After a relaxing first night at Lara Wetlands, day two saw us hit the road once again, stopping for a morning coffee in Longreach before continuing west towards McKinlay, Queensland.
McKinlay is the home of the Walkabout Creek Hotel from the original Crocodile Dundee movie with Paul Hogan, so of course we had to stop and check it out. It is still a popular stop for travellers.
The hotel was immaculately kept and had a steady stream of visitors passing through.
We enjoyed a delicious steak for dinner before settling in for the night. After travelling 577 kilometres for the day, we finished the evening sitting back and soaking in the incredible outback night sky. If you're planning to stay here, we'd definitely recommend booking ahead – the powered campsites were completely full during our visit.
Day three brought an early start, we left before sunrise and crossed into the Northern Territory on our way to Threeways Roadhouse. After another long day on the road, we were treated to some delicious barramundi and excellent hospitality. A big thank you to Threeways Roadhouse for a great meal and a welcoming stopover. With Kakadu National Park now within reach, excitement was building for the next stage of the journey.
Although the drive to Kakadu on day four was going to be our biggest travel day yet. We covered close to 900 kilometres from Threeways Roadhouse through Katherine and on to Mardugal Campground in Kakadu National Park. And by the time we arrived, we were definitely feeling our age, but grateful to be spending the next five nights in one of Australia's most iconic national parks.
Already, Kakadu feels like a different world. The birdlife is unlike anything we've experienced so far, with new and unfamiliar calls echoing through the campground. The weather is warm and the surroundings are peaceful. For now, we're looking forward to slowing down, exploring everything Kakadu has to offer, and sharing more of this remarkable part of Australia over the coming days.
