Sun, 5th June, 2022 Victoria River Gorge access (boat ramp), south of Victoria River Roadhouse to Lupayi Campground, Gregory National Park, NT (walks & gorge)

Up at 6.30am (24 degrees - nice) to head down the road a bit for the Escarpment Walk while it is still cool.

Lovely colour on the escarpment as the sun popped up through the hills as we head out to the main road.

We rounded the end of the escarpment I took a photo of then went up the other side of it.

Pulled into the carpark for the Escarpment Walk and headed off. Checked out the info board on the way.

The sun has risen adding more colour to the red hills.

Up we go, learning about the Dreamtime story as we climbed.

Fabulous view as we climb higher. Looking over where the highway comes in then down the other way where the river winds downstream.

Further up - a better view of the river.

Still climbing - a view of the escarpment and rock formations.

Another view of the river.

Up through the rocks.

Onto the top.

At the end of the walk. Looking across to the Victoria River bridge and highway.

Then around to the Gorge area.

Headed back down - selfie time to prove we were here.

These are the yellow flowers I mentioned yesterday that come out of a pod after all the leaves have fallen off the tree.

A few more people have turned up to do the walk. Glad we went early has it is heating up quickly and it is very humid.

We continued down the highway to the turn off for the Old Victoria River Crossing. Dirt road good then down a wobbly track to the rocky river bed and the old crossing. No problems for ‘Smokey’. Only pools of water here though there seems to be a bigger lagoon further down.

The grass is growing out of the rocks - or the dirt in the rock crevices. Looks great.

Walked down to the other waterhole.

Back up and onto the highway again. The road now has an escarpment on one side and the river on the other - spotted another big lagoon of water.

Continued on to Joe Creek picnic area turn off. The dirt road winds its way into a ‘gorge’ with escarpments on either side. There is another escarpment walk here. Luckily we climb up the side and being the morning we will be in the shade the whole time.

Read the info and off we went. It is a loop track so we went to the right following the blue triangle. We came around to Joe Creek and followed it for a while.

Up we go.

Reached the top under the sheer rock face and worked our way along checking out the paintings and plants.

The palms look great against the blue sky.

There have been a couple of fallen trees and lots of loose rocks. Lots of green ferns and plants growing along the edge. Bit of a battle to get around the plants in some places and not fall down the edge.

Great view back up the valley.

Found a few more paintings. Wonder what these mean? Big gathering? There were a few more just inside the gap. A lot are too faded now.

Continued along. There must have been water coming down here as the wall of the rock is covered in dry mould/fungus but it doesn’t look like it has been wet for a while.

Came to an area where lots of rocks have fallen away and the formation looks twisted. We have become interested in the geology after the cruise. Well it looks interesting too.

This ant hill has seen better days. Actually this is the first one we have seen.

Continued around and found a big water container - empty.

Last sign before we head downhill. Chatted with another couple coming up. Worked our way along the slope.

Great view up the valley and around to where we are parked - down there somewhere.

Around the side. Looking back up. Following the guy in the hat!!

Slowly working our way back down to the truck. A couple more signs then we were back at the start.

It was a lovely walk in the shade. Had a late cuppa then headed back out to the main road and continued west across Joe Creek which was dry of course.

More hills but no exposed escarpments as we leave the National Park area.

Turned off onto the Buchanan Highway which is dirt. A ute was parked so we pulled up to let them get ahead of us. They tossed out their beer cans and asked is we had cigarettes - I said they are bad for you so they gave us a wave and headed off. So much for ‘looking after country’.

We let the ute get ahead. This ‘highway’ goes south then heads east back to the Stuart Highway near Dunmarra.

We could get a few dollars picking up all the cans along the side of the road! 

They must have had rain here last night as there is water pooled in the pot holes. Maybe those dark clouds over us at Victoria River dropped some.

Spotted a range of hills with exposed escarpments to the east but then we went through a section of grey looking hills - limestone?

Entered the Gregory National Park. Past the turn off into the 4WD track that goes across to the west side of the park. Will have a look and might take that rather than the long road back to the highway and then down again to Bullita Homestead etc.

Travelling through exposed escarpments now. Spotted a donkey then his friends - just got a photo of them.

Passed the campground at 6 Mile Creek. Continued on - nice view as we climbed the side of a hill with Jaspar Creek in the valley on the right and cliffs on the left. Across a dry Jasper Creek bed.

The escarpment is closer in on each side now and the creek is on the left. Jasper Creek now has water and it is lined with green foliage.

We reached the picnic area called Charlie’s Crossing - in the Camps Aust book this was a camping spot. We had lunch. The locals we saw before stopped in and walked down the track to the end of the waterhole and had a dip. They continued on their way south. You can see the water from here but it is took steep to climb back out of you want a dip! We walked down the track to check out the water. Bit of a rocky walk to get wet.

A couple pulled in from Melbourne. They are volunteering in a reading program in Aborigine communities and are spending a month a the community further down the Buchanan. Very interesting chatting to them. I commented about this being ‘Jasper Gorge’ and not being very ‘gorge’ like. She said the gorge was what we travelled through with the escarpments on either side. It was nice but not what I would call a gorge - more like a valley. 

Another couple pulled in their old Ocka. They had come up the Buchanan.

We headed back to the campground. Checked out the info board.

There are allocated sites. We chose one but couldn’t get level as they are made just for the car and for people to put tents up in the centre section. We parked over next to the fence out of the way and it was flat there. Steve started putting the new fans on the back of the fridge to blow coolish air onto the external pipework to keep it cool and therefore helping it not need to run all day. We don’t think there has been much improvement in the fridge. Will see how long it takes to ice up though.

I wandered over to Jasper Creek - well another waterhole of the creek and took some photos.

I got out my fishing rod and wandered down the track to where there was a clear area to cast from. There was a nice snag but nothing came out for a look.

5pm the wind has picked up and it looks like those dark clouds are coming over us.

6pm and it is raining!! The dark clouds are rumbling too. The rain didn’t last long but it wet the ground. The thunder kept rumbling for a while.

There is another caravan here on the other side with their generator running - hence we are on the other side. Another car has pulled in and they set up their tent in the middle and just got a fire going when the rain came down.