Mataranka Day 2.

Bitter Springs

Wallaby eating out of Mark Fisher's hand

2^nd day in  Mataranka, awoke to wallaby poo all in and under our camper, they were looking for scraps and food. We weren’t falling for that trick again.   Went to explore the Bitter Springs Thermals today and we went with the Fisher family. These thermals were ones you hop into and float down stream. The Lorimer family had been here too, and after reading your blog, Wendy, they sounded fun. Warmer than the other thermals. We all hoped in and, I wore my thongs due to the fact you get out at the other end and walk back to do it all again. Lily loved it; she wore her bubble on her back and drifted down with us, very comfortably. Mark and Dylan decided to swim against the current and try and go the opposite way, even though you are not mean’t too. They both succeeded, and were a little out of breath by the end of it. After relaxing here awhile we then headed off to explore some more places, and we went to Roper River. Well it was getting hot, approx about 32 deg at this stage, and feeling like another swim. Roper River said yes you could swim here and the signs were all open to swimmers. No way as there is sometimes crocodiles, just that thought made me cringe. I can take kangaroos, dingoes, peacocks but NOT crocodiles. These were only fresh water but no way. Mark, Dylan, Oliver and Jade Fisher decided to go in, it was safe, no crocodiles, it was a designated area for swimmers with pontoons to sit on. They bombed and swam from pontoon to pontoon. 15 mins and that was plenty of time. We found out later that even the local lady at the Caravan Park kiosk, wouldn’t even swim there, not always guaranteed no crocodiles. Fresh water is fine it’s the salt ones you don’t want to come across. Back to Caravan Park and we have the thermal pools in the park, so back to there for a swim, while master chef (Mark), cooks dinner. Love being on holidays when Mark wants to be the chef. I just relax and watch the kids in the thermal pools as they have their last swim before we leave Mataranka. After dinner, Lily requests “can we please go to the bar mummy”, and no one else was interested, so Lily and I strolled over to the bar, like 2 chicks going out for the night. It was because this local was singing and playing music and also playing the didgeridoo. We sat in front of the fire and listened to about 3 songs and came back. A mummy and daughter night out at the local bar, very funny.

A really decent size wallaby turned up at our camp tonight and was so tame he ate out of Mark Fisher’s hand and ate a biscuit. The wallaby took a swipe at Fish (we call him this because that’s his nickname), otherwise known as Mark, but it gets confusing when there’s 2 Mark’s. Fish then gave the wallaby a quick slap across the ear; he did it to him so he swiped back too. He then took off after that. (The wallaby that is). 

Moving to Batchelor tomorrow, via Katherine for supplies.