Day 18 Mataranka to Gunlom (Kakadu)

Kakadu is probably the most well known destination on our journey. It is an enormous National Park, almost 20,000 km2. It contains an amazingly diverse landscape of flood-plains, rock country, plateaus, tidal plains and a few others I’m sure I’m forgetting. It is part of Arnhem Land, one of the largest aboriginal reserves in Australia and so is inextricably linked to the people who have inhabited the area for millennia. We set off from Mataranka early to maximise our time in the park. We stop in Katherine to do our shopping and then set off. Our first planned stop in the park is Gunlom, about 45 km up an unsealed road. We stop at the information desk and the lady informs us the road has just been graded so is smooth and rated as suitable for 2WD vehicles. We set off and after about 15 km the road begins to get rough. The corrugations are large and continuous, it begins to get rocky and the road is severely rutted. We press on. As we reach a sign indicating 10 km to go, two caravans approach from the opposite direction. They slow and one driver smiles ‘she’s pretty rough, mate’ he tells me. The road is too narrow and we’ve come too far to turn around. The final 10 km takes about 45 minutes as we struggle through the rough terrain. When we reach the camping area we quickly set up and go for a swim in the rocky pool. Gunlom was made famous in the movie ‘Crocodile Dundee’. It is featured in the scene with a rocky infinity pool as the water then cascades down a fall of about 50m to a beautiful pool. It is very picturesque and we enjoy the swim in the lower falls. Now, we’ll rest sore backs and ready ourselves for the climb up the falls tomorrow and then the long drive out. I’ve had a recent request from a reviewer enquiring as to how we’re all feeling. Any male readers will instantly guess the sex of that reviewer! Anyway, we’re feeling great. The kids fight like cats and dogs whenever they’re not playing like the best of mates. Other than a few episodes of Masterchef, we haven’t watched any television. Lots of reading, Brainmaster, playing with others in the various parks and general sightseeing. It really has been a great experience so far and it will only get better from here! Trust that’s enough on feelings now!