We’d put in some killer ‘k’s the last couple of days and found ourselves ahead of schedule. Tamika had put in a serious bid to visit Mataranka Hot Springs and we decided to make a couple of stops along the way to chew up some time. The first stop was completely unexpected. The tiny settlement and roadhouse at Aileron caught our attention. A magnificent sculpture of an aboriginal warrior on a hilltop and his partner and child on the plain below. We’d have loved to stop at the roadhouse, but frankly, after all our repairs, the plastic was on fire and the next pay day was somewhere further up the highway.
The Devil’s Marbles were the easiest landmark to find so far, virtually adjacent to the highway. The popular conception is they are just one clump of rocks but the actually area covers a good square kilometre of various outcrops and groupings. There are trails to various rocks of interest so photography was easy. Lunch was quickly consumed and we set sail for Tennant Springs
To all intent and purpose, Tennant Springs seemed like a typical quiet country town. A few people on the street, being just after lunch. I assumed most were inside cuddling the air-con. We were out of beer but enough loose change to buy a six pack, so I wandered into the hotel and WOW – it was like open bar at a Greek wedding – 6 deep, loud and boisterous. A sea of black faces in the half light clearly having a great time. Unfortunately for us, their was a curfew on takeaway alcohol, so “No beer for you! Come back at 4”. We didn’t fancy the idea of driving around town with the van in tow for another two hours and besides, we needed to find a dump point and digs for the night. We found both adjacent to the local race track, parking the van under a small tree, and the small amount of shade on offer. We weren’t sure that it was legal to park there, but after a police van cruised by without stopping, we figured we were legit or at least not causing enough trouble to warrant a ‘please explain’ . A nice little breeze kicked up as the sun went down and we caught up some zzzzz’s.
The definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result
We arrived at Renner Springs at lunchtime the next day. It’s a blip on the map really, but had the irresistible attraction of shaded van sites, water and a roadhouse. After we had set down, for some unconscious reason, I went around to check our tyres and sure enough, our “it will last you to Darwin” freebie, had fallen WAY short. With steel belts protruding and this sinking deja vu feeling, it only took a microsecond to decide NOT to repeat my previous reckless indifference to the blindingly obvious. Unfortunately, I had the same useless equipment as before but luckily the roadhouse owner had the pneumatic jack I needed (I’ve since found a 12v pneumatic jack and rattle gun kit online. It will be first thing ordered when we get to Darwin). Now with the spare safely on, but no back-up, we could only hope our luck was turning.
The landscape is starting to change. Greener, more tropical trees and plants and of course termite mounds. These guys started popping up north of Tennant Creek, and it’s quite a thing to dress them up in t-shirts and hats. Not sure whose idea, but it kind of breaks up the journey a little, which by now is hundreds of kilometres of long, straight black top and not many distractions. You do pass many turnoffs to interesting places, but they can be 80 -150 klms off the highway and all are dirt roads. Quite a few are remote aboriginal settlements and some of these have restricted access. Maybe one day we’ll be back this way and better prepared to tackle true off-road adventure.
But we were definitely heading into the tropics. The Crocodile Warning signs started to pop up near creeks and rivers. Tamika made it her first question to ask any passing stranger. Little did she know how up close and personal she’d get when we got to Mataranka.