Betten On Bike: DAY 29 - 7TH MAY 2013 - VICTORIA RIVER ROADHOUSE TO TIMBER CREEK

Day 29 - 7^th May 2013 Victoria River Roadhouse to Timber Creek

Cycling Stats: 97 kms

Cycling Average: 31 km per hour

Walter was relaxed about today as it was for his way of thinking, a small ride. At dawn the rocky escarpments which surrounded the landscape were a rich rich red even more so because of the red red soil – an amazing early morning phenomenon which quickly dissipates not too long after sunrise.

Dianna & I headed off on a safe morning walk destination – up the Victoria Highway for a quick power walk. As we left the Roadhouse we decided on a quick deviation to head down to the Gregory National Park River access point, a narrow sealed road flanked on both sides by long white grasslands. Frequently wallabies jumped across in front of us so I drove at a very relaxed speed. We walked down the final stretch to the boat ramp and we straight away noticed how very wide this river must be in the wet season as there were vast dry areas where the river must rush through during the wet.

The journey today was breathtaking with huge rocky mountainous escarpments as well as wide sweeping views as far as the eye can see. We were indeed getting closer to the famous Kimberly landscape.

Thank you to Timber Creek Caravan Park for allowing us to stay at no cost !! This is a well appointed park with lots of shade and a lovely well maintained swimming pool which we were all grateful for in this hot part of the territory.

Around 3.30pm we headed to The Croc Shop to meet for the Victoria River Sunset Cruise which we had heard a lot about – a wild river cruise on which you travel 70km down river. The Victoria River is the largest river in N T stretching some 800 kms and at its widest point at its mouth it is an astounding 40 kms wide.

Neville, the tour operator has been running these cruises for some time and delighted in telling us that his Bedford Bus was from 1971 and as some remarked was reminiscent of our old school buses It certainly had some grunt. We had a tour of Timber Creek which included 3 police stations all from different eras – the first a 1905 completely white slated very elegant looking building, the second a 1935 building which had recently been re-stumped with huge concrete stumps and the current building which were all located in the same street on our way to Big Horse Creek 10kms from Timber Creek where the cruise boat was moored.

We were awestruck by the size of this river – On our trip we saw so much wild life – water birds of all description including jabiru and brolga, huge flocks of little egrets, sea eagles, black hawks amongst many others. We also enjoyed the hunt to sight crocodiles and saw many, as well as some small wallabies, a dingo, black wild pigs and even a Brahman bull. The abundance of bird life was amazing to see – with huge flocks soaring above us and on the shores and then all of a sudden taking flight.

The cruise boat stopped at a pontoon and there we alighted from the boat to enjoy some finger food and cool drinks and watch the beauty of the pinks and mauves of the sunset hues begin to appear and deepen. The boat then returned to the Big Horse Creek mooring at high speed and it was on dark when we returned – another wonderful N T experience we will long remember.