The Artists of Top Didj

Manuel Pamkal has been painting for 30 years and provided us with plenty of inspiration - visual and verbal - for our own efforts. His artwork stands alone - but we are rather chuffed with how our copies turned out too! Another 30 years at it and who knows...

Top Didj is Tops!

Top Didj is Katherine's best kept secret, a hand-on, interactive experience of indiginous culture and tradition. Artist-in-residence Manuel captivates us with his smiles and stories, whilst teaching us to paint, to make fire and to throw spears in true Aboriginal style. It was all much harder than we'd have ever expected, but enormous fun, and intoxicatingly authentic.

 

Katherine and its unbeatable waterslide

We had stopped at Katherine overnight before hitting Darwin but return now to properly survey the sites. And there are some beauties!
Katherine Gorge - which we float down on a boat. 
Katherine Hot Springs - which we float down on our backs.
And the beloved waterslide back at our caravan park - no floating here - the kids fly down this baby at lightening speed and declare that it makes the park the "VERY VERY BEST ONE WE HAVE STAYED IN, EVER!"

The unbeatable waterslide at Spingvale Homestead. Whilst supervising the slide Sam has a "we're-not-in-Kansas-anymore-Toto" moment when she hears a quacking noise and fossicks for her mobile phone. Takes some time for her to realise that what she's hearing is the sound of a gaggle of geese roaming outside the pool area. Obviously there's still some slick on this city slicker.  

Budge and Benji help steer our riverboat tour of the Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge National Park.  

Making our way between the lower and upper pools in the Gorge.

Rikki lifts her hat to the hundreds of sleeping bats, upside down in the trees behind her.

Budge does his best impersonation of a hungry crocodile as we take a dip in the Katherine Hot Springs. We are in for a scare of another kind only a few minutes later, when we move further downstream where the water falls over rocks to a lower pool - and in a blink of an eye, Benji is swept by the current over the edge and disappears completely. Budge follows, disappears too... before getting them both to safety in the shallows. Needless to say, Benji won't be "livin' life on the edge" for while...

Fallin' for Edith Falls

Edith Falls is an oasis of natural swimming pools and waterfalls -and the perfect place to snap us back into adventure mode after Darwin. Topless and tanned, we tackle the low waterhole on the afternoon we arrive and hike to the upper waterhole the following morning. Not even the thought of dog-paddling into a freshwater croc can deter us.  

As always, Budge braves the cold first and sets the pace.

Waaaaay on the other side of the pool, Jack and Budge huddle on the rock at the water's edge, after a magnificent effort swimming across. Sam, Benji and Rikki prefer to huddle in their towels on the shore.

The topless team, scrambling alongside the upperwater hole.

After swimming out to the waterfall with Jack, Budge returns to ferry Benji across the upper waterhole. Be it on water or land, there's no hike where that kid can't negotiate a piggyback...

Are We There Yet!

Our Darwin visit coincides with a special event at the City Library - a book reading with Allison Lester, whose "Are We There Yet" storybook about a girl and her family travelling around Australia provides constant inspiration for our own adventure. Alas, it seems we're not alone. As we wait in line to get our book signed, we overhear the family in front of us explain that they have been likewise inspired and are on a one year trip too. So much for the Biharys making any sort of special impression! Nevertheless we leave Allison with our blog address, just in case she gets the urge to write a sequel.

The BiharysOnTour with author and illustrator Allison Lester.

Allison and her sketch pad, making illustration look oh so easy - which, as it turns out, is quite true for the Bihary kids.  

Inspired by Allison, our own budding artists turn the sand into canvas at Mindil Beach. 

Jack's tropical man, complete with thongs, hula skirt, and a wedge of lime in his smoothie.

Nanna does Darwin

On our second week in Darwin, Nanna Laima flies in for four fun filled days. The kids move in to Nanna's hotel and enjoy Crocosaurus Cove, the Wharf Precint, the Wave Pool, the Water Park, and the hotel buffet breakfast. Meanwhile Sam and Budge discover what life is like without three urchins underfoot - clocking up some kid-free R&R together and on their own. It's a win for all. Nanna, you rock!

Dinner at Fannie Bay "Hot Spot" cafe on the night Nanna hits town. Budge and Sam don't get a word in edge wise as Nanna is put immediately to work by the kids... and kept busy right up until her flight out four days later.

Hanging out in Nanna's hotel room, where the novelty of room service, a big bath and undivided attention never wears thin.

Mindil Sunset Market on Nanna's last night, THE best place in Darwin to fill our bellies and empty our wallets.

Loving Darwin!

In Darwin we park our caravan in the driveway of Budge’s best mate Doov, who - together with wife Annie and sons Jarrah and Arlo - makes us so welcome that we never want to leave. We. Simply. LOVE. Darwin!
… LOVE!! the markets, with their mouth watering foods (Mmmm... mango smoothies), local crafts, street entertainers and fresh produce. We do Nightcliff - once. Rapid Creek and Mindil – twice each. Parap – three times, including a last morning dash on the bike by Sam to stock up before hitting the road. We could move to Darwin for the markets alone.
… LOVE!! the exotic fruits and vegetables. Jackfruit – a clear winner for Sam. Papaya – a close second, especially raw in the legendary Paw Paw Salad. Star fruit. Snake beans. Mango. And all the rest in their speckled, freckled, shiny glory, whose names we can't remember or pronounce.
… LOVE!! the museum, where we meet the enormous croc “Sweetheart”, experience the intense interactive Cyclone Tracey exhibition and hang out with stuffed reptiles, puppets, easels and books in the kids discovery centre.
… LOVE!! the outdoor entertainment, from deckchair movies (we notch up one), to performances in the Botantical Gardens (we notch up two), to meals out on the deck back at home (we notch up too many to count).
… LOVE!! the walk and bike paths which snake through the streets and parks, linking one great activity to the next, and more than justifying the sweat involved in unhooking, cleaning and pumping up our bikes.
… LOVE!! the beaches, where we gobble fish and chips, cast our lines (and kite), plunder rock pools, lick salt stained trees, and wade the shallows at sun set.
… LOVE!! the public pools, whose incredible views (Nightcliff), mammoth waves (Waterfront), and full-size, full-speed waterslides (Leaner) totally compensate for the fact that swimming at the beach is off limits because of stingers and crocs.
... LOVE!! the balmy weather, where singlets and sandals are the go and long sleeves or trouser legs ne'er get a look in.
… LOVE!! our mates; their friendship; their driveway; their chooks; their home-baked bread; their hammock swing; their swimming pool; their great collection of novels, movies and music (much of which has been entrusted into our care); their sense of fun; their enviable Darwin lifestyle! Thank you guys, for letting us call your home our own and giving us a most excellent tour of your fine city, which shall henceforth be given the honorary title of "Doov-win".

After sixteen days we finally drag ourselves away - but not before making a secret pact to ourselves to return... sometime... somehow... to experience "The Build-Up" and "The Wet" for ourselves (November through January) and hence complete our initiation as Darwin locals.

Jumping for joy at the awesome Leaner Water Park. Our first visit is fraught with drama as we discover that the bag with bathers and towels has been left behind ("Me? I thought you put the bag in the car!") and can't convince the kids to swim in their undies once Benji discovers that (after getting dressed in the dark that morning) he is infact wearing a pair of Rikki's pink knickers. So it's shorts for swimming that time - but we bring our bathers when we come back again... not once, but twice more - and even then it's barely enough! 

Fish 'n Chips at the Wharf  Precint - where Annie points out something obvious that we have all failed to notice: Benji eats standing up. On his chair. Always. 

Silhouettes at Sunset.

We go on three  bike rides together - and twice Benji manages to score himself a return ride home in Arlo's bike buggy - rider Doov getting to eavesdrop on the intimate conversation of the three year olds - not always understandable, but endlessly entertaining.  

Picnic dinner at the opening night of Darwin Festival in the Botanical Gardens. 

Fishing with friends in Fannie Bay.

The whole happy gang!

Crocodile feeding time at Timber Creek

Timber Creek is our first stop in the Northern Territory. Sam puts in a mighty effort catching up on bill payments, bookkeeping and BAS statements... while Budge puts in an even mightier effort keeping the kids entertained for the whole afternoon. Both parents collapse exhausted in bed.

An interesting marketing spin... at this caravan park we get to feed the local croc in the afternoon.

Liking Lake Argyle

In its former life, Lake Argyle was a cattle station of over a million acres. Once flooded and dammed in 1971 as part of an ambitious irrigation scheme, it became the biggest man-made lake in Australia. Nestled amongst the Carr Boyd Ranges, it also boasts some of the best views in the top end. We only stay for a night, but that’s time a’plenty to visit the dam wall, watch a glorious sunset, wake for a glorious sunrise, brave a dip in a gloriously cold “infinity” swimming pool (the kind where the water appears to just fall off the edge) – and even befriend the family in the caravan next door so that kids and grown ups can both stay up late playing together.

Jack giving Benji a piggy back to the car after another "I sit and refuse to move" moment.  The Argyle Dam wall can be seen in the background in the long shadow of a boab tree.

Serene Rikki nestled in a frangipani tree as the sun sets over Lake Argyle. Serenity takes a battering when she attempts to climb higher, a branch snaps and daddy catches her in the nick of time. No broken bones, but confidence very shaken and sobs ring out loud and long.

Jack braves the cool pool for the sake of photo.

Our car bored rangers. In the Carr Boyd Ranges.

Wyndham's Crocodile Penitentiary

Wyndham’s Crocodile Farm was the first of its kind in WA. The biggest, baddest brutes are sent to do time here and there are over 30 crocs (salties and freshies) to meet, with all sorts of crazy names including every member of the Flintstones. We arrive in time for the 11am guided feeding tour – and as great chunks of meat are tossed into the cages, learn everything there is to know about these natural born killers.



A big fella lazing in the sun. But when the meat is tossed in the kids find out just how quickly he can move.

Peering down at another big fella, right before he jumps up to grab his meat... and proves beyond any doubt that crocs can leap - and high!

1.... 2.....

.... 3. Snap!

A white crocodile. Extremely rare - and voted Rikki's favourite.  

Birds and crocs in Wyndham

Wyndham is the unofficial croc capital and northern most town in WA. We stay at Parrys Creek Farm in the Marlgu Billabong Nature Reserve, an underrated haven, and after quickly hooking up our hammock we set forth to explore every inch of the place. Two days later, we have added birdwatching and croc feeding to our repertoire of experiences, taken in more jaw dropping views and bought ourselves a bit of aboriginal art.

Birdwatching at the Parry Lagoon birdhide. The brochures pitch it as the perfect retreat to spend 2-3 hours spying on the birdlife and listening to the birdcalls. Our children last 2-3 minutes. 4 minutes tops.

The clearest sign that we are now, undoubtedly, in croc land.

It's about time!! We finally encounter another member of the infamous "biggest in Australia" family - this time its Wyndham's giant croc. 

Continiuing the theme of the massively oversized are Wyndham's very impressive Dreamtime Statues.  

Rikki with local aboriginal artist "Kitty" and her carved boab nut (of which we are now proud owners).

Budge and Rikki (waaaaay down the end there) at the Five River Lookout, the vantage point 350 metres above sea level where the Ord, Forrest, King, Durack and Pentecost Rivers enter the Cambridge Gulf.