Part 4
6th June 2021
This morning started slowly, bit of housework to be done before we went off exploring Darwin.
Our first stop in Darwin was the waterfront, and wow đł itâs impressive! We parked the car at the end of Darwinâs version of Geoffâs Shed,the Exhibition centre and walked over to the beach area along the water. Itâs kind of like Docklands, with restaurants under apartments, overlooking a beachfront lagoon. Thereâs a kids jumping park, and grassed area with really cool đ banana lounges, beanbags and chairs for everyone to use. It really is super clean and a really nice Sunday vibe, as there was a band playing in the park. We sat on the stools overlooking the beach, people watching at the Oyster bar for lunch. Really nice seafood đŠ platter! After we walked through the park, to the wave pool to watch for a while. Then we walked over to the long pier, Iâve forgotten the name. It has the flying doctors museum there, and many restaurants, with a food hall, nice seating area overlooking the harbour.
Next stop, was Cullen Bay a drive through the housing estate by the water, which is very nice! As Peter came to Darwin for a fishing trip years ago, he always talked about a bar here he had a great time at. So we went back to check it out, the one where the urinal has a one way window looking onto the bar! Itâs changed since Peter was here last, itâs now called Lolaâs, a little tired but Iâm glad we went back to have a drink at.
As itâs a Sunday night in Darwin of course we canât miss the Mindil markets! We arrived early for a perfect park, to escape the crowds quickly later in the evening. Arriving at the markets as the stall holders where just setting up, so many food trucks. Smells coming from the different cuisines was smelt amazing đ€© to many choices. Monte the old weather man from channel nine years ago, is now a grey nomad and writes books on his adventures, and sells them at this market. He got Peter hook line and sinker, he bought the whole series with his sales pitch! Nice guy and of course I had to ask him his thoughts on Karl (jo) and he agreed his heads got to big! But he did say heâs a great bloke! After walking through all the food stalls we chose the Paella, and took it down the beach to eat it watching the sun go down, with just a few others!
Not long after we caught up with Helen, Kevin, Marg and Richard, down at the Mindil beach to see the sunset. Lots of stories of our journeys to compare, lovely to catch up!
Another great day, full of surprises as I really didnât think Darwin would be such a nice city!
7th of June 2021
This morning we planned to do a bit of maintenance and catch up with the washing and shopping for groceries. Peter dropped me off at a shopping centre down the road from the caravan park. I walked straight into a nail place to get a pedicure, which was heavenly! Then a big Coleâs shop, while Peter washed the filthy red red dirt off the car! Bit of a boring morning, as we needed to get organised.
Tonight we met my dads younger sister,Aunty Jenny and Uncle Terry (fat-bastard) at the Trailer Boat Club, such a nice setting by the waterfront not far from Mindil beach.
We really had a fun night catching up with Jenny and Terry, as Terry always entertains Peter with some very funny stories, and can drink đș too! So Jenny if you happen to read this, Thank you for a lovely đ night at your local club!
8th of June 2021
This morning we booked the car in at Toyota for its first service in Palmerston in Darwin. Peter got up early and dropped the car off. So we had to hang around and wait til it was finished, luckily not to long. So off to Berry Springs for the afternoon, which was really tranquil! Another float on our noodles down stream, very hard to take!!!!
on the way home!
Tonight we had our neighbours Rob and Keryn, from near Swan Hill over for đ» happy hour. Cooked the pork belly I bought in Adelaide on the Webber, which was delicious đ€€!
9th of June 2021
This morning Peter was booked on a fishing charter, yknot was the company, which left from Cullen Bay at 9am. So after we had a coffee he headed out to sea, while I went for a drive to Kingscliff and met my Aunty Jenny for a long chat at a lovely cafe by the sea. I have to add it is so nice around the beach road, walking track, sea views, cafe and a really nice pool.
The time went by very quickly in Kingscliff, so I had to find my way back to Cullen Bay to pick Peter up at 1pm. He was pretty happy with himself, as he caught some decent size fish for dinner tonight. We had lunch at a restaurant on the pier, which had lots of fish đ swimming by, feeding off the scraps. Mum asked me to take flowers to an old friend in a nursing home, so that was my task for the afternoon.
10th of June
This morning the caravan was booked into get the brakes fixed, which didnât take long luckily! Came back to the caravan park, and Peters friends Ray and Leonie called over for lunch. Later we went into Darwin to catch up for pre dinner drinks with Lucy and Neil McKinnon. Always a laugh or two with them! We the later walked into Darwin city to a restaurant called Hanuman, to meet up with a few of Sueâs old friends, Owen and Pola Shaw, Michele Stacey And Geoff. Fun night lots of laughs, delicious food. Then onto Owens nieces gin bar, upstairs to a very chic bar, overlooking beautiful palm trees all lit up at night, called Charlieâs. If your ever in Darwin do yourself a favour, go there! They make their own gin, and itâs very nice! As we had a few drinkies, we stayed the night in the city, with Lucy and Neil, Thank you!
11th June 2021
After a fun night staying in a hotel. we had breakfast with Lucy and Neil at their hotel, Zen and headed back to the caravan park for our last day here in Darwin. Nothing much day, chores and pool day. Cooked a big pot of spaghetti sauce in the camp kitchen, met an interesting couple from Yarck near Bonnie Doon, both ride Moto Gusi motor bikes and have travelled the world! Another loner Guy, that smelt my cooking, commented how good it smelt, so the guilt got the better of me. After our tea I packed up a care package of left overs to the guy on his own.
12th of June 2021
Darwin to Litchfield
Peter was on a mission to leave early today, as he packed up a lot last night ready for take off!
So we left for Litchfield by 9am, only an hours drive down the road to Litchfield Caravan Park by 10am. Quick set up, and off to see the Litchfield National Park!
In all my organising my EPIC fail today, didnât bother to look up PUBLIC holidays!!! Derrrrrrr Feeling like a complete failure here today! As Iâve read every review on the area, so looking forward to seeing all the waterfalls, waterholes. Our first stop today on our exploring day, Florence Falls along with half of the Northern Territory! The actual swimming hole was very busy, so Peter went in but not for me thank you! To many feral people, one big guy climbing the cliffs to do a massive belly wack!!! Quickly left that sight, the back way which was nice and tranquil after the madness!
Next Stop Tolmer falls, much less crowded a nice scenic walk.
Then onto Wangi Falls, no swimming allowed here, so less people and very beautiful, a few annoying selfie takers! We did the above the tree top walk, which was nice and peaceful.
As it was getting later in the afternoon, we thought we would try our luck and go back to Buley Water Hole. The car park looked like it was thinning out. So off we went excited with our trusty noodles, looking forward to a swim. Only as soon as we arrived, we didnât really even see the water holes. Some noisy guys making a disturbance, comes flying up the stairs very very drunk, falling everywhere yelling. I cannot stand confrontation, drunks, druggies, so without even seeing the spot, Iâve said to Peter letâs get out of here! Very very disappointed, my Fomo flattened! So looking forward to coming to Litchfield, even when we got to the Carpark, more young guys coming into the water hole with eskieâs. Note to Self – check for long weekends! So should of stayed here during the week!
After a very disappointing afternoon at Litchfield National Park, we headed back into the caravan park to find new neighbourâs set up beside us! Four tents in one site, with a extended family, Bollywood music, aromas of delicious curries brewing! Ok we may be in for a fun night! ? Beautiful fairy lights stung up along the tents. Unfortunately they didnât want to party with us, so no curry for us tonight.
The funny part really is in Darwin we had a lovely caravan park, absolutely immaculate, English neighbourâs, that looked down their noses at us mere newbies in a Jayco! ( quote from Derrick – ah we all start out in one of those) I had enough of him, happy to leave! Now we want to run back!
13th June 2021
This morning we started slowly due to being a little put off by the long weekend crowd. So we planned on a quiet day! First stop was to the Batchelor market, a little market not much for sale! We bought some chutney and jams only. Back on the road we found a sign to a Butterfly đŠ farm, sounded ok! So in we went to the farm $36 bucks for the two of us, from an eccentric Irish bloke. What a crazy đ place this was!!!! An experience, looks like this guy is on the Happiness trip well and truly, you get a map to walk through to the waterfall that you press the button for it to work, a snake đ (we couldnât find) then the butterfly enclosure, the rabbit đ breeding grounds, vege garden – very impressive for up here, then the farm animals – chooks, pigs, goats đ donkeys ect ect. To describe this place, Bali meets middle of the Northern Territory on happiness!!! ???
Back to our caravan park for a coffee and a bit of a chill, while Peter tinkered with the van. As we both cannot sit for to long, we decided to go for a drive back into the National park.
Firstly to try and find the Termite mound Peters dad took a photo of 30 years ago! Not easy to find, as there are thousands of these dotted around. But we certainly tried to find the one!
Next we randomly decided to go down a four wheel drive track at 3:30pm for 9km to Sandy Creek, via a small river crossing. A little late in the day to then tackle a 1:7km track to the actual waterfall in thongs through a very rocky track. But we made it in time for a 15min swim out to the waterfall!
Lovely đ as there was not many people here by now, they had all left by the time we got there. We met Ian, a young guy on his own in the Navy in Darwin. He had a bit of trouble coming in through the river crossing. Peter offered to help him back through by insuring he made it back, towing him through the river crossing, sharing a beer at the end.
We arrived back at the van at around 7pm and cooked a steak outside, with a salad and lovely bottle of Montalto Tempernello wine đ· lovely finish to our full on afternoon!
14th of June 2021
This morning we decided to give Buley Hole, another chance. So we arrived there at around 10am, this time it was much nicer, less crowds and no drinking just yet. We had a nice chill in the water hole for a few hours, and met some nice couples travelling from Sydney. Compared travel advice and the guys rode motorcycles so a few of those stories too. We had a picnic by the water hole, and watched the action starting to take place. The crowds where building, and Indian families of little excited kids, running everywhere and could not swim, Time to leave, we had a good couple of hours. On our way back to the caravan park, we called into a Zebra Stone Gallery. Quite interesting if your into stones! Spent our afternoon catching up on washing and reading.
15th June 2021
Litchfield to Katherine Up early this morning and on the road by 8:30am. First stop for a coffee at Adelaide river. Turned off here randomly as we saw a tourist route sign, via Robin Falls. So we drove into the Robin falls campground, a rough track in with the van, to find no falls, just a nice camping area. Back to Adelaide river, as the tourist road was very narrow. We stopped at Edith Falls and did the loop track, first to the top pools. When we got to the top it looked absolutely jaw dropping beautiful! Mind you we where very hot and sticky from climbing nearly 2kms of rocky stairs, we jumped in straight away with our trusty noodles!
After the top pools we continued the loop track another 2kms up more rocky steps, then down to the bottom pools for another dip. This so far is our favourite waterfalls so far, an unexpected surprise. The campground here is stunning, grassy areas and spaced out sites. A pity you have to line up here at 9am to get a spot, it was full by 10am. Next time we definitely could spend a few days here!
We arrived at Katherine caravan park at around 5pm, as we had such a great afternoon exploring Edith Falls, our favourite falls so far! Dinner at the van and an early night!
16th of June 2021
Very early start today, up at 5:30am for a Sunrise Katherine Gorge Cruise at the Nitmiluk national park. It was a very fast thirty minute drive from Katherine.
We arrived there with five minutes to spare before the boat took off, we passed thousands of bats đŠ flying, hanging, shitting everywhere!!!!!
Review- Katherine Gorge Cruise
So worth it, especially dragging myself out of bed at 5:30am, the water was flat, sunrise beautiful, just a nice way to start the day. The guide was extremely interesting too. We both loved it!
After a coffee and a chat with others from the cruise, we headed back into Katherine. Peter dropped me off at the shopping centre for groceries. Today is the day the Aborigines get a shopping card, and was it busy in town!
Quickly retreated back to the peaceful Caravan park for some pool time! Peter went to see the Ghan come into town. While I had a lay by the pool.
Later Helen, Kevin, Marg and Richard turned up, so we ended up having happy hour together.
We had dinner under the Banyon tree at the resort, fun night with delicious food, lots of đŸđ„đŸđ„
17th of June 2021
Katherine to East Baines Stop over!
This morning we decided to leave a day early, due to hearing how busy Lake Argyle is! So on the way out my Fomo kicked in, one more Springs to see, the Katherine springs. Peter had a quick dip before we got on our way.
Katherine Springs was nice, but by now weâve been spoilt for choice, Bitter Springs winâs the competition!
We stopped on the way at Victoria River roadhouse for a quick sandwich in the van. We planned to make it to Big Horse Creek campground, but it was already full by 2pm. So onwards to East Baines Rest area,for the nights stopover. Again we met another nice couple, (by now I donât even ask names) and had a nice happy hour, comparing travel stories together.
Part 3 End of the Northern Territory Adventure
Loved the Northern Territory much more than we thought!
