But first we had to stop off at
NORMANTON
We were very low on provisions by now and were hanging out to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in Normanton. Unfortunately we must have been there on the wrong day of the week as there wasn't much to buy at all so we decided to wait till we arrived in Karumba. Hopefully it would be better there otherwise we would be in trouble. We knew we wouldn't starve as the prawns and barramundi (like Kingklip, for the South Africans) was dirt cheap but before moving on we had to see a bit of Normanton. As we were passing through we didn't take the time to walk through the town but they do have an excellent Tourist Visitor Information Centre giving the history of the town which is well worth visiting and we visited some of the primary touristy places.
Saltwater crocodiles are prevalent in the area and a replica of the largest one ever shot (and recorded) in Australia and possibly in the world is located in the park in Normanton. Krys the Croc was shot in 1957 by Krystina Pawlowski, who was a famous female crocodile hunter in the Gulf region. It was 8.6m long, with a girth of 4m and a weight estimation of 2 tonnes. That's one big croc!!
We also visited the Burke and Wills Camp 119 which is 30km west of Normanton. For the benefit of the family and friends living outside Australia, Burke and Wills were 2 explorers of historical significance who were part of an expedition party hoping to traverse inland Australia from south to north. This was the last camp they set up in February 1861 next to the Little Bynoe River before hoping to reach the ocean in the north. Unfortunately it was during the wet monsoon season when the north experiences much flooding. King and Grey remained with the equipment and camels while Burke and Wills set off with a horse and provision for 3 days. Unfortunately they never saw the ocean due to the vast salt pans, mangrove swamps and other barriers they were confronted with, and had to return to the camp. Sadly neither of them returned home alive. Notice the scarred tree. Blazing and carving trees was the usual means of marking a trail in the early days of Australian exploration.
While driving back to Normanton on the dirt road we saw 2 cyclists. Because a Road Train was approaching, they had to stop because of the wind draft it causes, and so we had to as well. This was a good photo opportunity but a little late! We got chatting to this German couple, and they are cycling from Darwin to Cairns some 1880km on bitumen, 724 on dirt and 450km on a combination of both = 3000km. After this they plan on cycling around New Zealand and Tasmania! They have taken 2 years off to do this. Amazing! Besides the heat and distances they have to cover between water stops etc, the dust and corrugations must be challenging and bone jarring.
KARUMBA
At last we reached the Gulf. This is a lovely little fishing village well prepared to deal with the masses of retirees from down south escaping the winter and who move in for weeks and even months. The 4 caravan parks were filled to capacity. Around 5pm 'Happy Hour' would begin all over the caravan park, and one would hear the chatting and shrieks of laughter over a beer, wine or anything else they chose after a day of fishing. It's obvious that many return every year and so friendships are formed. These old folk have a great time! By 6pm it's all over. They go into their caravans and the park is mostly quiet. In the mornings they're up bright and early. There is fishing to be done and the 'boys' are out in their 'tinnies'' (little fishing boats). Later in the day they return with their catch. Dinner is provided!
Our first evening we enjoyed the obligatory visit to the beach to watch the sun set over the Gulf while eating fish (Barramundi and King Salmon) and chips bought from Ash's (we were told we had to buy from them!) It was a semi overcast day and the colours were more silvery to start with.
The view of a storm which missed us, taken from the outdoor eating area of the pub.
We only spent one full day at Karumba but left with 1kg barramundi and 1kg cooked prawns for $40!! They were sooo gooood!
PS. If you're wondering whether we managed to get fresh fruit and vegetables, yes we did, and more. We were able to stock our cupboards for the next few days of travelling. The shops are well stocked and on Mondays they receive fresh produce. Fortunately we were there on the Monday!
THE MAP OF OUR CONTINUING JOURNEY
A: Lawn Hill
B: Bang Bang
C: Karumba
View Larger Map
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