We were on our way to the famous Litchfield National Park, but
we wanted to check out a place on the way called Mary River as they were
advertising houseboats for hire, which sounded interesting. It was not all that
well signed around that area and we took a chance and booked into The Bark Hut
Inn, on the grounds that it was in the Mary River precinct, it loomed up on us
as we charged up the Kakadu Highway, and it was an alleged historic and
interesting site. The parking area out the back of the inn looked okay and we
got to meet a couple named Phil and Liz (regrettably, not THE Phil and Liz of
Buckingham Palace fame), but Phil and Liz from New South Wales. Now Phil is a
keen fisherman who was going to stay up at a palace, sorry, place called Shady
Camp but was warned not to stay there because of the swarms of mosquitoes in
residence. It was kind of hard to hear him through the high pitched buzz of
swarms of mosquitoes at the Bark Hut Inn! Believe me said Phil, they’re worse
up at Shady Camp.
After swatting our fair share we started exploring the area.
We came across a nice little resort only 2 kilometres further up the highway
and the Corroboree Billabong, another 60 km away, where the houseboats were
hiding as well as a river cruiser, on which we took the opportunity to see the
local wildlife. Now there are some seriously BIG crocodiles in that waterway.
Our guide took us up close and personal with one of them. I gather he mustn’t
have been very hungry as we all got out alive. Birds and crocs, crocs and birds
– oh, and swarms of mosquitoes!
We managed to stay the night out the back of the Bark Hut
Inn but our arms were heavy in the morning from swatting mosquitoes and we were
weak from loss of blood so we moved on to a little town called Batchelor – at
the gateway to the Litchfield Park. The caravan park owner where we stayed had
two dogs, a Staffy named Red and a Beagle named Roughnut. Red’s mission in life
is to lick every one’s legs to death; Roughnut just wanted to scrounge food –
but they hung out with us a lot while we were there. Litchfield itself was
looking a bit stressed after a poor wet season but the waterfalls and creeks
were impressive as were the magnetic termite mounds – a must-see for every
visitor apparently, as every vehicle dutifully turned off at the sign to pay
homage to those termites who unfailingly know north/south from east/west. There
are still a lot of places in the park that are closed due to the uncertainty of
crocodile residence (see image above for reasons not to swim there) but a few areas
were fine. At Florence Falls the photo of the falls was again ruined by
European tourists (sorry you can’t get the falls in all their glory there
fellas) but we managed to climb above all that frolicking and got a shot from
the top.
That's one big Cathedral termite mound!
Maurs took a little dip in a rock pool at the falls above
Greenant Creek – sharing the surrounds with a water monitor (and in all
fairness, he was there first). The weather remains hot and humid with the
chance of mosquitoes and sandflies. Cooling off is mandatory.
We were particularly knocked out by the Territory Wildlife
Park at Berry Springs. We literally stumbled upon it and were very impressed
with the park design and the wide range of animal exhibits there – all highlighting
local animals – no imports. The aquarium was just incredible and the display of
birds, particularly raptors was stunning. We reckon international visitors
should not miss that park - it is brilliant.
At the moment we are cooling our heels in Katherine once again,
having completed a lap of the Northern Territory. There’s a stretch of about
500 kilometres left to do in order to get to Kununurra and that will be the
first time the camper has been on WA soil since March 2012! That Returd Highway
– she one long road!
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