Northern Territory - outback

The Northern Territory Outback - an awful lot of not a lot with vast distances between the nothing.

Mataranka thermal springs - swimming through the crystal clear warm water (34C) surrounded by lush palms. Capital of the Never Never so named because it was the home of Jeannie Gunn the author of the Australian Novel, "We of the Never Never" which was set around this area. 

Fleur and Ellie beside Australia's most remote traffic lights at the Daly Water Pub. Daly Waters was the site of Australia's first international Airport. Built in 1930, the airfield was a strategic destination for planes that had a limited fuel range. On the day we were here we were treated to a low level flyby by 6 RAAF jets practising bombing runs on the main street whilst the whole pub stood in the middle of the road and cheered. Extremely low, loud and pretty awe inspiring.

At the bar in the Daly Water Pub, the oldest living pub in the Territory, where people leave all sorts of calling cards. The walls were full of cards, shirts, scarf, underpants and allsorts of other things which apparently after travelling thousands of km's to get here the owner suddenly decides they no longer need. We are under the bar where all the bra's that are left are hung. 

Hanging around inside one of the broken Devils Marbles, 110km south of Tennant Creek and near to nowhere else. A collecting of impressive boulders which lay scattered precariously balanced on top of one another. It was here that Larry started to develop his nasty habit of not starting. 

Another boarder crossing this time leaving Northern Territory and crossing into our latest state - Queensland.

Camooweal the first place in Queensland after leaving NT. Note the sign "Adjust watches ahead by 5 years and 30 minutes". We stopped here to fill up with fuel and couldn't get going again so had to be jump started by some kind people passing and then drove all day to Mount Isa to avoid stopping again. As Camooweal is classed as a suburb of Mount Isa the 188km long Barkly Highway between the two is the longest main street in the World.