Charters Towers

Today we drove to Charters Towers. 

We stopped along the way at Richmond the Fossil Capital of Australia and then Hughenden. This is the giant windmill in the main street.

This is giant dinosaur also in Hughenden. It must mean we are back neat the East Coast with all the giant size things now appearing, that we seem obsessed with.

We stopped briefly at White Mountains National Park Lookout.

When we arrived at Charters Towers we went for a walk into town for dinner. There are many really beautiful buildings in the main street.

We walked back home as the sun was setting.

Mt Isa

Today we drove to Mt Isa crossing into Queensland.

On the way we stopped at Barkly Homestead, which was such a surprise a lovely oasis in the middle of literally nowhere. Beautiful accommodation, restaurant etc, such an unexpected sight.

We then arrived in Mt Isa, we walked through town and up to the top of the city lookout, with views of the mine.

Down to Tennant Creek

Today we drove from Katherine to Tennant Creek. We stopped at Bitter Springs in Mataranka for a final go at floating /swimming in the Bitter Springs crystal clear 32 degree water. This is us looking refreshed having some lunch afterwards.

The road ahead to Tennant Creek.

A fire in the distance - its smoke looked very impressive. ( We are back in red earth country. We noticed the country changed quite quickly from brown to the deep red.)

Nitmiluk - Katherine Gorge

We started the day at Nitmiluk Visitors Centre for breakfast before boarding our three gorge cruise. The Katherine region covers an area the size of Victoria and welcomes more than 250,000 visitors each year. The region stretches from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the West Australian border.

The Katherine River flows through 13 separate gorges that carve their way through the Arnhem Land Plateau. Carved out of the rock by torrential summer rains over millenia. The Jawoyn tradition says that the gorge was formed by Bolung - the rainbow serpent, who still inhabits the deep pools of the second gorge at Nitmiluk and care must be taken not to disturb him.

On our cruise in Katherine Gorge, we met Kelvin and Eileen all the way from Valentine. They took our photo for us.

A little freshy croc. You nearly think he is smiling. 

We then drove to Edith Falls - Leliyn. Located on the western boundary of Nitmiluk National Park this is the paperbark and pandandus fringed natural pool at the base of the falls. 

After seeing the plunge pool we walked the 2.6km Leliyn loop to the top of the falls to find further falls more significant than the first.

Katherine

Today we left Kakadu behind and headed for Katherine.

We stopped at the Bowali Visitors Centre on the way and watched a couple of films on Kakadu and walked through the displays.

This orange footed scrub fowl was the visitors centre.

We then drove to Cooinda for a last look around at Yellow Waters and lunch at the Cooinda Lodge.

After checking in at Katherine we went to the Hot Springs for a swim.