Bridge Creek to Katherine - 171km

I drove into Katherine this afternoon and on the way turned off the highway and drove through the small mining town of Pine Creek.  I went for a wander around the town before driving up to the old gold mine lookout.  Boy!! That was a hairy drive.  A good test for the van going up a short but very steep bendy road.  Too bad if someone was coming the other way.

The lookout was a bit run down which is a pity because there was a lovely view over the old Enterprise Pit which is now filled with water.  The Pine Creek Gold Field shut down in 1995 and Pine Creek was diverted into the pit which took 14 months to fill with water.

I have decided to stay in Katherine for two nights because I didn't get my cooking done as intended.  It was so hot I decided to wait until I could have the air conditioner going, so tomorrow will be my cooking day with the air conditioner working flat chat.

I'm looking forward to heading off on Monday.  I have heard so much about Alice Springs and Coober Pedy and I am looking forward to visiting.  I still have a long way to go, so I'm hoping by the time I get to Alice Springs that the nights will be a little bit warmer.  Looking at the temperatures they have been getting, its not unusual to drop to zero.  A bit too cold for my liking.  Talk about going from one extreme to the other.  The constant hot weather gets a bit much sometimes, but I hate the cold with a vengeance.

Windmill in main street of Pine Creek.

Enterprise pit now filled with water.