Day 56. Saturday 18th August. Darwin

Jason left early this am to go fishing with Ben’s relatives in a 10metre boat.  Leanne and the Girls went to Acquascene fish feeding in Doctors Gully road, which was a fantastic hands on experience for all. We then went to the muesem then came back to the caravan park for some relaxing around the pool!! Picked up a weary Jason at 5.30pm who caught 3 fish, including a snapper.

Day 55. Friday 17th August. Darwin

Sightseeing in Darwin CBD in the morning, including Parliament House, Government House, Supreme Court, World War 2 oil storage tunnels, The Wharf, and a general walk up the mall. Lovely relaxed city with a nice feel about it. On the way home we called into the recreation park at Leanyer which had free water activities including water slides, splash park and lagoon pool, a much needed swim as the temperature rose to 28 degrees. We enjoyed happy hour with our Aspendale friends Josie and Chris and their boys.

Darwin Court House

 Safe swimming Lagoon

 Parliament House

Parliament House

Recreation park at Leanyer

Day 54. Thursday 16th August. Darwin

Rest  and catch up day. Park was extremely noisy with the jets from the nearby RAAF base flying over, the nearby airport, the traffic and other people coming and going to the nearly Rodeo!!! Despite the Rodeo which was our bad luck with timing, would not recommend this park. Leanne did washing whilst Jason went to local shops to do a few chores. Jason’s work mate Ben arrived from his flight so whilst the two caught up in the afternoon watching the girls around the pool, Leanne did a grocery shop. We enjoyed some of the fish Jason caught in Karumba that night. Ran into some friends around the pool from Aspendale who we knew were doing a trip up here, but didn’t know where and when they would be in Darwin, staying at our caravan park!!!!

Day 53. Wednesday 15th August. Daly Waters - Darwin

Up early & packed up in record time (1 1/4 hrs) our plan was to have a break & swim at Mataranka Thermal Pools along the way. We arrived at Mataranka at 9.45am & enjoyed a nice swim then were on our way to Darwin. Stumbled upon a lovely truck stop for a coffee at Emerald Springs Roadhouse. Arrived in at Darwin at Free Spirit at 4pm.  http://www.darwinfreespiritresort.com.au/ 

 

 Materanka Pools

Day 52. Tuesday 14th August. Devils Pebbles - Daly Waters

Jason decided we should all go & watch the sunrise over the pebbles, so we all (some under sufferance!!) rugged up & sat & watched it come up. It was the girls first time, something we all take for granted! We drove to Tennant Creek for a refuel ( we were told this would be 20 c/L cheaper than at three ways which was out next servo. $1.65L) we later passed through Dunmarra  & found Diesel at $1.95L Arrived at Daly Waters at 3pm, and checked out the iconic pub. Diesel here was $1.65L So much to look at on the walls, with not a spare bit of wall without either caps, undies, thongs, money, photos, bras, t shirts !!!!  We enjoyed a swim & a drink around the pool, then had a much needed shower! ( it had been 4 days since a certain persons last one!) We enjoyed our "beef & barra" night at the pub whilst listening to the live entertainment.

 The girls first sun rise

 

 This is one of the road trains that pulled into Tennant Creek while were filling up. These are the trucks we have been passing, they are massive.

 Daly Waters Pool

 

Anyone in the area of this Pub I strongly suggest you stop in here, they catered well for the children as well.

Day 51 Monday 13th August. Adele's Grove -Devil's Pebbles

Left at 9.30 and heard from the manager that a tour bus had run out of petrol due to the shortage along the way as it could not fill up at Burke and Wills Roadhouse.!!!! Arrived at Riversleigh Fossil "D" site. Spent 1 hour looking at the fossils which date back  up to 50 million years ago!! We tagged along on a tour with a Savanagh Guide who gave us some great knowledge about the site, which is one of 2 World Heritage listed sites in Australia.Small restock of food at Cammoweal then on to cross the QLD/NT border shortly after leaving the town. The next bit of road on the Barkly highway puts a whole new meaning in our minds to the term "the middle of nowhere" , arrived just on dark at a bush camp at The Devils Pebbles. We had dinner outside & did some stargazing which the girls loved.

The white marks on the wall are all fossils, they believe one was a large snake like animal with a diameter of the dinner plate, some others they believe were a crocodiles bone structure. 

Riversleigh was not on the agenda to stop at, however to see the actual fossils of animals of some 23million years old was mind blowing. At the top of the hill where the fossils were located they believe that this was once a shallow sea bed some 500 million years ago. The picture above was so well formed, the top of the rock that is bright was a section through the leg of the animal which the picture does not do justice.

 One of the water crossings, these were no issues but the girls get excited at the news we are about to cross water.

 Crossing the border from Queensland to Northern Territory

 This was the landscape from the NT border, minimal hills and the vegetation remained the same for over 400km.

Day 50. Sunday 12 th August Adele's Grove (Lawn Hill National Park)

Treated ourselves to a pancake breakfast after a cold night and this was the only way Jason could get all 4 girls out of bed!! Drove the 10 kms to Lawn Hill NP. Did the "Stack" hike, which went around the very top of the gorge after a steep climb up from the river bed. The views we took in were nothing short of amazing. We then hired some canoes & made our way down the creek past the cascades (dry) & onto the Indari Falls. Along the way on we saw our first freshwater croc, sunning itself on the banks of the creek, not the slightest bit interested in us, unlike their eustrine relatives. We had lunch then headed back to our camp to chill out on the "tubes" at the creek at Adele's Grove. We ate our dinner sitting around our campfire.

Camp site at Adels Grove

 Lawn Hill National Park Entrance

The climb was very steep in a couple of places

The Stack Walk

 Canoeing to the falls

The Fresh Water Croc

Adels Grove playing in the tubes