Heading South – Daly Waters

From Materanka, we hit the road and went South – far and fast. Well, compared to our recent travels. We stopped at the iconic Daly Waters Pub for a delicious lunch. They had wonderful kid’s activity packs, but they are designed to keep the kids entertained while the parents enjoy a two-hour dinner and show. Ours rushed through it to get their free icypoles. I thoroughly recommend a stop there with kids! 

Dunc was most disappointed that he couldn’t have a beer, but heavy vehicles need 0.00% alcohol, so that was out! We stopped past the jailhouse to check out conditions and then headed on to a free camp for the night. Our arrival was perfectly timed so we didn’t have too long with full sun and no air conditioning. We had a lovely sit outside with our various electronic devices, all winding down from a tough day’s drive. LOL.

All Springed Out?

We left Katherine and headed to Materanka for yet another thermal spring. We had decided to stay at Bitter Springs, as we could leave the car in the trailer and walk to the springs. We wanted to be heading south quick, so that seemed a nice easy option, and we had heard so many good stories about Bitter Springs.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed. I think its just that we have been to soooo many springs lately. Douglas Daly was just wonderful, and Katherine was lovely and soooo relaxing. By the time we got here, I was a bit ‘springed out’. My head was itchy and my scalp gooey because my hair had been wet almost constantly for well over a week. It’s such thick hair that it can take a whole day to dry, and when I tie it back, even longer. So we were swimming in waterfalls or thermal pools every day and it was never drying. By the time we got to Bitter Springs, I was over it.

The water was an insane shade of bright blue, and was utterly crystal clear. But it was slightly smelly (from the sulphur) and there was LOTS of floating algae. We did the ‘drift’, which I highly recommend. We used our snorkles and goggles and thought, yet again, how wonderful it was to get them before we left and how often we have used them! We each had a noodle and took the advice of those who have visited before us and hooked our thongs over the ends. This let us drift downstream, and yet enabled us to walk back up the path without any discomfort. Bliss. But a bit messy and smelly. Dunc went a second time, but I elected to stay with Lexie who was STILL fighting the horrific cold/flu she picked up in Melbourne. She was happier sitting on her noodle in the deep bit and just hanging out.

Edith Falls

While at Katherine, we back-tracked to Edith Falls for a day trip. We wanted to stay there on the way down, but the campsite isn’t big rig compatible. The next idea was to day trip and leave Bertha in the carpark for the day, but the children were too whingey and we decided to hightail it to a pool to shut them up. So it was a backtrack for us.

We almost didn’t go back, and I am sooo glad we did. It was a great day! We were up extra early to beat the heat and headed off up the loop trail while the woman at the kiosk was still eating her breakfast! It was a bit of a hike up the first hill, but once we got into the more shadier parts it was more pleasant. Then we hit the upper pool, with the waterfall and the swimming hole. It was all in – eventually. Dunc always needs a little convincing when the water is unheated. Yet again we spent a good couple of hours swimming and playing up there. We all made our way to right under the waterfall and another family turned up for the kids to have a play with too.

Eventually we made our way down to the bottom of Edith falls to the next swimming hole, but didn’t stay long as it wasn’t nearly as nice as up top. And we were all hungry! We had the most delicious burgers for lunch at the kiosk there. The woman who runs it is absolutely lovely and I had been craving bacon and eggs since I smelt her breakfast when we headed off.  We got to see a couple arrive there after completing the 7-day hike and her ‘welcoming party dance’ was a good laugh. Then we headed back to the caravan park for another lazy afternoon by the pool.

Katherine

From Pussycat Flats at Pine Creek, we made our way to a Big 4 CP, in search of children and swimming pools. It was only about 100km, so we didn’t bother packing Baby Bertha away. Instead I drove with Lexie for company and we had THE MOST intense conversation the entire way there. “Why haven’t I learnt about Aboriginals before now, and why isn’t the whole of Australia Aboriginal land, Mummy?” This led to a discussion on:

•     ownership of land by individual vs ownership by communities
•     aboriginal land rights and governments of the past
•     white settlement and its impact on aboriginal communities on the East coast
•     educational funding and how lucky the children are with their wonderful school which offers so many opportunities
•     stereotypes and generalisations
•     poverty and its impact on families
•     addiction and its impact on families
•     government housing
•     refugees
•     ESL and its impact on education
•     political parties and social responsibility
•     big business and taxation 

At the end of which, Lexie said “That’s not fair mummy. Every child should have equal opportunities for a good education. If their parents can’t pay the extra money to their schools, then the government should” !!!! OMG!!! An 11 year old just came up with the Gonski review recommendations after a mere one hour of discussion. How hard can it be, politicians???!

We got to Katherine and I staggered out of the car, thoroughly exhausted and ready for a good lie down. Though quite impressed with Lexie and invigorated by the conversation at the same time...

Katherine was a lovely little stop over. We checked out the Gorge in Nitmiluk, and took the 2 gorge cruise, though we are so late into the dry season, it was only a 1½ gorge cruise. Still lovely all the same!

We LOVED the thermal springs and went back a few times. Perfect temperatures and a little natural waterslidey waterfall – it was sooo peaceful. Bliss. I lay there floating and the currents just swirled me into the waterfall spray and out, around in a circle and back again. Endless bliss. Even better, my ears were under the water and I couldn’t even hear the kids! Muffled endless bliss!

By far the best bit at Katherine was our Top Didg Cultural Experience. The whole family spent a morning with Manuel and he taught us all about his family, his ways and his connection with the land. We were inducted into his family and became members of the Dalabon. We got to make an artwork according to Dalabon traditions, which are (yippee) linear and must include 4 parallel white lines in their patterns. Not 3 or 5, as they are other groups. Note how selfish Mummy is too focused on her own artwork to help the children? Lucky Dunc was there...  And my poor little kangaroo is rather deformed. I am hopelessly out of practice – too much time spent blogging and not drawing!

Manuel was a wonderful teacher and guide. In addition to the artwork, we got to try firelighting using two sticks. It’s not at all like I expected. I thought you would add grass or moss to where the friction is, but in fact this way, you create a little ember which you plop onto grass and blow into a fire. Neither the children nor I could do it, nor could the other couple with us, though Lexie got close. But Super Dunc could! Yippee! We will not go cold afterall.

Then we went hunting! There was a lovely still (cardboard) kangaroo and we got to experience throwing a spear with the aid of a woomera. This time Super Dunc missed the target, but Mini Dunc got the kill! Angus hit the roo square in the testicles, so we are pretty sure it would have been down for the count! So between the two of them, we have food and fire. And Lexie can weave us a basket to keep them in. Phew.

We finished our time with some cuddles with the orphaned joeys (no killing and eating anything with a name there) and purchasing one of Manuel’s artworks. Dunc chose a barramundi since it was the only way he was likely to catch one up here!

We finished our time in Katherine with our second bout of headlice - argh!! I'm fairly sure that he picked them up from some kids in Darwin and those NT bugs are HUGE! I was sick of combing Angus' head and decided to give him the big chop. It was sooooo much easier to treat him after that.