DAY 58 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

21 June 2010

KATHERINE

Another early start today as we had booked on the 9.00am Nitmiluk two gorge cruise.

The cruise had an interesting twist as between the two gorges you had to get out and walk about 400-500 metres to the start of the next gorge and board a second boat. The process was repeated on the way back.

It was about a 40 minute trip to the gorge. When you got there you ended up walking to the visitor’s centre. It has a very good display on capturing both white and aboriginal settlement of the area.  From here it is another 5 minute walk to the river. They run quite a few boats but is it organised very well. You cue up in an area away from the boarding area so there is no crowd pushing or shoving to get on the boat. As you go through your ticket is checked and you walk down a walkway to the waiting boat. As you wait in the cue the flying foxes provided entertainment.

We had an excellent guide on the trip. The first thing of interest on the cruise was seeing the crocodile trap set up in gorge 1. The are still not allowing any swimming or canoeing in the gorges.

Further down the gorge we saw a freshwater crocodile by the bank.

All along the gorge there are lovely little sandy coves. However, they are not for you or me to enjoy but a breeding area for the freshwater crocodiles.

Between first and second gorge there are a few aboriginal paintings.

There were animal tracks in the little sandy hidden shelters along the track.

The second gorge had more bends in the river - it snaked through the landscape.

After the cruise we went into town to stock up and to see if our permit had come through. Well the permit to go to Nhulunbuy has been a long saga. We applied by mail and indicated that it would be picked up in Darwin. In Darwin, when we got there they couldn’t find it. They rang Nhulunbuy who indicated that whilst the road is closed no permits will be issued. We filled in a second application form. Before leaving Darwin they had not received the permit for us so we organized pick up in Katherine. Well they lost it again. Finally after some calls to Nhulunbuy and several hours of chasing it up we got it. Then back to the campsite to catch up on chores. Internet access has been sporadic from the campsite so I am having trouble downloading last weeks blogs. We are both feeling rather tired today.  So I will try to download them again from the visitor's centre tomorrow.

Instead of words I will leave you with more pictures from the gorge cruise.

First gorge

Between the gorges

Second gorge

DAY 57 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

20 June 2010

EDITH FALLS, KATHERINE

We didn’t travel very far today. Our first stop was Edith Falls now know as Leliyen.

We decided to do the first part of the loop walk and then return along the same path based on information gleemed from other travellers. I really did not look forward to the walk up to the lookout. But the only way to get there was up. Luckily the track was much better than yesterday. The views down the valley gave one a perspective of where you were.

At the lookout you got a view of the lower pool but not the falls.

So we kept going till we got a full view of the falls.

They were spectacular. You can feel the power/force of the water as it gushes over the rocks.

There were several pools at the top level.

One upper pool was nearly obscured by the rocks and foliage.

We decided to keep going and the next section was okay to go down but you were walking over boulders rather than stones.

There were lots of people just sitting around on the rocks. A few were in the water. After soaking in the scenery we made our way back to have a look at them from below.

The lower pools were so quiet and still compared to those at the top.

After lunch we headed for Katherine.

We decided to stay at Springvale Homestead Caravan Park on recommendation of others. Spirngvale Homestead is the oldest homestead still standing in the Northern Territory. It was built in the 1880s.  Many tours come here to see the homestead and have devonshire tea.

The place has atmosphere and a boab tree.

Having secured our spot here we headed for the information centre to pick up our tickets for the Katherine Gorge Cruise.  Then back to the campsite so settle in. Hubby decided to put the two new spares onto the back wheels. This took quite an effort. In the meantime I was not able to get into the car to prepare a meal so we had a most beautiful meal at the homestead instead.

DAY 56 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

19 June 2010


KAKADU –GUNLOM, PINE CREEK, UMBRAWARRA GORGE

What a day!

Gunlom is a beautiful spot.

We walked to the seasonal waterfalls for a look. Apparently the amount of water flowing has already dropped off dramatically. We heard that at Motor Car Falls it was down to a trickle.

Hubby had planned to do the lookout walk and at the last minute I decided to join him. How stupid of me! It is designated as a difficult climb, 1 km return, 1 hour return. Those that know me know that I have a fear of heights, have no sense of balance and have bad arthritis in my legs and arms. Well I decided to give it a go as from the bottom people looked as if they were strolling up. Well it was a goats track up. Initially there were rocky steps up. The it became a goats track. At the stage that I considered turning back others said I had covered the worst of it. What a lot of crap! Then it was too close to the top to give up so unbelievably I got to the top. Luckily we did this early in the morning so it was not too hot and we were in the shade.  I don't know how was more shocked that I made it - hubby or me.

The lookout was worth the climb. It looks out onto the southern hills and ridges, stony country, woodlands and riverine.

This area is also known by the aboriginals as sickness country. Scientist have made a correlation between the location of sickness sites and harmful mineral deposits eg uranium.

At the top there is also another magnificent site – that of the plunge pools.

They looked so inviting and you can swim in them. Lots of people were in them or sitting on the rocks around them.

To get there I would have had to negotiate my way through more boulders and it was steep and a long way down.

Apparently the track to this section was harder than to the lookout.

I also knew I had to get back. So I stayed at the lookout whilst hubby went down for a swim.

Just the walking part of this little excursion took us 2 hours instead of the one because of me.  At the end I was happy that I did it.

This is the first place that I saw that had the toilets named in the local aboriginal language and English.

After an iceblock I rushed over to the far part of the grassed area as I had just heard that there was an aboriginal woman teaching how to strip pandanas and how to weave baskets. I spent some time there stripping pandanas. It is quite difficult. I need lots of practice. You need a lot of strength to start the process. A pot over the fire was boiling up rosella flowers ready for dying. I contemplated spending the rest of the day here but that was not fair to hubby. I also would not have stripped enough pandanas to start making a basket.

So we decided to make our way to Maisie’s in Pine Creek for a very, very late lunch. Thanks to Leigh’s recommendation before leaving Canberra we had a most scrumptious hamburger and apple pie at Maisie’s. We nearly did not make it as they close at 3.00pm.

I should also mention that the road to Gunlom was very corrugated. Some left their caravans close to the road entrance off Kakadu Highway as the road was that bad.

Not much further today. We are camped at Umbrawarra Gorge campsite. Not far from the gorge.

What a change of scenery between here and Kakadu.

A beautiful creek meanders through the gorge and there are several plunge rock pools for swimming. No crocodile signs here.

The last thing I needed today was more rock clambering. Well, to get to the pools over rocks I had to go. So I did for a bit.

A lovely spot.  Someone went for a swim again.  I didn’t dare take my shoes off as I didn’t know whether I could put them on again. So I just enjoyed the scenery.

In the evening as we sipped wine hubby played the accordion. A young couple joined us as they liked the music. He is a tour guide. We had an interesting chat about places. He asked where hubby was from - they couldn’t guess initially. With a few hints they got it right. Apparently he had been to lithuania. So the conversation kept flowing.