We are leaving next day so up early and packed but its so hot it takes us longer than usual! Its 11am before we set off but they are not so strict here about getting out before 10am.We are going to Katherine today and its only over an hours drive so its not so bad that we leave late.
We arrive around 12pm in Katherine and book into the Big4 and get setup. Its a huge park and very busy and just outside town but we like it. It has a huge pool(but cold after Mataranka Springs) and a lovely little restaurant to the side of it.
We got in the car and had a big drive around to get our bearings and see what there is in the town, stopping at the Katherine Hot Springs not far from our caravan park and test the water... lovely and warm but not quite as warm as Mataranka! Its also been damed and concreted but is very clear and popular. We will be back with our bathers!
We arrive around 12pm in Katherine and book into the Big4 and get setup. Its a huge park and very busy and just outside town but we like it. It has a huge pool(but cold after Mataranka Springs) and a lovely little restaurant to the side of it.
We got in the car and had a big drive around to get our bearings and see what there is in the town, stopping at the Katherine Hot Springs not far from our caravan park and test the water... lovely and warm but not quite as warm as Mataranka! Its also been damed and concreted but is very clear and popular. We will be back with our bathers!
Back at the caravan we get properly setup and I get some washing on, Tommy is talking to a guy when I get back and I think his wife looks familiar, next thing we are talking and she says they come from Langwarrin! She used to work for Frankston Council and I ask if she knows anyone who used to work their. Turns out she is Shirley & Kens Sister in law! What a small world! Her name is Lorrelle Champion and is married to Kens Brother! Robert! Chatted to them for a while. I get onto Facebook and tell Shirley!
I have checked out the toilet blocks and laundry and its all great so we are going to stay a few days. The sites are big and lots of shade from the trees. Head to the shops and find Woolworths and get our groceries stocked up and back to the van. We head to the restaurant for happy hour and have a lovely meal before retiring for the night. Its 32 dg and a bit humid hope we can sleep tonight?
Tommy didn't sleep very well as he cant sleep with the air-conditioner on and it was really hot last night, think it only got down to 25dg. Up early and straight down to the hot Springs after breakfast. Got in and found a lovely shaded spot to just relax and started chatting to an older couple. Turns out they are camped right beside us at Big4! We stayed at the springs for a few hours as there are a few different pools and a waterfall on one side where its been damned. Lovely and relaxing!
When we get back we spend a bit of time chatting to Willie & Lindelle, the couple beside us. Tommy was looking for some parts for the van so we decided to go back into town to have a look and stumbled on the market in the centre of town. Had a look through, mostly arts & Crafts for the tourists and had something to eat from the stalls. We had a relaxing day and BBQ for tea and an early night after making plans on what to do next.
I have checked out the toilet blocks and laundry and its all great so we are going to stay a few days. The sites are big and lots of shade from the trees. Head to the shops and find Woolworths and get our groceries stocked up and back to the van. We head to the restaurant for happy hour and have a lovely meal before retiring for the night. Its 32 dg and a bit humid hope we can sleep tonight?
Tommy didn't sleep very well as he cant sleep with the air-conditioner on and it was really hot last night, think it only got down to 25dg. Up early and straight down to the hot Springs after breakfast. Got in and found a lovely shaded spot to just relax and started chatting to an older couple. Turns out they are camped right beside us at Big4! We stayed at the springs for a few hours as there are a few different pools and a waterfall on one side where its been damned. Lovely and relaxing!
When we get back we spend a bit of time chatting to Willie & Lindelle, the couple beside us. Tommy was looking for some parts for the van so we decided to go back into town to have a look and stumbled on the market in the centre of town. Had a look through, mostly arts & Crafts for the tourists and had something to eat from the stalls. We had a relaxing day and BBQ for tea and an early night after making plans on what to do next.
Off to the Cutta Cutta caves today for an adventure. Only about 20km down the road and we book in at the ranger station. There are about 10 people on the tour and we set off down the track towards the caves. The guide is very informative and tells us lots of Aboriginal stories about bush tucker along the way. The ground is red dust with outcrops of black rock all around, pale grasses growing like wigs every now and then out of the ground. The rocks get more abundant s we get nearer the caves and you can actually see through some of the rocks into what looks like caves. We have to hike over some rocks to get up higher to the opening of the caves and notice the stairs down into the cavern. The tour guide stops us and gives us tips on how to stay together and a run down of the kind of animals may be in the cave, snakes, bats, spiders etc, then he opens the gate and leads us into the caves. He tells us the cave was found because a cow had fallen into a hole and a farmer had climbed into pull it out and discovered it went deep within the cave and thats how he discovered this cave. He said it wasn't used by aboriginal people because it was so dark and no real water course running through it. It was truly spectacular when he put on the lights with stalagmites and stalactites growing everywhere and roots from trees above growing around them. It was lovely and cool down here and we didn't want to leave!
On the way back out he turned the cave lights out and its soooo dark... cant even see your hand in front of your face! We made our way back out and Tommy & I decided to walk the track around the outside of the cave and read the signs around about vegetation and animals before we left. On the path we couldn't believe how many ants there were, all different sizes and different colours. At one point we saw a huge amount of large red ants around a big hole in the ground, I walked past because they give me the shivers but Tommy stopped to watch them. Next thing they all started going towards him. He jumped over most of them onto the other side of the path and guess what? They followed him.... Oh it was horrible. I was screaming and we walked away with Tommy laughing at me! When we got back to the ranger station we asked the guide about them and he said it was probably red ants which were attracted by meat....... us! and yes they would follow us! had a great time and were really tired by the time we got back. Straight to the springs when we got back then down to the caravan Park pool for a dip and met some of our neighbours. I called Nitmiluk Parks and booked a diner cruise for tomorrow. We heated up some left over stew and had some toast with it for tea just too tired to cook!
On the way back out he turned the cave lights out and its soooo dark... cant even see your hand in front of your face! We made our way back out and Tommy & I decided to walk the track around the outside of the cave and read the signs around about vegetation and animals before we left. On the path we couldn't believe how many ants there were, all different sizes and different colours. At one point we saw a huge amount of large red ants around a big hole in the ground, I walked past because they give me the shivers but Tommy stopped to watch them. Next thing they all started going towards him. He jumped over most of them onto the other side of the path and guess what? They followed him.... Oh it was horrible. I was screaming and we walked away with Tommy laughing at me! When we got back to the ranger station we asked the guide about them and he said it was probably red ants which were attracted by meat....... us! and yes they would follow us! had a great time and were really tired by the time we got back. Straight to the springs when we got back then down to the caravan Park pool for a dip and met some of our neighbours. I called Nitmiluk Parks and booked a diner cruise for tomorrow. We heated up some left over stew and had some toast with it for tea just too tired to cook!
Its my Birthday! 1st of June and Tommy has got me a lovely card and we are going on the dinner cruise tonight to Katherine Gorge. Went to the shops and Tommy bought me a nice top and went to the springs again for a dip. Got ready and had to be at the gorge for 4.30pm so ready and off early. We arrived and parked the car and noticed some kangaroos on the grass and followed the signs down to the boats. On the path in the overhanging trees were hundreds of flying foxes (or fruit bats) hanging from the trees! So smelly but awesome to be up so close to them. Took lots of photos and videos of them. A crowd had started to gather at the boat launch and we joined the queue. A young girl was checking names off her clipboard and turns out she is over from England on a working holiday. She leads us down to a tour boat with another 20 people and we sit about mid way up the boat, all the seats facing forward. The tour guide introduces himself and begins to tell us what is going to happen. We are taking this boat up to the end of the first gorge then we have to walk to get to the next gorge where we get on another boat to go to the next gorge. On the way back we change to the dining boat and have our meal sailing back down at a slow pace, sounds good!
So the journey begins with the guide telling us some of the dreamtime legends and how they relate to the gorges and about aboriginal ways, culture and bush tucker and where its found, pointing out trees, bushes, fish and of course the odd crocodile! He took us close in to see wall painting and birds and lazy crocs(just small ones of 2 or 3 meters) lying sun baking on the rocks. The views were spectacular and the colours glorious! Its not long before we are at the end of the first gorge and need to get out the boat...ahead of us is a landing and setup at the top of the steps is a gazebo and some chairs and water tanks. We are told we need to walk a few 100 meters to the next boat ramp but along the way to make sure and check out the cave paintings done by Aboriginals thousands of years ago. Spectacular! even the walkway is great, they haven't moved rocks to make a path but filled in around them with concrete and it makes it so much better than walking along dirt paths.
So the journey begins with the guide telling us some of the dreamtime legends and how they relate to the gorges and about aboriginal ways, culture and bush tucker and where its found, pointing out trees, bushes, fish and of course the odd crocodile! He took us close in to see wall painting and birds and lazy crocs(just small ones of 2 or 3 meters) lying sun baking on the rocks. The views were spectacular and the colours glorious! Its not long before we are at the end of the first gorge and need to get out the boat...ahead of us is a landing and setup at the top of the steps is a gazebo and some chairs and water tanks. We are told we need to walk a few 100 meters to the next boat ramp but along the way to make sure and check out the cave paintings done by Aboriginals thousands of years ago. Spectacular! even the walkway is great, they haven't moved rocks to make a path but filled in around them with concrete and it makes it so much better than walking along dirt paths.
We cant help ourselves taking hundreds of photos but its so beautiful and the sun is just starting to go down and magically change the colour of the rocks to look so spectacular. There are lots of little waterfalls or water holes which would look perfect for swimming in if you didn't know they were inhabited by crocs! We eventually make it to the boat only to find they have been waiting on us as we were the last ones! Never mind we had a great walk! Then another sail up the second gorge, this time a meandering journey as the rocks had broken at different angles and then when the water had come through in the rainy season it had made it twist and turn creating a meandering river. I cant describe how beautiful it all was, the boat was relatively quiet so you could hear the birds singing, the Chicados chirping, the leaves blowing in the wind and probably all enhanced by the echos around the gorge. The sun was going down so only one side of the gorge would be bright and the other looked pitch black, just by turning your head the perspective changed so quickly. It just gave you a peaceful feeling sailing along this wonderful part of the country. All this time our guide had been keeping us going with questions and answers, lots of tips about where to see wildlife and pointing out different species of bird and animal life. Next thing we were back at the boat ramp and the sun was almost down. Again we walked back to board the boat, and Tommy & I took more photos as we had had to hurry the last time. Just loved the scenery at that spot between the gorges!! As we neared the boat ramp we noticed lights on and that it was a different boat setup with dining tables instead of rows of seats. Candles were lit on the tables with black & white table cloths and a chef was standing ready at the head of the boat. As we came down the steps Tommy helped a couple of older American tourists take some photos and we all boarded the boat together. We were sat with a couple from Perth and soon were on great terms with them telling all about our "Big Trip". The boat took off and we were served a platter of finger food and asked to choose some wine. The food just kept coming and the wine topped up as we sailed back down the gorge, the sun setting on one side and the moon rising on the other...magnificent! Although we were sitting with another couple it was still a very intimate sail, Tommy & I just kept looking at each other saying how beautiful it was and how lucky we were to be doing this. The guide was steering the boat too and fro across the gorge making sure everyone had a great view of the sunset on one side and the rising moon on the other to let us get just the right shot of the scenery as we got further down the gorge. It was just spectacular and the staff so attentive. You can see from the amount of photos I have included how much we loved it and I hope you get a feel of the atmosphere from them. The photos of the two of us show how happy and special we felt on the night. Some of the photos are taken with our selfy stick, one of Tommy is just magical! By the time we get back its 9.30pm and we have had such a wonderful evening, I think I would say the best birthday evening I have had ever! Would highly recommend this tour.
Next morning we were having breakfast when Tommy looked out the window and said"Isn't that Shirley & Ken's Rig?" I laughed and said "Yeh Right!", But he was right and they were pulling into the site right beside us! Lots of cuddles and laughs and they get themselves organised. Think we chatted all day in between Lunch & Dinner! Great laugh and we decided we would all go to the Edith Falls next day for a swim in the natural pool.