Mount Isa to Mataranka – what a great trip. We had studied this in our planning and thought what on earth would we find on this 1,300km journey towing the van, and with few obvious places of interest. But we found so many wonderful places and people, and had an absolutely hoot at Daly Waters. Banka Banka was also a delightful surprise. But that is what this country does best – continues to surprise us. 16 May 2018 – 19 May 2018
Kerry’s snippets in fuchsia
Getting there
Mount Isa > Barkly Homestead Roadhouse (399km) > Banka Banka (261) > Daly Waters (305) > Mataranka (167) ~ Total of 1,132kms
Day 0 – travel to Barkly Homestead
Got away at 7.15, which is early for us and most Travellers. Initially we drive through lovely hills, similar to those we saw on the Cloncurry side of Mount Isa. But the landscape changes – the hills and bluffs disappeared and the country flattens out. ABC radio is non existent about 60 minutes out of the Isa. 
At about 20k out there is a sign for a historical WWII memorial. This turns out to be a very large free camp with a dozen or so vans and campers snuggled in there. Over the last few days we have notices a lot of anthills dressed, mostly in singlets. But one really stands out as a female gypsy. But we missed that photo.
We got to Camooweal at 9.40 and stopped for coffee/tea at a rest areas. Chatted to a few other Travellers as you do and got some good advice on where to stay in the days ahead. Camooweal is not a great town – only there to provide the Roadhouses. We went to top up the fuel even though we still had 3/4 of a tank – we had a long haul west before the next refill. We had also been warned about the fuel prices at Barkly Homestead. So we went to the Puma as the alternative – looked old, with nobody there. However the Puma was $1.73 and had a long queue. So we went back to the alternative where fuel was $1.699 and there was no waiting. As we left Camooweal we saw a warning sign – no fuel for 261kms (which must be Barkly Homestead). About 5 km from Camooweal we crossed into NT but we were going too fast for a photo. As we ploughed westwards, the land seems to get even flatter until it was just thigh-high grasses to all horizons, with an occasional small tree. Later that changes to more of a stunted wooded vegetation.
Then we came up to an motor home doing only 80kph. Kerry was driving – is it fate that she does all the overtaking? Around she went with a long straight section ahead. Got that on video. The wind had been awful for a few days – BoM says 35-40kph and it is really swirling around. It is from the south east so should be helping us on our way, but we have an occasional unexpected lurch.
Then we came to an area with a warning sign for crosswinds. They are right – the winds are very cross and do drag poor old Mobi around the bitumen. But nothing too serious. We got to Barkly Homestead at about 1:00. it is just a big van park on the side of the Highway behind a Roadhouse. It has all the features of any other van park – power, water – and we watched the place fill up through the afternoon. Amazing to see. But it is a staging post only, it will be empty by 10am tomorrow. Its a pity we let our tanks run down a bit as someone told us that the water was very artesian so not to fill the caravan with it.
Day 1 – To Banka Banka
We chatted to the fellow next to us in the morning. We had been planning to stay the next night at Tenant Creek but he talked us out of that. “Get yourselves to Banka Banka”, he says. “Banka what?” we ask. This turns out to be another large van park about 80 km north of 3 Ways – junction of the Stuart Highway (north/south) and the Barkly Highway (east/west). The sites have no power but does have good water. He also talked about the devils marbles – such a great place, great van park and pub, even with an international chef. We were sorely tempted but is 100km south of Tenant Creek. So we decide to pass on this one this time around. Nearing Tenants Creek the flat lands turn to some rolling hills and large rock outcrops. Such a change from the boring grasslands.
At 3 Ways we go north for 500m to the Roadhouse to check the fuel price – $1.78 ouch! 
We went back to Tenant Creek to check fuel there and have a look around. Its a much bigger town than we expected, but there are lots of bars on on the building windows. Not a good feel about the place at all. We got fuel at $1.649/L. Tennant Creek really didn’t have a good atmosphere. I was so pleased that we had already decided not to stay there. Just south of the 3 Ways is the Overland Telegraph Station. Way back in the 1860s there was a grand plan to connect Australia to the rest of the world via the telegraph network. A land line was built across the continent to join an undersea cable to Java. The Tenant Creek station was was one of 11 repeater stations between Darwin and Port Augusta. The first building was erected on the site in 1872. But this proved more than a telegraph station – in such a remote area, back in the day, it became a haven for many travellers, a post office and a rations depot for Aboriginal people. The complex comprises the homestead, the actual station, a food storage building, and of all things a butchers shop. The staff at the station had to be jacks of all trades. But we really enjoyed the history of the place. If we had gone back into town we could have got the key to look through the main buildings. But we did not do that.
Back on the highway north, we got into a 5 van convoy. The lead van was doing 75kph so progressively we all overtake him. Kerry driving again. Then about 80km up the road we saw 2 vans in front of us turn off to the left – we had arrived at Banka Banka.
We pulled up behind the queue and I went to check in. Registration involved meeting a women at the gate to the home, signing in on the book and handing over $10 pp per night. We were told to follow the other vans around and park on the next site. Simple as that. After the others had got their vans in Kerry lined up the site. Luckily there was plenty of room in front to get the rig in a straight line, and we only needed a slight turn to get Mobi around a tree. Setting up was easy, as at Barkly Homestead, we just raised the front of Mobi off the hitch – no lurching this time – then up higher to get the van level back to front. It’s a good site with lots of grass so we don’t bother with the groundsheet.
I walked about the place – it is full of history. The old mud hut, the machinery around the place an old cars.
A fascinating place. Banka Banka had a really good atmosphere to it… Lots of people doing the same as we are doing. Obviously just an overnight stop for 99% We had a wander around – the original homestead has equipment and signs giving the history of the place, there were a couple of camels and a family of donkeys in a yard and out the back of the homestead there are long stools and some logs around an enormous fire pit. There are a couple of folders at the mud brick house setting out the history. A couple fo pages describe the road train that took the cattle to the markets. The statistics in the photo are quite mind boggling.
We had decided to have a bbq and when we saw the fire pit, wrapped the spuds in foil and threw them in. Everybody was dead jealous. We had dinner then sat around chatting for a few hours. Lovely evening. It seems that everyone has caught up to us – so many people going to the same destinations we are.
Day 2 – To Daly Waters
Although it’s interesting country we drive through – hills, valleys and bluffs – it is a boring drive. We put on a Richard Fiedler interview and some music to pass the time. But we do see quite a stark rock outcrop standing up proudly close to the road – the shape of Mount Connor, the mountain that many people driving to Uluru ofter think is Uluru when they first see it.
Approaching the town of Elliott we see 2 cyclists being buffeted by the wind. Some people find strange ways to enjoy themselves. We stopped at Elliot but found it quite awful. Nowhere to park with a van, it comprises of only 2 service stations and the one we choose had very rude staff. Glad to get out of there. The coffee machine had a sign saying out of order and Des made the mistake of asking her if they had any coffee. Her smart reply was “Can’t you read the sign”. I had been looking at some hot chips, but she lost my business right then. Then we were at the turn off to Daly Water pub, which is a few kms off the Highway. We got Mobi into the pub van park without any problems – very spacious drive through sites. A fair bit of dirt and only a smattering of grass, so we got the groundsheet out. But the ground was like concrete making it futile to try to drive in a peg, so we used anything heavy to hold it down in the wind.
We were there about lunchtime so went over to inspect the famous pub and see what they had to offer. Daly Waters pub – what a hoot!!! It’s full of others people’s stuff – their business cards, money notes, hats, t-shirts, and god knows what else. I had a seriously good lamb wrap and Kerry chips. We also had to decide if we wanted to have the famous barra and steak meal that evening. This must be pre-ordered. It can be all barra, all steak or 50:50. We decided to have 1 50:50 (at $36) to share and got an extra salad. We had to be back on the pub by 6 for when they call out the orders.
Across the road is the town shop – with a deranged helicopter on teh roof. A very interesting place.
We rocked up back to the bar with 10 minutes to spare and got drinks (they have small bottles of bubbly thank heavens). Then our names were called. We helped ourselves to the salads and hoed in. Delicious. Then some live music came on – a couple singing country/rock. They were very good and had some good jokes too. Des ended up buying a CD. The woman (Lou) was brought up in Avalon so we had that neighbourly connection.
Very good musicians – Lou on the acoustic guitar and Phil on mandolin and banjo. The she would have a go on the banjo. They had a great rapport with the crowd – a very funny lady. There was a young fellow on after them but, while a very good singer guitarist, he sang his own compositions and that got the crowd moving.
Day 3 – to Mataranka
We left Daly Waters at 8, knowing that we would be a tad early at Mataranka – but we were ready. it was a pretty straightforward trip, along a bumpy Stuart Highway through stunned woodland. We saw more cyclists – this time 4 of them no less, heading north. Got that on video. Soon after we came up to a slow road train (Kerry driving) and as soon as we hit a long straight section – which we did a lot – the driver indicated for us to overtake. This we did without any problems. Then another van overtook us – the cheek! Got that on video as well – click here. Then, a solo cyclist on the way south. Good luck to him.
Driving through Larrimah – the place with the Pink Panther Hotel – we were seduced by the large signs offering home made scones with jam and cream. There are a few vans pulled up so we reckon it can’t be all bad. Fran’s Devonshire Teahouse is an amazing place, and the woman in question is an interesting lady. She has been cooking since dawn, she tells us and rattles off a list of home made foods. We settled for a Devonshire tea for Kerry and I think Fran choose a corned beef roll for me – “a beautiful roll straight out of the oven”.
The place had some interesting decorations – A big gazebo and various umbrellas to give some shade, with teddy bears sitting around tables for instance. There were lots of signs showing what food was available. My devonshire tea arrived – instant coffee, 1 large fruit scone, a slice of caramel mud cake, a slice of choc mud cake and a small lamington. She came and sat down for a chat. I was quite bemused by the spelling on the food signs – Struddel and various options for blueberry / blueberrie. Crazy as a cut snake!!! But she gifted me a small stuffed dog – which now sits on the dash board of The Cruiser.
Later we found out that Larrimah is not the peaceful village it looks. It has been beset by deep resentments for many years, where residents living hundreds of metres apart completely ignore each other. In the case of a missing person Paddy Moriarty, police suspect foul play. The fascinating ABC report can be read here.
We got to Mataranka at around 10.30, and headed straight for the Park. We are quickly checked in and told to grab any site that we liked. But there are no drive-through sites. We selected our site and after much deep thinking we realised that if we went out and came in the other way around, we could turn into a vacant site and then reverse into ours with a little wriggle. So we did. Another vanner came out to help. It’s a large site with lots of grass. But we put the ground sheet down anyway. We will take this up in a couple of days when we go to Lorella Springs. The only down side of the Park is that there is no dump point so I have to take the cassette out, put it in a plastic bag, drive the 5km to town and find the Point. It’s a bit rough, no hose on the tap. Not that that bothers us real men.
To see photos on this post click here To see video on this post click here