northern territory: kakadu, gagadju

Maguk Falls was a short drive in (on dirt) from the Gungurul free camp ($6.60/n) on the Kakadu Highway. It's about a kilometre up to the falls on a raised boardwalk and then along a rocky path. The waterhole is huge and beautiful.

Thanks to my mum for these three photos. 

We needed a swim after a hot walk in to the falls and it wasn't long before the kids and J were jumping off the rocks in to the cool water. Soon after B was scaling the five metre high cliffs and jumping in to the water hole and coming up beaming. Our boy has certainly gained a mountain of confidence since we left Sydney eight months ago. 

You can just see the colours of Bs rash vest as he's plunging in to the water hole!

Nothing can compare to the black kites which soar the Kimberley and top end skies. You'll be outside only to have a shadow fly overhead and look up to see the unmistakable outline of the scalloped tail and distal wings of the black kite.  

Slowly the black kites have been replaced by the whistling kite with their distinctive cries. These birds both hone in on the fire fronts when traditional burning takes place in the Kimberley and Kakadu, searching for small prey who scuttle out from the bush in search of safety from the fire. 

Traditional Burning takes place in the dry season and continues to be a practice used by National Parks to maintain biodiversity in this region. Fires are critical for the reproduction of some plants while others suffer under the conditions so a balance is necessary in considering the needs of a range of species in the parks. 

northern territory: anbangbang, yellow waters

Thanks There's no better way to experience the wetlands of Yellow Waters than on a crocodile proof cruise which we did with Ma and Grug. The kids were just as excited for the five-minute bus ride to the jetty as the boat ride. 

An egret, a shag and a whitebreasted sea eagle on the banks of Yellow Waters. 

There was so much wildlife to see on the cruise - dozens of huge (and smaller) saltwater crocodiles and beautiful water birds including eagles, kites, egrets, brolgas and rainbow bee-eaters. The billabong was lined with the beautiful lotus and pandanus plants. It must be magic to see this place teaming with wildlife during the wet and at the beginning of the dry season. 

Anbangbang (wrongly but more commonly known as Nourlangie) is about half an hour by car from Cooinda and the site of more incredible rock art. Sheltered by huge overhangs much of the paint has remained intact over thousands of years. If you're in the area be sure to tack on to a free ranger guided talk. The national park rangers present informative and engaging talks about the sites. 

Thanks to my mum for these photos. 

On our tour with Animal Tracks Patsy taught us how to identify a green ant's nest. Green ants are a bush medicine used to relieve a headache and quell a sore tummy. We showed the children how, with a quick movement, Patsy quickly removed a nest and squished the ants before producing the medicine. Strangely the ants do taste like salt and vinegar chips. 

northern territory: kakadu, gagadju, animal tracks,

It seems like a lifetime ago but about 18 months ago we were sitting a fancy Christmas dinner in Sydney with a bunch of Js colleagues. We were discussing our plans to do the big lap of Australia when one colleague insisted we do Patsy's tour in Kakadu. "If you are a foodie," he'd said, "you'll love it." 

I did a bit of research and a few weeks ago I found the notes of made for the Animal Tracks tour which leaves from Cooinda Lodge where we were staying with my parents. 

My parents were happy to mind the big kids while J and I headed out for the evening. I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone who might take this tour but it really was a great experience. 

Attendees collected seasonal produce - fresh water mussels, bush carrots and what was left of water chestnuts at the end of a dry dry season. 

Preparing the magpie goose. Pluck, singe feathers, gut, portion, cook, eat. 

Patsy taught us some bush medicine and then her and our host Mark cooked our dinner the traditional way - on coals in a paperbark oven. We ate buffalo, magpie goose and barramundi on the edges of wetlands where thousands, some say millions, of magpie geese were nesting. 

It wasn't long before the loveable whistling kites came in for their share.  Back in the bus two dingos could be seen circling what was left of our feed.  

Thanks for the tip Paul. This was a really enjoyable your. 

northern territory: kakadu, gagadju, ubirr

The lookout provides an insanely awesome vantage point across the wetlands at Ubirr and in to Arnhem Land. We took our picnic dinner up the hill to watch the sun set on another day. 

B said that he always does the "thumbs up" so people know it's a good place to visit. 

After our very disrupted sleep the night before we bunkered down with sticky tape across the window seals. We bombed the inside of the van with a generous spray of mortein in the afternoon which we usually avoid but bought especially. It was a huge relief when we all woke up after sunrise the next morning. 

The free ranger-lead talks throughout Kakadu provide insight in to this sacred place. There's also weaving workshops run by local women. We caught up with Ranger Glen at Ubirr and joined him on a 2.5 hour long visit to the art sites. 

In addition to the history of the ancient artworks we heard a lot about the hard work that the community put in to have Gagadju recognised as a national park and eventually as a World Heritage Area. 

A figure with swollen limbs is depicted in the image below. It is said that swollen joints are a common side affect on the body after exposure to radioactive material. You may or may not remember that the Jabiru Uranium Mine is located in Jabiru. This image is thousands of years old. 

This is the place where locals say the Rainbow Serpent left its imprint in the rock after creating the surrounding parts of Kakadu. It may not be convincing to everyone but right across the world people have creation stories. 

northern territory: darwin

We initially thought we'd just duck in to Darwin, meet Ma and Grug and head back out of town but we needed to restock the fridge and get a few odd jobs done. Standing in the Optus shop for three hours isn't my idea of fun but it had to be done! 

Free Spirit Caravan Park had been recommended to us by travelling friends and with three pools, jumping pillow, a free kids club and usual amenities it was a comfortable place to stay. Whilst it was a bit of a drive in to town it was close to the free and awesome YMCA water park in Palmerston! I should have done my research because our dearest girl didn't meet the height minimum of 110cm for the big slide (but she may or may not have got two slides in before we realised). 

Rapid Creek Markets is a foodies heaven and you can buy anything from the freshest Asian fruit and veggies to soups, homemade rice noodle and egg noodles for your own cooking. There's herbs and Asian desserts. Our daughter asked that I bring back a pineapple and a mango. I also grabbed veggies, a bright sweet watermelon. And I had the tastiest laksa for brekky. 

On the way to Darwin we met a grey nomad couple who suggested we go to Mindil Markets. "Take your own chair. Take your own drinks and take your own food," they said, "then you don't have to buy anything." Instead we took our picnic rug, our drinks bottles and ate this feast of treats from across the globe. We had Thai, Vietnamese Japanese Sri Lankan Greek and Indonesian! We love that we can sit back in an Aussie city and experience our country's diversity.

J had himself volunteered at the foreshow. That's him holding the ladder just before the entertainer juggled flaming machetes. Truly. He thinks he's going to take up a new vocation. We're not convinced. 

western australia : lake argyle

Lake Argyle is one of those places that is raved about by visitors but not a place I need to return to. It wasn't unpleasant but there are just so many other beautiful spots in the world. Perhaps we just don't see the charm in large dams. 

J, however, did enjoy his kayak on the Ord River along with freshies, whistling kites and a white-breasted sea eagle whom was very interested in the lone kayaker. 

The steps down to the lake from the resort are poorly maintained and very wobbly. The rest of the family jumped in from the aging pontoon though and assured me it was considerably warmer than the infinity pool of which the resort is famous for. 

northern territory : kakadu, arnhem land

We wanted to see Kakadu and Arnhem Land. It's a part of Australia we've seen on doco's and featured in films but we came with fresh eyes, not really knowing what to expect. Once again a part of this country has been forged in our hearts as a treasured place. 

We pulled in to Merl campground at Ubirr late in the day which is never a good sign of things to come. It was too hot to cook in the van (high thirties) and mozzies were already starting to take their place against the fly screens so we bunkered in for a mezze platter. 

The kids are still adjusting to the 1.5hr time difference with Western Australia and getting them to bed early is proving difficult. The heat coupled with hundreds of mozzies getting in somewhere wasn't a good combination for getting to bed early or having a good night. And we didn't. I think we had four hours sleep that first night between smashing the little blood-filled blighters and tending to hot thirsty kids. 

We were easily distracted from our mozzie bites and the elements once we looked out of the van at Merl. It is a stunning place to wake up set amongst the pandanus palms. We pre-booked our permit in to Arnhem Land and tour to Injalak Hill and it was an early, hazy start to cross the East Alligator River by 8:30 in the morning. 

Roland was our guide up Injalak Hill. It was a privilege to see artworks on the walls of the rocks dating back 20,000 years. Here lies evidence of the longest continuous culture on the planet. Our short time on Earth and contribution to the world pales in to insignificance. 

The artworks here depict foods and other plants and animals endemic to the area including long-necked turtle, barramundi, mullet. Legends told and retold over thousands of years are also painted here. 

Here you can see the palette and the canvas. These grind holes, used to grind rock in to ocre paints (from about 50km from this site) are literally thousands of years old. 

There are three brothers - making up Injalak (Long Tom Fish) Hill, Leech Hill and Magpie Goose Hill. These places are sacred sites for the locals. 

Our tour finished at the Arts Centre which houses a large number of artworks by local artists and sales are used to fund the running of the centre and community workshops for tourists. We bought a beautiful painting of a barramundi by

?? Glen 

who uses only ocres in his paintings. It has its place in our caravan now.