Week 12 – Darwin and North End Safari
Due to the nature and accessibility of the best features of Kakadu National Park, we decided to take a guided trip in a 4WD vehicle. We took a nature cruise on the Rockhole Billabong, part of the St Mary’s River. We were amazed at the quantity and variety of the wildlife. We saw numerous fresh and salt water crocs. There were thousands of birds including sea eagles, jabiro, and royal spoonbills. A large fish actually jumped into the boat and landed on the lap of one of the passengers. We had a rare sighting of a water buffalo-this even got the guide who works there excited.
We also saw aboriginal rock art. The oldest rock art in the world is in the Northern Territories of Australia. At night we usually slept in tents, except one night we sleep under the stars in a swag (canvas cover for pad and sleeping bag). We could hear the dingoes howling at the full moon and after the moon set, the stars were incredible. In the morning we had bacon and eggs cooked over the campfire. The weather was consistently hot and dry. Each hike we took ended at a waterfall and a swimming hole. We took a cruise through Katherine Gorges before returning to Darwin.
In Darwin we visited the Darwin Museum. It was filled with animal exhibits including Sweetheart, a 14 foot stuffed salt water croc. We walked to Mindel Beach and enjoyed the food and free entertainment at their open air market. Then we flew to Alice Springs.
Due to the nature and accessibility of the best features of Kakadu National Park, we decided to take a guided trip in a 4WD vehicle. We took a nature cruise on the Rockhole Billabong, part of the St Mary’s River. We were amazed at the quantity and variety of the wildlife. We saw numerous fresh and salt water crocs. There were thousands of birds including sea eagles, jabiro, and royal spoonbills. A large fish actually jumped into the boat and landed on the lap of one of the passengers. We had a rare sighting of a water buffalo-this even got the guide who works there excited.
We also saw aboriginal rock art. The oldest rock art in the world is in the Northern Territories of Australia. At night we usually slept in tents, except one night we sleep under the stars in a swag (canvas cover for pad and sleeping bag). We could hear the dingoes howling at the full moon and after the moon set, the stars were incredible. In the morning we had bacon and eggs cooked over the campfire. The weather was consistently hot and dry. Each hike we took ended at a waterfall and a swimming hole. We took a cruise through Katherine Gorges before returning to Darwin.
In Darwin we visited the Darwin Museum. It was filled with animal exhibits including Sweetheart, a 14 foot stuffed salt water croc. We walked to Mindel Beach and enjoyed the food and free entertainment at their open air market. Then we flew to Alice Springs.
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