Day 38 - Daly Waters to Banka Banka
Happy Birthday to Greg! The day dawned chilly with a howling wind. Lisa and
I wanted to cook Greg a big fry up for his birthday so we were up with frypans
and saucepans fired up in multiple locations and hash browns, bacon, poached
eggs, toast and pancakes on offer. Natalie and Hayden came to join us,
complaining about the cold (the wind was bitter, and they are Darwinites now).
As we enjoyed breakfast (despite the cold), all around us the grey nomads started to head off.
As we washed dishes and packed up our own vans, we were the last in the caravan
park. However, we were still out the gate before 10am!
We stopped at Stuart's Tree just outside Daly Waters (the first explorer of
the area in the 1800's) and then at the Daly Waters International Airport -
unlike the Hells Gate Roadhouse airstrip, this really is/was an international
airport, receiving the first international flight after WWI and then acting as
an airfield for WWII.
And then the straight, boring Stuart Highway awaited us. The wind was still
howling, and was a cross wind for most of the journey which did not make for a
lovely drive. 300km down the road and we arrived at our destination of Banka
Banka Station. We never did find out whether this was still a working station,
but the campground has been set up as a side business and is doing very well.
The original homestead, built in 1910, is now the bar.
A late lunch after arrival and we would have been happy to settle in for a
quiet afternoon outside but the wind was howling and it was really cold. We
went for a bit of a wander around and then had birthday cake for afternoon tea.
Soon after, it was time for dinner (homemade gnocchi - there's nothing we can't
cook in these caravans!) which was washed down with wine - it would seem the
weather is now too cold for beer. We then headed over to the communal campfire
and talked to a few other caravanners while warming ourselves in front of the
fire. Back in the van, and the second doona has come out so we are toasty warm
tonight.
posted by Tracey @ 8:24 pm
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