This morning greeted us with our coldest morning in weeks with an overnight minimum of 18C. Clearly we have acclimatised as it felt very cold and we were tempted to go digging deep in our packed clothes for warm tops. We toughed it out and soon the day was warming up to a pleasant top of 28C.
Our first priority was to see if we could get the rear window on the Prado replaced but just prior to that Wendy confirmed with our insurer that we were actually covered. We had been expecting a renewal notice but nothing had been received back home. So after confirming coverage, Wendy asked if windows were included and once confirmed, proceeded to lodge claims for the non-existent rear window and the cracked front windscreen. No sooner were the claims lodged and confirmation came through to Chris’s mobile phone. The local agent for Windscreens O’Brien was also notified and it was confirmed that a rear replacement would be shipped from Darwin overnight to be installed tomorrow morning. The rest of the day was all ours to fill.
What do Flyers, Ground Zero, Missiles and Single Shots have in common? We had no idea until we looked into the matter further. It appears today is “Territory Day” here in the Northern Territory. It’s the day that the founding of the Territory is celebrated and apparently the long standing tradition is for fireworks to be detonated in unprecedented quantities by both organised groups and individuals alike.
For this to happen, fireworks can be legally sold to any member of the public over the age of 18 from 9.00am to 9.00pm on Territory Day for discharge that day. As a result, fireworks are for sale at all licensed liquor outlets including drive through bottle shops and camping stores that are licensed to sell hunting goods. What a great combination – a slab of beer and a few dollars worth of fireworks to go out and have a good time.
Interestingly one outlet was advertising that fireworks could be purchased with a popular benefits card meant to buy staples such as food and clothing. It did seem that the indigenous community were determined to make a night of it and detonate more explosives than were used in all the wars fought in the 20th century. The names previously referred to were various packs one could purchase with Flyers destined to show up on the local airforce radar, Ground Zeros likely to leave gaping holes in the ground across Katherine, Missiles programmed to bring satellites down and Single Shots causing headaches wherever they go off. We are anticipating a disrupted nights sleep and speculating on the number of injuries and possible fatalities that will arise from the celebrations.
We reacquainted ourselves with the shops in Katherine, enjoying a mocha frappé at the local well patronised cafe before browsing the shops and camping and fireworks stores before walking the isles in the local supermarket. A quick top up of fuel for a near reasonable $1.61 per litre was a welcome relief after $2.00 per litre prices in the Kimberley.
Following lunch we ventured over to the oldest standing homestead in the Territory to see it before it potentially becomes a casualty of a misguided Flyer or Missile during the celebrations tonight. The homestead was established by Alfred Giles in 1879 on the banks of the Katherine River who drove a large mob of sheep and cattle there from Adelaide following the path blazed by the explorer John McDougall Stuart only a few years prior. The Stuart Highway now follows much of the same course from Port Augusta to Darwin.
We then ventured over to a walk that followed the Katherine River upstream from our campsite to hot springs closer to the centre of town. On approaching the river we came across a variation on the standard crocodile warning sign that made the distinction between freshies and salties. We still kept outdistance from the waters edge! The hot springs were very similar to those we had patronised in Mataranka a few years back. Warm, clear water bubbling up from a spring in the side of the Katherine River bank that eventually found its way into the river via a network of deep pools. Many people had gathered here to rejuvenate their ageing bodies although immediate evidence of its effect was lacking as many seemed to struggle as they dragged themselves out of the pools and back up onto the footpath.
We’re back at camp now watching new arrivals being escorted to their campsites by a guy on a motor scooter. We will sit back and watch the new arrivals set up before engaging in conversations that cover the important “where did you come from” and “where are you headed” topics before moving on to anecdotes of hardship and endurance in an attempt to demonstrate how intrepid we all are.
Hopefully the Prado is restored to full health tomorrow and we can continue our journey, now via Roper Bar to Lorella Springs on the Savannah Way. We may even contemplate a stop on the banks of the Roper River tomorrow night, just not too close to the waters edge!