Darwin

Hi guys,

small update....


Mum and pup Mr. Blue is doing great. Weighing a very healthy 380gms!!!!

 

Wowsers!!!! Russelle, was a boy for a few years until a vet said um its actually a girl, so had to add the elle bit!!!

 

Kissing turtles, just love this pic!!!! Love is in the air!!!

 

Amazing bird life here in Darwin...gorgeous isnt she!

 

M held a wee little store at the caravan parks mini market. We made these awesome little lolly bugs out of lollies, gladwrap and pipe cleaners. We made 13 to begin with and sold them for 50c each with a few bigger ones for $1. She sold out in half hour, so we made on demand!!!! She made $14. Sooooo excited. She was soooo nervous to begin with, but really enjoyed it. School could never give her such an experience!!!!! She learnt alot about marketing and running a small shop with expenses etc. Amazing, she is so brave. Was a very proud mum.

Hi Folks....

 

I am at the edge of Kings Canyon. Its very high up, but the view is magnificent.

This is Kings Creek Station. I just met a new pal. The dogs here are very friendly and there is quite  a few others around. I named this on China.

I have a new friend her name is Charlie. she has a younger brother called Will. The names are spelled the same way as the Dunstans.

This baby camel loves to eat cooked toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

 

 

 

There were lots of Devils Marbles, but only one Dung Beetle, me!!!

 

 

In Bitter Springs, Oh my, its sooooo warm in and I saw some big fresh water turtles.

 

 

It was such a lovely sunset to watch from the Mindil market here in Darwin.

 

 

At Territory Wildlife Park I met a Wedge tailed Eagle called Akira. The main difference of the Wedge tail you can tell from other birds is its tail is longer, squarer with a diamond shape.

 

 

This friendly little Wallaby is called a Rock Wallaby. It hops around minding its own business.

 

The snake was called Russelle. It’s a friendly python and I got to feel her. She felt like silky rubber.

 

Amity, the Northern Territory is covered by Woodland type environment. Up to 85% of the land here is Woodlands. Its bushy with trees and lots of dead leaves on the ground and waterholes like Billabongs that form after the monsoon weather that can happen up here. A monsoon bad heavy rain and storms that go on for a few months. The types of animals you will find in the Woodlands are:

 

wallaby

snakes

goanna

lizards like the frill necked

crocs

beautiful birds like kingfishers

geckos

reptiles

lots of nocturnal animals like bats, sugar gliders, quolls, bush rats,

 

I learnt this at the Territory Wildlife Park.  I miss you.....

 

 

 

 

Taits news

Hi Everybody,

Sorry I have not done my blog because I have been playing with my friends too much and we have been out of range for the internet for ages. I have sooo much to show you so I am talking and mum is typing so my spelling is good. I will do a couple at the end.

This is me in my cubby, I made it with Lochie and Oliver. We put a fire in it.

 

 

 

 

 

This is my family. We are at the very top of Ohlassen Bagge mountain in Wilpena Flinders Ranges. We saw a spider which had a red body and green legs.

This trane has 180 cariges, it was humungus.

 

 

In Coober Pedy, we saw bones of dinosaurs when the water was running through here.

 

 

My Dad said to me " do you think the Lego power miners dug this?"

 

 

This is Ayres Rock, the aboriginals call is Uluru. It was sunset, so the rock changed colours.

 

These are my friends Adam and Lochie. We have seen them several times already adn saw them again in the Darwin Wave pool.

 

 

Me and Dad are riding on a camel. It was cool because you get to relax.

 

 

I am having a go at spear throwing. The real name is a Woomera. A Woomera is a dish like plate that the spear sits in and you push it off.

 

 

This is a sign that says, Cliff Safety. We need it so we dont fall off the edge. We are Kings Canyon on the ridge walk.

 

We stayed on a cattle station called Kings Creek and we saw quad bikes. They use them for getting around and now I want one!!!

 

 

 

In Alice Springs Caravan Park, I rode a buggy around the place. I think is was fun. 

 

 

This is me pushing a Devils Marble. I am soooo strong!!!

 

I am at Bitter Springs in the super warm bath. It is a natural spring just like a bath. I saw spiders a turtles here.

 

Today I went to the Territory Wildlife Park. This a Wedge tailed eagle. He is a pretty big bird.

 

 

my  tooth has fallen out it fell into my snorkel wile I was swimming. Do you like my croc tooth?

 

 

This is me with a pithon rapped arownd my neck. It felt hevy.

 

mising you all

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well so sorry for being so behind in our progress but we have been off line for soooooo long now, and even now we are in a dodgy area for service so this will probably take me 10 hours to write and upload!!!!!!

So, here goes:   (sorry for any mistakes but the sun is sooooo glary I might mistype stuff ok).

Where do I start?????  Guess I will begin where the last post left off which was????? I am assuming Uluru.

Kings Canyon:

* We stayed on a cattle station called Kings Creek Station. Amazing. Lost the kids amongst the wandering animals throughout the day. Calves with dingling bells keep you awake all night. Camels and adopted gorgeous dogs.  Fires each night with kids singing and marshmellows. Fantastic experience for kids and the owners were so accomodating. Huge basic, bush camp kitchen which I wanted to pack and take home with me.

* Kings Canyon Ridge top walk 6km around but climbing most of the time across rocks. Kids loved it coz so much to keep them occupied. Beautiful colours, surprises around each corner, sheer drops and oasises. My fav walk by far thus far.....

* wanted to do the Meerinie Track across up to Glen Helen in the West Mac Ranges but rain has cut up the off road too much, much to our disappointment. We are really enjoying the places the back roads take you.  Oh well, next time!!!!

 

Hhhhmmmmm!!!! Kings canyon

 

Kings Creek Station

 

What you looking at???

 You need ear plugs coz they walk around all night with dingling dingling..

 

 

Alice Springs:

* Ended up staying a couple of nights here in a great BIG 4 park for kids to catch up with some friends we have made in previous camps. We did a big shop to replenish stocks and including some grog coz my god they charge you out bush!!!!

* Along the way to Alice we crossed inland a bit to visit the Henbury Meterorite Conservation Reserve. Apparently 440 million years ago a series of approx 8 hit this area. We walked around the reserve and could see the impact quite clearly although years of erosion has occurred. Amazing, we found, smal, heavy fragments of the Nickel Iron alloy meteor. Quite amazing to think it is from outer space!!!

Henbury Meterorite crater!!! Impressive hey??

* Went on a fantastic 34 km bike ride out to Simpsons Gap which is extrememly picturesque. Kids did a great job, few lollies on way to keep them going as the weather has warmed a little and 34km!!! Saw gorgeous ghost gums, it was a lovely way to really feel the environment. Its in the tops 10 rides in Oz to do.

 

Gorgeous!!!

* Jase went off bush mountain biking and loved it.

* Took kids to the School of the Air to show them how remote kids keep up with their education. what a fascinating place. Each child enrolled in this school is funded $15,000 worth of ICT gadgets to pull off their learning. All done via satelite and video conferencing where kids watch a live video from teacher demonstrating concepts, them kids respond via chat boxes. It was awesome to see it all in action. We went on to another station later and Tait befriended a kid that showed us how he did it from hi home. Pretty cool.

GEM TREE, we loooooooved it here....

*  so remote and again another working station we bunked in on.

* dusty, dirty but kids loved it.

* Here we went on a fossicking tour for Garnetts, they also have Zircon (a less sparkly diamond but they are harder to find). We were hugely successful again.You take them back to the property and get your stash analyzed by a gemologist. We are bringing ours home to be cut and placed into some jewellery.   Goodness, at this stage I reckon we could open a blinkin  jewel shop!!!

 

See all the equipment. Sieves, water wash, Meridien is the site surveyor!!!

* Girls went for my run today around a gorgeous nature trail aroudn the station, 9km.

* The head lady of this property is called Kate. She has this mazing inspiration to do stuff. She created a fantastic camp kitchen and churns our yummy roast dinners Sat nights with tables set with candle lights and all. Barrels with fire pits everywhere and kids running wild!!!!! GREAT feed and atmosphere.

 

Seating arrangement for our Roast dinner with all other campers

 

The outdoor theatre projector wall!! Worked a treat too.

 

 

 

* The men of the station created a outdoor theatre. It is corregated sheets painted white, fantastic!!! Watched a small movie from the 70's about the Charlmers family and how the Plenty highway (thats where we were) was created. Kate the owner of the station is a descendant of this family so very proud.

* Fresh orchards trees with oranges, madarins, lemons and grapefruits. Grabbed a couple each day and made fresh juice. Best tasting fruit ever had!!!!

* Again kelpie heaven, we are in love with these dogs!!!

* beautiful days and cold nights!!!!

* We are actually loving the mini pop up tent at present. Camp is so simple and we love to snuggle up at night early and read books etc together. There is only so long we get to do this with our gorgeous kids!!!!

From here we went on a single night spree to get to the top:

* Devils marbles campground literally at the base of the marbles. Kids buggered off again like a pack of bloody dingoes. Running wild with 10 others all over the marbles til dark. I finally saw a dingo here. Gorgeous, just like a kelpie!!!!

 

Classic marble, and Tait thinks he is Superman!!

 

Beautiful specimen of a dog!!

 

* Bank Banka station. It si actually Aboriginal property and so there are many rules. We went on a walk to waterhole which was literally all rock there and back!!!! 6km.....

* kids tired today and very very very grumpy....look out, the mini tent is not soooooo great!!!!!ggrrrr

* the Hosts of this place were very accomodating pluggin in our freezer for us as we have been unpowered for sometime now.

* Bitter Springs........gorgeous hot  32 degrees natural spring waterbath in the bush!!!!!! Kids loved it. Tait hated it at start due to all the hanging Orbb spiders hanging across the creek on the grasses. You get these noodles to float down the stream on and dodge the spiders above and the turtles below!!!!! But it was gorfeous to rest weary bodies adn soak the red colour fake suntan in the skin!!!! I know how they make the fake suntan girls, in a bottle. Crush up desert sand and mix with water!!!!!!!

 

Off our kids go, having a bush bath for 3 hours!!!

* We now have clean nails!!!!!

* Up early 6.30 am to swim again. No one around. Snorkelling, turtles, spiders and fab bids life. Saw, hummingbrds, bee eaters and another undiagnosed one.....

* OH by the way we are seeing soooooo many Black red tailed Cockatoo, much to the delight of Jase!!!! They are his fav birds...

* Got our work outs swimming back up stream!!!!! Sore today.....

 

M doing the usual breakfast for us all. Pancakes, cereal, toast etc. Most mornings she does it all. Awesome!!! Just hope it carries over back home!!

DARWIN

* So far:  Tumbling Waters camp ground. Really cheap but such a great place. Quite a distance out from Darwin but quiet and great hosts again. Territory Park 5 mins and my organic produce farm is too.

* Berry Springs (5 mins again) swimming, not as warm as Bitter Springs but refreshing and a waterfall. Gorgeous fish below too. Taits frontt tooth soooo loose I said it may fall out in water so look out. It did and fell into his snorkell!!!! Phew!!!

* Crazy Acres Organic Mago farm 5 mins down road for smoothies and home made icecream, soooooo yummy

* MIndil Market:   fantastic international cuisine, good quality shopping (gorgeous orange chunk necklace, sarongs, scarves girls!!!!) spectacular sunset and top entertainment!!!!! Great night out!!! Going back again Sunday....

!!!!!!! No words needed....

 

 

 

 

 

* Shells on beach are beautiful, M having a ball....

NEWS NEWS NEWS:

* We are brand new parents again and have a sibling for our kids. He was born July 25th. Can we introduce Mr. Blue. A smokey blue and tan kelpie pup. Mum and pup doing really well so far. He is a very healthy weight and responding as he should be. Suckling well. (My goodness do i sound clucky or what!!!!) There were major complications during delivery and mum lost some pups, so very sad but we managed to still secure a pup. She has 2 pups, 1 cream and ours. We love the tans points so decided on the blue and tan. I will txt pics and I have them already. It was a very late night and I only managed to get 4 hours sleep. On phone and computer with the breeder all night. She kept on talking to us about the prgress, frankly we didnt care as long as the mum (Penny) was ok. We would be happy to wait again.
BUT, as it turned out, all good so far. Fingeres crossed he stays well and progresses well. Keep you posted.


Soooooooo love it love it love it.......good to be settled for sometime now. We will be here for 10 days to chill.

* Balmy sunny weather of about 31 degrees daily with coool nights. So perfect to sleep.

Chat again soon.