Crocs, rocks and culture.

Location: Garnamarr Camp (Near Jim Jim and Twin Falls, Kakadu National Park)

Kms so far: 26793

Post authored on: 22/10/09

So, here I am again, posting precisely one month after my last effort. Not really cricket given how I harped on about being able to blog from anywhere with my fancy wireless internet access, so I hereby vow to blog more.
No doubt that I’ll break it quicker than Cassinova would break a wedding vow...
Anyways, again it seems that a lot has happened since the last update. We’re now in Kakadu, which you’ve probably gathered from the location info above. Here’s a quick summary of what’s occurred in the last month:
Windjana Gorge (Gibb River Road, Kimberley, Western Australia) – Saw my first fresh water Croc!
Bell Gorge (Gibb River Road, Kimberley, Western Australia) – One of the best swims of my life!
Mornington Wilderness Camp (Gibb River Road, Kimberley, Western Australia) – Wow. Private not-for-profit wilderness reserve with some pretty awesome conservation projects going on (if you believe all of the claims of their camp liason officer). Google Australian Wildlife Conservatory for more info.
Galvin’s Gorge (Gibb River Road, Kimberley, Western Australia) – dislocated my thumb bending the numberplate back in to position after a river crossing. Not recommended.
Mitchell Plateau (Kimberley, Western Australia) – hellish drive in over corrugations that you could loose a small pacific island nation in. Lauren commented that even the corrugations had corrugations... and she wasn’t joking! Broke two wheel studs (the bits you screw the wheel nuts onto) off the right rear here. Expensive and sucky. On the up, the Mitchell falls (which were dry) rates as one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. Topped off the walk with a bit of a chopper flight... saw a pod of dolphins off the Kimberley coast, but no crocs. Wow. Killed a rear shock absorber on the road in tho. Also, I got heat stroke. Also not recommended. Damn it’s hot up here this time of year.
El Questro Wilderness Park (Gibb River Road, Kimberley, Western Australia) – Tourist trap, but well appointed. Lots of people, even more cows, but some awesome scenery and lots to do once you’ve shelled out for 30 bucks for the access pass. Probably one of the best outback tourist experiences on offer. But don’t go getting all warm and fuzzy about how they’re looking after pristine wilderness- they aint. They run cattle, and lots off ‘em. See Mornington Wilderness Camp for warm fuzzyness.
Kununurra (Western Australia) – Beer, Steak the size of your head, A spiked tyre, a delaminating tyre and a large bill for wheel stud replacement. The two tyres needed changing, but we were looking at a minimum of 500 bucks to get them here. Enter stage left Me, and Two Tyre Levers.... after much sweat, grunting, cursing sweat and sweat, I successfully repaired the spiked (and unfixable, according to the tyre joints) tyre with a 5 buck patch kit and a new tube. It held (but leaked) all the way to Darwin...
Douglas Hot Springs (Nothern Territory) – You can burn your feet here if you go too close to the springs. Magnificent place... just had to go looking for cool spots in the river as hot springs aren’t so great when its already 38 degrees and seriously humid... Also, Butterfly Gorge was a cracker... swim over the pool and climb the falls to find several plunge pools... by yourself because you’re off the tourist track now. Choice.
Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park (Western Australia)– Wow. World heritage area, and you can see why. Must visit. Nasty corrugations (hmm, there seems to be a theme developing here...) but spectacular rock formations.
Gregory National Park (Northern Territory) – They were de-stocking the joint (I.e. shooting cattle from choppers). Therefore we were unable to do anything but drive in and camp, then drive out. Bummer.
Litchfield National Park (Northern Territory) – Very cool. Gorges, falls, tropical rainforests and termites that know where north is. Car has developed a bunny hop... hmm.
Darwin! (Northern... oh so you know that already, smart guy?) - Two new tyres for three hundred bucks, sweet. Let’s just hope that the latest in quality Chinese radial is up to the task... New shocks have sorted out the back axel (wow... snap oversteer on corrugations is not fun). Also, Darwin Waterski Club for Parma, beer and waterside beer garden was a serious winner. And it was firetwirling night!
Shady Camp, Mary River National Park (Essex... no wait... Northern Territory) – Crocs a plenty. We saw our first salties here... in fact, this place has the dubious honour of having the highest density of Salties anywhere in Aus. And yet I slept like a baby... Oh, and there was loads of frogs living in the table in our campsite!
Kakudu (blah) - That’s where we are! This place is pretty cool. We headed out of the park and into the edge of Arnhem Land today to visit Injalak, an Aboriginal Art Centre... Very cool. I had a good chat to one of the artists who was whipping up an x-ray painting of a Croc taking a Wallaby. We also picked up a piece or two safe in the knowledge that our money was going to the Artists and their families, rather than to some dodgy gallery owner in Darwin. We’ve also checked out some of the rock galleries at Ubirr – remarkable stuff, remarkable culture.
So, ahead lies a wetlands cruse at Yellow Water (Kakudu), Koolpin Gorge, a limited access camp again in Kakudu, and then on to Katherine Gorge. After that we’ll be making the dash for the Queensland coast, because the temperature and humidity up here are relentless. You seriously cannot do anything that involves movement from about 10 in the morning to about 4 in the arvo... it’s that hot.