Our progress north since leaving Melbourne has delivered different birdsong to wake up to. This morning was no exception, with sounds of chatter between smaller birds enjoying the dense tree cover beside the historical runway.
There was a thick cover of fog settled over the runway, and lots of condensation running off the Prado and Tvan when Chris stepped out into the first light of a new day. There had been a few late arrivals to the makeshift runway campground last night. We thought that the rough track in, from the highway to the runway, would have been a bit of a challenge for the larger caravans to navigate in the darkness.
We were packed and back on the Stuart Highway just after 8.00am – around the same time as the sun had started to burn off the lingering fog. With just 71kms of open highway to cover before arriving at the Bitter Springs caravan park, we were parked up and checking in just after 9.00am. Chris gave the Prado and Tvan a hose in the wash-down area to remove some of the dust they had accumulated along the Oodnadatta and Binns tracks.
The caravan park does not take bookings, so to be sure of a campsite you have to arrive early. According the lady that greeted Wendy on arrival, there were 72 sites being vacated today – and they expect another 72 arrivals. According to our new neighbour (Murray, from Echuca) the caravan park took its last arrival at 3.00pm yesterday when the “No Vacancy” sign went up. We felt that Murray was a very appropriate name for someone from Echuca, and wondered if his wife is named Darling…
Bert the quad bike driver keeps tabs on the empty sites in the caravan park and has the responsibility of showing new arrivals to a suitable site, given the size and type of vehicle and tow rig they have. He gets to ride around and around the caravan park on his bike until the “No Vacancy” sign goes up. When Bert saw we were ready to head to our camp site after the impromptu car wash he consulted his available sites list and directed us to follow him. Our selected site is reasonably well shaded by a variety of trees that are sporting lots of new growth after a good wet season.
Given we are staying for two nights, more attention was directed to getting everything just right. Our ground mat went down in the outside living area to minimise the amount of dust walked into the Tvan. The quick awning was deployed to provide extra shade during the day.
Once established on our campsite, and with other new arrivals setting up in recently vacated sites, it was time to head down to the thermal springs and soak in their (supposedly) healing waters. The pool noodles we carry in the Tvan are de-rigeur when it comes to floating around in thermal springs. They were provided for bathers at Dalhousie Springs but it is very much a BYO system here at Bitter Springs. It you are unsure where the springs are, you simply have to follow the pool noodles being taken for a walk!
The springs are part of the Elsey National Park and they eventually flow into the Roper River that drains into the Gulf of Carpentaria. The springs are considered safe to swim in, although swimming is not allowed during the wet season. Most recently Bitter Springs was closed to swimming after a saltwater crocodile sighting in April. Once the rangers investigated it was decided that the sighting was incorrect; it was just one of the freshwater crocodiles that occasionally frequent the waters. Apparently the warmer spring waters are very low in oxygen and, as a result, support very little in terms of fish that would draw crocodiles this far upstream. Downstream is quite a different matter. A few years back we pulled up alongside the Roper River about 50kms from Bitter Springs. Chris and his brother Glen disturbed a basking 5 metre “saltie” that took to the safety of the water when startled by their presence.
The springs are a real draw card for people in the caravan park, as well as travellers passing by. The car park was full throughout the day and things didn’t quieten down until roughly 5.00pm.
Between our first and second swims we found time for lunch and a walk around the springs to take in the scenery and snap a few photos. We did learn during the walk that the springs pump out 300 litres a second during the wet season.
While paddling in the spring in the afternoon we had the great pleasure of watching an azure kingfisher dive for small fish and insects only metres in front of us. They are a smallish bird, but with very distinctive colourings – an azure back and wings and a bright orange breast and underbody.
A water truck has completed a few rounds of the dusty tracks that run through the caravan park, settling the dust with a water spray fitted to the back of the truck. That may do the trick until the sun comes up tomorrow.