We were up early today with me finding my right ear totally blocked, with wax I presume. As a result I didn't feel capable of driving and Sue took the reins driving to Mataranka 168 km up the track. When we arrived I located the Mataranka Health Centre run by the Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation. I had hoped to see a doctor to have my ears syringed as has been the case in the past back in Melbourne. Unfortunately this was not to be the case and I was assigned to a young male trainee nursing aide who was clearly still on L plates as he was reading an instruction booklet while proceeding to try and clear my ear. After a long period without success we both agreed to give up trying, myself quite readily given the trepidation with which I'd agreed to this in the first place. The annoying thing is that I was well aware of their being a female general practitioner present as well as a fully trained nurse. Sue the drove us the short distance to Bitter Springs campground where we managed to secure ourselves a nice shady spot in a ferny glade. Sue then tackled the laundry in the 37° C heat before we both took our pool noodles which we'd brought on this trip and walked to the Bitter Springs waterhole. This was the highlight of the day as we let the current take us half a kilometre down the small stream floating with our noodles as we were surrounded by lovely fan ferns and tall palms. The evening was spent kicking back with a salad, schnitzel and a beer to round out an excellent end to the day.
Tuesday, 29 August 2023
Day 18 - Daly Waters Pub - Wednesday 16th August 2017
Woke up feeling somewhat jaded unsurprisingly given how much we had to drink last night. We joined Pete and Helen for breakfast before helping them with their gear as they were continuing on their way today. We then went to the swimming pool by the Pub but only stayed a short while as it was busy with staff using the pool also. We left and came back after lunch to have the pool almost to ourselves bar for a lovely couple with home we compared notes. It was still too hot and dusty back at the motorhome so a quick shower and then it was time to rest outside at happy hour before contemplating dinner. I think from memory I had a barramundi roll and Sue may have downed a salad.
Monday, 28 August 2023
Day 17 - Attack Creek Rest Area to Daly Waters Pub - Tuesday 15th August 2017
We headed off at 9.30 a.m. with Sue at the wheel. She drove the 130 km to Elliott where we stopped for fuel and a bite to eat. A few peacocks ingratiated themselves at Elliott so w took time out to feed them a little. Then it was on the the iconic Daly Waters Pub west of the highway at daly waters. After setting up camp we met up with our friends Pete and Helen who had arrived soon after - they were continuing their clockwise circuit of the west and centre which we had had to abandon earlier due to unforeseen circumstances ref: http://eddyaustralia2017.blogspot.com/ The pub and it's surrounds are justifiably famous for the odd collection of paraphernalia including a helicopter, international flags, international currency and ladies brassieres. Anyway we settled down for a few beers and dined on the delicious wild caught barramundi as well as steaks done to perfection. Then we moved on to the bottles of wine and enjoyed the evening's entertainment with a guitarist knocking out a good many old numbers that everyone seemed to know. Eventually we turned in for the night at around 10.30 p.m.
Day 16 - Barrow Creek to Attack Creek Rest Area north of Tennant Creek - Monday 14th August 2017
We headed off this morning after a quick shower - no electricity dso Sue couldn't do her hair. First stop was just north of the roadhouse so I that I could view what was left of the old Barrow Creek racecourse and reminisce about that race meeting some 43 years earlier. After a few photos we moved on to the stange outpost of Wycliffe Well roadhouse and holiday park I say strange as it claims to be the UFO centre of Australia and the murals and statues etc. are all designed to bolster this idea. Next stop en route was the iconic Devil's Marbles site or Karlwekarlwe to give them their proper aboriginal name. Again this was somewhat nostalgic for me having stopped here to rest some 43 years ago while driving to Alice Springs from Tennant Creek. We spent some time wandering around the site and reading the billboards explaining it's significance. And then it was on to Tennant Creek and the road west to Warrego where I lived and worked for some 9 months as a shift foreman in the copper smelter back in 1974. The township at Warrego no longer exists as the mine and associated infrastructure closed down many years ago. As well all that remains of the Smelter where I would travel to work some 30 km back towards Tennant Creek is the smokestack that was used to disperse the toxic sulphur dioxide gases higher in the atmosphere. Tennant Creek itself held many memories for me as well and a great deal had changed while other parts not at all. We left Warrego to go back to town and then drove eastward to the old township of Peko which also now lies abandoned with all the houses gone. Back toward town we stopped at the Battery Hill Gold Mining and Heritage Centre which was fascinating for me (and Sue) looking back over time to see the history of mining in this area - so many memories. Eventually we headed north of town and set up camp at Attack Creek 24 hour rest stop 72 km north of Tennant Creek.
