13th - 14th May

Things were promising as the convoy of three left Burketown to head west on the Savannah Way to Doomagee and beyond to a campsite Roscoe sussed out at Kingfisher Bay. The road is sealed and, for this part of Australia, reasonably wide. It's about 95klm to Doomagee where we stop to fill up the tanks in another splash and dash, and head out to the Kingfisher turnoff 30klm west. Soon the road turns to gravel, but it is even better than the blacktop at this stage. Remember, we are getting into some remote locations and a good road is a treat.
 
Fortune smiles on us as we turn onto property roads and tracks which we will follow for 42klm to the camp. After some 12klm we realise the property owners made sure the first section of track was fine, far enough along to ensure that you finish the journey. The track traverses some diverse countryside and soils, so soon we find stretches of rock road, bulldust, sand and rutted red soil. In one section we each hit a bulldust hollow which almost brings to rigs to a halt. By this stage we are spread out over a 5klm stretch as we avoid the hanging clouds of dust which are slow to clear.
 
The Kingfisher Camp is next to the banks of a 5klm lagoon of the Nicholson River. The campsite is on about 10 acres of mown parkland shadowed by large white trunked River Gums throwing speckled sunlight and shadow over the expanse. Managers, two women, tell us that we are the only guests, so just spread ourselves out and pick a good spot, though preferably not under any large overhanging branches! The ladies come down to stoke up the "donkey", a bush hot water system, each evening and morning so we have hot showers....luxury!
 
The next day John and Col opt to launch John's boat for a spot of fishing, being careful when launching as for the first time known there is a large Saltwater Crocodile along with the plentiful Freshies (Roscoe's back still too tender for sitting long in a boat). Hoping to provide dinner, the boys return sheepishly, the only thing they caught was some good Croc photos. Meanwhile we embarked on a leisurely 8klm riverwalk through some really picturesque landscapes. The river pushes its way through sandy flats and sculptured red sandstone cliffs.
 
Both nights we had a blazing fire going for our sundown drinks, then regrouped around it after dinner. The sky was crystal clear, brilliant, huge and with satellites and shooting stars thrown in for free! Lives good!