Send an e-mail to Ron.
Back to Rons home page.
Well, we have been very quiet re sending e-mails .. various excuses .. but one theory I have is that this travelling
is a degree or two worse than retiring. The old story about when one retires, one wonders how one ever had time to go to
work. When one takes up travelling, it's much the same thing. One thinks he is going to have heaps of free time, but in
effect, one seems always busy .. even if it's just yarning with others, watching the world go bye, or whatever!
At Daly Waters we overnighted at the olde airfield .. still operational .. my dad passed via that airstrip when he
was flown (wounded in WWII) from the old Dutch New Guinea to Sydney. There is a fair amount of historical information
dispalyed in the hanger plus remenants of old infrastructure/buildings in the vicinity. The current pub was the old WWII
officers club. There is a lot of memrobillia etc in and around the pub/caravan park and the pub has a good reputaion for its
$17.50 steak or barramundi meals.
Larrimah is the next town to the north where there is a historical hotel, interesting museum with lots of old
telephone and some radio equipment. The remains of the original Darwin to Larrimah rail line together with the old
extensive loading/unloading area extending some 500m to the south are obvious.
I did note, with interest a few years ago, when the government announced, with great fanfare, that it was building
the Alice Springs to Darwin rail link. No mention was made of that original 500+ km length of rail track, built during WWII,
that they removed. That track used steel sleepers .. these and the actual rail are still very much in evidence in these parts
.. sleepers as fence posts, track in sheds/buildings. Thus the old rail system was utilised by the rural population.
Gorrie, a WWII airstrip is a few km to the north .. nicely signposted off the highway. We travelled in 3 km ..
lots of track, no more signs and no airfield found. Had to use the axe to cut down a small tree so we could turn around!
Later info suggests one needs to take an unsigned track to the right when in about 1 km from highway. We looked for most
other WWII airstrips between there and Darwin .. found most, and camped overnight at, or on some.
On to Katherine and to a large parking area behind the Info Centre .. Woolworths is next door .. convenient!
Travelled out towards Katherine Gorge to a museum and the original WWII Katherine airstrip. To top up with water we had to
spend $2 at a metered water outlet at the rear of the museum. We drove to where we were supposed to meet up with another
motorhome and spend the night, but we couldn't find them or the spot they had described. So we returned to the old airstrip
and drove to the near the far end where we spent the night.
Continuing north to the turn off to Copperfield Dam, Umbrawarra George etc. and in to Copperfield Dam. However,
there were grass fires burning and fire units still in attendance so we decided not to stay. One can stay for a maximum of
72 hours but 8 vans maximum. We went back to a suitable spot near the highway for the night.
North through Pine creek, off the highway at the signed "WWII (Mc Donald) airstrip" .. but another one not found
due to lack of any further signage on the many tracks wandering in various directions. We took Dorat Road to the west
which loops back on the main highway at Adelaide River. Dorat Road gives access to roads further west .. to the Douglas Daly
area and to Daly River area. We took the road to the Douglas Daly area, found the large Fenton airfield where we stayed
overnight parking off strip as it is sometimes used! Further on is Douglas Daly Tourist Park .. $26 per night powered, so we
investigated further along the road and found a loverly spot on a waterhole in Middle Creek just beside Liddey Bridge.
Apparently, it is spring fed about 1 km upstream .. we stayed 3 nights.
Back to Dorat Road and north to Adelaide River where we stayed 3 nights. Almost next door is the railway museum at
the old Adelaide River railway station. There is a significant amount of radio, plus of course, railway equipment in that
museum. The Darwin Amateur Radio Club have operated from that site. The War Cemetery at Adelaide River is well worth a visit.
Further north and we turned off the highway, through the town centre of Batchelor, to The Rum Jungle (ex uranium
mine site) area. Lots of evidence of mining, little overnight possibilities, until we found Rum Jungle Lake. Here, there is a
very large sealed reasonably level parking area but signed (seen July '05) "area closed for camping for 12 months
.. rehabilitation of Rum Jungle South mine site". While we had lunch there a couple of vehicles visited, then left. So that
large facility is sitting there doing next to nothing. What would be wrong with motorhomes/caravans parking there overnight?
At Manton Dam, closer to Darwin, it was a similar situation with a very large sealed parking area and signed "open
sunrise to sunset". The parking appears to be for boat trailers and as I think that Dam is an alternate water supply for
Darwin the "no camping" deal maybe for water pollution control.
So we stayed overnight at Hughes WWII airfield further north. To the north of here is the road junction to Berry
Springs, Mandorah and Dundee Beach. We later travelled with friends to Dundee Beach. Just north of that junction is the
Noonamah Hotel where we later stayed on two occasions.
Coolalinga, to the north, and right on the highway has, what is reputed, the least expensive fuel in the whole
Darwin area (though difficult access for big rigs), also a Woolworths.
Have been in the Darwin area a couple of weeks .. an old ham friend, Richie, VK8RR, has been kind and driven us
around a fair bit. Last (long) weekend we went to a do the local motorhome club (Topenders) had near Howard Springs. About
30 units in attendance .. I think more than 50% were visitors .. including quite a number of BIG rigs.
Darwin is a bit lacking (in our opinion) in places where (particularly large) motorhomes can stay. We are at a place
called Robbie Robbins Reserve .. it's $20 a night with power and water .. but very noisy being alongside the Stuart Highway
with noisy traffic into Darwin starting at daylight. It is also on the flight path to the airport. Most flights seem to
depart between about 1 and 2.30 am. There is a fair bit of military traffic also.
Send an e-mail to Ron.
Back to Rons home page.