Kakadu v Kakadon't

To see Kakadu  like the TV documentaries,  you need to part with your $$$. We were lucky enough to see Kakadu from the ground, water and air. We experienced the culture, the food, the arts, the wildlife and the serenity.

We were lucky we did not have our vehicle broken into or our van stolen.

 All non NT residents pay $25 each for a permit-at some camping spots you pay up to $10 pp, or in some cases no $$, because the honesty box has been broken into.

We drove the 4wd tracks to escape the commercialism, sometimes we stayed in the Cooinda Resort camping grounds-the facilities were not a high standard.

The sunset cruise at Yellow River was good value at $88pp, we had our crocodile fix, saw many varieties of birds, enjoyed the wetlands.

Our Kakadu flight provided us with 1hr of scenery-such a vast area with extremes in the landscape from rocky formations, uranium mining, to wetlands and river systems. We saw communities of 2 families and the township of Jaribu –a purposely built mining town, built for a pop of 3500, but only 1500 people live there as only one mining permit was provided.

I loved the wetlands, the vastness of the mangroves and waterways, unfortunately we did not see water buffalo-this is the only animal we have not seen here in Kakadu. From the air the wetland grasses resembled the hide of a shorthaired animal, as the wind caught the colourful weaving patterns.

We travelled to East Alligator Crossing at the far eastern end of Kakadu NP. Here we camped for 3 nights-paying NP fees-$10pp per night. The sites are set in the bush and have camp fireplaces. Rubbish bins, solar showers and flush toilets are provided.

The rangers provide slideshows, guided walks and cultural activities. Sue and I attended a weaving workshop where we learned how to split the pandanas grass-preparing it for dyeing, how to pound the bulbs and cook the grass in the dye, then how to make bracelets.

The local people run cultural boat cruises on the east alligator river. This cruise complemented our yellow river cruise-. The boats cruise along the river stopping at plants and trees growing on the riverbanks explaining their uses from spears to medicinal. We stopped on Arnhem  land for a spear throwing demonstration-Neville threw his spear from one side of the river to the other, nearly missing the sleeping crocodile.

our next adventure... Superman will relate...