Lawn Hill - Tennant Creek

Well here we are back on line, albeit marginally.  We are sitting in a free park at a place called The Pebbles, just north of Tennant Creek, with about another 20 odd vans.  A popular spot – particularly as there is some phone and wifi coverage.  Good old Telstra !!

The last few days have been quite an adventure, covering a lot of kms on some pretty corrugated roads, (thankfully without the van which we left safe and sounds at Camooweal), but not without its little hiccups.  Namely a blown tyre half way between Camooweal and Gregory Downs en route to Lawn Hill. We managed to change it and get to Gregory Downs and locate a trucking company where they thought they could fix it at least to get us out of trouble, however not so !! It was irreparable.  Long story short, we discovered that Adels Grove, where we were going, had the very tyre in stock & we could get it fitted there.  Thank you Lord !!

We had an amazing couple of nights there, great camping spot & our brand new tent was indeed easy to erect, and we even had a great fire so could cook a yummy stew in the camp oven.  Perfect weather, beautiful moonlight nights and lovely shady spot in amongst the tree for the daytime.

Lawn Hill, is indeed an oasis in an otherwise dry area.  Adels Grove,  10kms from the Gorge has a really interesting history.  Albert de Lestang bought the lease in 1930.  He was a French botanist who, commissioned by the government of the day, experimented with growing tropical trees & shrubs.  By 1939 there were 1,000 different species of trees growing there.   In the early 50’s the complex was accidentally burnt out. Albert was in his early seventies at this time, and he apparently succumbed to depression and a broken spirit, and died soon after in a home in Charters Towers.  A sad story, but some of the trees still remain although haven’t been tended over the years, and we were able to collect a few lemons from a large tree close to our tent.  The remnants of the fruit trees that were there years before.

The Gorge itself a short drive away, was spectacular, and after doing one of the “moderately difficult” walks, up a steep hill from the top of which we had great views of different parts of the gorge, we hired a canoe and paddled for miles through the gorge.  It was absolutely stunning, with calm deep water and towering red cliffs.  Trees growing from the cliffs amazed us, with their roots scrambling down the cracks in the rocks in search of moisture.  The couple of saltwater crocs basking in the sunshine by the side of the water added a bit of excitement to the mix, although we were assured they were fine as long as you didn’t disturb them !!!!  Who was going to do that ???  I did put my foot down about getting too close for a photo!!  Seen one croc seen ‘em all, I reckon!! (Would post photo's but wifi a bit unreliable tonight.)

Anyway it was a lovely day, and we certainly felt as though we had done our share of exercise for a while.  Surprisingly we both felt pretty good in the morning, with no sore muscles or any other ill effects, so we must be fitter than we thought.

On our way through to Katherine then Darwin over the next few days, but tonight we're enjoying another pleasant spot & have been chatting to some interesting people.  So many different stories & so many people on the road, can hardly believe the numbers.

More soon.