Home again

14 September 2017

We left Richmond and arrived in Hughenden in time time for coffee at a favourite cafe, as well as a quick look in the local op-shop. From there it was on to Pentland for a picnic lunch in the park, through Charters Towers and finally home.

• We were away from home for 44 nights
• We travelled approximately 6 780 kilometres
• We visited 8 National Parks or Reserves (Bladensberg - Qld, Tjoritja/West Macdonnell, Yeperenye/Emily and Jesse Gaps, Trephina Gorge, N'Dhala Gorge, Uluru - Kata Tjuta, Watarrka/King's Canyon, Finke Gorge - NT)
• We camped at 6 National Park or Reserve campgrounds - Bough Shed Hole -Bladensberg,  Panorama - Trephina Gorge, Woodland - Redbank Gorge, Ormiston Gorge and Ellery Creek Big Hole - Tjoritja, Palm Valley - Finke Gorge
• We completed more than 25 walks in parks and reserves 
• We experienced some temperature extremes, from 2° overnight in Alice Springs to 37° in the shade at Clem Walton Park but we were not rained on even once
• We dubbed this trip  "Of Canyons and Chasms, Gorges and Gaps" because that is what we fell in love with in Central Australia

This screen shot from our WikiCamps Trip Planner shows our whole trip.

Richmond

13 - 14 September 2017

We drove towards Cloncurry, with a stop at another potential birdwatching spot. Chinaman Creek Dam is only a few kilometres west of Cloncurry and a nice spot for a stop. There is a big picnic area, but camping is not allowed. It's quiet during the week, but there is lots of activity on the weekends. 

We spent a short while there before continuing on into Cloncurry to refuel and to stop at the visitor centre. We decided to keep driving east and to make Richmond our final destination. We stopped for lunch in Julia Creek and shouted ourselves lunch in an air-conditioned cafe. It was a welcome relief from the heat outside.

We made it into Richmond and and opted for an unpowered spot in the caravan park. The unpowered sections - there are three that are not all in use at the same time - have a lovely aspect with a view over Lake Fred Tritton. Because it was still relatively early, we were able to snag the only really shady spot under a tree. Shade and water views!

Fishing on the lake. Later there was a, not so welcome, jet ski spoiling the serenity.

White-necked Heron.

Female Magpie Lark.

Great Crested Grebe

We walked down to the lake thinking that we might go for a swim later, but it wasn't too oppressively hot and the water looked quite murky so we decided a nice sit in the shade would do. During the afternoon a breeze kept the heat at bay. The breeze turned into quite a stiff wind overnight, knocking over our chairs and blowing towels around. We were glad we hadn't put up the awing as we were sure it would have blown down in the middle of the night.

Somewhat reluctantly we set off for the final, final leg of our epic journey in the morning. 

Clem Walton Park

12 - 13 September 2017

We first visited in 2014 and fell in love with the place, so we were keen to return. The turn-off is about half-way between Cloncurry and Mount Isa, and is well signposted. You have to drive through a gate at the start of the road, then turn off to Clem Walton Park and go through another gate. The road is narrow, unsealed and windy, but it is worth it to get to this spot. Don't confuse Clem Walton Park with Corella Dam which is accessed from the same highway turn-off, but the dam campground is usually chocka-block full of caravans and not nearly as peaceful as the smaller and harder to get to spot on the creek.

Because we weren't far away at West Leichardt Station we arrived well before lunch time and there were a couple of caravans and camper vans in the main picnic/camping area, and some more further along the creek. There are toilets at the picnic area so we picked a spot there and were lucky to get one right on the creek - with water views. Last time we visited there was only a few puddles but this time there was a creek full of water. Unfortunately it was also full of weeds so a swim was out of the question.

Much more water present than our first visit.

Even more unfortunate, we had arrived in the middle of a heat wave - with temperatures expected to reach the mid-thirties for a few days. We were hoping to stay for two or three nights, but after experiencing 37° in the shade and 49° inside the tent during the afternoon we decided to have just one night before finding somewhere cooler, or with a pool. As luck would have it though, we still had ice-creams in the freezer so it wasn't a complete disaster of an afternoon.

This was a great birding spot when we first visited. With only a couple of water holes remaining, birds were more concentrated and easier to get close to. The same birds were about but were drinking on the far side of the creek among thick vegetation.  

We heard camels coming in to drink in the early hours of the morning but did not see them. Mick

There were plenty of Hardheads in the creek.

Even room for a Pelican.

Quiet cattle roamed through the camp in the afternoon.

There were a few Mertens' Water Monitors around this time.

The one positive of warmer temperatures is that it is much easier to pack up the camper trailer when the canvas is warm so we made a reasonably early start in the morning and headed towards Cloncurry.

West Leichardt Station

10 – 12 September 2017

We had heard of West Leichardt Station and friends recommended it so we decided that would be our next stop. Mick was keen to search for the Kalkadoon and Carpentaria grasswrens in Mount Isa, but I wasn’t keen on staying there so West Leichardt, only 30kms out of town, seemed like a reasonable compromise.

About 30kms west of Mount Isa we turned down the road to Gunpowder and drove about 8kms to a spot where the grasswrens might be found. No luck – again, so on through Mount Isa and then to West Leichardt Station. The station is about 30 kms out of Mount Isa, along the Lake Julius Road.

This is a working cattle station and it's possible to help out or tag along if you want to. We didn't this time.

We were greeted by Michelle and shown a couple of options for camping, and we chose the shadiest. It was a very hot day, and the forecast for the following one was to be even hotter.  We had a bit of a look around and Mick was delighted to see that the house dam had water in it. He visited a number of times over the two days we spent there, and also took lots of photos right at our camp where many birds visited. Late each afternoon guests, workers and station volunteers gather on the lawn for happy hour. The barbecue is fired up and guests are welcome to cook their dinner there while enjoying the company and a drink or two.

As the surrounding dams and creeks dry up, the bore water used around the homestead becomes a lifeline to wildlife.

One of a group of Grey-crowned Babblers hunting on the well watered grass.

Little Friarbird, one of several medium sized, greyish birds that were common around camp.

Gregarious and very entertaining, Apostlebirds were never far away.

A Spotted Bowerbird and Silver-crowned Friarbird face off behind our camp.

Silver-crowned Friarbird, a new bird for me.

The Spotted Bowerbird getting cranky.

We had thought to drive back into Mt Isa in the morning but the forecast was for a maximum in the mid-thirties so we decided to just stay in camp and try to stay cool. There was little chance of seeing birds about in that heat - they would be seeking a shady place too if they had any sense.

The walk to and around  the house dam was quite rewarding. As well as the species below, I saw Black-breasted Buzzard, Restless Flycatcher, Crimson Chat and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Mick.

Rainbow Bee-eater

Brown Quail

Varied Lorikeet in a flowering gum.

Grey-fronted Honeyeater. My second new bird for this stop.

Rufous-throated Honeyeaters were common around the house dam.

We set off in the morning to return to a favourite spot - Clem Walton Park between Mt Isa and Cloncurry.

Camooweal

9- 10 September 2017

We left Wauchope and continued north on the Stuart Highway, stopping for a quick look at markets at Tennant Creek. We finally turned in the direction of home just south of Threeways. From here the Barkly Highway heads roughly east towards the Queensland border. We stopped for a cuppa at the 41 Mile Bore Rest Area. Mick was hopeful that there would be some birdlife as there was water in the dam, but just as he was getting ready to go for a walk, along came a truck to spoil his fun.

We continued on to Barkly Roadhouse where we considered staying, but it wasn’t quite lunch time so pressed on and found a reasonable spot at Wonarah Bore for a lunch stop. It was very hot and there were millions of flies so we had to eat our sandwiches in the car. Lucky we had made them before we left Wauchope.

We eventually crossed the border into Queensland, adjusted our watches and made our next stop at Camooweal. Again we chose the caravan park behind the pub. This one was quite well organised with mostly big drive through sites. This is the sort of place where most people just pull in for an overnighter like we did.

It was still fairly early so we went for a short walk before going into the pub for a coffee and cold drink. The surroundings were pleasant and the coffee surprisingly good. Mick made inquiries about a location mentioned in the information sheet given to us when we checked in. Lake Francis is a billabong on the Georgina River, just on the edge of town and reported to be a good birdwatching spot.

Yellow-billed Spoonbills feeding at Lake Francis

Male Orange Chat.

In the morning we packed up and drove back over the bridge to Lake Francis. This is a very popular free camping spot and there were a few caravans and campervans scattered around. There is heaps of room and the best spots would be those further down the dirt track to the water’s edge. Mick spent a while photographing birds before we set off again, heading towards Mount Isa. 

Wauchope

8 – 9 September 2017

We headed off from Alice, intending to go as far as Barrow Creek. We stopped for coffee at Aileron and wished we hadn’t. It was the most awful coffee, from an automatic machine - yuk.  From there we travelled on to Central Mount Stuart – a nice rest area with picnic tables but no toilets – for lunch. Driving into Barrow Creek we decided to keep going and ended up at Wauchope, just south of Karlu Karlu (Devil’s Marbles). 

We checked into the campground behind the pub and considered our options. The campground was very basic but the pub looked very nice (especially compared to some we have seen) so we decided to visit Karlu Karlu for sunset and then return for dinner at the pub.

The short drive up the highway takes you to a day use area and a campground. There were lots of people camped in what looked like a giant carpark. We drove to the day use area and beyond to look at this special place. I hadn’t realised there were so many “marbles” spread over quite an area. We stopped for photos and then returned to the day use area and wandered around for a while. This is a sacred site so visitors are asked not to climb.

It's great to have a subject that is so good at standing still.

Low cloud on the western horizon made the sunset a bit of a dud.

While we were there we accessed the free NT WiFi that is available at some key tourist sites. Mostly it is very slow and unreliable due to high visitor access but on this occasion we were the only ones there so it worked terrifically well, so much so that we were able to make a Facebook call to Julia in Tasmania. As the sun set we went back to the pub for a very nice dinner.

Setting off in the morning, we would drive north to Threeways and then turn east for home, but still with a long way to go.

Alice Springs - Third Time Lucky

5 – 8 September 2017

We made it back into Alice Springs and checked into a different caravan park – one a bit out of town this time. We had decided on just two nights to allow us to visit another birding “hot spot” before heading home. We then headed into town to treat ourselves to lunch in a pub –  after the drive out of Palm Valley, we figured we had earned it.

The park owner told me about a Western Bowerbird bower in the park. Unfortunately it was under a pine tree that had thick low foliage all around the base. Only a glimpse of the bird tending its bower and decorations of green berries could be had. Still very special to watch though. Mick

A peek at the Western Bowerbird.

We set off for Kunoth Bore early in the morning with some snacks and lots of optimism. Kunoth Bore is on the Tanami Road about 60 kilometres from Alice Springs. We found the spot and spent a couple of hours there, but without much luck. At least now we can say we have driven the Tanami Track - even if it was only for a short distance and all on bitumen.

Kunoth Bore is supposed to be a good spot to find Grey Honeyeaters and other mulga species. We dipped on Grey Honeyeater and didn't see much else either. The bore dam was dry and this was probably a big factor. There were a few Red-capped Robins and raptors around as well as the ubiquitous Zebra Finch and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters. Mick

Red-capped Robin.

A Whistling Kite with prey at Kunoth Bore.

We returned to camp and pottered around for the afternoon when we spotted some familiar faces. We had met Ron and Kathy up on Cape York in July 2016, and had enjoyed a few drinks and friendly chat in a couple of campgrounds. We ran into them again in Tasmania in January 2017 when we spotted their distinctive rig outside a pub on the way from Launceston to Deloraine. We were astounded to meet them again in Alice Springs. Again we shared travellers’ tales over a few drinks. We wondered where we would meet again, but this time we did exchange contact details so we should know if ever they are close by again. Over wine and cheese we decided to stay one more night and return to the Alice Springs Desert Park. 

A Male Cerested Bellbird seen on the way in.

The flowers were even better this time.

A Caper White butterfly.

Wedge-tailed Eagle at the bird show.

Barn Owl at the bird show.

Southern Boobook at the bird show.

Long-nosed Dragon

A group of Splendid Fairywrens hang around the cafe. This is a male, molting into his stunning breeding plumage.

Making an early start, we noticed there were a number of tours and school groups there this time. There were also many more flowers in bloom. At our friends' suggestion we joined a number of the talks and displays that are staged throughout the day. The Free-Flying Bird show showcases birds of prey and others. We actually went to this one twice. We also went along to Aboriginal Survival in the Desert which focused on bush medicine as well Dine In, Takeaway or Home Delivered, which involved a tour through some of the exhibits in the nocturnal house to learn how desert animals thrive and survive. We spent the whole day at the park, and decided it was a perfect way to end our final day in Alice Springs. Drinks and chat with Ron and Kathy rounded out a great day.

A one chance in a million meeting with Ron and Kathy.

We set off in the morning on our journey that would eventually take us home.

Palm Valley Campground - Finke Gorge National Park

3 – 5 September 2017

After our few days in Alice we were ready to head out again, this time to Palm Valley in Finke Gorge  National Park. There are two campsites in the park but only Palm Valley is suitable for vehicles towing. Boggy Hole is not. All of the 4WD roads we had travelled so far in the Northern Territory have really been just rough dirt roads, but this one was completely different. Leaving Alice Springs and travelling towards Hermannsburg was a pleasant and easy highway drive. The turn-off to Palm Valley is just past the Hermannsburg turnoff and the sign stated “Extreme 4WD”. We didn’t really know what we were in for, so Mick took over the driving straight away.

This road is not for the faint hearted! The first challenge was a bull-dust hole about 50 metres long, about 5 kilometres along the road. We made it through that and continued on across and through the sandy creek bed several times. We stopped to collect firewood before we entered the national park. The road to the campground was alternately sandy, rocky, corrugated and always fairly rough. We arrived at the campground to find we were the only ones there. During the afternoon, others arrived.
 

The burnt hills behind our campsite.

Australian Ringneck Parrot

Major Mitchell's Cockatoos were nesting in the campground.

Mick was keen to drive the 4 kilometres down to Palm Valley itself, but I had read that it could take up to an hour so I was reluctant. Undeterred, we headed off and gained an understanding of why the road was labelled “extreme”. We had driven just over 2 kilometres when we decided we would turn around and save the rest for the next day, when we could allow the whole day to explore.

The Palm Valley Campground has hot showers and flushing toilets, as well as gas barbecues and communal fire pits. We chatted to neighbours as we sat around the fire on yet another cold Central Australian night.

In the morning we packed a picnic lunch and headed off back down the road. The short drive from the campground to Palm Valley is accurately described as extreme. The fairly narrow track, which at times is hard to follow, travels across river rocks and boulders. This was certainly a challenge, and should not be attempted by the inexperienced. The drive took us about 45 minutes, but we were rewarded with the sight of this beautiful valley in one of the oldest rivers on earth.

It's a rough road to the Palm Valley walks.

We chose to complete the longer of the two walks, Mpulungkinya Walk, 5 kilometres, described as a Grade 2. The track started as a very easy stroll along the river bank – there was no water to be seen – but then climbed up across the rocky side of a rise. It became somewhat more challenging until we reached the top. From there it was easy again until we began the descent back to the carpark. The geology of the valley is quite amazing, and coupled with the rare and isolated population of red cabbage palms, it quite a sight to see. After our walk we had lunch and returned to the campground, glad we had made the effort but not sure we would ever do it again.

Part of the 'road' that winds through Finke Valley.

The walk continues when the 'road' runs out.

The view into the valley.

The view into the valley.

I saw about seven Western Bowerbirds in a fig tree on the walk.

Ring-tailed Dragon.

After another pleasant campfire chat with fellow travellers, we enjoyed a second night before packing up to head out of the park and back to Alice. There were a few vehicles on the road and everyone was taking it cautiously. Then we reached the bulldust hole. My goodness it was so much worse than it had been two days before. The folks in a vehicle coming towards us told us they had just winched another vehicle out. Not what we wanted to hear! The Ranger was in the vehicle behind us and she told us that there was a grader and a load of gravel due to arrive “before tomorrow, but I’m not sure if they will be here”. Too late for us anyway, we were committed to leaving.

We held our breath and drove through – we made it, but it was a close call as the underneath of the Prado scraped along as Mick proceeded with extreme caution. Shortly after making it through he stopped to check that everything looked ok. There were no obvious signs of damage so we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best as we drove back to Alice Springs.