DIARY OF AN AUSSIE WOMBAT

MATARANKA SPRINGS THERMAL POOL

and

"WE OF THE NEVER NEVER" LAND

Mum and dad drove past the little town of Mataranka and then left at the sign that said 'Mataranka Homestead'. There, down the road a bit was Malaki's Bar (meaning Bosses Bar) and Jeannie's Kitchen (for Jeannie Gunn). If you have never read "We of The Never Never" Read it, so you will have some idea of what it was like back in the 1800's the discrimination, the working relationships, the connection that Jeannie made with the First Nation People.

We were welcomed by very friendly staff who said 'camper vans up on the hill.. no assigned spots, just park and set up where ever you want too, but if it starts to fill up, just move over a bit'. This was dad's kind of camp ground. He chose a site near the amenities and we set up. We had lots of sunshine for the solar panels and lots of shade in the afternoon so it didn't get too hot for us. After a bit of lunch we headed down towards the thermal springs that Mataranka is famous for. We walked past the sign that read "Rainbow Springs" we looked and there was a very deep artesion bore that released the thermal waters down to the pool. The blue was incredible! the water was so pure and warm at a constant 34 degrees, mum and dad were able to relax and have a bit of a swim. The current got stronger down towards the lower end of the pool but there was a barrier.. it also got very shallow, so mum and dad had to hang on just in case they were swept over the barrier in the rapids down on the rocks below.

Mum was really enjoying the warm waters when an 'idiot' started up about the First Nation Aborigines here. He called them bad names, and insulted their language, they way they 'yelled' (moron), and how they group up (again ignorant moron), and how they carried out about 'their land'... (and so they should!) Mum couldn't believe it! She got really upset and looked at this guy, but he didn't even twig! Mum then stared her 'really evil stare' at this guys' wife, and the other couple who were listening to him rant on with his white supremacy garbage looked very uncomfortable with his nonsense too! The wife of the idiot said 'but it's our history!' he didn't listen... I suspect she only said that because mum was eyeballing her like nothing else! In the end, it just got too much for mum and she told dad she had to get out of the pool. I went with her, she cried all the way back to the van... Mum doesn't usually put that kind of stuff on FB but she did this time! Dad said if that idiot was at the thermal pool again tomorrow he would say something to him. Mum told me that was a safer option than her knocking this guys block off. We were lucky though... he left the next day. Mum and I and met a lovely man who entertained all the crowd for two nights. His name was Garry Booth, he played the didgeridoo so well! Mum talked to him and he knew about what happened the day before and he played the didgeridoo really loudly telling mum that he hoped she felt better and the song he played was for mum. Mum smiled. Dad took mum for dinner and lunch the next day and we watched "We of The Never Never" starring a wonderful Aussie actress Angela Punch MacGregor, she took the role of Jeannie Gunn. Mum loved this move and she told dad she had seen it about five times, and even though she knows what's coming, she will probably still cry buckets..... she did! It was a great movie... I liked "Bet Bet" the best, she was cute.

Garry came down to the pool the next day asking "no more hassles"? mum replied, "No more hassles"... so that was good. Dad and Garry talked about music for a couple of hours with Garry also telling dad where to go for a great time re: entertainment wise in Alice Springs. He said this guy was awesome, in the main street, you'll hear him before you see the shop/theaterette. The Didgeridoos there are amazing and when you go for a concert, he gets you involved in the musical side of things. Perhaps he will teach dad the trick for playing the didgeridoo. I asked mum if she could learn to play. Mum said as much as she would love to be able too. Women were not allowed, this was men's business.. women have their business too, secret business. I just said "oh'... I still have a lot to learn.

I made a wonderful friend, she was a very friendly Kangaroo and she was a mum! Her baby "joey" was just so cute... I was having a dinner of nice fresh carrots, when all of a sudden I look up and there she in front of the steps of the van! Dad said... "Come in". She climbed up onto the steps where I put a piece of my carrot on the top. She looked at me, picked up the carrot with her paws and happily munched away on it.

The last night we spent at Mataranka, we met up with Leanne and John, two lovely people that we met at East Bairnes 24 hour rest area, and guess what? They have a penguin van too!! Leanne gave me a scratch and said I was cute. (She's a very intelligent woman). We sat in the beer garden area and we listened to the music. Then after a while it was time for us to go home and start packing up a bit, John and Leanne were staying on for a few more days but as we were going in the same direction, it was a fair bet that we would catch up again.

Enjoy the pics

Tahune xx