Stingray Head is not on most maps or apps. Even how to get there won’t be found on Google. It’s a whisper between free campers and a few Darwinites and you will see why. Located less than 100klm from Darwin, this cliff top, ocean view hideaway is where, if you only had a week to live, you’d be happy to spend it here.
I happened to be adjacent to one of those whispers, and after 10 days in Kakadu, something by the sea seemed a good idea. With a bit of research, found one obscure website that had both the location and an unnamed dirt track to get us there. The turnoff is locally known as Suicide Corner on Fog Bay Rd, the one way in and out to the more popular and accessible Dundee Beach. The dirt track passes through Finniss River Station and was only 15 minutes of slow and steady to get us there. It was a long weekend in Darwin and, had we not passed a small convoy stopped to repair a broken trailer suspension, we would have been consigned to the bleachers. We got the last cliff top spot available.
Truly, if you couldn’t unwind here, you’d be in serious trouble. With Five Mile Beach stretching away to the horizon on our left and a blue water horizon to our right, there’s only the sound of gently breaking waves and the cockatoos to disturb you. The world slows down here – sort of nature’s hypnosis. There are no facilities here except for the homemade fireplaces and a good supply of wood nearby.
The next day, we left the van, and took a run into Dundee Beach. It’s a small seaside village with a big reputation. It IS postcard territory and we had the bonus of arriving on market day. Barter seems to be an acceptable currency around here. For boat owners the ramp was world class. I must have counted fifty parked 4WD’s and boat trailers – the fishing must be good.
Back at camp, we got use to the mid morning cacophony of cockatoos that would scour the clifftops for tidbits, literally at your feet sometimes. Of course I couldn’t let that opportunity go by……
So, just for once, no misadventures or near misses, We had a fire most nights with pizza and slow cooked ribs on the menu. Every afternoon we’d sit and watch the sun sink into the ocean with a beer or home-made sangria and wonder just how long it would take for us want to move on from Stingray Head (of course, if we HAD that choice).
We head back to Darwin tomorrow for two more weeks and then start our next big adventure – cross country to Broome in Western Australia. Should take about three weeks as we’ve allowed plenty of time for exploring and a bit of gold prospecting. Thanks to all our subscribers and welcome our newest John Froiland from West Lafayette, America! Don’t forget, we have some great music for sale on this site as well – check it out!