Tues, 20th June, 2023 Old Police Station Waterhole to Errolola Waterhole, Davenport Range National Park, NT (Annalise’s birthday)

7.15am 13.1 degrees, the sun slow to come over the hills but the birds are all up early. Puffy clouds and a cold breeze this morning. Hope Annalise has a lovely birthday - I had sent her a message when we had phone reception the other day.

I washed my hair but should have heated the water first - like Steve suggested!! Luckily I just bend over to wash it so the body doesn’t get wet!

Packed up and headed back out then onto the Binns Track again. Slow going in sections where the track is eroded from ‘flood damage’ according to the signs.

Then after navigating through that we go through long sandy sections. Glad Steve does all the driving.

Through Bull Creek and onto a side road to park up for a cuppa. There was a bore and windmill but it doesn’t look like it has worked in a long time. Continued on through the sand.

A cloud band is coming over from the west. Steve spotted a green tree quivering then a flock of budgies flew off leaving just the dead branches of the tree. We love watching them soar in unison and wonder how they decide who is the leader!

Back onto the hard ground base again through open grass flats.

A few hawks are perched on the tops of trees keeping an eye out for lunch. The plants are closing in on the track.

Up and down some spinifex covered hills as we near Hatches Creek homestead. Not sure if it is being used though we saw one vehicle and obviously they aren’t worried about the gate being open now - note the sign on the gate. There were a few donkeys about too.

Continued on through Hatches Creek which was dry. Nice hills (one is Wolfram Hill) as we near the mine workings of Hatches Creek. Old workings on the flats then we turned off and spotted the poppet head etc.

We went around to the fenced poppet head and there was a vehicle parked up and the couple from Swan Hill were having an early lunch. They are doing the whole Binns Track from the south all the way to Darwin and had a map book of the track. He let me take a couple of photos, we will do the first two maps to get down to the Plenty Highway. Will have to get one to read all the info. Had a lovely chat with them. They are meeting friends in Halls Creek in July and will do the Canning Stock Route down to Wiluna.

Looking through the gate at the old mine site. Gold and Wolfram (Tungsten) was found around here. This is the info from back at the waterhole.

We drove around onto a grassy flat to have lunch then Steve went wandering with the 6000 while I read. He only found rubbish and thick grass.

We continued around past the tailing dumps. Continued on through the spinifex covered hills - the single land track is very good here.

Across a wide rocky creek bed which was dry of the Frew River.

Through some rocky hills - the track is rougher for a while then improved again.

Still running along the edge of the National Park on our right. Down through rocky gullies where the trees are closing in on the track. Across the Frew River again.

Up and along a ridge then more rocky hills and rocky track! Into another creek which had water.

Onto flat country between the hills. The donkeys are considerate and do their business in the middle of the track so we don’t have to drive through the piles. Thick grass and gums along here.

Red rocky hill with the green leaves in the river below and grass flat is very picturesque.

Back into another section of the Davenport Range National Park through a long sandy section. Spotted 4 galahs sitting in a dead tree then a donkey all by himself.

Back to the hard eroded ground like at the start - slow crawl. Across another dry river bed which was very rocky.

A bit further along we went around the base of a rocky hill with the river below us and a small waterhole which I realised is the one we want to stop at, Errolola Waterhole. We drove down to the creek bed then turned around and went back to the flat area overlooking the water. Not quite water views but it will do for the night.

Walked over to the rocky outcrop for the view over the waterhole.

Looking back at the camper on the track before Steve drove it up onto the flat area. Our camp site for the night.

Another roof actuator has failed so Steve changed one from the other side so we have two each side. I worked on my blog for a while.

Steve cleared the grass against the rocks to make a fire to heat up the shower water. He dropped a bucket over the edge of the rocks and lifted up some water. Nice fire while we had drinks.

The mackerel clouds overhead changed colour as the sun set and at last the flies have stopped buzzing. Other than that one couple at Hatches Creek we haven’t seen anyone else on the track.