13.  The Territory continues to marvel, as sights are set on new territories further west.

Bundy Station covering an area over 500,000 acres supplied us with some great views of livestock of all sorts, plus a chance to refill with water after 5 days off the grid.
We also heard first hand how crocodiles don't take any nonsense from dogs, with a barking dog being lost to a croc after the dog got too carried away with barking and not concentrating on foot.  The dog and its owners learnt a valuable lesson about how quickly crocs can strike.

Laugh like nobody is watching

Become embarrassed when you realise they are. 

Bumper to bumper traffic
Bull bar required at the back

Why the long face?
Depression is a serious issue in many rural areas with often the final outcome for many being 1.2 to 2.4 times that of  urban areas.
Raising public awareness and education at school level are some of the campaigns attempting to bring the level down.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond Blue  1300 22 4636

More than a face lift is required.
A family pet!

Backing up to clean those difficult to reach areas.

Bundy Station also had some other unique features.

Buffalo bar design for our next vehicle.
The buffalo bar used for encouraging buffalo to move from one paddock to another.
Horses and motorbikes are not used.

Cyclone proof windmill.
Almost a flush. (Four spades, just needed one more spade.)

Not out of Africa. Out of Northern Territory 

The Stymphalian Bird of Greek mythology.
They are man-eating birds with beaks of bronze (or rusting steel), sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and poisonous dung.

Edith Falls has a wonderful reputation for being the place to set up camp, and is generally booked out by late morning, with pre-bookings not being possible.
Hence an early start to cover the 180km to the park, booking in to a prime camping location just before 10am.

After swimming twice the 150m to the falls, we didn't try a third after hearing the ranger say that sometimes saltwater crocodiles can remain undetected for months, as well as going up to a year between meals.

Another sign mentioned to avoid swimming between 7pm and 7am due to feeding time.
 They are out there!!
It doesn't give much confidence, but makes for quicker swimming.

Blending in with the environment.
Note the left hand lifted. 

Beautiful plumage!!
The bird on the right had two suitors pushing it further along the branch to the right.
(We don't know what the birds are.  Any ideas please??)

The Gouldian Finch from Blog 11 in the Darwin Museum was superglued to the perch as exhibit No.8.
Exhibit No.40 at Edith Falls is more free spirited and could come and go at will.

A great walk to the top falls gave more security for swimming, with crocodiles apparently being unable to scale the falls.

One of the mid falls at Edith Falls

When Don offered to throw her camera to a Chinese girl on the central rocks near the falls to take a selfie.
She said he was hummus.
He was feeling like a thick paste, but didn't realise he looked like it.

Emergency call station. 
These are located in some remote areas of the park.

Our own personal emergency device, weighing in at 250g.
A great insurance policy for under $300 one up fee for up to 10 years.
Plus being able to be found anywhere in the world.
If all folk going bush and out to sea had one of these, millions of dollars in search and rescue would be saved.  

Didgeridoo Tree.
We once thought that more work was involved in making a didgeridoo.
(There is also a french horn didgeridoo)

Views from our campsite.

Pacific Baza (Crested Hawk).
What a great looking bird!
Nice vest!!

Green tree ant nest

Watching the grass grow with Portuguese man o' wars. (Blue bottles) 

A talk by the Ranger at Edith Falls highlighted the main changes to the animal kingdom is the way cats and cane toads are changing the balance.
Cane toads can kill a 4.5m crocodile, or any other animal or bird just by being eaten. Perhaps we should all be armed with fence palings with 4inch nails through the bottom to help with eradication. Don's cousins on the Sunshine Coast practice this type of pest control.

Cane toad turning Don off his early morning swim earlier at Bundy Station

Crows have worked out how to turn over cane toads and eat the non-poisonous parts, plus some animals such as quolls are being trained in laboratories, by being fed small amounts of cane toads in order to make them sick.  They are then let out in the wild in the hope that they will train their young to avoid.

Heading south west, we stopped at Timber Creek, which has a population of about 250 and a police district covering the size of Tasmania.
Here we took a boat trip down the Victoria River for some incredible croc, eagle and sunset sightings.
The far side of the river is the Bradshaw Military Training Area, encompassing an area of 8,700 km2. Quite an area to become lost in with many hidden dangers.

Relaxing in the sun, but ready to either slide into the water without a ripple, or simply explode into action. 

Acting cool

A toothy grin with ever watching eyes.

The tail looks every bit a prehistoric weapon itself.

Hawks and Eagles put on quite a show.
The  Eagle looked just as formidable as the crocs, showing the hawks very much who is boss.

Easy meal from the tray for this sea eagle. 

Little Eagle
The epitome of showing power and style.

The sunset over the Bradshaw Military Training Area was impressive, with the best show saved for our trip back up the river in the last rays of daylight.  The ranges are all army territory, used as a training ground.

The sun setting not over a mountain range, but a rifle range. 

Bradshaw Military Training Area as night approaches

The high speed voyage back up the river in the fading light was an absolute delight in looking over the stern of the 42 passenger ferry, being pushed along by 400hp of outboard motors.

Superb beauty above the waterline
Incredible danger below

Tranquility, except for the drum of 2 x 200hp outboard motors

The Victoria River is up to 1000m wide in some parts.
Suitable for decent size powerboats, not recommended for capsizing sailing boats.

Beautiful but dangerous

Having readied ourselves in carefully packing and refuelling and are all set to take on Western Australia.
The Northern Territory has been a great experience with great sights, beautiful vistas on sunset, warm winter and an outdoor lifestyle.
As good as it is to be given awards, we are grateful we haven't been awarded a Darwin Award during our time in the north.

Loaded and watered ready to leave the security of the NT for WA. 

All packed and set for our journey west with possibly one more stop to consume fruit and vegies before entering mighty Western Australia, which covers 33% of Australia.

Happy travelling wherever you are heading!!

Next time we should be in Western Australia.

Cheers, Don and Carrol.

12. Winter Wonderland of Waterfalls, Wonders, Wanders and Wadings

Wayfaring into Berry Springs, an hour's drive south of Darwin, we reminisced how this was Don's Uncle George's favourite R&R location during the war years when he was stationed in Darwin.  We could see why it would have been such a great contrast in getting away from the war for a while.
A sign at the springs confirmed that this was favorite spot for the servicemen.

Berry Springs.  Beautiful could have been added to the name.  Berry Beautiful Springs.  Crystal clear water

Now she is afraid to come out of the water 
And I wonder what she's gonna do,
'Cause she's afraid to come out of the water.
And now the poor little girl's turning blue. 
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore!

We could imagine this full of servicemen on R&R during the war. 

Persongo orchard in the Berry Springs area.
 Note:  Due to gender neutrality we have changed the fruit name Mango to Persongo

Litchfield National Park is totally different to Kakadu and features many great waterfalls and swimming areas.  Litchfield is run by the Northern Territory Government whilst Kadadu is run by the Federal Government.  Kakadu required a payment for a pass at $40 per adult/2 weeks, plus $12/night unpowered site.  Litchfield was free entry and $6.60/night per adult.

Protected Diamond Head Pythons are a road traffic hazard in Litchfield.

It is surprising the effort some males go to in order to impress a bird.
Don't flowers always work;  as well as being far easier?

Note the viewing perch in the top left of photos

Wangi Falls, no relation to Wangi Wangi, was our home for several days.
It is also pronounced Wang-eye and not Wonj-ee.

Our backyard pool for 4 days, just 100m from our camp.
The expectation was for the flow to cease at sundown to coincide with tourist viewing, however the flow continued
throughout the night. 

When I survey the awesome splendour.

There is a natural Jacuzzi to the right of the waterfall where the heads and shoulders of 2 people can be seen.
The Jacuzzi is about 1.8m in diameter and very deep.  The water is heated as it flows over the rocks. 

Daniel, a lone Ranger from the Northern Territory National Parks, gave us an informative tour of the Bamboo Creek Tin Mine which is within the NP.

A lone Ranger named Daniel

The Lone Ranger is never named.

Bamboo Creek Tin Mine operated between the years 1906 and mid 50s.
What a hard life they endured.  For the miner, the major issue was dust which eventually killed most who worked within the mine, as well as those involved in the processing of the tin.

If this was anywhere other than the NT, the mine would have been filled with concrete, plus have a barbed wire fence around.
NT motto must be Caveat Emptor.

 Chimney from the tin house ruins.
Note the bullet holes in the chimney.
Must have had problems with either possums or Santa Claus.

Processing shed.  Note the tin sheeting.

Three possibly lesser known points of interest.
1. The chemical symbol "Sn" for tin was not derived from the side effects. Sn: Seriously Nasily.
2. The miners did not have a pet dingo called Rin Tin Tin. (This is a rumour which has only just been started.)
3. The actual Sn comes from the Latin origin of Tin, "Stannum".  Incidentally, Don celebrated his eighth birthday when staying overnight at the Stannum Guest House in Tenterfield, NSW.   The mansion Stannum was built by a rich dude who made his money mining tin in the local area.  Sir Henry Parkes, Banjo Paterson and Dame Nellie Melba also stayed at the Stannum, but not on the same night as Don and his family (5 adults, 3 kids, no seat belts in a Falcon sedan travelling from Sydney to Brisbane) .



Walker Creek trek entailed a 1.5km stroll, covering 35 staircases by the fitbit and a temperature of 38C.  Summer would be unbearable.
The track ending rewarded us with a picture postcard setting stream and small waterfall offering a chance for a dip in the luke warm water.

Fantastic infinity edge pools

The thermometer told us 38C walking up here.
Imagine the heat in summer. 

2/chimneys, 1/ drop, no waiting.
This was perched out in the bush as if it had been dropped by a bird.

The final plunge pool rewarding a warm walk.

Always travel with a noodle.
Great for fighting fires, fending off magpies and crocodiles, as a roller if building pyramids, dyke plug if in Holland and general conversation starter.

After a 30km drive to an advertised informative talk with a Ranger at the main Termite site, a number of travellers as well as a group of school kiddies were initially left disappointed when the ranger failed to show.  When we suggested the teacher for the school kids give us all a talk, a parent travelling with the group stepped up and introduced himself.  He is a Senior Research Scientist with the CSIRO in the Northern Territory, and has studied and written extensively about the Northern Australian landscapes, vegetation, back burning and termites for 30 years. We couldn't have wished for more.
It surprises us how things just fall into place when we least expect them to.

Perspective of size

Nature's Dominoes.
Termites have it all worked out and we should take heed.
Their homes are made of partly digested plant material,  saliva and excrement.  All readily available, cheap and durable.

When the termites said they were hosting a party, they probably didn't have in mind an invasion party

And now for a nature exclusive update.

Flocks of Bittern Penguins from Antarctica fly into Litchfield NP for the Queen's Birthday long weekend celebrations each June. They are secretive birds so little is recorded about them. 
Revealing this information is a world first.

Note the insulated socks normally worn by penguins are removed for the weekend.

Mosquitoes as seen around eye and head target others apart from Carrol.

Waterfalls in abundance.

Incredible Tolmer Falls 

Tolmer Falls Lookout and Ferry Terminal.
The ferry terminal is in readiness for a sea level rise of 120m.

Bronze Aussies at Buley Rockhole having lost swimmers.

Bronze Aussie in Darwin having lost mates and battles, but won wars and respect.

Florence Falls

Florence Falls zoomed in.
Holding nose due to atmospheric air pressure difference in descending from a considerable height; so often experienced during flights.

Our home pool, Wangi Falls

And finally, more great advice when choosing something from the menu.

We are continuing to meet some fantastic fellow travellers, Rangers, shop keepers, CSIRO scientists; and chance upon unplanned events as we go.

Drive slow and enjoy the scenery!
Drive fast and become part of the scenery!!

Wishing all the best.
Happy travels, God bless,
Don and Carrol.