Kakadu Nourlangie and Ubirr

Drive another 50kms to Nourlangie. Now 12 noon and scrorching hot. Picnic in shade of our usual tins of tuna in olive oil and bread. Walk around rock art then up to lookout. Big sandstone cliffs and a sign to a longer walk. Dave desperate to continue to the escarpment top but after 30mins of red hot climbing Youngmi says we are going to die and refuses to go on. Great walk back.

Another 30kms to Jabiru a functional town mainly for the nearby Ranger Uranium mine. Delicious meat pie in the café. 40kms further to Ubirr. Pretty  campground with lots of spaces between camping spots and a toilet block with showers in the middle of the trees. Only when it is dark do we notice there are no lights. Quick dinner at up to the Ubirr lookout for the wonderful sunset. Loads of people high on the rocks looking out over wetlands. On the way back have a quick look at the rock art but too dark. Driving back into the campground the ranger says hello. I lower the window and clouds of mosquitos pour in. A nightmare. The brief chat to the ranger was justified by his croc spotting tip for the next morning but the mossies ruined the night. Back at the camp spot we lit 20 mossie coils and a fire and sprayed ourselves and covered up and lost the battle.

Youngmi wisely refuses another night at Mossie central and we pack up and drive 1km to Cahills Crossing. As told by the ranger there is a croc lookout and at 10am the tide will come in. We are about 100km from the sea but the tide rises 3m and comes over the road. As the river changes direction the fish start jumping and maybe 30 crocs appear catching the fish. They swim into the current then float back with their hands in the air waiting for fish to swim under their arms and snap. For a couple of hours there is a lot of croc action then the tide turns and the water falls and all is quiet again. Amazing.

More croc pictures on the next post

Next is a 3km walk through sandstone towers and along the river bank near the crocs. We walked fast.

Back at Ubirr rock car park we were lucky to meet Tec and aboriginal ranger. He led us to the painting and up to the lookout and gave an extra dimension to the area. Brilliant. His grandad was one of the elders of the area and had taught him heaps including the law and how to catch crocodiles.

Back at the border post café two aboriginal guys from Arnhem land were showing and teaching painting. What a great place. Time to get away from the impending mossies so drive to the Aurora resort. No good for us. $29 and no kitchen. Drive another 100kms to Bark Hut roadhouse. Better but no kitchen.  3kms down the road was the Mary River wilderness resort. Beautiful with pool, kitchen and wifi for $24. Heaven
Kids find a cane toad in the kitchen which there dad kills with a blow from a shoe.

Enjoy the buffet breakfast of unlimited cereal, toast, jam and coffee for $9. Laundry despite the high iron content bore water then walked along the river. At Bronzies bar there is the biggest crocodile led on a sand bar. Must be bronzie. 3 to 4m. The buffet breakfast is killing diabetic Dave. Too much food, high blood sugar level and so thirsty. Back to the campground for an insulin injection and lots of water and all is well again.

Edith Falls and Cooinda Yellow Waters

Finally move on from the lovely Katherine Gorge campsite. About 30kms back into Katherine. Look at the new Ghan railway then to Springvale Homestead. Said to be the oldest house in the Territory but closed. Next stop Katherine hot springs which are gorgeous. 32degs like Mataranka and similar to the air temp in the sun. Dave floats along for maybe 100 m through the palms in clear blue water.

Back into red hot Katherine and but loads of food from Woolworths including two giant celery bunches for $1 each. 70kms to Edith Falls. Campground grassy but hot and no kitchen. Busy and we are given a spot next to Mr Ridley-the talented Mr Ridley? Tent up matress in sun to air and off to the pool. Beautiful. Big swimming hole with a waterfall at the back maybe 150m across. Swimming is so nice. Deep and no crocs to be seen. Stroll happily back to the tent to find sprinklers have come on. This is how there is grass in such a dry area. Unfortunately one of the sprinklers is washing our matress. More or less dries in the last half hour of sun. Hot night.

Sweetwater Pool walk next morning. 9kms mainly, through trees but coming to pools fairly often. Very different to Katherine Gorge. Sweetwater Pool is maybe 50m across and deep. From there the track is the Jatbula trail, a 50km wilderness walk to Katherine.

On again to Pine Creek. Too hot for the railway museum but a Devonshire Tea in the lazy Lizard pub is perfect. Lucky the bar maid is from Brighton and can understand our craving for a cream tea. Youngmi loves the décor and tries playing the piano.

 Too early to stop so on to Kakadu. Giant termite mounds, burning off of the scrub and a lookout make the trip interesting. We have to stop at Road works for 30 minutes and as usual chat to the stop sign man. He loves the Territory but is growing a beard so he can move to PNG and work in a gold mine.If all goes well he will make $350,000pa and it is easier than holding a stop sign 12 hours a day in the sun. We thought he had been in the sun too long that day.

Reach Cooinda Yellow Waters resort about 5.30 and settle in. The camp kitchen has seen better days but not a cleaner. Fortunately it has fly screens as for the first time the mossies are out. Chat to a retired couple from WA who are staying in one of the cells next to the camp kitchen. Tiny rooms with just a bunk bed and air con for $95. The camp spot was $36 and nice units $300!

Red hot the next morning and the shower block is like a sauna. Walk 1km to the aboriginal culture centre. Very good. Drive short way to Yellow Waters and walk along the board walk. Looks like England with lots of grass, water and trees. The croc warnings remind Dave it is not England.

More Katherine Gorge

Lily Ponds walk next. 20kms. Last part through a rocky valley with Lily Ponds to the gorge. Rocks, palm trees, ghost gums and hot sun. Great.

Meet Henry and Maree who are camped next to us. Campground now lovely and peaceful. Swim , use unlimited wifi, swim ,then a superb dinner at the campground next to the pool. Chicken schnitzel, salad, and veggie buffet.Cool, peaceful at night.
When we book again the next day we are told the campground is on the land of The Jawon people and they own and manage it. Excellent, well run place. Morning to bring the blog up to date as it gets hotter and hotter. Swim.
In the arvo walk with Henry and Maree to the first gorge and rock art. Superb. Swim in the river then stroll back over the rocky land in the setting sun.