16th Sept - Darwin to Kakadu

It's Friday and today is the first day that the infamous Darwin humidity hits us, big time. We sweat our little ringos off packing up.   Marie drives out a short distance with us stopping off at Corroboree Park Inn for a quick refreshment and to have a look at this guy.   They have two crocs caged up there, a freshie and this big guy Brutus the saltie.   There is something evil in his eyes and that crooked smile..... looks placid enough but we not game to put a finger through the fence.  Sign up saying under video surveilance, no feeding the crocs or stirring them up in any way!

On to the Bark Hut Inn for another quick refreshment, we couldn't help ourselves have a little play on the old buffalo hunting jeep. I got him Darl, I got him Darl!!    I'm sure the other tourists were looking at us sideways, ah well a bit of fun.   We have a sanga with Marie before we part company and she heads on back to Darwin.  We will definitely be back to Darwin in the future for a longer stay.

Check this quirky headline in the local Darwin newspaper, Marie says it's more like a tabloid, I think she could be right.  The smaller writing says, Croc Pigs out at the Hog's Death Cafe.  Gotta give it to them for imagination.  We head off on our merry little way into Kakadu World Heritage Park.   The cost for a park pass $25 pp.  We were fortunate that our young neighbours back in Darwin gave us their passes which last until 23/09. 

Rangers do check that you have your pass and that the correct name shows on the pass, otherwise penalties are incurred.    We take a chance.    We decide to pull up camp at Merl Campground near Ubirr and the Border Store next to Cahill Crossing.   The camps are spacious, just the way we like them and the amenities are clean and working.   The young ranger comes around to collect camp fees $10 pp.  He is here for the season, his parents running the border store.   He advises that there is 17 species of mosquito at this camp spot, goodo!

We settle in and take a short drive and stroll to Ubirr, right on the border of Arnhem land for sunset.    It truly is a beautiful sight, but my Darl still doesn't like me taking too many sunset photos.     Along the way we stop for a gander at the rock art, it is amazing and so is the iron bark timber hand rails surrounding the artworks.  My Darl is very impresssed with this.

Here we are with Arnhem Land behind us, we decide to bite the bullet and do a tour over there tomorrow.    Later in the evening we attend a ranger talk on Kakadu environment, seasons etc.  Very interesting.  This is Binninj / Mungguy country - they recognise up to 6 seasons in Kakadu.  Monsoon Season Jan/Feb/Mar, Knock 'em down storm season Apr/May, Cooler but still humid season May/June, Cold Weather season Jul/Aug, Hot dry weather season, Aug/Sept, Pre monsoon season, Oct-Dec or thereabouts.  They are Gudjewg, Banggerreng, Yegge, Wurrgeng, Gurrung, Gunumeleng.

15th Sept - Darwin

We have a great day today with Marie, being our good little tour guide.  She takes us to Crocodylus Park and Zoo, not far from where we staying.  We end up spending a good hour or more here.   Watch the crocs being fed in the pond, then a walk through the breeding pens, look at them the woman giving the bloke a gob full, good girl!!  One poor fella had his jaw taped up, apparently had given his missus a right touch up.  The salties are carnivores, the blokes can even turn cannibal, they eat meat as soon as they are hatched.

They farm crocs here also for leather and meat.   It was one of the most sort after leathers world wide with a 2 year waiting list to fulfill orders.  They cull at about 1.5 metres (approx 18 mths old) Darl reckons the slower you grow to 1.5m to longer you get to live... They banned hunting in the early 70's, and started the farming programmes this is the only way to ensure their survival.   We have heard along our travels to run zigzag to get away from the crocs, WRONG!
We are assured they will get you in the end.

Unless of course you can clamber up a tree.  Ah how cute, how can this little fella grow up to be so ferocious.  Mind you they have got his jaws taped.   Crocs live to 50 to 75 years old, they lose their teeth every 18th months until they get to 70 when they don't grow back and this leads to the ultimate demise when they got no teeth they can't catch tucker..   Unlike shark teeth, sharp and designed to rip and tear, crocs teeth are blunt designed to grab and drag.

We were looking forward to seeing the big cats, tiger, lions, ocelots.    But only the lions were out today and they were sleeping.   For a small zoo they have a great display native animals and some imports, Tortoises, iguanas, ostrich,  baboon etc.  But check this Wallaroo, check out his biceps!! Now I am glad it wasn't one of these that ran into us, think we would have had more than ding in the bumper. 

From here we go sightseeing along the coast of Darwin, Marie takes us all over and we end up at the ski club for the best steak sandwich in the Territory AND a couple refreshments to wash it down.    There is 3 clubs along the waterfront, we had a drink at 2 yesterday, the Trailer Boat Club and the Sailing Club, so we did them all.  They are all top spots.   Marie points out a sand bar as it's low tide and on here they have a cricket match once a year, that would be a spectacle or even great to attend.

After lunch we wander over to the Museum and take a look at Sweetheart an infamous croc, it was being a menace, a couple of guys caught him, however the croc drowned before they could get him back to land for relocation.  They say he would have died within a week due to the stress of relocation, but I guess that's something that they will never really know.   Entry to this museum is by donation, free if you want, and is also well worth a look see.   It has a section on Cyclone Tracey another devastating event to rock Darwin.

We have a drive over to Cullen Bay, bit like the Raby Bay of Cleveland.   Before heading to Mindil Beach markets, another must do if you ever visiting Darwin.  The pic above is the Big House in the foreground with Mindil Beach after that.   The markets based largely on food!  Anything you can imagine (yes even road kill) you can get here, so go with an appetite.  Lots of entertainment, aboriginal art (expensive), whip cracking, didg playing, etc.   This market is on Thursday and Sunday night and always attracts huge crowds, especially down the beach to watch the sunset.

The markets do close for the wet season from around end October to April.  The opening and closing of the Mindil market season is marked with a fire works display on the beach.  There are a number of other week-end markets go all year round.   Here we are soaking it up on the beach at sunset.    They have two police officers patrolling the beach on horse back, I think more for show than anything else, but I got some good pics of them too.

14th Sept - Darwin

Today we decide to do a bit of sight seeing and drive over Fannie Bay way and end up at East Point, a nice drive along the coast.   We stumble on the Military museum and decide to take a look.   ($12pp entry)   It is well worth the visit with a fantastic display for all to enjoy and you get to realise and appreciate just what a significant part Darwin played in WWII when Japan tried to invade.  There is also a smaller but still great museum at the Alice Springs RSL.   It's been a while since we have seen any highrises, this Darwin city.

My Darl likes to play, he loves to play on the artilary displays any chance he gets, it brings out the little boy in him!   Here he is ready for action.. The grounds surrounding the museum are dotted with other wartime buildings, the grass well manicured and dry, it would be a picture after the rains when the grass is green.   Little had we realised that there were twice as many bombs dropped on Darwin as there was on Pearl Harbour.  64 air raid attacks.  188 planes first attack most devastating, the raids continued for some time after that over 1942/43.

Here he is again amongst the camouflage.   They have a video playing in the museum of an old digger recounting the events of the day Darwin was initially bombed by Japan.  Also, an old war time video running of this time.   During this period there was over 1/2 million military personnel in Darwin/NT area.
We got a little lost making our way back to camp today. Did a couple of loops of the city, until we got our bearings again. It pays to remember to take your maps out.

We were comtemplating going to the in house toad races tonight, not that keen as my Darl wants to take along his pitch fork, but we are saved.  Got in touch with my cousin Marie and she takes us over to Fisherman's wharf, another busy spot, for tea with her brother Bernard.  As we were walking to outside the park, we heard some sirens going off and to our surprise they were pulling in to our park??   2 Fire trucks, a police car and 1 ambo on standby out on main road.

We went back in for a little investigation and apparently it was a gas leak in a 4WD vehicle.   We made sure it was all under control before we left, though there was several camps between them and us.  We sat by the waters edge and were amazed at the huge fish swarming the waters, they were competing with the seagulls for the potatoe chips being fed to them, a whole new meaning to fish and chips on the go!  Also saw a dolphin swim by.  Marie is working at Tanamine gold mine, driving trucks underground, Bernard is in the RAAF currently based in Darwin.

13th Sept - Darwin

We did a few chores this morning, washing etc., then headed off to town get a few supplies and have a look see around.   Went for a wander through the mall, looking for a pub nowhere to be found.  We had to ask someone where the pubs where, oh just one street over in Mitchell Street.  Yep we found 'em, had a couple coldies and raced back to the car before the meter ran out, didn't want to cop a parking fine.   We are trying to get used to this new rule up here, if you want a shopping bag you have to pay for it.  We got done again today, had to buy another bag.  Have plenty of bags now, just have to remember to take them with us when shopping.

A vege out afternoon, I updated blog, Darl did maintenance on the push bikes, his bike had another flat.   Check this guy out Fats Thommo.   He did a show at the park tonight, we were debating whether to go along or not, but made the effort and what a laugh.   He did the big O, blues brothers, here is the pink he is doing "I'm too sexy" (not), Bee Gees.  Very entertaining.   He even managed to get Darl up on stage, but I didn't have the camera then, bugger.   He and another guy did the drums and bell for the song Knock 3 times...

Here he is doing, you guessed it Rocky Horror.  They ran a raffle of 20 prizes but we had  no luck there.  That's all the show cost $5 worth of raffle tickets, went from 6.30 to 9pm.   Only trouble is we probably had too many drinks and no tea... ah well...........  Looking forward to doing some sight seeing tomorrow.

12th Sept - Darwin! The Big Smoke

Last night at Florence Falls we cook a camp oven stew on a fire, the first this trip (have cooked in camp oven on the primus).  My Darl mentions this morning that there is a sign up for a total fire ban on Saturday 10th Sept.  No open fires only fires allowed for cooking in fire places at camp grounds, luckily it was the 11th as we had a little camp fire after dinner that night. 

On our way out of Litchfield we stop off for a look at the magnetic termite mounds.  These mounds are unique as they all face north with a flat surface facing south.   This is all very clever as they are built for temperature control.

The landscape changes from here to Darwin, lots of Palm trees along the road side, like a bit of a tropical outback setting.   We must be getting close to civilisation as the traffic is getting thicker and the roads are getting wider, closer to Darwin we hit a 4 lane highway!    This place is bigger than we expected.   We found the tourism centre in town to set us on the track for Shady Glen van park (recommended by Garry and Cathy) and got some bits on Kakadu.  We then went in search of battery world to sort the deep cell out.

A bit of ignorance on our part, we assumed that the battery was self maintaining, just like the car batteries, wrong!  Apparently you do have to maintain them and keep the water levels up!  Oops, guess the trip to the Cape and the nine days straight on solar/battery has taken its toll.  Anyway we invest in a new 120 watt deep cell (ours only 80 watt), keep the old for a back up.  Booked into Shady Glen, I asked for the shadiest, grassy site they had...getting a bit over, dirt, dust and rocks.     My darl does some maintenance on the trailer, possum borne, turned grease monkey!

11th Sept - Litchfield National Park

We arrive at Florence Falls after Cutta Cutta caves and set up camp, there are a number of falls in Litchfield, we'll probably venture out and have a look see over the next day or so.  We have a dip in the falls plunge pool, well Darl has a swim and I have a sit.   Anyone that knows me knows that I ain't a flash swimmer, I can dog paddle and float but tend to panic when I can't touch the bottom, yep I need to be grounded.   We hearing from others that have done Wongi falls and a couple of the others that Florence though smaller is one of the nicer falls.  There is another

spot close by, Buley Rockhole so we tried to do the walk there, only about 1.6km however the track is closed due to maintenance and will only re open in December 2011.   We end up doing the Florence creek walk about 1 hour.  Along the way my Darl takes a drink, the water is fast flowing and crystal clear.   The camp ground has amenities - toilets and showers, bargain! 

We are loving the wide open spaces of the outback, great camp sites.  This is the first night we leave all the windows open as it is getting warmer, though by morning it cools off.  We are having some hiccups with our battery system, running the fridge.   Might have something to do with what looks like a slight leakage from the battery which we notice a few nights ago at Banka Banka.   We have been rapt so far with the Waeco, hasn't missed a beat, we'll get the battery sorted in Darwin.

Me not being the poser, but hey I will give it  go.  Yeah you're right it's not me.   This is taken on Florence Creek walk. 

Guess what, I spot the snake again.  Walking back from the swim hole, here is another golden tree snake, maybe this is the same one from Cutta Cutta and it's following us.

As we can't do the walk to Buley Rockhole we jump on the Suzi and go for a ride.  It's not far at all, a 5 minute ride.  This place is amazing a series of small waterfalls with big swim holes at the bottom of each one, a very popular place for travellers and locals.   Just imagine this place is summer it would be chockers.   There is a sign up saying if car park is full, waterholes are full, go away and come back later!   We don't bother about seeing the other falls as we have jagged the best yet again......

Back to camp for lunch and we find the shadiest spot beside the info board.   While there the ranges come by and spoke to my Darl.   Smart girl ranger says to Darl, suppose you have a pee behind the sign??  Maybe they have cameras in the trees out spotting at night times......Big brother watching 'n all even out here in the middle of bloody nowhere.    Note the drinks , on the rocks our little side tables.

Later that day we went for a dip at the falls.   As mentioned I am not the best swimmer so I take my little yellow kick board down, so I can float around (gotta get a noodle, they are trendier)!    My Darl coaxed me over to the bottom of the waterfall.    That was okay, however the gush of the falls coming down, creating a bit of head wind and I was kicking like crazy to get there, I ran out of puff and found nothing to hang on to.   I beat a hasty retreat with my Darl by my side ready and willing to save me if I started to sink!   Here we are afterwards still smiling!

10th Sept - Cutta Cutta Caves

We were sad to leave the donKEES!  behind, but we're off to Litchfield National Park today via Cutta Cutta Caves.   This is something new for us.  We jag it on arrival for the 10am tour $34 for us both, 1 hour tour.  We drag the chain a bit to the entrance as we like to take in the scenery and take a few pics as we go along, but the group was waiting for us before Ethan the tour guide proceeded.   These are limestone caves.  There is a colony of about 1000 bats in here, they are carnivorous. 

They do it well with foot lights along the path and then some suttle lighting to highlight the formations, in some areas there is only a couple metres between us and the ground above.  We weave our way through some tight spaces to the end.   We walked about 250 metres into the cave, but it continued through a smaller hole for another few hundred metres where all the bats hang out.  By the way does anyone know the difference between a bat and a flying fox??  They both stink to me...

At the end of the walk in, Ethan turned the lights out and it was pitch black, he went onto say that people who are subjected to dark places for long periods of time, lose their minds, get disorientated etc.  My Darl yelled out "Stop goosin me!"   No one owned up and it certainly wasn't me......Ethan turned the lights back on within a few minutes so we were all okay, I think.  

As we left the cave Ling's eagle eye caught sight of a small snake.  Ethan identified as a Golden tree snake and harmless.    During the tour he did say that a lot of more dangerous snakes and other predators hang out around the opening of the cave to try to catch a feed of the critters exiting and entering into the cave.   We continue on our cruise to Litchfield park.   After getting past the 3 ways we notice that we are now definitely in Road Train country.    Lots of trucks and also lots of Winnebagos towing small vehicles, bikes etc.