Sawpit Gorge

Our campsite was a bit of a surprise when we woke up this morning, as we had arrived so late in the dark last night.  It was a lovely spot where we had camped above the mostly dry creek bed, in the middle of which was a large, gnarly tree.  It must have been years and years old.
Oskar, Dom and Nadine joined me for an early morning clamber over rocks normally underwater in the wet season and along the dry creek bed, discovering very cool shale rocks that were layered almost vertically. Some serious earth disruptions happened here once.
 
The little pool rippled with the breeze making it hard to see into the green water, and I wondered if it held any large reptiles - not sure if I will ever be able to swim in a rock pool again.

We had a relaxing morning washing dishes, playing angry birds on my birthday present, (thanks Grant) and unwinding from 4 hours of rattling along a dirt track.  About mid morning we decided to head up to Sawpit Gorge, where I knew it was safe to swim.  Another very rattly ride later, past rolling hills and tall red ants nests, we came to a beautiful pool below a towering red jagged cliff. Although it was cold in the water, the gorge was beautiful and the kids had a great time making spears from rocks, sticks and reeds.  We met a tour group who couldn't visit the bungle bungles because of the fire today and had come here instead.  it made us feel pretty good to have ended up doing what the tour guides suggested! Sounds like the Bungle Bungles are well and truly out for us though.

Back at Caroline Pool, we chatted to our fellow campers who had arrived while we were away, a young German couple who have been working on a remote cattle station up near the gulf in the northern territory for eighteen months, and a guy from Ipswich.  Pretty funny.

Cooper woke in the night a bit heat affected.  Grant's the only one who can settle him down, so I spent the night on the short couch, with my legs sticking over the end. I actually slept quite well - must be pretty tired.

We're starting to get a bit dusty and grotty after three nights in free camping spots and several hundred kilometers of dusty, dirty roads.  Our supply of clean clothes is dwindling and our sheets are all gritty.  Tomorrow we might try a caravan park.  Joseph wants power to charge his laptop!