Reluctantly leaving Darwin, we headed back to Katherine stopping at Bridge Creek (small creek, not much water) on the way. Talking to other people, they all said it was expensive & the only way to get cheaper accommodation was to stay 50K’s out of town. Fuel would have absorbed any savings. One couple were on their way to Darwin & were relieved to hear us extoll it’s virtues.
Proceeding on to Katherine the next day we finally got to see the gorge, magnificent! After topping up our tank & fridge we got back on to the Savannah Way & went on to Limestone Creek (what creek) where we stayed for 2 days as Darwin had exhausted us. We are warned, once again, of the cost of staying in Broome during the peak season & have been told a place, also, once again, 50K’s out of town, where we can stay for free. Time will tell.
After our rest we continued on to Big Horse Creek campground in the Gregory National Park (No creek this one but a bloody great river). Another fantastic stop & we actually snapped a crock sunbaking on the bank of the Victoria River. This was another 2 night stop as we had to hand in all our fruit & vegies, nuts, honey etc. at the border. There is a ramp into the river here with a sign on one side detailing the bag limits & another sign on the opposite side telling you that you can’t fish, net etc. here??? While here a couple told us of Zebra Rock, ‘you must stop there’, they said.
Checking it out it was just 10K’s this side of the border & 10K’s along a dirt road. When we arrived it turned out to be a mine site & we had to pass a closed gate to get there. Along the mine road was a sign to a lookout which we took, not very high, maybe 20mts. But the view was impressive, Lake Argile & The Kimberleys to the west & savannah plain to the East. We continued on to the mine site which we found had just opened to the public 6 weeks ago (no wonder it wasn’t in any of our books), run by a young woman & her partner, they had found the rock, registered as a mining site, put up a little shop & a camp area. We came, we saw & were conquered. Bought some rough pieces of rock to polish ourselves (complimentary tea & muffins while you browsed) & decided to stay the night. We were also offered a fishing trip that afternoon but declined. As we were crossing the border next day we gave all our excess fruit & vegies to the couple at the mine. When 4 others at the campground returned from their trip, they said we should have come as they caught heaps of fish plus had great fun on the way. So we decided to stay another night & booked a trip. (lucky we had some leftovers) We had set up on the side of a dry creek bed & were told we could fossick there if we wished. We did & found several pieces of zebra rock. Yes, it’s rock with lines of different material in it so it’s striped, & I was looking for a rock shaped like a zebra. The fishing trip was great! We travelled to the creek in his old Toyota Landcruiser, 1970 model, bouncing over lumps & bumps, driving through the long grass, with no top or sides it was a thrilling ride. Finally we came to his boat, about a 20’ tinny with a 225 HP motor. We puttered down the creek, checking out the crocks on the way, until we hit Lake Argyle. There, he tied up to a tree & we started fishing. We caught several inedible fish & then Liz caught the first edible Silver Cobbler. Although we caught many fish there were not many we kept, but a few were big enough, then, just before it was time to head home, Liz said I’ve got a big fish on here, calmly she brought it to the side of the boat where Kim tried to gaff it but ended up reaching over a picked it up by it’s mouth, saying that’s the biggest fish in a while. He filleted & skinned them for us & then we zoomed home. What a great day.
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