20/4/2015 - 23/4/2015 — 4 nights Bitter Springs Cabins and Camping ($27 p/n)

On the road around 10:00am for a 1 .5hr drive to Mataranka. About 40kms out we noticed the reversing camera starting to flicker, then the engine light comes on, followed by the airbag light and car is running a bit rough. We pulled into a rest station and Mark pops the bonnet (I'm not sure why as he has absolutely no idea about engines but thought it could have been the alternator.)

We decided to run the gauntlet to the caravan park with no dashboard instruments at all by this stage, booked in, chose our site turned off the car and that is where it stayed until tilt truck came to pick it up :(

Called the RACV (luckily the mechanic in town is RACV registered) who came out and confirmed it was the alternator and would order one from Katherine.

Walked down to Bitter Springs which were 300m from camp and spent the afternoon floating down them. Crystal clear water and about 32 degrees. Stunning landscape of palm trees and water lilies.

The following day we rode our bikes the 12kms into Mataranka Springs... Which were just as beautiful as Bitter Springs, but more like a big swimming pool. Spent an hour or so just lolling around enjoying the water.

A couple of drinks with our neighbours Mark and Dee who we had briefly spoken to at Daly Waters. Small world... Marks' two brothers had both been firemen who my Mark knew, and Marks best mate are Erin and Paul Leahy's neighbours and good friends!

Once we got the car back we headed off to check out the local attractions... Elsey Station and Cemetery (Jeannie Gunn, wrote of her time here and the characters that have now become famous through her 1902 classic 'We of the Never Never').

12 mile yards built in 1969 that were used 3-4 times a year to trap wild cattle on Mataranka Station.

Possibly the best spot to be broken down... 4 days relaxing in amazing springs swimming with turtles, a near empty caravan park that had an orphaned kangaroo called Lucky and 34 degrees... Not sure it gets any better!