Day 225 On our way out from Undara we stopped in a different section of the park. Specifically to walk up and around the rim of Kilkani Volcano. The drive was about 20 minutes half on the red dirt road. When we arrived it was a 500 meter hike up to the rim fifty meters above the landscape. Once up the top it was a rocky path around the rim of the volcano. It gave an awesome 360 degree view of the surrounding landscape which looks a little yellow before the rainy season. From up here you could see darker patches of green which are where the tubes collapsed and different vegetation is able to survive. Some of the plants in these dry areas, believe it or not, need fire during their life cycles. Controlled burns are are usually done once a year. When burned some of the trees go into shock and drop seeds.
After this it was time to get back on ye old Savannah Way and keep heading west. Our goal was Nornamton by night 450 kms away. We are not even fully into the outback and it is pretty desolate already. The scenery is pretty bland. Mostly trees stuck in the red sand and termite mounds by the thousands thrown in the mix of yellow and occasional green shrubs. We must have crossed 40 or so creeks and rivers, some up to 100 feet wide, all but a few bone dry, patiently waiting for the cool rushing waters of the wet season.
The towns were few and far between, Mt Surprise was first, pop 130, then 94 kms to Georgetown, pop 300, next was 148 kms to Croydon, pop 100 and finally another 152 to Normanton pop 1100. We mostly drove right through except for lunch in Georgetown, as there was nothing but flat scenery in between as the mountains and hills slowly faded into the rear view mirror. The highway wasn't much of one at all as half the time it went down to one lane for BOTH directions. If someone was coming from the other direction both vehicles would have to move half way off the road onto the red dirt shoulder. Once in Normanton we had a cold beer at the Purple Pub.