Dreary Derby

Hi all.


It has been a while since the last email and we have travelled many km north. Kilometres of nothing. As I knit while Owen drives the landscape changes very little. After visiting the ghost town of woomera. Owen and I can assure u all that our taxes have been very well spent in this town. No one to be seen as we walked along the beautiful paved footpaths. Kms of paving costing a pretty penny. Don't worry this was the last stop for good water so we made the most of our taxes and filled the water tank in the van.

Coober Pedy was our next stop. It was suggested that we stay 3 nights. If only o & I could catch up with those people again. We stayed at least 2 nights too long. Good to see but one day was more than enough in this dry and dusty town. Most of the houses are built into rock or underground. And wherever you look the landscape is strewn with mullock heaps where underground diggings have taken place. Once a mine is dug they can never be filled again. The streetscape is also littered with rusty disused cars and discarded old mining machinery. I did attend underground church service which was fascinating. Part of the church was built in a 22 metre mine shaft.

Alice springs was our next stop to replenish our supplies & catch up with phone calls & emails.

One night stop at Tennant Creek was an eye opener. Don’t stop there!

Daly waters our next stop. A caravan stop built around its famous pub. Dinner a few drinks and entertainment in the way of a bush poet and country & western music made this stay a real highlight. Best steak and barramundi we have eaten in a while.

Early start as there was nothing else to do took us to Mataranka homestead for three days of swimming in the warm natural springs. This is where Rick & Alison joined us followed by Rick's brother Chris & his wife Jenny.

Katherine a short drive away was our next stop. A trip down the river along Katherine gorge was very special. Finally we arrived at Kununurra. The two hour flight in a small plane was a real highlight. Friends of the FitzGeralds joined us & he is the owner of the plane. A flight over the argyle lake, the argyle diamond mine and the bungle bungles giving us an appreciation for the countryside. A vast land that is not easily accessible. Makes you understand how the drovers and early settlers struggled particularly in the wet. A day spent driving to remote stations and gorges made this another highlight of our trip.

After attending church underground in Coober Pedy. Church in Kununurra was under the stars on Sunday night. A very simple affair. 4 men playing guitars and an aboriginal preacher. Giving me some hope, as the majority of indigenous people we have seen on our travels have been sitting around town looking for their next drink fighting or shouting at one another.

Fitzroy crossing was our next destination. Rick wanted to get going early so he could get a powered site left at 5.45am followed a bit later on by us & his brother. It was a pretty long day 600ks of driving. Broome had had 6 days of heavy rain & it had moved onto Fitzroy crossing. Arriving at the park in torrential rain. Rick who wanted to be set up early ended up getting his 4 wheel drive & caravan bogged up to the axles in the paddock. Two hours later and with the help of a very skilled man who was staying in the park, winches chains and another 4 wheel drive, the car and van was finally pulled out. We all saw the funny side of things when we were finally set up.

Derby for three nights now and then onto Broome for a week.

Hope all is well at home.

Love to all,

Elisa and Owen.