Mount Surprise to Karumba

Feeling a little jaded on leaving Bedrock Village we started toward Georgetown. Not expecting too much we were not disappointed. After refueling and restocking the larder, we visited the "Terrestial Center", which we found was all about ore and mining samples. Having little interest in this subject and discovering that there was a cost involved, we decided the cost did not match our interest level, so after a brief look at the foyer displays we headed off towards Croydon.

Arriving in Croydon we stopped at the very good tourist info center, we enjoyed a short video of the areas history and viewed the mining displays. The displays were excellent and the staff very helpful. We had lunch at a local cafe/supermarket and over a nice cuppa decided to move onto Normanton.

One hundred and sixty k's on we drove into Normanton. Sometimes in life, indeed many times, the vision of a place on the map, we have in our mind, is nothing like the reality of what you get when you arrive. And so it was with Normanton, even with the biggest event of the year in progress (the annual Rodeo) it is a very depressing place. I guess I have difficulty coping with aboriginal people just standing or sitting doing nothing, mostly under the influence of alcohol. I am intimidated by the sight of buildings with steel mesh over their windows and reinforced doors. I do not like to be threatened by the looks and body language of the young ones. I guess more than anything I am frustrated because I do not know how to change the way things are. And obviously the Government have no idea either because they have tried many different things over the years.

Anyhow even though we were tired we pushed on the 70 k's to Karumba.

We were lucky to get a site in Karumba Township, Karumba is a town in two places, the point at the entrance of the Norman River and the Town itself. It is basically a fishing village and port outlet for the Century zinc mine.

Real Time...We are now in Kakadu National Park awaiting the start of a tour, so I am out of time at the moment. I will continue later