We stayed at the Kakadu Lodge Caravan Park in Jabiru right in the heart of the Kakadu N.P. This was a great park with a resort style walk in pool situated in the centre & all the grassy sites in three concentric circles around it divided by the road. Very few parks as nice as this one.
"Schools In" This photo is a lovely family we met, the three kids Maddie, Lilly & Amelia in their "classroom" with Teacher mum. We travelled a few days with them & they have now headed for Broome & further south in WA.
Kakadu is the largest national park in Australia & largest park in the world where the whole land & river system is protected. It is bordered on the east by Arnhem Land which we were told has all Kakadu has but more of it.
The scenery from the escarpment at Ubirr (Oo burr) over the South Alligator River is amazing and it is here that Crocodile Dundee looked over his shoulder & said "This is my backyard". When we saw this area a few years ago it was dry season & had been burnt off for fire protection so it was great to see it now & due to late rain it looks like it would in wet season.
Looking towards Arnhem Land over the wetlands.
Aboriginal art here has been dated back 50000 years. This Rainbow Serpent is an important part in the creation of the land & people of the Dreamtime. Other artwork includes animals & birds that have been extinct for 15000 years, sailing riggers, Dreamtime mythical creatures & white mans activities. The name Kakadu comes from the aboriginal Gagudju.
The border crossing to Arnhem Land where some locals were fishing for Barramundi. This lady could cast her line & retrieve while her handbag never left her shoulder.
A few trucks made the crossing at the causeway at Cahills Crossing allowing a few small cars to follow in their wake through the 70cm depth. The community of Oenpelli is just over the river in Arnhem Land.
Incongruously the Uranium Ranger Mine is situated in a contained area of Kakadu when the rights were signed with traditional owners. This is a huge open cut mine with FIFO (fly in fly out) workers. The town of Jabiru was built by the mine obviously with plans for a bigger percentage of permanent residents going on the roads.
Trucks carrying ore containing uranium oxide & an Oenpelli piccaninny.
Two cultures colliding!
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