West, Centre & Flinders – Days 30 to 32 – Weather Impacts and Highways

The rain actually amounted to quite a lot. It started with sprinkles during the afternoon and intensified during the evening. Come Tuesday morning the sky was still black, with periods of heavy rain. So we decided to stay put at Barkly Homestead and paid for another night.

The broad plains of the Barkly Tableland

The broad plains of the Barkly Tableland

Before the rain came we were considering our options. If we are to continue to Alice Springs our arrival will be greeted by a number of mornings with lowest temperatures of 2 to 4 degrees C. To turn north to Cape Crawford and Borroloola would see us with top temperatures of about 34 to 36 degrees C. To be hot or cold became the question.

Caged birds on display at Barkly Homestead

Caged birds on display at Barkly Homestead

But the rain changed the equation completely. The Tablelands Highway, that leads north from Barkly, is a single lane sealed road that carries many road trains. When you meet a road train on such roads it is necessary to pull right off the road to leave the sealed road clear. I didn’t fancy pulling off on to rain soaked shoulders, so Alice Springs and cold mornings, here we come!

Caravan parking layout at Barkly Homestead

Caravan parking layout at Barkly Homestead

Spending a day at Barkly Homestead has been quite pleasant. A few vans had declared a lay day. We have carried out a few chores but mainly sat and read. The caravan park here is designed for one night stopovers with vans remaining hooked up to tow vehicles. The grounds are laid out in a series of parking lanes separated by a raised gravel area and with a section of artificial grass placed to be directly outside of the door of the van. This provides a refuge from the inevitable mud that occurs whenever the rains descend in torrents, as they tend to do in this part of Australia.

Wednesday dawned with some cloud to the west but it soon cleared to a cloudless warm day. I enjoy driving the Barkly Highway. It is one of the best quality country highways in Australia. The tablelands change from flat to undulating and back to flat again, with open grassland changing to low wooded scrub land. Sprinkled through the scrubby vegetation are eucalypts with white boughs (Ghost gums, I believe) that branch a couple of metres above the ground, producing trees that seem to have been designed for climbing.

The memorial to Rev. John Flynn beside the Stuart Highway at Three Ways north of Tennant Creek

The memorial to Rev. John Flynn beside the Stuart Highway at Three Ways north of Tennant Creek

We turned south at Three Ways, where the Barkly Highway intersects with the Stuart Highway, but first we made the 200 metre journey north to visit the pillar built in memory of Rev. John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. It stands prominently beside the highway.

 

Approaching the Marbles from the North

Approaching the Marbles from the North

Out destination for the day was the camping reserve at the Devils Marbles. We set up for the night, before taking a long stroll around and among these amazing boulders with their endless variety of shapes and sizes. The information displays at the day use area inform us that the boulders are slowly breaking down and become rounded as they shed their “skin”, a bit like peeling an onion. As the day ended, I found a large slab of rock like a ramp and was able to walk to an elevated level to watch the sun disappear for the day.

So we woke to the sun shining on the pile of rocks that comprised our private view, before packing and setting off to Alice Springs. The morning was cold but the day quickly warmed. Again, clear blue sky with a few scattered clouds, as we approached our destination.

Strange balancing arrangements are common

Strange balancing arrangements are common

You would think that someone would have pushed it over by now!

You would think that someone would have pushed it over by now!

You do have to wonder how it got there

You do have to wonder how it got there

The cairn marking the highest point on the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs

The cairn marking the highest point on the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs

Although the highest point of the road is a bit to the north of Alice Springs there is no feeling of climbing. The terrain appears quite flat most of the way but with some ranges of hills beside the road or visible in the distance. After turning south at Three Ways the Davenport Range and the national park of the same name can be seen to the east. Approaching Tennant Creek from the north a low range of hills dissects the highway while on both sides of Barrow Creek, on both sides of the road, hills with stone caps, like battlements, add a fortress quality to this tiny town. They remind of the Great Wall of China.

Capped hills near Barrow Creek

Capped hills near Barrow Creek

Barrow Creek Telegraph Repeater Station

Barrow Creek Telegraph Repeater Station

There is a great deal of history along this road. Not only does the Stuart Highway generally follow the route of the Overland Telegraph Line but telegraph repeater stations have been preserved at Barrow Creek and Tennant Creek. Road side monuments honour explorers like Stuart and Warburton. We again crossed the Tropic of Capricorn.

The Stuart Highway was not as busy as the Barkly. For substantial periods we had the highway to our selves, sometimes in the centre of a straight section of highway that extended to the horizon in both directions. Parts of the highway that we drove today had sections with no speed restrictions at all. The rest mainly had a limit of 130 KPH but at no time did we see fellow road users doing excessive speed.

So here we are at the Wintersun Caravan Park, for three days, during which we will wash cloths, shop, have haircuts and look at some things that we have missed in previous visits.

Another Change of Plan

When we bought our current van we had warmer climes in mind, so we didn’t pay much attention to heating. Cooling was more important, so air-conditioning was fitted. Heating is now provided by either aircon on reverse cycle or the $20 fan heater from Bunnings. The $20 heater wins hands down.

As a consequence of about 10 consecutive mornings of around zero degrees, and that our travel plans, if followed, would require several nights away from power, a new plans was called for. We were already on Plan B so Plan C was essential to our cumfort. The answer was a no brainer, of course.  Go north!

A monument to John McDowell Stuart beside the highway north from Alice Springs. Reminders of Stuart's explorations are scattered through the area

A monument to John McDowell Stuart beside the highway north from Alice Springs. Reminders of Stuart’s explorations are scattered through the area

Research on the Weather Channel app indicated that to drive 500 km north to Tennant Creek would improve the minimum temperature by about 10 degrees. Alice Springs is quite elevated. Most mornings it felt like it was above the snow line.

A solitary sunset watcher on one of the highest Marbles

A solitary sunset watcher on one of the highest Marbles

So we headed north. Last time we departed Alice Springs heading north we were travelling in company with friends who had a need to return to Brisbane, so we put in a couple of long days with them. This departure was more leisurely.

Piles of "marbles" lit by the setting sun

Piles of “marbles” lit by the setting sun

On an impulse and because of the promise of higher minim temperatures, we decided to try for a space in the camping area at the Devil’s Marbles. We were successful, getting the second last

A cap stone not likely to fall any time soon

A cap stone not likely to fall any time soon

spot from the far end, by a nose. We were attracted to the Marbles by folk who wax lyrical about the wonder of sunrise and sunset light on the unique naturally rounded rocks.

See! I was up early.

See! I was up early.

Once again my imagination was missing. But having now been there, I think much of the appeal is to those with younger bodies who climb to the vantage points on the highest marbles to watch the sunset. Noticeably fewer climbed to see the sun rise. Perhaps about 8 degrees and a cool breeze had something to do with it.

The old Tennant Creek Telegraph Station. The history of the Center is so involved with the Overland telegraph Line that reminders are everywhere

The old Tennant Creek Telegraph Station. The history of the Center is so involved with the Overland Telegraph Line that reminders are everywhere

Next day we started out across the Barkley Highway that crosses the Barkley Tableland. This was our second Barkley crossing this trip having crossed it further south via

The caravan parking area at Barkley Homestead

The caravan parking area at Barkley Homestead

the Donohue and Plenty Highways. About halfway across, at the junction with the Tablelands Highway, Barkley Homestead offers its services to the travelling public. It is a homestead no longer, but a roadhouse, superior in quality to many similar establishments in the area, and offering a full range of price competitive services. Even petrol prices were in line with those of Tennant Creek and Mount Isa, slightly higher, but reasonable

Water lilies on Camooweal billabong

Water lilies on Camooweal billabong

The next night was spent beside the Camooweal Billabong with a substantial number of Australia’s caravan owners. As a stopover for free campers the place is legendary. And with good reason! It hosts huge clumps of water lilies and a range of water birds. Of particular interest was a pair of pelicans doing a synchronized feeding dive as well as a pair of preening brolgas. But they are on video and not immediately available.

All this on the way to a return visit to Adel’s Grove and the Lawn Hill National Park.

Tranquil waters of Lawn Hill Creek as it flows through the gorge

Tranquil waters of Lawn Hill Creek as it flows through the gorge

We first visited this natural gem four years ago as a follow on to our first visit to the Red Center. On that occasion we left the van at Burke and Wills Roadhouse and stayed in the cabin accommodation at Adel’s Grove. This time we went in from Camooweal. Of the total distance of about 290 km about half is gravel and rather rough in many places. That made for a slow and dusty journey with frequent oncoming traffic, speeding at the head their personal cloud of dust. A cross wind meant that our dust blew clear of the road while their dust blew into our path often totally obscuring our view of the road. And whatever has become of the once practiced courtesy of slowing down to reduce dust and flying stones.

A local resident taking the sun

A local resident taking the sun

There are two choices for staying in the Lawn Hill area. NT National Parks have a camping area at Lawn Hill Gorge and Adel’s Grove offers a range of accommodation options. Adel’s Grove is located 10

A natural barrier of calcium divides the lower and middle gorges

A natural barrier of calcium divides the lower and middle gorges

km before the gorge is reached and is our choice as a place to stay. When we were there it was also the choice of a large team of paleontologists who were there for a dig at the nearby Riversleigh fossil sight. So there was

Another view of the gorge

Another view of the gorge

not enough hot water to go around and the restaurant was booked out for the two nights that we were there.

But there are improvements since we last visited. A new amenities block is

One of the two cruise boats moored in the creek near the resort

One of the two cruise boats moored in the creek near the resort

a great improvement and a take away shop sells fish and chips and other deep fried food that is probably not good for you. And a brand new service, a cruise boat on the gorge and another on the creek at the Grove. In the past the options for viewing the gorge were canoeing or walking. Now a solar powered boat takes up to 10 people at a time upstream through the gorge to the natural dam that divides the lower and middle gorges. To take the cruise is an hour well spent. At $35 per adult it is good value. The range of small coach tours has been expanded and now include one to the nearby Century zinc mine.

We departed Adel’s Grove to the east through Gregory Downs and the intersection of the Burke and Wills Developmental Roads. The 70 km of gravel was in much better condition than the road in from Camooweal, particularly after you pass the turn to the Century Zinc Mine. We travelled back south to Cloncurry where we spent a night before going back west to Mount Isa for a few days.

The John Flynn Memorial Museum in Cloncurry

The John Flynn Memorial Museum in Cloncurry

The overnight stop in Cloncurry provided an opportunity to visit the Dr. John Flynn Memorial Museum. The first Flying Doctor flight took place in Cloncurry. H.V. McKay of Sunshine Harvester Company fame had left 2,000 pounds to Flynn to start the service, to be available if the Presbyterian Church raised another 3,000 pounds. With fund raising complete, Hudson Fysh (later Sir Hudson) who had commenced the air service that became Qantas, made an aircraft available and what we now know as the Royal Flying Doctor Service was born. Flynn! McKay! Fysh! All towering figures in their fields! No wonder the R.F.D.S has become such a success.

If you visit Cloncurry, the museum is worth some of your time. It tells the story in detail and is supplemented by a fine art collection. We have visited Flynn’s grave near Alice Springs, the memorial to him by the Stuart Highway north of Tennant Creek and the small town of Beltana in South Australia where the R.F.D.S concept was born in Flynn’s mind. To finally visit the memorial museum was a very special experience.