28th February 2008

---

28th February 2008
Today we awoke in the crocodile hotel for second day of our tour.
It was a bright sunny morning and again it had been raining heavily in the night. We were picked up by the tour guide Peter at 8.00 clock and set out for escarpment country at Ubirr. Normally this tour wouldn't run as the water was more than 5 metres over the Arnhmen Highway. However Peter was going to take our small party of 6 to the edge of the floods where a boat was waiting to take us through the paper bark forest of Magela Creek and then to a bus waiting on the other side of the floods to take us to Ubirr.
Ubirr is an outcrop of escarpment and a tribal area with more amazng rock art with stories to explain tribal law and customs. Peter is very good at recounting the stories told to him by the Biniji.
As soon as we steped out of the bus my cameraa lens steamed up inside and out as it was like stepping into a sauna. Fortunately the little camera coped better. The glide through the forest was lovely and we stoped in a billabong (a deep wide pool and a water hole in the dry season) to look at croc nests, but no crocodiles were about, but they are there in increasing numbers now they are protected. We saw several croc traps to catch those that had been harrassing fisherman. The baramundi are ginormous here (Rob Smitt tak note!!)
This took about 30 minutes and at the other side of the creek was another bus. It was 4 wheel drive so we could go through at least 1m of flood water. The locals all have snorkels fitted to their cars to cross these floods, but the local rule of thumb for crossing swollen creeks is “keep the stereo player dry”.
At Ubirr we looked at the rock art site and saw a rock wallaby hiding from a kite circling over head. We climbed the steep rocks to the summit and looked out over the vivid green Nardab flood plains. A sight to be seen and only in the wet season as it is parched dry in winter. As we watched the next torrential downpour approached across the plain. It caught us as we decended ,soaking us to the skin again. It dosen't matter as you dry out very quickly and it is always warm.
Back to the boat and this time Shaun , a Biniji guide gave us a demonstration of spear skills which he uses regularly to catch birds and fish as he is allowed to catch protectd species for food. He is one of an increasing number of peoplel like he and his broher from his village who had been selected to go to school in Darwin and then on to university. Although about 40 he had six sons and three granchildren who he hopes will follow him in the work of preserving an teaching others about the beautiful world of Kakadu and the Top End.
Then we went off to Jabiru airport for a picnic lunch and a couple of fellow tourists took a scenic flight over Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls. After eating Peter took us to see the Ranger Uranium opencast mine, one of only 4 in Australia while we waited for the fliers to return. The scale of the quarry pit was enourmous .It must have been a kilometre across and was 100 metres deep. The spoil heaps all around were also enourmous and it was difficult to believe that the mining company was committed to restore the land back to rainforest as it was before. I think it will take many years before this land will be restored to it's previous state.
On the way back we saw a taipon crossing the road. These are one of the deadliest snakes in Australia although only when trated with disrespect
When the others returned we were taken to Bowali visitor centre which has displays of manyl the flora, fauna and animals of the area and much about how the Bininji people live in the area, with the tools they make and use to live in the rain forest.There are quite a few private areas where they live in communities and carry on their ceromonies and traditional practices with their licences to kill and eat protected species. Many of them work for the park educating and showing tourists how the tropical north lives and works.
Tomorrow we aree having a rest day in Darwin, may even have a haircut!!

---

Comments

[Lucy]

Seasoned explorers
Talk about looking the part, you both look like you've been travelling for ever! Love the snake crossing the road pic!