Passed through Theodore on our way. A nice friendly spot where the Information Centre was being renovated and the Information 'man' was out on the footpath with a table full of brochures - he was actually just holding the fort for his wife who was off doing meals on wheels. He might not have been the 'real' information person but he was on for a chat. Obviously loved living in Theodore.
We had lunch in the cafe across the road before heading off to Isla Gorge lookout. We had this on the list for a possible camp for the night but it was pretty dusty and apart from a pretty amazing view (overlooking Gorge Creek and across to Devil’s Nest – a large cluster of jagged rocks jutting up from a distant ridge), didn't have a lot going for it as a camp spot so we kept going.
We planned on having a camp oven dinner tonight so along the way it was firewood collection time. As is usually the case out here there is plenty of firewood along the roadside so there should be no excuse for those who ignore the rule of "no collecting firewood in National Parks"
Next possible camp spot was Chain of Lagoons bushcamp area. We must be getting fussy because we weren't impressed here either. Again it was dry and dusty and the water in the lagoons was pretty stagnant. Lots of long grass everywhere. We went for a long walk to explore but couldn't find that 'ideal' spot.
The final camp on our list was Lake Murphy Conservation Park, 18 km to our west, most of it along a gravel road. It's amazing how a gravel road puts a lot of people off. We had the camping area to ourselves. The area was nicely grassed with picnic tables and fireplaces which was ideal as we had planned on a camp oven dinner tonight and had stopped to collect firewood earlier in the day along the way.
The lake was a 300m walk and is quite low at the moment. Apparently, it is higher than the nearby Robinson Creek so only fills when the creek is in flood. It was also quite muddy on the edge so couldn't get too close to the water. Lots of birdlife though, on the water and back at camp (Pale-headed Rosella a particular find). We also had a swamp wallaby enjoying the grass pick in the camping area.
After dinner, we went for a walk with the spotlight as there was mention of Greater Gliders on the signage. No sign of gliders but did see a few Swamp Wallabies and Eastern Grey Kangaroos out for the night.
Lake Murphy Conservation Reserve
Nestled beneath the low Murphy's Range in the central highlands, Lake Murphy remains largely unchanged from the days when Europeans first passed this way.
Lake Murphy provides a seasonal refuge for waterbirds. This perched lake fills only when nearby Robinson Creek overflows, and has been dry five times in the past two centuries. The shaded, grassy campsites near Lake Murphy are a great place to spend the night and watch the sun set over the lake. Even when the lake is dry, this is a peaceful and beautiful spot.
Wander through the Dawson palms (Livistona nitida) and forest red gums (Eucalyptus tereticornis) to explore Lake Murphy. When full the lake has many water birds. Wading birds jostle for position in the shallows while ducks, pelicans and black swans swim gracefully over deeper water. Some birds even breed here.
Many birds can be heard here, but they may be hard to see. Both living and dead trees, shrubs and ground covers provide shelter, food and breeding places for these and many other animals. A walk at night may reveal brushtail possums, sugar gliders and greater gliders.
Kangaroos and wallabies can be seen in the forest and at the edges of the lake, while frogs and reptiles live throughout the reserve. The large number of old or dead trees here indicate that this reserve has never been cleared. Lake Murphy is part of our natural and cultural heritage, a home for wildlife and a place for us to enjoy.
Back in 1844, explorer, Ludwich Leichhardt and his party had been travelling for seven weeks on their expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington (300km north of Darwin's present location) when they camped at this spot. He named the lake, Lake Murphy after 16 year old John Murphy the youngest member of his party. Leichardt's journey north was to take another 12 months. Progress was slow, as the dense brigalow scrub forced them to make many time-consuming detours and their bullocks were ill-suited to travel in such country. By the time they had reached the Taroom area, however, they were becoming proficient at picking their way through the scrub and in finding and preserving food. Leichhardt was an astute observer of the land he travelled through—the blank map he had started out with was carefully being filled with his detailed observations.
Leichhardt's party eventually reached Port Essington, after travelling 4800km. Returning to Sydney by boat, Leichhardt and the six men of his party were welcomed and rewarded with £1000. Leichhardt mounted two further expeditions, but disappeared without trace somewhere west of Roma on the second of these in 1848.
