Derby

This is our last stop before hitting the Gibb River Road.  Fill up, stock up, watch the sunsets and go out for dinner.  Someone has to do it.

We have learned a fair bit about corrugations and what they can do after the roads we have travelled.  We know they can break fridges, leaf springs, take lids off jars of garlic paste and loosen numerous screws. Then there's the ultrafine dust...........

Fivsies at the Dinner Tree

The Dinner Tree ( a boab tree)

Leyland P76 - You Never Know What You'll See

Derby Wharf

Broome

The members of this little party of grey nomads have been to Broome previously so this is more of a shop and refuel stop than a tourist trap for us.  We still had a good time, dined out at a very nice Thai restaurant and enjoyed the warm weather.

We went to vote at the community centre for the Federal election and found the process rather convoluted and lacking in efficiency.  The electoral officials could not find the streets where we live and the Willies were given Tasmanian senate voting slips.  Good luck to the rest of you with your voting.

Enjoying a Beer or Two at Matso's Brewery

Roast Dinner (again)

Cable Beach

This Is What Happens If You Don't Put The Lid Down. 

Barn Hill (100km South of Broome)

Another one of our favourite camp spots albeit a bit 'rustic'.  The place is full of old farts who seem to spend their time snoozing, drinking and eating.  We fitted in quite well.

Ngumbam Cliff

We stopped overnight at one of our favourite camp spots along the Great Northern Highway. Ngumban Cliff has become very popular of the last few years so you have to get there early for a good 'sunset' camp site.

Eating and Drinking (again)

The Tanami Road

We started down the sealed part of the Tanami Road (over 1000km long) in bright sunny weather.  Our first stop was  at Tilmouth Well Roadhouse where we met up with James and Kath from Newcastle.  They joined us as travel companions for the long journey through the remote area traversed by the Tanami.

The sealed road ended about 20Km before Yuendumu where the gravel road was very corrugated.  We topped up our fuel in a town that I found fairly depressing.  You can see a lot of government money has been spent on not very old public buildings but several appear dilapidated and unused.  There is rubbish everywhere and the public toilets are a disaster.

After Yuendumu the gravel road had very few vehicles and was fairly corrugated but occasionally had some good stretches where we got up to about 80Kph.  Our next camp was at Floodout Creek where we enjoyed a big campfire.

The next day, the road improved considerably after getting past the mines.   Our camp was at the romantic setting of Sunset Gravel Pit.  Another campfire and another sunset with very little traffic on the road.

The following day we visited the aboriginal community of Billiluna so James could get fuel.  We were too late for a pie because the store shuts from 11am to 2pm.  We had a few spots of rain as we drove to our last camp at Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater.   At camp the spots of rain continued and the clouds looked ominous but the real rain held off.  We enjoyed a fine evening with beer, wine and champagne accompanied by roast lamb and a double helping each of vegetables. Thanks James.

Next morning we reached the end of the Tanami and parted ways with James and Kath. 

Start of the Tanami Road

Fuel Stop At Yuendumu

The Turn Off to the Famous Rabbit Flat Roadhouse - All Signs Have Been Removed

Campfire At Floodout Creek

The Thingy Tree

Enjoying a Sunset at Sunset Gravel Pit

Campfire at Sunset Gravel Pit

Spider at Sunset Gravel Pit

Sunrise

Girls in the Grass

Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater

Two and a Half People

Some of the Better Corrugations. Think of these in terms of hours and days

The Other End of The Tanami

Alice Springs

At Alice Springs we took the opportunity to shop and eat out at an Indian then a Vietnamese restaurant while we waited for Willies fridge part to arrive from Melbourne. 

We also had a couple of day outings, one to Owen Springs Reserve and the other to Simpsons Gap.  We decided to get the vans serviced because it was the same price as home and more convenient, seeing we had all that time.

Ghan Arriving From Adelaide

And It's Very Long

Simpson Gap

This is how to extend the range of your mobile phone

Remains of Owen Springs Homestead - built in the 1880s

Lasseter Highway

We completed our trip along the Oodnadatta Track and headed for Uluru.  The plan was to free camp along the Lasseter Highway then nearer Uluru so we could do a day trip there.

 Our camp turned out to be near a large truck stop bay at the top of a rise.  Great views and and a quiet road at night so all was good.  Or so we thought.

Next morning the Willie's caravan fridge was declared deceased.  That changed our plans.   We headed for Alice Springs and arranged for necessary repairs.

It worked out ok because the rain came again and a powered site in Alice wasn't a bad place to be considering the weather.

Lasseter Highway Truck Stop

Oodnadatta Track

The next morning the rain had stopped and after a couple of days the road was open again - complete with large puddles and slippery bits as we exited Farina.

The track condition was better than expected so we made good time - despite that ever present headwind.  Our first camp was at Coward Springs then the next at Olarinna Creek, just north of Oodnadatta.

After leaving Olarinna Creek we noticed that Willie, who was leading for the day, was watering the road.  It was nice of him to keep the dust down for us but we thought it better it tell him in case he wanted the water for later.  We found that a rock had broken a drain cock on his tank of water from home.  He was not happy about the loss of that water because bore water is never quite as good.

Along The Oodnadatta

Curdimurka

Gotta Have a Pic at the Pink Roadhouse

Olarinna Creek Camp

Farina

After hundreds of Kms of wind and trying to get ahead of the rain we hit the dirt in the mid north of South Australia.  We started up the dirt in drizzling rain but less than 30km later we were raising dust as we arrived at Farina where we set up camp.

We set up camp just before the rain arrived.  Good timing!  A couple of hours later the road was closed due to rain.  We were happy to stay a couple of nights and explore the ruins of a once bustling town.

The Road in The Background Shows What Happens After a Few Hours of Rain

Love the Sunsets

There's Me - Again

Budgerigar Feeding Her Young At Farina