Sunday, October 23, 2011

Travel Australian Outback

By Anton Maverick


If you enjoy the very idea of driving through the Australian outback and are outfitted with your Camper of preference you might visit the little town of Normanton in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Normanton is a cattle city with a population of almost one thousand folks and two bars. It was settled in the 1860's as cattle stations were developed.

You can easily reach Normanton from Cairns by heading due west and it'll take around thirteen to 14 hours to drive there. Or, a light plane service operates 2 times per week if you would like to reduce your travelling time. It may also be reached from the west and the south, if you are driving in from the Northern Territory or Mount Isa.

Driving in is good because you are then able to see the encompassing country first hand. You'll need to drive in the dry season because the monsoon rains often cause the flat terrain to stay flooded for the period of the wet season. Normanton is a little outback, Australian country town with a cattle culture. You won't find any high end facilities but there's lots of camping at the local caravan park and there's always the boozers.

One of Normanton's 2 pubs is named the Purple Bar and possibly the most notable building in Normanton. It actually is purple, 2 stories high and sports the standard Aussie verandah, complete along with locals sitting on it, as well as hanging out of the windows. Flannelette shirts, dusty jeans and blue singlets rule and a fiery pool competition provides the regular entertainment - but the lager is excellent after a dusty day travelling.

If you enjoy fishing as well as outback travelling, you could visit Karumba, forty kilometres away without delay on the coast. There's only 500 or so people here, so you might want to camp in Normanton or try the Purple Boozer. If you've a well developed sense of excitement and experience the outback, you will love Normanton and a visit to the Purple Pub.




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