Kakadu Day 4

This was our biggest day by far since our Alice Springs to Newcastle (via Adelaide and Sydney plane and car 14 hour day). Some camera and computer issues delayed our start, which made the day feel even more full. We started at the Nourlangie, which is a site of incredible Aboriginal artwork and a rock shelter. The rock art here was so much better and more detailed than the bits you are shown at Uluru. I'm sure there are some amazing ones at Uluru but I am guessing they are sacred and not disclosed to the public. It is a short walk, about 1.5km in total, but it takes time to absorb the rock art and the stories that go with it. In the rock shelter you could see where the roof had been stained permanently black from fires and the circular grinding holes made in rock by who knows how many hundreds of years of grinding seeds and plant for food.

 

 

We then headed to Jabiru to “check out the town” and get some lunch. We had lunch at the Bakery. They have a massive range of food options but we were disappointed with our pies and sausage rolls. Perhaps we've just been spoilt with some very delicious bakeries along our journey. We didn't stop for long as Tilda really wanted to do an Aboriginal weaving workshop and we were going to be late.

The weaving workshop was fun. There are a number of activities run throughout the National Park on a daily basis. These activities are free (the cost is included in the Parks Pass, which is $40/adult and $20/kid). Two Indigenous ladies from Oenpelli and a National Parks Ranger ran the workshop. We learned how they stripped the fronds from the Pandanus plant to make a “twine” that is then used for weaving. We missed the explanation of how the leaves are coloured. We got to practice stripping the fronds and then were shown how to weave bracelets. Non-died plant is used as “filling” to give the bracelet shape and structure and then died fronds are woven around this. It was fun and relaxing and Tilda and I both enjoyed it. Rory sat quietly on the tarp in the shade watching one of the Indigenous ladies demonstrating basket weaving. I can see why their baskets and bags cost so much in the shops, the genuine ones I mean, as it would take a very long time to make them.

The bracelet I made

We then moved on to Ubirr. This too is a place filled with amazing rock art. The wealth of stories, teaching and culture in this place is almost incomprehensible. There is so much to it all. Even though it was after 3:30pm the temperature was still hot and humid and we were all feeling it. As part of this walk is a look out over the floodplain toward the East Alligator River and Arnhemland. The views were breath taking and so different from everything else we have seen in this region. We didn't climb to the very top lookout as the sun was beating down and we were so hot, but we still got some fantastic views.

Next we moved on to Cahill's Crossing. This is the crossing of the East Alligator River between the National Park and Arnhem Land. (You need a pass from the Land Council to cross into Arnhem Land). The reason Cahill's Crossing is a point of interest is that when the tide comes in crocodiles come and hang out there to catch fish and you get a really good view of them. A viewing platform is set up and is a great spot for some croc watching. We got there not long after low tide so there were only 3 crocodiles there, but one of them was pretty big. I heard some great stories from other travellers who saw a lot more crocodiles hunting there, feeding on the fish and having territorial disputes.

We finished our day back at the caravan park at 7pm by enjoying a swim under the stars in the Cooinda Pool. It was almost empty at that time of night, and after be hot and sweltering all day, it was pure bliss to lie on our backs and stare up at the multitude of stars shining in the black night sky.