LAWN HILL

 

We stayed at Adels Grove, 10klms from Lawn Hill as the campground there had no shade.  At $48 a night, it was expensive but the grove was totally covered with big old trees.  You can swim in the river although there are fresh water crocs.  We hired 2 canoes ($100 for 2 hrs) and paddled up Lawn Hill gorge.  It is really pretty, and if we had our own canoe, we would have spent more time here.

After paddling to the lower gorge, you then drag the canoes up over 40meters of rock, to paddle the upper gorge.

We decided to give Joe to a lovely ranger at Lawn Hill.  She has cared for kangaroos before.  It was sad, the girls inconsolable but realise that this is the best place for him.

MORE DIRT ON THE SAVANNAH

 

From Borroloola to the Queensland border, the road was generally quite good.  Jade green river crossings lined with pandanus trees and a few billabongs were the only scenic feature other than burnt country. 

Fishing at Borroloola.

Stopped for a cuppa & a swim at a river crossing, always keeping an eye out for crocs.

We camped off the road about 40klms from the Qld border, left early the next day and saw lots of wildlife.  As we slowly drove past a fresh dead kangaroo, we noticed something moving in the pouch and stopped to look.  We found this,

a gorgeous baby kangaroo.  Kirsty & Jade were ecstatic.  “This is the best day ever”, they kept repeating!  We put him in a fluffy bag we had and headed to the border.

It was sad to cross the border,  goodbye to the burnt state of The Northern Territory.  The road started to improve immediately.  Parted company with Rob & Laurel as we headed south to Lawn Hill & they kept going onto Burketown.  We are meeting up at Gregorys Crossing in 3 days. Driving from 7.30am, we arrived at our camp, Adels Grove at 4pm and it was 40 degrees.   We found out what to feed little Joe & fed him with a babies bottle Jade had.  He kept us up all night.

This was a creek crossing just before Adels Grove, which was really pretty.

The van inside, is covered with a film of red dust, on curtains, in cupboards, on clothes, just everywhere!

NO WAY SAVANNAH

 

Who’s idea was it to travel the Savannah Way? 510klms to Borroloola. The 3 D’s, Dry, Dust & Dirt!  Probably has to do with this time of year. 

Just before we started on the Savannah Way, we stocked our cupboards as we knew there were no towns for a while and stopped in at Mataranka.  Bitter Springs is a natural thermal spring where you can have a relaxing swim.  We snorkelled down stream with the current.  The water clear & 34deg.  If you can imagine a deep gully with plants, tree roots(from the above trees) & logs covered in bright green moss, like a rainforest, under  water.  With the motion of the water, the long snake like moss sways back & forth, it was like a fairyland.

Driving out to Roper Bar, the scenery still dry burnt country covered in termite mounds, we let down our tyres as the road deteriorated.

One store only at Roper Bar which had a bit of everything.  We bought Diesel at $2.20 a litre!  We found a nice free camp on the Roper River for 3 nights only, as there was no Barra action.  It was hot during the day,  luckily the river was fresh water & we were able to bucket water over us to keep cool.

We decided to move on to Limmen River fishing camp where it is only 30klms from the gulf, and  is saltwater.  The road was mostly bull dust and corrugations.  We saw some pretty billabongs but looking in the rear view mirror, we could see our semi-clean caravans were quickly getting smothered in dust!  We found a nice spot to camp on the river(away from the messy homestead), open our van door and both Laurel & I cracked it.  Everything was covered in dust!  Not Happy Jan!

Launched the boat again, and this time had success.  Bull sharks, Queen fish, 1 Barra & an 83cm Qld Groper.

Moved on to Butterfly Springs, as we are late in the season there was only a little pool, but it was enough to keep us cool.

We walked around the Lost City early in the morning, too hot any later!

Fingers & toes crossed, as we drove to Borroloola and arrived with no flat tyres.  The road in parts was almost on par with the Gibb River road. 

Stay tuned ,,,,,,,,,,,

KAKADU 2

 

A 2 hour drive into Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls Gorge was well worth it.  Twin Falls is one of our favourite gorges.  There is a $5500 fine if you are caught swimming in this gorge, so they have put a pump shower on the boardwalk.

Jim Jim Falls waterfall stops flowing in the dry season but is still impressive up close.  Swim in gorge at own risk, the water was clear emerald green.

Our last stop in Kakadu was Gunlom.  This campground was right on the Gunlom gorge pool and you are allowed to swim here.  Thank god, because it was HOT!(39).  Mike & I walked to the top of the falls for an amazing view.

KAKADU NATIONAL PARK

 

World heritage Kakadu is nearly 20,000 square klms of wetlands, rivers, billabongs and rocky escarpments.  We first headed north to UBIRR.  UBIRR rock art was the most detailed pictures we have seen.  The lookout over the wetlands was beautiful.

 

At the border of Kakadu & Arnhem Land is Cahill’s Crossing over the East Alligator River.  When the tide turns, the crocodiles sit on the crossing and feed on fish.  It was amazing to watch.  Extremely muddy river full of crocs! 

Low tide.

High tide

No live bait allowed & no standing in the water to fish.

Anbangbang Billabong.

Anbangbang shelter & rock art.

36 degrees everyday, it’s hot, humid & keeping up fluids is constant.  The mosquitos have been bearable.  We thought Yellow Waters was really nice.

On the other side of this boardwalk we looked down and saw this,

HOLY JUMPING CROCODILES BATMAN

 

AND FOR MY NEXT TRICK,,,

We got up close and personal with these crocs and thought it was money well spent.  For obvious reasons, nobody fishes in this muddy area of the Adelaide River.