I LEFT Katherine with the fuel tanks, fridge and pantry full, and headed 50km south before turning on to Central Arnhem Road. I was surprised that the bitumen continued past the Maranboy Police Station, the community at Barunga and then Beswick, a distance of 66km before becoming a red dirt road.
At Beswick, you will find Djilpin Arts where you can meet the local artists and learn about the traditional life and culture of the Bagala People of the Jawoyn Nation, and you can stay here in one of the award-winning elevated Pavilion rooms and experience seasonal cultural events, tours and immersions.
I stopped to air-down my tyres just before the dirt-road section started, reset the TPMS, and continued along Central Arnhem Road. The scenery here is spectacular with tall bluffs rising above the plains, although the road was dusty and badly corrugated. Reducing the tyre pressure and speed is critical on this road, especially on the tight bends where the rear end of your vehicle wants to overtake you.
The slow-burn scrub fires that are managed in the Territory allow you to see the layout of the land that would otherwise be hidden by the tall grasses.
