Lakefield NP- 12 Mile waterhole

We stop off at old Laura Homestead and just like Litchfield Homestead in NT you just can’t imagine that people would have come out here in the 1800’s. These people were true pioneers. Onward down the dusty track plenty of cars going past maybe 30 for the day. We see our first wild pigs, the clan has a big litter and they scurry into the bush.

Tonight we are camping at 12 mile waterhole which is near the junction of the Normanby & Laura rivers. A great camp on the waters edge high enough from the Crocs. But just 10 minutes after we arrive a 3m+ crocs drift past and stops on the other side straight in front of where we camp and sinks. So we are being stalked after 10 minutes. A careful attempt of lure fishing for Barra wasn’t successful but there are plenty more opportunities to come.

Then I crushed my thumb in the door, and boy I did a good job. I’m in the wars this week, firstly I jagged my knee and after a day of walking with gimpy limp it hurt my back. Then the next day I went for a gutser on the rocks and skun my shin, suddenly my back didn’t hurt and now this. I want to drill a hole through my nail to relieve the throbbing.

It was quite a warm restless night with my throbbing thumb, we even turned the fan on for an hour or so and used the water sprayer. It cooled a little more in the morning. Once again it’s a warm morning when the sun hits the car and we are up sitting around wondering what the croc is up to. A beaut brekky with smoked bacon from Innisfail Midway butchers & eggs to start the day and after we pack up we head down to the river junction,

the Laura river isn’t flowing and a dad and his young girls sit in the sand and build sand castles while just upstream is the big Croc that checked us out last night. It is a 15km track back to the main track, with a mix of flood plains, sand & numerous dry creek crossings.