Did you take a look/ tour of the Katherine Gorge? Well worth checking out. I spent a few months in Darwin in a past life and whilst there went scuba diving in Fanny Bay (really). Couldn't see a damn thing and was pooping myself because of the crocs although it is netted off.
Rode my Harley from Brisbane to Darwin and back with some mates for a HOG rally. Happy times.
Keep shiny side up. Nick.
An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
Hey Nick.....not as yet but maybe on the way back south. There is also Wangi Falls, Edith Falls, so much.
The Litchfield National Park has been recommended a few times.
It sounds like you had a few good adventures in Oz, it’s certainly an impressive country.
Thanks for reading my ramblings.
The Litchfield National Park has been recommended a few times.
It sounds like you had a few good adventures in Oz, it’s certainly an impressive country.
Thanks for reading my ramblings.
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
After more than a few days in one 
lace it’s always good to get back on the bikes and move on.
Darwin was home for five nights and we got all of our jobs done, nearly.
The only way is south. So south we went. We only rode about 150 miles and ended up in the Litchfield National Park. A place that quite a few people suggested that we went to. It had a twisty road too. Waterfalls, pools, hills and lots more.
We ended up meeting another couple on bikes, Mark and Diane from Perth. They were on a first long ride since retirement. They were riding a KTM 690 and a Kawasaki KLR250.
Their plan is an around the world journey. Maybe on one big bike, a 1200GS, or the two smaller ones. Hopefully we’ll see them on the road as they are heading back to Perth. Our direction too.
We were planning not to camp as it has been hot and air conditioning is so nice.
But we camped, actually it was a very nice campsite but the temperature......it made it up to 35 during the day.
Anyway, it was a nice peaceful place to stay, decent food was served and everybody seemed happy and relaxed. What’s not to like.
Today, Sunday, we headed off slightly earlier than normal to try and ride in the cool. 27.5 degrees the bike informed me, not exactly cool but nice all the same.
Back to the Stuart Highway, again, and south to the first fuel station. Tanks refilled we only had to ride 750meters before a ‘tourist route’ took us away from the Road Trains and along a lovey undulating curvy road through nice scenery and with virtually no traffic. Bliss.
We took a short ride up a dirt road following a sign for Falls. I can’t remember the exact name but oh dear! Rubbish and mess! Such a rare thing here, we were shocked.
A quick turn back to the road and away. Back to the enjoyment of being in a motorbike in an unhurried environment.
After riding through a short section of road works and making the bikes unclean again after their wash at the dealers, we joined the Stuart Highway again.
A cold drink was in order so at the first opportunity we stopped. That’s one of the things here, especially when it’s hot, you can’t always stop when you want. There isn’t many places out of the sun to pull in.
Obviously we have water on our backs but somewhere to stop, sit and chat is always nice. Even though it was only 20 miles from our destination we took advantage of the chance.
Tonight we are back in Pine Creek, in an air conditioned cabin. Very nice it is too!
Earlier on this afternoon we had a walk about. Last time here on the way through to Kakadu we didn’t.
There was a lot of gold mining in the area back in the late 1800’s and the town was an important railway hub too.
There’s a fair bit of old equipment on display and some of the old track and rolling stock too.
There was a lot of noise up in the trees but the big black birds weren’t sitting on the branches but hanging from them.
Flying Foxes. Fruit bats with a wingspan if up to a meter.
Hundreds of them. Another new thing on the ever growing list of new things. There were bats last night on the campsite as well, little ones eating flies and stuff, not fruit.
Tomorrow we will go a bit further south on the good old Stuart Highway that has been our companion for I don’t remember how long, but a lot of miles/days, and then turn West. West towards Wester Australia.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
lace it’s always good to get back on the bikes and move on.Darwin was home for five nights and we got all of our jobs done, nearly.
The only way is south. So south we went. We only rode about 150 miles and ended up in the Litchfield National Park. A place that quite a few people suggested that we went to. It had a twisty road too. Waterfalls, pools, hills and lots more.
We ended up meeting another couple on bikes, Mark and Diane from Perth. They were on a first long ride since retirement. They were riding a KTM 690 and a Kawasaki KLR250.
Their plan is an around the world journey. Maybe on one big bike, a 1200GS, or the two smaller ones. Hopefully we’ll see them on the road as they are heading back to Perth. Our direction too.
We were planning not to camp as it has been hot and air conditioning is so nice.
But we camped, actually it was a very nice campsite but the temperature......it made it up to 35 during the day.
Anyway, it was a nice peaceful place to stay, decent food was served and everybody seemed happy and relaxed. What’s not to like.
Today, Sunday, we headed off slightly earlier than normal to try and ride in the cool. 27.5 degrees the bike informed me, not exactly cool but nice all the same.
Back to the Stuart Highway, again, and south to the first fuel station. Tanks refilled we only had to ride 750meters before a ‘tourist route’ took us away from the Road Trains and along a lovey undulating curvy road through nice scenery and with virtually no traffic. Bliss.
We took a short ride up a dirt road following a sign for Falls. I can’t remember the exact name but oh dear! Rubbish and mess! Such a rare thing here, we were shocked.
A quick turn back to the road and away. Back to the enjoyment of being in a motorbike in an unhurried environment.
After riding through a short section of road works and making the bikes unclean again after their wash at the dealers, we joined the Stuart Highway again.
A cold drink was in order so at the first opportunity we stopped. That’s one of the things here, especially when it’s hot, you can’t always stop when you want. There isn’t many places out of the sun to pull in.
Obviously we have water on our backs but somewhere to stop, sit and chat is always nice. Even though it was only 20 miles from our destination we took advantage of the chance.
Tonight we are back in Pine Creek, in an air conditioned cabin. Very nice it is too!
Earlier on this afternoon we had a walk about. Last time here on the way through to Kakadu we didn’t.
There was a lot of gold mining in the area back in the late 1800’s and the town was an important railway hub too.
There’s a fair bit of old equipment on display and some of the old track and rolling stock too.
There was a lot of noise up in the trees but the big black birds weren’t sitting on the branches but hanging from them.
Flying Foxes. Fruit bats with a wingspan if up to a meter.
Hundreds of them. Another new thing on the ever growing list of new things. There were bats last night on the campsite as well, little ones eating flies and stuff, not fruit.
Tomorrow we will go a bit further south on the good old Stuart Highway that has been our companion for I don’t remember how long, but a lot of miles/days, and then turn West. West towards Wester Australia.
Two happy people, two happy bikes.
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
- 81011D6C-7B9F-4153-ACAD-355A88BED8E2.jpeg (221.8 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
- 8237D071-2253-4FDF-A35D-824C33F7F814.jpeg (223.64 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
- 772FF61D-076D-4388-932F-A82D6ADDE4A0.jpeg (128.54 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
- 66133930-206D-40E4-AE5F-0A73EDF4B9EC.jpeg (166.22 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
- BD1C2B9C-7A5B-41B8-BD3E-BB5EFBC5F98D.jpeg (238.04 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
- 7D6732D0-0770-435F-A068-14EE1D9C894D.jpeg (161.7 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
- D7779A5F-4C21-4A5A-911C-BA868AF2DDED.jpeg (175.53 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
- 26FFC998-3070-426E-8662-2D73527C0D11.jpeg (285.14 KiB) Viewed 1986 times
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
Bats, not birds......and the photos are around the right way too. You see, sometimes.....
Unless everyone tells me not to, I’ll let you know how we get on over the next few days in a few days or so.
Unless everyone tells me not to, I’ll let you know how we get on over the next few days in a few days or so.
-
OnHellas
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:12 pm
- Location: By the sea, Kent, UK
- Has thanked: 571 times
- Been thanked: 892 times
Re: An Australian lap attempt.....anti clockwise
Our last ride on the Stuart Highway took us from Pine Creek to Katherine. We headed south for the 55 miles, filled the bikes up with petrol and our drink packs with cold water.
We then turned right on to the Savannah Way. We last rode on this highway weeks ago, on the stretch from Ravenshoe to Normanton. This latest part was a full width tarmac road all the way. The earlier part was only single track in parts which made it more interesting when a Road Train came the other way......size rules and all that.
After making the right turn we saw the sign for both our destination for the day and the next available fuel. 197km to the Victoria River Roadhouse.
As we moved west for the first time in a long time the scenery started to change. The trees were much more numerous and looked a bit different. I don’t know the names, sorry.
There are Pandanus tress, paperbark, but which is which I don’t know.
The trees I did recognise though were the Boab Trees. (Boabab in Africa I think).
These have very thick trunks which are quite often hollow. Interesting and strange looking trees but great to see.
There were also tall rock cliffs, and bluffs. From a longtime ago when there was sea here I guess. For us though it was nice to see some different stuff.
Don’t get me wrong, riding along endless highways with pretty much unchanging scenery doesn’t bore me. I like it a lot. But something new is always good.
After the 197km the Roadhouse appeared on our left. Camping was not for us due to the heat. 38 degrees and crawling around in a tent doesn’t seem to appeal so much. A motel room though.....with air conditioning. It’s on days like that that you just pay the entry fee and go in.
As Aussie Roadhouse’s go it was nice and clean and the food was great. Nile Perch and salad?? Surely that must have been frozen to make that journey.....or do they migrate like birds???? The fish, not the salad bits.
We then turned right on to the Savannah Way. We last rode on this highway weeks ago, on the stretch from Ravenshoe to Normanton. This latest part was a full width tarmac road all the way. The earlier part was only single track in parts which made it more interesting when a Road Train came the other way......size rules and all that.
After making the right turn we saw the sign for both our destination for the day and the next available fuel. 197km to the Victoria River Roadhouse.
As we moved west for the first time in a long time the scenery started to change. The trees were much more numerous and looked a bit different. I don’t know the names, sorry.
There are Pandanus tress, paperbark, but which is which I don’t know.
The trees I did recognise though were the Boab Trees. (Boabab in Africa I think).
These have very thick trunks which are quite often hollow. Interesting and strange looking trees but great to see.
There were also tall rock cliffs, and bluffs. From a longtime ago when there was sea here I guess. For us though it was nice to see some different stuff.
Don’t get me wrong, riding along endless highways with pretty much unchanging scenery doesn’t bore me. I like it a lot. But something new is always good.
After the 197km the Roadhouse appeared on our left. Camping was not for us due to the heat. 38 degrees and crawling around in a tent doesn’t seem to appeal so much. A motel room though.....with air conditioning. It’s on days like that that you just pay the entry fee and go in.
As Aussie Roadhouse’s go it was nice and clean and the food was great. Nile Perch and salad?? Surely that must have been frozen to make that journey.....or do they migrate like birds???? The fish, not the salad bits.
