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Sun 17/08/14 Heading 290kms into Kakadu today. Stops for snaps & snacks at Humpty Doo Pub, Bark Hut Inn, & Jabiru. Visited Bowali Cultural Centre, then headed to Gagadju Lodge at Cooinda. Arrived around 5pm, very nice spot. Spent evening chatting with our neighbours, Parul and her 9 y/o son, Khyan, who are out here touring for a few weeks from the U.K. Kids got along great, kicking footy and talking minecraft (of course). Khyan had his tandoori in our van with LBA while they munched their tacos. M&K ate outside with Parul who treated us to some of the homemade tandoori also ... yummo, lucky us!
Mon 18/08/14 Lazy morning. Caught up on journals and homework contract books. Kids made friends with Riley, son of Sean - the 'Animal Tracks Safari' driver. Riley had LBA trying to roll bush string and weaving mats from palm leaves, they are having a ball. We took an early afternoon Yellow River Cruise through the wetlands of Kakadu. Saw native water lillies and lotus flowers, 14 crocs lounging on the banks or cruising through the lillypads - watched two have a disagreement - saw some brumbies, loads of birds - whistling ducks, ibis, egrets, herons, pied cormorants, darters, jabiru, sea eagles, kites, kookaburras, kingfishers etc.; the wildlife is so abundant, it's amazing. Our guide, Belinda, told us that a week or so ago her tour group watched as a brumby gave birth, then a 4mt croc emerged from the river, walked 20mts overland, grabbed the foal and dragged it back in and under the water. She said she saw croc the next day sunning on the bank 'bursting at the seams' .... lesson: they are always watching us even though we can't see them! Saw several large smoke plumes from some wildfires. Very relaxing and interesting trip. Back home for a snack and then headed to Nourlangie Rock for a 'free' bush walk / talk conducted by a park ranger. Christian was our guide and he had a passion for kakadu wilderness and local indigenous culture. Walked to Anbangbang Billabong where our guide explained the 6 seasons of Kakadu ... we currently in Gurrung - the dry, soon to come is Gunumeleng - the build up to the wet.... bush tucker flora & fauna. The warnings of a rogue male water buffalo and 3 salties that had migrated into the billabong area had everyone alert. Then we hiked up to Nawurlandja - Stone Country. There are 5 mini ecosytems / changes in vegetation within a 1km radius here ... awesome talk / experience. Saw indigenous rock art approximated to be 15,000 to 18,000 years old. Magical watching the sun set on Nourlangie Rock and the Arnhem Land Escarpment .... the vastness is amazing. Excellent activity; quite happy to pay our $25 per adult to enter Kakadu if it is funding free interactions such as this.
Tues 19/08/14 We checked out Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls today. Two hours drive into Jim Jim - 20 mins on the bitumen, 30 minutes on corrugated gravel road and the rest 4WDing a winding, sandy, washed out, rock filled track ... slow going. Then an hour hot hike, rock hopping into the gorge. It's interesting how all the warning signs tell you to keep away from the waters edge, yet most hiking tracks run right next to the waterways .... back of the mind constantly questioning if it's a good idea to put ourselves in such close proximity .... a couple of fishermen have been munched by crocs since we've been up here .... have no desire to be added to the list! Jim Jim only had a slight trickle dripping, but the sheer size and height of the escarpment was very impressive to see; feels very old here. We sat and snacked in the cool shadows for a while and Lukas floated one of his homemade leaf rush matts into the pool 'to leave part of us at the waterfall', then it was time to hike back out. Drive to Twin Falls only 10kms, but more windy, sandy, rocky terrain. Short walk to a Captain Dennis and his boat which ferries you 500mt into the gorge, then more rock hopping to hike a further 600mt to the falls. Only one of the twin falls was flowing, but beautiful, white sandy beach and water so clear you can watch the fish swimming around. Looks sooo inviting to swim and cool off from the heat, but not allowed - croc traps and Dennis's advice that a 2.5mt salty was trapped here a week ago confirm why. So we have to wait until we make it home to cool off in the pool. Alexis is fast taking out the title of most injury prone for the trip. She managed to trip over 3 times hiking into Jim Jim and once hiking into Twin ... luckily we carry a first aid kit everywhere. She was bitten on the side by an unknown insect in Howard Springs that has turned into a 4 inch welt and she is now developing a rash that seems to be spreading all over .... add the broken wrist to the mix and she is our hands down winner!
Wed 20/08/14 Michael & Lukas went on a 3 hour Barra Fishing tour at 6.30am this morning. Riley was waiting for the girls when they got up and the three of them quickly set to weaving more mats and then set up a 'market table' to sell their wares for $1 each....they made $15, $5each! However, ALexis is now banned from weaving as Bruce, the park manager, suggested it may be the palm leaves giving her the rash ... or she has touched 'an itchy tree' in our kakadu travels; anyway, we are treating rash with cremes and antihistamines cos think it's some sort of allergy? The fishermen returned triumphant by 10.30am. Lukas caught a black saratoga and Michael one small barra (released) and a 55cm barra - a keeper! Rob, the fishing guide, cleaned our barra and arranged for the restaurant chef to cook it for us for dinner; super! We took a drive to Warradjan Cultural Centre; well laid out and organised in conjunction with the local bininj people. Were given a CD and kids now sing along to didjeridoo song "senses....of kakadu..."; you have to hear it to truly understand what a joy this is. Spent our afternoon swimming and reading poolside ... perfect in the heat The Leach family have arrived and all kids are enjoying having their friends to play with again .... inseperable. Hit the Bistro for dinner and M&L graciously shared their barra with KB&A, all the more satisfied for having caught it themselves. Delish!
Thurs 21/08/14 Kids did a spot of skink hunting with Riley this morning before we headed out to hike Maguk & Gonlum today. Passed a vintage car club that was undertaking a drive from Adelaide to Darwin. Arrived at Maguk carpark to find a dingo snooping around. Skinny looking thing and he trotted off into the bush quick enough upon seeing us. The trek in takes you over footbridges literally at water level, again these come right after the croc warning signs, rather unsettling. Vegetation is monsoon forest and long grasses lean over the track ... sure enough we pass another snake .... this time Kaaren & Lexi in the lead and spotted it first. Freeze, watch it slither away into the trees and Brodie etc advise this one exactly the same 'yellow' as our Emma Gorge friend near El Questro. NOT a python - a mulga (king brown). We continue on along the overgrown track and have to make a river crossing and do some rock hopping to reach the falls. A tour group had just finished swimming in the pool. It is beautiful, but we are not risking the deep, dark waters. Managed return trek to car without further wildlife sightings, however Lex had a half stumble and Lukas cut his leg on a dead tree branch. As driver didn't fuel up before we left home base, we needed to find fuel after Maguk. Unfortunately the Mary River Roadhouse was closed down, which meant a 60km drive into Pine Creek. Fuelled and lunched there, then headed back into Kakadu intending to hike Gonlum. However, rangers had closed the track in due to a wildfire running through the area. Thus we headed to Bukbukluk Lookout to watch the fire run the ridge for a while before heading back to Cooinda for a pool swim. Vintage Cars camping at our grounds overnight and kids got to have a sit in a 1910 Buick. Amazed by the skinny tyres, wooden spoked wheels and crank handle to get it started; loved the squeeze honker horn ... very chitty chitty bang bang! Balmy night and kids played glow-in-the-dark badminton until 8.30pm. Then Riley arrived back from his Dad's safari and took LBA gecko hunting for a while - they caught several albino looking critters - had loads of fun. Sean also brought us some buffalo horns to take home & some buff meat to try. Crazy day.
Fri 22/08/14 Leave Cooinda / Kakadu today. Could have spent more time exploring the wilderness here, but we have a schedule to try and stick to plus poor Alexis seems to be allergic to the place! Headed off for Katherine. but noticed the Gonlum track was re-opened when we passed, so left the van at the rangers station and made the 30km - 1 hour drive in over the very badly corrugated track. Found fire still running up a ridge and also on either side of the track in one section, bit hairy but added to the adventure. Lovely well kept campground at the end and a short 200mt walk to falls base plunge pool, however these edges are roped off making it very clear not to swim - again unnerving having the walking track so slose to the water. The falls are very picturesque and would be awesome to behold in the wet. Unfortunately the famed 'natures infinity pool' on the top escarpment that looks back over all of Kakadu was closed due to the fire still burning on the ridge beyond. So drove out to the van , snacked down some lunch and drove the 350kms to Katherine.
- comments
Andy Wow Kaaren. How long did it take to type all that. What a great adventure. Andy.
mummar great adventure, but I'm not keen on those slippery creatures...nor being so close to the waters after having seen the power of the croc jaws up close....Have [more] fun and take care. love xxx
Yub Very true cutters. That would have taken ages to type. It is always nice to read the blog though. Keep it up.