After finding it difficult to secure accommodation in Darwin, we decided we’d park ourselves at Mt Bundy Station for a while. Located at Adelaide River, the Station turned out to be a great choice, being central to all the places we wanted to visit in this part of the Northern Territory. It was about an hour south of Darwin, 20 minutes south of Litchfield National Park and 1.5 hours north of Kakadu. It was genuinely dog friendly, including offering daily pet sitting, and had a fantastic collection of farm animals to keep the kids occupied for hours. Mt Bundy had a typical ‘farm stay’ feel with basic amenities, camp fires and a laid back attitude. We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit there. I was especially taken with ‘Nigel’ the hand raised bull who sauntered over when you called his name, gently scooping up offers of food from your hand with his rough, gravely tongue. He loved a scratch behind his ears and even a cuddle. The effect of carrying his huge frame and weighty bulk for 14 years was arthritic joints and a slower canter but he did well for an old boy. If we had room in the back of Bilbo to fit another pet I would have whisked him away in the shadows of night! The Station had a river that ran across the rear of the campground and it was alive with ‘salties’. The alpha croc who lived closest to the campers was over 5m long but was luckily well fed by the hundreds of wallabies that were abundant in the area. We were initially camped right beside his ‘home’ but moved after a few days when another spot ‘on the hill’ became available…better safe than sorry, especially with curious dogs!
We expected the north of NT to be more ‘tropical’ with palms and hibiscus but it was all eucalypts and scrubland. The weather was perfect for us southerners chasing the sun – low 30’s in mid Winter! The city and suburbs had a fairly contemporary urban atmosphere; the type we were deliberately avoiding! The tourist trail was more interesting and had something to satisfy everyone - historical, environmental and adventure activities abounded. Unlike other places we’ve been, you could enjoy a myriad of experiences for free or at a much lower cost. It would seem that Territorians value one thing above all else…alcohol. So, it would be unthinkable to them that all the tourist dollar is spent on sightseeing, leaving none for the pleasurable pursuit of drinking!
We happened to be in the NT for Territory day. Apparently it’s meant to be a celebration of the Territory’s independence but seemed more an unfettered opportunity to ramp up the consumption of alcohol and let off millions of fireworks. There are formal fireworks displays at all the major centres across the NT but with the sale and use of crackers being completely unregulated, it seems everyone buys at least a few to fire off. They’re exploded from people’s balconies across the city centre, in suburban backyards and wherever else is deemed to be fun. Mt Bundy had their own fireworks show. In what appeared to be customary on Territory Day, the unnecessary and burdensome business of risk management was avoided. Guests surrounded a patch of grass where pyrotechnicians (read farm managers) were gathered. The show started off well enough with lots of colour and sparkles and bangs as we all stood spellbound. Some of the crackers began to fall over and fire sideways, exploding under trees and along the empty paths but no one seemed bothered. Then, in an unexpected and probably unlucky accident, one misfired, rocketed sideways and bounced into the back of a car where a family was huddled together watching the show. Dad managed to push the older kids out quickly enough with only minor burns but the youngest was not so lucky and sustained more serious burns to his arms, legs and tummy after the banger exploded in the car. The festivities stopped…momentarily…but commenced again without any additional precautions!!! Thankfully, one of the guests was a Doctor who immediately attended to the boys burns and advised him to go Darwin hospital the next day for more comprehensive treatment. It really is madness that the Territory continues to allow this dangerous pastime…or maybe I’m just a ‘fun sheriff’ who should lighten up??!!
Although we saw a lot and enjoyed our time in Darwin and surrounds, we have unfinished business there. We didn’t get to Arnhem Land and we spent too little time uncovering the important and remarkable impact of war on this part of Australia. Did you know that more bombs were dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor? There are loads of WWII airstrips running beside the main highway into Darwin, evidence of the scale of wartime activity required to defend northern Australia. Even Mt Bundy Station was used by the military during the war. Camouflaged repair and maintenance areas were hastily erected to ensure bombers could be fixed away from the main threat region and keep flying deadly missions. We would have also liked to enjoy more time in Kakadu, at some of the mineral springs and visiting other ecological sites but managing the demands of kids and dogs is always a compromise - at least we have a ready-made list of things to do on our return trip (one day!).
Photos left to right
Gemma climbing the farm trees
Jesse playing Tarzan
Gemmy with the 4 day old calf that was abandoned by its mother
Hanging out with Nigel, my favourite bull
the farm stables
fireworks on Territory Dat at Mt Bundy Station
DARWIN
Our visits to Darwin city were fleeting but busy. There was the excitement of the (free) water park with a six lane racing water slide complete with a digitial gantry displaying the winning order of sliders; the leisurely stroll around the rather deserted city centre while we waited for our car to be serviced; a little shopping to catch up on and the Mindil beach night markets where we treated ourselves to some of the local food on offer…YUM! The markets also presented an eclectic mix of entertainment including whip cracking, indigenous music and some incredible busking by a homeless man who was an amazing story teller. The kids all decided to buy a hand painted boomerang from one of the local artists painting on site – a nice momento of their travels to the Top End.
Perhaps most memorable of all the Darwin experiences was the Jumping Crocodile Cruise. Tasha is rather freaked out by having 5m crocs snapping their monsterous jaws beside her face so she opted out and I stayed with her on the river bank. Gemma, Jesse and Michael all put their terror aside for the hour cruise and loved every minute of it. Even before they’d departed the jetty, the first croc, Dominator, was smashing into the boat, protesting at their intrusion into his territory. He’d recently challenged the ‘old dog’ Brutus for this patch of river. Brutus, the 100+yr old, 5.5m giant fought valiantly, losing a front leg in the battle, but with no teeth left and having slowed down in his senior years, Dominator was triumphant. Seems that Brutus was a force to be reckoned with in his prime, even catching stray sharks that found themselves lost in the river. The cruise enticed a number of the local dinosaurs from their slumber with the promise of massive chunks of meat (roadkill apparently). The crocs would ‘jump’ for the treats that were dangled teasingly beside the boat, providing lots of opportunity for amazing photos and plenty of ‘ooohhhs’ and ‘aaahhhhs’. The scariest part of the experience was easily the noise of the jaws slamming shut after snatching the tasty morsels of meat.
Photos left to right
Dancing for dinner
the toothless Brutus snatching the prize
speeding for a snack
closing in
sneaky snagglebites...waiting
jumping for joy...yummy roadkill!
the 6 lane racing slide
the Mindil Beach night markets
the kids at Mindil Beach
the giant (boxing) croc...what the??!!!
the funniest town name we've visited - it's a satellite suburb of Darwin
massive termite mound built around the racecourse fence - can you imagine seeing that down the back straight at Flemington??!
LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK
We were eagerly anticipating our trip to Litchfield NP as we’d been told it was better than Kakadu and easier to see all the attractions in a day or two. This was helpful for us as it limited the amount of days we’d need to find dog sitting! Unfortunately, our experience did not match our expectations.
Our first stop, the popular Florence Falls, had been overrun by local bogans who’d brought the contents of an entire bar with them and decided REALLY LOUD death metal music and bad language would be a good accompaniment. In the words of our kids…’seriously’! I’m fairly sure I speak on behalf of nearly every other visitor that day when I say it completely ruined the experience and made Australian’s look like uncultured, disrespectful and offensive scum. It was embarrassing and obnoxious. If you could ignore the bogans, the falls were actually very picturesque. Not in the same league as the Pilbara or Kimberley but they were certainly worthy of adding to our itinerary.
Our second stop, the Buley Rockholes, were far more enjoyable – well, at least there was no death metal piercing the sounds of gentle water trickling over weathered boulders or interrupting the melodic bird songs. A series of small pools tiered, rather conveniently, along a section of shaded river provided plenty of easily accessible spots for visitors to enjoy the cool waters. Some of the pools even had miniature waterfalls cascading into them, allowing bathers to be massaged by the mild pummeling of water as it meandered along its well worn course.
Our third stop (all in the same day, proving you could see a lot in a day!) was to the Lost City. A series of ancient sandstone rock formations, battered over millions of years into rough pillar shapes, were reminiscent of ruins from an ancient civilization. Identified as an important Aboriginal sacred site, the beautiful earthen colours and weathered stones that sat precariously atop some of the tall blocks added to the eerily spiritual sense about the place.
With the dogs being looked after in the air-conditioned comfort of the Mt Bundy office, we decided we’d take the opportunity to return to Litchfield a second day to tackle the 4WD-only track that ran along the western boundary. It offered access to more remote swimming holes, falls, the ruins of an abandoned homestead and some deep river crossings, which we were eager to tackle with our new found 4W driving confidence! We were disappointed to find the track closed when we got there; we’d all been looking forward to some off road action…without the camper in tow! Nevermind, it will be on our ‘unfinished business’ list when we return to the Top End!
Although I’d recommend a visit to Litchfield, I’d suggest weekdays over weekends. Being so close to a capital city, it is easily accessible and makes for a nice ‘weekend’ drive. Unfortunately this means it attracts both nature lovers and bogans. Weekdays seem to be quieter and generally limited to travellers. It was definitely one of the busiest National Parks we’ve visited, so if you don’t like crowds it may not be your ‘thing’. I’d guess its popularity is linked to a number of factors; its proximity to Darwin; its extensive sealed roads (allowing access for 2wd cars) and its wheel chair friendly tracks. The later is something they should be applauded for as very few parks like this have genuinely succeeded in providing disabled access. For me, it all felt a little too artificial compared to many of the other spots we’ve been. Its concreted paths and shorts walks didn’t quite feel as real as clambering over rocks or paddling through rivers on 6km treks before being rewarded with majestic falls or the sheer cliffs of outback gorges.
Photos left to right
Florence Falls
the plunge pool below Florence Falls
Jesse and Michael in the plunge pool at Florence Falls
walking in Litchfield
along the track to Florence Falls
Michael and Jesse at Bulet Rockholes
The Lost City
The Lost City
The Lost City
The Lost City
The Lost City
The Reynolds Track - CLOSED!!
KAKADU NATIONAL PARK
We’d be warned off visiting Kakadu by scores of people we’d met along our travels. It was frequently referred to as “Kaka-don’t” rather than Kakadu. Well…in another Lou Reed reference, “don’t believe half of what you see and none of what you hear”! We thoroughly enjoyed it. We’d initially written it off after what we’d heard and only decided to add it to our itinerary towards the end of our Top End travels. We’re glad we did.
It’s true, Kakadu is much bigger than Litchfield and therefore takes longer to get to the prize locations. We were limited where we could go due to the distance from our ‘home base’ at Mt Bundy Station. We made it to Gunlom Falls, which, in Winter was only flowing slowly over the 80m sheer cliff face but was spectacular nonetheless. We opted to walk the 2km to the top of the falls, a steep and strenuous but not overly challenging climb. What we found at the top was like nothing we’d seen anywhere else. Tiers of huge rock pools greeted us as we descended the last of the stone steps into the well treed banks of the river that fed the falls. There were plenty of people enjoying the clear waters but it didn’t feel crowded. We opted to head to the stunning ‘infinity’ pool at the edge of the waterfall, overlooking the southern section of the Park. If you thought the man-made one at Lake Argyle was pretty amazing, have a look at the photos below of this natural wonder! You could even venture one tier lower than the infinity pool and look right over the top of the falls to the plunge pool 80m below (not recommended for those with a fear of heights). It was an exhilarating feeling standing there with no safety net, especially knowing that in only a few months time, the very spot we stood would be a raging torrent of water mercilessly taking anything in its path to the croc infested waters below.
We’d love to come back and visit a few other spots in Kakadu including the famous Jim Jim Falls. Allocating 4-5 days would be sensible to ensure you get time to visit plenty of the Park’s attractions. After our experience, we’re definitely in the KAKA-DO rather than the KAKA-DON’T camp!
Photos from left to right
the entrance to Kakadu
hiking up to the top of Gunlom Falls
taking a break along the track to Gunlom
looking down over the pool below Gunlom
some of the rock pools at the top of Gunlom Falls
the infinity pool at the top of Gunlom Falls
the infinity pool
heading towards the edge of the falls
Jesse looking, with trepidation, over the top of the Falls to the pool below
Gemmy at the top of the Falls
Loving in...taking in the scenery!
at the pool below Gunlom
there are salties and freshies in these parts...aaahhh
along the 4wd track to Gunlom
KATHERINE
Katherine was a typical regional town with plenty of shops, parks and people. We stopped in on our way to and from Darwin to collect supplies and cast an early vote in the farcical 2016 election.
We wanted to visit Katherine Gorge on our way south of Darwin but the dog friendly accommodation in Katherine wasn’t flash so we opted for a free camp just south of town. We stayed two nights there and although it was a popular roadside stop beside the Stuart Highway (the main highway from Alice Springs to Darwin), it was surprisingly quiet.
Katherine Gorge was another destination that was difficult to appreciate on foot. Local boat tours or helicopter flights would have been a better way to experience the magical scenery but we opted for the short walk to the main lookout point. It provided a great view but lacked a sense of the scale of the gorge – Katherine Gorge is actually made up of 13 interconnected gorges so it’s impossible to take in from just one vantage point. It may have been more exciting to visit Edith Falls (in the same National Park) which had swimming holes and better walking trails but that will have to wait for another time!
We also made a fleeting visit to the Katherine School of the Air. We missed the tour but the lovely receptionist allowed the kids to take a quick peek around the main corridor and showed them where the students were all located on a massive NT map (all over the place!!). The kids were probably more interested in the pet turtles but it was an opportunity for them to see that ‘school’ is a very fluid idea and that their experience on the road this year is not so atypical.
Photos: Katherine Gorge