Day 19 - We of the never never

Drovers memorial Newcastle Waters

Jones' Store Newcastle Waters

  Today started in Alice Springs and ended in Mataranka - 1069km in 11 and a half hours. You have to love NT roads and we kept well under the speed limit all the way. Speed limit is 130km/hr and we didn't get above 120. We didn't mean to go that far, but we reached Daly Waters at 2.30 pm and it was hot and dry and the thought of the oasis  that is Mataranka was just too inviting so we kept going. On the way we had a brief stop in Tennant Creek to catch up with Al and refuel, the fuel light had been on for the last 60 km and the DTE disappeared so the Challenger was pretty thirsty when we rolled into the servo! Headed north on the Stuart Highway, stopping at Newcastle Waters for lunch and a final view of the Barkley.We decided to detour a few  km's off the highway down to the remains of what once was the township of Newcastle Waters when it was the junction for three major stock routes. The Jones Store  was built it 1934 and has been listed by the National Trust.
Only a few km's down the highway and the landscape dramatically changed from the Barkley plains of Mitchell grass to woodlands and forests that look very much like home. We passed through Daly Waters and Larrimah, both significant WW2 staging posts and from the look of Larrimah, it's best days probably  occurred around then! It did have a very pink pub/ caravan park and zoo of all things!

Mataranka thermal pool

 So tonight we are at Mataranka, a little weary, but  happy to have got this far on our now Northern odyssey. Elsey Station  is  near here and was the home of Aeneas and Jeannie Gunn, who wrote We of The Never Never in 1908. The campgound is on the banks of the creek with the thermal springs, and it is a lush oasis. We plan to swim in the pool tomorrow after the dawn service at the cenotaph in town. After that it is just a little trip into Litchfield National Park to spend a couple of days exploring there.
Take Care
Love to all S&E