Hot springs, peacocks, sixties music and MORE red dust

Well joy, oh joy. Mataranka does have internet...so you do get a blog post tonight.
It was only one hundred kilometres down the highway from Katherine this morning so we had plenty of time to browse Rod 'n Rifle...the camping and fishing store in Katherine. Finally, I gave in. I can't take the red dust anymore...so new shoes. Blundstones! Very elegant, hey Susanne Bellamy!

New shoes!

The caravan park at Mataranka Springs is crowded, composed entirely of fine red dust and crawling with police! Apparently someone burned down one of the toilet blocks last night so the receptionist was very apologetic as she explained there may be a wait for a shower in the one surviving block!
We may suggest that someone burn it down too. This is the dirtiest place we have stayed in four weeks. Thankfully only one night here.

We found a site in the shade on the red dust and were grateful for the new matting we bought for the annex floor. The annex didn't go up as we are only here for one night before we had back toward Queensland and Gulf Country tomorrow.
The peacocks liked the new floor as well as gherkin dip and rice crackers! At one stage Ian was surrounded by six peacocks and pea hens trying to get his afternoon tea before we were treated to a full feather display.

Before the peacocks arrived we'd been for a long walk down to the hot springs and to another waterhole. The waterhole was deserted and the water looked very crocodiley to me despite the sign saying it was open for swimming. (I still remember Wangi Falls from a previous blog)

The road we walked was long, and hot and dry...and RED DUST. The new boots were much appreciated.

The road to the swimming hole.

However the other intrepid explorer jumped in and declared the water safe but I declined and waited until we got back to the hot springs (choc full of 'grey nomies') The water was very warm and smelled of sulphur.

I waited till we got back to the hot springs.

The sign at the waterhole said 'open for swimming but be vigilant'!

Ian was brave, I was vigilant!

Tonight after an early dinner (Ian is currently cooking surrounded by kangaroos and birds trying to get to the stove), we are off to the bar where we will listen to Dennis Cuthel (ex Aztecs) for the third time in four weeks. We must be following the same route.

Until our  next report...

After note.. we had company for dessert.

And look at the little joey