Kakadu: Parks and Recreation

Day 1 of Kakadu had been fast-paced and loaded with highlights. The remaining 4 days of the Top End tour progressed at a more relaxed pace. Which is not to say they were short on adventure! We continued another day in Kakadu National Park, attempted Cahill’s Crossing a second time, drove south to Nitmiluk National Park to see Katherine Gorge, and finished in Litchfield National Park. Embedded in each day were abundant chances to swim, either in campsite pools or scenic rockholes with waterfalls.​​

​Breakfast at the campsite in Jabiru was a humble selection of cereal and toast. The kids, being good Aussie citizens, adamantly made sure there was Vegemite available. A popular conversation topic was dealing with last night’s uncomfortable heat. We pieced together some tents had fans, while others did not. I realized I had a fan but forgot to turn mine on. Oops. We stayed at the campsite for a second night, and the mistake was not repeated.

In the morning, we went on a nature walk to another rock art site. Along the way, Rick showed off his knowledge of the local flora and fauna. He pointed out milk sap plants, which applied to the skin, can be used as transparent bandages. Spiral pandanus trees have poison fruit and serrated edges, but their leaves are great for weaving. Turkey bush, a plant with purple flowers, can be burned as a natural mosquito repellent. Sandpaper bark trees have rough leaves for sanding. The kapop tree (no relation to Korean pop music!) produces cotton that can be used to stuff pillows.

​The most exciting bit of “bush tucker” (wild food) were the green ants. These ants build their tree nests by fusing leaves together, forming a hollow container. One had to simply knock at the front door, and they would come swarming out. Also know as lime ants, they have a large green abdomen with a citrus flavor. Consuming the ants wasn’t necessary; Rick encouraged us to lick them and put them back unharmed. The group approached then green ants with varying levels of enthusiasm! They were acidic but great.

​The rock art at Nanguluwurr was impressive. Like Ubirr, there were a few different styles, including x-ray animals, evil spirits, and "contact art" – for example, a European ship. The evil spirits were a little frightening, with long thin bodies and curved fingers. We were careful not to awaken their wrath.

​On the return walk, Rick encountered a fellow guide named Johnny Reid, who was hyped up as a local legend. They compared notes about park openings and closures, a jolly round of shop talk.

Later in the morning, we did a second and a third walk. The second was to a lookout point called Nawurlandja with a view of the valley and neighboring escarpment. The rock was a sharp conglomerate. Rick identified the bird call of the channel-billed cuckoo without even seeing it, further adding to his naturalist mystique.

​The third walk was along the edge of the Anbangbang Billabong, recently opened as the water level had receded. This billabong was the filming location for the crocodile attack scene in Crocodile Dundee. Rick dropped us off at the start and drove ahead with the van so we could hike it one-way. He warned us not to approach the ponds to avoid the “snapping handbags,” as he liked to call them. There were lots of wetland birds, including little ducklings camouflaged between the reeds, and small but gangly comb-crested jacamas. Someone thought they saw a croc in the distance. We had two pairs of binoculars among us. They were exchanged as everyone tried to determine whether it was a genuine crocodile, or a “log-odile.”

​On the way back to the campsite, we saw a trio of dancing brolgas – though no dances were on at the time! The brolgas are cranes, not to be confused with the jabirus which are storks. Rick speculated they were two parents with their juvenile, who hadn’t yet left the metaphorical nest.

After lunch and a little swimming at the campsite pool, we headed to the Bowali Visitor Center for some educational exhibits. From there, we got the green light to re-attempt Cahill’s Crossing. After the previous day’s disappointment, Rick had tempered our expectations. Though the fact he was willing to drive from Jabiru to the East Alligator River meant he was secretly confident.
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The water level was down to 0.6m, still a bit high, but the currents were much weaker today. We charged into the river, navigating unseen bumps, and looking out the windows into the murky brown water. It was a tense few seconds. When we reached dry land, the whole bus cheered. We had made it to Arnhem Land.

Arnhem Land is a huge region. 97,000 square kilometers – roughly the size of Iceland. It’s governed by the Yolngu people, the traditional owners, and special permits are required for entry. Rick placed magnetic labels on the side of the bus, showing we were affiliated with a local tour company.

I had gotten a preview of Arnhem Land during the scenic flight, and it was just as beautiful from the ground. Bright green grasses, pristine wetlands with jabirus and egrets, and enormous blocks of sandstone that appeared to be stacked by giants. Given the difficulty of the river crossing and lack of vehicles, there was a sense of wonder at simply being there.

We drove to the town of Gunbalanya to pick up a local guide. It was an eclectic scene, ranging from burning fires and dilapidated cars to a modern playground and a state-of-the-art solar panel farm. Many people were walking in bare feet, and many in dark clothing. Kids waved to us as we passed. There were a few cats and dogs roaming the streets, something I was unaccustomed to seeing in Australia. The entrances to the houses were decorated with painted handprints, not unlike the handprint signatures at the rock art sites.

We drove a little ways to a rock art site, where Shawn became our guest guide. He was a local artist that specialized in painting buffalo and crocodile skulls. He was decked out in Essendon Bombers shoes, a matching hat, and a pair of thick headphones. 

Shawn explained that the rock art was an evil spirit called Malawa, posted at the entrance to a cave as a warning against entering alone. He recounted a personal anecdote where he failed to heed a similar warning at another cave, and got lost inside for two days, barely escaping with his life. He mentioned that some of the rock paintings are repainted as they fade, though not all sites are maintained in this way.
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At a nearby rock formation, Shawn directed our attention to some spear fragments that were lodged in crevices high up in a corner of the overhang. This was the location of a spear throwing contest, where young men showed off their skills. We continued asking him random questions and learned that his wife had died of a heart attack, and these tours were a secondary source of income for him. On a more joyful note, he told us his son’s upcoming birthday would be celebrated with lots of dancing. 

​We returned Shawn to Gunbalanya and started the return journey to Jabiru. The water level at Cahill’s Crossing was finally low, and we could see the road’s appearance under more ideal conditions, which retrospectively heightened the adventure of our earlier crossing. Nearby, a local fisherman had just caught a barramundi, but was rather close to the water’s edge… living dangerously.

Dinner was a large wok of fried rice. We continued playing games with the same run-down set of RiteMate branded cards, with pictures of tradies in high-viz construction gear. Ben, Emma, Gill, and I tried to start a game of President, but realized that none of us played with the same set of rules. After a little negotiating, we ironed them out. I had only just learned the game on the Whitsundays cruise, and I was the weakest player. It’s an unforgiving game, where the loser of the previous round has a disadvantage going into the next round. It was still good fun though.

Day 3, and time to leave Jabiru. Many of the premier waterfalls in Kakadu National Park, like Jim Jim and Maguk, were still closed for crocodile surveys or construction. Instead, Rick took us to a secluded rockhole called Moline. It was very much off the beaten path; the access road was the bumpiest of the tour. However, it was charming and we had the place to ourselves (apart from a few rather large orb weaver spiders). It was fun to swim up to the waterfall and feel its pounding intensity on the shoulders.

​We continued driving, stopping for a photo op at the Kakadu sign on our way out of the park.

​The next rest stop was at the quirky Lazy Lizard Resort in Pine Creek, which had a few surprises including a reptile house and an enormous garage full of classic cars. The town of Pine Creek was founded when a construction team tasked with building the railroad between Alice Springs and Darwin struck gold and changed careers to become miners.

In the hottest part of the day, we reached Edith Falls, part of Nitmiluk National Park. Most of us braved the short hike to the upper falls, which was a bit grueling in the sun but definitely worthwhile. We got in our second swim of the day. The falls were powerful, and pushed us backwards as we swam towards them, like an aquatic treadmill. A few people ducked behind them but found it hard to breath with the rushing water. 

One rockpool at Edith Falls had a separate hole like a well. Other visitors told us there was an underwater passageway that connected the hole and the main lake. The water was dark and murky, and we couldn’t see the tunnel from above. Ben, the Canadian daredevil, decided to give it a try. He descended into the well and found the passageway but bumped his head on the way back up. The rest of us were relieved to see him surface again, but were shocked by the enormous red welt on his head! No one else decided to give it a try. (Ben was fine, and it healed surprisingly quickly.)

Soon we reached the town of Katherine and made a grocery stop. The town was smoky from controlled burns. The bottle shop was a focal point here. Rick warned us that the police officer at the door would ask us where we planned to consume our drinks, to discourage people from drinking in the park. I happened to enter when the police officer was talking to cars in the drive-thru line, but others from the group were asked and had to recall the name of the campsite.

On the bright side, the smokiness contributed to a lovely sunset. Our campsite even had a dedicated hilltop area for viewing it.

​Dinner was later that night, so we snacked on charcuterie and hummus to tide us over. Rick continued to do the heavy lifting on meal prep, but the rest of us pitched in with chopping veggies and the like. I sipped on a beer from Alice Springs Brewing. 

​Gill taught the kids a new card game, but the elder sister caught on faster and won every time, distressing the younger sister. We also played some more equal-footing games like Go Fish.

Later when it was just the four solo travelers playing cards, we found an enormous frog in the kitchen. Ben tried to scoop it up with a dustpan, but it hopped into the recycling! We eventually got it outside.

​The main activity on Day 4 was the Katherine Gorge cruise. We arrived early and browsed the visitor center. A beautiful blue-winged kookaburra was perched in the parking lot. They have a very different call from the laughing kookaburras, which we had heard at night but didn’t recognize.

On the walk down to the pier, Ben and I caught a glimpse of a brown-colored snake with a mouse in its mouth. Later we also glimpsed a black snake in the bushes.
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The river was not continuous, so the tour was actually two separate boat cruises with an intervening hike through a rocky part of the gorge.

From the first boat, we saw a freshwater croc on the shore. The guide explained that “freshies” have never attacked humans, but “salties” can swim upstream during the wet season. The annual crocodile survey at the beginning of the dry season involves placing buoys with a soft material, and routinely checking them for bite marks. The buoys are also monitored year-round, at a lower frequency.

​On the second boat, we went deeper into the gorge. The local Jawoyn people associate the river with the Rainbow Serpent, an important dreamtime creation being. ​​After an hour of going deeper into the gorge we turned around, The lighting was better, so the return journey was even more scenic.

Overall, the Katherine Gorge cruise was enjoyable, and worth paying the extra cost (the cruise wasn’t included in our tour package) but it was upstaged by Kakadu’s beauty.
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After that, we stopped for a swim at the Katherine Hot Springs. A bit of a misnomer, as the water temperature was more lukewarm than hot. Even though it was accessed by modern staircases and bridges, it retained a rainforest setting that was wild around the edges.

​Rick found us a picnic area in town, which involved a little suburban off-roading: driving the van over the curb and into the park. Our lunch operation was a well-oiled machine, with veggie chopping, arranging plates of toppings, dishwashing, and eating the leftover veggie scraps ("rabbit duty," my specialty). Rick even had foldup chairs stashed in a side compartment of the van, which were great for sitting on during lunch but a nightmare to squeeze back in.

The afternoon was the longest drive of the tour, going from Katherine to the edge of Litchfield, about 3 hours total. We made one stop at a cemetery in Adelaide River honoring victims of the Darwin bombings. Apparently it’s Australia’s only dedicated war cemetery. A sign at the entrance instructed us to close the gate to prevent the wild pigs from getting in. It was a peaceful and reflective place. Mobs of agile wallabies browsed in the bush outside the fenced perimeter, including one with a joey in the pouch.

​The campsite in Litchfield was another comfortable setup with screened tents. The tents had silly names like the Love Shack or the White House. It bordered a farm; a small car piled with farm dogs went zooming by, and the cows followed in its direction. We visited the swimming pool, which was heavily chlorinated in contrast to our freshwater rockhole swimming. We ended up playing a massive game of Marco Polo, even inviting another family to join the fun. For dinner, tacos were on the menu, and of course, more cards.

​The Litchfield campsite was also full of critters. There were geckos on the screened tents. While walking to the bathroom in the dark, the rustling of jumping frogs kept us on our toes. The bathroom itself was swarmed with bugs, including large katydids. A found the cutest little frog perched on the shower tap. Outside, the stars were also pretty. I was appreciative of this authentic Aussie campsite experience.

It was the final morning of the tour. Rick made bacon and eggs for breakfast. I helped load the eskys into the truck. While draining the liquid from the melted ice, Rick playfully splashed some on me. Once packed, we drove away through a manual gate, and pretended to leave Ben behind. The group was in a good mood.
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The first stop in Litchfield National Park was the termite mounds. There were two types to showcase here.

The Cathedral termite mounds were enormous, rounded columns. We had seen them in the distance over the past few days, and now took a closer look. Rick explained these termites eat grass, not wood, and stockpile their food to survive the wet season. There is a queen termite and king termite with dedicated chambers. New spinoff colonies are started by flying termites that launch from the top of the mound during a full moon. Apparently, paste made from termite mounds is a bush remedy for diarrhea. Rick told the story of an ill-fated school camping trip plagued by a stomach virus, where a guide finally put the termite medicine to the test. Though it tasted awful, it did the trick.

​Unique to this location were the Magnetic termite mounds, so named because they point north/south to minimize heating from the sun. They were large and flat, like tombstones with spikes.

​The main activity in Litchfield was a trail that connected the Buley rockhole to Florence falls, with multiple swimming spots along the way. The whole area was located on a raised plateau, meaning it’s not accessible to crocodiles during the wet season – phew. We scouted out each spot, sometimes stopping to swim, other times skipping to find a better place. One particularly good rockhole was deep enough for jumping in. It had several natural platforms of varying heights. I eventually braved the taller jump! Being with a supportive group really helped with the nerves when standing at the top looking down.

​The final swimming place was the popular Florence falls. The shallows at the entrance were crystal clear and populated with medium sized black fish. It was a much larger and deeper pool. We swam across to feel the thundering power of the falls.

We had our final lunch at the Tabletop Swamp. Like most of our lunches, it was a sandwich bar with veggies, meats, and cheese. Supplying food for a 5-day journey was no small feat, but we were all well nourished.

​Back at lower elevation, Wangi Falls were closed to swimming due to the ongoing crocodile survey. We saw a giant cage with bait right next to the viewing platform. The hike to the top of the falls was also closed, but given it was the hottest part of the afternoon, no one was too upset.

Finally we drove back to Darwin. Rick was able to drop people off at their hotels or the airport. I was dropped off at a motel near my Servas host’s house. After a warm farewell to the remaining group, I hiked off into the tropical forest of suburban Darwin.
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While I wouldn’t normally plan a vacation around swimming opportunities, the chance to relax in natural rockholes and campsite pools was a nice feature of the organized trip. Even more so with the camaraderie of a tight-knit and fun-loving group. The secluded Moline Falls, the sprawling Edith falls, and the jumping spots at Buley Falls each had a different charm. It goes to show there are many different ways to appreciate Australia’s natural beauty.