Days 127 & 128 - Kakadu - Mamukala and Ubirr

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We drove on and into the Kakadu National Park. The first place we got to was Mamukala late in the afternoon. There is really nothing special here, just a large bird hide and information. The lagoon is shrinking under the sun but the birds (waterbirds mostly) are great to watch. We stay until the mozzies (and other little beasties) start to bite and walk back to the bus to have a think about what we might do.

We would like to come out here again tomorrow morning and we don't have anywhere booked to stay....so we stay at Mamukala (shhhh... no camping allowed but we are self contained so surely it can't be a real problem).

We are up early (dawn) to walk down to the bird hide and see what is happening. Various people start to turn up (including some that we saw yesterday). We stay for a while and then decide to move on to our next stop.

Ubirr has an impressive array of rock art plus it is historically important because it is where parts of the original Crocodile Dundee film were shot. We walk through the art galleries and then climb to the top of the escarpment and gaze out over the Nadab floodplains. Fabulous colours and scenery (although there is still a fire that is burning up the way a bit). We open our pack up and have lunch under a rock overhang after all the tour groups have gone. It is quiet and a small wallaby appears to see if we something for her. We toss the remains of an apple to her and a smaller joey appears so it gets the remains of the other apple. We watch the hoppers eat the apples with their front paws and then leave them to it. After a coffee at the Border Cafe, we sit by the river (near Cahills Crossing) and watch the crocs. We also watch the locals on the other side of the East Alligator River (from Arnhem Land) fishing. The locals seem to be going quite well, pulling in mostly smaller fish. We strike up a conversation with an Italian Swiss family and discuss our travel tips and thoughts.

We drive on to Jabiru (the "capital" of Kakadu and site of the Ranger Uranium Mine). On the way we stop to take a quick photo of a Jabiru (Black Headed Stork) which was fishing in a billabong right next to the road. We eventually arrive in Jabiru where we book in to a local caravan park.

We have dinner by the pool - they have Boags here too. So far away we are from the little island but there are always triggers to bring back memories. Nice.

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Photos

Mamukala
This little fellow sat on the "windowsill" waiting for a photo

Mamukala
Native Hens and ducks

Mamukala
Egret in flight

Mamukala
Plumed Whistling Ducks

Mamukala
Spoonbill

Ubirr Rock art
White man boss man / hands in pockets

Ubirr Rock art
Long neck turtle

Ubirr escarpment
view over Nadab floodplain

Locals fishing in East Alligator River
There was a large croc about twenty metres away on the bank and heaps more in the river!

Jabiru with fish
Billabong near Ubirr