Geikie Gorge was stunning …double click on the photos & you will see!!!!!

Hi everyone,

We spent two nights at Fitzroy Crossing where we took in a local organised tour of some of the history of the area, an aboriginal art gallery & visited Geikie Gorge.

Fitzroy Crossing takes its name from the causeway across the Fitzroy River which is one of the longest rivers in Australia & has one of the highest volume flow rates when in flood. In 2012, the town had to be evacuated due to the Fitzroy River flooding. Keen readers of our blog will recall that Stephen had a swim in the Fitzroy River at Millstream-Chichester National Park. Some locals got him confused with a whale having beached itself. (lol)

 The highlight of Fitzroy Crossing for us was our boat trip on Geikie Gorge. We struck it on a delightful day for reflections & the colour of the limestone, other rocks & natural staining was simply superb.

After leaving Fitzroy Crossing we travelled east around 180 kilometres to Mary’s Pool where we free camped for the night. The next day we travelled further on to the town of Halls Creek.  Gold was discovered in 1885 & by 1886 there were an estimated 2000 prospectors on the Halls Creek goldfields, but the gold quickly ran out & within a year most have moved on. Today. Halls Creek is a service centre for tourists, the cattle industry & mining.

 The next day we travelled out of Halls Creek & down the iconic Tanami Road which will take you all the way to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. We soon left the tar & travelled a hundred kilometres of reasonable corrugated gravel road before turning off for a further 20 kilometres of diabolical gravel road & 3 gates to our destination…………………. Wolfe Creek Crater!

Wolfe Creek Crater is the second largest meteorite crater on earth with a diameter of 850-950 metres. The ridge of the crater stands about 35 metres above a surrounding flat sandy plain. The first non-aboriginal people to discover this natural wonder were some geologists in 1947. It is located on Carranya Station.

 After checking out the crater we returned along the Tanami Road to the Great Northern Highway near Halls Creek & whilst about 15 kilometres from town the engine malfunction line came on & Stephen noted his temperature gauge was rising to very hot so we shut it down. Stephen puts some more coolant in the radiator but the car was now boiling & leaking coolant. A cursory inspection through the bash plates & grille suggested a major problem. We telephoned our roadside assistance provider & awaited our patrolman whom dutifully arrived & assessed the situation. The prognosis was not good & a tow truck was called. Cheryl went back with the motor repairman to Halls Creek & Stephen returned with the tow truck driver. It is 4 days before we can get the required parts trucked in so we are in Halls Creek for another 5 days!!!!!!