From Daly Waters it was a short drive to Mataranka and the famous Hot Springs. We'd been told that Bitter Springs was a better experience than the first and more famous Mataranka version, and so it proved to be.
We checked into Territory Manor (sounds fancy, but is just a very nice caravan park with lovely grassy unpowered sites) on the road to Bitter Springs, and once set up, headed down the road for the Springs. The path from the carpark took us to a paved clearing with some steps into a crystal clear, deep pool which narrowed into a beautiful natural stream along which you could float with the current for about 200m before either getting out and walking back to the start or swimming back against the current. The water temp was beautifully warm, but not so warm that pushing a bit against the current on the way back was uncomfortable. Bliss. I think we did the return journey 3 times.
That afternoon an ABC Radio team from Darwin on a road trip were doing a show from the restaurant/beer garden at the Manor, so we wandered over for a look, and a couple of beers. A guest on the show was a young guy named Nathan Griggs, who had recently beaten the world whipcracking record (ie most cracks in 1 minute, using 2 whips) and was awaiting ratification from the Guiness Book of Records. He gave a demo, with the radio guy standing with his back to Nathan's chest, mike in hand, while Nathan furiously cracked 2 whips on either side of him. Pretty impressive, and fast!
Next day, keen for some exercise, we decided to do an 8.4km return walk along the river to Mataranka Falls, marked on our map and signposted. After a pleasant enough walk, we finally came to the falls, a mammoth drop of a bit less than a metre! Just a tad underwhelmed, we turned for the return journey. It was a nice walk, though.
On the drive back we stopped at the original and more developed Hot Springs, which were nice but not a patch on our experience of the previous day. Back at the Manor, we were entertained by a local lady singer over pizzas. Both were pretty good!
A short drive in the morning got us to Katherine, where we would be able to leave the trailer and tent set up for a glorious 6 days. We camped about 10 kays out of Katherine at Manbulloo Homestead. Rustic, but we liked it. There were cattle and a couple of horses grazing just over the fence next to us. The cattle were curious, and the horses loved a stroke and an apple.
The local Rangers hadn't given the Katherine Gorge the all clear for salties yet, so instead of paddling kayaks we contented ourselves with a 2-gorge guided boat tour which was informative and spectacular. Not satisfied with 2 gorges out of 13, we decided to splash out on a chopper ride - expensive, but a great way to check out the lay of the land and the extent of the whole Katherine Gorge system.
Next day we drove north of town to Edith Falls - a stunning place. Susie and I decided on an 8 km return walk upstream along the system of falls and pools, while Pam and Howdy decided to relax by one of the pools. After a steep climb to the first pool the trail settled down to a much gentler gradient. Cooled by a quick swim about halfway, we eventually arrived at our upstream destination - Sweetwater Pool. More like a lake, really, but a beautiful swim off the rocks near the falls. Then it was a fun walk back, swimming at Long Hole Pool and three others, all below beautiful falls where we swam out and under the cascades, grinning like kids. A float in the hot springs just out of Katherine township completed the day and we happily rolled back out to Manbulloo to do the final organising for our long anticipated 3 day paddle down the Katherine River.
Mick's cooking - first night, barramundi bbq'd over an open fire, second night a big chunk of beef roasted with veggies in a camp oven in the coals. A nice glass of red complemented both meals well!
Giant melaleucas along the banks, frequently with huge logs of timber suspended in their branches as much as 50 feet above the water by the wet season floods.
Prolific birdlife along the way, and Mick's extensive knowledge of it.
Sleeping in swags under a blanket of stars - even if Susie and I did have to move our swags in the middle of the second night because Susie was scared of being a midnight meal for a croc!
Mick was the perfect guide - helping us through tricky bits with the right line (despite that, Susie and I still managed to tip ourselves in once), happy, knowledgeable and efficient. We had a ball.
Packing up early next morning, we headed for Kakadu NP and our next stop - Koolpin Gorge, or Jarrangbarnmi as the indigenous people call it. This gorge is restricted to a few visitors a day, and requires a permit obtained online from Kakadu NP - a bit of work, but well worth the effort.
Driving into Kakadu, we stopped at the Ranger Station at the entrance to pick up the key required to get us through the locked gate on the track into the gorge. The skies were beginning to look very threatening, and Susie asked the indigenous lady Ranger, "Do you think it will rain?" "Nah, love, never rains up here in the dry season."
Yeah, right, so armed with our key we set off to find Jarrangbarnmi. After about 30 km of very good gravel, we found the locked gate, then the last 6 km or so was 4WD territory, popping us out of the bush into a nice wide grassy camping area with nothing but some fire pits and a long drop toilet. We stuffed around a bit that afternoon trying to find the track to the swimmable pool below the falls, but just as we figured it out, the heavens opened. It bucketed. We put up the annex and walls for the trailer in the poring rain, but it was still quite warm so getting soaked wasn't a big deal. Just cooled us down a little.
After breakfast the next morning we found the track to the upper pool and fall, and a half hour of rock hopping brought us to the most beautiful deep pool, completely surrounded by red cliffs with a waterfall at the far end. And we had the place to ourselves. We swam under the falls and then just sat in the warm sun, soaking up the rays and appreciating this beautiful place.
Driving back towards the highway, we made a detour to Gunlom Falls - yet another classic. These falls drop a long way into a big plunge pool where there is a good camping and picnic area. Great for swimming, but the real attraction here is at the top. A one km steep track gets you to the top of the falls, where there are a series of cascades and pools culminating in the "infinity pool" at the top of the final big drop. From here the view out over the wetlands of Kakadu is stunning.
Driving out of Gunlom, we dropped the key back to the Ranger Station and headed for our camp for the night - Marduga campground, or Mosquito Central, as we christened it.
Jim Jim Falls was our target for the following day. About 50 km of gravel, with the last 10 getting into 4WD high clearance territory. Not hard, but enough to keep the crowds down a bit. Once at the end of the track, there's about a kilometre of rock hopping along the stream which ultimately brings you out on the edge of a massive deep plunge pool, probably 150m across surrounded on 3 sides by 150m red cliffs, from the top of which, right in the centre, is Jim Jim Falls - a straight drop from top to bottom. After a swim across the pool, there is a ledge under the falls which allows you to stand directly under the falls and be smashed by the falling cascade. It stung, but it was fun!
That afternoon we drove into Cooinda (where we should have stayed, but hey, we saved a few bucks and it wasn't THAT bad at Mosquito Central!). At Cooinda we booked on a sunset cruise, and a dawn cruise (they were doing a really good deal which included brekkie on the dawn cruise) on Yellow Water. On both cruises we saw heaps of bird life, and a healthy number of big Salties - that's Saltwater, or Estuarine Crododiles for you non Aussies - big, mean, not to be messed with people eaters.
Moving north from Cooinda, we made a couple of stops on our way to Jabiru. First the Cultural Centre near Cooinda, where Susie fell in love with a painting an artist was completing, only to be told it was already sold. Undeterred, she commissioned him to do a similar one for her. Then a little detour into a place called Nourlangie, where there is some excellent, well preserved, and very old rock art.
After a swim and a drink at the very nice pool, we wandered back to our camp to cook dinner just as it was beginning to get dark. At the same time as we arrived, the fruit bats started arriving in the trees above. Hundreds of them, squawking and fighting and pissing and shitting. You know that saying, "Boring as bat shit"? It's not. When it's falling on your tent and your trailer and your head as you try to cook dinner, it's definitely not boring.
It wasn't long before we made the decision to move, and packed up the trailer and tent, and moved 2 camp sites away. It may not have been shady, but it was free of squawking, shitting bats!
After an hour spent cleaning bat shit off the canvas and the car in the morning, we headed for Arnhem Land, the little aboriginal settlement of Oenpelli, and the Injalak Art Centre.
At the Art Centre we watched the mostly indigenous staff produce some great screen prints and, naturally, bought stuff. I had a chat with Reuben, and bought a shirt with a print designed by him. Reuben was actually answering to the name Chips for the time being out of respect for another guy named Reuben who had recently died. In about a year's time he'll go back to being Reuben.
We also got to watch a bunch of pelicans corralling fish in shallow water by slapping their wings furiously on top of the water and gradually closing the circle. A great group effort which resulted in food for all!
In the afternoon we travelled a little further to the rock escarpment of Ubirr for some terrific rock art and views across the wetlands from the top of the cliff. Word is this was used in a scene from Crocodile Dundee where Mick shows Linda Kozlowski his "home". Good spot, anyway.
We were booked into an apartment in Darwin from June 4, so the next morning we packed up and set off for the Northern Territory's capital. It was pretty nice to park the trailer for a few days and walk into our swish airconditioned double ensuite two bedroom apartment in the heart of the CBD.
That evening we went to the sunset markets at Mindil Beach. Not bad, but the sunset was the best part.
So, what do you do in Darwin for five nights? Well, first day Susie and I visited Bathurst Island where we were welcomed with a smoke ceremony, soaked up some history and got to produce our own screen prints, while Pam and Howdy opted for a wander around town and booked our dinner at a cool waterfront pub.
Next day, Susie opted for the wander around town, visiting Darwin's NT Parliament House - that's a croc hide on the table, and Susie in the Speaker's chair - while Pam, Howdy and I went fishing on the Mary River with a local guide. The tally wasn't too flash, at one catfish - consigned to the bait box, one barra - released, and one saratoga - also released, but it was a good day out and we saw lots of birdlife and a good many salties.
Then a visit to the Military Museum and Art Gallery, getting into Darwin's wartime history, Cyclone Tracy and the city's subsequent rebuilding.
Finally, a day trip to Litchfield NP, visiting all the must see spots - Buley Rockhole, Florence Falls, Tolmer Falls, The Lost City, and finally Wangi Falls. A busy, but thoroughly enjoyable day.
Then it was time to say goodbye to Pam and Howdy. We dropped them at Darwin Airport around midday on June 9 for their long flight home to Utah via Brisbane and LA. The four of us had had a fun month together checking out some of Australia's Centre and Top End.
It was also time for Susie and I to head home. As we hadn't been that way before, we decided to go via Mt Isa across to Charters Towers and then south through Emerald, Roma and Walgett with a break at Carnarvon Gorge on the way. I had wanted to visit Carnarvon Gorge for many years, and it didn't disappoint. We fitted in about 15km of walking on the day we spent there. Just beautiful.
Ten days after leaving Pam and Howdy at Darwin Airport, forty seven days and a tad under 13,000kms after leaving home, we backed the trailer down the driveway and unhitched. Happy to be home, especially when you get to be greeted by sunrises such as this, but also happy to have been able to share a different part of Australia with our Utah ski mates.
