Darwin to Lake Argyle

We have left Darwin once again and once again I’m saddened when we leave. I really do love it here, such a carefree place to live. I can imagine it not being stressful at all with people just generally being so friendly, must be the sun that makes people happy. We stopped at Bridge Creek again and noticed a fire had been through and pretty much surrounded the whole area. The rest area was not touched so all good there.

We had been keeping up with comments from WikiCamps about Edith Falls and it seems nothing has changed in regards to being really popular during school holidays. So we made the decision to free camp before Edith Falls to enable us to get in early and secure a site. WikiCamps showed a free camp called Kames Campground. It is just over the railway line right near the billboard sign. It is a very large area far enough from the road and train line to make it rather peaceful. It even had a little billabong where Chris tried for some photos of birds but no luck. Best part was it had Telstra phone service. We had one other couple come in doing the same thing as us and a cyclist stay as well. Beats me how they can fit all that gear on their back and in saddle bags and still cycle, he was very well set up.

Edith Falls Leliyn Campground $24/night

We were checked in by 9am but had to wait until 10am to get the site. When I went up to the reception desk I was the only person there waiting. When I turned around to leave there must have been about 10 people behind me! We were given site number 12, quite a small site but plenty big enough for our camper trailer. We just had a bit of fiddling to do to get in though. As we didn’t have another site opposite us Chris had to jiggle around a few times in reverse just to get in. We even tried to push the camper trailer ourselves into place. Chris laughed at me when he saw me red faced and camper trailer not going anywhere. Who was I trying to kid to get that beast to move. Anyway 10 minutes later we were in a position we were happy with and all set up. 

The park has a fabulous campground with drinking water, flushing toilets and showers. You can even do some hand washing of clothes in the laundry section. Each site is very private from other sites and well spread apart with a lovely grassed shaded section behind and a table. Over in the caravan section it is a bit different but then it has to be to enable these big caravans to get in. The atmosphere in this park is just fabulous, lots of families and children playing and generally everyone is happy and having fun.

There is a fellow who walks around maintaining the grassed areas and making sure they are watered and well looked after. He is such a friendly guy, happy to have a chat. The Ranger also was extremely friendly, both the Gardner and Ranger were telling Chris where he could go to get photos of birds in the park.

The staff in the kiosk must be extremely stressed and overworked. Although they answer all your questions and are pleasant enough, they just don’t smile or seem happy. To their credit they have set up a fabulous area with nice lighting and seating. They offer meals, coffee, etc and have a well stocked larder should you need any supplies.

Edith Falls Northern Territory

Edith Falls Northern Territory

Edith Falls Northern Territory

Edith Falls Northern Territory

Edith Falls Northern Territory

The lady booking us in said that on Tuesday nights they have live music and its pizza night. Just need to book the pizza by 3pm and it was $20. We didn’t have any pizza but we did go over and listen to the music. It was a duo, a lady singing and a guy playing guitar. You can take you own drinks over and a chair or blanket or sit at the bar. We had such an amazing evening with a lovely atmosphere with children playing and families sitting back relaxing while enjoying chatting to other families. The music was pretty good and the kids really made it with them dancing with each other. 

Up early today to do the walk it is a 2.3km loop walk. We started from the car park and the first 630 meters is straight up the hill with steps most of the way. From there it levels out a bit with a walkway and then climb over some rocks to get to the upper pool. There are a further 2 walkways over the water. This is where you climb straight up clambering over rocks to the top. The last kilometre or so starts with the decent to the bottom, first part is steps then just a track. There are various spots to stop at lookouts to get those magic photos. It was quite windy the day we did the walk so the water was not very smooth. Nevertheless it is a really lovely walk. I had the usual from Chris, no don’t step there, why are you going down there, stay high. It’s all fun and games and really he’d be bored if I didn’t keep him on his toes. We met another lovely couple today camping next to us Greg and Sue, they are travelling a similar path to us. Hopefully we will se them again along the track.

Sullivan Creek Campground (National Park) $6.60/night

We are now travelling on the Victoria Highway heading towards Kununurra. We stopped in Katherine to fuel up and top up with extra supplies. Our first stop was Vince Connolly Limestone Creek, it is a free roadside stop with toilets, shade shelters with table and chairs, water tanks and a dump point. It is a large area with loads of trees and enables you to get back from the road. We didn’t stay here we just had lunch and took the opportunity to play with the drone. We also caught up with Tom who was also having lunch here. He said when when we left him at Bridge Creek he and a few others decided to stay another night. One of the people was a old lady who was also travelling on her own. He said the campground was full again and then about near midnight there was a lot of screaming and yelling and people banging on caravans, etc calling fire, fire! It seems the burn off the Northern Territory does during the dry season and unbeknown to them was heading straight for the rest area. He said it was quite frightening as it was pitch black and they were in thick black smoke with flames everywhere. So everyone packed up in the middle of the night and started driving. Tom said that only one couple stayed back to assist him and the other older lady to get packed up and travelled with them to Emerald Springs where they spent the night. I was so pleased to hear that at least one traveller stayed to assist. Funnily enough when we pulled in Bridge Creek Rest Area on our way down we noticed there had been a fire which surrounded the whole area. So I can certainly understand how frightening it must have been.

Tonight was spent at Sullivan Creek which is part of the Judburra / Gregory National Park. A very small area but still managed to squeeze in 20 caravans. There is a small waterhole and a little walk but apart from that nothing else. Not the most inspiring place but it was quiet and peaceful during the evening. There is a colony of bats that squawked at odd times during early evening and the night. Plus the usual dingoes howling and the odd donkey. All part of the outback experience really.

Campsite at Sullivan Creek Rest Area Northern Territory

Campsite at Sullivan Creek Rest Area Northern Territory

Saddle Creek Rest Area – Free Camp

Soon after leaving Sullivan Creek the landscape changes dramatically, with big beautiful rugged hills with loads of ridge lines and then onto an escarpment. This goes for sometime and then changes again to wooded and dense countryside with it ever changing. It certainly makes the drive interesting. Timber Creek is the main town you will come to and it does have Telstra phone service. It is a nice little town set on the Victoria River, it is serviced with a roadhouse and 2 caravan parks.

After leaving Timber Creek we called into Big Horse Creek Campground which is part of the Judburra / Gregory National Park just for a look and reminisce of our time there 2 years ago. The dry conditions have not done it any favours. It is just red dust and very dry overgrown cane grass. However, we did notice they do now have campground hosts in here. Nevertheless it certainly is a nice place to relax and camp or just for a lunch break.

When I phoned the Lake Argyle Resort and Caravan Park to book in, she advised that they were full and the best thing to do was to camp overnight at Saddle Creek Rest Area and come on up early in the morning. When we pulled up it certainly looked fabulous, the scenic views of the escarpment were amazing. It is a fairly large area with wood BBQ’s and wood provided, shaded table and chairs, water tanks and shade. There were also toilets and this is where the niceties stop. You will have to be self contained if you are to stay here, oh my goodness as a woman there is no way in the world would I use these facilities. They need to be either pumped out or moved to another location in the rest area. I’ll leave it at that and you can make you own decision. We did however enjoy a very peaceful evening and even had the chance to fly the drone at sunset.

As we were about to cross the border into Western Australia we had to deal with our fruit and vegetables. I studied up the Quarantine – Information for private travellers on their website at www.agric.wa.gov.au basically all fruit, vegetables, honey, plants, seeds, livestock, soil, etc must be declared. There are exceptions and you just need to read the website. So I set about peeling my garlic and onions and cooking my apples and potatoes. 

Lake Argyle Resort and Caravan Park $37/night unpowered with water

We set off early as advised. I was super organised and told the Quarantine Officer what I had prepared, I showed her everything and the only thing I lost were lemons given by Guy and Sue and limes from Michael and Julia. That puts a stop to our G&T’s until we stock up again. Last time I came through, I cut up all my limes and lemons and the Quarantine Officer said “if you had peeled them, you could have kept them” so I peeled them all (took me ages I might add) and she said “nope can’t take those through” I’m not complaining at all and in fact I appreciate that they just want to keep their state pest free but no G&T’s until we get to Kununurra, that’s what I’m sad about.

We arrived at the caravan park about 8:30am and spoke with the gentlemen at checkin and we got a site straight away. Just have to go and pay and then they take you up to your site. Last time we camped here, we were put in the Footrot Flats section and our kitchen side of the camper faced the sun. It was so terribly hot and uncomfortable plus being a very hot year anyway in 2017, certainly didn’t help. So I said to the guy, I would appreciate it if we could have a site that doesn’t face the sun on the kitchen side. This time we are in 2 bottles and when he pointed to the site, Chris almost had a melt down. We are not camping there! He very kindly offered one on the other side. We said it will be terribly hot for us if we stay here. He was very obliging letting us do that. So we were most appreciative. 

We had filled up our water tanks in Darwin and suffering through drinking the water until here. I know Darwin doesn’t have the best tasting water but this time it was dreadful. We quickly drained our tanks and filled up with water from Lake Argyle. It really is the best tasting water!

This year we have seen the addition of a new amenities block down in the same area we are camping. All so shiny and new. They have unisex shower and toilet cubicles and just single men’s and womens toilets. Plus a great new laundry with big Maytag washing machines.