Day 20 – Headed north on a northern safari

Mataranka cenotaph dawn ANZAC Day

Look who joined us for breakfast must
been the Wallabies jersey

Today was another pre-dawn start (second one in a row) so that we could attend the Dawn Service for ANZAC Day in Mataranka. The RAAF guys from Tindal (Airforce base about an hour north) provided all the military personnel. There is something particularly moving about remembering ANZAC Day in the ‘top end’ where there are so many reminders of WWII. The Mataranka thermal pool in the National Park was actually dug out and built by American soldiers stationed there. One of the Americans then set up the homestead after the war and launched the idea of attracting tourists.

Much better in this water

Replica Elsey Homestead for the movie

Also at Mataranka Homestead was the replica Elsey Station house which was built for the movie. We had a quick look and have vowed to reread the book when we return having now been through the area. After packing up we had a dip in the thermal pool and eventually dragged ourselves away to head to Litchfield National Park. The water from the thermal pool flows out to the creek and on our walk down to the creek we saw our first ‘Don’t swim because of the crocodiles’ sign – you don’t need to tell us twice! We also realised at Mataranka that we are now further north than we have ever been before. Mataranka is just further north than Cooktown on the Queensland coast – quite deceptive really.  

Ok - we get the message

We made a quick stop in Katherine to pick up some supplies and also scope out Cutta Cutta Caves and Edith Falls which we will visit on our way back down next week before we had lunch at Pine Creek. Pine Creek and then Adelaide River both had the obligatory WWII relics, with a War Cemetery at Adelaide River. Every single settlement must have been used as a military base and then the number of WWII airstrips would have created havoc in the skies. It really is a part of Australian history which I should know more about.

After a couple of false starts we made it to Litchfield Safari Park within the Litchfield Tourist Precinct which makes it sound much more prestigious than it is. All it really means is that there is a small section within the National Park where fairly basic amenities have been set up. The advantage is that we are right in the National Park and will get out walking early tomorrow.

We have swapped the flies of the Central Australian desert for the mosquitoes of the tropical north so the Bushman’s and the Mozzie coils have come out in force tonight. We were almost carried away there were so many but we have managed to keep them out of the tent so are typing this in peace. Yet again we are off the grid, so this will be posted when we reach Darwin.

Love to all

S & E