Katherine to Daly Waters Pub

07/04/2010

Today I had to get the car serviced, so I booked the car in and Trice and I were picked up and taken to Aboriginal Art Lessons. We met up with Manuel the aboriginal from Arnhem Land who we met last time we were in Katherine. He is one of the loveliest guys I have ever met. He is extremely intelligent but where the white fella is bound by the clock they, the black fellas, as he calls them, have no bearing on time.

He calls the half cast aboriginals yellow fellas. Manuel first took us through his history and then introduced us to the art work. We were given canvas, brushes and a piece of reed and acrylic paint. Although he can use the traditional methods for painting, most aboriginal art now uses acrylic paint. We were then guided through the process but we had to come up with our own design first. The other people chose the normal Kangaroos, Emus, Yams and fish I wanted to be different, what could I draw in aboriginal art and be unique? I know, I will draw a caravan, I want our Jayco reflected in traditional aboriginal artwork, so off I went.

Trice drew and painted a barramundi that looks like a bream and I finished the van, it was great fun. The reed was used to paint the lines, it seemed very clumsy at first but when you dip it into the paint and then lay it down on the canvas and then drag it away from the body you start to get the hang of it.

Now it was time to learn how to use a Woomera to through a spear, Trice’s heritage started to come out as she was a natural. Just think about it she can blow a Didge, throw a boomerang, eats camel and kangaroo, and now throws a spear. My little lubra Trice....

Got the car back and luckily no issues so we pack up and get on the road a little late as we were supposed to be out by 10 and it was now 12. Daly waters here we come.

We stopped at the Cutta Cutta Caves on the way, had an hour and a half tour, very interesting. A great collection of stalactites and stalagmites in these massive caves. This is where the water starts for the Katherine Hot Springs.

We arrived at Daly Waters mid afternoon and there is already around 20 vans in the park, we thought that the pub would be rocking tonight until we found out that most of the vans were the Salvo’s band on their way to Katherine so went across for the traditional Beef and Barra night and good chat to a few travellers and then returned for a good relaxing night.