Thursday 27 September 2012

The heat continues

We are currently in Fitzroy crossing temperature still 40 degrees so lets recap

from kununurra we went to El questro just down the gibb river road a lot of the way is being sealed but we took the van down through the pentacosta river into the station its not real deep
 A hot long walk to Emma gorge we finally get to the swimming hole above



No power here only the campsite with showers and toilets but boy do they charge more than a top of the range caravan park it was much to hot to do a lot






These two are on the way to zebeedee thermal springs but who wants warm water when its 40 nice scenery though

we set off down the gibb river road for a bit in the comfort of the air con in the cruiser leaving the van at el questro






 boy is home valley station nice the bar and restaurant below 
 home valley station swimming pool below Elquestro doesn.t have one
 Home valley gate
 below the ever flowing mighty Pentacost river just a dried up puddle
 very dry up here at the present
We leave El questro back to kunnunurra to stock up and straight back on the road when we arrive at Mary pool we find a young family with a camper wheel bearing shot they had a new one but had never changed one before although they were giving it there best shot I got out the tools and get dirty with a bit of help from me its not long before they are on there way

 Above and below are Giekie gorge on the river cruise fitzroy river

and more crocs
we will stay in fitzroy at the lodge for a day to swim in the pool run the air con in the van and generally cool down then its off to Derby We were going to spend some time at the bungle bungles but it was bungled by a bush fire in the national park even the caravan park was closed so we just push on smoke haze hangs in the air everwhere


Tuesday 25 September 2012

Into the Heat!!!!


 We of the never never above

There were 250000 fruit bats in the palms at mataranka hot springs and they pong
We continue on through Cloncurry and mt Isa into the northern territory gaining 1/2 hour Stayed the night at the famous outback Daly Waters pub always wanted to do that and on to Mataranka went for a look at the thermal pools and we of the never never And on to Katherine its getting hot didn;t do much been here before swam in the pool and relaxed Shoved off to Kununurra on the way stopped at the Victoria river just outside Timber creek and watched a crocodile swim around for a while we were on the bridge

Stopped at a overnight stop did a service on the car beside the road after sleeping the night there a hot one we woke to find a camper bus in distress its aboriginal owner was waiting for us to rouse his battery dead we tried my jump start pack no go my spare battery with jumper leads no go even the generator with the charger for 1/2 hour the battery was cactus we tow started his bus and he was on his way after 2 hours trying we meet him again in Kunnanurra a happy man Arrive in Kunnanurra to 40 degree heat boy the parks pool looked good went to zebra rock for some souvenirs had a look at ivans crossing


Went for a cruise on lake argyle boy is that place big you can/t see the other side over the horizon after seeing one of the lakes 35000 fresh water crocs we have a swim the wont harm you its the saltwater you got to watch out for it was a brilliant cruise will update more after next is El questro and Home valley station

Wednesday 12 September 2012

The Lava Tubes

We are now near the NT border and nearly finished with Queensland but first a little left over from the cape and the Undarra  lava tubes
 Above and below Seisia from the caravan park tip of Australia pity can't swim crocs
 Below the road to the tip furthermost point north
 Nobody told me another creek crossing to get to the top never mind glad I bought the snorkel
click on the picture and look at the number plate that creek crossing took mine


 Well here we are a long way to see a sign






 view from the tip

below this is what happens if you take your eyes off this road even for a second in the middle of nowhere on the cape
 
 we also came across a recovery by the racq  on the road to fruit bat falls a couple stuck for 20 hours after the suspension on the off road camper they were towing ripped clean off the chassis expensive recovery
 Spent the next few days in cairns cleaning the car and fixing the trailer plugs brake controller etc then it was off to the Lava tubes these prove to be exhilarating we could only visit with a guide the only way you are allowed to see them
 I will not comment as the pics say it all

















 all created by lava flows these are the best in the world and a pleasure to see
 Lots of animals die in here and to Marion's delight loads of micro bats live here














below its pitch black in here this is  light up by the camera flash we walked at least 300 to 400 meters into this tube but it went on a lot longer


 On to Normington and the biggest croc ever caught
The road trains are big up here four trailers I could not get the whole thing on the camera

 Tomorrow its Northern Territory  and with over 10000kms done we are about a third of the way through the journey see you all later