Katherine – Wednesday

It can’t be ignored, we’ve turned around and we’re heading back south, heading home.

New growth sprouting after a burn

We’re travelling for the first part down the Stuart Highway and although there were some vans going the same way most seemed to be heading towards Darwin. We stopped at Pine Creek where there was a railway display and a Miners’ Park with plenty of interesting old machinery.

Flying Foxes – Pine Creek

Well in Miners’ Park

Stamping Battery

Firetube Boiler

Boab Trees planted in front of the Station Masters house, before 1914.

Berdan Pan – mechanised way of panning for gold

Continuing on, our next stop was once again within the Nitmiluk National Park but this time through a more northerly entrance. We’d been told the Edith Falls were not to be missed and although the falls were nowhere near as impressive as Wangi Falls the setting was glorious. In the wet season there would also be water cascading over many different places. When we drove through the campground we saw a Pioneer, Mitchell set up, we’ve seen one on the road, that’s all. Maybe it was the same one, there aren’t many of us about.

Welcome to country

Tough native plant

Edith River

Pool at the bottom of Edith Falls

Lower pool, Edith Falls

Our camp tonight is at the Knott’s Crossing Resort and it’s a lovely, lush tropical style place. We’ll also be here tomorrow night.

Nitmiluk – Monday

We were up with the sun today so that we could take the Baruwei Walk, it’s too hot for us to be out walking once the day starts to heat up. I think the forecast was for about 32 deg. It was a lovely walk and takes you to a lookout where you can see over the gorge. The scenery is magnificent and photos don’t capture its magnitude. Coming back down the stone blocks and steps was a test for Alex’s knees but we made it down without incident. After we passed the meeting point for the boat trips people coming towards us were anxious to know that they were on the right track.

Sunrise

The Baruwei Walk

View from a Lookout

Ranger returning from checking the crocodile traps

First Gorge Tour boat of the day

Flowers we saw on the walk.

Eucalptus blossom

Kapok flowers and seed pod

Flowers on a palm tree

Boronia

Rock formations

Layer of sedimentary rocks

Embedded rock in a boulder

Balancing boulders

The boulder support – a peeling mini boulder

Birds near the campsite

Parrot

After our walk we were ready for a swim in the refreshing pool. After not swimming for so many years we seem to be making up for it now.

Nitmiluk – Sunday

Jawoyn are a local aboriginal group.

At 9:00 this morning we were off on a boat ride up the three gorges. During the wet season it’s all one big system, the water level is so high and the current so strong that the boats we were in couldn’t make it up the gorges. At that time only jet boats can power their way over the water. At this time of year, the early stage of the dry season, there are exposed rocks on the gorge bed so the boats only go to a certain point. Passengers leave one boat, walk around the rocky section then board another boat to continue up the gorge.

Five-fingered Fern on the rockface.

This depicts Wild Potatoes and the direction in which they can be found.

Aboriginal Art

We took the three gorge trip which gave us the option of walking into Lily Ponds then having a swim in the lovely cool rockpool.

Walking from one gorge to the next.

Lily Pool

At the end of each wet season the rangers check for Saltwater Crocodiles which have managed to make their way into the river system while the water level was high. They become trapped when the levels drop. Unlike Freshwater Crocodiles the Salties have a big bite and can take a person. Areas are closed until the Rangers declare them safe. Any Salties captured are taken to a Crocodile Farm in Darwin.

Saltwater Crocodile trap

Freshwater Crocodile

Freshwater Crocodile

After our boat ride we went for a refreshing swim in the Campground pool and I can vouch for the fact that Lily Ponds rockpool is warmer.

The locusts are big! About 7.5 cms long.

Egret or Heron