Day 115 - Sunday 28th April 2024

I'm going to start with an apology. Last weeks video has been a little late in releasing; I decided to upload it once I arrived here in Kakadu and the internet speeds are so slow that what usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to load took over 8 hours overnight. Still, it's live now and can be found here.

The plan for today was to do a couple of walks, so I was up, breakfasted and away early to make the most of the cooler early morning temperatures. I arrived at the first spot at just before 08:00; a site called Burrungkuy (pronounced Boo-rong-goy); I was the only one here at this early hour. This is a rock outcrop where the aboriginal people have made rock paintings to communicate stories. There are a couple of loops to complete.

First I took the loop that climbed up to the Kunwarddewardde Lookout (also spelt Gunwarredhwarredh on some signs, so I've included both), which provided some fantastic views of the nearly rock outcrops and the plains beyond. As I stood alone on the lookout, the sounds of the fauna echoed around me; I hope they come out in the video as no additional soundtrack will be needed!

Then down to complete that loop, and to time to investigate the loop that highlights the rock paintings that are common in this area; the Anbangbang (pronounced Arn-barng barng) galleries and shelter. This is an area where the local tribe were thought to take shelter in the shade and cool breezes from the heat that can affect this country. It has therefore become a centre for teaching the young people how to hunt, how to find food and how to paint. 

It is thought that the paintings therefore tell stories to teach lessons, and that some are as ancient as 20,000 years old; there is an overhang where archaeological work has indicated that there has been human activity here for that long. Many of the meanings are now lost, but the colours and detail remains vivid to this day.

Away from this site at just after 09:00 with the temperature up to 26 degrees, I drove 10 minutes up the road to visit a lookout which was advertised as 'a short but steep climb'. The Nawurlandja Lookout trek started with a series of steps just past the car park, and then a series of arrows directed me over an almost pebbly surface ..... I guess at some stage this had been a river bed with rounded pebbles that were now embedded in the sediment that eons later became this rock surface. The internal monologue in my head encouraged me to pick my feet up as I wouldn't want trip of this surface.

A short but steep climb later, and I arrived at the outcrop that was the lookout; I had to continue climbing around it, and step up onto it from the uphill side. When I arrived, there were only three other folks up there, and the views were fantastic. Another couple joined, but they all departed, and left me up there alone for a short while.

I did get chatting with one gentleman, and he pointed at the billabong below and told me that has been a movie set for Crocodile Dundee, and that the Burrungkuy outcrop I'd visited earlier was clearly visible in the background. I'll have to rewatch the film ..... it makes a change for a movie set moment on this trip to not be about The Lord of the Rings!

Back down the pebbly rugged slope from the lookout, and then I returned to the car the temperature was 31 degrees at just after 10:00. I'd completed the basic plan for today, so made my way back to the hotel (filling up with fuel on the way) to spend the afternoon out of the heat and catching up with some chores that I've neglected for the last couple of days.