It was an early start for our trip up to Karumba via Normanton; however we didn’t actually pull away from the camp site until just after 9am. Not forgetting to fill up with fuel even though it was only going to be about 225 kms and all on a sealed road. We had enjoyed our stay in Croydon and the salt water pool which we used a few times. Strange to think that’s the first swim we’ve had since leaving Sydney. The road followed alongside the Gulflander train track to Normanton, the road had a few stretches of single bitumen, however most of it was a two way highway. We tuned the UHF into channel 40 so we could have our ears open for any of the road trains that might want to contact us, (i.e. they want to pass or ask us to move off the road as they want to come through)
The country here was much the same vast expanses of savannah grass and bush. The map indicated quite a few sites of abandoned cattle stations. It was fenced both sides of the road which kept most of the cattle from straying on to the highway, however there was still a great amount of road kill of the wild life with the usual birds gathering around the carcasses and scattering just in time as we approached. Eagles were in abundance and could be seen hovering and swopping down looking for prey.
We drove on many long straight stretches of road at a steady pace with the cruise control set at 85 kph which seemed to be the most comfortable and economical fuel wise, however when towing we only average about 7 klm per litre of unleaded petrol.
We arrived at Normanton and stopped at the old Burns Bay building from days gone past and which now housed the visitor’s bureau and the local library, they say that it is a perfect example of colonial architecture with the original facade still in place.
Here is also ‘Krys’ the Savannah King. Krystina Pallowski, a well known crocodile hunter in the Gulf region, shot the largest estuarine crocodile in the world measuring 8.63 m long. We stopped and took some photos of this life size model which is on display beside the council chambers.
After a few phone calls the visitors bureau were able to find us an unpowered site in the over flow park in one of the caravan parks in Karumba, we knew it was a very popular place for tourists especially those that like to fish.
We checked in and found ourselves in a very open windswept field without power; however it was going to be for one night only, so we just accepted it. We set up and then walked out into the main street to have a look around. Many boat cruises are on offer here and of course fishing charters which go out for the day. We went on down to the boat ramp which during WWII the RAAF constructed which they used to service and load the flying boats called Catalina’s. Nearby was the building that was once used by the staff for accommodation when the Empire Flying Boats use to land here en-route from Sydney
to London. Then during the war it was used as a radio communications base for the RAAF and then in the 1950’s the building was converted into the Karumba Lodge.
It was then a drive off to Karumba Point Beach to experience the sunset which dips below the ocean, joining many others at the Sunset Tavern who were doing the same thing.
We drove back to the caravan park and walked across the road to the Fresh Bite seafood restaurant, chilli prawns for Beatrice and a Seafood Basket for me, which we washed down with some cool white wine. However the mosquitoes were out in force and the tropical strength insect spray was passed around the tables so everyone could spray their legs and arms. The Maitre’d told us that the mossies usually disappear after awhile and strangely enough that did happen.
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