Bucking along the Buchanan Highway

We hit the red dust onto the Buchanan Highway, another droving road pioneered by Nat Buchanan, which gave us a great gravel and dirt run to the tiny crossroads and dusty hotel at Top Springs. 

En route, we crossed the railway, two transport threads bisecting the vast expanses of the Bush.

The landscape became hilly, filled with termite mounds and tufts of yellow grass where cattle watched us fearfully

From Top Springs, the road transformed into a 4wd track with sharp stones and long stretches of corrugated rocky outcrops. The creeks were already dry or just trickling.

Campsite for the night was flat riverside rocks at the picturesque Dashwood Crossing Victoria River Ford.

Off next morning via the legendary VRD or Victoria River Downs station where mustering with horses, helicopters and jillaroos was in full swing.

Jasper Gorge was our lunchstop and restful campsite complete with resident bowerbirds.

Next morning, we crossed the magnificent gorge and continued our rocky, 4wd way to the bitumen of the Victoria Highway.

Large herds of feral donkeys watched intently as we passed. They are frequently culled to avoid overgrazing.

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Buchanan Highway, Jasper Gorge, Northern Territory,