After organizing a campsite from the friendly and helpful staff at Gangalidda & Garawa Service at the Burketown Information Centre we proceeded to our allocated site about 11 kilometres by road and over an extensive clay pan.

It wasn’t long before we spotted a large four metre crocodile on the sandbar opposite our campsite, which was certainly food for thought. Undeterred, but not without a degree of trepidation, we commenced fishing that evening.

Remote and isolated Burketown with a population of about 300, manages to retain somewhat of a frontier atmosphere. Tropical disease and weather calamities during the mid 1800s put rest to hope that Burketown would become a major North Queensland centre. Nevertheless, early residents were assured of a hot bath, with bore water coming out of the ground at scalding temperatures.

Camping about three kilometres as the crow flies from Burketown, the only unnatural sounds to be heard was the occasional fishing boat going past. Despite the crocodiles, the multitude of insects, mosquitoes and sandflies, the tranquility and serenity was almost tangible.

We enjoyed a very productive three evenings fishing and plenty of fish for the next few days.

After many months of hibination Jack’s drone managed to become airborne and capture a couple of photos of site 23 beside the Albert River near Burketown.