Day 116-118 Mount Elizabeth Station – Home Valley Station 25th - 28th July

Next up was a long drive to our next camping spot. There is a seriously large stretch on the Gibb River in need of a Maccha's to break up the drive. After countless small creek crossings and thousands of corrugations we approached our next spot. We got to the Durack River, a 20 metre river crossing, to inspect it when Robyn discovered that we had just got a flat! The hole was just too big to be fixed with a puncture kit so it was time to use the trolley jack and change the tyre. We were fortunate that a young Tanami Road station worker - Dustin was nearby, and helped us change the tyre. 

 

We pulled in to Home Valley Station, a further 80km up the road, hoping that we didn't get another flat on the way. Luck would have it and we made it in one piece, to an simply amazing oasis in this dust-filled country. The station turned our to have a swimming pool, restaurant, large grassy areas, and our favourites – flushing toilets and showers! So we immediately changed our plans and decided to make this our base for a couple of days.

I had an adventure that evening when some fellow travellers needed some help. A family had burst two tyres and needed some assistance to get to the campsite. We scouted around to find a spare and I drove back 30km down the Gibb River Rd in the dark, with high beams and spots on, to deliver and help put on the spare. Taking it slowly, and feeling all the corrugations, we watched out for skippy as we made our way there and back. It was nice to help someone out, after all the help we had received ourselves from kind strangers.

Our family by now had also become owners of two tyres that had been repaired using a puncture repair kit. The recommendation from the mechanics at the station was to get them changed with a proper patch as little did we know, puncture kits were only meant to be used in emergencies. With the station having its own repair centre, it was no hassle getting them changed while we lazed by the pool.

I went fishing one evening with some of the more seasoned travelers, 4WD'ing across the Pentecost River, and fishing off the banks of salt-water crocodile territory. I managed to catch a small Bream and used that as live bait to try to catch a big Barra – unluckily it was the only fish any of us caught that night.

We booked into the restaurant the second evening and were lucky to have a live act playing with a dusty, singing voice arguably better than mine. As he strummed away on his acoustic guitar, we ate prawns, crocodile, steak and sticky date pudding with a nice shiraz and port. It was simply an excellent day.

Instead of staying at El Questro Station we took a day trip from Home Valley as it was only 30km away. This gave Robyn an opportunity to cross the 100m wide Pendercost River which she did with flying colours. At El Questro we took a dip in the thermal pools at Zebedee Springs and walked amongst the palms.

Wonky wheels

28 degrees at Zebedee Springs

Robyn after successfully navigating the Pendercost River

Crossing the Pendercost River

Nick, Brigid and family rocked up at our campground that evening. Like us, shaken and stirred they also had had a puncture on the Gibb River Road. The kids were excited and played till late with with Conor and Daniel.