Today we left G'day Mate and Alice Springs for the last time. Not before returning the last of our library books and handing in our five library cards. We don't know what we will do for books now. In the time we have spent at Alice Springs we have borrowed 1 DVD, about 20 books and taken 3 books from the free to good home shelf. We picked up the last coffees from Wicked Kneads and with 210l of diesel on board we headed out to the Tanami.
Nicholas was behind the wheel so he stopped at the Tropic of Capricorn marker and another marker that celebrated the highest point on the road between Adelaide and Darwin. Why anyone thinks to find the high point on a road that runs 3000km and then erect such a substantial monument to it is beyond our thinking. Someone once said "let's not but say we did", would apply to this monument.
The Tropic of Capricorn is the southernmost latitude where the Sun can be directly overhead. It runs around the globe at 23 degrees 26' and is apparently moving north 15m each year. We pondered who is tasked with moving the sculpture the required 15m each year along with the related toilets and signs.
On the Tanami Rd we drove to Tilmouth Well Roadhouse for the night. Tilmouth is the last campground for almost 800km, we had green grass and a pool to swim in, luxury. To Tilmouth the road has been made the whole way. We saw one road crew grading and rolling the road shoulder. We have heard that there are several road crews grading the road all the way along. Sounds pretty promising.
The scenery has been quite variable. There has been open grass planes that spread flat for miles then when we look again there is short woodland. These are interspersed with occasional tall stands of ghost gums and red gums where rivers occasionally might run. A very variable country. We have also seen many willy willys that were twisting and turning dragging dust, leaves and sticks high into the air. Previously we inadvertently drove through one as it crossed the road on top of us, we won't let that happen again!
Tuesday 29/10
Only three days to the start of Movember. The month when men across the globe grow facial hair to raise funds for men's health and health awareness. Nicholas is once again growing a caterpillar across his top lip. For more details have a look at http://mobro.co/Shrimpton or the Movember blog entry.
The Tanami had some surprises for the Lloyd-Shrimptons today. On the camps wiki there was a homestead ruin that we visited. The ruins were once Mount Doreen Homestead. The house was probably the stone building and the large mess was possibly farm shedding and 'useful' stuff. It took us three drive-bys to find the turn off as overgrown as it was. When we got out of the car the temperature was starting to climb.
We stopped for lunch at Chilla Well or Renahans Bore as it seems to be called now. There is water and picnic tables there and some very thirsty birds hanging around. The bore is not used now and the windmill is in poor state of disrepair. The heat is really building. Nicholas emptied two jerry cans into the tank and just standing in the sun was soon sweating sheets. Had there not been a shaded table lunch would have been unbearable.
Before lunch we passed Yuendumu Settlement and were surprised to get mobile coverage. We did not expect to see any coverage out here. We also had coverage at the Granite Gold Mine another 350km up the road.
The biggest surprise was to come just past Granite Gold Mine in the form of rain. Yes, we are in the Tanami desert and the last time we saw rain like this was Longreach. The rain was heavy enough to require windscreen wipers on full! Our worry now was even a little bit of rain can be enough to close entire roads. With the water the road turned from red to purple. There became pools of water on the side of the road and in the bushes. It was most amazing. The temperature outside plummeted cooling us all down nicely too, better than air conditioning.
We drove through the desert in a car called beast, it felt good to be in the rain (to the song Horse with no name).
We drove a lot further than we anticipated today. All the way to the WA border and just beyond where we found an unofficial place to camp just off the road. There was still rain around. Dinner was taken picnic style on the camper floor as the rain pelted down once again. And in the distance lightening is putting on a show towards Halls Creak.
Wednesday 29/10/2013
Because of the time change, we are another 90 minutes behind total 3 hours behind Melbourne, we all woke frightfully early.
The plan for Wednesday was to drive to Lake Gregory and drive the very last of the Canning Stock Route. As it turned out we couldn't get a permit on the southern side of the Tanami so we had to change that plan.
We drove and drove! The WA side of the Tanami is rougher than the NT side. Little wonder the push is from WA to make the whole road. That will cost up to 750k per km for the 753km of unsealed rd.
At Wolfe Creek Crater we had lunch in the tableless shelter instead we had a picnic on the dust. A very nice shelter it was, would have been all the nicer with a table. After eating our fill we all walked up to the crater. 300000 years ago the meteorite hit and made a hole 120m deep and pushed up a high wall of rock and sand. Pieces of the meteorite have been found 4km away.
Leaving Wolfe Creek we drove the last 150km into Halls Creek. From what we have seen a pretty much nothing town.
Tomorrow we will drive on to the Bungle Bungle National Park. Which may or may not be closed depending who you ask in town. We will ring in the morning for confirmation.
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