Coomalie - A Green Oasis

Monday 2nd June.

In line with our desire to slow down today we only travelled roughly 90 km's where we located a nice area beside a rambling creek. Adjacent to this spot we discovered an RV camp ground so decided to check it out. We had noticed this lovely green flat area as we approached and thought how great it would be for a few days. Well, it turned out to be just right in all respects. A water view to the rambling creek, power and water hook up available with plenty of flat green areas to choose from, all for $20 per night.

First day of Winter - NOT HERE.

Sunday 1st June.

The first day of winter !! Really.

On the move again towards Pine Creek and beyond. 

As we crossed over the river leaving Katherine we looked down and spotted a fresh water crocodile about 4 feet long in the water. Glad we had not gone to the hot springs which were only about 1km downstream. Around 11:30am we stopped for a cuppa at a little roadhouse at a place called Emerald Springs. Boy, what a surprise. This place has the most incredible outdoor covered bar, beer garden and bistro area. Fresh flowers on each table and spotlessly clean throughout. This was supposed to be morning tea only but the range of freshly baked goodies was too tempting so it became lunch of Apple pie with ice-cream for Gail and a huge orange and poppyseed muffin for me. Plus the largest pot of tea imaginable, all at a most reasonable cost of $13.

We should have realised that this was something special as there were 3 or 4 road trains parked outside. Always a good sign where truckies congregate to take a break and have a meal.

We continued on for a further hour or so, arriving at our chosen overnight rest area, Bridge Creek around 1:00pm. This is about 35kms south of Adelaide River.

Watched AFL during the afternoon as we watched other overnighter's roll in.

The long walk of 4kms.

Saturday 31st May.

This morning we went for a nice long walk to pay a visit to an old friend, " Johnny ".

Johnny and his wife operate the great electrical store where we purchased our first satellite receiver and dish back in 2004. They have moved to a larger premises just out of town on the Victoria Hwy which is where the Riverside Park is also located.

It was great to have 240 volt power available as we ran the air conditioner in the motorhome almost constantly. It is very effective and made sleeping much easier.

Katherine is HOT.

Friday 30th May.

Time to move on to Katherine, a distance of only 120kms.

The weather continues to favour us with clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 30's.

That is until we reached Katherine where it was overpowering in the sun walking around town.

Time to drop into the Coffee Club for a light lunch where the air conditioning was heaven. 

(This is not the norm to find a Coffee Club in outback locations - some enterprising people have recognised the need and are doing a roaring trade here in Katherine).

A bit of food shopping followed then out to book into the Riverside Tourist Park which was advertised as being the shadiest park around. Sounded good so that was our choice to get out of the intense heat of around 38 degrees.

We booked in for two nights.

Whatever....

Thursday 29th May.

Same as yesterday.

Wednesday 28th.

Wednesday 28th May.

Much the same lazy existence - in the pool during the morning, lunch and a read then more time in the pool before going across to Happy Hour and listening to the entertainment.

Mataranka - Facts & Figures

Tuesday 27th May.

Today we decided to check out the origin of the spring which feeds the thermal pool here at Mataranka Homestead.

Huge reservoirs of water, 30 to 100 metres underground are heated to the temperature of the ground, at this depth around 34 degrees C. The springs here at Elsey National Park are not true hot springs in that there is no underground hot spot heating the water, just the just the normal temperature increase with depth. At Mataranka's Rainbow Springs 30.5 million litres of spring water per day flows through the pool out to the Waterhouse River then on to the Roper River.

So, the thermal waters are not part of any river as such but formed from the output of these springs. The water is absolutely crystal clear both at it's origin and throughout the pool area until it exits at the man made waterfall.

We also walked along the Riverside walk to Stevie's Hole which is a much larger natural swimming hole, located 1.2km from the thermal pool. Stevie's Hole is fed from the overflow of the main thermal pool via a quite narrow channel through the dense bush land.