Limestone Country

Mataranka is limestone country. The warm water of the springs is not heated by any hot rocks, but merely that is the temperature of the aquifer. The water comes from the Barkly Tablelands in the south, in the area surrounding the highway from Queensland. The 34 degC that the water emerges at approximates the average temperature of the country, and some natural increase in rock temperature at depth (Mt Isa rock, at 1800m down, is 65degC). During the journey the water is exquisitely filtered, dissolves a little limestone, imparting the pale blue-green colour, and warms before emerging at springs like Mataranka and Bitter Springs, contributing 30 megalitres a day into the Roper River system.

Mataranka also brought our first crocodile warning.  At 500km upstream from the river mouth you would have to believe the risk is low, but swimming was noted as being at own risk. I decided the temperature would have been fine for April swimming, but July I figured the crocs could wait for someone else.

Lunch was at a place called Bitter Springs. It may have been named for the taste of the water, but certainly not for the quality of the view. At a few km north of the Mataranka Spring, it was everything the Mataranka Spring was not for me. The location was idyllic, the development much lower key, and none of the suffering from overpopulation. The water was about 2m deep, but we had no problem watching a 0.5m turtle foraging on the bottom. Alas, no time for a swim here as we had spent too long in the Mataranka pool in the morning, and still hoped to reach Katherine Gorge after doing some shopping in Katherine.

Just south of Katherine we passed Cutta Cutta Caves, which twigged a memory for me, so I went in. Tours every hour, and we had just missed one, so took a straw poll of the kids. Cave tour and setup after dark, or no cave tour. We went underground, and glad we did. Certainly not the best cave I’ve ever been in, and had suffered some indignities from bored WW2 soldiers, but well lit, and with my camera that takes pictures in the dark seemingly, a photographic feast.

 

 

 

 

 

Reached Katherine Gorge just after 6pm, after a few worries at the number of campers apparently leaving. We thought maybe it was full. No problem though, but there are lots of people here. Lynne won’t tell me how much it costs, so I suspect it is ugly. We are however, booked in for 3 days, and have settled in.

Louis won’t be going near the water, as they haven’t yet cleared the crocs out after the wet. I also discovered that the rattle in his bag which I thought was opal prospecting spoils is in fact his holiday money, mostly Messenger lesson bribe money and so in small coins, and must amount to a few kilos. Elliot kept our cave guide entertained, and being the last tour group of the day, we managed to squeeze some overtime out of him. Isabel is slowly getting into holiday mode, which doesn’t make her any easier to get out of bed. Having the three of them in the one tent is giving them a lesson in communal sleeping and the perils of keeping others awake.

Only about 160km today. Diesel has fallen to a more sensible 134.7. A good selection of fruit and veg in the Katherine Woolies, with the exception of greens. Tried a new mandarin called a “Daisy”, and some named potatoes I hadn’t heard of, nor can remember. Also finally managed to find a bakery – the first since Quilpie can you believe. Bread was $4 a loaf though.