We’ve learnt a few lessons and a couple of tricks in the two weeks before we left Darwin.
Firstly, rotate your van tyres. Just because the caravan is following you around like a puppy doesn’t mean the tyres are wearing nice and evenly. We had an issue with the slide-out and required the assistance of several burly gentlemen to push it back in (that could be a whole other story, but it turned out to be the flick of a switch). One looked under the van, then said “Where are you off to next?” “Broome” I smiled. “Not on those tyres” came the half-sneering reply. “Really?” I said a little nervously and was then pointed under the van. Sure enough, two tyres down to the canvas on the inside and another not far away from the same fate. Now you will read many an article on uneven wearing of van tyres. But the guys at Tyrepower in Darwin were straight up. Diagonally rotate every 5000klm and they’ll last. So, we felt a lot more confident after our new commercial tyres went on.
Secondly, don’t count on your Jayco dealer to order your parts the first time you ask. We had lined up a few running repairs on the Jayco, nothing major, but the parts had not arrived before we were due to leave, even though we had ordered them a month ago. So they are on-freighting them to some place in Broome. I assume they will be waiting for us on our arrival.
Anyway, back to the story. The trek from Darwin to Broome really starts from Katherine, 300klm’s south of Darwin. Here is where the Victoria Highway peels of the Stuart Highway and heads towards the West Australian border and beyond. We left Darwin after lunch on the Monday and headed back to Pine Creek for a free camp. We had been at the annual Pine Creek Gold Festival a few weeks before. It was probably the coldest day of the year that day, but everyone had fun trying their luck. The next day was a short run down to Katherine with the expectation of spending a couple of nights at Katherine Gorge. The winter seemed over already with the temperature climbing into the mid 30’s. The anticipation of cooling off in those crystal clear waters made us sweat even more. Five minutes at the Rangers station turned Katherine Gorge into a mirage. Crocs everywhere and safe pools were a long walk away and probably just bog holes by this time of the dry season…mate. The only good news was a council pool back at Katherine, five dollars, but definitely no crocs. We were too hot and bothered by this stage and when we couldn’t find a place to even pull over for lunch, well, that tore it.
On the way back to town, we stopped outside the local cemetery for lunch (well, it WAS shady and peaceful), then headed straight for the pool. Wow, in the places you least expect it…..Olympic pool and excellent facilities AND the bonus of an overnight park (we did have the police do a slow drive by around 8pm, but no stop to inquire). The next day we were keen to start our new adventure but the necessity of topping up our alcohol meant a long and slow wait until the bottle shop opened at 2pm……yes, this is NOT a typo. All across the Top End, opening hours are severely restricted, for obvious reasons. The irony is that at 2pm, the line of thirteen customers waiting to buy were all white folk, while in the pub fifty metres up the road, the public bar was packed with indigenous locals having a cracker of a good time. Go figure.
So, shortly after 2pm, we hit the Victoria Highway for the first time. Two things we noticed soon after; there are roadside overnight camp areas every 50-60klms, so free campers can relax, and the drive was way more interesting than the Stuart Highway. The gorges and hills were up close and the savannah doesn’t give you that blank straight-ahead stare you get after a hundred kilometres of desert. We were aiming for the Victoria River Roadhouse about 200klms along, but pulled up 17klm short at Sullivan Campground. Enough room for about four rigs and each spot had it’s own fireplace and table.
My good mate Mosely, had given me the heads up about Lake Argyle, and that was our next stop. But first, we had to cross the border into W.A. where they take there quarantine restrictions VERY seriously. Man, did we eat some fruit that day. We still had to surrender a bag of exotics to the inspector before we were allowed in (thank God, avocados were only $1.00). We may have forgot to mention the limes, but, what’s a gin without lime?
We had no idea what to expect when we got to Lake Argyle and were counting on some green parkland and lake views from our bedroom window. Well, no, actually.
Clearly the aim was to corral wayward travellers into the Lake Argyle Caravan Park. Normally we’d head off into the sunset looking for a roadside, but it WAS Tamika’s birthday the next day and the combination of infinity pool and sunset cruises sort of made me think…there’s brownie points in this (lol). Now it was up there in terms of cost, but it was well crafted with outdoor areas, entertainment, bar and of course, the pool. It was pushing 35 degrees and we wasted no time. It was bitingly fresh and with views across the lake it didn’t take long to forget road and start thinking resort.
We’d been celebrating Tamika’s birthday for about a week (some obscure German tradition she said…but I’m not so sure), so I missed all the hints about why “we’re DEFINITLEY doing something tomorrow†until my Facebook reminder chirped up about 8:30 that morning. Luckily, I’d already booked a sunset cruise, so I was quickly back ahead of the curve. We drove into Kununurra to get birthday girl some internet and soon they were lined up back to back with best wishes and entreaties to visit soon. A quick bo-peep at likely spots, then back to the caravan park for another swim before we were picked up at reception for the short drive down to our boat.
Now, just a few boring stats for the like-minded. Lake Argyle is typically 21 times larger than Sydney Harbour, 70klm’s long and 35klm’s wide. During the height of wet season, the volume jumps to 42 times greater. It took only three years to fill and during wet season it overflows more water in one day than Perth would use for an entire year.
It was a perfect afternoon, cloudless and windless. There was the usual points of interest, rock wallabies, the dam wall and freshies but I just wanted to get out there to the vast expanse and soak it all in. We were double treated to a gorgeous sunset and a rising full moon but the highlight definitely was floating around in the cool waters with a noodle and an Iron Jack (first time, not a bad drop).
Tamika sculled one beer and then she was everybody’s new BF. The crowd became more relaxed and jovial in direct proportion to the alcohol consumed and Tamika got a couple of rousing Happy Birthday to You’s on the way back to the wharf. A fantastic time was had by all and recommend it if you’re up this way.
Caravanning never lets you get too comfortable, so next time, I will confide to you The Great Unhitching.