And on towards Sydney (Second Week)

Monday 5th December

Left our bush camp on the Finke River at 07:00, briefly viewing Mount Connor and Lake Augustine on our way to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayres Rock). We drove to Kata Tjuta site viewing the Kata Tjuta dunes before embarking on the 7 km Valley of the Winds walk through the rock formations – the views were spectacular. We then drove back towards Uluru and visited the Cultural Centre before viewing the sunset overlooking Uluru while enjoying our supper (along with a number of other visiting coach parties). After sunset we drove out of the National Park to camp overnight.

 Tuesday 6th December

We left our bush camp at 04:45 and re-entered the National Park to see the sunrise at Uluru (over breakfast) before walking around the rock. After leaving the National Park we again made our way towards the Stuart Highway where we left Northern Territory and entered South Australia. We made bush camp about 100 km north of Coober Pedy after a long day mainly travelling. During the drive south we had a front tyre blow out and when trying to fit the spare wheel Steve (our Australian driver) realised that the spare wheel did not fit correctly and therefore we had to proceed with only 3 out of 4 rear wheels (usually there were 4 wheels on the rear axle and 2 on the front) – this limited the speed we could proceed.


Wednesday 7th December
The next morning we we left for the opal mining town of Coober Pedy where we went around a mine museum complete with underground house. The scenery had now changed to a more typical outback appearance. Steve unsuccessfully tried to find a replacement tyre and wheel so we were again limited to 80 km/hr. After leaving Coober Pedy we saw some salt lakes in the desert then stopped briefly at Woomera village where they had a display of the space missiles which were tested at the nearby Woomera rocket range in the 1960’s.
Thursday 8th December
After breakfast we passed through Port Augusta and Peterborough where again we failed to replace the wheel and tyre, however in Broken Hill we were more successful. The rest of the day were taken up with driving and fuel stops.

Friday 9th December

After the bush camp we stopped at the copper mining town of Cobah before continuing to the town of Dubbo for lunch. I visited the local jail museum (which was closed as a jail in the 1960’s. In the late afternoon we made a bush camp at Ponto Falls (although no one could find the waterfall).


Saturday 10th December
We left the bush camp at 08:30 passing through Wellington and arriving at Bathhurst at 11:00. We then drove around the Mt Panorama motor racing circuit (the wrong way round) – the race takes place once a year, but the rest of the year the track is a normal public road. We then arrived at Lu’s uncles farm where we set up our final bush camp. The evening was a barbeque with various awards and presentations to the group members as we celebrated the end of the trip.


Sunday 11th December
We left the farm early at 06:30 calling in at the Echo Point viewpoint in the Blue Mountains en route to Sydney. However a flat tyre slightly delayed us as Steve had to change the wheel (again).







We arrived in Sydney at Macquarie Street near the Opera house at 11:30 in brilliant sunshine (later in the day it changed to rain showers) after travelling a total of 39,553 km over 169 days from London.
Trip Stats
39553km (Truck: 26303; Ferries: 760; Vietnam: 1343; Cambodia: 1209; Indonesia: 2331: Flight: 1762: Australia: 5845)
169 days
77 Bush Camps
16 Camp Grounds
2 Overnight Buses
2 Sleeps (or not sleeps) at Borders
2 Yurts
1 Ferry
69 Hotel/Hostels
Pat and Cathryn were there on cue to greet all of us. JOB DONE!!

And on towards Sydney (First Week)

Tuesday 29th November

Left the Darwin Camp site to spend some time in Darwin centre.

We then drove to the Kakadu National Park for a Forest walk and a look at an Aboriginal art sites.
We then walked to Ubirr viewpoint to view the usually good sunset – unfortunately today it was not an impressive site!! Camped overnight at Malabanjbanjdju.






 Wednesday 30th November
Left the campsite at 07:00 and drove to Nourlangie for a 1 km walk to see the outdoor Aboriginal art site. Afterwards we visited the Aboriginal cultural centre at Warradjan. Stopped for lunch (and swim, shower etc) at Yellow River where there was an optional river trip which a few of the group went on and really enjoyed (inc. Kieran, Glen, Peggy & John). After lunch we set off towards the town of Katherine and we left the Kakadu National Park.


Thursday 1st December

After breaking bush camp at 07:00 we all enjoyed a 1 hr walk viewing the Katherine Gorge before spending about 90 minutes in Katherine itself. I

n the afternoon we stopped at Mataranka Hot Thermal Springs where most of the group enjoyed a short swim in the hot thermal pools. The Hot springs are part of the Elsey National Park and then we left for an overnight bush camp at the old Gorrei airfield (which was used extensively in the 2nd World War). The land surrounding the old airstrip was full of termite hills so we had to be careful where we pitched our tents!!




Friday 2nd December

Left for Larrimah after enjoying pancakes for breakfast at the Gorrei airfield bush camp. Stopped in Larrimah to view the small museum and zoo. There were 2 Road trains parked behind the zoo and these can be up to 53m long and can comprise of a tractor unit and 3 linked trailer units.

 We then called into Daly Waters to see the original site of Australia’s first international airstrip and the remains of the Stuart Tree which the explorer engraved his initials in 1862 during his successful journey from Adelaide to Darwin (the first crossing across Australia).
We spent some time in the small town of Daly Waters including admiring the decorations in the pub/restaurant. We stopped off to see the Junction Hotel Hotel at Newcastle Waters which was an important drovers hotel from the early 1930’s to the 1950’s. We then made alunch stop at Elliott and a short stop at Renner Spring before moving onto a bush camp near Kunjarra.

Saturday 3rd December

Left Kunjarra (The Pebbles) at 07:30 towards Tennant Creek stopping off at Mary Ann Dam for showers and washing at 09:00. Stopped for lunch shopping at Tennant Creek before moving onto see the Devils Marbles (including lunch). In the afternoon we briefly visited Barrow Creek Telegraph Station before we set up a bush camp at Connors Well.

Sunday 4th December

Briefly stopped at the marker for the Tropic of Capricorn before we visited Alice Springs for most of the day. We viewed the town from the Anzac Hill viewpoint and war memorial before exploring the small desert town. Most of us visited the Flying Doctor museum in the town before leaving at 16:30 and we set up our bush camp ay the Finke River.