Tag Archives: Camping

Kakadu and Litchfield – in the wet

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A lot of people say that Kakadu is great in the wet season, as long as you know where to go. We had heard that Motorcar falls was a good walk and a great spot to swim. I met the rest of the gang at the Cooinda on the Saturday and we headed down to Motorcar falls. The walk is amazing, it is was really great to see Kakadu like that. Can you say green? The rain was on and off but it was so warm that you didn’t mind. It was the greenest place I had ever seen.

We didn’t camp, partly due to the random storms that hit during the wet, partly due to us taking a lot of randoms in cars. Paid accommodation was just easier.

The walk brought us to the swimming home. It was a “okay to swim but be careful of crocs” type of swimming hole, but that combined with the insane currents from all the water made us all very cautious. It was a great spot. The walk back was worse… no cool refreshing swim on the end of that! We headed over to a house we rented in Litchfield at a caravan park, for the night, before going to Florence Falls the next day. I had been to Florence falls a few times but it was good to see it with the water belting over. It was crowded, even though it was a Monday, it always is. We tried to head over to Wangi after that but a storm came over and suddenly it was thundering down, so we headed home.


It was very green on the Motorcar walks

The waterfall

The skies can really open up at this time of year

Katherine Birthday Trip

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Claire surprised me with a trip to Katherine staying at the new Cicada Lodge (or as she pronounces it, kick-arda). It was in January so we couldn’t swim anywhere there, but we took a boat trip down and got to see some of the Gorge itself.

I’m hardly used to staying in fancy resorts instead of a tent, but I really liked the place, and the food was really good. Here I am on the balcony… note actually the Melbourne is mine 😉

On the way back home we thought we stop at Edith. It was open, the second pool was available to swim in, and no one was there! It is usually a really popular spot, given it was open for swimming on a weekend, I was amazed that we were the only ones there.

Highpants Festival in Dargo

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I was down in Victoria for New Years Eve and I was invited along to a camping festival to celebrate the new year. It is run by some friends on mine from high school. It is pretty difficult to describe to people who haven’t been there, it is camping, loud music and partying, very bright colours, silly costumes (just for the sake of it). I won’t post anything too detailed as I suppose some people may not want their ridiculous attire on the internet, so just a few snaps: the campsite; and a group of us playing in the river:

 

Took the old man’s Pajero complete with car fridge. Definitely a step up from my rig, but a bit out of price range at the moment!

These festivals have been running for a few years, usually on private property and invite only (like this year). This is the second one that I have managed to get to – but hopefully that will change when I move to Victoria!

Butterfly Gorge – 22/09/13

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We decided to take our good friends Tom & Ails down to Butterfly Gorge. It is a series of rock pools in a narrow gorge with very steep and beautiful escarpment.

The 4WD trip was nice, I do love getting out on the tracks, but I have to admit I like the softer tracks more. We got there and there was barely anyone there, and that was the same for most of the day, which always makes for a good trip.

Claire and I had been there before, but it is still one of the best places to go for a swim. We entertained ourselves with a makeshift water slide down a rock, Tom being the most awkward, and Claire being the one who managed to put a large bruise on herself. Of course.

I would highly recommend everyone sees Butterfly Gorge at least once.


Me at the entrance. Gotta love crocs-n-sox


Claire and me in one of the pools

Kakadu without the Swimming

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We went to Kakadu for the night with Claire’s parents. Managed to see Ubirr, Yellow Water cruise, and Nourlangie. We stayed in the crocodile, so technically we did swim, but it was the pool – not quite the same thing.

The first night we went to Ubirr but it was very cloudy and we didn’t get a sunset. The second day we got up early and went to the Yellow Water cruise, and later went to Ubirr again, this time the sky was clear and it was a great sunset. That night was amazing as it was the night of a supermoon, which was rising directly behind the sunset.

 

 


Sunrise to the front


Supermoon behind us