Kakadu

On the way in to Jabiru, the 'capital' of Kakadu, we stopped at a few interesting places. One was Fogg Dam, where we drove across the dam wall and were able to see many water birds in the wetlands. We couldn't walk across as a salt water croc had been roaming around since March, refusing to climb into the traps that had been left for it.


The Window on the Wetlands centre had lots of fantastic interactive displays. Actually most of the visitor centres have really good displays and information. Above Isaac and Jessamy are sratching through the leaves like birds to find the food underneath- worms and yummy cockroaches. We also had a great view out over the Wetlands, farming areas, buffalo, and the site of a failed government attempt in 1950 to start rice farming.

Once in Jabiru we settled in the pool for a long swim. The temperature was 37 degrees. The next day we checked out the Bowali centre, learnt lots more about National Park management in the NT and watched a movie called 'The Big Wet' about the monsoon season (it was air conditioned!!). Isaac and Darcy caught up with some friends that they'd met in Darwin.


In the afternoon we watched the crocodiles at Cahills Crossing, on the border between Kakadu and Arnhem Land, catch Barramundi as the high tide receded. They lay in the water, often with their jaws wide open, and snapped the large fish as they swam past. Some of the crocodiles crossed the road, like the small one pictured.


As it was late afternoon we walked to the rock art site at Ubirr, and listened to a ranger talk. The bush around the area was still smouldering following a controlled burn. Some of the art work depicted white people so was not more than 150 years old. The walk to the top of Ubirr was worth it to see the view of the green plains, and rocks lit by the setting sun. It would be great to come here during the wet to see the area covered in water.



On our last full day in Kakadu we decided it was just too hot to go anywhere except the pool. We had a day of trying to keep cool, especially for Jess who started to get a slight fever in the afternoon. During the night she moved around a bit with her fever and eventually kicked a hole in the flyscreen next to her bed, then fell out onto the ground 1 1/2 metres below. She screamed for some time and the next day, after we'd apologised to some of our neighbours, we found she had large bruises along her spine and down her leg. Nothing seemed to be broken though, except the flyscreen.