Van Adventure 13 - The Big Loop 2025 Part 2 of 4

 Van Adventure 13 - The Big Loop 2025 Part 2 of 4

Duncan Road/NT

Day 1 DRNT (Thursday 24/7/25 = day 39 of the overall trip)

Three bottles of wine procured after yesterday’s climb up Thegoowiyeng and cleaning some of the dust from inside the vehicle. A fair bit of it gets through the gaps for the ensuite where the cassette fits so it is always a bit of a chore.

Heading south for Hall’s Creek on the blacktop to turn east then north around the east side of Purnululu and Lake Argyle. The dust will return…

Safely at a great bush camp located on Duncan Rd outside of Halls Creek. 

Drove 375km

Swimming pool is a bit dry

Day 2 - 25/7/2025

Well what a shock last night when somebody at the campfire mentioned my birth place, Korumburra. Turns out they live in the same street as our family way back when. Asked if they drink at the Middle Hotel which was yes and then if they knew one of the barmen named Brian or Yanny… yep, that’s my brother.

Not sure whether they believed me at first but I proceeded to describe Korumburra landmarks perfectly (of course). Told them that when the go to the pub next tell Brian that they bumped into Natasha in the Kimberley.

Old Halls Creek has a few landmarks and an old cemetery which makes for interesting perusal. I also snapped a pic of a long tailed finch which I had not seen before. Quite a few prospectors around as well.

Cemetery 

Perished from thirst

Long Tailed Finch

Day 3 - 26/7/2025

Departed camp at 0800 and tootled through a narrow winding rocky road with numerous dry creek crossings and floodways. Quite rugged and picturesque landscape including natural fed Palm Springs. Too cold for a swim this morning. Eventually you cut through the last escarpment and it becomes grazing plain as far as you can see. Not many trees either. Lots of cattle hogging the road.

The road surface was quite smooth consolidated dirt so 70kmh was easily attainable. La Bestia cruises well at 60-70 on dirt while being quite economical (12.5L/100km). This is the longest distance between fuel stops for the route thus far. 300km done with another 300 to Timber Creek. I may have to use a jerry can on this leg as I am diverting to Keep River NP on the way which will add 80km or so. My range is usually around 650km but maybe a bit more due to the slower pace on dirt.

I stopped for a natter with some travellers at the Buntine Highway intersection. More Victorians… continued on and popped into old Ord Homestead which is in a state of disrepair. Clearly had been reroofed with modern materials but had collapsed somehow. Cyclone perhaps?

This section of the road is what I term a typical country road with largish angular stones and one and a half lanes. Some patches of corrugations but nothing like the Gibb. The dust, however, has made a huge comeback and is the fine grey and red that seeps into everything.

Finally arrived at my intended camp on the Negri River crossing which is 210m east of the WA border in NT. If I walked along the river a bit I could cross the border. There are freshies in the river here. Their eyes light up under a spotlight. I counted seven pairs. A small group of wallabies turned up as well.

Drove 295km

Quite remote and not much traffic

Ord River Homestead

Purnululu in the distance

Forrest Creek

NT/WA border control

Crocs in there

Day 4 - 27/7/2025

A bit of a nothing day collecting a modicum of firewood and happy to see the two noisy families sod off. Maybe I will get a pic of the big croc…but no, it was too quick to scuttle into the water. Anyway I met a couple from Kangaroo Island and had a bit of a chat. They claimed that the road north on the NT side was better than on the WA side. More on this tomorrow. I wandered up the road to the border and spotted a couple of camels.

What was rather humorous was a darter standing really close to the edge where the crocs sun themselves with its wings out drying them. Stood there for an eternity. Surely it was doing the dare thing. Next thing it walks into the water a begins fishing along ‘their’ bank of the river. Got out onto its rock with a full belly and sneered at them.

Quite a mob of wallabies came down to drink as well. Also snapped a pic of the male crimson finch and a great egret.

Day 5 - 28/7/2025

Up sticks and headed toward the highway and turn west to get to the Keep River NP access road, just short of the WA border. Don’t want to go there as I would have to hand over the fruit and veg I bought in Kununurra. Not as relaxed as the third border crossing I took a pic of.

Anyway, the road from Negri River… was pretty shite. Sharp large stones. Was hoping my poor tyres would hold up against the punishment. They did, thankfully (TOYO Open Country A/T). It’s quite a balancing act softening them to protect the vehicle without making them too podgy and susceptible to side cuts.

Didn’t bother pumping them back up for the 20km to the Keep River turn off. I just sat on a leisurely 80kmh much to the disdain of those wishing to travel at the posted 130kmh.

Came across a jabiru, dingo, and a kori bustard along the way plus a road train on ‘my side’ trying to find less bumps and rocks. We passed by each other safely in the end. 

Got to the end of Duncan Road at the Victoria Highway and breathed a sigh of relief. There was a landcruiser parked on the side of the road at the intersection with no one around. Strange. Perhaps what they were towing needed attention in Kununurra?

Gave La Bestia a hug and a kiss and headed for Keep River. Fairly tame 30km of dirt compared to where I have been so was quite relaxed at the speed limit of 60kmh. 

Quite striking scenery here, with ranges like Purnululu.

Drove 180km

WA/NT border for the third time

Victoria Hwy NT

Entrance to Keep River NP

Jarnem Campground 

Day 6 - 29/7/2025

Rock wallaby was out and about this morning. Great little 7.7km stroll through the countryside including a lookout and a cultural rock art site in amongst the Purnululu like bee hive formations. A French family came across a pretty brown tree snake. It was a healthy specimen at around 1.8m.

Met the camp hosts from Victoria (more!) and decided to stay an extra night so I can pull the mtb out and ride to the next walk trail 10km away. It’s very warm here but small camp sites and no generators allowed. Relatively peaceful for sure. Most only stay one or two nights. No ‘big wankpanzer rigs’.

Curiously there are no soaring birds about, not even the seemingly ubiquitous whistling or black kites. The wind comes and goes.

Great to make recontact with a follower Alex & Bryn. We met at Amalia Gorge on El Questro Station. Had a chat about their trip into Purnululu and some car trouble over a beer/cider. 

Hiked 7.8km including 80m ascent

Day 7 - 30/7/2025

Another day and the trusty mtb got me 9.5km down the road to the next walk which was along a pretty dry Keep River bed. One decent pond but not much water. Interesting walk with a cultural site of significance at the end of 1.2km. Some rock art as well. Alex and Bryn left, we’ll probably bump into each other again along the road. Camp was pretty quiet now with three camps plus the camp host. 

Next thing you know Tim and Annie turn up at my van for a chat. We camped nearby each other at the Pentecost River. They were camped nearer the highway and came up to do the longer walk here. Sounds like we will be following similar routes along the gulf country.

Oh, and I made a rookie error this morning while kitting up. I had left my socks and hike shoes outside last night and put them on without checking. Once I had everything done up I feel this ‘massive’ digging at the base of the toes on my left foot. Wtf? Ripped the shoe and sock off to find a 2.5cm beetle inside my sock lol (pic).

Heading toward Timber Creek tomorrow to refuel and either east to stay at Victoria River or south to stay along the Buchanan Hwy.

Rode 18.8km including 66m ascent

Hiked 2.4km including 37m ascent

Day 8 - 31/7/2025

Got my act together earlyish (not light until 0700 here). Packed up and headed to the other campground closer to the highway to do the Gurrandalng walk. Shortish but very picturesque from a geological perspective. Much of the plant life was restoring after fire. 

Said hooroo to Tim & Annie as well as Alex & Bryn as they were camped at Gurrandalng. Drove out to the highway and pumped the tyres back up and headed toward Timber Creek to refuel. I needed to drive in ‘eco’ mode at 80kmh to ensure I got there without having to use a jerry can. Saw a pair of Brolgas in a swamp mud patch but was too difficult to stop for a pic. The fuel reserve light came on with about 30km to go so I was going to make it (~100km range). 

Everyone and their dogs were filling up at the two stations in town as it was lunch time. La Bestia drank 85L so there were 7L remaining. 686km @ 12.4L/100km was pretty good considering the terrain since Halls Creek. 

Had a sandwich and some hot chips to change things a bit and set off back to the Bradshaw Bridge (a military access point over the Victoria River) then the Nackeroo lookout road to see if I could spot any Gouldian finches, but no sadly. Drove to the lookout to have a peek then down to Policeman’s Point to get up close to the river. Saw a magnificent Sea Eagle there!

Ended up driving through to Victoria River Roadhouse to camp the night. There was a bar where I met up with Stacey & Spud from Perth then later on Jane & Mike from Victoria who I had met around the campfire at Drysdale River. Their towed camper was having an axle replaced in Kununurra after being broken on the Kalumburu road returning from Mitchell Falls. Tough conditions out there.

Drove 335km

Hiked 2.2km including 39m ascent

Victoria River

Victoria River RH campsite

Day 9 - 1/8/2025

Arose early again to get out to the escarpment walk trail head. Fantastic walk up the escarpment. A climb of 165m in a little over 1000m. Good stuff and was the reason I came here, which meant I had to double back to the Buchanan Highway (lolz - read: goat track) to continue my plan.

I was tootling along and a vehicle going the other way was honking and occupants waving, Alex &Bryn! I sometimes forget how recognisable La Bestia is. Ended up going back to Timber Creek to top up as I was heading into ‘no fuel’ country and am forever mindful that bad fuel from little used facilities can ruin your day as well.

Back off the blacktop and let the tyres down 15psi all round to first see how sharp the stones/rocks were. Ye gods this is as bad as that lousy bit of Duncan Road. In fact there were more abrupt rock outcrops but less corrugations. Decided not to drop pressure any further to minimise side wall threats.

Found my way to Jasper Gorge which you actually drive along/through. Quite interesting with long pools of water. There is a small campground here named Lupayi as well as a day use area where I launched the drone for a look see and lunch. It was disappointing to see the day area unkempt and lacking the tables indicated on the mudmap.

My target was to camp on the Victoria River crossing just past Victoria River Downs homestead. I encountered road works just short of Victoria Downs where a grader was digging deeply into the roadway. The operator turned around and asked me to follow him through so he could smooth it out a bit. I was glad I was in 4WD and have decent clearance at that moment.

Reached the homestead and noticed a special paddock where the trusty mustering steeds were kept fed and watered. At least nine single person choppers… 

Got to the camp site a little later and voila, at last, another ‘me’ camp. Running water and no one else. Bliss. Was there gathering firewood and along came the grader probably going back to base.

Drove 255km

Hiked 2.6km including 167m ascent

Victoria River crossing

Wonderful campsite

Day 10 - 2/8/2025

How quickly circumstances change when humans are around. I heard a steel banging going on nearby. That road maintenance crew were now setting up RIGHT HERE! Lordy we pollute the environment. Low loader arrives with a water pump and associated gubbins to fill water carts as well as the grader. The earthly silence is now terrorised by diesel grunting and reversing warning signals. The grader is now making a flat base by ripping up the natural rocky river bank. Glad I changed my mind about camping on the other side. At least I’m ‘over here’. Gives me something to watch and ponder my next move. 

Decided to put the awning out and uh oh the gear drive was slipping. Seems like the rough roads have taken toll on the awning system. Got it closed up and will have to stay that way unfortunately as I can’t reach it should it fail ‘open’. Doubtful whether I can get parts anywhere out here, even if I could reach the mechanism. Top of my equipment list is a telescopic ladder but couldn’t get one in time for this trip as I had left it too late to search on line.

It’s refreshingly cool at night out here and I am parked in a shady spot. Off to Top Springs tomorrow with Katherine after that. I did spot a Great Egret and three Radjah Shelducks here.

Day 11 - 3/8/2025

Tootled along the ever changing rockstrewn ‘Buchanan highway’ to Top Springs where I had an ice cream and called ahead for a caravan park in East Katherine. I was glad to be back on asphalt, or so I thought.

Then comes the kicker of the Buntine Highway back out to the main drag. It’s one of those old single lane asphalt roads with a 5cm drop off the edge. More likely to cut the sidewall than what I have been on for 165km. Oncoming truck? Get off the tarmac completely hoping there are no fire hardened stumps to hit. It was similar to the last bit of the Tanami road heading toward Alice Springs but interspersed with full width sectors. Luckily there weren’t many vehicles but road trains make for exciting times.

Stopped at the intersection where there is a memorial to Buntine. That’s where I met the NSW couple who were intending to travel the Gibb on a wing and a prayer in my book. Those roads demand two spare wheels for each vehicle and a strengthened lifted caravan chassis. There were many wheel changes on caravans I saw. I suspect some of those were cheap non A/T tyres coz it’s just the caravan, but they will stop you as well.

I am here in a caravan park/resort just east of Katherine to regroup, resupply, do a wheel rotation and clean out the engine air filter. That was a spare I failed to include but was replaced recently.

Drove 380km

Locals out the side of the pub

Back to the Victoria Hwy

View from the bar

Day 12 - 4/8/2025

Pulled out the mtb to ride into the shopping centre to fill prescriptions and purchase some more soft drink. Back to the caravan park and strip out the boot and start the wheel rotation. Fortunately it isn’t that hot today. I do the wheel rotation every 8000km plus or minus. It’s sort of straight forward with six wheels all up. Big job and tiring for this 66yo. The difference in the surface cutting between the tyres not used this far on this trip and the others is stark. They certainly have taken a beating.

6000km for the trip total thus far in very dusty conditions so I pulled the engine air filter out. The inlet tray had all manner of things including leaves, bees and other insects. The filter element was dusty but not too bad so I blew out much of it using my compressor gun.

Also heard a very different bird today. It was feeding from the banana palm flower, a blue faced honeyeater.

Rode 8km

Day 13 - 5/8/2025

Not a lot today. Catch up on laundry and some supplies. Found a fold out crate at Kmart so now have a better mtb shopping holder (pic).

I also sourced a replacement awning gear box in Darwin. Wasn’t going to go that far north but not being able to use the awning may mean a 600km round trip detour after Edith Falls. Let’s see how I feel then. I suspect that a detour is coming up. (Also add one to the spares box for the future.) Rough roads strip the cogs with the system trying to open itself under the dynamic mass. They are also most likely nylon so not that tough. I have now learned to cinch strap it closed for future.

This resort style hotel/caravan park is a curious fusion of campers, hotel motel types and swanky restaurant punters. May even go for a swim later.

Off early tomorrow for a 2hr Nitmiluk gorge tour then onward to Edith Falls campground. Tis a rare type of activity for me but sometimes I have to join the madding crowd for an experience I can’t get any other way. Similar to whale sharks which was the last time I joined a ‘tour group’, although the chopper ride out to Mitchell Falls was sort of similar but only 5mins

Rode 8km

Day 14 - 6/8/2025

Went on a very full Nitmiluk gorge tour taking in two gorge pools only for 2 hrs. In reality that’s about as much as I can take. The tour guide was great but I always feel like a herded sheep in such situations. Not my cup of tea however the gorge was pretty spectacular. Saw one freshie only and a few birds. Hard to feel at one with nature when surrounded by a throng of humans. Quite appropriately the majority were from an APT tour group so around my age…

After that it was back to Katherine for some last minute fresh supplies, fuel and a better hat then head north to Leliyn/Edith Falls campground on the other side of Nitmiluk NP. To my surprise the road was sealed all the way in and there is a little kiosk as well.

Optus came through again albeit a bit sluggish. The lower swimming pool is quite large and has a small fall at one end. It is running pretty hard still. Time for the pump up paddle board to come out after 6000km of sitting there. GoPro was also used today.

There are a couple of decent walks to other swimming points so I added a night to my two night reservation. This is one of those campgrounds where having a six metre long van allows me to fit into spaces others can’t so the smaller ones are often not taken.

Drove 124km

Nitmiluk Tour

Leliyn lower pool

Day 15 - 7/8/2025

Headed out the trail to sweetwater pool. A wonderful walk and even better swim. Not many folks either which is a rare bonus here. The return walk was draining in 32°C.

Quite a few red tailed black cockatoos around. Also a pied cormorant and little egret at sweetwater pool. The fern leafed grevilleas are common here with their striking orange blooms.

Hiked 9.4km including 186m ascent

Day 16 - 8/8/2025

Shorter Leliyn walk today. Highly recommend! Good climb, spectacular views and a great swimming hole complete with gushing waterfall. Lots more peeps because it’s shorter and closer to camp/day use area but well worth the effort.

Also, most of you know how I feel about unprepared walkers/hikers. Well I was following a group of four walking in thongs/scuffs and one of them was just crowing about how they were in such attire for a pretty steep rocky path then bam down he went. Could have been a serious back injury. He then has the gall to pronounce that different footwear wouldn’t have made any difference. Utter effwit. Toxic buffoonery right there. Won’t learn and will probably brag about it to his fellow yobbos. Ffs 🤦🏼‍♀️. 

The number people walking in on a 3.2km return grade 3/4 trail who are prepared for the swim and not the walk staggers me. It’s no wonder there is a static emergency call device on the trail above the waterway.

I have decided to take the detour to Darwin for the awning part. It plays a role in privacy as well as shade and a clothes line. Early 300km cannonball one way run tomorrow.

Hiked 3.3km including 133m ascent

Day 17 - 9/8/2025

300km to Palmerston outside of Darwin. Lordy I hate city traffic. Got to the parts place and asked if I could borrow a step ladder but no so I had to resort to my improvised work platform. I had been using it gingerly for strapping the awning closed. Not very ‘safe’ but necessary in the circumstances.

I had no idea how the unit is replaced so I went by ‘feel’ and logic. Fortunately I am pretty mechanically savvy so I had it replaced and working within an hour. No falls were experienced either. A further resupply at the supermarket and booze shop and I was out of there…

Of course now that I am this far north I need to regroup again and consider what next so I pulled into a little RV park just off Stuart Hwy at Coomalie Creek. Not flash but spacious and well priced as well as being close to the turn off to Litchfield NP should I feel so inclined. I really don’t like the humidity after the dry heat and cool nights of Katherine. Let’s see.

Drove 345km

Defunct awning gearbox

Improvised work platform

My campsite

Sparsely populated 

Day 18 - 10/8/2025

Got up and had a wonderfully hot shower. The facilities at Coolamie Creek RV park are rustic but effective. Worked a little more on the awning to secure it for rough roads and pondered my next move.

Logic took over and I decided to do the Litchfield loop. So close by and glad I did. Three short but entertaining walks and two swims. First stop was Tolmer Falls with a small loop walk. Pretty impressive landscape but hard to capture properly. No swimming here. Second stop was Greenant creek / Tjaetaba falls. Nice walk through rain forest then adjacent savannah. Plunge pool at the top was small, overcrowded and a bit polluted (from sunscreen I suspect with an oily film on the water surface). Third was Wangi falls pool which is similar to Leliyn but a much higher waterfall (in fact there are two) and a smaller pool. Tourist mecca but worth the visit and the loop walk.

There was a 1.0m Mertens Water Monitor fossicking through peoples picnic rugs and eskies here. So funny. Clearly after some tasty treats it could sense. The humans lost and packed up to move away. Yay! Some unwelcome new players were experienced at Coolamie and Litchfield, march flies. They find me tasty unfortunately. 

Decided I’d ‘done Litchfield’ and continued to drive the picturesque loop to Berry Springs and back to the highway. It seems that double lines are of no consequence to Territorians, they’ll overtake anywhere. Also nearly got T-boned by some jerk in a ford ranger (ranger danger!) who failed to even slow down at their T junction with the major road I was on. How the eff does anyone NOT see La Bestia? Fortunately my reactions are still pretty quick so I swerved to avoid any carnage.

Headed south onto Dorat Rd at Adelaide River. Talk about narrow, tight and twisty asphalt. Made camp at Robin Falls. A fair few here but lovely free sites along a flowing creek. Thanks for the tip Alex. Definitely my type of camp. Nothing but trickling water, birds, frogs and other beasties. The canopy above my seat next to the creek 💚. 250km round trip today.

Believe it or not I have decided to go back to Leliyn on the way to Bitter Springs as I loved it there in spite of the noisy kids. Tis a wonderful combo of walk and swim and facilities.

Oh wow! Four bandicoots visited me tonight. Wonderful. Fully chuffed. How special? Made my visit…

Drove 260km

Hiked 6.7km including 268m ascent

Tolmer Falls

Tjaetaba Falls

Wangi Falls 

Water monitor looking for food

One side of the falls

The other side

Quite a steep path up

Robin Falls Campground 

Tucked away

Running stream

Magnificent canopy

Day 19 - 11/8/2025

One more night at Robin Falls. My type of place for sure. Went for a stroll up to the modest waterfall and it was great. Only one at first and I could feel someone watching…a rock wallaby from on high. How appropriate! A few pools of crystal clear water along the way. 

Got back to camp and set to scrounging some firewood which was slim pickings. Enough for one night at least. Snapped a pic of an Azure Kingfisher in the tree at the creek side. There are a few ridges that deserve climbing around here. A longer stay would be useful but I must move on. The gulf land awaits.

The bandicoot family is entertaining me tonight while I sit by the campfire. Young one with the zoomies and older ones coming within a metre of me. Just chillin’ seeking nom noms. Had to hide the rubbish bag as they could smell the empty juice boxes and were tearing it apart. Wth I’m surrounded by bandicoots! I think there’s five. Best camp ever. They look really healthy and I hope that no one brings a dog or young kids into this particular site.

Hiked 2.2km including 20m ascent

Day 20 - 12/8/2025

Back to Leliyn for another night coz I didn’t want to stay in Katherine. Dorat Road was very scenic if a little narrow and bouncy. Met another Sprinter owner, nearly brand new. They no longer make the V6 4x4, they are now constant AWD twin turbo 4.

Went for a walk and swim at the upper pool. Such a great combo with less people. Booked a second night at a different site within the same camp.

Drove 180km

Along Dorat Road

The top end route

Day 21 - 13/8/2025

Big drive today…150m from site 48 to site 12. The new site enables me to face the awning toward the bush. Much better than the inner ring where you face other campers around a patch of well kept grass/bbq.

I am not there 10minutes and bam, a Pacific Baza dives on breakfast in the bush and flies right by me to perch in a tree to eat. Wonderful. If that’s not enough a blue winged kookaburra dives down to the base of a tree right beside me to forage for a lizard it had spotted from above.

Very interesting to watch what the normally very feisty Great Bowerbird does around the baza. Nup, he’s outa there… A group of bar-shouldered doves also came by.

Washing day today before heading south then eventually east to Borroloola via Mataranka and Daly Waters. Met some intrepid travellers from Switzerland last night, Silja, Urs, & André. Hired a 4WD with twin roof top campers in Darwin and are going to GRR, Mitchell Falls, Tanami, Wolf Creek, and to the centre for the Mereenie loop, kings canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Gutsy. Seem to have done their homework.

One aspect of this camp is the Bush Stone-Curlews at around 0300 with their spooky screams. They wander about the camp foraging while no humans are active.

Day 22 - 14/8/2025

Not much to share as I was in resupply and transit mode. Into Katherine and 400km to an overnight at the Highway Inn Daly Waters. Buy fuel = unpowered site for $10. Wow! There’s a pool as well as a bar. 

Drove 340km

************

I’m on the Savannah way now heading toward the Gulf of Carpentaria and eventually Queensland. Feeling good and keen to continue eastward. Continued in the next phase…

Drove 3070km

Hiked 36.6km

Rode 26.8km

Now 60 days total on the road

The Duncan Rd NT phase route