21.6.2009
Yesterday we left an overnight roadside stop about 50 km out of Mataranka
and headed south expecting to get to a lake near the town of Elliot. It was
a cold night and the rumble of road trains every 15 mins or so was a
reminder to try and find campsites a little further off the main drag.
We stopped at Mataranka to enjoy the thermal pools and at 34 degrees C they
were great! The nights and mornings are very cool now – I even dragged the
trakky daks out last night – so to have a warm bath was very nice. Getting
out again was a different matter!
From Mataranka we went to Daly Waters where we planned on doing a lunch
stop, but ended up staying the night. We had heard it was a fun place and
very unique and at $20.00 / night for a powered site we thought it too good
to pass up.
The whole scene is very funky and the pub is a hoot. It’s got a real wacky
outback vibe and needs to be seen – a real Aussie icon! They do a Beef and
Barra BBQ each night so we signed up that – again blowing the budget quite
significantly but it was great stuff and well worth the $$.
A couple of tips though for staying at Daly Waters:
– Position your camper well away from the ablutions. We were right next door
and thought initially thought it great, as we had an ‘ensuite’, but the
leech drains just weren’t coping and the gentle waft of excrement that would
occasionally blow across the camper took away from the experience just a
little…
– Position your camper well away from the pub – or be prepared to stay up
late! The Saturday night crew partied on loud and long probably till
12.00ish and when I saw loud I mean LOUD. I was too cold to go and give them
a rev, but then being Saturday night and it being a pub what could you say
anyway?…
Still – if you’re headed this way then make sure you include it for a stop.
Unpowered sites are only $10/night, there is a pool and it’s a fun
experience.
We also met another family from Ocean Reef who are also doing the lap but
going in the opposite direction so we were able to share tips and learnings.
A shame we weren’t going on the same path as they seemed like cool people.
Hi Andrew, great reading all about your travels – looks like you and the fam are having heaps of fun! I LOVED Mataranka – hardly anyone has ever heard of it – may have changed a bit since I last went when I was 17 with my parents and siblings whilst travelling around Aust similar to yourself in a caravan – was a great trip. The thermal pools were so awesome and it’s just the one place I have never ever forgotten – so tranquil and beautiful – although I do remember something biting in the water – like a small sting – midgies?? Read your comments on saying hi to the person next to you being really annoying at churches you are visiting – wanted to comment but as I am on Angela’s page thought I better not as it sounds like it is from her – but it did cause a stir didn’t it – you even sounded a bit bitter at churches – they are just trying to do their best and make people feel welcome – the church will always fall short as God keeps continuing to use us – sinners, so don’t go looking for the perfect one – it’s not there! Let’s build – not tear down. Anyway, hi to Donelle and the kids – enjoy your travels. Karen x
hi Karen – glad you enjoyed your time in the NT too!
Re greeting – I don’t feel ‘bitter towards churches’ not at all. I lead one and I speak at many of them, but I do find that practice particularly disturbing in it’s shallowness and assumption that everyone – or even anyone wishes to participate in it. Why not just let people relate as people? It surely isn’t that hard!? 🙂