Thursday, 23 April 2026
So, nothing to do with the holiday but, yesterday, we received an email from our health insurance provider telling us the good news that, with Bernie turning 65 next month, we would be entitled to a higher health insurance subsidy. However, by the end of the day Health Minister, Mark Butler, had announced the government’s plans to scrap the higher subsidy for over 65s. How’s that for timing? Oh well, I suppose you can’t really miss something that you’ve never had.
This morning we drove 23 kilometres east on Luritja Road, to undertake the Easy 2.6 kilometre Kathleen Springs Walk. We pulled into the car park and had the place to ourselves, until one of the park rangers arrived. She didn’t ask us to show our parks pass, just headed off on the track that leads to a peaceful spring-fed waterhole at the head of Kathleen Gorge.
As we walked in, the ranger was heading back out. We said hello and asked if the bird flying overhead was a kite. It was a bit far away and she wouldn’t commit as to whether it was a kite or a kestrel as both are present in the park. We asked if they walk the paths regularly and she told us that she was auditing the path for maintenance purposes, telling us the bitumen needs replacing and they need to get in with the brush cutter to clear a metre each side of the path. They have the budget but with only four of seven ranger positions filled, finding the time is the problem. As she went on her way and we continued towards the spring, we questioned whether National Parks could seek volunteers to help with some of their basic maintenance work?
Along the trail, interpretative boards provided information about the long association that the nomadic Matutjara people have had with this permanent water source. The water attracted emus and kangaroos that could be hunted easily in the narrow gorge and supported the growth of many key food plants, including quandong, plum bush and wild fig. In the late 1800s the permanent water was exploited by early pastoralists. Eventually the competition for this precious resource led to conflict between the pastoralists and the displaced Aboriginal people.
After we completed the walk we drove around a bit, because Bernie wanted to charge the fridge battery. He’s been putting the solar mat out but it’s only trickle charging the battery and it has fallen below 40 percent charge. We have food in the fridge and freezer so we don’t want it to go completely flat! We were heading back to Kings Canyon when the Scan Gauge indicated that the truck was doing an emissions burn. Aaaargh, to make sure that was completed, we had to drive past the turn off for Kings Canyon then drive almost to the resort before we turned around again to drive out to the Kings Canyon car park.
We returned this morning to complete the much less strenuous Kings Creek Walk. This is a two kilometre return track rated as Easy. The Kings Creek Walk (Watarrkanya Karru Walk) is an example of joint management partners – the Traditional Owners of Watarrka National Park and Parks and Wildlife NT – working together. It meanders along Kings Creek, ending at a viewing platform where we had stunning views of the sheer canyon walls. Although the walk was relatively flat, it was rough in places, so we still had to be alert for trip hazards. The interpretative boards here provided lots of information about the abundant plant and bird life around the creek.
Would you believe it? At the end of our walk we decided to use the facilities. Very nice flushing toilets they were too and, on the door going in, was a sign about … volunteering in National Parks, just like we had been discussing earlier. One of the things volunteers can help with is maintaining park infrastructure and visitor facilities. So, volunteers could be doing that brush cutting that the rangers are struggling to find time for. I wonder if you volunteer if they waive the requirement for you to buy a Parks Pass?
And back to the servo to purchase our permit to drive the Mereenie Loop tomorrow, the 4WD road that links Watarrka NP to Tjoritja (West MacDonnell) NP. We also bought more packaged sandwiches for lunch today and tomorrow. At least the selection in the fridge today was not quite so limited as yesterday and … there were still Splices in the freezer.
We stopped at Reception on our way back into the resort to pick up some pool towels, get some change for the washing machines in the guest laundry and ask permission to charge our second battery at the outdoor power point that Bernie had noticed in front of reception. They agreed that we could plug in out the front.
After lunch, Bernie drove the truck back to reception and hooked up the battery to the power point with his handy extension lead. He was soon back to report that the power point was a dud and not providing any electricity to charge the battery. HOWEVER, he had spied an outdoor power point between a couple of the rooms further along from our room so he’d nosed the truck in there (not an official parking spot!) and had hooked up the battery to that power point.
In the hottest part of the day, it was now time to make our way to the pool for a refreshing dip and a bit of time relaxing on the sun beds that we had to drag into the shade today. Yesterday we found them conveniently placed already in the shade, but they had been relocated since then. We were reading after our swim and I could hear a lot of flapping about going on in the pool. There was no-one else in the pool area so, when I looked properly, I could see a bird that seemed to be in trouble.
The pool attracts insects, which in turn was attracting birds. Most were plucking the insects from the water’s surface without any trouble, but a young yellow-throated miner (I think) appeared to have misjudged things and was now too wet to fly. I went over to assist. Initially it flapped away from me and I didn’t think I was going to be able to rescue it without going into the pool again. I put my hand down to the water and it must’ve seen it as a lifeline, because it flapped over and I was able to put my hand underneath it to lift it out and pop it in the garden to recover. My good deed for the day.
After our strenuous hike around the rim yesterday, today has been much more relaxing. Thank goodness. Although I have pulled up OK after yesterday’s hike, I don’t think I could be doing that every day! We showered and wandered over to the Bar & Grill for dinner again, both of us opting for the PP & P pasta dish. Penne with pesto, peas, Parmesan and cream. We enjoyed it and think it would be a pasta meal worth trying to replicate.
Steps: 13,191 (8.58kms)
