By about 8:30Am, Banka Banka was almost empty. The staff were turning on the sprinklers to green up the grass. I guess that was the message to get out. I rolled out the gate at 9:00Am to continue the journey north. I have left the clouds long behind and it is now blue skies for as far as the eyes can see.

The phone rang out in the middle of nowhere which wouldn’t have occurred except for Starlink working away in the caravan. I guess Elon is good for something. Ozzie was surprised that I picked up, but the call was clear as if in the city.

Some fuel at Elliott then continuing north through Daly Waters and Larrimah arriving at Mataranka Homestead just after 2:00Pm.

Now the fun begins. Will I be lucky to get a powered site on the lower level. No such luck, it is back up on the airstrip. It is not too bad as the trees have grown in the last 2 years and provide ample shade for the sites up there.

Before long the Taj was set up for the next 6 days and it was down to have the first soak in the thermal pool after a 2-year absence.

There has been a couple of changes with a new boardwalk (maybe the old one got washed away in the floods) and a lot of the trees around the pool are gone and with it the spider webs and Orb Spiders.

Only a 3-hour soak today before heading to the homestead for a meal. It is not quite the hub that it used to be. I guess with Nathan “Whippy” Griggs not doing his whip cracking show here, the crowds aren’t here either. Nathan is still around but he now does his show at the Rodeo Ground in town.

Mike and Maria were here, I was not expecting that so caught up, had our meal then retreated back to our vans as it was starting to get fairly cool.

Distance for the day was 470 kms. Fuel costs were $1.99 per litre.