After the short drive from Cooinda, we were set up in Jabiru by 10am! We got to a supermarket quick smart and stocked up on necessities. The bakery was worth a visit for lunch and then we decided to go to the Bowali Visitor Centre. This place was great, with fantastic displays of the different environments in Kakadu...and believe me there are a lot of different types. On the way out, we bought a beautiful piece of bark Aboriginal art from the gallery there.
We then drove out to Cahills Crossing to see where people have to drive through the East Alligator River at low tide to enter Arhnem Land. A 4WD had be washed down stream and was laying on it's roof downstream! Wouldn't have liked that...imagine washing down a croc infested river! We fished there from high off the bank and used lures. I kept casting near a couple of crocs. One was huge...nearly hit him on the head!
After a fish we drove to Ubirr and looked at the magnificent Aboriginal rock art. They were mainly paintings of food like barramundi, magpie geese etc. We then walked to the top of Ubirr Rock and watched a magnificent sunset over the wetlands. The same spot Paul Hogan stood as Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee!
The next morning Dad and I went on a 4WD tour to Maguk and Jim Jim. Both are magnificent falls with plunge pools that they have cleared the crocs out of. We went to Maguk first. There was a hike of around 1km along a pandanus linded creek. When we got to the falls, it was magic. Dad didn't want to swim, but I went in and swam right out to the falls. A bit scary as the depth was about 20m and they can't guarantee they get all of the crocs out. I swam out to the falls with a new mate and then did the silly boyish thing of jumping 5m off the cliff into the falls. Awesome.
After Maguk we went to Jim Jim. We had an awesome lunch and then hiked in another 1km. This was hard going over huge boulders. When we got there, the falls were amazing. Words can't describe. Jim Jim has canyon walls the size of Kings Canyon, except there's this massive waterfall plunging into a great big black hole that the sun never hits. I decided to swim it. We were warned that the water is freezing....due to the fact that it never has direct sun on it and it is around 50m deep! I still took the plunge and swam 130m out to the falls...that's up, back, up and a little at the Maryborough Pool! The water was freezing and I was pooing my pants thinking of crocs and how deep it was. But it was worth it. When I got to the edge of the falls, the only way to get under the spray was to swim under the water, as the spray and wind from the falling waters is so strong that you can't get in! My new mate and I swam under and there was a little rock ledge to sit on....awesome! The force of the water falling hurt my head!
We returned and had a quiet night as we were tired. The girls had spent the day at the resort in the pool as it was quite hot at 34 degrees and humid too. The vans had all been invaded by ants too, so there was a bit of ant proofing to be done while Dad and I were touring the falls. Lol
The next day we did the art at Nourlangie Rock....beautiful too. This art was more Aboriginal myths with the Lightning Man and other spooky characters painted on the walls. We did the walk up to the lookout too and got some good shots. Unfortunately Anbangbang Billabong is still closed due to the high water levels....along with Twin Falls....still too high and can't get the crocs out yet!
On the way back to Jabiru, we went to the Gagudju Crocodile Hotel (the one shaped like a croc) and checked out all of the Aboriginal art in their gallery/foyer. Bec and I saw another piece of art that we liked....this time on paper...so we made another purchase! When we got back to the van, we swam in the resort pool. Bec and I did two walks in the arvo out near Ubirr. We were looking for the chestnut quilled rock pigeon, no luck, but we got a Rainbow Pitta!
We then drove out to Cahills Crossing to see where people have to drive through the East Alligator River at low tide to enter Arhnem Land. A 4WD had be washed down stream and was laying on it's roof downstream! Wouldn't have liked that...imagine washing down a croc infested river! We fished there from high off the bank and used lures. I kept casting near a couple of crocs. One was huge...nearly hit him on the head!
After a fish we drove to Ubirr and looked at the magnificent Aboriginal rock art. They were mainly paintings of food like barramundi, magpie geese etc. We then walked to the top of Ubirr Rock and watched a magnificent sunset over the wetlands. The same spot Paul Hogan stood as Mick Dundee in Crocodile Dundee!
The next morning Dad and I went on a 4WD tour to Maguk and Jim Jim. Both are magnificent falls with plunge pools that they have cleared the crocs out of. We went to Maguk first. There was a hike of around 1km along a pandanus linded creek. When we got to the falls, it was magic. Dad didn't want to swim, but I went in and swam right out to the falls. A bit scary as the depth was about 20m and they can't guarantee they get all of the crocs out. I swam out to the falls with a new mate and then did the silly boyish thing of jumping 5m off the cliff into the falls. Awesome.
After Maguk we went to Jim Jim. We had an awesome lunch and then hiked in another 1km. This was hard going over huge boulders. When we got there, the falls were amazing. Words can't describe. Jim Jim has canyon walls the size of Kings Canyon, except there's this massive waterfall plunging into a great big black hole that the sun never hits. I decided to swim it. We were warned that the water is freezing....due to the fact that it never has direct sun on it and it is around 50m deep! I still took the plunge and swam 130m out to the falls...that's up, back, up and a little at the Maryborough Pool! The water was freezing and I was pooing my pants thinking of crocs and how deep it was. But it was worth it. When I got to the edge of the falls, the only way to get under the spray was to swim under the water, as the spray and wind from the falling waters is so strong that you can't get in! My new mate and I swam under and there was a little rock ledge to sit on....awesome! The force of the water falling hurt my head!
We returned and had a quiet night as we were tired. The girls had spent the day at the resort in the pool as it was quite hot at 34 degrees and humid too. The vans had all been invaded by ants too, so there was a bit of ant proofing to be done while Dad and I were touring the falls. Lol
The next day we did the art at Nourlangie Rock....beautiful too. This art was more Aboriginal myths with the Lightning Man and other spooky characters painted on the walls. We did the walk up to the lookout too and got some good shots. Unfortunately Anbangbang Billabong is still closed due to the high water levels....along with Twin Falls....still too high and can't get the crocs out yet!
On the way back to Jabiru, we went to the Gagudju Crocodile Hotel (the one shaped like a croc) and checked out all of the Aboriginal art in their gallery/foyer. Bec and I saw another piece of art that we liked....this time on paper...so we made another purchase! When we got back to the van, we swam in the resort pool. Bec and I did two walks in the arvo out near Ubirr. We were looking for the chestnut quilled rock pigeon, no luck, but we got a Rainbow Pitta!
