Kakadu

On our way to Kakadu we were both excited to go bush camping again. We had heard from a lot of people that Kakadu disappointed them so our expectations weren’t too high. It certainly turned out to be an expansive park to visit but we’ve spent 6 nights in it and had a ball. 

We went through the south entrance and spent our first night at Gunlom falls campground; nice spacious sites with shade and fireplace and shower and toilet (very civilized bush camping ;-). The waterfall doesn’t have much water but it is still an impressive drop and the crystal clear green plunge pool at the bottom was a delight to swim in after setting up the camper in the midday heat. Pete swam all the way to the fall but not before he found another couple to go along: in the middle of the pool it gets quite deep and who knows what could be lurking down there… they say no crocs but it is hard to reason with the mind sometimes. 

Once refreshed we hiked up the steep path to the top of the fall. We got to the top red, sweaty, huffing and puffing, but it was all worth it: a beautiful view, a vertiginous sight over the plunge pool and several rock pools just for ourselves to enjoy a refreshing bath. Damn why didn’t we bring wine and cheese! Of course it was too perfect to last, a troupe of 15 teenagers walked in and it was goodbye peacefulness and nature sounds. Time to head back to the camp. 

Gunlom Falls

Rock pools at the top of Gunlom Falls

 The next 3 nights we spent at Mardugal camp, a good spot to explore the surroundings. On the second night at the camp, a dingo was roaming around and passed just a few metres from me while Pete was away, I ‘m ashamed to admit I was so scared I flashed our 1million candle power spotlight straight at him to make sure he wouldn’t come closer! Hum, I’m a wuss, I know.

Our fist expedition from that camp was the world famous Yellow Water cruise at sunrise. Pretty pricy but no regrets it was awesome. Stunning colours, birds everywhere, wild brumbies peacefully grazing and numerous crocs loitering among the water lilies, sunbathing on the bank or even charging at each other! Our eyes filled with wonders we were directed to the lodge to enjoy a hearty aussie breakie. That’s what I call a good morning!

Brumby grazing

flock of Magpie Geese

Jabiru

Sea Eagle - 2m wing-span

Big fella! 

See the croc? 

Wicked eye! 

Our day was to be quite busy as we had also planned an afternoon tour called Animal Tracks where Patsy, an aboriginal lady who had live her whole life in the bush between Arnhem land and the Kakadu region, shows what sort of bush tucker aboriginal people eat in this area. It is a very hands on tour so we got to collect mussels poking in dry river bed, find water chestnuts by hammering at chunks of dry soil, taste water lilly stalk and seeds (the seeds can be crushed and made into flour to make damper), and eat crushed green ants (quite acidic, used as medicine for headache and colds, my naturopathic expertise would say because of their vitamin C content ;-). The tour ended with dinner by the fire at sunset, overlooking a very large area of wetland filled with thousands of birds. Sounds and colours were astounding. Our dinner contained the product of our gathering of course- the mussels were alright but would be much better cooked in white wine and the chestnut were tasty- but also some damper made by throwing the loaf directly in the hot coals - I was surprise at how little ashes when eating it- and some meat: magpie goose that we had to pluck first (I gave it a go, I’m not too bad at it, maybe a future career looming…), buffalo meat and barramundi, all cooked over coals lying on a bed of grevillia leaves and covered with paper bark and soil. Overall the meat was quite chewy (the barra was nice) and lacking sauce and seasoning to my delicate French palate, but it was fun to experience a little bit of life in the bush and Patsy’s a real character with all her stories. 

Collecting water lillies

lilly's stalk and seedpod 

Sunset gathering

Meat cooking

Patsy with the plucked magpie geese

                      

The next day we visited 2 more waterfalls: Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls. To reach them it was quite a long and corrugated dirt road but the last bit to the Twin fall offered some fun 4WDriving. Both falls are spectacularly high, it was quite a sight after walking quite a while clambering over rocks and boulders. Swimming is only allowed at Jim Jim Falls but the water was freezing, probably 16-17°C (most other places are between 21-24°C) and the pools are all in the shade. Pete decided to swim across the pool to the base of the falls anyway and I sacrificed myself to take a good picture. No it’s not true, I chickened out, and I’m glad I did because in Pete’s own words he thought his “heart would stop halfway through”! So cold it doesn’t get better with time. I did go for a swim though, a bit further down the falls, from a white sandy beach in full sunshine, a quick splash before basking in the sun.

Jim Jim Falls - Pete made it!

It's freezing!

Romance at Twin Falls

Our last camp in Kakadu was at Merl campsite, nearby Cahill crossing, the causeway at the border with Arnhem Land. Pete did a bit of fishing there hoping to catch a barra, despite persisting for a few hours, not even a bite but we saw quite a few crocs all around. Even though we were quite safe up on the elevated bank, we kept a watchful eye on the movements of these big scary fellows, never know! Some people didn’t seem as careful though, fishing from the causeway, their feet in the water and crocs all around and not far away. True, they were much more successful at catching barras but we found that spot a little too exposed to our taste. The rangers eventually told them off. 

That big fella was right across from Pete fishing

Nearby our camp is a site called Ubir, with aboriginal artwork painted on large boulders. It is the best artwork we have seen so far, depicting scenes of life and of the dreaming, but I was always curious as to how it could be still so well preserved after thousands of years exposed to the elements. I now have my answer, they have been painted over recently, but following the original drawings. From this place, climbing at the top of the rocky mountains, we watched the sunset over the flood plains of Kakadu and Arnheim land and spotted a few crocs in the far away billabongs. Once again we forgot the wine and cheese, how silly!

Pete at Ubir lookout

Arnhem Land

 

Thus ends our Kakadu adventure. We are now heading for Darwin.