Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 17 - A Day in Kakadu

Robyn and I both still struggling with the remnants of the head colds, struggle with sleep. Today we are going exploring. The idea is Gumlom Falls which might actually be Gumlom Cliffs in the dry season as it is or as it has seen to be on the way in.

Sturdy shoes, a hearty breakfast, lunch, plenty of water and an open mind to trekking are the order of the day. I head to the toilet block and am amazed at the water coming from the roof. I realise the humidity changes significantly during the course of a day here. The washing we put out last night which was close to dry at night fall is now very damp. Won’t take long I bet to dry once the sun comes up.

The half hour change in time zones sees the darkness last a little longer in the morning, or perhaps it’s the closeness to the equator. In any event wandering around at a time when I would normally rise is in darkness. The air is so crisp and clear, unlike what is must have been like during the fires. Must find out if they are a regular occurrence – there that’s my job for the day.

Robyn decides to give exploring today a miss. We are heading to Gumlom Falls and it is rumoured the walk to the falls is “difficult”. We are also told the road in is 4WD only. Its 90kms back to the turnoff and 37kms into the falls from the highway. I hate being a passenger in a vehicle, more often than not I tend to feel car sick. When Robyn drives, I like to sleep mainly because of the inability to watch other people drive. I dress appropriately with a long sleeve shirt (one of my fishing shirts) along with a small water bottle and the car fridge which has a large bottle of mineral water still in it to which I add 2 salad sandwiches for lunch.

Off we go. Along the way we see some Brumbies fighting, perhaps over a mare that is with them. We are going way too fast to stop, perhaps we will see something similar on the return journey but for now Gumlom Falls in the propriety. The turnoff is made, and I notice an issue, I don’t seem to have enough fuel for the return journey. I think this comes as one of those one job finable situations. One job – make sure if you are driving you have enough fuel to not only get there but to return as well. I muse to myself that the travel computer works on the average fuel consumption of the Cruiser which is significantly prejudiced by towing the van, which it is not doing today, and we will be OK. That’s my story and I am sticking to it (meanwhile not telling the others).

OK now we are supposedly on a 4WD only road. The road is wide, yes it is corrugated but certainly not impassable by any normal vehicle. In fact, when we arrive at the falls there are vans parked there. Along the way a number of those Brits type vans are noticed voiding their insurance by being on the dirt. Not our worry as we pick our way through the corrugations. The dust is thick as we drive up behind other vehicles or are passed in the other direction. Most of the creeks and causeways are dry at first but as we get closer to our destination water courses are filled with the precious commodity.

Arriving at the falls the first thing we notice (after seeing caravans parked here and at a number of campsites on the way along the road) is the green grass of the picnic area. There are sprinklers watering the green expanse as well as plenty of trees to allow revellers to get away from the heat at mealtime.

Plenty of parking, so we alight and ready ourselves for the climb to the top of the falls. With it being dry season the volume of water over the falls is reduced to a trickle. You can clearly see from the bottom the track we have to take. We head off along it, easily as it is wide, well formed and with stairs at corners to get you to the next section. In the distance you can hear workmen, they are working on the last of the track which will open next week we find out along the way.

About half way up the well-defined track changes significantly. At the bottom a sign suggested the trek was about an hour and difficult. The first bit would certainly not qualify in that region but once we get to the point where the workers have almost finished the second half of the assent section, the track becomes ugly. Where there was well defined, spacious walking areas now is a rock infested track of mountain goat proportions. We struggle up.

At one point I lose my balance and begin to fall. I cannot help myself; I just fall. I grab the guide rope to no effect, I use my experience horse riding to loosen my muscles and just let things happen. I hit the deck, hard on my funny bone and start to roll. I notice I have fallen under the guide rope and am now on the danger side of it. I need to stop the movement and I need to stop it now. I lock onto a rock and sapling and arrest my fall. My elbow hurts, but not as much as my pride.

After many breaks for refilling the lungs, we reach the top. The reason of the torture soon becomes apparent. The view here is spectacular to say the least. The pools preceding the falls are clear and inviting for the heated climber. The view over the falls is breathtaking. This is one of Forbsy’s bucket list project and it is ticked off.

I don’t know where to start with the camera. As soon as we talk to some children I know exactly where to focus and that will be on Forbsy getting into the pool. Unlike the thermal pools of the days prior the water here is ice cold. I set up ready to film the man heading into the water, he stops and assists a young child to wash her hands before heading out on a ledge to ready himself for the plunge. First one side then the other he tests. I capture the immersion into the water in super slow motion for the best effect.

Wandering around there are a multitude of vantage points to capture pictures. At one point 2 wedge tailed eagles start to soar on the updrafts. I manage to capture a shot or two before they get out of the picture. But when I go to take a full-on view shot across the ledge a wedge tail photobombs the shot to perfection.

The trip back down is less eventful than the way up, although I find my hiking boots are all but useless in getting good grip here. On the way down we pass a couple wearing thongs and muse at the difficulty they must be having.

We get to the bottom to see a large family group about to head up the path. There are all ages including a baby in a sling with its mother. That is going to be very difficult once she gets to the place where I took the tumble. Not only that, there is a make in the group with an esky and an inflatable toy he thinks he is going to take up the track. Good Luck mate.

Back on the ground Forbsy who has taken the lead heads down a track towards the noise of children swimming. It’s a mistake but not a crucial one. It does get us to the water but not at the beach where the frolickers are. In the water we see what looks like a Saratoga, along with a number of other fish. We head back along the track and off to the “right way in”.

The first thing we see along the track is a sign suggesting swimming was dangerous because of the crocodiles, then immediately after another sign warning of the dangers of jumping from rocks and logs into the water. Can they make their minds up, should you swim or not.

Once we make the “beach” the first thing we notice are three adults, waist deep in the water. They are having their feet picked at by little fish. As we came along the track there were many mullet like fish roaming the edges of the lake under the falls. Here we are told there are 2 fresh water crocodiles in the lake, but they are over towards the deeper end (at the place where Forbsy had taken us originally). It is also rumoured the scene where Linda Koslowski looked to get pulled into the lagoon by the crocodile in Crocodile Dundee was filmed here. It certainly looks like the scene.

Silver Leader points out a number of floating marker buoys in the water. “If there are teeth marks in them any morning, they close the lake as a salt water croc has moved in”. Refreshingly scary that such a simple method determines the potential fate of swimmers. Lunch is spent on the grass with an English couple now residing in Perth. They are heading the opposite way to us and intend heading down the “centre” from here. Silver Leader listens intently to their experiences, what is open, what is closed from the direction from where they came. The direction we intend to head.

The trip back, I check and recheck the fuel position. I could go to Three Ways if I thought we definitely couldn’t make it. It is closer than “home”, but I muse the differentiation between the consumption with the van attached and now will give us enough leeway to complete the journey without incident. We had seen Brumbies on the way to Gumlom and were hoping to see them again on the return journey.

A little way along the dirt road we stop to take pictures of a rocky outcrop, we also stop to take pictures of the creeks with water in them. Once onto the highway again my calculations were proved correct and the remaining fuel would certainly cover the trip – catastrophe averted.

Not far into the return trip something captures my eye. At first I thought it was the Brumby herd from this morning. I screech to a halt. They are donkeys, about 20 of them, feeding about 200 meters off the road. We take the necessary pictures and move on. A little further on I screech to a halt again, this time we have found the Brumbies, this time a mob. Once we have stopped, the inquisitive horses wander towards us a little. Then all of a sudden, whilst I am taking a video of them, the alpha stallion trots across and back between us and the mob, then leads them away in an act of defiance.

Our return to “home” is only interrupted by a stop to photograph the river and scare a potential fisherman who is looking to head down to try his luck.

On our return I head straight for the fuel bowser The 250 kilometers today has seen the fuel emergency light come on just shy of Cooinda. The first one I come to says “Out of Order”. Hell no, this can’t be. Thankfully the phone on the other side works perfectly and I refuel. Is close to happy hour but plenty of time for a swim first. Setting into the happy hour we call the Missing Link. More and more it sounds in his voice he has resigned himself to not joining us.

Barbecue tonight at the Silver Leader Lodge. Some thawed steak and salad. An early start tomorrow as we are doing the breakfast cruise. We have to be at the mustering point at 6.25. Silver Leader has also done some investigation into where one might fish without too much fear of being eaten. We might have another look into that for a late afternoon cast tomorrow,