Thursday 16th – Last night we stopped at South Warloch Rest Area. It was packed with caravans, we found a spot a just down the road off a dirt track and had the area to ourselves. Have to say some of the nomads are a bit of a pain, we have heard they get into these rest areas by 1pm to get their spot. Because they do that then others end up doing the same just to get a spot and before you know it the place is full early arvo. Leaving no spots for the people that are actually out there exploring or traveling enjoying this great country not sitting in a rest arvo for half the day, just so they beat the next bloke to it. As I said some nomads, not all, we have had several other wiser nomads complain of the same thing. I could understand if it was some nice place with grass, under the gum trees next to a creek and well off the road but not some dusty pull of cramped in with other people just so you can beat your fellow Aussie to a place to rest for the night.
We filled up with fuel and some water at Daly Waters and headed down the Carpentaria Hwy, mostly a one lane, bumpy bitumen road, creek crossings, a great example of our Hwy No 1, which soon turns to a gravel road.
46km south of Borroloola is the Caranbirini Conservation Reserve. The amazing sandstone formations make up what is known as the “lost city”. There are several lost cities in this area including one at Cape Crawford, but that requires a flight in a helicopter to access. The Caranbirini one is not far off the Hwy and is an easy walk around. There are several walks, we took the 2km one due to time. You could easy spend the day exploring these fascinating formations.
As Chris kept saying these are cool, really spectacular. There are lots of trees which do block your view at the start of the walk, but it gets better and better as you continue the walk. Close to the end you are walking between the formations which create different chasms leading of here and there, was really incredible. You need a wide angle lens for here.
We were nearly back to the car park when we encountered a bull not far off the track. It was not happy to see us and started snorting and flaring its nostrils at us, it even took a few steps towards us. Chris my hero got in front to protect me and we moved slowly keeping a tree between us and it. It kept moving around keeping its eye on us, not happy Jan. I said to Chris I could run faster than him, I had runners on and he had boots on, lucky it didn’t come to that.
