Katherine

11th June 2013

We spent the early part of this morning updating journals, doing school work and more importantly washing our clothes. With those chores done and breakfast out of the way we headed into Katherine to check a few things out.

I love this sign!

We had planned to make our first stop at the School of the Air, to try and give the girls a better understanding of what life and schooling is like for the kids living in remote areas of Australia. Unfortunately, the school had stopped doing any tours late last year, which meant we could not get any access, but were told that the Alice Springs School of the Air run tours so all is not lost!

We went on a little further out of town to check out the Katherine Museum, which was just fantastic. The museum was set up at the site of the old Katherine Airport, in which the airstrip was used in World War 2 until it was bombed in 22nd March 1942 and then later as a commercial airstrip until it closed in January 1975.

Original Site of the Overland Telegraph Line in Katherine

We spent hours there learning about the aboriginal and white culture of the area and found that the story of Vincent Langari (best known for most from the song "From little things big things grow") was from this region of Australia, it was very humbling to be reading this part of our history.

There was also some excellent history on Doctor Clyde Fenton, who basically set up his own rival company (now known as Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service) to the Royal Flying Doctors as they had a policy of not letting the doctors also be the pilots of the planes and as he was a pilot and a doctor he wanted to be able to do both. So for the main, he was responsible for providing emergency care for the residence of the Territory for many many years, during which he survived three plane crashes.

Clyde Fenton's original Gypsy Moth 

We had lunch at the museum before heading back into town and stocking up again on food for the next part of our journey south to Alice Springs. We also had to go into the Katherine Police Station to file a lost report, as I forgot to mention that when we were coming out of Jim Jim Falls, I lost one of my number plates (yes that's right, my Avon Descent number plate) on one of the river crossing we had to negotiate, bloody spewing! Oh well at least I can get it replaced when I'm back in town.

When we got back to the caravan park, we packed things away, including clean clothes and I also gave Rach a belated Mother's Day present (after I had lost the first one) this time I bought her a book the latest book & CD on the  famous aboriginal singer, Gurrumul.  

Better late than never - Happy Mothers Day, again?

We then headed to the site pool for a refreshing dip, before walking down to the nearby Katherine Hot Springs for about an hour or so, which was a really great way to end the day in Katherine.

The girls and I in Katherine Hot Springs

Tomorrow we are planning on going to Katherine Gorge in the morning before hitting the road again and venturing further south, it should be good!