Day 7 23rd June Thursday 2011 Mataranka and Katherine



another view of caravan park

Headed off to the barra feeding this morning. A short walk from our van across the park to the barra pool which hosts 8 or 9 barra.

barra fishing

Did you know that barra are all born male and stay like that until they reach salt water where they change to female and lay thousands of eggs? They spawn 7 times in their lifetime (once a year) and live for approximately 30 years unless they are caught or die from something else.

barra caught by hand

The display was pretty impressive, especially when the demonstrator bent down and caught a rather large barra with his hands.

A couple of kids tried their skills too.

Apparently, in the afternoon session, the barra are more active as the water temperature is higher. They don't cope well with cold water so a fountain operates from late afternoon supplying artesian water that is warm.

another view of CP

A quick trip to Katherine (130 kph permitted) to top up fuel, supplies, purchase a Telstra mobile phone and check out a few caravan parks took up most of the day. Katherine is a busy place!
The sales assistant at Telco shop came from Adelaide! His father was in RAAF at Edinburgh and is now at base near Katherine. Another example of a small world.