Darwin NT

So much has been happening in Darwin, the awesome Swenson family have let us stay in their yard, and let us swim in their pool, which has been fun.
More to come.

Mataranka NT

Team Mataranka... oh hang on, Team M have stopped at the Mataranka Homestead, where there is a thermal pool on which you can get to without leaving the caravan park.

We did swim in the thermal pool which was very nice, almost like a warm bath (just the right temperature). We enjoyed the thermal pool and the caravan park so much we decided to stay two nights instead of one. While we had a whole day to do stuff we went to the other thermal springs in the area. Bitter Springs was a nice place where you could float down the river, get out at the end, walk back to the start then do it again. Great fun! 

The best bit was looking under the super clear water and seeing the, (what looked like hairy sausages) mossy stuff, (not sure how to describe it). Then after some more swimming, we headed back to the caravan park...for some more swimming.

Tomorrow...Darwin!

Having fun swimming under the water.
Kate and Tom.

Just chilling.

Some funky dance moves, (and the hairy sausages).

Lorella Springs NT

Lorella Springs was a nice place to visit, there was a warm spring that you could swim in, (which of course we did swim in), and plenty of other fun and interesting things you could do while there. However, for us we did not have time to do all of them so instead we packed up and then went to the Southern Lost City, which is a large clump of rocks that looks like the ruins of a lost city. We walked on the track around the rocks which wasn't that far, I got to be in charge of the camera, so I took as many photos as I could. The Southern Lost City is definitely something worth seeing.
When often looking for camp sites we try and go to the ones with showers and toilets, Lorella Springs did have showers and toilets, but not as you might expect. The toilets were pretty usual toilets, but the showers on the other hand the showers were like having a shower outside. There was walls, and doors, but the doors were slightly none reliable, as they were only shower curtains. As for a roof there was no roof, so if it did rain all your things would get wet, including you.
If we had a little more time we would have done a couple of the other things, but we did enjoy the experience of the bathrooms, and the swim in the warm spring.

'Like taking a warm bath'

Robinson River NT

Welcome to Northern Territory!

The very dusty Robinson River was just a one night stop. Just like Miyamba, to get to the site we had to drive across a river crossing, however, this time, we weren't allowed to swim or go near the water because of the crocodiles. Unfortunately/fortunately we didn't see any crocodiles inside or outside the water.

 It was a free camp site, which in our case meant, no toilets, no showers, and pretty much no anything. So out came the porta potty in the ensuite which was a little cosy but definitely a worth while experience.

Robinson River was empty, so we pretty much had the whole camp to ourselves. Even though it was warm enough to be wearing shorts and a t-shirt, we still delighted ourselves by have a camp fire. Roasting marshmallows in the fire was by far one of the highlights in Robinson River.

The set up.

We made a fire! Woohoo!

Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill National Park) QLD

Only an one hour drive from Miyamba to Boojamulla, Team M set up camp and then go for a 900m walk to  swimming hole called Indarri Falls. The swimming hole was not only refreshing but quite amazing. Green trees, plants, a few large rocks to scamper on and at last the Indarri falls, which wasn't actually that big, although still quite lovely to watch.Early the next morning, Mum, Dad, Luke, and me (of course) went for a 2km walk, called the Stack walk. Which was essentially a steep walk up the hill then a 1.6km walk around the top of the stack. On the top of the stack there were some great views looking out over the water!
Since it was Father's Day, after breakfast we gave our fabulous Father some handmade cards, which, (I'm sure he did) love. At around 9:00am Team M were finally ready to go canoeing. On my team I had the company of David and Luke. We discovered that canoeing is a lot more challenging than you may think. We managed to do around 400 crashes into the bank, which just so happened to have long spicky leafy things on it, (and I was at the front), also managing to do around 20000 floating around in circles. After a long and challenging canoe up the gorge we made it to the end of our track, not to mention the different levels of the gorge, on which you had to heave the boat out of the water and carry it up a small hill then set it back in the water. Overall definitely a worth while experience, some fun times had splashing the other boat with water with the paddles.
On Monday we pack up and set of the explore the next place!

Team Lightning, Mum, Dad and Tom.

Selfie in the water.

Swimming in the swimming spot.
(Really nice!!!)

Miyamba-National Park (middle of nowhere) QLD

It was literally in the middle of nowhere. Team M tough it up and camp two nights in the middle of the bush. With trees surrounding the whole area, two pit toilets and no showers, dirt everywhere and LOTS of flies, the team did however (in particular Luke and Tom) really enjoy the small river crossing, which was a great place to get your feet wet and maybe have a little splash around, though you had to be careful of the slipperiness.  The river crossing was half the fun, as watching the stars both nights was amazing and beautiful. The total darkness was also quite interesting, just thinking how much light brightened up the trees around a tent.

Flies, so many flies!

Cloncurry QLD

From Longreach to Cloncurry the air conditioner decided it was not going to work anymore, (just as the weather starts to cook you alive!) and sitting in the car for around 4 hours with five other sweating people was an interesting experience. Every now and then we would wind down the windows and let some refreshing hot air blast us, which believe it or not was actually quite nice considering the circumstances.
Finally we made it to Cloncurry all looking like tomatoes.
Fortunately at the camp site, there was a pool. Woohoo! Luke, Tom and I went for a swim, boy, did it feel nice!
Just a one night stop there, and we move on to Mount Isa to get the air conditioning fixed the next day.

Longreach QLD

While in our quick stop over at Longreach we revisited the Qantas Founders Museum.  As well as the usual inside things to look at, this museum also had a few outside features. Featuring: an 747 jet, (which is a really big plane), which I (Kate) enjoyed looking through the inside and the outside of the aircraft. There was a few other planes in the area that we could explore, one of those planes, was a plane that Michael Jackson had travelled and toured in. I found interesting that Qantas stands for: Queensland and Northern Territory Ariel Services.

Kate with an engine off a large plane

Selfie in the engine of the 747

Augathella QLD

Welcome to Queensland!
Just a one night stop at Augathella then around a 5 hour drive to the next destination, which was Longreach.

Lightning Ridge NSW

Stopping overnight a Gunnedah Team M move on to Lightning Ridge for a two night stop, during the days in between Team M experienced the Red, Yellow, and Green door tours. They ventured into the Chamber of the Black Hand, which is an underground mine with many genres of carvings in the walls, carved entirely by one man and his butter knife. Rounding out the day with a quick (and when I say quick, I mean quick!) dip in the 40 degree baths. Then they visited a hill on which they watched the sun set, which was beautiful.

After a long drive from Lightning Ridge, Team M has made it to Augathella in Queensland!