The Red Center Road

Devils Marbles

A visit to the Devil ' Marbles should really be done at sunset or sunrise when the shadows of these odd- ball rocks cast in an eerie way. We will give it a revisit on our way back from Alice Springs in hopes of capturing that mystical spirit that warrent this site sacred by the aboriginals.

The twins 

Termite Hunting

BEST BUSH PUB In The North

Here is Daly Waters Pub in Daly Waters. This is notably the oldest pub in the Northern Territory. It is about halfway between the far North and the red center. There isn't much of a reason to stop here but evidently kilometer after kilometer of driving monotony and nothingness makes one very thirsty.  Each night many travellers pack in and later stagger out (to the adjacent caravan park for a sleep).

 We voted this the best outback pub. The food and drink is good.  Nothing like a cold beer with BBQ Beef and Barra dinner.  But the real highlight here is the quirky collections of memorabilia.   Hats, foreign currency, patches, badges, flags, business cards even nickers and bras are just some of the collections of stuff adorning the walls. If people watching or socializing isn't your game the live entertainment is good fun.  Your also invited leave your nickers behind to add to the collection ( freshly washed and signed):)

 

Bitter Springs

An hour or so drive down the seamless bleak Stewart Hwy enrout to Alice Springs is fly speck of a town called Mataranka. Here you will find a cattle station, a couple of caravan parks, petrol station, food shop and a small gallery that sells the best ever mango smoothies and exhibits some paintings from Utopia.
 The persons in Mataranka are of two kinds either travellers or aboriginals. The latter being the residence and the former stopping here for the enchanting hot springs. The springs here are an embracing 34 degree and at Bitter Springs a delicate current will gently drift you down the creek passing lily pads and flowers, pandamas trees, tiny speckled frogs, and a few swimming turtles. The whole glide goes about 250metres and at the finish a bush trail will lead you back to the start and you can do it all again. The experience can be likened to swimming through a tropical freshwater aquariums complete with water plants and fish. So if the perfect temperature and the surreal blue-green glowey colour isn't enough to make you take the a plunge then you'll be missing out on one of the best hot springs in Australia. Unfortunately the springs are closed at dark as the only thing that could have enhanced our experience would have been a star-studded night sky.

 People that have visited Mataranka hot springs smile when they tell you about it and now we too can't help but crack a smile as we talk about our day gliding down the palm tree fringed blue-green waters of Bitter Springs. Top of the list!

The motley crew

Gone Swimming

I wonder if all you readers out there are getting tired of yet another perfect swimming pool picture. Never have we appreciated a nice plunge when it is 33 degrees and humid. This is at Edith Fall 40kms north of Kathrine.  There are several pools here to choose from.  Water is coolish, clear and sweet.

Gone swimming

The Map

Thanks to all of our friends-travellers that contributed to our map find. Each tab was placed by those who have been before us.  Thanks for the tips everyone.

Magic

We were hard pressed to demote El Questro Falls as our number one swimming hole. Instead we decided to make it a tie.  This is Barramundi Fall in Kakadu.  Because of the 10 Km very corrugated road entrance you might just find yourselves alone here. Sweet!  An easy 2 Km walk from the car park will take you to the falls but if you venture out and take the secrete goat track on the left of the stream you will be richly rewarded with the magical pools above the falls. They are seemingly something out of a dream.  Here you can plunge from the guardian rocks above, slide down a small water fall, even dive down a metre or so and swim through a underwater archway coming up into a private pristine pool on the other side of a rock wall. Just Magical.  

The pools above

Cliff Jumping with the fearless C and J

Cahills Crossing

Arnhamland to the East . Low tide at Cahills Crossing. Kakadu

Kakadu Dreaming (part 2)

Cone-crested-gacana or the lily pad walking bird. Found in the wetlands these birds even lay their eggs on a lily pad. (Yellow Waters-Kakadu)

Sunset atop Gunlom falls- (Another great swimming place)

East Alligator River

Brumby in the woods

Kakadu Dreaming

Jim Jim Falls

Cool clear Jim Jim Falls is a well earned plunge after the 2km hike. 

Croc Trap means relatively safe swimming

Pristine waters of Twin Falls

Accessable only by a serious 4 WD 10 Km track and a super deep water crossing Twin falls is a difficult place for the masses to enjoy. So quiet here, only the sound of the breeze.