Sunday, Sep 26, 2010 at 18:15
Hi Graeme
As we headed towards
Darwin July last year, we were talking to people along the way and they were trying to book a CP in
Darwin without success and found there were lots of little ones - not all listed in the same registers. Many of these said they did not take bookings and just call in and see.
Someone next to us at
Mataranka (
Bitter Springs) told us he had spent some time going around the CPs and being turned away, and found a small one by chance right near where he was getting fuel; Leprechaun. It is not obvious from the highway unless you know to look for it. It was in the area we wanted to go for for air conditioner repairs - Winnellie.
Coming out of
Kakadu where our time frame had been an unknown, we had planned to stay overnight at a lagoon on the way to get to
Darwin in the morning, but camping there was no longer permitted at that lagoon, so we went on to
Darwin, arriving late in the day. I did try ringing this CP on the way but signal kept dropping out. I thought it was my end, but the receptionist was out in the park with a cordless and too far from base. We called in on spec and they found us a place that suited our big rig. As none of their sites were drive through, we needed one we could back into and have the vehicle straight to unhitch - not always easy with the length of the F250 and an AT35 hitch. I think they do take bookings, unlike some of the
Darwin CPs.
Leprechaun is a small CP and amenities block very old but serviceable (see my review in
Badger's) and more than adequate for the full park; I never needed to wait for a shower and usual plenty were vacant, with water always hot. I saw someone use the motel customers swimming
pool, but never saw anyone use the caravan park
pool. Both looked clean. Surprisingly not noisy being behind the motel rooms and backing onto a commercial area which was silent overnight (we are bush campers and like quiet nights). Proprietors were nice and helpful. Bus stop right outside
gate which would be very convenient for sightseeing in the city, and it is the closest park being 5 kms from
Darwin CBD. Winnellie
Post Office was a short walk. Although near airport (aren't they all in
Darwin?), plane take off path was not directly over the CP.
If we weren't able to get in at Leprechaun, we were going to go out to Lee Point , but we wanted to be in Winnellie to take the caravan to a refrigeration place the next morning to get work done on the air conditioner.
If you don't want to be right in town, the parks at Howard Springs sound OK.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
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