Elsey National Park - Mataranka

 18 – 21 May 2022

We left Banka Banka and made our first stop at Elliott. We found a nice park to make a cuppa, and Mick found some birds in the trees nearby. From there we moved on to Alexander Forrest Rest Area where we stopped for lunch. There was a nice view, and a few caravans had already settled in to spend the night there. We continued on to Warloch Rest Area where there was reportedly some good bird sightings at the waterhole nearby. Unfortunately there was no sign of any waterhole so we scratched that off the list of potential overnight stays and continued on.

We debated whether to stay at Bitter Springs or Mataranka and decided we had time for both. We headed to Mataranka Homestead first and checked in late in the day for us – just before 4:00pm. We headed to the section of the park we had been allocated and found a spot that would give us afternoon shade from the awning. There are lots of small trees but nothing that would provide adequate shade for a few years yet. The shady part of the park seemed to be full already.

We set up and headed for the famous springs for a leisurely soak after a long, hot day in the car. It was just what we needed. Because we were in late, we also decided on dinner at the bistro. Considering the remoteness of the location the meal was good, and the prices were reasonable. There was also musical entertainment which we could still hear back at our camp.

In the morning we drove down to Bitter Springs for a swim and to check the area out. The swim was fabulous – jump in and float on our newly acquired pool noodles, get out at the bridge, walk back along the path and do it all again. What a great way to spend a morning.

We headed home for morning tea and another swim at Mataranka. With a forecast temperature of 35° the water seemed like the best place to be. We battled through the heat of the afternoon and had a final swim before the temperature started to drop as the sun started to go down. We decided that we'd spend an extra night at Mataranka instead of moving on to Bitter Springs. Sometimes it's just easier to stay put rather than pack up and move on such a short distance. 

The following morning we went down for an early walk along the riverside path to Stevie’s Hole. Unfortunately there is no swimming allowed, but it was a very nice 1.5km walk along well defined paths. After morning tea we set off in the car to explore a bit more of Elsey National Park. We stopped at a number of the day use areas and also went to have a look at the campground. The campground definitely looked good to us, with toilets, many big sites and lots of shade. This is one we will have to keep “on the list”.

After lunch we drove down to Bitter Springs again and spent a few hours floating down the creek, walking back to the start and doing it all over again. It was a perfect way to while away the hours. Although this is a very popular spot there seemed to be plenty of room for everyone, maybe because there is constant movement down the creek.

We rose early on the morning of departure so Mick could get down to a spot on Central Arnhem Road, just a short way from the Stuart Highway, to look for a treecreeper he was hoping to photograph. We arrived at the designated spot and he headed off into the bush. After about an hour, he returned happy that he had found and photographed the bird. Satisfied with the morning’s work, we drove back to the Stuart Highway and made coffee at the next rest area we came to. From there it was only a short drive into Katherine where we had booked three nights in a caravan park.