No sign of the Wet yet; it hasn’t rained since the amazing storm a few weeks back now. On some days, clouds build up and sometimes there is even a threatening rumble of thunder, but no relief.
Once I left Lake Argyle it didn’t take long to leave WA. I have spent a year wandering around WA and I have now left this massive state, which makes me a bit sad… But I will be back again. Crossing the border the into NT, you suddenly jump one and a half hours ahead, so I felt a bit jet-lagged for a few days.
The explorer Augustus Gregory passed this way in 1855 and left his mark on this boab tree, which is still standing. This tells you something about the longevity of boab trees and it’s amazing you can see his carvings, nearly 165 years later!
Nearby, you can get a good view of the magnificent Victoria River. This massive river meanders through this region and I will encounter it a few times on my journey. It always looks very inviting, but has lots of crocs living in it; sadly, I can only admire the cool blue water from a safe distance.
The first time I visited this area was after the Wet and the landscape was really green and lush. This trip, the land looks so dry, with dead, yellow grass and sparse, listless trees. Actually, the boab trees, which are usually stark and bare, are now sporting green leaves. This supposedly indicates a good Wet season ahead.
There are many fires burning in this dry country and you can see and smell smoke everywhere you go. At one point, I encountered this whirly-whirly churning up black soot from burnt ground and swirling across the road in front of me.
Timber Creek is a small ‘frontier’ town and some locals were lounging in a nearby billabong, where the green water didn’t look particularly inviting.
Most of the creeks are dry so most remaining waterholes have resident crocs. Freshies are not usually a danger to humans, but those teeth are still sharp.
Fortunately the caravan park has a swimming pool, which remained refreshingly croc-free when I was there.
