My Darl as usual hits it off with Kev the caretaker, Kev reckons there is only two things he can't cop Winnebago's and Grey Nomads! They never pay their fees and nick things (toilet paper and toilet brushes)! They skite about it over the UHF. Granted they are not all like that, but it is those that give a bad name. Anyway, we started our day, on a bit of a trek to Mataranka Falls, 2km canoe row and a 2 km walk. This is a bit different travelling down the Roper River instead of roads.
We really enjoy the canoe rowing, my Darl of course at the back cause he wants to steer, he has a twin paddle, I have a single paddle. Ultimately we end up going a bit zigzag but it's all good. Kev told us he had a croc trap set, little did we know we would come across it, it has a dead pig in it! Just a little unsettling nonetheless, but he hasn't caught anything yet. This rive is know for freshies not salties and freshies not so agressive.
Here's my darl in action! Giving it a go.. Lots of bird life along the river banks, we keep our eagle eyes out for spotting those freshies, but we are dissapointed we don't see any. Have to keep our eyes peeled also for tree trunks and branches fallen in the water. 12 Mile Yards was opened in the 60's to herd cattle up from Mataranka Station 3 times a year. The old yards are still standing.
Kev gives us the drum on where to row to and leave the canoe before making our way on foot for 2kms to the falls, this is the log with the canoe securely tied up. We really didn't know for sure if this was the spot, but as we were approaching the bend, we could here like waterfalls happening, Darl said let's go closer, I hit the panic button a little and said NO! I just could see us rowing over the falls ending in catastrophe.
It was a good walk, the falls were nice, about a metre high. I wondered if they were far from the Mataranka thermal pools, apparently they were miles off. We took the Suzi out for a spin after lunch. To the right is a pic of Bitter Springs, the water temperature in the 30 degrees. The waters are crystal clear, however the waters edges covered in algae, but we went for a dip, I borrowed someone's noodle to float on down.
Giddyup! Yeehah! Some statues in the middle of town, signifying Elsey Station and the story We of the Never Never written by Jeannie Gunn about life on Elsey station back in the 1890's. We are actually staying in Elsey National Park. We have a drink at the Mataranka Pub and meet Samual and his missus, Estelle, friendly enough folk, however not long before they hit us up for 2 dollar, then 1 dollar. Said we were all out, funny enough as we were leaving they were up at the bar ordering another drink! Good try.
Mataranka thermal pools, what a dissapointment, though I was told about the flying foxes. Years ago it was a really lovely natural setting, with stone walkways and lots of thermal pools. NOW, there is thousands of flying foxes and cement pools, very commercialised. We didn't bother going for a dip here. Apparently the flying foxes have come over from Katherine Springs, where they endeavoured to cull the population.
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