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Tag Archives: Timber Creek
Australia day 34 – Timber Creek to Keep River National Park, NT
There is not much to detain us in Timber Creek; there appears to be no ‘safe’ fishing spots within 2wd range. Just outside Timber Creek is Policeman’s Lookout which provides a superb view of the majestic Victoria River winding through rugged hills and untouched woodlands as far as the eye can see. The silence broken only by the raucous skwarking of white parakeets or some such similar bird.
Western Australia and the Kimberley beckons. But first, just a but further down the highway is a sealed road which serves no other purpose but to access three superb lookouts; two wonderful views of the Victoria river valley and one of Timber Creek and it’s nestled under a sandstone escarpment. At the latter there are a series of information boards about the Nakarous who were stationed out here from 1942 to patrol the coast and inland region in case of invasion by the Japanese. It turns out that the found the struggle to survive the harsh conditions of the tropical bush country left little time for defending Australias front line!
As we drive west the trees become more stunted and large boab trees often carved with the initials of previous travellers are more in evidence. The boab has to be one of the strangest looking trees with its, grey, bulbous trunk that grow up to 20 metres in diameter, toped by a crown of disproportionate branches. Plumes of smoke waft into the area across in the distance where small spontaneous fires have broken out.
We arrive at the border with Western Australia much sooner than we anticipate and decide to camp the Northern Territory tonight and cross tomorrow. This decision is entirely based on the strict quarantine regualtions which mean that we can’t take any fresh fruit or vegetables into WA and would mean dumping tonights dinner! We stop for a brew in the car park on the border and suddenly a huge fire breaksout across the road. Lots of smoke, flames dancing and crackling as it devours the grasses over a stretch on either side of the border.
The Keep River National Park is only3 km up the road. This small park is known for its striking landforms, similar in structure to the Bungle Bungles further west. There are excellent bushwalking tracks that run through the rugged terrain of sandstone formations. There is also a camping ground 18 km into the park along a red gravel road and despite the restrictions of our hire agreement which prohibits any travel on unsealed roads we spend the night in probably the remotest camp site of our trip so far.
Remote though it may be there are two 4wd campers on the site when we arrive. Both have neat arrangements involving tents that fold out and sit on top of the vehicles. This is basic camping; some bbq areas and two pit toilets one of which is infested with ants! It’s a beautiful spot though, so peaceful and a walk awaits us in the morning.
Posted in Australia, Northern Territory
Tagged Australia, Keep River National Park, Northern Territory, Timber Creek
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Australia day 33 – Katherine to Timber Creek
Most of the country from Katherine along the Victoria Highway travelling west is mile after mile of savannah woodland – it’s not for nothing that this road is known as the Savannah Way. That is, until the area around Victoria Crossing where the flat gives way to the spectacular; angular red glat top sandstone escarpment ranges on both sides and the strangely shaped boab trees with their bulbous trunks start to make an appearance.. The Victoria River is the largest in the Territory and it sweeps through deep valleys and gorges and at some parts is over a kilometre wide. Unfortunately access to most of the Victoria region requires a 4wd and we are restricted to a brief glimpses of the river at Victoria Crossing and for a short distance alongside the road. A road house is the only settlement at Victoria Crossing consisting of a bar, diner camping ground and petrol station. We make a short stop to have an ice cream and top up with petrol. The road house is the first services stop since Katherine 194 km away and the last for another 90km. There is also a caravan park bar and restaurant here and that is all for the next 90 km.
There’s little traffic on the road, although we do see a Roller and a Bentley! There is a certain camaraderie amongst those travelling in camper vans particularly in Wicked vans, which usually manifests itself in energetic waving at one another. Whether this is from sheer excitement of seeing someone else on an otherwise empty stretch of road or out of empathy for some other poor sucker who ended up with a clapped out old rust bucket, I’m not sure.
There are many areas of charred earth along the road sides, the result of the small bush fires that seem to break out regularly and palls of smoke can be seen at intervals signalling several small fires are burning up the dry grass in the surrounding country.
Timber Creek is a tiny place on an eponymous tributory of the Victoria River at the foot of the rugged Newcastle range It is a tiny place consisting of a caravan park, motel, bar, mini mart, cemetery, a visitors centre and not much else. It is reknowned for its fishing in particular for barramudi and apparently people come from all over to fish here. The plan is for Andy to catch our dinner tomorrow!
The creek runs at the back of the caravan park and we arrive just in time to witness the daily feeding of several rather large and aggressive freshwater crocs. There are apparently 13 in this stretch. It’s quite an awesome experience standing only inches above these menacing creatures as they rise out of the water to snap their jaws with a mighty clap around pieces of meat dangled above their heads.
There are also hundreds of what look like black towels hanging from the trees on the other side of the creek, which on closer inspection tturn out to be huge fruit bats. Apparently they don’t hang in the trees in the caravan park, thank goodness!
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Posted in Australia, Northern Territory
Tagged Australia, Katherine, Northern Territory, Timber Creek
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