NORTHERN TERRITORY 28 June - 5 August

Friday 27 June BARKLY HOMESTEAD

At 2:15 we found ourselves entering the NT, facing 130 kmh speed signs, 2 lane good road.  Flat, almost treeless for much of the drive, Mitchell grass and/or spinifex, termite mounds, burnt areas.  Pleasant 27 degrees. David made me drive at 3pm and it was fairly easy on an excellent stretch with no traffic. I drove for 100km.

Playford River

  He took over for the final 85km to Barkly Homestead.  27 degrees in afternoon.

Stopped to look at Abner Range, containing Lost City, 8km in area

We were not expecting much after rejecting Burke & Wills and Gregory Downs, but BH was a nice surprise.  Had a pre-cooked beef curry outside, no awning, then went to the bar for a drink and watched the 6pm Ch 9 news.  Realised we weren't missing TV at all.

Saturday 28 June CAPE CRAWFORD

A drive of 375km to Cape Crawford aka Heartbreak Hotel (amenities are Priscilla and Elvis).  Most of the journey was through flat featureless, waterless plains of spinifex, Mitchell grass or bare stony earth.  Single lane bitumen but only 8 opposing vehicles all day and no-one overtook us.  Areas identified on map as Aboriginal trusts were quite different - no clearing, woodland vegetation.

Just before CC came to McArthur River - good flow of water.  Two Aboriginal women fishing in desultory fashion and supervising 5 lovely small children.

Heartbreak Hotel was a surprise - green, shady, some magnificent unidentifiable trees, full of birds; sprinklers going all day and night.  Grassy, powered sites.  A friendly group on adjoining campsites were cooking roast pork in an improvised Cob.  Took ages but they were all enjoying it by 6pm.  They were going to explore Borroloola tomorrow but return to CC for the night.

We dined at the hotel for David's birthday and had a fullsome meal of good lemon pepper barramundi with generous glasses of Chardonnay.  The chef and receptionist kindly organised an individual cake and sparkler (no dessert on menu) and said no charge but I gave them $10.  We chatted to a couple from Ulladulla at the next table & generally had a very pleasant night.

Sunday 29 June BORROLOOLA

Breakfast at Heartbreak Hotel

Travelled to Borroloola on an unexpectedly good road, 2 lane, good bitumen, all due to the need for Xstrata to get zinc to Bing Bong and send it overseas.

Turned off to look at Caranbirini Conservation Reserve and very glad we did.  Gated entry for cars leads to a very comfortable bird hide with a fantastic view of a lily-clad lagoon.  At first the silence was off-putting but the birds gradually revealed themselves - small flocks of green pigmy-geese and hardheads, later joined by a larger group of black duck.  2 blue-winged kookaburras low down in a tree. A bar-shouldered dove doing a peculiar stomp on a log.  Restless flycatchers perching on lily stems.  Rainbow eater.  Crimson finches on the opposite bank and a little shrike-thrush on the way back to the car.

David saw a small 'croc' on a log - reptile book identifies it as Mertens' Water Monitor Varanus mertensi.

2 walks available - we decided to do those on a return visit.

Booked into van park at Borroloola and had lunch.  Sign said find a spot - be back at 2pm.  Drove a short distance to a boat launching ramp and was delighted to see little pied cormorant, white ibis, mangrove golden whistler, grey heron and a radjah shelduck in full close flight skimming along water. 

McArthur River at Borroloola- 521km long; flows into Gulf

Aboriginal land next to river

Fat guy there reckoned a large barramundi or salt croc was responsible for bubbles just near the edge - we couldn't see anything, though sign suggests he could be right.

Back to park where owner suggested we visit the local museum nearby and gave us the key.  It was next door to the car repair place.  Proved to be very interesting, full of so much detail, especially copies of newspapers over the years.  In 1880s they had a library of 1200 books, government providing money for annual replenishment.  However, climate caused major problems despite adding calico covers to the leatherbound copies of Dickens, dictionaries, ... and it was closed within 20 years.  Display case had modern books relevant to museum material and I will try to find them in Brisbane libraries.

N. Jose:  Black Sheep

R.Baker: Land is Life

H Jarman Muir:  Very Big Journey

J. Leather & E. Webber;  Borroloola .. (National Trust)

There is a gecko peculiar to this region named Gehyra borroloola found in rocky escarpments and gorges - we haven't seen it.

Monday 30 June BORROLOOLA

I did washing early and was able to bring in sheets, etc before we left.  David took car to get slow leak in front tyre fixed.  No problem - cost $25.  Packed lunch and set off for Bing Bong 61 km north on the gulf.  I was somewhat cranky to find that our fuel was low; if we'd left at 10am (when the Aboriginal discount petrol place has its computers going to serve petrol - premium @ 187, so cheap) instead of 9:30, I would not have to worry.

Beautiful flowering trees en route - orange, red and white grevilleas, yellow acacias and pink tall calytrix.

Calytrix exstipulata

Bing Bong is private Xstrata port - DANGER and DO NOT ENTER signs everywhere.  We took the right turn to Mule Creek boat launching ramp.  Dirt road in OK condition.  Nothing there but good view of white-bellied sea eagle.

Samphire flats at Mule Creek

Back to port and observation tower, then down forbidden path to water where David found a mistletoe on a small tree and I spotted a reef egret on a beacon.

Mangrove - Ceriops tagal

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

Lunched under a bridge and explored the area - many lovely plants.

Grevillea parallela

Grevillea pteridifolia

Evolvulus alsinoides

Petrol shortage brought us back to Borroloola for fuel.  Visited the Aboriginal art gallery opposite and found it abuzz with several art experts (?) quizzing an old lady.  Articles on wall referred to exhibitions in Darwin.  Canvases lay piled on tables and hanging from a long rack; painted wooden items (I liked a lizard with lizard decorations) including echidna-like punctured shapes (natural base??) and actual turtle shells - prices ranging from $150.  Nearly all the canvases were naive realistic style and used very bright colours; just a few were dot paintings, including a big one which I really liked and I think would have cost over $2000.

Drove to King Ash Bay and Batten Point, both devoted to fishing activities.  King Ash Lodge is a big complex with sections labelled "Alice Springs Fishing Club" or Townsville Anglers or...  Varied from a paddock to lock-up sheds to holiday homes.  Offered a pub, garage, holiday units, boat ramps.  At Batten Point 7km away and lining the road there were caravans or shanties beside the water.  Very few birds, just pairs of Caspian terns and whistling kites.

McArthur River again, at Batten Pt

Refilled at Aboriginal Bulk Discount store again and explored the supermarket there.  Big fridges and freezers of beer, meat, frozen foods and some with a scanty range of fresh fruit and veges - small quarter of cauliflower for $2.50, 1 avocado for $3.50, 1 priceless kiwifruit and sacks of onions.  No potatoes.  I've since wondered if all the potatoes went next door to the Refreshment section which was doing great business selling large cups of fried chips and Coca-cola.  Two young men sharing a cup of chips outside had most of their teeth missing but were well-built and otherwise looked healthy.

Sadly, the item being carried by all and sundry was beer in cartons or large plastic bags.  Young women with toddler in one hand and carton under other arm going home.  No-one seemed drunk at this time, 5pm.  Many young people and children.  Community school opposite looks very new and grounds are still under construction.  Nice green oval next door.  Not a depressed looking community at all.

Tuesday 1 July  DALY WATERS

Left Borroloola at 8:40, early start for once!  Back to Caranbirini.  A quick look at lagoon, then off on the B walk.  However, David spied the sandstone formations and a path, so ignoring the arrows, he set off that way with faithful wife in tow.  All seemed and was great for the first hour (walk supposed to take 1-2 hours).  Easy walking (me in rubber sandals); interesting country, quite stunning once we reached the sandstone columns.  We later found that we had saved a helicopter ride to the Lost City by walking there.

Can't ID this lovely flower

Eucalypt & grevillea woodland

Kapok bush - Cochlospermum fraseri

 

Ctenophorus caudicinctus - no ID for skink above

 

 

and then D chose the wrong path!

 

 

Choice of 2 paths, both marked with blue arrows.  We had been walking backwards to this point because of David's first decision.  Not much water left.  I gave in again (groan!) and chose his path.  After 20 minutes we met 3 young men going the other way.  They said they had been "motoring along" for 90 minutes.  I was worried as we were by then walking through fire-blackened areas with spinifex groundcover, not good with sandals.  No birds to distract me.  We realised that we were on the hard walk, at least 3 hours and it was getting hotter all the time (32 degrees when we reached the car).  I took the lead and walked very very fast on the flat areas, but slowed down on the uphills.  After an hour I was feeling very sick, determined not to pee or blow my nose to avoid fluid loss.  David made me drink our last 100mL and we continued on as fast as we could.  On reaching the car park, having walked the distance the young men had in the same time, they were there, worried about us and amazed that we had done so well.  Lunch back at the bird hide.

Set off through boring country (trees, no flowers, no fauna, straight road).  David wanted to stay at a rest area where others, quite welcoming, were camped, but I demurred, so we continued on to -

Daly Waters Historic Pub - we had read a lot about it, including Anne's account of a good night there, but you have to do it to believe it.  Could not get a powered site but all sites were on dusty sandy dirt anyhow.  We were just 100m further from the swampy amenities (corrugated iron bathrooms with rusty shower base, plastic curtain not stopping water all over floor, towel rail but no hooks).  However, there is a camaraderie in difficult conditions and everyone was cheerful. 

 

 

WW11 display outside

David booked us a meal (salads instead of the almost obligatory beef and barra meal @ $25) at 4pm and was given a standard number 23 sign for our 'table'..  Meals start at 6:30 but he was told to expect ours around 7pm.  They actually interrupted the entertainment to announce at half hour intervals the people who should get their beef/barra meal.  The place was packed.  Long tables with bench seating, so nobody could eat alone.  Very friendly.  Around 6:00 a guy placed 2 fancy chooks - small hen, large rooster - on a rail beside the stage.  The entertainment started 6:30 - a man about 60 named Frank Turton announced his wedgetailed eagle show.  He was very funny and an excellent entertainer.  We have avoided every C& W show so far, but glad we spent 3 hours watching this.  There was a wall of his newspaper clippings, proving that he did indeed float down the Murray with a chook on 2 large wooden guitars.  Audience participation was centred on 20 Kiwis and some children (the latter would not agree that their parents had a fight about anything - very nice kids!). 

I have yet to mention the decorations.  Sections of seating have pillars or screens covered with signed thongs.  The bar area has walls with paper money from all countries; screens of T-shirts with insignia; rafter hung with felt or other hats and much more.  The place was central to our Northern defence in WW 2 and has never recovered from that.

Very glad we went there - may never return!

Wednesday 2 July  KATHERINE

Left Daly Waters at 7:30 (sic!!) without breakfast - too dusty.  Drove a few kms back to Hiway Inn and had raisin toast and coffee.  Could have showered there for $2.  Drove on to Mataranka through boring country - many trees, yellow grass, no flowers, dead straight road mostly.  Brief stop at Bitter Springs - may return there before going to WA.  Useful stop at NT Parks office - good info and sheets about local parks and walks. 

Continued on to Katherine.  Wrong turn put us on Gorge Road so decided to look at Top Tourist park - freaked by PARK FULL sign at 12:30.  Back and change direction to riverside parks - stopped first at RIverview;  looked alright, had Nomad wireless internet ($5 hour) so booked for 4 days in case Low Level booked out.

Pleased with site next to fence and gate to path for Hot Springs.  However, found later that they squeezed another van next to us as an unpowered site and that orientation for all vans in park ensures sun in am and pm.  Shopped at WW complex - just like I'pilly with a few less items and prices not bad.  Had attached liquor store - limit of 1x2L cask pp pday and need photo ID (just started today). 

Before dinner (pork stir-fry) we walked down to Hot Springs and had a swim.  Not refreshing as 32 degrees but felt good when you stood up or got out and colder air hit your body.  Constant traffic next to us as folks went out the gate to swim.

Thursday 3 July  KATHERINE

Up early for a walk before breakfast along Katherine River.  Mist rising.  Wallaby seen twice.  Walked to Low Level crossing, touted as popular swimming hole.  People were camped there for free next to a toilet block which was being cleaned with a high-pressure noisy hose.  Note:  many toilets in NT have shower also, free or $2 charge at garages.

Leisurely breakfast, then into town to tourist information centre and to buy me shorts. Lady at Tourist Centre could not help with info re Nitmiluk or Darwin accommodation, though she managed to frighten me with tales of people finding no sites at caravan parks there just now.  Eventually got some cheap shorts.  Home for lunch then off to the Gorge.  But I gave David the wrong directions and we ended up at the turnoff for Edith Falls, about 42km north instead of 29km east.

On way back we walked through 2 alternative parks.  Springvale Homestead looked great at first but powered sites were mostly on dirt.  Big 4 Low Level also looked good and sites were oriented correctly for shade, unlike here.  However, it's not good enough to force us to move.  We rang the Nitmiluk folk re powered site at the Gorge - don't take bookings but should get in if there before midday.

Friday 4 July  KATHERINE

7am start to day.  Ready for walk at Katherine Gorge.  Checked out campground to see if we'd stay there on way west.  It has 40 powered sites, not bookable in advance and no assigned spot.  Nearly all the powered sites were on dirt.  Fairly shady.  Internet access. 

Next looked at canoe hire and boat cruises - all booked out today.  Went on  Baruwei Walk via Lookout - 3.7km, 2 hours, quite steep at beginning and end; classified Medium.  I wouldn't want to do a Hard walk - they're longer and it's too hot on top of the escarpment.  Some interesting plants - palms, brachychiton, eucalyptus at Lookout with stunning orange flowers and rough pale brown-yellowish bark.  Good view of first gorge.  Steep sides indicate that nearly all walking would be on escarpment.  Canoeing not as attractive as Lawn Hill - little vegetation at water level; no shade.

Way back via staircase full of people doing the short walk just up and down from the boat jetty.  Glad we didn't go up staircase - even the youngsters looked pooped.  On way back David took the high road through dry woodland; I went the water route beside the gorge and saw several birds, including a great bowerbird at bower, adding twigs which brought a female in to inspect.  Bower floor had white shiny flat objects - bits of plastic?

Back to Nitmiluk Centre where I noticed that the name reflects the noise made by cicadas - nit, nit, nit.  Booked a 9am 3 Gorge cruise for Sunday, so we can continue on with trailer and spend night at Edith Falls, 42km north of Katherine.  On impulse, we then took a 12 minute helicopter flight at 12:30pm and had to walk very fast to get there in time.  Cost $115 each for this look at 8 of the 13 gorges.  Glad we didn't pay for the 13 gorge trip as the gorges get successively smaller and you could see the last 5 in the distance.  One of those things you feel you ought to do but not very exciting.  Too high to see any wildlife.  Made area look very forbidding for walking and canoeing past first 2 gorges not worth while as too much portage for too short a paddle.

On way home we stopped at Knott's Crossing where a man was washing his little white dog.  David thought we could kayak upstream - I thought we might be swept down over the little weir into a shallow section of river.  Also inspected Shady Lane Caravan Park - nice grassy sites.  Saw a Pacific baza - first for this trip.  Wish we could have stayed there and will book in advance if stopping at Katherine again.  Can plug in own laptop to internet but $2.50 for 15 minutes.

Saturday 5 July  KATHERINE

Early shower, then laze on bed with breakfast to take advantage of cool (7) weather.  Walked upstream towards town and dropped down to narrow path closer to river.  Saw many birds in one and a half hours - willie wagtail, restless flycatcher, bar-shouldered and peaceful doves, rainbow bee-eater (very common around here), little and black-faced woodswallows, white-bellied cuckoo-shrike, blue-faced, dusky and white-gaped honeyeaters, blue-winged kookaburra, black kite, rufous whistler, northern fantail, double-barred finch  (16 italics = 1st sighting here).

Had trailer as packed up as we could before going to bed.

Sunday 6 July EDITH FALLS

Extra early start as alarm clock woke us on Qld time, 30 mins earlier than the 6:45 am we wanted.  Didn't matter - we got out to the Gorge by 8am and had plenty of time to chat to our neighbours from Riverview (on same cruise) before the boat left at 9:10am.  The gorge had looked somewhat boring from the air but was very interesting and quite magnificent from water angle.  Good value for $69 - nearly 4 hours of scenery, chance of swim (we didn't), Aboriginal guide filled us in on quite a few things

·                     Nitmiluk Gorge area leased to NP for 100 years

·                     gorge 1 7m deep; gorge 2 35m deep

·                     36 varieties of fish; now too cold for fishing, April-May best time

·                     when kapok bush has yellow flowers, know it's nesting time for crocs and turtles

·                     significance of rock art (8000-10000 yrs old - much better than anything we'd seen elsewhere) - bush tucker including livistona (top eaten)' brolga, turtle, kangaroo, frog and lily pad

·                     theory that aborigines burned spinifex to get resin which was put on rock art to preserve it

·                     red ochre penetrates 6 mm, yellow 4mm and white 2mm

·                     chalky apple tree has golf ball sized fruit - need to soak it in water so it doesn't dry mouth

·                     make men's carry bag from Livistona nervis? palm - use it to carry ochre, sticks, water if lined with Melaleuca argenta bark

·                     bark and leaves from freshwater mangrove crush, put in carry bag, swish around, leave in water for an hour, come back to get stunned fish - they recover when water reoxygenated by children swimming

·                     female carry bag made from Pandanus

·                     white buoys in waterholes - salties bite them - know if saltie there

Had an easy walk between gorges to reach next boat.  Returning at 12:00, the walkway to Gorge 1 beside the rock art was crowded, an unending procession of pilgrims, quite colourful in itself.

We now regret not using the kayak along the first gorge and plan to do so before going on to WA.

Easy drive to Edith Falls (Leliyn section of Nitmiluk) but didn't get there until 4pm.  Has a kiosk selling usual seaside fare - icecreams, burgers, fish and chips, breakfast.  Hot showers and washing machine, but no powered sites.  You can however book a particular site- all numbered.  Campsites looked good - each one has its own lawn but only tent campers can pitch on lawn.  Others park vehicles on dirt alongside.  Our site looks very pleasant, is very private, but not shady in afternoon. Cost $17.60 per night.

I soon wanted to stay 2 nights - D not convinced.  Set up camp quickly without awning and went to swim at Edith Falls.  What a lovely place!  Crowded with campers and day trippers, being a Sunday.  Water was deep, just the right temperature and access to water not difficult.  Enjoyed it thoroughly.  Then went for short walk around the pool to dry off and we saw a man drowning, going down for the third time before 2 people pulled him in.  Quite shocking as he was only 10 metres from the edge.  He was Chinese, plump, and had swum across to the other side and was on his way back.  When we left, he was speaking and obviously not in permanent distress.

David agreed to stay another night and put up the awning.

Only scary thing at night was finding our way to and from Amenities, as we had not used them in daylight and weren't oriented.

Monday 7 July EDITH FALLS

Cloudy and windy morning, not at all cold, very pleasant walking weather.  We did the 2 hour Leliyn walk after breakfast.  Easy though a lot of up and down.  After an hour you get to Upper Pool where David swam.  He said it was warmer than the big pool.  Very pretty area with waterfall, rocks, trees and not too crowded.

Home for lunch - still overcast and breezy, though humid.  We thought it a great day but met some English walkers just finishing a 7 day walk from Katherine and they found it far too humid.

Lazed around in afternoon.  David discovered our power-pack battery was dead and set it to recharge at the laundry.  I couldn't resist using the washing machine because tomorrow we will be in Kakadu and possibly at bush camping only sites for a few days.  Washing dry one hour after hanging.

Tuesday 8 July  GUNLOM   KAKADU NATIONAL PARK

40km gravel road, mostly corrugated despite grader working.  Shady campsite; good amenities block nearby. 

 Swim in plunge pool very nice.

 

Walked to nearby billabong at 5pm - few birds, just flock of red-tailed cockatoos, 1 little egret, 1 little black cormorant, 1 willie wagtail and 2 magpie-larks. 

 Evening slideshow by Aboriginal camp manager re bush tucker - very interesting.  Most protein is dealt with thus:  "cut his neck, pull out insides, throw 'im on hot coals"  - though turtles are often cooked as casserole with herbs pushed into shell.

Wednesday 9 July  COOINDA

Walk to South Alligator River at Gunlom only 2.5 km return - easy.  

Red-backed kingfisher

 Walk up to Top Pools - 1km steep.  Beautiful.

Back to Kakadu H'way, then headed for Cooinda.  Road accident, fatal, held us up.  Got last powered site, beside toilets but shady.  Swim in resort pool, shower, dinner at Bistro.  7:30pm slide show by ranger re wildlife.  Female jabiru has yellow eyes; male has black eyes.

Thursday 10 July  COOINDA

8 am walk at Yellow Waters with 2 female rangers.  Saw a fantastic variety of wildlife - huge flocks of magpie geese, 2 saltwater crocs (close-up of 3m female), 2cm stripy frog on water pandanus leaf, many egrets,good views of night herons, 1 juvenile (stripy grey with green legs), brolgas, 2 jabiru, radjah shelducks, big flock of mixed plumed and wandering whistling ducks, black-faced and white-bellied cuckoo-shrikes, darters, bar-shouldered doves, forest kingfisher, lemon-bellied and shining (f) flycatchers, white-bellied sea eagle...

Drove to Mardugal camp ground and walked to billabong - saw leaden flycatcher.  Any water birds were long departed as speedboat !! went up and down small area in very noisy fashion.

I was determined to get a good seat on the 2 hour cruise at 4:30pm, so we drove to Yellow Waters an hour early and baked in hot sun until the 4 boats left.  But we did sit in the front row with great unimpeded views of the 18 crocs and many birds.  New birds seen for Kakadu were azure and little kingfishers, glossy ibis, great egret, drongo.  South Alligator River is 200km long and all of it is protected for fauna and flora (except fish). 

Friday 11 July  JABIRU

Short drive and plenty of sites to choose from at Kakadu Lodge, as we arrived before 9:30am.  Choose one with a hedge on one side, trees on the other and opposite the rather nice-looking pool.  Set up camp more fully than usual, shopped at Jabiru, made a cake and bread, had a swim, and went to Bowali Visitor Centre after lunch.  Good idea as interesting place and great air-conditioned video of the Big Wet from 3:30 - 4:30.  Back to put on lamb roast and go next door for another swim while it cooked.  What a life!

Saturday 12 July  JABIRU - Nourlangie

To Nourlangie Rock in time for ranger talk at 9am.  Supposed to be on landscapes but only 4 listeners and he (Joel) answered our questions, especially re Aborig. skin concept and legends.  Listened to 2 more talks at different places - re art sites and Aborig. history revealed in one archaelogical dig.  Could see use of rocks over 1000s of years for grinding seeds or ochres.  Main art site was repainted in 1964.

Joel also identified the strychnine tree and ironwood (very important for Aboriginal spear heads, though splinter can kill you if medicine not ready). 

Went to Angbangbang billabong for walk and lunch.  Walk supposed to take 1-2 hours but took us over 2 hours.  Good birding but very hot.

Sunday 13 July  JABIRU - Ubirr

NB grey termite mounds.

Rushing to get there in time for ranger talk at 9am at Main Gallery.  Very learned girl picked out features, eg

·                     circles on turtles = fat deposits

·                     white man with hands in pockets and boots, probably painted 1880s

·                     paintings can tell their age by depicting fauna/flora when area was/wasn't estuarine/dry...

·                     thylacine

Saw small short-eared rock wallaby with black fluffy tail - very cute.

Another rush to book boat cruise, then back to Ubirr for 2nd ranger talk re rainbow serpent and how stories about it vary from one place to another.  Here, the serpent hates noise and destroyed whole group because they didn't take responsibility for stopping child from crying.  Went on to explain skin concept and did so with help of simple diagram - stops incestuous relationships.  Blood brother and sister cannot even talk to each other.

11am We went on Guluyambi Aboriginal Cultural Cruise, $45 each for nearly 2 hours.  Excellent.  Cindy, a relative of Kakadu Man, Bill N ..., piloted boat and gave great commentary.  Saw many crocs, mostly under 4 m except for Stumpy, who had lost much of his tail in a fight.  Few birds.  5cm mud skippers.  2 stingrays.

Learned from Cindy:

- croc colour darkens with age;

- croc can stay underwater for 1 and half hours

- beach hibiscus grows here because it's tidal, though 110km from sea.  Beach hibiscus flowers are edible if orange or red, not when yellow.  If eat yellow, then need to eat orange or red to stop tummy upset.  Put branches on fire to straighten them - use as fish spears cos float.  Make string from fibres inside bark - tie on spears to stop splitting.  Jelly stuff good as antiseptic

- water tower was too short in last cyclone - needed to be 1 and half towers higher (solar powered radio info device on top)

- pony tail canegrass lining bank, about 1m high, used for spears when hunting geese or ducks.  Can also use as straw to drink water without climbing down bank, or as snorkels

- pandanus aquaticus - crush end of roots to make paintbrush; get 10-15 trunks, tie together, add paperbark platform to make raft

- put leaf of freshwater mangrove on finger tip, rub on child's lip as punishment; swells to lemon size for about 7 days;

fruit of cluster figs used as medicine

- use paperbark as shelter- waterproof; look for bump size of basketball on trunk - cut to get water - seal up with paperbark

-Catfish Creek good fishing spot but nobody goes there because now home of 6m croc.

Went ashore on sandbank to Arnhem Land where Shane (partner in business, piloting other boat) had set of spears and a boondock (? spelling).  Latter = spear-thrower and club.  Demonstrated spear-throwing and made similar remarks to Joel at Nourlangie about hunting birds with spears - much better than guns - throw up vertically, come down silently

Had lunch on bank of East Alligator R, high above where croc unlikely to climb steep bank.  Then back to Ubirr to see other artworks.  I was tired and very hot (33 degrees); our water was hot also.  David went to top of Lookout and I reluctantly went high enough to see panoramic view of flood plains and woodlands - quite stunning.

To Border Store for cold drink, then to Cahill's Crossing, hoping for tide rise - no luck.

Back to Jabiru - so hot had 2 short swims, sitting back at camp dripping wet.  Dinner at pool - nice cold bottle of Chardonnay for $24 and shared a good Pizza Margarita, also $24.  Allowed to take rest of bottle back to trailer for tomorrow night.

Monday 14 July  JABIRU - Malabanjbanjdju and Muirella walks

Did the Iligadjarr Wetlands Walk at Malabanjbanjdju, 4km, hot, half through grasslands; took 90 minutes.  Within sight of, or beside water most of the way.  All the waterbirds, in relatively small numbers, we had seen already (except for a juvenile jacana which took some detective work until crest on parent seen), but on the way back I spied a blue-winged kookaburra, rufous-throated honeyeater and 1m black snake in shady swamp near footbridge.  Very pretty area and campground looked good - large private sites, usual new-looking amenities.

On to Muirella Park for the Bubba walk, 5km, sounding more shady than 1st walk.  By then, it was 11:30 and 33 degrees, so we weren't enthusiastic.  Huge campgrounds with Nourlangie Creek beside them and billabongs on another side.  Again large private sites, usual new-looking amenities, plus large areas permanently reserved by tourist companies.  An evening boat cruise to spotlight animals goes from here.  Not much use having so much water when you can't swim and the mozzies keep biting.

David noticed a paper under a rock at start of walk, saying that half walk closed because of large pig.  We wondered where the point of closure was, as the walk is circular.  However, we headed for the area with the largest billabong which we reached in 1 km and where the path was blocked with Area Closed sign.  Few birds to be seen at that time of day but I was pleased to see one not yet sighted in Kakadu - Pacific heron.

Back to the start and walked about 1 km in other direction - same sign at another billabong.

To Jabiru for ATM and shopping (no hot chooks left! so bought 2 frozen pies instead).  Home where washing and packing up had to be done.  Used Internet kiosk to check emails and financial news.

Tuesday 15 July  MARY RIVER NATIONAL PARK

Bought a hot chook at Jabiru early.  Signs announcing market stalls for fish, fruit and veges near lake.  Already provisioned unfortunately.

En route to Mary River we stopped at Mamukala Wetlands for 1km walk.  Great bird hide there though no birds we hadn't already seen.  Walk was more than 1km but rewarded by sightings of flock of black duck, my first for Kakadu, red-backed wrens not in colour and first ever sight of masked finches.

Booked into Mary River Park for 1 day only because unsure of what to do here and park was oddly arranged.  Unshaded pool up a hill well away from camping ground and next to dining hall and units.  Heaps of room if you didn't want a powered site.  Got a shady spot and went on a half hour walk along Wallaby Track at 2pm which resulted in 11 bird sightings.  David put bread on and then into car to find wine at nearby Bark Hut Inn - looked a better campground but may be noisy later on.

Bad mosquito attack at 6:30pm drove me and table with dinner (chicken salad) inside.  Also decided to move on tomorrow because of mozzies.  Hope they don't follow me to Darwin.

Wednesday 16 July  DARWIN

Howard Springs Caravan Park - site not shady enough and crowded; pool too far away.  Gd amenities.  To Palmerston Shopping Centre for supermarket and B swim togs.  Late afternoon to Howard Springs Nature Park - shady, interesting.  Saw fish - long tom, catfish, mullet, barramundi- long-nosed turtle and male Shining flycatcher.

Thursday 17 July  DARWIN  Shopping

To city PO for documents re BBI and Elderslie.  Went to library to check internet access.  B tried on swim togs -none suitable.  Looked at a few Aborig. art galleries.  Very hot.  To Casuarina Shopping Centre, biggest in NT; had all the usual shops - Country Road, KMart, Best & Less, BigW, Colorado, Noni B ... - but no Myer or DJs in Darwin.  Had to wait there until 2:45 for B haircut and colour, not finished until 4:30.  Back to Howard Springs to pack up.

Friday 18 July  DARWIN   Fogg Dam

Back to Howard Springs Nature Park  at 7:30am - glad we did as cool and nice walk, made better by excellent view of Rainbow pitta.  Did washing to fill in time so we didn't get to Boomerang before site 37 had left.  Very pleased with site, especially shade.  Extended stay here to get 9 days once we agreed that Darwin had enough to offer for that period.

In afternoon drove east for 49 km to see Window on Wetlands display and Fogg Dam.  Windows was well set out, educational, fun for children, but not much to see re nature, except for buffalo with cattle egret jockeys.  Good explanatory panels relating to history - coffee plantations in 1880s, prison, Humpty Doo workers ...

Then to nearby Fogg Dam, touted as great birding place.  Did Monsoon Forest Walk for 1 hour before coming to sign - boardwalk will reopen in 2007 ...  Good signs on trees, etc.  Few birds.  Then did Waterlily Walk - no waterlilies, many mozzies, mostly boardwalk through paperbark swamp.  Very disappointed.  Ignored injunction re driving across dam wall as now 5:30pm and thoroughly annoyed.  Should have gone there first as saw over 30 birds, a turtle and a saltie in 45 minutes.  First sighting this trip of a Black-winged stilt.  Dazzling display of birdlife, the equal of Yellow Waters and more accessible at no cost.

Saturday 19 July  DARWIN

Parliament House guided tour 11am - excellent guide made political history very interesting.  For first 30 years dominated by Country Liberal Party 18-7 seats; now Labour 19-6.  Poignant panels about those killed in WW2 on this site, manning the Post Office as Darwin was bombed.

Drove out to Stokes Wharf, a rather seedy collection of cafes/takeaway joints.  We had grilled barramundi/salmon with chips and salad and plastic fork for $10.90 each - fish was very soft and probably imported.

On to Bunnings and shops at Palmerston (where I finally got a cheap satisfactory pair of togs).

Sunday 20 July  DARWIN

Botanic Gardens walk for 2 hours - shady, pleasant.  Room for browsing info about plants, birds, history.  Many tropical trees from around the world, especially South and Central America.  Extensive collection of palms.

Museum and Art Gallery sophisticated layout.  Wonderful Aboriginal paintings and sculptures, mostly from 1970s to now.  Cyclone Tracey gallery including sound room, samples of housing historical, pre- and post- Tracey; newsreel,news headlines, sound bites from survivors - evocative.  Maritime gallery, not air-conditioned, including many native craft from islands, fishing boats and one 'boat people' vessel impounded. 

Exhibition titled 'inspire/expire" for some obscure reason was collection of paintings owned by NT gallery and arranged on themes hard to grasp in some cases.  Ranged from voluptuous Lindsay nudes to Charles Blackman Alice to modern abstracts.  I liked a small William Dobell "Meatworker", the man akin to the meat on shoulder. 

Outside is a gallery which featured an exhibition of bird paintings by Jasmin Tan - well done, realistic, but rather large and florid.  On the lawns was a craft market like any other - we liked the sausage sizzle.

Palmerston Library is open 1-4pm Sundays and we could use our laptop on wireless for $4 hour.  Great.

Back to park and 6pm Sausage Sizzle for charity - well attended by people.  We left too early, thinking all was over at 7pm.  Still going at 8pm.

Monday 21 July  DARWIN

Went to Territory Wildlife Park, expecting to spend the morning there but not leaving until 4pm.  Cost was $16 for seniors (govt. run).  At 9am they feed creatures at the Billabong - we missed the barramundi but saw the pelicans fed and a failed attempt to bring the big freshwater whipray to the side. 

Boarded the train for Main Station and enjoyed guide Trisha's commentary on flora and fauna (on third train trip around 3pm she was less informative and tired).  She stopped to show us how Ernie Dingo will come and sit for her and again in an attempt to seduce Henry the killer brolga to dance. 

Nocturnal House was so dark that less than half the creatures could be seen.  Asked to be quiet there but group of pre-schoolers may have disturbed animals. 

Birds of Prey display at Flight Deck was excellent - lovely Barn Owl looking so innocent, juvenile Sea Eagle too big to be harassed by Black Kites.  Latter tried to compete with Brahminy Kite for food and Osprey was very put out by kites.  When osprey finally came down to retrieve fish head from pool, it perched just above me on roof and sat obligingly for photos.

Animal Encounter at big shady picnic ground comprised talks about a rufous owl (captive bred in Sydney) and a snake - gave kids the opportunity to touch feathers or hang a snake around the neck.

Walk-through Aviary was a surprise.  You go on a walkway from one small aviary to another, each featuring a different habitat and easy viewing of the birds.   We thought this was OK but hardly what we expected.  But you end up high in a big walk-through aviary which was so pretty and plenty large enough for the big flock of Pied Imperial Pigeons and many other birds.  Eye to eye with a rose-crowned pigeon was my special moment.  You start out on a ramp at canopy level and end up ground level watching the pigeons pick up sticks for nesting and turtles jostling for position or mating.

Met Peter and Maureen from Toowoomba there and stayed together for the next hour or so.  Hope we meet them again somewhere in WA. 

The nearby Aquarium included many tanks of colourful fish, plus a saltwater croc (who got freaked by something and jumped up vertically with toothy mouth agape), plus a freshwater walk-under way.  Two sawfish draped themselves over the roof, looking like crazy carnival faces.  We had a closeup view of the freshwater stingray, so large that you wonder that it has not been properly described by scientists.  The ranger at the Billabong said that the only bones in a stingray are the barbs and that the Billabong one was down to 1 or 2 barbs.  Barbs are used to scare predators, but do regrow.

Back to Main Station for food and coffee.  I wanted to go with Peter and Maureen for the 3pm Flight Deck display with wedgie and jabiru, but David wanted to go to Goose Lagoon.  So we did and saw nothing of any interest for the rest of the visit.

Tuesday 22 July  DARWIN

David took car for wheel alignment and I happily sat back to compose emails and catch up on this journal.  To Palmerston Library for internet access.

Wednesday 23 July  DARWIN

Got my days wrong and went to Holmes Jungle Park for guided ranger walk, then realised it wasn't Thursday.

Charles Darwin NP

Casuarina Coastal Reserve

Pearling Lugger Cruise

Thursday 24 July  DARWIN

Guided ranger walk at Holmes Jungle Park took 2 hours as the ranger was willing to keep walking and answering questions.  He spoke about fire management and problems due to introduced pasture grasses which end up in NPs, are not kept down by stock and seed later than native grasses, at a time later in the dry adding to fuel loads when weather is particularly windy.  Pennisetum and gamba are the culprits. Dominant grass should be sorghum which is flattened when fires usually start, so low oxygen content.

Northern eucalypts close in fire, not releasing volatile oils as in south.  This park close to the city started out in 1870s as allotments taken up in England for 3 shillings (an acre?), though many were never developed in any way and returned to govt control from 1900 through to 1930s.  The curator of the Botanic Gardens at the turn of the century, Holtz, had acreage here and tried growing many exotic plants. The area has permanent water fed by water from Knuckeys Lagoon and leading to a heavily canopied monsoon forest, where we saw a dark grey 1m snake and a dingo.  The ranger is trying to revegetate a large clearing in the middle where someone built a house in the 1930s.  Grasses have taken over and hinder growth of rainforest trees.

USA dumped ordnance here in WW2. 

Milkwood a balsa-type tree.  ironwood makes animals sick.  Aborigines use Pandanus spiralis to make headbands for headache relief.

Friday 25 July  DARWIN

To Darwin Show on Show Day - officially opened at 2pm with 5 parachutists landing just before in a haze of orange smoke.  Small show, small grounds, but officials were driven into arena, doors opened, etc.  Speeches which we couldn't hear.  Then the Grand Parade - some World Harmony runners, then Kia cars with accompanying spiel, high school students leading high school cattle, polocrosse riders as seen at 12pm in a boring display of the sport, and not much else.  At least we went by free bus at 11 from Palmerston.  Nothing worth buying or seeing.

Saturday 26 July  DARWIN

Sunday 27 July  LITCHFIELD

Monday 28 July  KATHERINE

Walked about 3km to do the Wangi loop walk of 1.6km, which was closed at monsoon forest end, near red flying fox colony.  Interesting walk and a pity that the most biologically diverse and shady section was closed.  Not enough in Litchfield to keep us another night, so packed up and drove back, stopping at Florence Falls.  Did the Shady Creek walk to the Falls and wished we had our togs on.  Did not realise that we could swim at the end.  Lovely rainforesty walk.  Wished we had stayed here.  Stopped again on way out at Magnetic Termite Mounds - termites don't have underground tunnels but rely on fairly precise positioning of narrow, smooth mounds for climate control.  Live beside other termites building the familiar Cathedral Mounds.

Had no problem getting a nice shady site at Shady Lane on the Gorge road.  Much better than Riverview. 

Tuesday 29 July  KATHERINE

Spent the morning kayaking through first gorge at Nitmiluk.  Cost $11 for 2 people plus refundable $50 deposit (rescue money).  Hot day and wind against us going up so David had to work hard.  Enjoyed the 6.4km round trip - so peaceful and able to stop anywhere (except croc sand nest spots).  Saw no wildlife.

Home for lunch, then to town for fuel and small WW shop.  David looked at buying an extra paddle so I could help out, but baulked at spending $50.

Wednesday 30 July MATARANKA

Packed inflated kayak on top of trailer for 100km trip and drove under 100 km/ph.  Stopped at Cutta Cutta Caves and were pleasantly surprised by the very informative botanic signs on a short walk and also by the caves themselves. The guide was very knowledgeable and articulate, the caves were more impressive than expected and well worth the $14.50 entry.

At Elsey we found a fairly shady campsite and after a late lunch walked a km to Mulurark where we saw a 2m freshwater croc on a rock on the opposite bank and still had a swim.

Friendly neighbour, Vince, invited us to campfire after tea.  Met 5 other people there.  Very chatty.  Some pensioners who spend much time on the road and look for cheap sites, using a book called Camps 4.

Thursday 31 July MATARANKA

Kayak from 12 Mile toward Mataranka Falls.  Saw many agile wallabies on left bank.  Rapids after about 2km, so grounded kayak and walked next 2.5 km.  Falls of 1 metre, pretty but not spectacular!  David got fishing bug when he saw 3 big bream arrive at point where I washed my sticky hands.

Home for lunch, then off to Mataranka for fishing line, hooks and sinkers.  Also able to hook up computer at Rural office for $2.20 if less than 15 minutes.

Drive to Mataranka Homestead where we saw replica of Elsey Homestead built for movie.  Walked past thermal pool nearby - small, full of retirees, mostly inactive. 

Young NP officer, Danielle, gave fireside talk at 7pm about Elsey NP and answered questions.  Some interesting facts - donkeys abundant here and hard to control as get in swampy areas where no trees suitable for pulling vehicle from bog.  Control by shooting in wet season when park closed.  Feral pigs too hard to deal with.  Agile wallabies, plus wallaroos and nail-tailed wallabies.  No salties seen here. 

Friday 1 August   MATARANKA

Pleasantly surprised by beauty and signs on 1.5km Botanic Walk.  Very shady.  Small spring fed creek trickles through, into billabong and finally into Roper River at Stevie's Hole.

Kayaked upstream from Four Mile.  Easy access to river.  David went downstream towards Mulurark but was soon stopped by rapids and snags in side branches.  So we went upstream towards Stevie's Hole.  Very peaceful but David was tired on 3rd day of paddling.  I took the paddle for a short distance.  It was fun but I didn't get far.  After about 2km we turned back and went home for lunch.

David suggested an afternoon walk of 4.4km return to Stevie's Hole via Botanic Walk.  There he planned to fish while I swam and bird-watched.  Big signs there - NO FISHING.  After a quick swim in the shallow fast-running water (with bonus sandy bottom) we wandered back.  David stopped at every likely spot en route and cast his line with tasty corned silverside bait, but hooked nothing.  Fish only around 3-5cm.

Saturday 2 August   FLORA RIVER NATURE PARK

Desultory start to the day, but eventually drove to Katherine for fuel and shopping.  Reached Flora River via 46km good dirt road by 2:15 - noone else here although later another couple camped far away.  Ideal camping site, close as possible to amenities and so shaded all day that no need for awning, just shadecloth to avoid usual red dirt.  Walked to river and waterfall - beautiful beside river; several small falls, rushing water; saltwater croc warnings everywhere, unfortunately.  No place to launch a kayak but nice small pools beside torrent.

Home to bird-watch and relax but D wanted to explore so we drove 4km to nearest boat ramp.  There we found 2 young couples and an odd man out around 60, camped with tinnies and one man setting a dangerously high campfire.  River wide and fast flowing, very pretty aqua water.  David keen to kayak but I vetoed it, wanting a live man who hated me rather than a dead croc meal.

Back to camp, pleasant dinner but once dark, beset by all kinds of small insects and had to retreat to trailer to avoid inhaling insects.

Sunday 3 August   TIMBER CREEK

Walked to Djarung Falls 650m return.  2 creeks poured into the Flora over 1m falls - quite a torrent and the river wide and a pretty turquoise colour.  Nowhere else to walk, so packed up and set off for Timber Creek.

Passed through the eastern section of Gregory NP and stopped at Sullivans Campground which had toilets, red dirt, few trees and nothing else.  However, there was a somewhat hidden billabong with noisy invisible birds and some beautiful big trees.  Entry for swimming was not enticing - high banks or very stony beach, plus usual estuarine croc warnings.

Road was bordered by woodland for some time until we were startled by the sudden appearance of flat-topped escarpments, some grassed and more distant ones deep red.  The scenery became even more dramatic as we neared Victoria River Roadhouse where we  stopped for an icecream. Several Gregory NP walks started from this point.  Drove to the parking lot for the boat ramp, walked down through 2m high grass bordering a good concrete drive.  Walk was longer and hotter than we expected, ending at a really broad stretch of the Victoria River.  Passed a big construction camp for bridge and road works.  Skipped the 1.5 hour walk along the escarpment, no shade there and now 2pm.

Near Timber Creek the grassy hills had 'tonsures' of rock, very evenly arranged.  The caravan park has 2 names, Gunamu being the feature on billboards, but Circle F on the swimming pool fence.  Big park, plenty of very shady big sites, mostly occupied.  We moved a sprinkler to join one caravan on a grassy stony site out front.  Lovely shady tree showered us with small cream flowers. 

At 5pm people gathered on or near the suspension bridge over a small creek for the scheduled feeding of crocs. 

Monday 4 August   TIMBER CREEK

David washes car as I write and 3x3 road trains of cattle organise cows outside.  We think one or more of the poor beasts had fallen down and had to be pushed aside to make more room.  No smell in our direction.

Drove 500m to NP office and read signs about Gregory NP.  Decided to pack swim gear and lunch and go to Limestone Gorge.  10km of bitumen and 36km of rough dirt road later, we arrived.  Looked at tufa dams - similar to concrete structures - no water.  On to billabong inhabited by 4 adults with large 4WD van.  Thence to campground with 4 camp groups including one very unhappy bassinet age baby.  35 degrees, 12:00pm, dry, dusty, red.  Walked to nearby East Baines R - looked good but no obvious place to swim and again the saltwater croc signs.  Did part of escarpment walk, which would have been great in cool weather as the signs were excellent, aiming to inform walkers of the botanical features at different levels - valley, climb up and top.  We noted that the valley featured Terminalia arostrata Nutwood, Eucalyptus  ? Plains bloodwood and Hakea arborescens.  A bit higher, they chose to comment on the Kapok bush, Cochlospermum fraseri.

Back to billabong now uninhabited and with sign saying salties were trapped and removed.  Looked inviting with white limestone rocks, waving aquarium weed and small stripy fish.  Quick swim followed by lunch at picnic table, nicely wet and cool, then a final swim before returning on that horrible road.  Surprised to pass at least 6 vehicles around 2pm on way in, including one with caravan.  Don't think that one will get into Limestone Gorge - perhaps going to Bullita.

Tuesday 5 August   KEEP RIVER NP

Stopped at 2 lookouts near Timber Creek, both well worthwhile.  Policemans Lookout gave a closeup view of Victoria River, so broad that I couldn't see birds on opposite bank.  The next lookout, so titled, was really a series of lookouts out from the top of the escarpment.  Saw that Timber Creek was much bigger than the highway view suggests.  Interesting memorial to the Nackeroos, a volunteer force based here in 1942, on horseback patrolling to check on any Japanese invaders.

On to Keep River.  First stop at Ranger headquarters and adjoining Cockatoo Lagoon.  Good birding spot (about 10 Royal Spoonbills) and interesting display, being expanded as we watched with a rather testy supervisor giving installation instructions.

Gurrandalng Campground is 18km from highway.  Pushed trailer to a shady spot when 2 picnicking ladies vacated it just after we had unhitched.  After late lunch (=WA time) we drove 20 minutes to other campground, Jarnem, where we set out on an 8km walk at 2:30 in 35 degrees in the shade.  The walk proved to be shorter by 1.5km and we did the harder section first, up to a lookout.  Saw around 100 red-tailed black cockatoos with some corellas for contrast, festooning trees and rising from a plain of seeding grass.  Very spectacular.  As was the lookout view, over distant hills and across from Bungle-like domed pillar formations.  Back on the loop walk where we passed the Ngila artsite, rainbow serpent and 3 emus, and were delighted by white-quilled rock pigeons - big fat brown birds showing white in wings as they flew up from the path and alighted on high ledges or sometimes first on seemingly vertical surfaces.

The 3 hour walk took us just over 2 hours, the last 'easy' bit being a tiring trudge through sand.  We donned togs to take a bucket bath and I was eager to get dinner done for a Ranger talk at 7:30pm.  However, our friendly neighbours told us that the talk was cancelled because all the rangers were out fighting a nearby bushfire.

Wednesday 6 August   KUNUNURRA

Second visit to Cockatoo Lagoon - very few birds and nothing new.

Through quarantine into WA where we surrendered 1 tablespoon honey, 2 sticks celery and an old lemon.

straight to Ivanhoe CP and a grassed ensuite site with views of distant mountains and nearby green paddocks.  Shopping and internet in afternoon.  Neighbour visit after tea re roads into Lawn Hill.  Phil gave us much advice in return about WA.

Thursday 7 August   KUNUNURRA

Wyndham

Emma Gorge

Friday 8 August   KUNUNURRA

Saturday 9 August BUNGLES

Locked the trailer up at Leycester Rest Area, some 7km from the turnoff to Bungles.  Road in was better than expected, but we still had 6 creek crossings and our temperature gauge went down to 15 for some time.  David drove the 53km in 75 mins instead of the 2-3 hours publicised.  Spent $1 at the Visitor Centre on some excellent Park Notes re geology, flora and fauna. Walked to Lookout near the Visitor Centre but not worth the time.  Had another 7km to Kurrajong Campground and hurriedly put up the tent minus fly.  Just as well because it was dark when we returned and finding a suitable site would have been difficult.  The campground was quite roomy with many private sites to choose from, but we choose to be near a toilet and tap, between 2 leafy trees and without noticeable rocks on the ground.

Had to drive some 20km of dirt road to get to Echidna Chasm and Mini Palms.  We walked into Echidna as fast as we could, hampered by the stony creekbed access.  We wanted to get there before the light became too dim for photos.  I guess we didn't fully appreciate the drama and beauty of the place until we emerged to see sunset on the cliffs.  Rushed from there to Mini Palms, supposedly a 2 hour walk and it was now 4pm.  Another race against light.  However, we got there and back comfortably in 80 minutes.  Dark when reached campground.  Still had to put up fly and organise eating and sleeping arrangements.  We were warm enough overnight but without a mattress the ground was very hard.  David kept complaining of a stone under him - he left the car keys in his tracksuit pocket!

Packed up early to drive 34 km to Cathedral Gorge, a good road most of the way with an alarming stone gully at one point.  Busloads of tourists as this is the nearest attraction to the airstrip and tourist company tents.  It is also an easier walk than Mini Palms or Echidna as the path is mostly on compacted sand and there are no ladders to climb.   Still some elderly ladies were having difficulty and one didn't even go - just sat in elegant white outfit with large suitcase in a small shelter shed, repairing any damage to her make-up.  She seemed perfectly happy with her situation.

Most of the walk there was punctuated by parent-child interactions, rather amusing and made me wish my grandchildren were there.  One father carefully read every sign to his bored-looking 9-10 year old boys and then quizzed them to check understanding.  They were from Perth on a 6 week trip and anxious about the boys' education.  We later saw the boys in a stone-throwing competition on deserted, dry Piccaninny Creek and found the parents 'hiding' around the corner.

Another father was forever asking his somewhat hyperactive 6 and 8 year olds to be quiet.  I hoped they would be noisier as it would test the acoustics of the Cathedral.  As we came into Echidna Chasm, a trio of children emerged, singing 'Advance Australia Fair' very sweetly.  It added much to the atmosphere