Ozmobile Odyssey

This tall thin being with a sickle head is hunting with a spear thrower and dilly/carrying bag - better behave or he'll spirit you away! Kakadu rock art is sometimes painted over and can vary in age from decades to 20,000 years.

We did a fascinating guided walk of the Ubirr area 45 minutes from the main 'town' of Jabiru. Huge ancient sandstone rocks are strewn in precarious-looking piles high above the wetland plains. In 1976 Kakadu, which is 20,800 square Km, was the first successful land claim by the indigenous peoples.

The Ozmobile has been pimped with speed stripes, motor serviced and new brakes fitted in preparation for the 5,000Km Victoria Highway from Darwin west to Perth, via Kakadu National Park. Although it's no longer than our previous Ford Transit camper van, an interior layout that is better designed makes this motor home much more convenient than our previous  NZ vehicle. We are managing not to get under each other's feet (or skin!)

I could get to like this. The infinity pool at MBS is in on the 57th floor 'canoe' atop the three towers of the hotel. It's an unmissable photo opportunity and beautiful water experience, even for those amongst us who aren't keen on swimming. 

Yes, it's the election tomorrow and we enjoyed casting our vote at the NZ High Commission, which was doing a roaring trade at its polling booth. Hope to watch at least part of the action tomorrow night (if able to set up live streaming on our hotel TV.)  Otherwise, surely we'll be officially notified?

... in reverse. Bit of a change from a camper...even the much enjoyed Ozmobile... to the sheer luxury of level 26 at Marina Bay Sands Hotel. After a 4 1/2 hour flight from Darwin and 35 degrees, it's mercifully moist here in Singapore, plus lovely to be spending time here with our darling daughter Katie.

Cafe at Stokes Hill Wharf - ice cold beer, calamari tacos and watching the ships under a big umbrella to beat 35 degrees of brilliant sunshine.

 Awe-inspiring 'Timeless Land Three Gorges' boat tour in this marvellous indigenous-owned national park yesterday, including Jawoyn rock paintings dated from at least 30,000 years ago. These works are much more ancient than the prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux in South West France, estimated 17,000 old (which Sher & I visited some years ago.)

Another big day driving, but it's mercifully cooler at 28 degrees in Renner Springs. The springs water is justifiably well known-made a very soft shower at the caravan site and Don is filling our tank before we depart. It's very dusty here but there's a huge artesian basin below the Barkly Tablelands and it's reasonably green, with beef grazing a major local industry.

... and boy is it hot - fanbake with dust! Today was a 5 hour haul from Mt Isa and we're now 1,150 Km from Darwin. Fortunately we have  a powered site at this roadhouse/petrol stop, so can run the hefty aircon in the back of the motor home. Our in-cab aircon had its work cut out in the heat of the day.

Hard Times Mine Tour, Mt Isa, North Central Queensland. Really interesting 3-hour tour experience of a (replica/below ground) mine with real equipment and huge vehicles - v. impressive. Not sure that orange is my colour though?

Somehow a necessary excursion was managed without a nether regions attack by snake or frog! Definitely an outback threat though, as this was at the Flying Doctor Museum, 100 Km from Mt Isa.

As a complete skeleton discovered in 1983, this is a life sized model of Kronosaurus Queenslandicus, who swam the great inland sea that is now the North Queensland outback 112 million years ago. Not sure if he'd make a good pool companion?

Decided against a 270 Km detour on this outback dirt road to Aramac, Queensland (population 299) - didn't strike us as an appealing destination! At nearby Hughenden it's 30 degrees today and they haven't had a drop of rain for 6 months.

We're now travelling inland on the Overlanders Highway from Townsville west to the Northern Territories.  In the late 19th century Charters Towers was the wealthiest of the Queensland gold rush towns and even had its own stock exchange and many handsome civic buildings. After 30 years or so the bonanza was over and it's now a sleepy outback town of 8,500.

These fascinating ruins are part of a fairytale castle completed in 1935 by Spanish immigrant Jose Paronella, a rags to riches Castillian baker whose life's obsession also included its own hydro electric power station. Devastated by numerous cyclones over the years, the ruins are set within a huge rainforest botanical garden and have heritage protection.

Rows of beautiful palm and Banyan trees enhance the Cairns waterfront, the latter accentuated by subtle coloured feature lighting. The big daddy Banyan below has an amazing trunk, huge leafy canopy and is about 50 metres tall.

Enchanted to have a beautiful butterfly land on my hat, which this Cairns Birdwing did yesterday. With a wingspan of 16cm, it's Australia's largest native butterfly and flits about slowly enough to catch a photo. Unlike the gorgeously frenetic electric blue Ulysses Butterfly, which I could only snap in a box. Later one flitted across the road as we drove back from the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary at Kuranda, heading back to Cairns.

It could only happen in the Land of Oz! Parked in a scenic spot overlooking the Port Douglas marina, we witnessed an emergency when a Pom named Blyth wanted to show off  by picking mangoes from this humongous tree for his girlfriend (and other bystanders, including us.) Unfortunately he dislocated his shoulder about 10 meters up, requiring emergency paramedics and the fire brigade. Rather unfortunate for him, though his pride was hurt more than anything-but we, and others, did at least get free mangoes. Recipe for green mango salad anyone?

This 4 metre alpha male affectionately known as Charlie was recently featured in the local newspaper after the skipper of the Lady Douglas (our Dickson Inlet tour) snapped him devouring a smaller male who'd strayed onto his patch. He's not in captivity (so isn't fed) and apparently won't be hungry for 6 months after gorging himself on his 2 metre rival.

Taking it easy in Port Douglas, but a couple of hours later some people at the holiday park were disturbed by other campers chasing a brown snake that disappeared under their caravan!