MT BUNDY STATION, ADELAIDE RIVER NT

We have booked into Mt Bundy Station for 8 days.  It is a working cattle farm where they breed Brahman.  They also breed Quarterhorses.  The area where the powered sites are is in the home paddock.  We haven't really seen any cattle except for one very large one that has been hand reared and is quite tame.  There is also a beautiful jersey coloured one that is still very young and has also been hand reared.  I will put up some pics later.  The next photo is the view from our van towards the Adelaide River where the furtherest treeline is.  Apparently there is over 6000 crocodiles in the Adelaide River so No Swimming in the River.

 

 

 

We are parked under this canopy of trees that shed their leaves constantly.  Our awning is starting to sag with the weight of them lol

 

Below are a few shots of the horses in the paddocks either side of the driveway as you come in.  The house on the hill is where the owners live.

 

Always see smoke in the distance from burning off

When first you drive in you come to these signs that direct you where to go - firstly to the office and then to the camping area.

 

 

We love the swimming pool area and have spent quite a few hours here.

 

 

I took continuous shots of Arnold clowning around with his dive.

 

Pat and Maureen had a lovely swim too.

This peacock is always looking for food so Pat gave him some bread.  He certainly made short work of it.  There is usually a harem of peahens tagging along behind.  However, this time they were nowhere to be seen.

 

 

On Tuesday we went for a drive to Litchfield National Park.  Firstly we drove to Batchelor to get some supplies from their General Store.  Its so good to have the Waeco in the back of the car for when we purchase milk or perishables.  Also to carry cans of drink.  They are so expensive to buy at the Kiosks.  We then drove to Florence Falls.  We didn't swim this time.  We will save that for when we go back with Rose.  It was very tempting though.

 

 

We then drove on to Wangi Falls.  Thank goodness it was open.  Last time we were here it was closed because of crocs.  As it was past lunch time we headed to the Kiosk.  You can see Arnold Pat and Maureen in the middle of the shot sitting on the deck.

 

We then walked down to the Falls.  There were quite a few people in the water.

 

We had a great day and got back to Mt Bundy just in time for happy hour lol.  We look forward to going back and swimming in the crystal clear water.

 

  I'll leave it here for now.  Tomorrow afternoon/evening there is going to be an Aboriginal Band to entertain us.  We have to BYO chairs and drinks and sit around a campfire.  We will also be able to buy hamburgers etc so no cooking tomorrow night :)  I'll take lots of photos and update again soon.  Goodnight.

 

 



 



PUSSYCAT FLATS TO DOUGLAS HOT SPRINGS AND ADELAIDE RIVER

The day before we left Pussycat Flats an American couple rode in on their Lay Down or Recumbent Bicycles.  They had already ridden through many countries and now Australia.  I don't know how they do it. The roads in the Top End have hardly any verges and the edges of the roads are jagged and potholed.  It would be bad enough riding a normal pushbike but to lay down and pedal .... no way.  When we woke up the following morning they were long gone.

 

 

This carving of two pussycats sits on the wall in the bar area of the racecourse.  It is also their logo.

 

 

 We left about 9.30am and made our way to Douglas Hot Springs.  We decided to stay for a few days.  The shot below is the main road in until you turn off onto a gravel road.

 

About 3k's down there is a gate.  This is where we stopped a few years ago after a very wet season.  Thank goodness it was open this time and we were able to drive on.  (The photo below is for you Jen lol  Click on it to enlarge.)

 

 

Of course there is always water over the road but it was only shallow and didn't mess our rig up much ... or so we thought.  You should have seen the car and van when we got there.  The dust was fine but when it mixed with water it turned into mud.  Well it had to stay that way until we drove on to bitumen and our next stop.

 

We are nearing the entrance now but you wouldn't think so.  It is very deceiving.  The road winds in and ... walla ... we were there.

 

We parked the vans with our awnings facing so we could put our chairs out and sit together.  It was so hot that the genny came out so we could have the aircon on.  And of course the solar panel to charge up the batteries.

 

 

As you know I just love taking photos of birds.  The one below is a Black Kite which are very common.

 

Black Kite

 

The next one is a Whistling Kite.  It has different colourings and markings and the bottom of the tail is different - more rounded.  There are so many different species of Kite. 

 

Whistling Kite

 

And foraging in the leaves is this Great Bowerbird.  Always looking for baubles for their nest on the ground to attract females.

 

Great Bowerbird

 

The following day we decided to walk down to the river for a dip.  The temperature of the water comes out of the ground at around 60 deg C.  However it varies in different parts of the river where cold water mixes in.  Maureen persevered and made it down all the steps.  The task was to go up again.  (Click on the photo below to see the way down).  It took a while but she made it. 

 

 

 

We sat/laid in the water.



  

 

I decided to move to a deeper section of the river.  The water was flowing a lot faster there so I had to hang on to a log.  Also the water was a little cooler.

 

Arnold came over and laid on the other side of the log.

 

He then decided to walk a little ways down to an area where he could shallow dive.

 



 

He didn't take his sunglasses off and as I was taking the photos I didn't notice that they had come off in the water.  It was a few minutes before he realised and he ran down the river looking for them.  How lucky for him that he almost ran straight to them.  No more swimming with sunglasses on lol

Arnold found his glasses

 

On the way back to the van I noticed this Green Ants Nest.  There would be thousands in there.  The aboriginals eat them - just the tail section.... ugh.

 

 

That afternoon I decided to make donuts again.  I had a couple of bananas that needed to be used.  They are always so nice and the majority get eaten as they are sugared.  I always give some away to other campers and this time was no exception.  There was a guy on his own travelling in an old car with a tarp over it to keep the sun out.  If you believe his story he is a millionaire waiting for his money .... a likely story if ever I heard one.  Anyway he looked like he could do with a good feed :)

 



 

Below are just some photos of the area where we were parked.  We will probably go back there on our way down so Rose can have a dip.

 

We stayed for 3 days and on our way out we saw/heard all these birds.  What a commotion.

 

We drove to the Adelaide River Race Track where we stayed for 3 days.  We have stayed here before.  It was only 70 k's away.  On the Thursday afternoon we decided to go to the Adelaide River Inn for dinner but on the way we went to the WW11 Memorial Cemetery.

Entrance to the Cemetery

Looking through the entrance

 



Arnold looking at the graves

 



Maureen waiting at the entrance.  It was too hot for her to walk around.

 

The graves below are of the Post Office workers killed in the Darwin Air Raid.  They are buried in the Civil Section.  (Between February 1942 and November 1943 Darwin was bombed on 64 occasions.  243 people died).

 



 

We left the Cemetery and went to the Adelaide River Inn.  This is where "Charlie" the water buffalo is on display.  He was one of the stars of Crocodile Dundee 1 and 2. 

 

We ordered our meal.  Its seems that Maureen and Arnold don't venture very far from Barramundi or Steak lol.

Mine - Chicken in Black Bean on Rice

Pat - Hamburger with the Lot

 



Maureen - Battered Barramundi

Arnold - Scotch Fillet

I set the camera up on a garbage bin close by to take a self timed photo.  It was the only thing at the right height. 

 

 

We bought some raffle tickets to win a breakfast tray and a meat tray.  It was quite windy so I put my tickets under the bottle of apple cider I had just finished.  Ummm - I didn't like it much :(

 

But I did like the fact that I won the breakfast tray.  We will have a lovely fry-up soon.

 

The following day they started burning off all around the race track.  The smoke was horrible.  I suppose they are tidying up because next weekend there will be a big Race Meet here.  The sky is full of Kites and other birds waiting for the little rodents etc fleeing the flames.  They must have had a feast. 

 

The powered sites are around the fenceline.  It also has a swimming pool and good amenities.  That's us in the foreground and Pat's car to the left.

 

 

We left Adelaide River this morning and are now at Mt Bundy Station which is only about 10 k's away.  We are going to stay here for 8 days so will update again soon.  If you enjoy reading this blog please leave a comment as I enjoy hearing what you think.  Also, to enlarge any of the photos just click on it, once for large twice for larger.  Byeeeeeeee.