Kakadu National Park

3rd - 11th July

Day 1: We had lunch at Coroboree Park Tavern where we met up with the Gallagher and Smith families before heading into Kakadu together. Our first stop along the way was at Bark Hut Inn which has some Aboriginal artefacts to view and for sale. We camped at Aurora Kakadu Resort, which offers little space for powered caravan sites, but we squished in with our friends. We walked the Gungarre trail, 3.6km hike through monsoon forest, woodlands and along the Anggardabal billabong before the kids headed for the swimming pool.... Needless to say swimming was only permitted in swimming pools throughout most of Kakadu!

Day 2: In the morning we packed up camp and drove to the bird hide at Mamukala wetlands, where we spotted many egrets, magpie geese and eagles. We then stopped in at the Bowali Visitor Centre which held Aboriginal artefacts and local information. We then drove out to Merl Campground where we stayed for two nights. Although the camp sites were set out really well the mosquitoes could have carried us away. We went to the Border Store for ice-creams before heading to Ubirr. At Ubirr we completed the 1km circular track which took us past several fascinating Aboriginal rock art sites.



A 250m climb took us to the top of a rocky lookout that offered superb views over the Nadab floodplain. The view from the lookout was spectacular. It was unfortunate that our sunset was covered in cloud, which kept the heat of the day in, eventuating into a hot sticky night (still 32 degrees at midnight).

Day 3: We drove towards the East Alligator River and drove across Cahills Crossing where we discovered an overturned car, apparently a crossing which is extremely notorious in the wet season. We completed the 1.5km Manngarre Rainforest Walk, through monsoon forest beside the East Alligator River where we spotted two saltwater crocodiles sunbaking. We drove into Jabiru Public Swimming Pool to gain some relief from the heat, before heading back to Ubirr for another walk and afternoon view across the floodplains.



At night Rod returned to do some croc –spotting along the East Alligator River and saw many crocodiles.... just proves there are way more crocs under the muddy-coloured water that we can’t see, so it’s always best to stay right away from the edge – a rule the kids obeyed without arguing over!

Day 4: After setting up camp at Muriella Park campground, we drove to Nourlangie Rock. We viewed an ancient Aboriginal shelter and several outstanding art sites throughout our 1.5km circular walk.



We hiked 600m to the Nawurlandja Lookout which gave outstanding views of the Kakadu escarpment, Nourlangie and Anbangbang Billabong area.

Day 5: We had day trip into Jim Jim Falls, which required some 4wding for the last 10km of track which was mostly soft sand. To get to the deep plunge pool a 1km walk was required through monsoon forest, rock hopping and then climbing over huge boulders. The croc trap in the water doesn't entice you to swim under the falls.



The kids paddled in the water of the plunge pool, close to the bank, which was surrounded by a 150m high cliff and beautiful cascading waterfall.

Day 6: We woke early this morning to drive back into Jabiru for our 1 hour scenic flight... it was amazing!!! It gave us a better perspective of the landscape and allowed us to view the beauty of Kakadu from the air.





We returned to camp for morning tea and then went to Warradjan Aboriginal Culture Centre which held some interesting information about the traditional ways of the local Aboriginal people. We drove further down the road to Gagudju Lodge Cooinda where we had a picnic lunch and a swim in the pool. Before heading back to camp we went to the Yellow Water Wetlands which was just stunning, lots of bird life and we even spotted a croc.



Day 7: Yummy blueberry pancakes for breakfast! An hour drive to Mary River Roadhouse, where we booked into the caravan, plugged into power, filled up our water tanks, washed clothes and swam in the pool.

Day 8: We went for a day trip along a corrugated road to Gunlom Falls. We walked the steep 1km walk up the side of the waterfall to the pools above the falls, which are free of crocodiles, and enjoyed a well deserved swim. After lunch we went swimming in the pool above the small waterfall and exploring the narrow gorge.
At night we had a camp over dinner with the Smith and Gallagher families - our farewell dinner with the Smith family, Paul, Mary, Nicola and Jason (from Lake Cangeligo), who are travelling in the opposite direction towards W.A.

Kakadu surpassed our expectations. A place evident in a rich Aboriginal past, where there are many different ecosystems - wetlands, woodlands, monsoon rainforests, mountain ranges, overhanging cliffs, rivers and creeks. We were fortunate to spot a few jabirus, but no water buffalos as they have been culled in this area.

We would have loved to venture into Arnhemland but due to some "sorry business" this week no premits were being given unless attending Oenpelli where the Aboriginals sell artwork. To venture into west Arnhmeland permits and arrangements need to be made atleast 6 months ahead of schedule - perhaps another trip!?!?

Darwin

22nd June - 3nd July
We loved our time spent in Darwin. We spent treasured time with many new friends. Took in the awesome sights, the wildlife, environment and unforgetable experiences. Here's just a brief outline of our time spent in Darwin.

22nd June:
We arrived in the afternoon to our new home - Lee Point Caravan Park.
After setting up camp we went for a swim in the pool.

23rd June:
We went for a shopping trip in Darwin and drove around to gain our bearings. A beautiful and welcoming capital city... tropical landscape and light blue water in the bay.

24th June:
A free day out at the Leanyer Recreation Park which has an amazing FREE waterpark, which is a Northern Territory government initiative built for the Darwin community and visitors. It has a big pool, 3 high winding waterslides and a water playground similar to the one at Wet n Wild on the Gold Coast - we just couldn't believe it was free and the kids loved it!




This evening we went to Mindil Markets on Mindil Beach - no doubt the busiest market I've ever been too! But the best part was the assortment of food stalls - atleast 75% of stalls were selling food. There were people enjoying the shady grassed area or watching the sunset over the beach. There were entertainers, whip crackers, a fire thrower and many musical entertainers. It had a great atmosphere and a market not to be missed - held each Thursday and Sunday evenings.



25th June:
This morning our dear friends, the Gallaghers, turned up at our carvaan park. We were so happy to be reunited and spent lots of time catching up over the next week or so :)

The Darwin Museum and Art Gallery was another free outing. Some awesome displays including one on 'Sweetheart', a renowned local mischievous croc that has been stuffed and placed on show in the museum. But the best display was the one on Cyclone Tracy, which has video footage of the aftermath of the cyclone, audio recordings during the cyclone, voice recordings of people retelling their experience and photographs of the area prior, immediately after and 6 months after the cyclone demonstarting the damage and restoration of a city. The building code in Darwin changed after Cyclone Tracy with a plan that such devastation would not happen again.

In the afternoon we met the Gallaghers at the Waterfront (Croc-free) Lagoon. When the Smith Family arrived the kids all went to the Wave Pool where they tired themselves out for a couple of hours.



26th June:
Fannie Bay Gaol was interesting. It held many historical stories and still had the gallows in place. This is a photo of the inmates...



We took a drive to East Point Reserve along the waterfront in Darwin. It had several WWII sites to explore, but honestly the heat got to us, so off to the waterpark we went!

27th June:
We went out to Berry Springs for a swim. It was pretty cool going behind the waterfall.



We stopped into Berry Springs market before driving out to Dundee Beach.



Dundee Beach was beautiful, yet untouched with only a small shop/pub. The drive out was mostly on dirt and the township was made of acreage properties with lush rainforest landscape. Apparently it is the place for a successful fishing tour, but as the wind had picked up, Rod decided to give it a miss.

28th June:
Our caravan was booked in for a warranty service, so we completed school work in the morning. After lunch the girls went shopping, while the boys went to the Aviation Museum.

29th June:
In the morning we worked on school work and then spent some time relaxing around our camp.
We took the kids to the Waterpark for some fun!

30th June:
More school work and some more shopping.

However in the evening Rod and I went out to dinner with Sharyn and Stephen at the Skycity Casino's Seafood Buffet. It felt strange being without the kids but really enjoyed the food and the company.

1st July:
Today we had the best adventure just south of Darwin on an Adelaide River wildlife, leisure and fishing one day tour with Hunter Safaris. We met our guide Harry at 9am, he drove us out to Fogg Dam and then to the Windows of the Wetlands giving us information along the way - the most interesting point he raised was how the cane toads are killing the saltwater crocodiles. The cane toads are loathed in N.T. and W.A.

We then boarded his 6m flat-bottomed boat to cruise up the Adelaide River. We spotted several saltwater crocodiles. Harry got some to jump out of the water .... 'Jumping Crocodiles' are a tourist attraction up here!



But the scariest-looking croc was the 5m croc that came towards our boat. It was huge, had an enormous, wide head and big blood-stained teeth. As it approached we all backed up in our seats with some apprehension, thinking that it may jump into our boat!!!!



We had a bbq lunch on some crown land along the Adelaide River that the tour company is leasing. There was evidence of alot of damage done to the environment by the wild water buffalo and although we went searching for buffalo we didn't see any this time.

We boarded the boat again and headed further upstream to 'Goat Island'. The only occupants are one man named Kye and his two dogs. We stopped there for a few drinks and a chat with Kye, a mad Scandinavian guy who told us some croc tales. You'd have to be crazy to live on such an isolated and dangerous island.... but Goat Island Pub is worth the visit!



After the tour we returned to our cars and drove into Mindil Beach Markets for the fire works display. 1st of July is 'Territory Day', which is a day I believe that Northern Territory celebrates it's independence. We watched the fire works display on Mindil Beach and residents and tourists were letting off fireworks all night! I'd forgotten how much fun we used to have as kids on 'Fire Cracker Night'.



2nd July:
Catching up on my blog and grocery shopping.

3rd July:
Off to Kakadu!!!

Litchfield National Park

19th - 22nd June

We spent 3 nights camped at Wangi Falls campground with the Smith family. The Rees family were there for two nights also.

We walked the 1.7km trail to the top of the Wangi Falls. Litchfield NP is covered mostly by a monsoon rainforest, rich with evergreens and Pandanus Palms.



The Wangi Falls plunge pool was closed for swimming. Although the water is home to many freshwater crocs, during heavy rain, saltwater crocs can make their way into the "designated swimming area". Before opening areas for swimming, National Parks survey the area for salties - I can't understand how they do this in murky water... but I hope they get it right!


First thing the following morning we drove to the magnetic termite mounds and read info about how the termites feed off the grass in the low lying habitat that they build their homes in. Within the low areas, the mounds bake in the sun during the day and enjoy cool temperatures at night. The mounds are positioned along an axes which relates to local shade and wind conditions, roughly north to south.

The Cathedral Termite Mound located nearby was almost 7m high...



We drove to Buley Rockpool and sat beside the swimming waterholes to eat lunch. After that we walked the 5km return trail to Florence Falls. The plunge pool temperature was nice and we all enjoyed a swim before our return hike.



Before returning to camp we stopped at Tolmer Falls lookout. The area is not accessible as the falls area is home to the rare Ghost Bats and and Orange Horseshoe Bats.

The next morning we drove the narrow dirt track to Sandy Creek where the kids went for a swim over to the waterfall. The most intriguing part of the day was watching the Green Ants working together to build a nest - quite amazing!



In the early afternoon we drove through a deep river crossing to look at Blythe Homestead Ruins, which was home to the older children in the Blythe Family from 1929. The older children of the 14 kids, aged from 9years, lived and worked from the homestead in a tin mine, which was located 25miles from the parents homestead. Standing before the home, you can appreciate the tough conditions faced by the pioneers in remote areas.

Douglas Hot Springs

We camped for 3 nights at Douglas Hot Springs from the 16th to the 19th June, which became one of our favourite relaxing destinations.

After setting up camp we walked 100m to the Douglas Hot Springs for a swim. The springs are as hot as 60 degrees however you need to find a spot where some cold water meets the hot water to find the perfect temperature. Our quick swim turned into hours of soaking. The kids had fun playing in the sand and rapids of the cooler pool.



The next day we went exploring Oolloo Crossing which crosses the Daly River, the high water and gushing current deters many from crossing – but Rod was determined to give it a go!



After this we went to the Arches and Waterhole in Douglas River Esplanade Conservation Area and although we received info saying it was safe to swim, we gave it a miss. We returned to the hot springs for another long soak before cooking a camp oven dinner over our camp fire. YUMMY!

The last day at Douglas Hot Springs we just hung out at camp, washed clothes, completed school work and spent hours soaking in the hot springs and chatting to other travellers. We had dinner and drinks with the Smith and Sykes families around our camp fire.

Edith Falls

Edith Falls (Leliyn) is part of Nitmiluk National Park and situated 42km north of Katherine. It has two main camping grounds and we chose Edith Falls campground and what a great choice! We had a lovely camp site looking into the bush with a green grassy “backyard”, which was home for the next 3 nights. The Rees family camped for 2 nights with us and hiked and swam with us, before they travelled on.



Day 1 – We walked up to the Edith Falls plunge pool and then completed the 4km return walk to Upper Pool – Oh what a sight!



Day2 – We drove out to the other part of Nitmiluk National Park, Katherine Gorge – and hiked to the Southern Rockpool.



Day 3 –We met the Smith family who have a daughter Nicola, aged 10 and son Jason, aged 8 – they were also hiking the trail to Sweetwater Pool, 8.6km return trip. While walking through the bush we spotted wild pig diggings and were woken from our daze by a water buffalo trampling through the bush to escape from us - it was amazing! (Wish I was quick enough to get a photo)



Our favourite destination in this national park was Upper Pool, so we hiked back there for a swim before returning to camp.

Katherine - N.T.

On the 12th June, after packing up camp, we drove across the border into Northern Territory – we all felt quite excited about the new prospects ahead. Our first night was spent in Katherine. We woke up the following morning and took a swim in the Katherine Hot Springs, which were just luke warm, before heading to the visitor’s information centre to collect information and advice about Nitmiluk National Park.

Lake Argyle

On my birthday morning Rod cooked me yummy pancakes before we hooked up our caravan and took the lovely scenic drive out to Lake Argyle. We drove through magnificent red mountain ranges before hitting the quaint township of Lake Argyle. We set up camp in the caravan park and ate lunch before heading to the store to watch a movie on the making of the dam wall in Lake Argyle. I was relieved when the bus finally came to pick us up to drive us to the boat ramp. We boarded the boat and took a scenic and informative trip around the enormous lake – Lake Argyle hold 21 times the volume of water as Sydney Harbour. As the sun was setting we anchored the boat and several people jumped in for a swim – the kids swam in the 25 degree water, but it wasn’t hot enough for us grownups. We drank champagne or beer, ate nibblies and watched the sunset – What a great way to end the day!



We went back to camp for a scrumptious bbq dinner and played international rules with my chocolate mud birthday cake (thanks to the Rees Family), no hands and the dirtiest face wins!

I had a great day with my family and new friends on my birthday – but still missed being at home with my family and wonderful friends. Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes, it was lovely to know I haven’t been forgotten.

Of course the following day was Daniel’s birthday. He received an early birthday present about 1 month ago – his new swag which he just LOVES. On the morning of his birthday, he got a new sleeping bag, LED hand torch and a DS game. But the best present of all was his abseiling outing. We drove the 75km back to Kununurra, where we boarded a boat, driving 1 hour up the Ord River to our abseiling destination. We all began quite anxious for our first few abseils – down 10m and 25m cliffs – but by the end we were all bouncing off the walls and had the most awesome afternoon, no doubt one birthday Daniel won’t forget!