PhimsiOzTrip Video #5 - Darwin to Wyndham

Short video of our stops at Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine and Wyndham.

The Animals of WA: Part 1 - By Jai

Wyndham

On the 29th of June we crossed the NT/WA border, passed through Kununurra and drove to Wyndham. We saw quite a few interesting animals in Wyndham including; Finches, Whistling Kites, Black Kites, Saltwater (Estuarine) Crocodiles, Brahminy Kites and  Rock Wallabies. Out of all these animals, my favourite was the Brahminy Kite.

I spotted the Brahminy Kite soaring above us on the wharf. Many people mistake the Brahminy Kite for an eagle, because of its' white head, but it is a Kite.  This was also the first time I had seen the elusive Gouldian Finch. Did you know that the Gouldian Finch is classified as an endangered species?

Picture of a Brahminy Kite from my Birds of Prey book

Kununurra

Our next stop was Kununurra. In Kununurra we stayed in a caravan park called Kimberlyland. The park had an aviary with Gouldian Finches, Double Bar Finches and Crimson and Star Finches, some Freshwater Crocodiles swimming in the lake, and a cafe! Some of our friends were also staying at this caravan park, their names are Caroline and Wayne. Dad also caught his first Barramundi of this trip. That night, dad cooked the Barra and we ate it for dinner with our friends. We stayed there for 3 nights.

The Finches

Lake Kununurra

The Freshwater Croc that comes up to the shore for dinner!

Lake Argyle

Grandpa came to visit us in Lake Argyle and we stayed there for 5 nights. We did lots of cool things like make apple sorbet, swim in the infinity pool, go fishing on a boat that we hired, go on a helicopter ride and on the last day we went on a cruise. The cruise started at midday and finished when it was dark. On the cruise we saw Rock Wallabies, Wallabies, Kangaroos, Wallaroos, fish, a juvenile White Bellied Sea Eagle, a Brown Falcon and heaps more birds.  The cruise guide also showed us some Golden Orb Spiders and their webs. The Golden Orb Spider's web is very strong and when the sun reflects on it, it looks golden. Did you know that the female Golden Orb Spider is a lot bigger than the male.

On the cruise we also got some zebra rock ...10 amazing pieces of it!!!  For food on the cruise, we had subway, fruit and biscuits with dip. The next day we left and went back to Kununurra for the agriculture show, then we went to Dunham River free camp to stay overnight. On the way to Dunham River free camp, we nearly hit a bull. Lucky we didn't!

On the cruise with Grandpa

The infinity pool

Fishing ; we caught heaps of Silver Cobler

Mum and Dad in a helicopter ride

Freshwater Crocodile that we saw on the cruise

Juvenile White Bellied Sea Eagle in flight

The Golden Orb Spider's web

Bungle Bungles

We woke up early the next morning and went on our way to our next free camp near the Bungle Bungles. On the way there we nearly hit a Wedge Tailed Eagle that was sitting on and feasting on roadkill. It didn't want to move and only flew away at the very last second! Two near misses in two days!

We got to the free camp site and met some nice people . Their names were Bronwyn and Colin. That afternoon we just chatted and played board games. I learned how to play a game called Sequence, it is a really interesting game.The next day we woke up early and left to go to the Bungle Bungles. It wasn't what I thought it would be like, but it was still good. We sang at the Cathedral Gorge, saw some beautiful sights, saw a dead snake, saw a bower bird and at the end ad flew our drone. Then we went back to the camp, had dinner and went to bed.

View from the lookout where we saw the bower bird

Walking through the bungle bungles

Walking to Cathedral Gorge

Fitzroy Crossing

We stayed at Fitzroy River Lodge for 2 nights. When we go there we saw our friends Jenna and Eli and played with them for a while. At Fitzroy Crossing we spotted Finches, Black Kites, Whistling Kites, Square Tailed Kites and Bower Birds. We also took a trip out to see Geike Gorge. At Geike Gorge we got one bush book book each. I got a book about snakes, Grace got a book about dolphins and whales and Emma got a book about deadly animals. I am looking forward to reading them all.

Derby

Next stop Derby, we stayed there for two nights. When we got there we went to a cafe and saw Ray Martin, then we walked the wharf, went to Woolworths and had chicken for dinner. The next day we went on a big day outing to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek National Park. At Windjana Gorge we saw heaps of Freshwater Crocodiles stacked on top of each other, baking in the sun. We also saw Snake Necked Darters and Brolgas. After that we went to Tunnel Creek. Tunnel Creek is a limestone tunnel with water in it.

We didn't see many animals there, we only saw two tiny frogs hiding near the water in the tunnel. On the way back to the caravan park we saw a really big Taipan in the middle of the road. Dad tried to chase it to take a photo, but it was lightening fast so we couldn't get a photo. Did you know that Taipans are types of snakes that are very very dangerous, venomous and very fast?


Next stop Willie Creek. I wonder what animals we will see there.

 

Picture of a Taipan from my Snakes of Western Australia book

The Start of WA - by Grace

We drove to Timber Creek, but we have second thoughts and decide to go further west. We ended up on the side of the road at a free camp. The place was called Saddle Creek. We only popped out one bed so we wouldn't have to pack up much the next morning. Jai squished in with mum and dad, he probably didn't mind since he got mummy cuddles! We also used the bottom bunk which we don't usually use. We got to Saddle Creek late, so we just ate dinner and went to bed. When we woke up, we quickly packed up and got out of there at about 7.30 am (we tried to get out of there ASAP because we all had to go to the toilet. There were toilets where we stayed, but they were SMELLY, pooooie).

On the way to Kununurra we crossed the NT/WA border. The inspector didn't look through our car and van very well, he didn't even go into the caravan, and didn't ask us any questions. Dad asked if he should take the car fridge out and he said "yes of course", but then he didn't even look in it! After we crossed the border, we looked in the fridge and we found 2 carrots and 2 oranges, oops! If you don't know why we couldn't bring fruit and vegetables across the border, it is because WA wants to stop the spread of diseases. Let's explore WA!

We drove to Kununurra but we couldn't get a spot in any of the caravan parks that we wanted, so we drove a bit more to Wyndham. The lady who owns the caravan park was lovely. She gave us a spot next to the reception area, which is followed by camp kitchen and the cafe. Kids under 12 were free and the caravan park we stayed in had a 2000 year old boab tree. That day, dad took us all on a fishing adventure. It ended up being a 22km drive on dirt road, all for 2 stinky catfish!


The next day we did school work and then finally our friends came and interrupted us, yay! They only did a day trip to Wyndham and had come to see the boab tree. We went to the Grotto with them, but unfortunately we couldn't swim as the water was yucky.

On our last day we went fishing, hoping to catch a Jewfish, but unfortunately we got nothing. Just before sunset, we went to the 5 rivers lookout, it looked amazing. The names of the rivers were Ord-King-Durack-Pentecost and Forester. Wyndham is the first place we have seen boab trees. It doesn't have much to see or do, but is great for relaxing.

We drive back to Kununurra. The first day we did school work, and cruised around for the rest of the day. In the afternoon we ate snacks and listened to Steve Case (a musician) with our friend Caroline (or should i say danced not listened)!

The next day we did a big day out. We did the Ivanhoe crossing, went to the Sandal wood factory and tried all of the testers, went to the bangle shop and tried to go to the Zebra Rock gallery, but it was closed. That night dad caught 2 Barras, only one was a keeper though. His first barra for the trip. Yay! Now he can stop fishing! Dad went out fishing with Wayne, poor Wayne didn't catch anything. We ate dinner with Caroline and Wayne and guess what we had for dinner?!

One our third day we did a trip to El Questro. Before we went to El Questro we went to Zebedee Springs because after lunch only people who are on tours are allowed to swim. So we had a quick soak (only Jai, Emma and I went in). There were lots of different little water holes full of warm water. We got a hole to ourselves. The surrounds are  like a tropical rainforest and there are lots of mini waterfalls, it is just beautiful. Zebedee Springs are my favourite hot springs so far!

Just before lunch we went to El Questro. We ate lunch then bumped into our friends that we have met along our travels. We played with them, but then we had to go to EMMA GORGE. Emma said "people say that you will have to help me up the rocks mum, well look at this"!! We got to Emma Gorge after about an hour walk and it is the most FREEZING water ever, but it is worth it. Again the surrounds were gorgeous (maybe that's why they called it Emma Gorge..ha ha!) In Emma Gorge there is a little patch of water that is warm. Emma Gorge is definitely worth going to.

So that is what we got up to  Saddle creek,Wyndham, and Kununurra, I can't wait until we get to Lake Argyle.

PhimsiOzTrip Video #4 - Mt Isa to Berry Springs

Short video of our stops from Mt Isa, Mataranka, Litchfield National Park to Berry Springs.

Sorry for those that don't like fishing..

Stop #24 - Kakadu

I must admit that Kakadu was one of the destinations I was not fussed about.  Jackie and I had been there once before children and had seen most of the attractions.  But we had to find a spot in our trip to visit the iconic place, as it may be a while until the kids come back again (if ever).

We'd heard rumblings amongst fellow travellers and the grey nomads that Kakadu was infested with mosquitoes, more than Litchfield, and there was a hefty entry price to the National Park, in addition to the camping fees.  We'd done some enquiries and there was an entry fee of $100 for a family, and the camping site fees (National Park and Caravan Parks) were on the expensive side.  Undeterred, we made the decision to visit Kakadu and provide the experience for the children.

On our way to Kakadu, we stayed at the Corroboree Billabong roadhouse just outside Kakadu, with the intention of going on a cruise on the Billabong the next day.  The caravan park was small but lush and had the amenities/facilities we needed.  As is common with many of the roadhouses or caravan parks in the NT, the roadhouse had animal enclosures to attract passing tourists and as an added attraction for their caravan park.  In their enclosures they had a large estuarine crocodile named Brutus that is estimated to be 4.5m in length, a medium sized freshwater crocodile, pigs and two water buffaloes (one being albino).  The animals kept the kids entertained, marvelling at Brutus, as this was the biggest and closest we'd come to a large saltwater crocodile.

We opted for the 8:30am cruise on the billabong, and we had to endure a few klms of dirt road to get to the billabong.  The billabong was full of water, with water lilies covering the majority of the billabong. 

We saw plenty of birds that inhabit the billabong, however the crocodiles we'd hoped to see were aloof. 

  

Snake neck darter drying it's wings

It was explained to us by our knowledgeable guide that the water was unseasonably warm, which meant that the crocodiles were not compelled to sit on the banks of the billabong to acquire the warmth needed to survive.  This did not bode well for our croc sighting expedition, however the guide tried his hardest to find a crocodile for us, motoring up and down the billabong to locations that he had regularly spotted crocodiles.  Eventually he managed to push the boat through a thick patch of lilies and we spotted a juvenile crocodile hiding behind the lilies.  Not the monster that we had hoped to see, at least we saw an estuarine croc.

Onto Kakadu we drove the next day, and we set ourselves up at Merl campground, paying the $38 camping fee.  We thought the fee was pretty steep for one night, considering we'd already paid the $100 entry fee and there was no power and water onsite.  The amenities were nice, however the mosquitoes were thick in the cubicles and showers.  I'd not seen mosquitoes as thick and ferocious like these before, we had to swat them away like flies, and they were persistent, coming back for more, even after being swatted away.  That night, the kids and I decided to use the shower in our caravan for the first time, whilst Jackie and Grace braved  the mosquitoes.

Once set up at Merl, we headed to the infamous Cahills Crossing, a causeway that leads to Arnhem Land which is popular with tourists and fishermen.  Sightings of large crocodiles are common at this crossing, and a local man was decapitated by a crocodile when he slipped whilst fishing ankle deep in the water.  Certainly this was a place not to be complacent with crocodiles, and the utmost care must be taken if one was to fish in this area.

Fishermen risking their lives for a Barra

We walked to the viewing platform, and as we scanned the upstream river we see a large black crocodile swimming to shore, at the same time a semi-trailer was crossing the causeway.  The crocodiles are so used to motor traffic and humans in this area, they go about their daily life unperturbed, which spells danger for anyone within striking distance of these man eaters.  No longer do these crocodiles fear man, they view them as part of their habitat and would have no hesitation in turning humans into prey, should they get the opportunity.

This was the only crocodile we saw at the crossing, we were impressed nonetheless by it's sheer size.  We head down to the downstream boat ramp, and before I round the corner past the ramp, Jai yells out "there's a croc over there".  Sure enough, across the river from the boat ramp, lay what we estimate to be a 4m crocodile, baking on the muddy bank, once again unmoved by our presence.  We take some photos and manage to see it slide into the water. 

Although we have a real fear for this amazing creature, you can't help but be in awe of it's elegance when it slides on the mud and swims effortlessly up and down the river, like the king of the river.  We also visit the upstream boat ramp, where the water is much deeper and there are no banks for the crocodiles to bake, however we did not spot a crocodile.

It was now late afternoon, and we set off to Ubirr to see the famous aboriginal rock art and sunset over the flood plains.  The rock art was plentiful and provided our kids a good insight into the aboriginal culture, way of living and experiences thousands of years ago.

We make it to the top of the rocks at Ubirr, with time spare to watch the sunset over the floodplain, providing a great opportunity for the large crowd of people who have assembled on the top of the rocks.

On our way home we stop off at the Border store to have Thai for dinner.  Yes, having Thai food at the top of Kakadu is looking for disappointment, however our reconnaissance earlier in the day gave is comfort that the food would be good (we'd found out the cook was Thai and the owners split their time between Thailand and Kakadu).  Our confidence was justified, with the meals being of good portion and authentic taste, and the average price of $25 for a main was reasonable, given the location.

We could only brave one night at Merl, the mosquitoes getting the better of us.  Before heading to Kakadu lodge, I tried my luck at Cahills Crossing, a couple of hours before the high tide.  The water was murky, with zero visibility and the incoming tide had just risen above the crossing.  The midday sun was scorching, sapping my energy and concentration waned as the number of casts grew.  I was perched high above the water on rocks, far enough out of the croc's reach, however I needed to maintain composure and concentration.  Any slight slip or lapse of concentration could cause me to fall into the water, one inhabited by many of our oversized reptilian friends. 

I cast far, near, upstream and downstream, fast, slow.  No reward, I see no other fishermen having any success either.  After a couple of hours casting, I feel faint, the heat was starting to taking it's toll and I realise my dream of catching a barra at the iconic landmark will have to wait another time.  I call it quits before I become viral on the internet as the latest casualty of man vs croc in far north Australia.

We head to Kakadu lodge in Jabiru, back to civilisation, where there is surprisingly phone coverage for both Optus and Vodafone.  For an additional $8 per night, we have a nice green site, next to the pool, running water, power and plenty of amenities.  Merl was a good experience, very handy location, but the national park really need to review their pricing if they want people to utilise their site more.

Whilst at Jabiru, we visit the Bowali Information Centre, where Grace embraces the Aboriginal art of painting.  Two aboriginal men show their previously created artworks, and answer questions tourists have for them.  Grace paints and Almangiyi (Aboriginal name for long necked turtle) and receives the seal of approval from the professionals.

We also visit Nourlangie rock, via Anbangbang billabong.  The billabong was almost dry, however it is still teaming with bird life, however we could not spot any crocs.

Nourlangie rock was used by the ancient aboriginals as shelter from the elements, and the place is adorned with rock art throughout the many shelters within the rock.  There is a walk around the rock, which takes us over an hour and a half to complete.  The walk is broken up by rock paintings and signage, so the complaints from the kids are kept to a minimum.  I think the kids found the rock and paintings interesting, and it was definitely worthwhile to visit this attraction. 

On our way back to the car, we give some foreign backpackers a lift back to their car, which was parked many kilometres away. They'd lost their way and found themselves at Nourlangie rock, and with darkness setting in, they needed a ride back to their starting point.

We enjoy the taste of civilisation for two nights at Jabiru, stock up on food and head to the Mary River roadhouse for a couple of nights, where we visit Gunlom on our way out of Kakadu.  We made a decision not to take the caravan into Gunlom, based on reports of the road conditions, and it was justified when we made the rough and dusty trip into the falls. 

The road to Gunlom is ~30klm one way, all on dirt road, and it was rough and rutty from the start.  We initially drive at a slow pace due to the bumps and ruts, but soon realise this pace cannot be sustained if we were going to get into the site in reasonable time.  A car zooms past us, a cloud of dust is left behind for us to drive through.  We realise that they are driving fast to stay on top of the ruts, so we decide to lower the tyre pressure and give the fast driving a go.  It was unnerving at first, with the shaking and rattling of the car interior and coins getting louder and more violent, as the speed increased.  Once a speed of 70klm and above is reached, the shaking dissipates and the ride is smoother, but still rather bumpy.  So we continue at speed, riding above the bumps until we reach Gunlom.

Like other attractions out this way, Gunlom is based around a water fall, where the main attraction is the sandy beach at the bottom of the falls and the natural eternity pools at the top of the falls. 

Naturally, we decide to tackle the steep hike up to the top of the falls, to take in the view from above.  It's not long until Grace complains about being tired, so we nurse her all the way up to the top of the climb.  After much coercing and encouragement, we eventually make it to the top of the walk and find a pool all to ourselves.

We are told about another area further upstream that has sandy beaches and a good swimming hole, so we trek further upstream.  With Jai being spooked about crocodiles, only Emma, Grace and I go in for a dunk.  The kids soon become comfortable and entertain themselves by catching yabbies in the watering hole.

After a brief dip, we head back down to the main watering hole and the eternity pool overlooking the falls.  The area is packed with tourists, so we await our turn to take the obligatory snaps.

We see our friends the Franke family again, whom we first met at Merl campground, at the top of the falls, much to the delight of the kids.  I'm amazed to see how easily our kids have been able to make new friends amongst our travels.  I believe one of the biggest skills they will develop during our trip is their social skills.  The ability to scope out their environment, the kids within the caravan parks and determine who they are suitable with and most comfortable playing with.  How they introduce themselves, work out each other's characteristics and mingle with one another.  Also, they are learning how to interact with adults and behave in certain settings when around parents and elders. 

After swimming and chatting with the Franke family, we bid them farewell once again, knowing we will see them further along our travels.  We trek down the path, back to the car, this time with no complaining or whinging about the walk.

Gunlom was the night of the second State of Origin game, and luckily the pub at the roadhouse was televising it and putting on a sausage sizzle for the game.  The Blues put on a spirited performance, had their chances however fell short yet again.  The Maroons take out the series, once again the majority QLD crowd sing gaily, whilst we bitterly taste another lost series.

We pack up the next morning, and head out to Katherine.  Our second taste of Kakadu was great, and we're glad we made the stop this time.  The kids took in a lot of aboriginal culture, however there is some unfinished business at Cahills Crossing or any of the other creeks at Kakadu.  It would be good to see Kakadu in it's full glory, just after the monsoon rains have fallen.  Perhaps my luck will change when the rivers and billabongs are full of water and Lates calcarifer.  I shall be back to try once again.

Kaka "do", but that is just my opinion

Kaka'do", Kaka'don't" is a common phrase that is circulating among travellers through NT at the moment. Why? At $40 per person for park entry alone (camping fees are in addition to this), i can completely understand why many may choose to give it a miss. Especially since the likes of Litchfield National Park, Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine) and Elsey National Park (Mataranka) are completely free and offer so much to the traveler in the way of scenery, swimming holes, waterfalls and culture. Luckily for us, however, this was one time where having kids does not mean that we have to pay much more.

Please don't get me wrong, we chose to do this adventure with the kiddos and definitely therefore expect to have to pay extra accordingly, however sometimes the extra cost is beyond what we feel is reasonable (e.g. paying $15 per child per night at a caravan par where we were already paying $50). This time however, the family rate for park entry was only $20 more than we would have paid as two adults , bargain (for us, not so much for the grey nomads or backpackers).

We commenced our "Kakadu" experience just outside Kakadu, just shy of the north-eastern entry on the Corroboree Billabong. On arrival at the the Corroboree Tavern, we were pleased to find some fellow residents; Brutus (a salty), Fred (a freshie), two turtles, pigs, and a Albino buffalo .

Brutus

Fred

The kids would have probably happily spent their time here just hanging with all the animals, but we did decide to venture out. We chose a cruise on the billabong, in the hope of seeing a big croc in the wild. Somehow my fear of crocs has now turned into a fascination. The more i learn about these creatures, the more i am intrigued and quite in awe of them (no, I am not turning croc hunter on you, there is still no way i am going anywhere near water where it is rumoured they may have been)!! The cruise was disappointing for croc spotting, only one smallish one again. The reason we have been told , is that the waters are warmer than normal at this time of year and hence the crocs can stay in the water for longer without needing to sun bake to increase body temp. They are also reasonably shy and don't really like to be seen. Despite no big ones, the cruise was scenic, informational and very relaxing. Sitting next to Jai, i not only had the tour guide telling me information about the fauna and flora in the area, but our phimsi bird spotter was on fire. He was pointing out birds before the tour guide and his spots often directed where the tour took us!

                                                   Jai the "spotter" on our cruise

Next stop Merl, a national park campground near Cahill's crossing and Ubirr. We decided to stay here because of its' location, unfortunately the mozzies also had the same idea!! Merl however was a great base for croc spotting (at Cahill's crossing and the down stream boat ramp), fishing, seeing the art work , the Ubirr sunset and for a random authentic Thai dinner out! Cultural activities and talks were  also included in the cost of the Kakadu pass. We were able to get to two of the workshops. A weaving workshop at Merl and a traditional painting workshop at Bowali visitor centre in Jabiru. We all enjoyed these, but they were especially a highlight for Grace.

Ophet fishing (from a safe vantage point on the rocks) at Cahill's crossing. 3 big crocs came across the crossing within the hour!!!

Ubirr sunset

Grace splitting pandanas leaves: the first of many steps to make a bracelet

                               

                                                           Looking at rock art in Ubirr

                                                   
Onto the heart (or at least the tourist heart) of Kakadu, Jabiru. After a night with heat and mozzies we decided to stay at at the Kakadu Lodge, the main caravan park in Jabiru. From here we explored the Bowali visitor centre, with its' interesting displays, activities and documentaries (we could have stayed for hours), Nourlangie Rock art and shelter and several small billabongs.

Grace's long necked turtle

Mixing the ochre with various rocks

The last big ticket item for us to see in Kakadu was one of its' many magnificent waterfalls. We decided not to endure the 2 hour each way rough dirt road to Jim Jim Falls as the alternate option, Gunlom falls, were rumoured to be easier to get to and quite spectacular. The next choice, van or no van, was an easy one for us, so we stayed at the nearby Mary River Roadhouse and did a day trip into the falls. Within minutes of hitting the corrugated dirt road we were happy with this decision. An hour later of bumping around, we arrived at the base of the falls. We wandered to the lower pool and if it had not been from the advice of fellow travellers, we would have happily spent all afternoon mulling around in the beautiful watering hole at the base. Instead we took the steep, challenging but rewarding journey through the bushland. By the time we arrived we were hot,sweaty and tired, so happily lay on the cool sheltered rocks to rest and have lunch and soak in the surrounds. Grace and Ophet were brave enough to swim, but with the warning of freshies, Jai, Emma and i decided to wait until the next swimming area, the famous natural infinity pool. A lovely afternoon up here, swimming and playing with friends (that we coincidentally bumped into again).

                                          Ophet starting the trek up to the falls with his girls!

                                               Jai, hot and sweaty at the top!

                                                One of the pools at the top of Gunlom Falls

The climb down was easier in terms of cardio, but we needed to be super careful as it was slippery. There were a few crazy people who seemed to take the challenge to run up and down this climb several times, but no, i decided not to!! Another bumpy, but faster journey home as Ophet's confidence on these types of roads increases. A big but great day out.

                                             Em asleep on the bumpy ride home

Crocs, fishing, a plethora of other wildlife, art, sunsets, falls, cultural experiences, walks , mozzies and heat! That was our Kakadu experience . I think we all enjoyed different aspects of it. Overall for us the vote was a unanimous Kak-a-do !