23^rd June: Darwin

Here we are in Darwin after an ambling trip down the Arnhem Highway. Great road over floods plains between the East, South and West Alligator Rivers (misnamed before explorers understood that these were crocodiles not alligators!) and through dry rocky ridges between.

We called into the Mamukala bird hide in a large wetland area where there were few birds and then the Fogg Dam Reserve where there were huge flocks of Magpie Geese and lots of egrets. This was the site of a large experiment to grow rice for the Asian market in the 1960s. (Humpty Doo) It failed due to lack of finance and difficulties with transport to Asia. (Sounds like the Ord River project!)

We arrived at Howard Springs and Peter & Karen's place due to the very clear instructions Peter emailed me. I sat beside Gail reading the directions from the computer. Never done that before! It was strange to be driving into someone's back yard and setting up camp without greeting the owners! Still haven't seen them! They were at the V8 racing yesterday and out at a business dinner last night!

This may be a semi-suburban area but the corellas and curlews were going berserk this am with a rooster in the background! Glen is talking about doing an oil-change and shifting the water tank under the van - further back for better weight distribution! The front of the van is very heavy this trip.

One thing I did forget to mention was the rock art at Ubirr of a thylacine (?) ie a Tasmanian Tiger which suggests they were more widespread than first thought. Probably 5,000 yrs old when fish also entered the menu. Interesting!! 

 

Our hosts are at the door. Must away!