The Cutta Cutta caves limestone caves may not the most colourful but are an amazing insight to the forming of the artesian springs in the Northern Territory.
In the wet season this cave and others like it act as funnels collecting the monsoonal rains to flow through the limestone and into the artesian basin.
The water heats up and flows out at thermal springs at Mataranka and Katherine.
The sunset over the Katherine with the bats taking off into the night ( look closely at the photo just above)
The birdlife is abundant but at Edith Falls there was something special.
This Great Bower Bird singing his full repertoire of songs. (The Great Bower Birds are amazing at mimicking sounds which they include in the songs. Other birds calls, engines starting, towels fluttering are all included.)
His singing was successful as he seduced this female into his carefully constructed Bower.
There are two major accomodation hubs in the Nitmiluk NP a small campground at Edith Falls and camping , cabins and 5 star lodges at Katherine Gorge.
Edith Falls campground sits beside a big lagoon at the bottom of a series of waterfalls where the Edith River cascades downward off the Arnham Land Plateau.
The Upper Falls swimming hole is at the top of the escarpment
But the Edith River has more treasures further up stream.
An appropriate 2km walk along the top of the Plateau is the Long Pool.
A perfect place for a natural spa
A further 2km along the trail is Sweet water
A lovely swimming hole it is also the final camping spot on the Jarbulla trail.
You can also walk up from Edith Falls campground and camp overnight at Sweetwater.
The swimming whole that will stick in my mind though is the Long Pool
There are no reservations at the Edith Falls campground so it’s best to get there early as the sites go quickly.
The kiosk is really friendly for checking in and healthy snacks
If you don’t want to hike to swim the main swimming hole.
Which at sunset turns an amazing shade of red at sunset.
An amazing collection of fossils, gemstones, petrified and fossilised wood and minerals of all types.
Georgetown also has samples the distinctive Queensland outback buildings.
Croydon was very successful gold mining centre so successful special train line built from the port town of Normanton. Now jokingly called the train from nowhere to nowhere the Gulflander is a tourist ride.
Croydon’s Historic Precinct contains a number of official building from the height of the 1870s gold rush.
The road to Einasleigh and Forsayth are off the main Savannah Way so include some unsealed roads till Georgetown.
The travelling is beautiful
Through savannah woodlands,
Across river causeways, where the rivers roaring floods in the tropical wet season is reduced to a feeble flow.
But still hold water in lagoons full of water lillies and birds.
And one can see a magpie goose on the wing
On the way to Croydon the Steinbock clocked over 22,000km since I purchased it in January this year. It’s been a crazy 6 months of travel.
The poster girl
Next the landscape changes again. The Gulf Country – the Gulf of Carpentaria. The rivers are big estuaries full of big salt water crocodiles. Normanton, on the croc infested Norman River is my next stop.
Waterfalls, like the Millstream Falls are are true feature of the Atherton Tableland.
The falls lay between Ranenshoe
Queensland’s highest town and
Innot Hot Spring there are thermal waters in the creek or spa centre to ease an adventurers tired bones.
Past the Springs the land opens out to the savannah at 40 mile scrub.
Not for on I found a spring fed water hole for a cooling dip.
Before stopping at the little town of Mount Surprise.
An old gem stone fossicking town close by the Undara Volcanic National Park and its amazing Lava Tubes.
This is my second visit to the Lava Tubes. Back in 2015 returning from Cooktown I stayed at the Undara Resort. This time I chose the Bedrock Village at Mount Surprise.
The lava tubes are remnants from volcanic eruptions 190,000 years ago.
And are inhabited by little micro bats about the size of your thumb
The scale of the tubes can be seen here. Look for the guide in the bottom left hand corner.
The National Park is home to hundreds of extinct volcanoes.
The Kalkani Crater is accessible for walking.
With informative interpretation signs.
If you walk quietly you may see pretty faced wallabies
The beautiful Wonga Vine
And amazing views over the savannah.
As I write a new covid 19 outbreak has emerged in Australia and who knows how that will effect my travel plans across the continent.
One has to be flexible while travelling in the time of Covid 19.
