Fetch the engines fetch the engines
Fire fire! fire fire!
Almost as soon as we reached Katherine there was distinct plume of smoke on the horizon. After we turned off the Stuart HWY and drove through Batchelor the smoke became quite thick in places. The entrance to Litchfield NP had signs warning of smoke that might impact visibility! Just off from the road there were some large logs still burning from a fire that had burnt everything. We assumed that it was the result of prescribed burns by rangers and proceeded to where we planned to camp. Wednesday had been a long day and we were late getting in. There was a ranger talk scheduled for 7pm that night at another camp area so we took dessert and went in. The presentation was fabulous, including the geographic history of the area, plants and animals that we might see and the main attractions to visit.
Thursday morning there was another presentation at the termite mounds so we headed over to hear that one also. We all learned a lot about termites! Nicholas now knows that termites are not ants, but more closely related to cockroaches, Angela now knows that there are five parts of a termite family, queen, king, worker, soldier and alites, Chelsea now knows that a termite mound is made of poo, spit and dirt and is hard like concrete, Chantelle now knows that there are three types of termites, grass eaters, debris eaters and wood eaters, Bianca now knows that the queen in one of the mounds lays 2000 eggs per day and chooses what function the egg will perform, worker, soldier etc. The magnetic termites aren't really magnetic, a mound was placed in a fake magnetic pole and the termites started building the mound in line with the 'new' pole. Then over time the termites reverted back to the true poles because the sun was still in the correct location and would cook the mounds. Clever little critters out witted the scientists. The ranger also explained that the fires in the park are the work of arsonists possibly pig hunters who burn grass to make it easier to find pigs. The prescribed burns happen early in the dry when the fires burn much cooler never this late in the season. Now we feel a little more concerned, but are assured by the ranger there is no danger.
After lunch we walked down to Florence Falls for a swim. The steep walk down to the falls was well rewarded with a lovely large swimming hole and cool clear water. Unfortunately many of the other swimmers there were illiterate who were climbing the waterfall and jumping and diving in. Luckily while we were there no one was rendered paraplegic but the Emergency Call Devices around the park and what was said by the ranger at the night presentation was evidence that it does happen. After several hours swimming we went back to camp and Angela cooked on the small open fire. Wh had honey soy chicken drum sticks and apricot pie for dessert (no burnt crust) then some of her famous brownie. Way yum.
Friday morning we packed a picnic and headed for Sandy Creek and visited Table Top Swamp, Tolmer Falls and Blyth Homestead along the way. We were quite a sight at Table Top Swamp, the five of us looking at birds through binoculars then trying to identify them using Chelsea's Australian Birds Field guide. What a lot of fun. We were able to identify some birds and enjoyed the cool in the shade near the water. Tolmer falls was quite spectacular, though there was no access to the base of the falls because there was a colony of endangered leaf eared bats. Blyth Homestead was fascinating, the girls spent ages reading the captions of a photo album. The Homestead was built by the Stapleton children so they could live near their tin mine which they worked for their father (what good children). Eight children lived in the homestead, which was little more than a corrugated iron shed with an earth floor, such luxury. Together they worked the tin mine from before sunup to after sunset! Great work ethic in those days and all for no pay. Alexandra left home at 25 and had never seen money and had little knowledge of the outside world. During WWII a Japanese plane crashed near by and the Stapleton children recovered two sacks of maps and documents from the plane and handed these over to Imperial Command. They received high praise for their efforts.
After a long walk to Sandy Creek Falls in the heat we scared off all other people there! Seems we turn up and people leave quickly. We had the falls to ourselves for several hours! We had a swim then lunch and then another swim. The swimming holes here are fantastic, the water is warmer than any of the falls Nicholas has swum in in Victoria and there is an abundance of large fish that amble through the water. The girls do very well swimming across the pools to the waterfalls and back, thanks to swimming lessons since they were young.
Leaving Sandy Creek Falls it was coffee o'clock, so we headed to Wangi Falls and the cafe. After a refreshing something we had another swim. Surely this much time in the water the girls will develop webbing.
"The incident" probably happened coming out of Sandy Creek Falls and was very obvious when Nicholas checked under the car when we got back to camp. The rear spring had popped out of its housing. On closer attention the rear shock had catastrophically failed. Oh no. Who do you call? RACV! With little reception and being on hold for ages Nicholas got through and organised a tow for Saturday morning.
Saturday morning we were almost completely packed up when the truck arrived. Someone forgot to tell the tow company that there were five of us to drive out! Nicholas went with the car and camper with a plan to come back for Angela and the girls who would spend the day at Buley rockholes.
The car was booked in for service for Monday so we dropped the car there and the trailer at the van park we had already booked. Nicholas hired a car and headed back to Litchfield about 90 minutes later than estimated, sorry girls. The sweetener was Nicholas brought back food and snacks and we made it to Darwin, in a fashion.
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