Keen to see some Devils?

We were definately keen to see the Devil Marbles and decided to camp there (especially after we drove through Tennant Creek). Tennant Creek is a wild, wild town on a quick drive through we saw approx 10 police some on horse back some in cars some on foot. (I might add it is only a small town). We therefore decided not to stay and head to the Devils Marbles about 100km further down the Sturt Hwy (great decision).

 

Love a campsite with a view only cost us $6 for the night but the pit toliets were a bit shocking!!!!

 

 

 

Katherine

We were sorry to leave Kakadu but you had to book into Katherine in advance to get a powdered site........so off we went. The Caravan park 'big 4 low levels' has to be the worst so far, but the top end was filling up fast with vans it is unbelievable. The only places we had to book so far have been Darwin and Katherine everywhere else has just been a rock up!

We had a wonderful breakfast cruise on the gorge which was brillant and the kids were excellent. Give them something to eat and something to see and according to Archie everything is good!We also visited the School of the air and this was cheap and great. Really enjoyed this tour.

Craig thought he had finally mastered all the alcohol laws in the NT, but he threw a spanner in the works at the drive through bottle-o in Katherine. They can only sell if you are in the car and of course Craig wanted to get out to see what was cheapest, so than you have to get back in the car to pay. Plus it is the busiest place in Katherine at 2pm when you can buy booze so, Craig caused a bit of a traffic jam in Katherine!

 Katherine Gorge Sunrise

 Breakfast on the Gorge

 Breakfast on the Gorge

Edith Falls below

Kakadu or Kakadon't

Everyone in Darwin said Kakadon't.......not sure why as we loved it (and not just because Craig caught Barry there). The camping ground was great with the best pool so far, the temperature was fantastic (not humid like Darwin). There were crocs absolutely everywhere, by the end we were expert croc spotters. Here are a few photos.

Lots of bush wlaking and the kids were great this is a 2km walk and climb without a problem

One of the locals

 Yellow Water's at Sunset...very beautiful lots of birdlife and plenty of crocs even saw a croc fight between 2 female crocs

 Ubirr at Kakadu

A great campsite

 Only safe place to swim...but a great pool swam everyday and a cool down one at night for bed.

Meet Mr Barry Mundy........

Craig has done it!

The Story....... we are currently at Kakadu and after lunch Craig decided to throw a line in at the East Alligator River at the upstream boat ramp. Crocodiles are less than 3-4 meters away easily seen swimming around. When on his 4th cast hears the tell tale noise whirl, whirl.....(he thought it was a croc). Then he realises it is not a croc as he sees the croc go under ready to get his catch. He pulls it in a........95 cm easily 12 kg Barrimundi (by this stage he has pulled quite as crowd). But the delimma now is how to get it out of the water away from the croc ready to pounce.....it was so heavy you could not lift it. The crowd was yelling advice left right and center, but with great difficulty he did it. Great excitement by all. By this stage a boat cruise had pulled up and disembarked and like the pied piper they all followed Craig carrying his catch up the bank. (murmurring comments about how big it was etc etc). It took some cleaning but gee to taste good!

Can you see the croc in the background

 o


Does this remind any one of the scene from Cocodile Dundee (except he hasn't got a thong on!)

Bridie's comments ....Daddy Barry Mundy will break our BBQ. He then became known as Mr Barry Mundy.

It was excitment for the whole family

Just to prove it was 95cm well above the 55cm legal size!

What we love about Darwin!

We have spent 2 weeks in Darwin and we have had a great time.

What we love about Darwin:-
1. Markets                            2.  Heat                                       3. Open air cinemas
4. Sunsets                             5. Laksa's (from the markets)     6. Free Water Parks/slides
7. No Traffic                        8. Beer O'Clock anytime             9. Swimming pool at every pub
10. 100km/hr speed limits everywhere in Darwin and 130km/s elsewhere.

What we don't like about Darwin:-
1. The drivers (they can only drive flat out)
2. Heat
3. Need a licence to buy take away alcohol
4. Bottlo's closed on a Sunday
5. No swanies games televised

Darwin Harbour, where the bombing of Darwin occured, now eating places. Had a nice Barra there.

Darwin wavepool

Archie learning to catch a wave in the wavepool

What more can you say...... but only in the NT

Adelaide River Crocs......there was a croc called Archie which we were well impressed with, he had two big buck teeth after a fight with another croc. Cannot remember this ones name!!!!!

Dancing at Mindil Markets with the sunset in the background. Lots of entertainment.

Bridie was in seventh heaven as she could get her face painted everyday at the kids activites at the caravan park.

Ski Club Darwin not a bad spot for a drink......they had a pool too.

Archie and Fat Thommo at the toad racing. Archie had to put his toad in the bucket.

More toad racing this toad was Bridie's but Craig had to step in.......

Thats Archie's toad number 10 (it didn't move it was so fat)

Archie enjoying a bit of Deckchair cinema.

More deckchair cinema

Fish feeding at Darwin is a tradition apparently.......now it is just an over priced tradition! (thats Craigs toes)

More fish feeding (they come in on the high tide every day and there were about 10 different types of fish and we give them bread)

Trailer Boat club another good spot for a drink and a dip right on the beach/harbour. They all have pools for a quick cool off.

Berry Springs just out of Darwin.....nice natural swimming spot. Archie was using his googles (thats him in the background) and spotted crocs, box jelly fish and a shark........... Luckily for the rest of us we only saw small fish but they take a nibble out of you!

Beer Can Regatta at Mindil Beach.

Price's at the Beer Can Regatta (thats a crowd for Darwin)

One of a beer can boats

Territory Day

Happy Territory Day 1st July.

It is the day the Territory celebrates getting self Government in 1977. And boy do they know how to celebrate........

This was a most unforgettable day. We ventured into Darwin for the first time in the evening as it is only an hour from Batchelor for the celebrations. We made our way to the famous Mindil Sunset Markets for fireworks at 730pm. The markets are wonderful mostly food from every region on offer to be eaten on the beach watching the sunset.

What a night to remember the fireworks on the beach were great, but all the other fireworks going off all over the city were amazing. You see for 24 hours on the 1st July only you can buy fireworks in the Territory, you can buy as many fireworks as you want. There are sign up everywhere, selling fireworks. Of course you can guess who was down at the Batchelor shop (the only one in town) buying fireworks....there were only a few left.

But as we drove home from the Mindil there were fireworks going off everywhere and a week later you are still going off in the middle of the night occasionally.

Waterfalls

We spent 3 days as Batchelor, the gateway to the Litchfield National Park, with some amazing waterfalls. There are no crocodiles as they clear them out after the wet (as the wet finished a couple of months ago I am sure we would have heard if they missed one!) so we felt safe to swim there although they do say there are freshwater crocodiles in there but they aren't harmful to humans. Although I wouldn't like to meet one.......I would be outa there without any chance of testing that theory.

Who would of thought that Archie was the one with the most adventure in him at Litchfield he was bombing at Wangi Falls and Buleys rockholes...he loved it. However for Bridie is was too cold and she wouldn't hop in in most places.

This Wangi Falls and if you look along the rocks you will spot Craig and Archie. Archie had been bombing in from here after he climbed the rock ledge.

This Wangi Falls after our swim......yes Archie swam the 100-200m out to the Falls.

These are happy holidays faces at Buleys rockholes

Archie ready to jump in.....look out bald pommy bloke!

Archie and Craig at Buleys rockholes

This is a sunset at Batchelor it has a very red ring around it from all the fires. There are scrub fires everywhere, some are control burning others start themselves but nobody is concerned about them during the dry..........We drove through one which was fairly blazing but no one was worried (Thats the Territory for you!)