Looking around Kununurra

from Jeanette - Today we went to Wyndham which is 100kms from Kununurra.  An interesting town and very historic.  We went to a lookout that you could see the five rivers junction and the port where they load iron ore on ships.  The port area I thought, was very run down.  We then drove down a dirt road that led us to a huge Boab Tree that was used as a prison quite a few years ago.  Ross will put the photo up.  We got to see some beautiful star finches and red tail black cockatoos and a pheasant coucal along this road and that was exciting.  From there we went to a Billabong which was loaded with all kinds of water birds.  In the afternoon when we got back to Kununurra we went to the Sandalwood Factory.  Sandalwood is a huge industry here in Kununurra, they also had a lovely cafe and we enjoyed a really nice capuccino.  We topped the day off by climbing up to Kelly's Lookout in town and watched a beautiful sunset over this beautiful area.

RB - Wyndham is an interesting place very run down, but the amount of water in the river is amazing,  There was a rather large ship in the river loading ore.  

From lookout at Wyndham looking over the 5 rivers junction.

The prison tree is hollow with a rather large cavity through the hole, couldn't get Jeanette into it, too many bats in there!

A Part of Marlju Billabong Jeanette mentioned, very pretty area, but like all of them a terrible road in.

Sister-in-law Val suggested a drive to Ivanhoe Crossing a few kms north of Kununurra below the Holding Dam wall, well this is it Val, they are letting a lot of water down the river at the moment and the water is very high and very fast over the road,  Did see a couple of barra being caught though just below this area but they were too small, about 30cm., so let go again.  

When we got back to the car this evening we got a message saying our planned flight over the Bungle Bungles tomorrow was cancelled due to "unforseen circumstances"  whatever that means, so we will have to try and rechedule but not sure when we will get the chance, ohh well have to see what happens.  We are going in to El Questro on Thursday for a couple of nights, maybe after that?????

Hello from Kununurra

from Jeanette - It has been a couple of days since we posted but I'll try to fill you in on what we did and saw in the last couple of days.  Sunday we decided to go to Berry Springs - only 60kms from Batchelor so we thought we should go check it out.  A beautiful place, has a big picnic area and safe swimming.  Right beside it there is a Wildlife Sanctuary, similar to our Healesville Sanctuary only this one is on a bigger scale.  We were there for over 3 hours, so much to see.  There was a King Brown Snake just as you walk in the door and no kidding I have never seen such a big snake - it was massive!  Scary!  The park itself was beautiful though and very well laid out and picturesque.  After looking around the Wildlife Park we decided to go for a swim in the Springs next door as well as everyone else who was on holidays.  It was packed.  Still very refreshing and then we ventured on back to the Caravan Park in Batchelor.  Next morning we headed off at 8.00am and came across someone's suitcase pack thingy which had fallen off a tour bus so we picked it up and headed on back to Batchelor to the Police Station.  The Police Station was unattended so we left it at the Caravan Park.  This held us up for another hour but I guess we would want the same thing happening if we had lost our case. I hope the guy who lost his case has picked it up now.  We got to Victoria River Roadhouse around 3.30pm. What a beautiful place.  Right in the middle of the Gregory National Park and along the Victoria River it was just a magnificent place.  The park was crowded once again but we still had a pleasant stay over night.  We took off this morning at about 9.00am to head towards Kununurra and arrived in Kununurra at 1.00pm.  We loved the drive to Kununurra still driving through the Gregory National Park.  The scenery was beautiful and I am still in awe of how wonderful our God is and His creation all about us.  It really is a beautiful part of the world.  We saw numerous Boab Trees, beautiful waters and creeks and lots and lots of birds.  We are looking forward to our stay in Kununurra and will let you know about our journey here.  Thanks for reading.

RB  A few pics below of the last couple of days.  Berry Springs was great and we saw many birds in the park unique to NT and the top end, most I will not get to see in the wild, that will be another trip??

There were 3 main springs about this size in Berry Springs, very popular

As Jeanette mentioned this King Brown is the largest venomous snake  I have seen in Australia,  8 foot long, thats nearly 2.5 metres??  It was huge.  By the way the other snake we saw in Litchfield is I believe a "Lesser Black Whip Snake"   Probably the fastest moving snake in Australia and I can testify to that!!!

At the animal park they help a bird display which was quite good,  we saw a Black Breasted Buzzard  use a rock to break open a (fake) emu egg, a natural behavior in the wild, quite amazing.  An Osprey plunge into a pool to grab a fish  and a few other birds.  For me I loved the Red tailed black cocky (above) Have seen several now in the wild since then in the Victoria River region

The Victoria River is much larger than I expected and the Gregory National Park quite beautiful, hopefully take a couple of days on the way back to have a better look.

Our view this morning from the van  at sun rise from the Vic River  Roadhouse caravan park .

In Batchelor

from Jeanette - Wow I can't believe we haven't written in the blog since last Monday!!  So much has happened since then, where do I begin?  Monday Lee, Ross and I spent the day looking around Darwin.  We checked out the Supreme Court, Government House, we went down into one of the storage tunnels that was built in the 2nd World War to store the fuel there, from there we went into the city and had some lunch and after that went and explored the Museum.  We had a lovely day looking around Darwin and we all agree that Darwin is a lovely city, compact, clean and friendly.  On Tuesday we met Bruce and Janet King and took them out for coffee.  It was great to see them and then in the evening we picked them up and we all went out for tea at Seafood on Cullen, very nice food and great company. Wednesday Lee Ross and myself started on our journey to Litchfield National Park.  We spent 2 and a half days exploring all the wonderful places.  We went to waterfalls, Homesteads, Creeks, Magnetic Termite Mounds and did lots of swimming in the 'safe' swimming holes scattered about this wonderful National Park.  We  brought the van to Batchelor this morning and went back to Buley water holes for 1/2 a day of swimming.  Mid avo we took Lee to the bus to go back to Darwin.  Lee flies home tomorrow and we loved catching up with him for the time he was in Darwin.  I'll let Ross tell you more of our adventures and he has some cool photos too.  Thanks for reading.

RB  We have certainly enjoyed our time in Litchfield, some of the water holes have been closed due to 1. Current and 2. Crocs, oh well.     Blyth Homestead road was closed but we saw a Ranger coming out and he said we could go in  despite what the signs said as the road was going to be opened after he checked the water crossings, but still happy for us to go.  The water crossings were fine and we were the first car for the season to go in  so the roads were quite good, not corrugated yet.  We did meet a local at the homestead but he/she wasn't very talkative,  pic below.
We also checked out Woolaning Christian school where we my niece Lyndal Walker has been teaching, It was only a couple of kms up the road from where we stayed in Litchfiled.

This evening while walking in the caravan park here at Batchelor we came across Steven and Janette Young and kids (Pastor at Drouin Baps) on their way through to Darwin, you never know who you are going to see and where when you travel???

A beautiful sunset over Darwin Harbor while enjoying Dinner 

Dinner with Lee Paterson and Bruce and Janet King

Set up for a couple of beautiful evenings in Litchfield,  the Safari camp was very nice  and close to most attractions

These Magnetic termite mounds were amazing, this pic shows less than a half of the mounds  in this area.  The Cathedral mound below was in the car park for these mounds

Florence falls were great and beautiful swimming hole.  we saw lots of falls all with good flows.  Its a good time to visit Litchfield.  You have to wonder where all the water comes from?

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Just one of the rock piles on the area known as the "Lost City"

We had time for some fun. Lee and I enjoying a swim, and snorkel , in one of the many holes at Buley

Below I thought I might show some of the "critters" we have encountered on the way.

Lacewing Butterfly, Batchelor

Awesome Golden Orb spider on the way in to Greenant Falls, This little lady is about   3"  long in the body.  Notice the size of the male beside her?

No idea what these wasps are, but very different colours, look like Hawthorn supporters,  They  didn't seem too happy - no wonder.

This was the local at Blyth homestead.  About 4' long very slender, very dark brown body and lighter coloured head and might I add, a bit feisty and very very fast, gave us one anxious moment while trying to get this pic!!!!  Anyone any ideas as to what type it is,  ?? taipan, ??brown

Tomorrow off to Berry Springs for the day, Katie reckons it was one of her favorite spots when she visited, so thought we should check it out before moving on towards Kununurra.

Warm and Lovely Days

from Jeanette - We are still enjoying this lovely place, Darwin.  Today and yesterday we have just been exploring Darwin and some of things that are suggested to check out.  Yesterday we went into the city and had a walk around, had a coffee and also to one of the markets.  In the evening we met a girlfriend of Sheree Jess and a girlfriend of Katie, Sarah for tea on the Fisherman's Wharf.  This is a very popular place.  It was packed with people and a live band was playing too.  It is well known for Barramundi and chips.  It was great catching up with the two girls.  Today we did some more exploring, we went to the Supreme Courthouse, Government House, World War 2 Oil Tunnel, the safe swimming pool and wave pool and the Museum.  We even explored Cullen Bay which is a very exclusive part of Darwin and where the Marina is.  On the way back to the Caravan Park we stopped off at the Darwin National Park where there is a lovely lookout looking back over to the City and again we saw a little Forest Kingfisher in the tree.  It has been a lovely day.  There is a lot to see in Darwin and I'm sure we have only just touched the surface.  We will have another day here where we are meeting friends from Warragul who have just arrived for Teacher's Conference tomorrow for coffee.  The next day, Wednesday, we will be packing up and heading for Litchfield National Park.  Looking forward to that.  Thanks for reading.

Darwin Still Sun-seeking Sight-seeing

RB -  Friday was a bit of a catch up day.  Put the car in for a service early to get the oil situation sorted and the undercarriage degreased.  Thankfully all good, no obvious damage to the car.  Interesting thing to note that the service put 5 Lit of oil in the car, when we had the oil leak it took 5 lit of oil and it still was not full, after we drove another 30 kms --- hmmmmm.

While waiting for the car we took a taxi to do some shopping,  waited 1 1/2 hr for a taxi to return, ended up catching a bus, not so impressed with the lack of taxis in Darwin.  Spoke to a Jayco agent about trying to get our van brakes fixed but so booked out it is not going to happen.   Ah well, we will proceed on carefully.  Saw a great sign to adopt as our MOTTO, but cant remember what is was???????   Anyway  we met up with Lee  P who had a good sleep after his flight up, spent some time in town, went to the Aquascene  to feed the fish, that was interesting.  Each person is given two pieces of bread and you can feed all the fish that come from the ocean in just to get a feed.  There are stacks and stacks of fish that come in.  They include bream, milk fish (which are massive), catfish, batfish, flathead, cod.  They have had a crocodile come in and a shark.  You aren't allowed to pick up any fish but you can pat them.  It is a very interesting thing to do. We came back to the van to get the camera and then returned to Mindel Beach for the Territory Day Celebrations and Fireworks.  That was great, good market. great food and excellent fireworks display. Anyway about the pics,  this is the tree beside our van, not very interesting I hear you say, thats what we thought too until we had a closer look.

Sitting in this tree a metre from a tent and about 2.5 metres high there are two Tawny Frogmouths, M & F, they have been here for at least 2 weeks, fly out to hunt each night and return before day break - fantastic

Females Grey or Brown, Males only Grey

The fire works were fantastic

 Today  (2nd) we went to Casuarina Shopping Centre for the morning, This arvo Lee joined us and we went down to Adelaide River to do a cruise to see the jumping crocs.   This was a great cruise, arrived at low tide which is the best time to see the crocs as the mud flatsides if the river is exposed and the smaller crocs come out.  Saw heaps  including this 5m male, he was a very big boy, we were literally a metre way from him - awesome sight

back to the Caravan park afterwards and enjoyed a roast meal in the cafe, a great day.  Lee has gone back in to Darwin but is joining us tomorrow for the rest of out time in Darwin and when we go to Litchfield.

Oh yes I remember that MOTTO   

"Adventure before Dementia"

from Jeanette - Ross has said most of all that we have been doing in Darwin so far.  Weather still is perfect with absolutely beautiful barmy evenings.  It gets dark here at about 7.00pm with no twilight.  Gets dark abruptly.  We have really enjoyed our time here in Darwin so far and hope to see a bit more of things around the town tomorrow.  We might check our another market as well.  My injury is slowly healing.  Still finding it hard to bend over and can't walk for very long.  It is a little debilitating but I guess it could have been worse.  We are enjoying Lee's company too. Well will sign off now.  Thanks for reading all about our adventures.

Yay we're in Darwin

from Jeanette - Yay we made it to Darwin.  A bit of an experience getting here but at least we are here.  We had a bit of a sleep in yesterday and then decided to go and explore the area around Jabiru.  We went to an aboriginal site called Nourlangie where there was a lot of aboriginal art and a lookout we climbed.  We had a lovely time there and saw lots of different birds as well.  We then proceeded to Jim Jim Falls.  As we rounded the corner to the beginning of of the Falls we picked up two hitch hikers from Germany and proceeded for about 56 kms on dirt road and then another 8.5 kms of 4WD tracks to get to the Falls.  A very popular spot there were a lot of cars there.  It was a very hard treck into the falls but well worth it.  I couldn't believe I actually made it in but unfortunately just when I had nearly made it back to the car I tripped on a rock and fell on my backside and bruised my coxic bone.  Ouch very very sore.  Makes it hard to walk actually.  Most of the day was a good day.  We got up early and washed the car and left Jabiru about 9.00am and headed to Darwin.  We made it to Darwin at about 2.30pm.  Went shopping and went out for tea.  It is still very warm here.

RB Now -  The pics below are firstly a couple around Nourlangie, 

This pic is of a green ant nest, about the size of a football, they are everywhere up here, beautifully made by binding leaves together, amazing patterns in  them

A view from the look out in the area.  From here we decided to check out Jim Jim Falls, lots of peop;le spoke of it, but mentioned it was a long  way in.   Thats not the half of it.  about 50 kms of Australias worst corrugated roads for a start.  Then 8.5 km of 4wd track with everything from soft sand to gagged rocks to creek crossings, but good fun.  After you eventually get to the car park it is then a 1km hike to the falls.  Well 1km as the crow flies but about 3 with the uip and over rocks etc.  The pic below shows some of the better parts of the track in,  

This pic just before the fall, fall over that is, not water fall

 

However once you get there the falls are quite good, especially the setting with the massive cliffs around them and the pools at the bottom

However the story does not end there, we eventually got out of the Jim Jim falls and I decided to let the tyres down a bit for the trip out because of ther corragations,m noticed a tyre low on pressure, but continued on.  The drop in pressue made a great difference, however about 10 km before the main road I noticed the oil light come on, not good.  stopped to check and had oil dripping everywhere from under the car.  On investigation I noticed the oil filter had come loose from the corrugations and dumped lots of oil.  I had a litre in the car which at least stopped the light, I had oil pressure but still not enough to measure on the dip stick.  No motor rattles at least.  A ranger stopped, but had no oil and said the RACV (or what ever it is in NT)  refuses to come out on this road, so it was proceed or start up a new residential address.  Got back to Cooinda, about 30 kms but they dont sell deisel oil do they!!!  Eventually their maintenance mechanic gave me 2 lt oil but still ot enough so had to buy some cheap black and gold oil to at least show on the dip stick.  Eventually got back safe and sound to Jabiru for quick tea and in to bed, stuffed.                       This morning took of the tyre and fixed a puncture, washed half the Jim Jim falls road off the car and headed towards Darwin     Stopped at a place called Mamukala which has a great bird hide on a lagoon.      Glad we did as spotted 4 species of birds new to us within 15 mins.  Crimson finch, double barred finch, masked finch (pic below) and a red headed honeyeater.            

         

On the way out we came across the ginormous termite hills similar to dozens we saw on the way up from Katherine, butdidn't stop to get a pic.  This one is big but we have seen many much larger.              We were going to stay another night in the area before heading to Darwin  but decided we should get to Darwin and get the car serviced and checked out.  The van park was able to fit us in  for the night  on the same spot we had reserved for tomorrow night so that was good.  Phoned Kia for the car check, all good if I can come after the 15th, earliest spot available.  Anyway long story but have it booked in for 8 am in the morning to a service centre just around the corner from the Van park.    Time to sign off as rambling  looking forward to a few days around Darwin and catching up with Lee tomorrow and spending most of the next week together,     Stay tuned for the next saga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!             

Still in Kakadu

from Jeanette - A long day.  We got up at 5.30am to go on a Sunrise Cruise which we thoroughly enjoyed, saw more crocs and more birds.  Got back to camp and headed up further north to a little town called Jabiru.  We booked into our Park and I caught up on some washing and we then went for a drive to a get a coffe and do some grocery shopping and to explore this little town.  After lunch we decided to explore the area and was told to go to a famous rock called Ubirr where a lot of aboriginal art is and as you climb up to the top you can see for miles and miles over the marsh lands and  into Arnhem Land.  We also saw the sunset up there too which was beautiful.  All in all a lovely day.  Very tired now so off to bed.  Thanks for reading.

From Ross -Some photos below from Yellow Waters and from Ubirr area, Aboriginal art work and pics from the wetlands, once again stunningly beautiful.   The Jabirus greeting each other on their nest was great to see and presented a great photo opportunity.