Millstream NP

Tuesday 13^th May 2008

Everyone was freezing this morning and I had slept very badly – I’m sure Paul kept stealing all the covers! It wasn’t until after 9am that I started to feel slightly warm and ready to remove jumpers again.

We dragged the girls away from their friends (they had been taking our ladder and finding trees to climb) on a walk to the homestead along a great little track that started off crossing dry river beds that looked like they had been flooded recently, then we had to negotiate stepping stones through reed beds, through paper bark forests and clumps of Millstream Palms, past gracious Coolabah trees, through an open spinifex area and on past Silver Cadjeputs (I’m only remembering these names because we tried getting the girls to remember them) to the old homestead (now an unmanned visitors’ centre).

We saw an amazing caterpillar train – twelve hairy caterpillars, nose to tail as though they were glued together, negotiating a path across the track and past some very upset ants.

The girls were definitely flagging by the time we got there (about 50 minutes later, so they did well) but perked up when they were able to dangle their feet in the streams that used to be mill streams (hence the name, of course). While Paul and I actually read the displays in the centre, the girls started climbing trees again (well, Holly did while Katie watched). We could imagine how life would have been in the 1930s and I’m not sure I would have been up to it! So far away from everything, so much heat with no escape...

On the walk back we had to find ways to encourage both girls (it was about midday, so I can’t say I blame them for being hot and bothered!) – water and biscuits was not enough, so I was glad when they found the distraction of jumping on some fruits that looked like chinese gooseberries but which made a satisfying pop if you caught them just right. Holly was making up silly, rude songs which kept her happy for a while and Katie had a short turn on Paul’s shoulders until he got too hot and bothered himself.

Getting back to camp there were no friends so the girls deigned to spend some leisure time with Paul and I – we all had a swim and found ourselves some lunch at which point Hannah and her family swung into sight. For Katie it was the best moment of the day and Holly’s happiness wasn’t far behind when her friends returned and were ready for more swimming, camp building and exploring.

All of the kids played together and found a big inner tube which they borrowed for the afternoon and had fun with in the pool. Holly reckoned it was one of the best days of her life because she was having so much fun (will have to remind her of that the next time she complains about being away from home and her friends for so long!).

Paul took the Cruiser for a drive to a couple of lookouts in the vicinity and had such a good hour or so that he declared I should go check it out, too. Part of the fun for him was playing his music super loud as he drove and having the air con on at full blast. For me, it was the quiet and having the windows open to the evening air. I got a couple of good photos and took in some fantastic scenery – it’s amazing there aren’t more people here to see how beautiful it is.

Tonight we were prepared for the cold with sleeping bags out for the girls and Paul and I in jumpers in bed.