On the road at 7.00am big day ahead of us including about 325kms of driving and sight seeing on the way. Yesterday got so hot and continued today over 30 degrees after only being in the low to mid twenties while we were in the Red desert area and very cold at night . A lot warmer last night and I’m sure again tonight. After tomorrow we will be heading slowly south east so maybe a little cooler but not as cold as the desert at night.
Nine kms north from the hotel/roadhouse/bar we stayed at last night are the Devils Marbles hence where the Hotel got its name.
Taken just after sunrise. We are getting used to these early starts. Sometimes I think it is the best time of the day. Lovely watching the sun rise as we are driving along. While we are doing bigger kms a day it’s the only way to go. We do go to bed early.
Arriving in Tennant Creek
Main Street Tennant Creek stopped at the IGA. That’s all the small towns have. No supermarkets.
Tennant creek history is relatively short, starting around 1933 when gold mining became a reality. There was no township, only mining leases and the highways were dirt tracks following the Overland Telegraph Line.
While in Tennant Creek we visited the mining museum. PT fancies himself as a miner.
A retired truck driver.
Gold mining sluicing equipment, sorting the gold from the stones/ rocks.
By 1860 there was a strong move to connect Australia to the world’s telegraph network. A landline was constructed across the continent to join an undersea cable to Java linking Australia to the rest of the world. Construction work on this engineering project began in 1870 and was completed in two years.
Barrow Creek Telegraph Station, Alice Springs, was constructed in 1872. It is one of four remaining Telegraph Stations still intact over the original overland Telegraph line.
In the good old days working on the Telegraph line
Tenant Creek telegraph Station was one of the eleven repeater Stations along the line between Darwin and Port Augusta. Using the Morse key, telegraph operators at the stations were able to communicate with the world. But their remote location still meant a very lonely existence.
The old Tennant Creek Station.
This is the famous Three Way Intersection . One way going up north. The other way going down south, where we have come from. We then turned off right heading into the east towards Queensland. Big T intersection.
This is us heading east after we were told that they had serious flooding about four weeks ago and had to close the road. This put PT into panic mode last night as it is the only way to head east into Queensland. It was even taken off Google maps radar just wouldn’t take us there. Fortunately I knew the way due to all the study before I went away. Also we were told that it was now open but the news hadn’t hit google. Still panic mode for PT not knowing if the van would cope with the road damage. When it rains in this area they can have massive floods that do a lot of damage. Anyway all good we have arrived to our destination.
Amazing how much damage can be done from one big rain storm . Huge job to fix this as this is a very busy road. Main link from central Australia to the East Queensland.
Not only flooding up this way but they are prone to fires with the extreme heat up here. This would be the remains of an old fire.
Right in the middle of nowhere there is this pond / lake either side of the road. I bet that flooded over the road in the heavy rain.
This is an aerial shot I found of the roadhouse called Barkly Homestead where we are tonight. Literally in the middle of nowhere. That’s how the road was coming in and looking down the road into the horizon is where we are driving out tomorrow. Leaving tomorrow and stopping a night just over the Queensland border a little place called Camooweal. That will be another old Roadhouse.
This is looking down over the buildings with camping at the back. Roadhouse consists of fuel, restaurant, gift shop and a swimming pool. . As you can see a great spot. The old roadhouse burnt down several years ago and now it has been replaced and looking very smart. As you will see below.
A few bits and pieces around the place. Note still in the RED. You should see our walking shoes. They would have a few stories to tell.
Great bougainvillea trained up through this wire stand which flares out at the top. Perhaps I should try this with the one up at the bach. That could look cool. PT hates these things as they have thorns on them.
Driving into this very flash Roadhouse. Chalk and cheese compared with last night and probably tomorrow night.
The entrance to the building.
Reception and gift shop.
Us tucked in for the night.
Busy Day arrived at camp early afternoon.
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