Coober Pedy to Katherine 2015 Van Trip 29.6.15

We have traveled steadily towards Katherine and arrived here at lunch time today the 29th June. The Stuart Highway is a very long very straight road that seems to go forever with not a huge varietyy of different scenery.  We spent a couple of nights in Alice Springs so that the Toyota could have an oil change, I could catch up on the washing and the shopping etc.  Then had another break of a couple of nights at Longreach Waterhole outside Elliott (on the Stuart Hwy).  The waterhole is down a 12km sandy track and is some kilometres long.  A very tranquil peaceful place with an excellent variety of birdlife.  Our first venture off the bitumen and the new van behaved admirably.  No dust.  There was not the huge number of birds present this  year but that was more than made for by the increased number of species.  I logged 43 species without trying too hard and I am sure there would be many more to find.  Even a Jabiru came by.  A real highlight of the trip so far.  We came here from Mataranka where we had another highlight.  Floating down the creek at Bitter Springs is a wonderful sensation.  Crystal clear deep water, luxuriously warm, overhung with tropical plants, and birds chirping away in the foliage.  Everyone should do it.

The Devil's Marbles (Karlu Karlu) about 90 kms south of Tennant Creek