Don’t be fooled kiddies this isn’t simply a joy ride around Aus doing nude yoga on every beach. Coastal QLD presented some mild dangers - Crocs and electric ants. But this paled in comparison to what heading west had installed for us, yep, physco cows…
A closer observation of the sign and Steve sighed with relief, “We’re ok honey, see, sedans are most at risk of getting launched by giant physco cows”. “Do you think that’s why QLD’ers drive fast utes, to escape these cows!!?” Steve said with excitement. And so it was. With Steve mooing we drove past many a cow, none of whom had any interest in taking on the might of Maria.
It would have been lovely to just sit around in the dry heat, watch the flies breed, their maggots crawling out of road kill, but we really needed to make some ground to get to Darwin in time for our flight to Bali. Yep lucky for us our good friends Linda and Suri were getting hitched in Bali. I guess it was lucky for them we we’re at the top end and could get a cheap ($340 return for 2) flight. And since we accidently selected a return flight 6 weeks later, not 6 days, we also needed to organise our extended visa pre departure as it’s a painful 3 visit, potentially weeks worth, process over there. But there was much more to Darwin then Bali. Steve was eager to catch up with his Mum, Julie (aka ‘Ging Gang’ for those who didn’t follow Peru blog a few yrs back) who is now officially a Territorian.
Ok, we slightly underestimated the journey from Cape Trib to Darwin. I think by about 3000kms. We had 4 days to do it and so it was, sunrise to sunset, handing the wheel over every 2-3hrs. Leaving the coast on the Kennedy Hwy at Smithfield up we go into the Atherton Tablelands. Then onto the Gulf Development Rd. Ravenshoe, Millstream, Mt Garnet, Minnamoolka, Mt Surprise, Georgetown, Croydon, Blackbull and then Normanton where one can get in touch with their inner crocodile dundee…Wow they get this big!? The locals will tell you there is one hanging around even bigger… Meet Krys - replica of the croc shot by Krystina Pawloski in 1958, 8.5m long, 4m girth...
The Burke Development Rd takes you towards Cloncurry. These development roads sure need some developing – 1 single lane with red dirt wide berths or if you’re lucky 2 single lanes with a dashed white line. In both cases expect 3, 4 and 5 carriage road trains hooting along them!
Next onto the Barkley Hwy, Burke and Wills Roadhouse, Mt Isa, Camooweal, and wooohoooooo the QLD/NT border! Welcome to the NT - "Nature Territory" when nature is simply grass as far as the eye can see.
Continuing on through Ranken, Three Ways (most expensive LPG in Aus? @ $1.25/L), Pamayu, Elliot, Larrimah and Mataranka where we didn’t sleep on the side of the road and enjoyed a night in Elsey NP. Have a go at this outback jacuzzi!
On the home stretch we zoomed through Katherine, Edeth, Pine Ck, Adelaide River, finally reaching Darwin. We both needed a stretch, shower and a sleep. Here are a few more images of the 4 days from Cape Trib to Darwin.
