DIARY OF AN AUSSIE WOMBAT

THE 'REMOTEST PUB and SET OF TRAFFICLIGHTS'

IN AUSTRALIA

DALY WATERS HOTEL

Dad pulled up to the sign where it said "pay at the pub first".. so we all got out and went inside and WOW! there were lines of badges from the defense forces of Australia, some service medals (that's sad... don't know how some people part with these, but that's their choice)... a lot of police badges from all over the world, heaps of car registration plates from the United States! I wonder if any of them belong to my friends over there that read my blog? Who knows? There were even lines of ladies bra's and bikini tops! I told dad not to look but mum said it was fine as they were empty... Huh? oh well. whatever.

Dad paid for an overnight stay so we could have a good clean up and a shower, then the lady told us to drive down to the main gate of the caravan park where a man named "Ed" would meet us and tell us where to park our car but we must show him our ticket. So, dad did as he was instructed and when Ed came to the window I laughed! He was riding a bicycle with a little toy horse attached to the handle bars, I asked what the horses' name was Ed replied 'This is Lightning.. he can peddle really fast". Ed showed us where to park. Dad said he should have been a town planner. There were wide sites for the vans, camper trailers, with tents having their own area as did the 'big rigs' and '5th wheelers' and buses.

We walked around the town (which didn't take very long at all), and read up on some of the history of Daly Waters. The population has never reached triple figures... to tell the truth, I could understand that, because there was a town sign... with a straight line and two "X" marks, one for the 'you are here' and the other on the other side of the line stating 'the pub'. Daly Waters is also the site for Australia's most isolated traffic lights. People still stop there when it shows red...! but it only has two streets and the traffic lights are just outside the pub on the footpath... funny!

We decided not to eat at the pub and we were saving our pennies, and had dinner in the van, but there was a stand up comedian performing and we heard hysterical laughter coming from the restaurant in the pub. We couldn't stand it any more and made our way up to the back of the dinner area, and it was packed out! We soon found out why. A scene or two was being shot for an Australia movie 'The Last Cab to Darwin', and mum and dad might even be in the crowd scene! I was sitting under the table sneaking a nibble at the green pot plants with Aussie native grasses in it, so I won't be in it. It stars Michael Catin, Paul Macurio, Jackie Weaver and some others. Mum said it is based on a true story of a taxi driver who was diagnosed with cancer, and the movie is based on the stage play. I met Jeremy Simms who was directing it! HE GAVE ME A SCRATCH! one of the producers hugged me and took a photo to send home with his kids. Mum said she was not going to ask Jeremy, or Mr. Catin as she called him to take a photo as they worked very late into the night and they all looked very tired. I didn't mind at all. They did look very tired! It must be very hard work getting a scene just right! The bar maid looked at me and said 'I want a cuddle!' I had to oblige, and mum took a photo. I am an underage wombat at 2 1/2 and behind the bar.. sort of.

Dad wondered how all the vans were going to get out in the morning, but Ed had arranged everything to perfection! and from 8am they all just rolled out again, waiting patiently, everything ran like clockwork. Dad said Ed should be a Steveador.. whatever that is!

We said good bye to the people in front of us who were heading North to Darwin, then onto Western Australia, I think we are travelling backwards, everyone is going North and we are going South. I told mum this and she said 'exactly'.. I am sure I will figure what that means, eventually.

We stopped off at the Daly Waters WWII hanger and display and we read about the history and took some photos of the hanger and the wreck of the Dehavilland that crashed in 1956. There was a story about the history of Daly Waters itself, how discovered it, and how it got its name. From all the stories I read, the airmen from the United States didn't like Daly Waters, the food or anything. It was WWII and times were hard. Go figure.

Back in the car and off we go heading to our next stop, another working cattle station, Banka Banka West. Mum hopes there will be horses there!
See you soon!
Tahune xx