Navigating the Covid Maze July-August-September 2021

NT-WA Road Trip Blog 6

This trip has been planned, bookmarked and placed on the back burner  from early 2020. It was March last year, upon our return from Cairns, that the first wave of Covid 19 swept through the country. As had been our travel routine since 2017, we had our 2020 O/S trip fully planned and booked for mid year then the barrier was erected around our international borders, entry and exit. Still have a British Airways flight credit up our sleeve!

Plan B, NT & WA, was activated to replace the O/S plans. Some initial  accommodation bookings were made but all to no avail as the pandemic took control and we were now unable to leave South Australia, hence navigating the Covid maze blogs 2,3 & 4. 

Now to the present and in many respects things are getting diabolical  but we have been able, thus far, to keep ahead of the curve. The day after we arrived in the NT on July 19 South Australia went into lock down. The WA leg was contingent on WA opening the NT border which had been closed since the previous NT clusters, some 3 weeks earlier, which saw Darwin and Alice Springs have short,sharp lock downs. Fortunately it was only a week or so after entering the NT that WA downgraded the NT to 'very low risk' which meant so long as we had spent a minimum of 14 days in the NT we could enter WA once having been issued a G2G border pass. The 14 day minimum stay in the NT was required as WA had not relaxed the quarantine requirements for SA residents who could not enter from SA or only enter from a 'very low risk' declared state or territory only if 14 days had been spent in that state or territory. Hence my description of these blogs: 'Navigating the Covid Maze'. 

As far as this blog is concerned, it certainly will not be the case of producing a single blog from SA back to SA via Darwin, Broome, Perth and places in between, some 10,000 + Km's later. The outcome of that approach would be a blog to end all blogs. I am commencing this blog in Broome and due to network and wifi deficencies I will have completed this blog in Coral Bay 4 days and 1000+ Km's later . So to kick it off, here is a summary from the start of our journey, which practically begins at Pt Augusta which is the gateway to the north of South Australia, to our arrival at Yalara, home to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. 

Saturday July 17th  Pt Augusta 

Short 270 Km leg to Pt Augusta having left home at Kapunda late morning after all the necessary final checks in and around the house and the vehicle which was at capacity with a fully loaded roof rack. The trip was to be a mix of tenting (6 person), with all necessary gear for camp sleeping and cooking along with car fridge and portable solar panel, and resort and tourist park cabins, hence the loaded car.

We had a couple of breaks, one for coffee at Melrose in the Southern Flinders Rangers, a favourite spot of ours, in a quaint and rustic cafe targeting the'niche' bicycle riding cohort who frequent the area regularly.

Melrose

Pt Augusta was an overnight cabin prior to an early start for the 775 Km leg to Marla which is 165 Km's south of the NT border.

Leaving Pt Augusta for Marla

Within a few short kilometres after turning right onto the Stuart Highway you are immediately introduced to the vast expanse of the South Australian outback. Services along the 775 Km trip to Marla are surprisingly regular spaced a few hundred kilometres apart offering fuel, refreshments and accommodation which able's you to break up the trip as frequently as required. I make a habit of refueling regularly at intermediate stops despite carrying 25 Lt's of spare fuel.

Taste of the outback

Over night stop at the Marla Travelers Rest, complimented with a comfortable cabin and roadhouse meal, had us up and rearing to go for our 525 Km leg to Yulara. The SA,NT border is a short drive from Marla followed by the NT police checking station for Covid border pass check. The junction at the Stuart and Lasseter highways for the turn off for Yulara is home to the Erldunda Roadhouse, one of the busiest, if not busiest, roadhouses on the Stuart Highway. We arrived at Yulara late afternoon for our 3 night Covid cancellation credit voucher with an upgrade as a bonus.

Mt Connor from Lasseter H'way (Uluru preview)

Palya - Local indigenous greeting

THE TWO ICONIC ATTRACTIONS

Uluru

Kata Tjuta

Having visited here in 2013 we decided to explore these sacred sites choosing alternative options. We did not, nor had any intention, to climb Uluru on our previous visit but explored areas by road and foot. This time we chose the 10 + Km base walk, a circumnavigation stroll that exposes features that are not recognised from a distant view. Climbing Uluru has not been allowed, nor is it possible, since October 2019.

Kata Tjuta offers two walking choices, the Walpa Gorge which we did last visit and Valley of the Winds. We only completed half of this walk due to time restraints but the Valley of the Winds is a great experience.

THE BASE WALK

Climbing location (posts and chain for safety of climb removed)     

VALLEY OF THE WINDS

A New Attraction at Yulara is 'The Field of Lights' display

As darkness falls and Uluru is thrown into silhouette, Field of Light illuminates. As far as the eye can see gentle rhythms of colour light up the desert.

The critically acclaimed Field of Light Uluru by the internationally celebrated artist Bruce Munro is on display and due to popular demand, has now been extended indefinitely.

he exhibition, aptly named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’ in local Pitjantjatjara is Munro’s largest work to date. Overwhelming in size, covering more than seven football fields, it invites immersion in its fantasy garden of 50,000 spindles of light, the stems breathing and swaying through a sympathetic desert spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white.The exhibition, aptly named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’ in local Pitjantjatjara is Munro’s largest work to date. Overwhelming in size, covering more than seven football fields, it invites immersion in its fantasy garden of 50,000 spindles of light, the stems breathing and swaying through a sympathetic desert spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white.Jump to navigation

Jump to searchThe Field of Light is a large-scale site-specific light-based 

The exhibition, aptly named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’ in local Pitjantjatjara is Munro’s largest work to date. Overwhelming in size, covering more than seven football fields, it invites immersion in its fantasy garden of 50,000 spindles of light, the stems breathing and swaying through a sympathetic desert spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white.

Sounds of Silence Desert Dinner

We finished off this visit the same way we did on our final night in 2013. The Sounds of Silence Dinner was a most memorable experience that was well worth a repeat. The dinner is complimented with a sunset platform pre dinner drinks and canapes accompanied with a Didgeridoo. Between courses an astronomer describes the desert night sky with emphasis on indigenous interpretation. A great way to end a visit to Uluru.

Next Stop: Kings Canyon & Alice Springs

 

    

 

   

Navigating the Covid Maze March 2021

Back to FNQ After 13 Months Blog 5

First up, we love North Queensland but the furthest North we visited on our trip in February last year was Mossman on the edge of the Daintree. The Daintree Rain Forest, Cape Tribulation and the Cape York were all 'bookmarked' to experience as best as circumstances would allow, time being the essence.

The blogs covering all this period do not reveal the numerous cancellations we have made, hence the travel maze continously being negotiated as dictated by this unpredictable pandemic.

A consequence of this, as it has related to us, has been flight and accommodation cancellations and subsequent credits so to use what we had 'up our sleeve'we decided to head north once again and explore the 'bookmarks'.

Three nights in Cairns on arrival allowed us to utilise a special deal hotel credit too good to expire and pick up a hire car for our travels. We were to be based firstly in Cooktown for two nights followed by 5 nights at the Daintree Village.

Our expectations in all aspects of country, attractions, accommodation and sustenance were well above expectations and was a most memorable expedition.

Stormy Cairns

Scenes around Cairns Botanic  Gardens

Cooktown

Cooktown, some 300+ Km's north of Cairns on coastal lower Cape York, was founded at the mouth of the Endeavour River named by Cook after the landing in 1770. The town was established in 1873 as a supply port for the goldfields and owes it's name to Cook. The Endeavour was beached for major repairs after running aground on rocks, where it came perilously close to sinking after 23 hrs before being arduously re floated to the river mouth. 

Mount Cook, 1,415 ft - 432 m serves as an impressive back drop to the town and is where Cook made observations from the top of the mount to chart a safe course back out to sea. The landing at Cooktown was one of  fourteen landings made by Cook along the east coast from Botany Bay to the Torres Straight Islands with Cooktown being the sixth landing after the first at Botany Bay. The seven weeks spent here was the longest period the Endeavour crew spent on the Australian mainland.

Over the seven week period repairing the ship, botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander discovered many species of flora and fauna and were the first europeans to sight a salt water croc. Important interactions took place with the local indigenous Guugu Yimithirr peoples. Some of the crew had come across a strange animal which they shot, skinned and ate. Cook and Banks were to learn from the indigenous inhabitants that the name of this animal was 'ganguuru' which was translated after some variations to 'Kangaroo'. This was one of 130 words and phrases of the indigenous language recorded in a journal being the first such record of an Aboriginal language.  

The historic Cooktown convent school now the local museum with an extensive and impressive collection of Cook and the Endeavour memorabillia.

'Taking aim'

 Hailed as Australia's most unusual railway, the creation of the Cooktown to Laura Railway, was a direct result of the discovery of gold in the Palmer River.

Banana plantation lower Cape York

The Daintree

From Cooktown we headed South for the 325 Km trek to the Daintree Village where we were based for 5 days to explore the surrounding area down to Cape Tribulation. We explored by car and had two boat excursions on the Daintreen River, one from the Village and the other lower down the river at the ferry crossing to Cape Trib.

Our cabin was based in the Daintree Village Hideaway set in lush tropical gardens and with only two other cabins on site. Our Daintree experience was the highlight of the trip. 

Our hideaway digs at the 'Daintree Village Hideaway'

Exploring the Daintree River from the Daintree Village

Big male checking out the boat

Female on beach, male keeping it's distance

Local stock at waters edge for a drink with a close encounter. Only a handful of stock at most are taken each year as the crocs have more than enough food in the river.

Female resting. The open mouth is to assist cooling off.

Local road bridge. Road heads to the upper reaches of the river.

Trip to Cape Tribulation

Mouth of the Daintree from road to Cape Trib.

Local residence known as 'The Queenslander'

Cape Trib. coastline

Mangroves at Cape Trib.

mangrove fungi

the odd beach hippie can still be encountered at Cape Trib

Cape Trib Cafe with a swimming hole on property

ingrediants grown on grounds of Cape Trib ice-cream factory

Mossman Markets ( good)

River Cruise on lower reaches of the Daintree

find the croc?

lots of 'em

flora around our cabin

Alas all good things come to an end and after 10 gloriousb days in FNQ it was time to get the hire car back to the aiport and head for home.

Foot note: Brisbane experienced a number of clusters as we transited at Brisbane airport. SA reacted by quarantining arrivals who had been in designated hotspots and anyone else arriving from Qld to have a test and if negative good to go. we were both negative  but Ngaire had a SA Health directive to home quarantine for 14 days with pay before returning to her aged care duties. Another 24 hrs and the same would have applied to me as things got worse. 

All part of Navigating the Covid maze!