Banka Banka NT & Camooweal Qld July 18&19 2016

Banka Banka July 18 2016

Up early and down for a lovely swim in the crystal clear waters of Bitter Springs, and almost no one there. After a quick breakfast we headed out to Banka just after 8. 

Stuart Highway, somewhere between Dunmarra and Banka Bank NT

The Army have been playing soldiers down in SA for a week or so, and now they are all heading back to Darwin. We must have passed 20 convoys of 10 trucks each carrying all kinds of guns and trucks and big-persons toys. A lot of the really big stuff was being hauled by private road trains, driven by their normal driver, but the off-sider was harder to tell, after all they were in camouflage.

Army on the move. Stuart Highway, near Banka Banka NT

I’m not sure where the actual ‘grunts’ were; they may have been in the backs of the long row of Armoured Personnel Carriers, or more likely in a nice air-conditioned bus or 10. I had no idea that we had so big an Army, and those are just the ones from Darwin.

Banka was almost full when we pulled in at 130, but they did say that a big bunch of vans had stayed on instead of leaving. Also Renner Springs (further north) is reported as full as well. We have seen a big increase in vans on the road this year, all heading north it would seem.

Banka Banka NT

Banka Banka NT

Cudjenbra Waterhole, Banka Banka NT

Camooweal Qld July 19 2016

Left Banka at 830 and headed south. First stop was for fuel at the 3-ways roadhouse. I keep mentioning 3-ways, which sounds simple for a town / roadhouse name, so here's the visual explanation:

See, there are but 3 ways one can go!

and then on to Barkly Roadhouse for more fuel, a sandwich and a cup of tea

Barkly Roadhouse NT 

Barkly Roadhouse NT

and then on, and on again, to Camooweal, just over the Qld border, some 525km in six hours. Its a long way but there is nothing in between. We went looking for some basics in Camooweal: milk, bread, butter, and found nothing that we'd normally buy. We went into the Hotel for lunch, but it was off, closed at 2 o'clock. 

Camooweal Qld

Camooweal Qld

Eventually we found the servo out the front of our little park had a decent sort of diner and so with takeaways in hand, lunch was finally taken sitting next to the van in the shade of a lovely big tree. 

Early night tonight, another big day tomorrow!