Towns River to Katherine

After Lorella Springs we weren't sure if we would find another nice place to stay on this section of the Savannah Way. We checked out Butterfly Falls which is in the Limmen National Park, but it was very close to Lorella Springs and we didn’t feel like staying there.

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So we got the generator out and enjoyed a morning Cappuccino there and walked down to the water hole which is safe for swimming and still flowing even this late in the season. Very nice.

We headed further north and stopped at Towns River, still in the Limmen National Park. This was just a perfect place, we were able to place our van right near the water’s edge, even though the river is full of crocs. There is a 3m high cliff right along this area of the river bank, a natural croc barrier.

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We took the van off and dropped the tinnie in the water for an afternoons boating and yet another attempt at fishing. I actually caught a fish, my 1^st this holiday. It was just a catfish, remember we didn’t have any rods, so I was using a hand line and the only bait we had was some leftover lamb. I'm sure barramundi don’t like lamb. Crocs do, so we were always vigilant.

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We could have stayed another night at Towns River, but without rods and not enough water in the van it was only ever going to be a single night’s stay.

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Our next fuel stop was Roper Bar, where we had to fuel or we wouldn’t have made it to Katherine. Diesel was a whopping $2.20/litre. Roper Bar was just a store, but its right near an aboriginal community. They sold the best steak sandwiches and burgers, well so the sign stated, but the one we saw the local guys eating looked good. Certainly their hot chips were very good and Jayne and I enjoyed some “junk food” the first we had for ages.

The camping around Roper looked really good, but we pushed onto Katherine as to get out of the dirt, wash the car, van and clothes were becoming important to us. As we were pumping the tyres up when we hit the tar I noticed the front number plate on the car was lose. In fact it was totally broken off and just sitting there. Another corrugation and we would have lost it forever. How Toyota expects this number plate to be held in via the thin grill is beyond me. So now the number plate is safely in the backseat.

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When we left Lorella Springs the clip to hold the fridge door closed didn't make it into place. so when we stopped for coffee we were greeted with the contents of the fridge on the floor of the van. of course the fridge door was closed, so it looked strange with the contents of the bottom shelf of the fridge on the floor & the fridge in order other than this!

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Katherine has aboriginals at their worse. They are drunk on the streets, sniffing petrol, harassing us in the shops, laying in the streets and stinking. Such a change from Borroloola it’s amazing.

Today we’re heading further west to Kununurra in Western Australia. We’ll be stopping a couple of times along the Victoria River now that we’re stocked up with brand new fishing rods etc.

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