Back on the road again after some 4 weeks in Darwin. Bit reluctant to leave as the weather is now excellent and we remembered a few things that we ‘was gonna do...’
Ah well, Next time. We rebooked for next year on the way out, just to be sure.
Drove into buffeting wind most of the way to Pine Creek, where we stopped at the Lazy Lizard for a break and coffee. When will we learn? Coffee in these places is routinely horrible; should have had a cold drink. It was about 11am and Pine Creek was bursting at the seams with caravans and motorhomes and campers. Any suggestion as there was 2 years back, about the town going under when the mine closed, seem to have been unfounded.
We made it into Mataranka about 2pm, the car down to its last 20km of fuel, and our stomachs definitely on empty.
We pulled into the Territory Manor Motel and Caravan Park, as we have done about 10 times in 5 years, the last being about 5 weeks ago on the way up, and asked for our usual spot, site 10. Now this place is a bit run down and a bit rough around the edges but has always been friendly and hospitable, but today we were in for a surprise. It goes like this: in the park are the usual amenities plus about 4 small toilet blocks with 4 uni-sex toilets. Around each toilet block are 8 sites, in a circle, so its like a hub and spokes. The toilets are open for anyone to use, almost an en-suite, but not really. As I said, they are a bit old and rough, but one accepts that it goes with the territory. Anyhow, today we back in and make our camp, before need the use of said amenities. Imagine our surprise when we discover that they are all locked!
It quickly transpired that the park now consider them to be en-suites, for which we can pay $10 a night extra plus $20 key deposit. Judy was not impressed by the girl on the desk telling her that hey ‘had always’ been like this and if we have used them in the past then it was illegally! Talk about red-rags and bulls!
After lunch we headed down to the Bitter Springs for a float and swim, but not before driving through the other caravan park, Bitter Springs, for a look-see. Judy has declared it as definitely Ok and we wont ever stay at the Manor again. Which is how it goes out here on the road, eh? Speaking of the two van parks, ours is almost empty and the other almost full, maybe the word is already out there.
One highlight was the appearance of a Pheasant Coucal next to our van. We have only ever seen one once before in Kakadu
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| Pheasant Coucal. Mataranka NT |
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| Pheasant Coucal. Mataranka NT |
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