Kakadu

We entered Kakadu National Park, after a successful morning of fishing, but the day just seemed to be getting hotter. This was the first day that we all really felt the heat. Kakadu has so much water but crocodiles have claimed all these waterways as their home. So it was absolute torture passing all these rivers, billabongs and creeks and not being able to swim.



Cooling down in the creek crossing



Our first camp for Kakadu was 2 mile hole. We turned onto the gravel road to 2 mile hole and just 500metres up the track was the first creek crossing, only a trickle of water flowing into the wide shallow road crossing. There was no way a crocodile would be anywhere near this crossing. Darrin and I looked at each other thinking the same, then next thing the girls asked if they could have a swim. Hot and desperate to cool down we all went in. Such a little amount of water was such a huge relief.  Cool and refreshed we headed to the 2 mile campground.



2 Mile Hole camp


We found a huge shady area to camp. While we were setting up we noticed a little flow of a tiny creek next to the campground. Fresh flowing crocodile free water to use is a bit like finding gold in this territory. We spent a wonderful few days here and of course we caught some more smaller Barramundi which we did not keep any because the fridge was already full from Kate and Emma’s catches at Shady. This camp spot was a little gem because there were absolutely no mosquitos, yippee, but hard to believe for Kakadu.

2 mile hole

Aboriginal Rock Art at the Main Gallery Ubirr

Ubirr was our next stop. We arrived their as the gates opened at 8.30am so we could catch the ranger talks. The girls were very excited about going to see some Aboriginal Art so they took their scrapbooks and pencils to copy the art. We walked to the main gallery and while we waited for the talk to begin the girls went to work on copying the art, the Barramundi, turtle, hand prints and wallaby. The ranger talk was great learning about the way of life of the traditional aboriginals and the meaning of the rock art and how it was a big part of their life. You could then understand the stories that were being told via the rock art.

Artists Emma and Kate at work

The next part of the walk was to the most spectacular, and I am sure the most popular part of Kakadu.  The 360 degree views that can be seen from the top of Ubirr Rock is just amazing.

Just one view from Ubirr rock

Another view from Ubirr rock

Having seen some wonderful rock art and fantastic views we headed to Merl campground to learn how to do some basket weaving with the Aboriginals. This is a wonderful talent that they have. They showed us how they collect the pandanus leaves from the very top of the tree (as those leaves are the newest and stronger) then split each leaf in half then make strips to weave. They die some of the leaves using roots of different plants depending on what colours they need. The girls got to weave a bangle each.

Traditional basket weaving

Emma and Kate learning the process

Kate painting with the Ocher

After our lessons we went to put the boat in at East Alligator River to see what we could find and catch. At the boat ramp there were some Aboriginals on the river bank and Kate had picked up some red ocher and wanted to know if that was what the Aboriginals make paint from. So we wondered over and asked an elder whose name is Neville. He was so warm, polite and gentle and wanted to teach the girls so much. He mixed the ocher with water and drew on his arm to show the girls the paint. He also showed them a green leafy part of a wattle tree that is used for bush soap, its amazing with a bit of water and rubbing it foams up and cleans the dirt. Keen to show them more he got some white sand and did some sand art using his hand, arm and fingers. He drew baby footprints and dingo footprints and called it baby and friend. Then emu, goanna, crocodile and adult footprints. He told us that the elders take the kids out in the bush in the school holidays and write stories in the sand. It was such a wonderful experience learning some aboriginal culture.

Beautiful scenic East Alligator River

The East Alligator River was gorgeous, the view of the escarpments and sandy banks were magnificant, the photos don't really capture the amazing beauty of this river. We spent a few hours cruising up and down the river. We managed to see some rock art, only a couple of crocodiles and of course we got some Barramundi. We had to keep Darrin's catch because it had engulfed the lure and would not swim after we eventually got the lure out of his gills.


Darrin's catch we had to keep from East Alligator River



Dingo greeting us at Jabiru

As we drove into the town of Jabiru we were greeted by a dingo hanging around the welcome sign. A town set up to service the employees of the Ranger Mine, all the houses looked exactly the same and there was no appeal to any building in Town. However, we could not go past the crocodile resort and walked in for a swim. We had freshly caught Barramundi and chips for dinner at the Jabiru lake picnic grounds, nice green grass and top playground. We sat on the picnic blanket eating our dinner while watching the sunset, wonderful.

Nourlangie Rock

Our next visit was to Nourlangie Rock to see some more art. The art was very faded here but we enjoyed the walk thru the cave like rocks and the views of the distant escarpment.

Cruising up Twin Falls Gorge

Rock hoping to twin falls

We set up camp at Jim Jim Billabong for 3 nights. From here we went for a drive out to Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls. The drive in was very scenic, we really enjoyed the drive. Twin Falls were the first of the two that we visited, absolutely spectacular. A short and enjoyable boat ride thru the gorge, the water was so crystal clear that we saw some good size fish and turtles swimming around. And the gorge was just amazing to see, we then rock hoped up to the base of the falls where no swimming was allowed because of crocodiles but they did have showers set up on the bridge to cool off. The girls enjoyed cooling off.

Twin falls

Showering to cool off in twin falls gorge

Now for a proper swim we headed to Jim Jim falls. Only about a 1km walk to the falls but it was very rocky going. The single fall was hardly flowing at all but quite a big drop. We swam off the sandy beach and the water was very crisp, but cooled us down on a hot day. After a swim, snorkel and Darrin and Emma did some rock climbing - very impressive we headed back so we could make it back the camp for sunset.

Emma and Darrin rock climbing

Jim Jim Falls

Yellow Waters was not far from our camp so we spent half a day exploring this area. In the morning we drove there and did the board walk over the billabong and saw a nice size salty cruising the shallows of the billabong. We then went for a swim at the Cooinda lodge which was lovely to relax for a few hours around the pool and catch up with fellow travellers. The billabong is the same waterway as the Jim Jim Billabong so we spent the afternoon cruising the waterway from our camp. Went up as far as we could by boat to have a look. The bird life was amazing, Kate loved looking for all the different birds hiding in the trees. And of course I do have to mention the big barra Darrin caught and much to our campsite neighbours dibelief he let it go for someone else to catch.

Relaxing around the pool



Cooinda Lodge pool



Our Jim Jim Billabong camp

Barramundi Gorge

Darrins self portrait of his barra catch in Jim Jim Billabong

We packed up camp to move on from Jim Jim Billabong.  On our way our we stopped for a quick swim at Cooinda, four hours later we on the move again. We stopped at Barramundi Gorge for a look, the walk was only 700metres and followed the creek and we got to see some sarratoga, barramundi and turtles in the creeek it was so clear. The little gorge and waterfall at the end of the walk is just spectacular, on of the best little walks we did in Kakadu. We were there late in the afternoon which was not good for getting a great photo because of the shadow. But the water was fantastic so we swam to the other side of the gorge and saw a whole different view.

That night we camped at the Gungural lookout to we could watch the sunset and sunrise over the escarpments. We are just loving the colours at sunrise and sunset up here.



Walking to the top of Gunlom falls



Our last spot to visit was Gunlom falls, we drove in there early to do the steep climb to the top of the waterfall. This provided magnificant, views and once at the top the pools to swim in were fantastic and right on the edge of the escarpment. A wonderful way to finish our visit to Kakadu.

Swimming at the top of Gunlom falls

Our Kakadu experience was truely amazing. We saw some beautiful country and experienced so many wonderful things. Our visit to Kakadu will be one we will always remember as unique.