Aug 22 ... Mataranka

The mornings are so lovely and cool that it is very easy to sleep in here but we were away by 8.30. We drove straight to Pine Creek for morning tea at Mayse's Cafe. This time we tried the carrot cake and bought some other delectables for lunch.

Our second stop was to top up our groceries and petrol at Katherine where we had lunch, and then it was onwards, to Mataranka.

We made a poor choice of parks here but it's okay, and it is very quiet. We are out near Bitter Springs and Garry went for a swim this afternoon. This spring water is very warm and consequently, the algae loves to grow on it. There was no way I was swimming anywhere near the green sludge, plus it looked like prime crocodile country to me. Garry said it was lovely and the water was crystal clear ... I even had to take a photo to prove it !

Bitter Springs

Not very relaxing!

Very clear water!

We also went out to the recreated homestead of Jeannie and Aeneas Gunn, from "We of the Never Never" fame. She came to live here on Elsey Station in 1902 but her husband died 15 months later and she returned to Melbourne. She published the book about her life here in 1908.Their original home has long been destroyed, but this replica was built for the film of the same name in 1981. It was really interesting to see the architecture and the basic conditions they lived in.

Replica of the Elsey Homestead

We then stopped in at the Mataranka Museum. It had a lot more information about the Gunns and other local persons of note. It also had a comprehensive exhibit of photos and stories from WW2 and the town's involvement. Out the back there were lots of interesting bits including, a number of overland telegraph poles still with the original wires and insulators. The wooden ones were replaced by the various steel poles due to the appetite of the white ants. The telegraph was constructed in 1872 and  it ran from Adelaide to Darwin, basically following the route described in the journals of John MacDouall Stuart. I am currently reading about it in a really brilliant book called "The Territory" by Ernestine Hill.

Overland Telegraph Poles

Territory termite mound

Also there was an original "bronco panel". This was a wooden framework that could be constructed almost anywhere in the bush from materials at hand, and it was an early method of handling cattle. This was the symbol chosen for the memorial to the Duracks that we had passed earlier near Timber Creek.

The Bronco Panel

As well there was an old "bull catcher" - a vehicle with two tyres strapped to its front bumper. These were used to nudge the bull off balance so that its feet could be strapped, and then the animal could be picked up by truck.
The other thing of interest was the "saw" from a Roper River Sawfish. This fish was caught in 1983 and it was 6.12ms long. The "saw" measured 1.6m x 0.4m ... it was huge.

Our site at Mataranka

By now it was time to return to camp and tackle the amenities. It is noticeably cooler tonight and I think I will soon regret leaving the hot weather behind.