Kakadu to Darwin

After Gunlom we headed further north into Kakadu to stay 2 nights near Yellow Water wetlands. Here we did a ranger led walk on the boardwalk and saw a salt water crocodile cruise past. Wild pigs are still a big problem and fishing is allowed in the national park! We also visited another great cultural centre and the visitors’ information centre. We bought a boomerang and had fun trying it out.

Yellow Water wetland

Saltie cruising past the boardwalk at Yellow Water

Later that morning he was resting about 5 metres from the boardwalk

Next we headed up to Nourlangie Rock for another ranger guided tour and then set up camp further north at Merl Campground near Ubir Rock.

 

Art at Nourlangie Rock

 We were lucky to catch an aboriginal weaving demonstration/activity where we all tried to split pandanus leaves and weave a bracelet. We also learned about leaf preparation including the dyeing of leaves.

Raw pandanus leaves (right), cooked and dyed leaves (centre), kids weaving bracelets (left)

 That afternoon we enjoyed more ranger talks at Ubirr Rock looking at more art sites and the sunset over the wetlands. That night the mozzies were the worst we had ever experienced in our lives - they even buzzed around your head and tried to bite while you were showering.

One of many views from Ubirr

Monnie at Ubirr

Another view from Ubirr

Sunset at Ubirr

 We packed up early the next morning for a 2 hour cultural cruise up the South Alligator River with some aboriginal guides. We saw lots of crocodiles, learnt about some plants and their uses, and visited Arnhem land (briefly).

More crocs, South Alligator River

View from Arnhem Land

Monnie learning about spears in Arnhem Land

Spear throwing demo

Two faced Rock in Arnhem Land (ET on left side and Robo Cop on right)

Ned, Bronte and Elsie with red ochre face paints on the South Alligator

 That afternoon we headed towards Darwin, stopping at the Mamukala Wetlands (in Kakadu), followed by the Window on the Wetlands education centre near Humpty Doo – this was really good/interactive and one of the few attraction all holiday that held the kids attention for more than 20 minutes.

Mamukala Wetlands (from the bird hide)

We hit Darwin that afternoon to stay with Garry and Helen. Apart from the pleasure of staying with good friends, it was great to stay at a real house again where you can step out of the shower without getting your feet muddy.

In Darwin, we mainly relaxed around the house where all the kids from both families played well together. We did a few trips to town to look around and have dinner at the wharf. Garry and Jim did some fishing in Darwin harbour from a boat - unfortunately nothing decent was caught.

White-bellied Sea Eagle hung around the fishing boat in Darwin Harbour

Fitzroy Crossing to Kakadu

 Note - there was another blog update only 24 hours ago. We'd hate you to miss it! Am currently catching up due to technical problems. Sitting here in Kakadu at night sweating and being eaten by heaps of mossies!! - Ed (=Jim)

The next day was fairly uneventful and we made it to Halls Creek where we slept at great free-stay in a creek bed at Caroline Ponds, just outside town.

The girls climbed China Wall, outside Halls Creek

Our creek bed campsite at Caroline Pool

By staying near Halls Creek we were able to get to the Bungle Bungles by lunch time the next day. The road in was pretty slow taking 1 hour 40 mins for 50 km. Before heading off for an afternoon walk, Claire did some washing and noticed that the clothes line was full of female undies an socks – no contributions at all from the male members of the family, who were obviously economising on changing any clothes to help to reduce the washing workload.

Echidna Chasm, at Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)

The Bungle Bungles were pretty special and well worth the visit. We walked a gorge in the north and the domes in the south, including part of the big Picaninny Gorge walk.

Ned and Elsie

 

We also had some good campfires at the campsite, but because they were communal fires, we had trouble with noise going on into the night next to our tent. Unfortunately the u-beaut mudflaps that we got custom made in Broome were only just hanging on by this stage and proved to be a total waste of money (and time).

On Tuesday we left the Bungles and made it to Kununurra that night to stay by the lake again and stock up on supplies.  Kununurra Diversion Dam (on the Ord River) The next day we explored Lake Argyle, including the original Durack Homestead, the dam wall and Ord River.  The original Durack Homestead (The Durack's started the cattle industry in the Kimberleys) We had intended to leave that afternoon, but when we saw the “infinity pool” at the Caravan Park we had to have a swim and stay the night.  Lake Argyle and the infinity pool - The best swimming pool with views you have ever seen! Lake Argyle  Jim discovered the original “Northern Safari” DVD (1955) in their shop, so bought it to watch in the tent that night.  Finally the warm weather had arrived and we started not needing our down doonas at night! We can’t believe how cold it has been at night for the last 2 months. Parts of the Gibb River Road had been having  2 degrees at night over the last few weeks. Ord River just below the Argyle Dam wall The next morning we also watched a video on the making of the Argyle Dam before heading off into Keep River National Park just over the NT border. We only went half way in but saw some spectacular scenery. Cockatoo Billabong, Keep River Keep River National park Keep River National Park  Rather than staying the night, we then made a dash east and made it to Victoria River Roadhouse by sunset. This is a big river through some dry and spectacular country. Jim rose early the next morning to walk up the nearby escarpments. Victoria River Gum blossom at Victoria River  We then went to Katherine as quick as we could to stock up again (and replace our mobile internet stick) so we could make it into Kakadu that night. We figured that a small rush now will give us an extra day in Kakadu where the kids can swim. It would also allow us to stay in the one spot and relax for Jim’s birthday on the Saturday. Our first 2 nights were at Gunlom in southern Kakadu where you can swim at the bottom of a water fall and also climb 1 km to the top to swim in rock pools – pretty much like a natural “infinity pool”. The most amazing water hole at the top of the water fall at Gunlom - a great way to spend Jim's birthday Elsie and Monnie at swimming pools at top of water fall Kids at swimming pools at top of water fall Elsie and Monnie at swimming pools at top of water fall The bottom of water fall at Gunlom, complete with friendly freshwater croc that didn't bother any of us swimmers

Broome to Fitzroy Crossing

Hi All - Sorry for the recent lack of updates - our mobile internet stick failed and has only recently been replaced.

Our last night in Broome (4 July) was busy with staircase to the moon, night markets and catching the last half of the State of Origin game at the Roebuck Bay pub. 

Staircase to the Moon at Broome - full moon at low tide from Town Beach

 On Thursday we started heading back east past Derby to catch a few things we missed earlier due to car trouble. Our first big stop was Windjana Gorge which was really beautiful and we had our first dose of (freshwater) crocodiles plus a bonus python on the walking track.

Windjana Gorge from the camp site

Python on the track, lower left

Inside the gorge

freshwater croc in the gorge (one of many)

The next day we walked along Tunnel Creek which travels through a mountain -  we needed head torches and swimmers to wade through the darkness.  Bronte had been looking forward to this walk for weeks.Unfortunately we didn't see any (freshwater) crocs, despite reports of one being there.

Tunnel Creek walk

Further inside the cave at Tunnel Creek

That night we stayed at Fitzroy Crossing trying to sleep through the music which seemed to go all night at the nearby rodeo grounds. Jim also ducked out to Geike Gorge late at sunset.

Geike Gorge

Broome and surrounds

We had three days in Broome and didn’t do a whole lot. We grew to love our campsite on grass (a rarity) with ocean views and great neighbours. We checked out the town area, had a few swims at Cable Beach and managed to have McDonalds' soft serve cones every day.

Ned whistles to a hermit crab to coax it out of its shell.

Bronte and Monnie at Cable Beach

Cable Beach

Cable Beach

 The Prado’s fuel hose was successfully replaced and on our last evening we visited the Broome Bird Observatory at Roebuck Bay – one of the most important sites in Australia for migratory birds that come to Australia every Spring.

More seagulls (pretending to look busy)

We were lucky to see some catch and release activities at the Roebuck Bay Bird Observatory

On Saturday morning we left for Cape Leveque which is at the tip of the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome. The road was pretty corrugated for the first 100 km (worse than Gibb River) but turned to great bitumen for the last 100 km through the aboriginal communities. We spent 3 nights at 3 different beaches - Middle Lagoon, Kooljamon and Gambanan. Each was on aboriginal land and run by the respective land owners, and each had beautiful pristine coastlines. Gambanan was our favourite with friendly owners and 270 degree views of the coast (and they didn’t charge for kids!)

On the beach at Middle Lagoon

View from our Middle Lagoon campsite

The kids thought it was pretty funny when Dad got the car and trailer bogged in the middle of an intersection (in the middle of nowhere). Of course Dad really bogged it on purpose to help justify bringing all that recovery gear.

Swimming at Kooljamon

Low tide at Gambanan

Campsite at Gambanan

We also visited Beagle Bay and found a cafe (Whale Song) in the middle of nowhere on a cliff top with great ocean views where we lashed out on Gormet Pizza and fruit smoothies. On Monday we also did a tour of the nearby Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm where we learnt lots about the history of pearling and how the pearls are grown. The shells on the beaches are amazing up here – heaps of them and all good quality, especially at Middle Lagoon.

Beagle Bay Church, built in 1917

The alter of beagle Bay church is covered in mother of pearl

Whale Song cafe

Waters of the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm

We headed back to Broome on Tuesday, due to the car being booked in for fitting bigger mud flaps (to better protect the trailer from stones) and in preparation for Staircase to the Moon which occurs each full moon on Town Beach. We were lucky to get the same great campsite as last week, which is also walking distance to the full moon activities on Wednesday night.

Dinosaur footprints (120 million years old) are preserved on the rocks near Broome - only visible at very low tides