Darwin 2.

Still in Darwin until tomorrow morning. We have been sight seeing, to Gunn Point, the Museum and the Royal Darwin show amongst other things. Next we are off to the Coburg Peninsular, so it could be a while before our next blog.

                               The view from the Darwin Museum coffee shop.

                                                   Steve at Gunn Point.

                                                           Gunn point.

                        Steve at the creek (Gunn Point) looking for Crocodiles!!!

                    Here's the crocodile, not in the Creek, but at the Darwin show.

This Brahman Bull is worth $300,000.00 and a straw of sperm is worth $9000!!!

                              The Canadian Chain saw show was really good!!

                             This guy climbed up & down the pole in 8 seconds!!

                                                 Log rolling, very funny.

                           Horse polo cross, is a very rough sport, great to watch.

                                                     Horse Polo Cross.

                                           Steve's new Ute. (He wishes)!!!

Darwin & IRB National's.

We had 4 days at the IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat’s) Nationals, the racing was superb and so fast, the level and speed was amazing. Steve was Official in boat, he also got to do  RWC and driver to take the tea bags out. I was an excellent spectator and photographer. The four days went so quick, the Northern Territories did an excellent job! The after party was brilliant, so well organised, It was great to catch up with Rick, Alan, Simon and other’s from SA. It was great to see the Gove Club and Mindel Beach competing in race’s they had never done before. Well done to all the clubs involved. The teams had the blessing of The Buddhist Monks, they also had welcome to the Land from the Aboriginals & good luck from the Chinese.

                                                             Good luck Dragons from the Chinese.

                                                                            And they are off!!!

                                                                           The IRB'S are away.

                                                                             Can Turn.

                                                                                   The after Party.

                                                       Steve all relaxed before the start of competition.

                                            Lot's of activity on the water.

                                                                          A race in progress.

                              Steve coming in on the Jet Ski to pick Patients up.

                               Steve taking patient's (tea bags) out to the can's.

Since the IRB’S we have been to the Darwin Museum, which was excellent. We also caught up with Jeff & Jordi, whom we worked with at Thevenard Island, it was great to see them on their travel’s again and enjoying themselves.

                    Left to right. Jordi, Jeff, Steve & I in the Irish pub Darwin.

Darwin 1.

Next to Darwin, Oh we know we are meant to be heading East, however Inflatable Rescue Boats(IRB) Surf life Saving are on in a few days and we are only 300klm away, so we may as well see them and support the SA team, whilst we are here!!
We have been out to Dundee Beach for a day, this is pretty and definitely geared up for fishing. Steve got his Didgeridoo that he is going to make from out here. We also went to Mandorah pub, Wiggit Beach, Cullen Bay & Marina and looked at the remains of a B-24 bomber.

Me on Dundee Beach.

 

                                                      Dundee Beach.

                                                      Dundee beach.

                           Me looking out to Darwin Harbor.(Mandorah Pub).

                                                       Wiggit Beach.

                                              Part's of the B-24 Bomber.

                                      Steve making a start on his Didgeridoo.

My brother John in Canada, who has just become a fireman, SOooooo Happy for him!

                                                Steve at Cullen Bay.

                                                   Cullen Bay Marina.

                                                      Cullen Bay.

                                                      Me at Cullen Bay.

 People walking round the can's at National IRB'S (That's Darwin Tide's for you).

                                                       IRB National's.

                             Steve was Official in Boat Thursday for Inter states.

  Mindel Beach (NT) during the opening ceremony. This is the first time NT have ever had a National's Surf life Saving Competition.

                    Brighton, whoops I mean the SA team, lining up to be blessed!!

                             Steve coming back in after a hard day officiating.

 

Mt Bundey Station.

Mt Bundey station, a lovely bush setting, with bamboo growing all around us. Crocodile's in the Billabong's, Peacock's, Turkey's, Cattle, miniature ponies and working stock horses. My kind of place. On arrival I booked us straight on to a hack for the next day!!!! We had a lovely ride out and my horse was called Turbo and had only been broken for 6 month's, so he was a bit lively, which was great for me!!! Steve's horse was called Ben and he was eager to please and also lively, so we both had a great ride!!!
Mt Bundey is a 900 acre's and is a working cattle station, they also catch & break wild brumbie's & sell Buffalo.  I really liked it here and wanted to stay longer :(

                                      Steve's horse is the large brown one!!!!

                                                 My ride for the day!!!!!!

                                             Turbo and I.(such a good ride).

                                                      Turbo and I.

                                                        Steve & Ben.

                                   Turbo & I trying to overtake Steve & Ben.

                                          Steve & Ben near the Airstrip.

                                                  Steve grooming Ben.

Arnhem Land 4 & Edith Falls.

We had Territory’s Day, which means everybody can buy fireworks!! What a spectacular night, we were still camped on Rainbow cliffs and could see fireworks all over the Gove peninsular; it was sooooo pretty & of course we had the bush TV to watch as well. 

It was with great sadness that we left Nhulunbuy behind and headed out to Maccassan Beach for 2 nights, which is about 6oklm from Nhulunbuy & also over looks Cape Arnhem Peninsular. It was windy here, very pretty and no other campers came in. We walked along the beaches & rocks, and we even found a nice safe rock pool to have a bath in!!

                                                                         Maccassan Beach

                                                           Our campsite Maccassan Beach.

                                                        Me in a rock hole- Maccassan Beach.

                                                                          Masscassan Beach.

                                                                              Sooooooo Pretty!

                                                      Water bra on ready to go !! (No not my bra)!!!




 

We travelled further down the track and came a cross some local Aboriginal’s, that had broken down the day before (Shared his wheel studs), he had been in to town and brought replacement and was trying to fix it, he was trying hard, but not quite getting there, anyhow, we stopped for about an hour or so and Steve with his experienced bush mechanics, soon had them back on the road!! The guy’s name was Darren and he was very grateful and we were disgusted than no one else stopped to offer to help!!! Let’s hope they don’t break down and need assistance!! The Aboriginal’s up here are very different from the one’s we see in the cities, and up here you feel the white do gooder’s do rip them off.

 

  

              The water had dropped about 2ft in 2 weeks and we didn't need the water bra.

 

 

We found a bush camp which was stunning, still in the lush green forest’s and the nearest settlement was 150klm away. We pulled of the road at 2pm and no other vehicle’s past by on the road after this time. During the night I woke up and it was dead silent-fantastic, even the insects were silent…..amazing!! The satellite’s & shooting stars were also amazing out here.

Further down the track and we had the Goyder River crossing, as well as several creek crossings. As it was deep on the way up the track, we decided to use the water bra, and guess what…… the river had dropped a lot after just over 2 weeks. The track  was in a sorry state due to excessive use from the ‘sorry business’ and the school holidays. On our journey we saw many Buffalo, one we must have startled and he was trying to do a runner and Steve was trying to wind him up!! We saw some in a water hole. We saw Emu’s, a lot of bird life of all colours, cattle & 64 horses. We stopped at Bullon store and it was so sad, these Aboriginal’s were disgusting and it spoiled our rose coloured vision we had of the Gove Peninsular. The next servo we stopped at, they were telling us of a white man that had wrapped his 4 wd round a tree, just a couple of days earlier. Also we meant a family that had rolled their camper trailer (it was a right off) they said they had faulty suspension and it wasn’t anything to do with the driving!!

 

                                     Magnetic termite mound- North to South.

 

                                      Me and a Magnetic Termite mound.

 

                                       Emu Springs - Aboriginal Settlement.  

 

                                       Steve in a lovely hall- Emu Springs.

 

                                           A Buffalo making a run for it!!!

 

                                     Buffalo staying cool in the Billabong.

 

                                                              Buffalo.

 

                                                 Termite Farmer!!!

 

We had a big clean up in Katherine, before moving on to Edith Falls (which last year on our trip was not cleared of crocs, so we couldn’t swim). On arrival we just swam in the lower pool, which is lovely. On our second day we did the 8.6klm return walk (plus another 2klm when we missed the turning)!!! So we headed past the upper pool & lookout, to Long Water pool and on to another set of pool’s (with no name) where we had a quick swim before heading up to Sweet Water pool. This was beautiful up here, as always the best things are on the longest walks and most people don’t bother to do it!! At the busiest time there were 8 people here and it was stunning and excellent for swimming & relaxing under the falls. We spend most of the day up here, lunch and returned to the Upper pool for a late afternoon swim. A glorious day!!

                                                  The lower pool at Edith Falls.

 

                                            Steve at Long Water Hole.

 

                                             Dee at long Water pool.

 

                                                 Me having a swim.

 

                                               Steve having a swim.

 

                                          Steve resting by a small fall.

                                            Me at sweet water pool.

                                         Steve putting his rock on the pile.

                                                Sweet Water pool & Falls.

                                          Steve in Sweet Water Pool.

                                            A view from the look out.

                                           Edith Falls- Upper Pool & Falls.

                                              Edith Falls- Upper Falls.

                                                  Under the Falls.

                                                  Steve at the falls.

                                                          Edith falls.