On the road again. Getting much closer to the top. Starting to notice changes in the scenery once again.
Farewell the long straight road that seemed to go on forever. You often felt like you hadn't turned the steering wheel except to park or over take. A little excitement, a hill, a curve......
The excitment about to increase as we arrive at Daly Waters and visit the Daly Waters Pub, the oldest pub in the Northern Territory. The town holds a place in history dating back to 1862 when John Mcdouall Stuart successfully crossed the continent from north to south......but the town is now famous for the pub and the paraphernalia that you will find adorning the walls of the pub. From footy jumpers and business cards to bras!!!
The bouganvilias are absolutely amazing throught the northern territory. If you can remember they were also incredible in Coober Pedy!!! I was told they will grow anywhere as long as there is some water!
You could spent the day just walking around the pub and reading what people had left behind. The only thing that struck us was that all the young workers, bar maids and bar men were all Irish????
Our next stop, the land of the Never Never. Mataranka. We are now only 1 hour/ 100 km's away from Katherine. We opt to stay at the Mataranka Homestead so we are walking distance from the thermal pools. Today is also Rosh Hashana. Shannah Tova Umetukah to all our family and friends. What a beautiful place to be in to celebrate the new year. We speak with all our family (love you all and miss you loads!!!!) . We settle into our camp and opt for a quick explore and quick dip before dinner just as the sun is setting......
.......if you look carefully into the sky you will see black shadows. Is it a bird, is it a plane no it is Mataranka's famous Flying Foxes!!! At sunset each day they awake from their slumber and take off to their feeding grounds for the night. The sky fills with bats as they fly away. It is a strange phenomena to watch, especially as the baby bats fly so low they almost brush your hair as they fly by. But we will have to admit, the bats to have a special aroma, not one you would like to bottle and take home with you!!!
Taking our first swim at night, we were unable to notice the human interference in this natural wonder. Concreted edges with a seat around the main wall, stair case with ballistrading.
Yom tov dinner. We did go out for dinner in the local pub, but note Timna decided to wear a dress as this is what we do on yom tovim. Thank you beautiful Timna!!!
The park was full of animals roaming around. Wallabies and Peacocks the most common. We were very naughty and the children did accidently drop some apples onto the ground for their new friends.
Having been used to seeing kangaroos, we kept thinking the wallabies were only babies (based on their size), until Timna spotted the little Joey inside this wallabies pouch.
Don't think we need to remind you how much Robbie is enjoying the beautiful and ever suprising flora of the Northern Territory.
We had been told about the 'other' thermal pools of Mataranka. Bitter Springs. This looks like a postcard, we do promise it was real, and quite spectacular. Less commercialised compared with the popular Matarnaka Thermal Pool and only 2kms down the road. These pools have a steady current that allows you to float down stream. You climb out and wander back along the path, jump in and do it all again.
Unlike Mataranka, there is actually life in the waters here. The kids spend ages trying to catch the fish. Fish lots, kids zip!! We meet a lovely family who have with them an inflatable ring. A bit of negotiating sees Boaz floating gently through the pool and their kids borrowing our goggles to get a better view of the undersea life. We spy some travellers who are equipped with noodles with their thongs hooked onto the ends. They have obviously been here before!!!
Rob picked a beautiful water lily for me.......well no for his photographic collection,
After swimming it was off to see Barramundi get fed. We knew the kids would be entertained.....did not expect to learn so much ourselves. This is our guide actually holding a barra. It takes a whole year to train the fish to perform. Not for eating are these guys!
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