#over50femaletraveller – Page 4 – Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Adelaide River and Crocodile Cruise

I started on a bus tour of Litchfield Park at 7.20am and never imagined it could end in such a high note. I had already done a cruise in Kakadu, the Yellow Waters Cruise, the Nitmiluk Cruise of Katherine Gorge. All special cruises with wonderful guides. My photos and videos will show how amazing this Crocodile cruise is. It went for over an hour. Cruise director, Pat in my mind is a real life Crocodile Dundee. He has a wealth of knowledge of the crocodiles, salt water crocodiles in the Adelaide River. On the tour Pat packs a Ruger “in case of an emergency”.

We were carefully seated on the boat to balance it correctly. Pat stressed no limbs or body parts whatsoever past the railings. Only one side to stand at a time.

Then Pat encouraged the crocodiles to come play.

Sneaky getting a snack. 4.6 metres 7 feet of crocodile

Gnasher is a male salt water crocodile and is approximately 4.9 metres metres long 16 feet long and about 50 years old.

Litchfield

I was a little unsure of doing a tour of Litchfield as I am a very independent traveller and don’t like someone else controlling my trip and worried about the type of people on the bus. Offroad Dreaming has changed my mind. Lyn is a fun informative driver and tour guide. With Pat, I will say is a real life ‘Crocodile Dundee’. More on Pat later.

20 people picked up at various hotels around Darwin and my pick up was 7.20am. First stop, cathedral and magnetic termite mounds

Florence Falls has several swimming spots.

Buley Rockhole. We stopped for a dip and delicious lunch prepared by Lyn.

Wangi Falls. No swimming allowed yet as the rangers haven’t found and relocated a crocodile spotted on 19 April 2021. Shame as this spot looks glorious to swim up to the waterfalls.

Introducing Pat. My real life Crocodile Dundee. Complete with a Ruger. In case of emergency. Check my next post for a section devoted to Pat and his Crocodile Cruise.

I love this weather rock from Humpty Doo

Edith Falls

On my way back to Darwin from Katherine. Leaving reluctantly as my trip is nearing the end with the last few days of delicious weather in the 30s. I am dreading going back to Sydney and 8 degree weather.

Hot Springs

There are so many beautiful oases to be enjoyed in the Northern Territory of Australia. All free. First is Katherine hot springs

My favourite is Bitter Springs in Elsey

Floating down Bitter Springs

Mataranka Thermal Pool

These signs are everywhere in the Northern Territory

Rainbow Springs Mataranka. You cannot swim in this one

Rock Art

Started the day with an 86km trip to Ubirr to see Aboriginal Rock Art. Advice to everyone. Before leaving your hotel in the Northern Territory, check to see if the places you plan to attend are open. As many of the tourist and heritage sites are owned by the indigenous Aboriginals, they observe mourning of elders and close various sites as a sign of respect. This was the case this morning with Ubirr. It was disappointing but when travelling the unexpected occurs and in this instance it is important to follow and respect the traditions. I went to the next stop on my way to Katherine, Nourlangie (Burrungkuy)

There is a track which is well signposted. The Shelter is a little steep but not too difficult. Just make sure to take lots of water for these walks

I was so excited to see sacred rock art and the stories are thousands of years old.

My favourite piece is this which represents singing and dancing

The walk up to the lookout looks more difficult than it is and worth doing.

Darwin 20 May 2021

Aquascene in Doctor’s Gully is a sanctuary for fish. They come in at high tide. You can feed the fish which include barramundi, catfish, mangrove jack, mud crabs, stingrays and others.You can stand in the water and they swim around your legs. No crocodiles or sharks here. The harbour fisheries remove any sharks and crocodiles which come into the harbour as soon as they are spotted. Around 200 crocodiles are removed each year.

End the day with a Mindil Beach sunset

Easter Road Trip Day 3

20 April 2019

Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Dubbo Zoo) is a 5 hour drive from Sydney (during school holidays you can add 3 hours to that time). I have been to several zoos around the world including the famous San Diego Zoo, which is beautiful and my Taronga Zoo in Sydney, where the animals have the most expensive view in the world. Dubbo Zoo has 5km (3 miles) of tracks which you can drive through, ride your bicycle or you can hire a golf buggy or hire a bicycle.

I was last here 12 years ago when my boys were 13 and 18, we went to Dubbo by train and slept at the zoo in the “roar and snore” program. Now called the Billabong Camp experience. Waking up in the zoo and being a part of the morning feeding regime is a wonderful experience. The animals are so excited first thing in the morning, the noise feels like you are in the middle of the jungle.

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This trip I drove my car in and left it at the first carpark inside the circuit and walked the zoo. It is beautiful to walk as there are lots of trees and shade, spots to have picnics to watch the animals at your leisure. There is a moat between us and them. Before you go, buy your ticket online so you can bypass some of the traffic entering the zoo. I found leaving my car at the start, then after walking the circuit, I got in my car at the end and stopped at the places I wanted another look on the way out. The ticket is valid for 2 days of multiple entries.

Tomorrow I leave Dubbo and enter a part of my state of New South Wales (NSW) I have never been to.

Castlemaine

The inspiration for this road trip from Adelaide was that I wanted to see the town of Castlemaine. This is where the Netflix program The Glitch is filmed and it reminded me of the country towns I should explore in my own country.

The cemetery

The Empyre Hotel

The old police station

Castlemaine Station

The Midland

Just outside of Castlemaine at Moonlight Flats is the Pennyweight Cemetery, the resting place for 200 children who died during the gold rush period of 1852-1857.

The place the first gold was found in the Castlemaine area.

The town of Cressy is the location for Nicole Kidman’s movie The Others

Great Ocean Road

30 December 2018

Last night I was in Port Fairy but there was not one room available (well there was a room for $250 with parking down the road and I cannot justify paying that amount for a motel room and have to leave my car so far away). It was a pretty town but all along the coast to Warnambool,this time of year, is packed with tourists. My preference is to stay in smaller towns with locals and I found the perfect place in Mortlake 35 minutes out of Warnambool, called the Mt Shadwell The Stables Hotel.

Lovely clean accommodation with bluestone walls and dating back to the 1800s. Good pub food, friendly locals and breakfast at the town cafe was delicious. Clarke’s Pies are so delicious even cold.

Driving on the Great Ocean Road you will come across these signs. This road gets so many tourists from around the world this road becomes treacherous when drivers forget what side of the road to drive.