupants arrive within a few hours. We had a hold up in the morning trying to get the Suzuki transmission set properly for free wheeling behind the motor home. Eventually set off north again.

The next night, we thought of staying at a WW2 airstrip free camp. As we turned into a red dusty driveway, we saw a heavy looking gate ahead, and decided to walk to the gate to check it out. “No, we won’t stay there.” Our decision made, but we had to reverse out the motor home with car in tow. When you reverse, the wheels of the Suzuki turn suddenly and you have to drive forward to correct the steering and then try reversing again. (Yes, we thought of the idea of having Lyn hop in the Suzuki and steer – someone had to guide me back onto the highway). Finally, we were on our way again with the sun starting to set. We made it to another free highway spot at Warlock Rest area some 40km south of Mataranka. The noise of road trains all through the night interrupted our sleep regularly.

On just another 70 km once we woke, to Bitter Springs. Originally, the plan was for two nights but our stay has been extended to four nights. Close by the caravan park are some hot springs which no one seems to know where they start and to where the water ends up. However, tourists passing through the town often use the springs for a “freshen up” mid-journey. Things can get busy with this popular spot.

Our stay was a great rest and rejuvenating time. Amazingly, after the first swim in the springs, my balance problem has been helped tremendously. The walking poles still come out at night but I feel more confident in the daytime without them. We made the one kilometre trek 8 times with three of them around 8am in the morning. You MUST stay if ever you travel through the area.

As we were setting up on our arrival, a couple were walking past our site. The woman called out “Lyn Mitchell”. After a “who’s this” look from Lyn, she realised it was Carolyn from her boarding school days – another proof moment that we haven’t aged, too much. Together with husband Peter, they were doing the lap sort of, well across to Perth, up to Darwin and down the center and home to the Lake Macquarie region. They left the day after as the 1st Sate of Origin game, had to be seen on the big screen at the campground before their departure.

Anyone else know this escaped student from Avondale?

Not long after Carolyn and Peter departed, Sue and John arrived. We hadn’t seen them for 30 years since they were in Warburton. You just can’t keep anything silent in the NT outback and we still look trim, taut and terrific.

Our site at Bitter Springs is a stopover point for a chat with those heading to the amenities block.

It’s not a long way on to Katherine; just an easy hour and a bit. The civilisation turned us off intersection lights and “watch out for other drivers coming from the left and right” rules. It seemed the woollies supermarket knows how to charge for added transportation costs with commodity prices reaching a maximum. The biggest shop we’ve had for a long time.

To further test the new lithium battery, we chose to be safe at a GDay caravan park but not use their power or water. The battery went down to 62% and has come back to 94% while heading north to Darwin.

The tourist information office in Katherine convinced us to do a 2 hour cruise in the Katherine Gorge at 9:00am in the morning. We must have some “drawing power” from the heavens as blue skies and sunshine turned up for the length of the journey. The guide and pilot of the flat bottomed boat, did a great job, without any notes, quoting millions of years at every moment he thought we needed convincing of the span of time. It seemed he was around the place back then. The rock painters had a great time too, mixing clay and stone and excretions from leaves to create interesting wall story paintings of yesteryear.

The highway north from Katherine was showing us more what civilization provides in the Territory; with small portions having divided carriage ways. We have arrived at our site which we will use as a base to visit touristy regions and souvenir shops with a strong local flavour during the next month or two. Stay tuned for more “boring” blogs from me. Oh yes, there have been a few comments that basically say that the last blog was a “great read”. I’m not sure who the translator was but thanks anyway.

Since our September 2022 return to base in the Yarra Valley of Victoria, a lot of maintenance and renovations of our home have kept us busy. We decided to update the inside of the family home of 33 years. Every room has a new coat of paint to last another 30 years. Before then, “the box” will have arrived and taken us to our “final resting place”.

The kitchen and bathrooms have been stripped back to empty space, and replaced with all new modern fittings and cabinetry. It’s like a new home. Relearning where things are and where to find them has been an education.

When we left for this trip at the end of April, furniture and clothes were left stacked in piles in their wrong rooms to allow Gary Sprinkler room to complete the wall paint. Let me tell you who Gary “Sprinkler” is. When we re-turfed the lawn in 2021, Gary’s wife offered her husband to install an automatic irrigation system to allow us to water the garden and lawns automatically if it had not rained. We had trouble remembering his name so called him Gary Sprinkler. His name comes up on our phone as “Gary Sprinkler calling”.

Our departure for 2023 came along the day after we originally planned and that was fine; it just meant that we would miss out on a couple of nights stay at Crescent Head near Kempsey NSW. After the winding road towards Benalla, the Hume is a comfort to travel along. At Jugiong is a donation camp just off the highway. We arrived in time to have soup with Chris and Marilyn who had been camped there for a few weeks – I think.

It was at Jugion that we realized that it was time to upgrade to lithium batteries. Our gel batteries were purchased last year and we thought they had failed us. We had to start the motor home motor to put some charge in the house batteries to bring the Slideout in before we could travel further. So an appointment was made with trusty James to have that done two weeks later on the Gold Coast.

Most years, we attend a Grey Nomads Convention at Stuart’s Point. This lasts ten nights and has about 450 attendees; many of them are friends from way back and from various work places over the years. Always a good time bringing back memories. Lyn had been asked to speak at one meeting about her favourite destinations around the world.

After Stuart’s Point, we headed through Coffs Harbour and to Grafton where our daughter lives. They have recently purchased a hybrid caravan and we were able to spend a weekend at a hidden camp called Secret Lake Retreat. All sites are unpowered so our batteries were really “tested”. We had to use the generator during part of the nights to keep the fridge doing it’s job with no food spoiled.

On up towards the Gold Coast where we stayed at Kirra Beach. For Mother’s Day dinner, we enjoyed a Thai meal near the beach. Meeting up with old friends is always good and a couple from Broadbeach managed to be allowed out on parole. Sorry Max and Jenelle. A little after they left for home, it rained, and rained, and rained. In 12 hours, we had 120mm. Packing up to travel further north while it’s raining is no joy at all.

First stop was to get the replacement lithium battery. It was found that the real problem was that the DC2DC charger had ‘retired’ without an approved request. The charger converts solar power into 12v to store appropriately in the battery. Now we are able to “free camp” without running out of power during the night.

From the Gold Coast, we made our way up towards and past Toowoomba and through Dalby to Chinchilla. The country camping ground was a good clean, no rush, camp ground, to do some washing and get to know a few fellow travelers.

On our way to Morven, we stopped at the Bakearoma at Roma. Their beesting is even better than the ones from Beechworth Bakery on a good day; they had drizzled toffee over the top – mmmmm. Marven accommodation was at a donation park at the sports ground; the lithium batteries doing well overnight; a sign of good things for the future.

If you want a bouncy ride, take the road north to Longreach. You’ll have the best milk shake if you had milk for breakfast. The scenery? Barren with hardly any above grass vegetation. The little towns along the way came up each 80km with Tambo the cutest. Barcaldine; fuel up and turn left to Longreach for another 100km.

Longreach caravan park is very large with extensive development of even more sites. It was quite noticeable that campers only stay here three nights to enable visits to both the Qantas Museum and the Stockman’s Hall of fame. We have rarely flown first class but we did here. The first class tickets gave us a tour of 3 early aircraft Qantas used as well as a tour through the 747-200 City of Bunbury. Our first class choice enabled us to a more detailed tour of the 747 with an opportunity to sit in the pilots seat as well as a walk out onto the wing; safety harnesses and closed footwear were a necessity.

If there’s one criticism of the stockman’s hall of fame, it would be, the show needs to become a show, that incorporates a story involving more people and intrigue; one stockman on few different horses is a bit lacking. All is good in the static museum with a “tour in your own time” headset with voice and ditties along the way.

We would return to what seemed a busy and progressive business center. Longreach is a “must stay for a few nights” kind of town.

The distances are vast out here. You pass many entrances to farms but strain to see the farm buildings in the distance; many unable to be seen. Can you imagine the request, “can you go out and get the mail”, and the kid takes a 2 hour trip to the mail box on the highway.

The rest stop turned out to be a great location to put the drone up for a scenic flight. Wow! The color was so much “Australian outback tonings”, I had trouble in my mind to switch to “breakfast is ready” mode. I’m happy that the drone gives such a different approach to landscape movies and photos.

Through Winton, the road is straight for kilometers with little towns popping up at around each 80 to 120 kilometers. We came to a country pub called The Blue Heeler at Kynuna and decided to enjoy a lemon squash while watching the road trains roar past. Behind the pub were 20 or so sites for travelers at $15 a night. We stayed the night and managed to get going by 8:30 for a bit more driving before having breakfast at a rest stop – I said rest stop, not restaurant!

Further up the highway, and the vastness of this typical outback vista, we came across another outback pub. We were too early for opening time but it brought back the vivid memories of that iconic Australian movie “Crocodile Dundee”; the old car from the movie sits outside waiting for photographers to enjoy with the pub in the background. Just a tiny town with a police station that had 7 satellite dishes on the roof – I kid you not.

Our destination for today was Mt Isa. After filling the fuel tank with more diesel at Cloncurry, and driving towards Mt Isa, we had hoped we could tour the now closed uranium mine made famous when the Australian Government was prepared to sell the uranium to overseas energy companies but refused to build clean energy power stations in its “own backyard”. What a saving that would be now in non-renewable materials being used rather than solar panels and wind turbines!

We had an offer to stay at a property in Mt Isa for the weekend but when we drove past, there wasn’t enough room to fit our vehicles, so we drove further west to Camooweal, just 12 km from the Northern Territory border, to a billabong that proved very popular with like-minded Grey Nomads.