Thursday 11^th August, 2016

In the next bigger city Karratha we fill up our fuel, water and food reserves. We then turn south towards the Millstream Chichester National Park. We again pass a beautiful landscape. We go through hills and small mountains.

data: pictures: millstream_chichester_national_park

It is dry, only down in the base of the small valleys there are taller trees and bushes. And always we are accompanied by the mining railways. We again see a few of these huge trains. At the border of the National Park also the main road is now unsealed. Kiara cries again and nothing helps. We finally continue driving and start to sing a triphonic "lalala" and she immediately falls asleep. Because or despite of it?

First we go into the Chichester Range to the Python Pool. On the way we discover the desert pea with the big red flowers. And also the kangaroo thorn. Petra got one of those for her birthday. These mimosa species did not like it in our house. It got a sunny places and often water and still dried out very fast. These bushes with small round balls as flowers like it more here, despite the dryness. The Python Pool it placed nicely in the side of the mountain. It has water all year and was used early as waterhole by passing camel caravans. But already now there is no water flowing in or out anymore.

Then we drive to the Millstream area. Here it is more green, in the flood plane of the Fortescue River we even drive through something like a forest. We enjoy the view over the river and stay at the nearby camping site. There is something new which hits our eyes: the snappy gum. These trees have a white bark and kind of glow in the sunlight. As this is about to disappear, a big swarm of cockatoos fly one or two rounds above us, loudly discussing which one would be the best sleeping tree. When Petra goes to the toilet before going to bed, she scares away two kangaroos or similar animals. I only hear strong, disappearing hopping. And a concert of frogs.