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Tuesday 13 December 2011

Update 13 December 2011


Well the year is almost over and our caravan trips are but memories to be cherished for the future.  The year 2012 will see a change to our travel plans; we will be making trips to Sydney with Jake and Joel (two of our grandchildren), Cape York and surrounding Islands by boat and a trip to the opal field town of Lightning Ridge.  We are also hoping to get in one more trip south but that has to be planned for.
  
Cape York is the Northernmost Point of the Australian Continent (yes our Island Home is a Continent!).

Well that's it for now.  We wish all our readers a happy and holy Christmas.
ooOoo

Thursday 15 September 2011

DARLINGTON BEACH HOLIDAY SEPTEMBER 2011: NO.2

Jake and Luke Williamson our grand children. September 2011.
We have been having fun on the beach and in the park.  Jake went for a ride with Helen on a pedal go cart yesterday.  The camp is all set up and fine tuned now.  Today we are going to put up the pergola over the picnic table the park staff brought to our site for us.  The ducks fascinate Luke and the Rainbow Lorrikets dive bomb us when flying through the camp!  We are enjoying the quiet life.

Monday 12 September 2011

DARLINGTON BEACH HOLIDAY SEPTEMBER 2011

Saturday 10 September 2011:
After a short 5 hour dive from Brisbane we arrived at the Darlington Beach Resort Caravan Park on Saturday.  We plan staying here for the annual family reunion week, which commences on 17 Sep 2011.  We spent a few hours setting up and then assisted our daughter Helen in setting up her camper trailer also.  We have two of the grand children, Jake and Luke, with us and will have them for this week before their parents, Cathie and Beau, arrive on the 17th.  Once settled in we relaxed and took in the scenery and the wild life which abounds in this park.  We have wild ducks, kangaroos and parrots visiting us looking for a hand out.  Whilst we give the birds some free seeds or bread, we don't feed the kangaroos as they can become quite aggressive and are capable of inflicting serious damage upon humans with the claws on their back legs.  The rule is leave them alone and they will leave you alone.  Helen had one enter her camp and begin to nudge her quite aggressively, begging for food; however, Helen sent it on its way and it has not come back.  Not so long ago a man was killed by a large red kangaroo out west when it attached him and ripped him open with its hind legs; these male kangaroos can stand up to 8 feet tall when they stand upright!  Having said that, we are visited by a mob of Eastern Grey Kangaoos.  These are much smaller than their red cousins and are not aggressive if you leave them alone.  They will let you approach and take photos but they have a "personal space" they won't let humans into; they will just hop away and start feeding on the grass again.
 Marion and our Caravan
 Helen's Camp


Sunday 11 September 2011:
We drove to Woolgoolga about 7km south of our caravan park and after attending mass, did a quick bit of shopping.  After driving back to the camp, we took some photos of Marion feeding the Rainbow Lorrikets at the caravan.  These lovely birds are with us constantly whether we feed them or not.
 Marion and the Rainbow Lorrikets


Whilst we were enjoying the birds we were treated to a vist from a pair of Wood Ducks with their family of ducklings.  They appeared quite unafraid, although wild, and let us feed them some bread.
 Wood Ducks and ducklings

Later that day I decided to stalk some of the Eastern Grey Kangaroos feeding about the park.  They would not let me get too close; however after a patient wait I noticed they let me approach a little closer.  I took some good photographs of mother and joey and some general shots of the mob.
 Eastern Grey and Joey

It was time to do some "fine tuning" around the camp and we finally settled back and  relaxed for the rest of the day.

Saturday 3 September 2011

Update from Bob and Marion

Hi all,
This post is just to let you know we are still around.  We haven't been on any trips recently so have not posted.  The main reason I have posted now is to let you know about a book our very good friends, Martha and Russ Wheelock, in Texas, USA, have recently published and placed on Amazon.  It is called The Voyage of Islita and I can guarantee it is a good read; having read it myself.  I won't waffle on as there are several comments about the book already posted on Amazon.  If you are interested in reading about a couple's adventures whilst sailing around the world in a little yacht, this is a good read.  Enjoy!  The Amazon site to view the book and details is:
 Russ and Martha Wheelock

That's about it for now.  We are planning a trip to South Australia early next year so hope to post some interesting info then.

Sunday 24 July 2011

2011 Caravan Trip to Cairns & Townsville - Nth Queensland

 

CARAVAN TRAVELS WITH BOB & MARION [COOLOOLA COVES].

As promised in my last post to this blog, I have finally put pen to paper with a report on the trip to Cairns and Townsville with three of our grand children, Chris16yrs; Becky 11yrs and Jake 5yrs. This particular trip was somewhat of an experiment, for we had never before taken three of the children away with us; and accommodating them in the caravan annexe was to be an experiment. Fortunately it all turned out well and we had a great trip. It was interesting to see how various caravan parks treated the extra persons in terms of the accommodation costs. Christopher was invariably classed as an "adult"; Rebecca was always a "child" and Jake was sometimes a "child" and sometimes a "baby -free". The majority of caravan parks simply treated all children as extra "persons" and charged the same extra amount for each of the children respectively. Interestingly, Christopher was treated as a "child" at some tourist attractions.

 

Prior to our departure the children were all delivered to our home and excitement permeated the house as we tried to settle them down for bed the night before we were due to depart. On Saturday 25 June 2011, we awoke at 4.00am for a very early start as we had quite a long way to go before pulling up for the night. We arrived at Mackay in North Queensland just on 3.46pm; and after booking in to our ensuite site, we set about putting the annexe up for the children's sleeping quarters. All went well with the process and whilst Chris assembled the camping stretchers with their "blow up" mattresses, Becky and Jake assisted with the erection of the annexe. Jake undertook the task of winding down the four stabilizers under each corner of the caravan and once again did a great job. He was experienced at this task, having undertaken it on previous trips with us. Onlookers were quite amazed to see a 5 year old boy winding down the stabilizers as if it were a common occurrence. Becky learnt how to hammer in tent pegs and became proficient at this task very quickly. In less than an hour the "camp" was set up and we were all comfortable. The children had learnt the importance of team work and this augured well for the rest of the trip. We let the children off the leash for a while and they went exploring among the local birdlife, including Ibis and Whistler Ducks that abound in the park. There was no playground in the park, which was a surprise as we had believed there was one. There was a pool but it was by now too cold for swimming and consequently that option was ruled out with no objections from the children. We decided to reward our helpers with pizzas for the evening meal, so we all piled into the car and after a visit to the petrol station for fuel we found our way to the pizzeria where we purchased some delicious pizzas which were consumed quick smart! It was soon time for bed as we had another early start in the morning. Three tired children and two tired adults were soon dreaming sweet dreams. We had travelled 787km from Cooloola Cove [home] to Mackay in one day.


Whistler Ducks at Andergrove Caravan Park, Mackay, Queensland.

Sunday 26 June. We were out of bed at 5.00am and to our dismay it had begun to rain! Fortunately the rain eased off for a short time allowing us to pull down the annexe and stow it in the van. It did not matter that it was still wet as we knew it would be going up again that same afternoon. We laid out another small plastic sheet on the floor of the van and stowed the annexe walls on this to prevent water dripping all over the van floor. By 5.45am we were on our way. The rain stayed with us for a couple of hours as we travelled north, however it was not heavy rain and did not cause us any problems. We arrived at Townsville, some 384km north of Mackay, at 10.45am and utilised the relatively new extension to the motorway to bypass the heart of the city and emerge on the northern outskirts in 15 minutes. Stopping at Bluewater picnic grounds for lunch brought back some childhood memories, as I used to go there for picnics with friends many years ago. After lunch we departed feeling refreshed as the children had taken the opportunity to have a good play in the excellent playground provided at Bluewater.

Having passed through Ingham at 12.37pm we arrived at Cardwell at 1.22pm. Fortunately the rain held off for a while whilst we set up the "camp" (as Jake liked to call it). The township and the caravan park bore the "scars" of the recent cyclone named Yasi and it was sad to see the buildings that had been destroyed, as well as the trees in the surrounding bushland which had all be stripped of their leafs by the strong winds. The caravan park managers told me the town was still in recovery mode but things were slowly getting back to normal. We went for a drive to find the Information Centre where, in the past, an excellent display of local marine environments including coral reefs and mangrove fish nurseries had been available free of charge. I particularly wanted the children to see this display as an educational experience; however, to our dismay the building had been all but destroyed by the cyclone and could not be accessed. As we drove around we saw once familiar places lying in ruins. It really brought a lump to one's throat to think about what the residents must have gone through in Cardwell and other small towns along the coast.



Cardwell N.Q. June 2011: A house still in ruins 6mths after Yasi.

Some facts relating to Cyclone Yasi:

Coastal Crossing Details

Crossing time:


12 am - 1am EST, 3 Feb 2011

Crossing location:

Near Mission Beach, 138km S of Cairns

Category when crossing the coast:

5

Extreme Values During Cyclone Event (estimated)

Maximum Category:


5

Maximum sustained wind speed:

205 km/hr (estimated)

Maximum wind gust:

285 km/hr (estimated)

Lowest central pressure:

929 hPa

The largest rainfall totals were near and to the south of the cyclone and were generally in the order of 200-300mm in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday. These rainfall totals were experienced in the area between Cairns and Ayr, causing some flooding. The highest totals were; South Mission Beach 471mm, Hawkins Creek 464mm, Zattas 407mm, Bulgun Creek 373mm along the Tully and Herbert River catchments.

{Source: Queensland Bureau of Meteorology}
Of note was the 5 metre tidal storm surge experienced at Cardwell, which caused extensive damage to vessels moored in the Hinchinbrook Marina on the outskirts of the town. The photo hereunder is taken from the Brisbane Times website:

We were quite subdued by the time we got back to the caravan park and to make matters worse we discovered Jake was running a high temperature. He was not well at all and there were no medical centres available in Cardwell. I took him to the local Ambulance Station where fortunately the ambulance bearer was on the ball and confirmed that Jake indeed was running a high temperature. He spoke by telephone to a medical advisor in Ingham and on the doctor's advice administered some medicine to help bring Jake's temperature down. Jake is so irrepressible he did not complain at all but it was obvious to us that he was not well. Back at the caravan park we made a contingency plan to drive to the Ingham Hospital some 52km south of Cardwell should Jake's temperature not abate. Fortunately the medicine worked and he spent a quiet, restful night. He was a lot brighter in the morning with no signs of the temperature we had been so worried about. A blessing indeed!

By now the rain seemed to have set in and we were resigned to the fact that the weather bureau forecasts were correct in predicting on going showers for the rest of the week. At least there were some periods where the rain stopped for a while and let us go about without getting wet.

On Monday 27 June 2011 we arrived at the Coconut Holiday Resort Caravan Park, Cairns just after 10.00am and were soon "set up" and enjoying a well earned rest. Jake was feeling a lot better; however, we confined him to the annexe, watching DVDs and resting, for the remainder of the day. We had planned a rather busy schedule over the forthcoming week and hoped the rain would not dampen our enthusiasim too much. The following day we spent some time going for a drive around the city of Cairns and allowing the children to enjoy the facilities at the caravan park. The caravan park boasted several swimming pools, jumping pillows and playgrounds, giving the children lots of choices to occupy themselves if they wished. Christopher proved invaluable as a supervisor and we were confident we could leave the children in his charge, within the confines of the caravan park.

 



Wednesday 22 June 2011

Two Weeks With Some of the Grandchildren



CARAVAN TRAVELS WITH BOB & MARION [COOLOOLA COVES].

Our next trip commences on 25 June 2011.  We are taking 3 of our grand children with us for the school holidays: Christopher, Rebecca and Jake.  We will be spending 1 week in Cairns and 1 week in Townsville.  The children are really looking forward to this trip, as are we.  Watch this space for photos and reports.

Sunday 5 June 2011

WEEK 7

CARAVAN TRAVELS AUSTRALIA WITH BOB & MARION CASSIDY

Week 7:
Sunday 10 April 2011:
Departing Soudan Dip Rest Area at 06.35am we settled down to a cruising speed of about 90kph and passed through Avon Downs at 07.20am.  After crossing the border into Queensland we changed our clocks to Queensland Time and arrived at Camooweal 16 minutes later, at 08.36am [EST].  Our next major stop was Mount Isa at 11.10am  where we fuelled up before departing at 11.21am.  We planned on staying overnight at Cloncurry and after an uneventful trip, we arrived at the Gilbert Park Caravan Park at 01.05pm.  We had stayed at this caravan park several times in the past and found the staff to be friendly and helpful.  The park facilities were kept clean and the site we had was a large driver through site with power.  The resident green tree frogs in the showers were still in evidence and a sign in the showers asked patrons to not be afraid of "Gilbert" the Tree Frog.  It was great to see these frogs surviving in the desert climate.
"Gilbert" the Green Tree Frog.

Monday 11 April 2011:
06.42am we departed Cloncurry leaving the Barkly Highway behind and travelling east along the Flinders Highway for a short 18km east of town where the intersecton of the Flinders Highway met with the Landsborough Highway, where we turned right and headed for McKinlay.  It was 07.56am when we passed through sleepy McKinlay where the famous Walkabout Hotel (Crocodile Dundee) is located.  At 08.51am we arrived at Kynuna and kept going towards Winton.  As we drove through Winton we observed one service station had diesel fuel for sale at a very low price (compared to where we had been); and we stopped to fill up the tanks.  As we were doing so, the manager came out and changed the prices to a higher price per litre; we were lucky to have filled up before the price went up!  Fifteen minutes later we were on our way again.  As we continued on our way a large road train roared past in a cloud of dust and several large stones pelted our windscreen.  We ended up with three (3) "stars" where the stones had made cracks in the windscreen, fortunately the glass did not shatter.  We pulled up at the Crawford Rest Area to inspect the damage; and I decided it was safe to continue on, after we placed small dust protectors over the "stars" to keep them clean for an attempt at repair later on.  I contacted the RACQ (Royal Automobile Club of Queensland) and ascertained that my insurance did not cover broken windscreens as this was an extra cost on the insurance policy, which was not worth it in my view and it was almost as much as a new windscreen anyway.  At 01.40om we arrived at Longreach and I called into a repair garage where I ascertained it was not worth replacing the windscreen unless the cracks in the "stars" began to enlongate.  So far they had not done so.  I decided to leave it all the fate and continue on.
(Eventually we arrived home; and to this day I am still driving around with the "stars" intact on the windscreen.)  Leaving Longreach we drove the 106km to Barcaldine, arriving at 03.05pm.  We pulled into the showgrounds where we knew we could camp for the night with power and hot showers.  After setting up we relaxed with some fellow travellers and chatted about our travel experiences.

Tuesday 12 April 2011:
06.35am  we were on the road again heading further east towards the coast.  This wold be our last night on the road and we were beginning to look forward to getting home again.  We had 565km to go and arrived at Duringa at 12.40pm where we set up and I started up the generator for our power supply.  A free hot shower was located at this large rest area and I took advantage of the facility before settling down to relax for the rest of the day.  We had stayed here in the past also; and I have included a photo taken on our fishing trip north to Karumba in 2007.

    August 2007 - Camped at Duringa en route to Karumba on a Fishing Trip.
 
Wednesday 13 April 2011:
06.12am  we were off to another early start and eager to get home.  We arrived at Rockhampton at 07.55am and experienced the "Rocky" peak hour traffic travelling into town from the outer suburbs.  From Rockhampton we travelled on the Bruce Highway, passing through Mt. Larcom, Benaraby, Miriam Vale, Granite Creek, Gin Gin, Childers and Maryborough; before turning off the Bruce Highway just after 1.30pm.  We fuelled up again at Maryborough and were soon on the Cooloola Coast Road, which took us the 72km to home, arriving at 03.54pm.  Our trip was done!  We had travelled 9084km and consumed 2125ltrs of diesel fuel; at an average cost of $1.53/ltr.  Fuel consumption had averaged 23.4lt/100km.
 
THE END
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR A NEXT TRIP!

Saturday 4 June 2011

WEEK 6

CARAVAN TRAVELS AUSTRALIA WITH BOB & MARION CASSIDY

Week 6:
Sunday 3 April 2011:
Today was our “big walk” day.  We intended walking the 2.5km track along Kings Creek in the bottom of Kings Canyon.  After a big breakfast of bacon and eggs, we set out in our vehicle and drove to the car park at the entrance to Kings Canyon.  We took plenty of drinking water and wore our fly-net hats to keep the bush flies off our faces.  The walk itself was mostly paved and an easy “gradient” which did not take too much out of either of us physically.  Unfortunately the desert wind had come up and the local birdlife was in short supply; the birds must have been sheltering in the thick bushes.  As we started out on the walk itself we came upon a sign at the entrance to the path, showing the distances and times for the walks in and around the canyon.  Some “wag” had made up a Ferro-concrete bush hat and bolted it to the sign; typical outback humour!
The sign, with hat attached, at the entrance to Kings Canyon walks.
We had previously been warned about the five hundred steep climbing steps at the beginning of the 6km walk around the rim of the canyon; and Marion’s arthritis problems made this particular climb out of the question for her.  A few minutes later we saw the track leading straight up a steep hill-climb to the rim of the canyon; and our decision not to attempt this climb was validated.  Simply put, Marion could not have made the climb.
The five hundred steps leading to the top of Kings Canyon – not a proposition for the unfit or elderly.

As it turned out the walk into the canyon was a great way to view the canyon walls from the bottom of the cliffs which towered over head as one walked deeper into the canyon itself.  We were happy to have seen the view from this perspective alone!
Kings Canyon from Kings Creek Walk – note the tree at the top centre, giving some idea of the height of these walls.

Albert Namatjira Country

The sheer cliff walls of Kings Canyon.

The walk took us right to the end of the canyon and we took time to sit and enjoy the view and the quiet of the bush.  Far above we could see the occasional walker who had taken the walk around the rim of the canyon.  They were very small indeed!  We took our time walking back to the car park and we were rewarded by some of the birds who came out of hiding to give us the once over.  A spinifex pigeon eyed us suspiciously for a few moments and then, having decided we were not a threat, nestled down on the sand at the edge of the track and allowed us to approach with touching distance, before it quietly stood up and walked sedately back into the bush.  A few yards further on some zebra finches alighted on branches beside the track and gave us the once over before flying down on to the grass and casually feeding without a care for us at all.  We enjoyed this experience very much and it took us some time to stroll back to the car park, where we treated ourselves to a can of soft drink each, before taking the short drive back to the caravan.  We got back in time for a late lunch and rested up for the afternoon, reading and relaxing.  As the setting sun began its descent, I set up the camera and focused on the Gorge Gill range in the distance to watch the changing colours as the sun crept down behind the gum trees behind us.  I was soon joined by some other tourists and we chatted away whilst the sunset show went on.

From this to this:
The desert sun painting the landscape:
                                     Sunset on the George Gill Range, Kings Canyon, N.T. – Apr 2011.


Marion joined me as the final purple colours deepened and the sun disappeared below the horizon; we sat in our folding chairs taking in the scene and myself enjoying a cold glass of chardonnay to end a great day in the bush.  It was almost a shame to retire to the caravan for the evening meal and a well earned early night.

Monday 4 April 2011:
Today is our last day at Kings Canyon and we have done all we planned to do, although there is a short walk to do around the resort itself.  We have been told to take this walk in the afternoon as the changing colours on the mountains are more spectacular at that time of day.  We were only too pleased to take up the morning relaxing and reading; and I also put in some work on our travel blog on the laptop.  Imagine my surprise when I caught some movement at the caravan door in my peripheral vision and looked out to see a dingo casually sauntering past our front step!  I alerted Marion who was lying on the bed and as she drew back the curtain to look yet another dingo showed itself at the door!  I reached for the camera and made a beeline for the door but by the time I got outside the dingos had run off into the bush.  I did get one photograph, but it is very hard to see one dingo amongst the trees in the photo and I have not used it here.  These were the first dingos we had seen here although there were plenty of warnings about the resort.  The ablutions blocks are all fitted with wire gates at each entrance and signs warn patrons to close the gates behind them when they entered in order to keep the wildlife out.  The dingos which visited our van did not make a sound and showed no aggression at the time.  Although I have witnessed this behaviour during the hours of darkness, I have never seen it in daylight before; quite an experience.  The galahs (parrots) in the trees above our van put on a show of annoyance and kept screeching until the dingos had gone away; obviously the birds did not like them at all.
      Our site at Kings Canyon Resort, N.T. April 2011.

We donned our fly screen hats and went for a short walk around the resort, discovering the "views" we had been told about were right there at our caravan!  At least we got some exercise.  The little bush flys were not too numerous but were there in just enough numbers to be annoying whilst walking along.  Our fly screen hats worked well and we were glad we had taken them with us.  All in all we had enjoyed our stay at Kings Canyon and can not cross it off our wish list of places to go and see.  It was time to start getting ready for an early departure the next morning.
                                         Bob and Marion with their fly screen walking hats.  April 2011.


Tuesday 5 April 2011:
06.00am.  We departed Kings Canyon Resort just on dawn and were treated to a glorious sunrise as travelled east towards the main highway once again.  We were so taken with the sunrise I stopped to take a photograph, before continuing our journey.


Sunrise Luritja Road near Kings Canyon - April 2011.

We continued on in the growing daylight and it was not long before daylight flooded the country side and we could observe the wildlife as we passed.   We were privilged to spot several flocks of Major Mitchell cockatoos sitting in trees beside the road.  It was great to see them as these birds are becoming quite rare and can only be found in remote parts of Australia.


As we turned a corner we crested a small sand dune and there on the side of the road was a large feral camel.  He stood very tall and gave us a regal stare as we drove past.  This was the only camel we saw on this trip, although we had seen them before during the course of other trips.
      Feral Camel - Australia.

08.05am.  We turned onto the Lasseter Highway and continued towards the Stuart Highway.  We now had just over 100km to go before we reached the Stuart Highway and then we would continue on to Alice Springs.  We arrived at Erldunda at 09.19am and turned north towards "The Alice".    We covered the 193km in good time, arriving at Alice Springs at 11.42am and after booking in with the friendly staff at the MacDonnell Range Holiday Park, we were soon set up and enjoying a relaxing afternoon.   We took a drive into town to obtain some supplies and drove up to Anzac Hill lookout to revist the view of the town from there.
Alice Springs - April 2011.

A nice cold beer and a relax in the shade on the grass, back at the caravan park rounded off a pleasant day.  To morrow we would commence exploring the region in ernest.

Wednesday 6 April 2011:
Today we planned on driving out along Larapinta Drive to the Finke River and Palm Valley near the Hermannsburg Mission.  We set out to drive the 127km to the Finke River, where the road passed by Hermansburg.  The road into Palm Valley was four wheel drive only and followed the river along its course.  As we travelled along the bitumen road we spotted a small herd of brumbies but they were very wary and galloped off when I stopped the car.  We found that several of the small creeks crossing the road had recently been in flood and water covered the road at many of these crossings.

     Crossing recently flooded creek bed en route to Palm Valley.

We duly reached the small mission settlement of Hermannsburg and decided to call in on the way back; in the meantime we continued on our journey.   Imagine our surprise when a short distance on we came to the cement causeway crossing the Finke River, only to find the floods had destroyed one lane of the crossing!  We stopped to watch the aboriginal children playing in the river before crossing over on the one remaining lane.

    Finke River flood damaged causeway, Hermannsburg.

Just over the causeway the bitumen ended and we turned left onto the 4WD track leading to Palm Valley, which was about 16km further on.  We found the going relatively easy for most of the way, but there were places where engaging four wheel drive was the prudent course of action, to avoid getting bogged in the soft sand.  In places the track virtually disappeared and one had to follow along the river bed until the track became evident once again.

    Bob & Marion at Finke River, N.T.

    Bob at the entrance to the national park.

    Some of the rock landscapes were unique.


    The track disappeared in places.
We finally reached the beginning of Palm Valley and stopped to take in the beauty of this unique oasis in the middle of the desert.  Rising in the West MacDonnell Ranges, the ancient Finke River meanders for nearly 700kms, across plains and rugged mountain ranges, before soaking into the sands of the desert.  It is the backbone of the Centre’s largest drainage system, creating a ribbon of life through a region where rainfall is uncertain and drought is almost guaranteed.  Having driven through this landscape we came to appreciate mother nature's creation all the more.





First sighting of Palm Valley, N.T.
After spending some time exploring the area and admiring the scenery, we continued on to find the main location of Palm Valley as per the map we had in our possession.  After several more crossings of the river we finally came to the end of the track, where we found the entrance to Palm Valley proper; and an information shelter.  We greeted one of the park rangers who happened to be there at the time and then sat down to read the information contained on the boards in the shelter.  We learned the following from Wikipedia:
Palm Valley, within the Finke Gorge National Park, is an east-west running valley in the Krichauff Range 123 km (138 km by road) southwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia. Palm Valley and the surrounding area is the only place in Central Australia where Livistona mariae palms (also known as Red Cabbage Palms) survive. The nearest specimens are 850 kilometres away in Queensland. The valley is indicative of central Australia’s tropical past, whereas the region is now largely dry Central Ranges xeric shrub land.
The average rainfall for Palm Valley is only 200 mm per year. Although the gorge usually appears dry, there are some small pockets of semi-permanent spring-fed pools that allow the unique flora in this region to survive. During significant rainfall in the region, an expanse of water can be witnessed flowing through the valley gorge. During such events, a variety of aquatic life such as desert fish, shield shrimps (Triops australiensis), tadpoles and frogs can flourish.
We also read about the growth of cycads on the rock walls surround the valley, many of which were on display within our sight.

     Palm Valley - the end of the track.
We sat down to have a picnic lunch and discussed the adventure we had experienced in getting to the valley.  It was indeed an experience not to be missed, and although Marion had her heart in her mouth at a few river crossings we had enjoyed the drive.  I personally had a sense of achievement, having successfully negotiated one or two obtacles mother nature had placed in our path.  My approach to the track had been to take it easy, engage the high and low range 4x4 transmission as needed and pick a good line to follow.  The road was quite good most of the way, but care had to be exercised if one were to safely negotiate this track.
We decided to count the river crossings on the way back and to our surprise found we actually crossed the Finke River thirteen (13) times, in addition to a few deep pools in amongst the rocks, caused by recent flood rains.  I made no mistakes on the return trip and took it easy when crossing the river.
     Crossing the Finke River en route home.
Once back on the bitumen we called into Hermannsburg Mission Community to have a look around this old settlement.
Hermannsburg is an Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory of Australia, 131 km southwest of Alice Springs. It is known in the local Western Arrernte language as Ntaria.  At the 2006 census, Hermannsburg had a population of 559.  It was established as an Aboriginal mission in 1877 by two Lutheran missionaries from Germany who had travelled overland from Bethany in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. They named their new mission after Hermannsburg in Germany where they had trained.  In 1891, the missionaries left, but the settlement was continued by lay workers until, in 1894, Pastor Carl Strehlow arrived. His son T.G.H. Strehlow became a noted anthropologist and was initiated into Arrernte customs.  Pastor Strehlow learnt the local Western Arrernte language and is credited with translating the Bible into the language.  Albert Namatjira was born at Hermannsburg in 1902. He developed the ability to use his acute observation of the land to paint Western-style watercolours.   Painting in this style came to be known as the Hermannsburg School of painting.  The mission land was handed over to traditional ownership in 1982. The Hermannsburg Historic Precinct was included on the Australian National Heritage List in April 2006.  Much of the historic township is now protected by the National Trust.  [Source: Wikipedia.]  Of interest were the old buidings erected in the late 1800s most of which were still in use.  The community had a happy atmosphere and was neat and tidy.  We did not stay long as we were able to park and have a quick look around.

    Hermannsburg Mission Community, N.T.

It was now time for us to return home and we made good time on the bitumen, which was quite a change after the rigors of the 4WD track out to Palm Valley.  Once home we sat down and relaxed whilst planning tomorrow's trip out to the gorges.
Thursday 7 April 2011:
Today we planned on another full day "on the road" checking out the gorges to found along the Namatjira Drive.  We knew there were several gorges; and having read up on the subject, we decided to visit Redbank Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge and Ellery Creek (big hole).  We found it was a drive of some 127km to Redbank Gorge and we spent some time going for a walk along the dry sandy creek bed meandering through the gorge.  I have to say we weren't too impressed with this gorge, but better to have gone for a "look see" than to spend the rest of our lives wandering what it was like.
    Redbank Gorge from the lookout, N.T.

Back towards Alice Springs, some 29km we turned off the road into Glen Helen Gorge.  This historic site boasted a hotel/store and the gorge itself was impressive.  En route to Glen Helen we were struck by the differing landscape on either side of the road and I stopped to take some photographs to demonstrate this diversity.
     The differing landscape on either side of the highway - note the ribbons of colour above.
West MacDonnell Range near Alice Springs, N.T.
Arriving at Glen Helen Gorge we were immediately struck by the rock cliff wall on the South bank of the Finke River, immediately behind the hotel/resort building.  This cliff is quite impressive and the cliff face has been sculpture by wind and rain to form an impressive sight.
     Glen Helen Gorge, N.T. 98km West of Alice Springs.
We took the short walk along the edge of the river to the spot where the river cut through the gorge and turned South.  This was quite a picturesque and well worth the walk to view it.  We also saw quite a few small fish swimming in the pools along the river bank.
Finke River, Glen Helen Gorge, N.T.

After a stroll through the resort building we drove back to Namatjira Drive and turned east towards The Alice once again.  Some 87km from The Alice we turned off the road into the picnic area at The Big Hole; otherwise known as Ellery Creek.  This water hole has its own sandy beach and is a great favourite with the Alice Springs community.  After another short walk to the water hole we could see why it was so popular.  There are picnic sheltes and facilities at the car park and in summer the water would be a welcome relief for swimmers.
    Ellery Creek Big Hole, near Alice Springs, N.T.

Our day trip was over after visiting Ellery Creek and we decided to give Simpson's Gap a miss as we had previously been there and it was now getting on timewise.  We were looking forward to a relax at the caravan park.  Thus another eventful day came to an end.

Friday 8 April 2011:
Today was our last day in The Alice and we decided to go and have a look at the historice precinct  at the Alice Springs Overland Telegraph Station.  A look at the information boards in and around the precinct revealed the following informtion of interest.
The Alice Springs Telegraph Station was one of eleven staffed repeater stations on the Overland Telegraph Line.  This line consisted of a single strand of iron wire on 36,000 timber poles stretching 3,000 miles across Australia from Adelaide to Port Darwin.  From Port Darwin a submarine cable beneath the sea to Singapore connected Australia to the rest of the world.  News from Britain which prior to 1872 had taken three months to reach Australia by sea now arrived within a few hours. 
     The original Telegraph Station, Alice Springs, N.T.
Following upon the discovery of gold in the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges in 1887; the town of Stuart was gazetted on 28 November 1888.  The town was named after the explorer John McDouall Stuart who crossed the Australian continent from South to North in 1882.  The overland telegraph route followed his path.   In response to public demand the town was renamed Alice Springs in 1933.  Alice Springs was named in honour of Mrs Alice Todd the wife of Charles Todd, the South Australian Post Master General, who was given the responsibility of planning and constructing the overland telegraph line.
     The original Alice Springs was really a rock pool.

A large outcrop of granite rock runs under the bed of the Todd River at this point, catching and holding any water that comes along.  It gives the impression of a spring, but in fact is a rock pool perched on the underground granite rock.

When we entered the old telegraph station we found two men busy at the telepgraph controls, obviously sending and receiving telegrams.  They told us that this week they were celebrating the cententary of the station and would be operating the telegraph for three (3) days.  We had just lucked in on this celebration!  For $3.00 we were able to send our grandson Jake a telegram for his coming birthday; something of historic value he could hold onto as a keepsake for later years.

    Telegraph in operation; centenary of the establishment - 8 April 2011.

Thomas Elder imported 120 camels into Australia in 1866.  These were the forerunners of the famous Afghan Camel Trains which served the outback for over fifty years; their tracks crossed two thirds of the country where horse and train could not go.    Although the camel drivers were commonly referred to as Afghans, many were from Pakistan and Northern India also.  Once a year during the period 1899 to 1908 the camel trains brought supplies into Alice Springs and the goods were stored at the Telegraph Station.  Imagine the thought that must have gone into that shopping list!
Old camel train - Alice Springs, N.T. 1800s.

We spent a couple of hours walking around the station precinct and touring the several building which were open to the public.  Whilst having a look through the old barracks building, which was later used as a store and school, we noticed a couple of holes made in the walls.  These holes were in fact rifle holes used by the early occupants to defend the building from attacks by Aboriginals.  Whether or not they were ever used as such is a mute point, not enlarged upon by the literature.

    Old Barracks building - note rifle hole centre left wall.

After our visit to the telegraph station we drove around to the Stuart Caravan Park to visit our travelling friends Robyn and Peter and meet the Aboriginal artist, Tommy Crow.  We were hoping to purchase a couple of his paintings but weren't sure if we could afford them.  When we arrived we found Robyn and Peter at their caravan and after hearty greetings and a cup of tea, they took us over to meet Tommy Crow at his caravan.  We found him working on his art in a small makeshift studio and he made us welcome to his humble abode.  Tommy told us he had played the didgeridoo overseas and in Australia.  HIs artwork has made him famous for his unique style and he uses his art to help close the 17yr life expectancy gap between whites and aboriginals in Australia by donating 10% of all proceeds to this project.  We had a good talk with Tommy and found him to be friendly and intelligent; we were both very glad to meet him.  He offered us some paintings and we ended up purchasing two of them from him.

His website is http://www.sunsetdreamingaustralia.com.au and is well worth a visit to see the televison advertisement he made for the Northern Territory and his history.  His artwork is also available for sale on this website.
    Tommy Crow at work - Alice Springs, April 2011.

Tommy Crow and Bob with one of the paintings Bob & Marion purchased.
Tommy Crow artwork - Stuart Caravan Park, Alice Springs.

Meeting Tommy Crow was a highlight of our visit to Alice Springs and an occasion we wont forget.  We cannot thank Robyn and Peter enough for taking us to see him.  After sitting down for another cuppa and a good chat, we finally said our goodbyes with hugs and promises to stay in touch.  It was back to our caravan to have a relax and prepare for our departure the following day.  We sat around feeding the birds that came to play around us and enjoyed a quite evening.
Mynah Bird and Crested Pigeons.

Saturday 9 April 2011:
06.55am:  Once again we were off to an early start as we wanted to take our time on the road, but still make some miles towards home via the Barkly Highway.  We set off towards Tennant Creek along the Stuart Highway, passing through Ti Tree at 09.18am  and Barrow Creek at 10.23am.  We were making good time and passed through Wycliffe Well at 11.31am before making Wauchope at 11.45am.  We were making good time and decided to call into the Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu) to take some photos.  We arrived at 11.52am and whilst there I surprised a dingo who did not run for cover although he kept his distance.
Devils Marbles near Tennant Creek, N.T.

Dingo at Devils Marbles N.T.

We took our time having a look around and walking amongst the many rock formations that make up this interesting place, which is a sacred site to the Aboriginal community in the area.  Generators are not allowed in the camping area any more as they are said to disturb the spirits living amongst the rocks.  I'm not sure I go along with that, but I guess we have to respect the local beliefs.
Devils Marbles N.T. April 2011.

We departed the Devils Marbles after lunch at 12.32pm and arrived at Tennant Creek, where we topped up the tanks with diesel at 1.48pm.  Tennant Creek is a regional centre for the Barkly Tablelands in the Northern Territory, it contains government services and local business.  Famous for being the site of the last great Australian gold rush it was also an important link to the overland telegraph station in the 1800s.  The town is named after a local creek which the explorer Stuart named after one of his friends who helped finance one of his unsuccessful attempts to cross Australia south to north.  (Stuart eventually succeeded in this endeavour.)   After a short drive around Tennant Creek we departed there at 2.03pm.

At 2.2.0pm we arrived at the three ways and turned right onto the Barkly Highway; we were now on the "last leg" of our trip home, although we have a few nights on the road to go yet.  Passing the 41 mile bore and the Barkly Homestead we arrived at our overnight camp, Soudan Dip, at 05.46pm.  It did not take long to set up and get the generator going and Marion prepared a lovely evening meal.  We watched a bit of satellite television to catch up on the local news at home and then retired for the night.  Camping here for the night brought back memories of the last time we camped here on our way to Darwin with our grandson Jake.  Jake and I had started a camp fire and sat around having a very serious discussion on the merits of life in the bush.
Jake and Bob Campfire Soudan Dip N.T.

END OF WEEK 6 SEE YOU SOON