Barkly Homestead NT

Yeah! Crossed into the Territory this morning. By way of a welcome the landscape opens up into huge, vast treeless plains, stretching into forever where they meet the bluest clearest sky you will ever see.

It's only a step of 270km from Camooweal to Barkly, so even though we left latish we arrived earlish - before lunch. Mind you the 1/2 hour time difference and The Rig rolling along effortlessly at 110kph might have helped. I think we saw 1 roadwork, and that was before the border.

Judy had been told by the people here that it would be busy, get in early to avoid a disappointment. Well at 1130 when we rolled in, we were the first ones here! Take your pick of spots, spoiled for choice. So we plumped for the same one we had last year. Going to have a quiet arvo and then off to the Brunette Downs Races tomorrow.

As an aside, I should relate the sad tale from Camooweal last night, it will stand as a reminder to all other travellers that you need to take care...

Last night, after dark, a van parked up near us. The lady with the van was pretty upset, her husband had been hitching the van up out at the free camp at Avon Downs (about 70k west of Camooweal) when one of those anti-sway bars slipped out of its cradle and took his toe/s off. In agony, he drove the rig into town and went to the First Aid place they have. They took one look and called the RFDS to come up from the Isa to get him and go back to hospital. She was left alone and had to get a stranger to bring the van in and park it, then some more strangers (us) to help her hook up the gas / water / electricity. She had no idea what to do, or what they would do with hubby. All she could do was sit and wait till the morning then call and see what was going on. If he stays in hospital, or goes to another hospital, she's stuck. Can't drive the rig (it's a biggish truck / van combo) and there's probably only 1 bus a day either way. So, take care out there, it's a bigger country and more isolated than you might think, sitting here in our air-conditioned comfort zones.

Anyhow, here's a few more snaps from 'BH' :

Barkly Homestead NT

Barkly Homestead NT

Barkly Homestead NT

Barkly Homestead NT