Day 157 - Saturday 3 June - Edith Falls revisited

Day 157

Saturday

3 June 2017

Edith Falls Free camp – Edith Falls – Katherine – Elliot

I didn’t sleep brilliantly last night. It was warm, but we were able to run the fan to blow air around, I was just very restless and when it came time to wake I just wasn’t in the mood. Paul was up though and ready to move on, so out I got, followed the morning routine and by 8.30am we were heading on from our free camp spot to the Edith Falls car park.  It was fairly quiet when we arrived, a good thing.

We made our way to the beginning of the 2.6km circular loop and began our climb yet again.  Up over rocks and sandy paths and heading further into the bush. The sun was just beginning to brighten the landscape around us and as we looked back over where we had come from we had a great view of the land outstretching to the horizon.

We followed the orange triangle markers first to a small lookout where we could see the main plunge pool that we had swum in three weeks ago and then continued on a further 500m to the upper pools.

When we finally made it to the pool we were rewarded with being the only ones here. I was off with the shoes quick and sitting with my feet submerged as a waterfall raged to the left. It was very peaceful and allowed me to set up my tripod to take photos without having to dodge heads. It didn’t last however, the silence broken about 20min later with ants climbing in following their khaki attired leader and wielding walking sticks and then they just kept coming.

I put on my shoes and walked around some other rocks, taking in the views of other plunge pools and water cascading over the stone and then we left the masses behind and continued to follow the loop path down the other side.

Another lookout, Mymang, gave a great view back to the upper pool and all the tourists scampering over rocks. From here we continued to follow the markers until we reached the footbridge we had stood on last time to admire the lower pool and Edith Falls.

We made our way back through the lush gardens only to have me jump as a snake slithered across our path, rearing its head. Paul tried to tell me it was a python, probably an olive python, because of its head shape, but I read the board and I thought it looked more like a black whip snake. Either way I was giving it a W – I – D – E berth.

We returned to the van and continued on, this time to Katherine, pulling into the BP at 11.30am. After filling up the van, we moved to a parking area near the tourist info centre, parked and made our way into the Woolies for desperately needed groceries. This trip was certainly such a contrast to the last time we were here, it was packed. Tourists and locals alike all crammed into get their essential items.

After finding all we needed we hastily made a run for the self-serve check out and returned to the van. It was then back in to the shop to do a BWS run. We were fortunate that it was open at 12 and not 2pm as it had been when we were here last.

With the supplies sorted, we made our lunch, took stock for 5min and then hit the road again, passing through Mataranka and Larramah. There were plenty of caravans on the road heading towards us, tourist season now in full swing.

The Stuart Highway drive is dotted with road trains to leap frog, sometimes the passing is easy, being able to see for miles, other times it is nerve racking, as corners loom and you just hope that nothing is coming in the opposite direction. Sometimes there is so you floor it, willing the van to go faster like a jockey on a racing stallion and you pull in, waving at the passing vehicle, phew!

Loose stock is also an issue. If you are in a convoy, the first vehicle, usually a four-carriage road train that is creating the snaking line, scares them off into the bush, but when it is just you and a brahman that is just hanging about, you have to be a little more cautious. Blow the horn, watch the reaction, begin to slow, then watch it move off the road and hope it doesn’t change its mind.

The light of the midday sun was surpassed by the yellow glow of the afternoon. Sunrays turning the long, thin weedy, grass into flickering torches and wisps of spun gold, it really is quite pretty out in the nothingness at this time.

Having passed by Daly Waters, Paul declared we could drive on to Elliot, a further 200km down the highway I just watched the roadside triangles count down the k’s in groups of 10. I was getting restless and in need of a break and was so glad when the 200 had become 50km. There was a rest stop 25km short of Elliot and when we passed by we saw how packed it was, I just hoped that wasn’t a sign of things to come, I just wanted somewhere to pull up.

WE made it to Elliot at 5pm and filled up at the BP, after a quick stretch of the legs we jumped in the van and continued. Paul had noticed a truck stop sign for 50km out of town and though you shouldn’t really camp there, we figured we would if we were desperate. However, about 2km short of it, there was a gravel pit to the side of the road, where they would dump excess road base for when they upgrade and repair the highway and it provided a flat, large area for us to camp on, home for the night.

I got busy on the inside and then started on dinner, starving even though I had been sitting down most of the day. I took some photos of our camp for the night and the orange sunset that set the sky ablaze. I was glad to finally get food in the belly and then completely relax, my head telling me I was exhausted and should go to bed, it was 6.30pm.

I did sit in bed and read, enjoying having the back window open and watching the sky fade to black and the thundering road trains rattling down the road. Paul eventually joined me reading as well and by 8, I was ready to turn out the lights.