Billy's Camp No. 23 & 24, The East Kimberlys

 21/08/2012

I left Darwin on Saturday 18/8/12 and traveled via the Stuart Hwy to Katherine and then to Kunnunurra on the Victoria Hwy. I stayed at Saddle Creek roadside camp spot overnight along the way doing about 700k's that day. Next morning I went to Kununurra via Lake Argyle and after replenishing the fruit and veg supplies I went on to Wyndham, about 220 k's all up and stayed at a great little caravan park for 3 nights. Some of these outback parks are in not worth staying at but this one is a beauty. Wyndham is the furthermost northern town in the WA, with fuel 13c/l cheaper than Kununurra !!!!!! Kununurra was $1.82.
We are two hours behind ACT here and the sky lightens about 4.30ish.

The Darwin area is flat as, it was good to see some hills

Fruit n Veg check point

State No. 6 on this trip

Lake Argyle, 21 times the volume of Sydney Harbor

The Ord River dam wall

This seems to be the fashion, but they left the wings on !

Bastion Point lookout over the 5 rivers

Pic using panoramic app on iPhone, dosnt really work, this is 180', worth a go Steph.

Same lookout...count the total wheels !

Marglu billabong

Wyndham prison tree

King River, it is a redish brown, whereas the Mary and Adelaide rivers were silver grey, all are cloudy with the continual tidal rushes

Caravan park boab, about 13m in girth

No Forest I cant marry you :)

Tomorrow its on to The Gibb River Road, its about 650k's long of varying conditions, and first stop will be at El Questro.

ooroo
Bill

Billy's Camp No. 23. Darwin.

17/08/2012

Hi All,
As mentioned I moved from Shady Camp on 27th July and headed to Darwin via the Arnhem Hwy, a short drive of 1.5 hours. I have been at Darwin since then and have viewed most of the local attractions. Its now 3 weeks since arriving and the temps have been consistently 30' during the day and getting down to 15 on a cold night.
I'm heading off towards Broome via Timber Creek and Kununurra and will have a look at Wyndham, apparently there is a confluence of 5 rivers there. There are some areas I will not see as the area is becoming dryer by the day, I can come back for those :). Unfortunately I need to backtrack ( I dont like backtracking ! ) down to Katherine to get on the Victoria Hwy, but you get that !
I have not taken many pics as most of the stuff is typical city touristy, albeit interesting. Darwin is a top place.
I did the markets, most museums, deck chair cinema, local water/interest spots and lots of counter lunches at surrounding area taverns/pubs.
I've  also learnt N.T. stands for, Not Today, Not Tomorrow, Not Tuesday, Not Thursday...........
Its now 6 months on the road and 14000 k's.

B52 bomber cockpit at Aviation Museum....??

Anon, circa 1940. It was at the Aviation Museum. ??

Underground WWII oil storage tunnels under Darwin City

War Museum...search light lens

Looking over Fannie Bay back to the city. Most high rises are residential and not office buildings

Fannie Bay

...from the Trailer Boat Club, lots of clubs and taverns here.

Adelaide River Pub...the 303 bar..most localities have a pub/tavern

Crab Claw Island

Dundee Beach

The fishos pay $25 to have their boat launched and retrieved...or $100 to have their bogged 4WD pulled out !!

A "Rocky Horror Show" fund raising night at the Humpty Doo Golf Club....

 ttfn.....:)

Billy

Billy's Camp No.22, Shady Camp, Mary River Nat Park

31/07/2012

Hi All,
I left Jabiru on 22/07/12 and traveled the Arnhem Hwy and Point Stuart Rd to Shady Camp in the Mary River National Park. The camp is located next to the Mary River and the Mary River Barrage. The barrage is man made and replaces eroded natural sand bank barrages. The barrage is a popular land based barra fishing spot and several 800 + fish were caught. One side of the barrage is fresh water and the other salt, the anglers cast soft plastics repeatedly to the salt side on a high tide, the fish come up to the flowing fresh water to feed. Single hook only and no trebles. A possession limit of two barra applies to the river. I fished by boat on the tidal side twice without luck, but fished the fresh side one day and caught several, with one keeper of 600. The taste is different for the fresh water barra, less firmness and a slight muddiness, but acceptable. The locals throw them back, if they were caught in Lake Burley Griffen, they would be eaten with glee. The crocs are again everywhere, on one bank I counted 15 in 200 meters, all at a stones throw to the boat.
All the camp sites are becoming dry and dusty and I'm contemplating skipping some areas and getting to the coast of WA quicker. I can see them next trip up here :)
I stayed at Shady Camp for 4 nights and am now near Darwin in Humpty Doo.

Smokey sunset

Mary River, low tide

Mary River, high tide, barrage is to the left

Mary River mouth and Timor Sea

Barrage with the fresh flowing

Best to launch at low tide and return at high

Baby Barra

600 fresh Barra

450 HP on not so big a crabbers boat, 45 times more HP than me

Crocs galore

Acres of Lotus flowers

Road to Point Stuart, tunnels of flowers

Tick off Buffalo...

The ocean is behind the mangroves :(

What work !

Fannie Bay, Darwin

I'm going to hang around Darwin for a while. From what I've seen of it to date, it is a beautiful clean picturesque city.

Ooroo for now,
Bill(y)