Monday, June 18, 2018

Plan 'B & 'C' Keswick Point, Sand Palms June

Plan 'B' after Victoria River - no fish! 

Track turn off – Cox Pen. 
Road = S12 39 40 E 130 34 41

On the road 0740hrs 48K’s to the Bynoe Harbour access road, gravel road to a track, walked the left hand track to Keswick Point and return via the ahead track 40 minutes or so.

Beauty we are in the right place


Actually got a boat ramp here now
Tinnie load of blokes took 45 minutes to trailer the boat – pissed! Advised by fellow fishing off the rocks, could get rowdy.

Three more car loads and tinnies arrived whilst having breakfast. Not a good sign, also the fact the track marked with M/T beer cartons.

Plan ‘B’ called Sand Palms – to reconfirm camping etc. On our way out two more vehicles, with one fellow –‘getting noisy’ Yep! ‘only got 80 cartons.

 Good plan ‘B’. 

FLASH BACK - Sept.2006

Our good old 80 series 

 Tinnie retrieval 
 Packed and loaded off to 2 mile hole - Adelaide River - Sara-toga - Sue calls the cockroach fish - they stink like squash cocky's  

12 years and it has changed - this was a ramshackle shed and tank - now somewhat bigger development

The tracks well marked
1430hrs - set up camp at Sand Palms - $120/week - includes power,water and lawn. Substantial solar power on the 3 unit blocks, 1700hrs 585Kwh per unit rounded 1800Kwh per day   
All set up at Sand Palms by 1430hrs. Tour to boat ramp – not promising, only 3 crabs, nothing the S.A. guy Craig since Sunday – MASSIVE TIDE’s! 
 7.63 from to a .36 


Owner feeding their pet Croc - 'Two Dogs' relocated by Matt Wright from a mango farm down the road after chewing down 2 doags
Finnis River ______


boat ramp unchanged
Happy hour rolled around – new fellow – Mick fly fisher-person, was expounding the use of electric trolling motor which he claims puts it all in a new category – 3rd season with the electric motor.
Will not go fishing with out it - now echoed numerous time by all whom have installed them. Some good idea;s follow for future ref. 






This is of particular interest holding the outboard up when in transit. Heavy duty bungee cord over the leg and clips to the board

Check out the seating. Easy cover frame
Off to Keswick Point – 30 minutes and 44ks to Bynoe Harbour access road, then 18k’s dirt 35 minutes. Two boaties on-site (trailers) Party all done and dusted – beer carton markers still in place when we arrived.



Into some fishing - T.T.T.F. = Territory, Tap, Tap Fish!!  Finally Sue landed on the high tide, then G landed one 10 minutes later – both Short Finned Bat Fish – never seen before – thus not identified as good eating = Bugger as both returned to the briny.

Fellow from Raft Point touring and a quick chat – got stuck for 5 days at camp when the cyclone hit back in March. Free camping at Raft Point amongst the shacks. He cleaned up all the beer carton markers.

Rankin Point - Pearl operator in the bay and diving on the nets to sort out after the cyclone
Yep! Two Dogs would give you a nasty nip

Matt Wrights V8 air boat pulled in to refuel
Lucky recipients of a muddy
Chips from the pub and 

Our neighbour, and Graham and Di gave us the wings off a Black Jew (1,113mm) each 500gms.  

Another fisher already overdosed on crab - no problem we will take it off your hands

Check out the size of these!
Rob and Shayne finally landed a couple of fish - Barra and Threadfinn. Both exponents of the Electric trolling motor powered by a lithium battery.

Order our Minn Kota 55#, 54” Terrova – i-Pilot with 2 quick release bracket –  $2,950 with $300 cash back = $2,650.
Fishing reports - Nil!!
Happy hour and the _______


Ross, Sue and Sue

Rob and Shayne and we are off to Berkeley River Lodge - 4 days at 1/2 price.

Monday, June 4, 2018

Port Lincoln to Victoria River

 4th June - Having booked a trip to Berkeley River Lodge we did not want to miss our departure date 29th June


0750hrs on the road – all secure, house n shed. 

 Thelma returning from her walk, quick chat whilst GPS firing up.

2 hours and breakfast at Cowell, with a phone call from Linden Masters just past Port Neil.


Refuelled  Port Augusta, then to Arid Land Botanical Gardens 1300hrs – Ian and Heather also just pulled in getting plants. We had lunch, Angus beef burger and Sue open sandwich - leg ham, mustard, cheese and pineapple with salad.
5.2hrs 414k's @ 1500hrs pulled up at our rest area for the night. Gas ON!! Hose leaking – self contained - new hose under my battery box seat replaced hose c/w gas tape. Pretty good considering it’s a 2003 Mfg. Seems my milk crate bouncing on the hose finally damaged / weaken the hose.

3 vans pulled in with 1 A/H within 3 mtrs. Oh! Well he will get awaken early!!

No tea required after our big lunch.


No leaks 
Replacing rail tie downs - E clips

10 drums 
8 trains during the night – 3 gave us a blast!! Sue’s heavy breathing – no it’s not snoring, kept waking us!!



0545hrs – enough – heater on, coffee and on the road @ 0630hrs into the fog for 20ks or so. 
One large bull – dead in the middle of the road 30k’s south of Pimba.

2hrs and 10 minutes we pull up for breakfast!! 


We still have k's to go.
Head winds getting stronger as the morning wanes. 1300hrs and Cobber Pedy already – refueled, lunch.  
75ks’ up the road to camp at Pootunoora Rest Area – 6hr 30min 514k’s for the day



0650hrs on the road and thru Alice in peak hour almost.

Shell and fueled up by 0758hrs – cooked breakfast – boil eggs and toast to keep us going all day. Stopped at numerous rest area’s – Taylors Creek now has a phone hot spot – see photo.

Only 380k’s today, 5 hour drive time.

Sat. TV now working for NT after calling this morning

KGW with salad and chips  

0630hrs on the road – Sue finally got a good night’s sleep. 0716hrs full fuel, woolies for human fuel. 
Rod n Rifle = CLOSED ON SUNDAY’S!!


Yep! it's a Barrow Light - the Barrow's upside down - neat

Camp ground around 1330hrs and full almost we got the last spot- typical N Parks – no room to swing a cat, all pokey camps.  Magic boat ramp and river has potential.

Booked our camp down the hill with westerly shading during the day / late afternoon.


Veggie noodles w/egg on top for tea!!






Magic boat ramp and river has potential.
Talked to this guy later in the day - 8 hours and no fish!
 Not ideal for unloading tinnie, trailer etc. and then where to park everything – crazy!
Some majestic Boab trees
New bridge going in 


Bradshaw Army Base / Training ground






Another full day on the water = NO FISH! 
We had already decided to move on after interviewing numerous fishes = 'NO FISH'!

PLAN 'B' 


0630hrs on the road – not a sole stirring as we departed, 95k drive to the Escarpment Walk.


Soon climbing the Escarpment Walk – 3k’s return. 1.5hrs we did it in much less with photo stops etc. Well worth the climb. 

















We made it - well worth the climb in the early AM







58K's from Katherine - Camped up by 1245hrs before the rush with a prime location, 12 others arriving during the afternoon.

We are heading for Keswick Point - 1st visited back in 2006 one of our 1st real off road adventures.