Alice Springs to Winton QLD.

 Tuesday 27/5/25.

This morning we woke to rain and as we was sitting out under the back awning eating our breakfast Barb was notified that there was a cancellation at the hospital for a CT scan in 30mins time. She caught a taxi to the hospital, had the scan and then caught a taxi back to the caravan park by about 10.30.

We packed up in the rain ( what fun) and checked out. After getting a few things at the shops we headed north up the Stuart Highway towards Tennant Creek. 

The rain just poured the whole way so we knew we couldn’t drive across the Plenty Highway (a dirt road) to Boulia and had to take the long way round through Tennant Creek and Mount Isa. The rain kept pouring.

We called in to Barrow Creek where we had worked for 7 weeks when Kylie was a baby but it was too wet to get out of the car.

We took these pictures out of the car window.

The Barrow Creek Hotel.

The house in Barrow Creek where we lived looking very sad now.

The Barrow Creek telegraph station.

A very wet drive.

We decided to get a powered site at the Devils Marbles Hotel which was a really good move as the weather was so bad we thought we were back in Vic.

We had dinner in the pub and then we put up with gusting winds a lots of rain all night.

Wednesday 28/5/25

The next day we drove to Tennant Creek through very heavy rain and the amount of water lying around was incredible. It turns out that on that day Tennant Creek had the most rain ever recorded in one day.

We decided to continue on to the Barkly Homestead on the Barkly Highway, hoping that the rain may have eased. It had, so we continued on to Camooweal and camped behind the pub.

We had driven over 900 klms in 1 1/2 days and decided there and then that we would take it easier from now on.

QLD / NT border.

Thursday 29/5/25.

After getting some fuel we headed out of town. First stop was the McKinlay hotel where we had a coffee. This is the hotel that featured in the Crocodile Dundee Movie.

This fellow is on the roof as you walk in.

A few klms down the road we had to stop and secure the tyres on the roof rack.

We arrived in Winton about 2pm and settled into the caravan park along the street from the Waltzing Matilda Centre.

We then visited the Waltzing Matilda Centre and found it to be a fabulous exhibition, museum and gallery space. The first thing that hits you is the architecture which is designed to reflect the geography in the area.

View of the front entrance. Therese photos do not do it justice unfortunately.

The outdoor courtyard area.

The main exhibition area is about Banjo Patterson and how he came to write the song Waltzing Matilda. They have various documents, sheet music, records, tapes and CDs and the song playing as you walk around. They also have videos playing in a central area surround by a video screen which makes you feel in the video itself.

There are also lots of artefacts from the time on display.

Copy of the original manuscript.

Records of the song.

Sheet music.

The rest of the centre is a museum with items relevant to the area.

How’s this for a porta loo. Note the Red back decorations.

An iron lung used by polio patients in the 50s to help them breathe.

Seeing this centre was a great experience and a good way to end the day.