Arnhemland 2016 Tour - Seven Spirit Bay and Darwin

Day 10 - Seven Spirit Bay and Port Essington

For me, today promised to deliver one of the highlights of the trip: a visit to the Victoria Settlement, popularly known as Port Essington. This is the ruins of a fort established in1837 to protect Britain’s claim to Australia against the French and the Dutch. It was established strictly as a garrison town, as opposed to a free settler town. The idea was that it would be easier to maintain discipline and morale if they excluded free settlers who would want to by freehold land and indulge in commerce. As it was, the position was strategically chosen: the guns were mounted on a not-so-high cliff overlooking the water course, with a reef on the other side, thus forcing any vessel entering to come into range of this guns. Not that they were ever used in anger; now there’s a recurring theme in Australia's defence history.

Anyhow, it was established and many prefabricated building erected on stone bases, such as the store, the married mens quarters, the kitchen, hospital and commandants house. They survived quite well on locally grown and imported produce, withstood cyclones that wanted to blow them back into the ocean, termites that ate the timber faster than they could cut it and various bouts of illness associated with living in primitive conditions in a remote and harsh environment.

Ludwig Leichardt and party staggered into Port Essington in 1845, all but dead, after spending 14 months wandering through the bush. After 10 years morale was lower than a snakes belly and disillusionment had set in. Orders arrived from London to abandon, so they packed it all up and left; some to Sydney, some back to home, others to further postings in the British Empire.

The ruins have been used over the years by others, especially in the late 1800s, mostly by some who were keeping a low profile from authorities in the now bustling town of Palmerston. For most of the intervening 170 years, it has just lain idle, being slowly but relentlessly reclaimed by the scrub.

Thanks to the NT Command (Army?) there was some restoration work carried out in 1968, which is why there is so much to take snaps of.

Our day trip starts with an hours boat ride to get there, lunch on the beach, 2 hours of walking around the headland gawping at the ruins and listening to the guide’s yarns, and of course a fast boat ride back home.

Here are some snaps:

 Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Gunpowder magazine. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Brian getting snap-happy. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Married officers quarters. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

The wharf.  Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Bakery. Croissant anyone?  Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Blacksmith's hearth. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Hospital kitchen. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Hospital footings. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

Brick kiln. Victoria Settlement, Port Essington NT

The day ends with more swims, naturally, dinner and an early night. We have to ‘check out’ by 7:30am, so that they can get the rooms ready for the next mob, due in at 1 today. Pity that having checked out, you can't actually leave until after lunch when the plane arrives from Darwin. I start humming ‘Hotel California.’

Ah, that pool.  Seven Spirit Bay Resort. NT

Day 11 - Seven Spirit Bay and travel to Darwin

As we are already up and checked-out, we may as well have breakfast as well. The first of two flights to Darwin isn't until 1245, so there is some serious time to fill in. They have catered for the wait time and there is a choice: go out fishing for  few hours or do a small tour to Kennedy Bay. We take the tour option.

They take a small group of us in  4x4 bus out along a dirt road, past the turn off to the airport, and down an even smaller dirt track to a beach: Kennedy Bay. Our driver / guide leads us off down the beach pointing out various features as we wander along. On arrival at SSBay we are told not to walk on the beach and if we do, the rule is stay at least 5m from the water. This appears not to apply here. Some way along the shore we take a turn inland and follow a track into the now dry billabong, home to numerous crocodiles during the ‘wet’, but now thankfully, and hopefully, deserted. Our guide is new to this and is practicing his chat on us, claiming to be learning one new tree a week. He points out some tree orchids he discovered on a previous walk and a few other things, but misses the Forest Kingfisher, which Judy ‘Eagle-eye’ Black has spotted. We all stop and take photos. The bird in question obligingly sits and sits for us for ages, most unusual.

 Kennedy Bay NT

The group strolling along the beach. Kennedy Bay NT

Arty party shot. Kennedy Bay NT

Forest Kingfisher. Kennedy Bay NT

We break out of the dry swamp back out onto the beach and head toward the other end, which appears to be mangroves and a rock shelf. When we are almost they we see a ‘croc-slide’, an unmistakeable impression in the sand where a croc has been snoozing before heading back to the water. We still don't move any further away, the guide seems to be unperturbed about its potential presence. Past the mangroves we come to the remains of a banteng, a small Indonesian cow. Obviously the croc, or at least a croc, has had lunch already!

'Probably only 2 metres of so'. Last known address of the neighbourhood crocodile. Kennedy Bay NT

Banteng. Crocodile snack food. Kennedy Bay NT

Eventually we arrive back at the bus where we have a cool drink and some fruit before heading back to the lodge. I head straight for the pool, getting 20 minutes of refreshment before lunch is served at 11:30. Finally, the flight manifests are posted and we luck into the early flight, so there is only a short wait until we head off for the airport. The term ‘airport’ seems a bit grandiose given what we find: a dirt strip and a sign telling us we are at Seven Spirit Bay International Airport, and a rough looking single-engined thing that could at a pinch, pass as air transport.

Our transport back to civilisation. Well, Darwin at least.  Seven Spirit Bay NT

 Seven Spirit Bay International!

Is this thing really going down that, with 12 on board?  Seven Spirit Bay NT

Last sight of Seven Spirit Bay, NT

We are given designated seats to give the pilot proper weight distribution. The cabin is about 1.2m high, I am 1.95. The seats are tiny and I am jammed in next to a biggish fellow. I felt uncomfortable to claustrophobic for the entire 45 minutes of the flight and was first out the door upon landing. We aren't at the proper terminal even, just some spot on the tarmac outside some hanger building.

The tour group is being picked up by yet-another-bus and taken to the Hilton for the night, and dinner at the poshest place in Darwin, Pee Wees East Point. Judy and I have cooked up another plan: I will abandon the bus and go and rescue our car from the long-stay car park. I am so sweaty and tired I don't even flinch when the machine takes $240 from my credit card. But, driving out of that carpark and onto the road, in control, in comfort, in cold air: pure bliss. I though the Territory the best vehicle I’d ever sat in!

The Hilton is fabulous, the dinner at Pee Wees divine. Now imagine this, we have carried camera with us at all times for the entire tour, snapping anything and everything and now here we all are sitting at these long tables out on the lawn overlooking Darwin Harbour and then the most extraordinary bright red full moon rises in the east and we are sans camera. Nothing to do but sit and admire it as it rises into the sky, barramundi, steaks and crocodile forgotten.

We are ferried back to the Hilton for our last night of the tour, with the group to disperse after breakfast in the morning. 

Day 12 - Darwin

We went down for breakfast about 830 or so. The meal was excellent, at least as good as any we have had in the last 11 days. We sat at a table by ourselves for a change but it wasn't long before others came drifting by to find out how we were and what we were planning to do from here-in. It always surprises me how a lot of people form strong attachments with perfect strangers in such a short time. 

Inevitably, we had to say our goodbyes and took ourselves out into the big bad world on our own, back to the reality of the caravan and our travelling life.

Liquid sunset. Seven Spirit Bay NT

Arnhemland 2016 Tour - Mount Borradaile NT

Day 7 - Travel from Maningrida to Mount Borradaile

Up again at silly o’clock, this time to be on the road by 7am so that we could get into Davidson’s Safari Lodge at Mt Borradaile by 1 pm. By the time we arrived we were hot and bothered and the first order of business for about half a dozen of us was a swim in the pool. It’s not huge, but again, very deep, and oh so refreshing. Pure bliss. This is the only place not owned by Outback Spirit but it has been substantially updated to accommodate the 20 odd guests that appear every two days in comfort and style. And this they do in newly refurbished ‘tin sheds’, which have large screened windows, an ensuite and a balcony. No air-con though, you just leave everything open and the overhead fan running.

After a delicious lunch we were given more swim-time and a bit of time off before we boarded a bus and headed out to our first attraction: aboriginal cave rock art. The bus was a treat. It is a big Toyota thing that holds 20 or so, but its painted army matt green and has no windows, except at the back to keep the following dust out. Naturally the young fellow, Greg or King Gee as it says on his shirt pocket, had heard all of our 27 lame jokes about air-conditioning and clean windows a million times before. Actually, Greg was ‘new’ to Borradaile having spent the last 4 years working as a marine biologist, his last stint on some superlunary yacht being plied with Grange and wagyu beef by his very wealthy employer.

Occasionally you come across a guide who isn't just a guide, but a walking compendium about all things in their environment: flora, fauna, aboriginal art and culture, geology etc etc and Greg was just that. Without doubt the best informed, passionate and most interesting guide we have ever had.. The plan was that this afternoon’s walk was to let us get a feel for how we would cope with tomorrow's walks: one easy and 600m the other harder and 2 1/2 km and clambering over rocks. We stopped at a few spots and got the usual chat about a few of the more interesting plants, saw a few bits of rock art and even a cave that had been used hundreds of years as living quarters. We walked some more, and listened to the chat, and the he says, ‘now look up’. OMG there on the ceiling of a rock ledge 5 or 6 metres above us was the biggest single art work we had ever scene, and the only one ever of the dreamtime serpent. Picking our jaws up out of the red dirt, we followed Greg around and up the back of the rocky outcrop and emerged on that very same rock ledge. To the best of their knowledge, this is the only place where a single dreaming serpent appears, intact and by itself. The image itself is six metres long, so a snap from 2 metres away was never going to work out too well. The TO of the area, Charlie, who is best mates with Max Davidson the owner of the lodge, claims to have no idea what any of the art means or why this one appears to be a particularly special place.

Safari transport. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

The Jewel box beetles. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile 

Dreamtime Serpent. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

This shorter get-to-know-yourself walk ended with a few more ‘normal’ artworks, and then back to the camp for ... another swim of course. The only complaint was that the pool was being invaded by these insects that look like a cross between a giant mosquito and a stick insect. They were weird. They tended to clump together and when a ball of them stuck on your skin they gave you the creeps. If you touched them they'd bite, but if you picked them up by the tail, all they could do was squirm as you tossed them out of the pool.

Another dinner and of to our sheds for the night.

Day 8 - Mount Borradaile (Davidson’s Safari Camp)

Out and about at 7, getting ready for our days walk. The two groups, 600m and 2.5km would set out in separate transport, do their walk and meet somewhere for a BBQ lunch, before heading back to camp by 2pm. We of course had chosen to do the ‘big one’, which again had Greg as the guide.We travelled out about into the bush for about 30 minutes before parking in a small clearing next to another rocky outcrop. They had burnt the area just the day before, so walking over charred grass and still smouldering logs wasn't too pleasant, but the fire hadn't made it past the soft grassy mire next to the billabong. Of course there are crocodiles, so just keep moving and keep your eyes peeled for overgrown lizards. Soon enough we were clambering over rocks and up into the formations, stopping here and there to look at some extraordinary art. The aboriginal connection with outsiders and the approximate time was confirmed with paintings depicting sailing boats, rifles and flint lock pistols. There are a predominant number of women depicted. One in particular has them baffled; from the  identifiable bits and pieces on the image, they can only conclude that she was someone special in rank, and a breast feeding widowed virgin as well. These paintings just keep raising so many questions, not just about the image but about who drew it and why. Greg tells us that Max found this particular place when hunting buffalo with a german tourist; just stumbled right into it looking for some shade. Apart from the art, there are grinding holes still with the stones in them, and skeletons of ancestors long ago departed wrapped in bark and stored in ledges in the caves. Out of respect for the TOs wishes, there are no photos of dead people.

Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Grinding stones and grooves. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Check out the sailing boat, probably a Macassan prau. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Flint lock musket. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Two rifles, upside down. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Extremely rare blue paintings using what is assume to be "Reckitts Blue" found in the area. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Coiled up snake. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

The next stop was another eye opener. They call this place the catacombs, and for good reason. Imagine the caves at the base of the sandstone cliffs where the ocean pounds away at them. They are hollow except for a maze of pillars which keeps it all standing. The story is that this rock formation was once at the bottom of an ocean and that is exactly how they were formed. What they were though is almost perfect ready-made accommodation for an ancient aboriginal family.

The Catacombs. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

After you get past the painting on the outside, you go into the dark and cool of the caves. The walls and ceiling is black from a million campfires, the bones of the ‘old-people’ are neatly stored away here and there, unless they have been disturbed by animals, in which case they are left exactly where they are laying.

In a small rock ledge in an inner cave, Greg stops and starts pulling out white-fellar artefacts: a buckle, a tin box, an axe head and handle, bits of a bottle and a big ball of bees’ wax, which was aboriginal. The yarn is that all these things were found right there on that shelf and they are under pain-of-death if they don't put them back exactly how they found them. The small tin box was interesting; it was a matchbox, but tests have show that it was used at one time to carry some sort of blue powder, which he described as the ‘blue’ they once used in washing clothes. Outside and further around we came across some more painting, except some of them are quite distinctly blue, which is extraordinarily rare.

Greg,'King Gee' with a small tin match box. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Our last cave was more of a high ledge, called the Emu Cave, after the huge emu and eggs depicted on its ceiling. 

Emu and eggs. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Stilt man, thought to be able to walk through the ocean and rivers. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Sting ray. Aboriginal rock art. Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

From here we hiked back to our bus and drove another 20 minutes to the BBQ lunch site, which is a large roofed structure were we sat at tables and chairs and enjoyed our ‘roo, buff burgers and bangers.

BBQ lunch @ Davidson's Safari Camp, Mt Borradaile

Back at the camp, more swims were in order before our next event, a cruise on Coopers Billabong. Not "the" Cooper, but the white-fella who first came through this way.

Having done the odd billabong cruise in Kakadu, it was interesting to be taken down this particular billabong, which is a tributary to the East Alligator river. Of course there are crocodiles and some birds and lilies and reeds and things, but what we were waiting for as we sipped wine and nibbled on crackers, was the sunset. Possibly not the best one we have seen, but a pretty nice way to finish and extraordinary day.

'It's a snake!', they screamed. Coopers Billabong. Mt Borradaile

 Magpie Geese. Coopers Billabong. Mt Borradaile

Croc.  Coopers Billabong. Mt Borradaile

Mt Borradaile.  Coopers Billabong. Mt Borradaile

Sunset.  Coopers Billabong. Mt Borradaile

Arnhemland 2016 - Maningrida NT

Day 5 - Travel from Murwangi to Maningrida

An early start and another big day on the road. First stop for morning tea was at the aboriginal township, or Out Station as they are called, of Ramingining. We were made very welcome at the Bula Bula Arts centre, and it would have to be the best one we’ve been in. 

Arts centre. Ramingining NT

Arts centre. Ramingining NT

Arts centre. Ramingining NT

Ramingining NT

There was just something different about the feel of the place: happy artists and striking artwork. About six or seven artists lined up and we were introduced one by one and they made us very welcome. Inside the gallery and workshop they have artwork that just looks better than other work that we have seen. We sat on the floor and talked with a very old man about an intriguing piece he was doing that he said depicted the passing of an ancestor and the family gathering to send the spirit on its way. 

Danny and his unfinished artwork. Ramingining NT

Needless to say, Judy had to buy at least one artwork, and as the artist was present, we went to say hello. When we told him we were buying his painting, he took it, and after a discussion in his own language with his granddaughter, he proceeded to add a series of white dots to it, to 'pinish im up proper' (he didn't really say that but I think it was what he meant)

Judy and Ray. Ramingining NT

Ray, just tarting up the already finished artwork, just for us. Ramingining NT

There was a young fellow there who was bouncing around in a funny reed hat and was only too happy to tell us all about the design of the (yet another) new bag Judy bought. It was  printed in the dreaming colours of his mother’s people and where he came from. He also went on to tell us about his dreaming colours which he took from his fathers side and how he wore these colours when he led them in the dance cycles. They also had some photos from the making of 10 Canoes and he was as animated as Frank and Ricco had been as he told us all about his fathers part in the movie.

There was another fellow there who's name was Billy. Judy introduced us: Billy Black meets Brian Black. We're from same skin group so we are brothers.

Billy Black and I are 'same skin', we're brothers. Ramingining Arts centre NT

I think we had left Murwangi at 7am and finally arrived at the Barramundi Lodge, about 20km from Maningrida, at 1 PM. This is a much different place from Murwangi, it's an older place which is well known for fishing tours, but as Outback Spirit bought it recently the accommodation has been tarted  up and new boats and vehicles put into service. It’s a better design in that the dining room is al fresco, the bities held at bay by two large fans and insect repellent.

Another walk around in the afternoon, guided by an aboriginal fellow from Hinchinbrook Island who told us the usual tales about each of the plants and trees that we came across. One though, was very different, it is a tiny plant related to the Venus fly trap. It survives in areas where water pools on the ground. When the water dries up, the tiny spikes on the base trap any unsuspecting insect that might walk over it or land on it and then consumes them for the moisture content.

Some dodgy tiny plant that insects get stuck on, then eaten for their moisture content. Barramundi Fishing Lodge,  Maningrida NT

Mud wasp, right at home on the BBQ in the dining room. Barramundi Fishing Lodge,  Maningrida NT

Dinner was the best yet with fish and crabs and prawns galore. As dinner came to a close, these two ‘girls’,  Susan and Meriel (no, not Muriel or even Mariel), got up with a few of the others and started a song line of their own. Something like this, sung to the tune of Frere Jacques:

Barramundi, Barramundi

Crocodile, crocodile

Termites in cathedral, termites in cathedral

Barking Owl, Barking Owl

And of course there were appropriate hand actions and naturally we had to have ‘rounds’ with them leading the three tables. I think at least one of them was or is a school teacher, as were several others. 

I insisted on my version of the last line, 'Barking mad, Barking mad'

A bit of spontaneous fun and certainly an ice breaker, or that may have been the $40 bottles of sparkling wine...

Early nights are beginning to be the norm as we have another early-ish start tomorrow to go fishing and visit the ubiquitous arts centre at Maningrida proper. 

Day 6 - Maningrida, Barramundi Lodge

Up early and fed, we all bundled back into the truck and were driven the 20km or so down into Maningrida. Half of us were going fishing on two boats, the other hand doing the art centre / museum / womens' craft centre tour. We lucked into the morning fishing trip and were loaded onto our boat along with Robbo, our guide, whilst it was still on the trailer. They then backed the whole thing down a pretty dodgy boat ramp and launched us out onto the Liverpool River without us getting our feet wet - or eaten by crocs. These are purpose built boats that reputedly cost $80,000 each, basically a huge aluminium ‘rib’ style boat with 2x 250hp outboards, the whole thing set up to carry six fisho’s and to get to the fishing ground as quickly and comfortably as possible. Using his considerable knowledge, Robbo headed for some rocky bottom stretches where we trolled, two lines at a time, for barramundi. And Barramundi we got. We all got fish, although one was only a little cod, but we took four 65cm or longer fish back for dinner. 

Judy with a baby barra. Liverpool River, Maningrida NT

Brian with fish, bigger'n hers! Liverpool River, Maningrida NT

The other boat only caught the one big barra. I’m sure it wasn't just luck, Robbo was damn good at what he does. He’s a full time fishing guide who divides his time between Barramundi Lodge and Darwin doing fishing charters.

Robbo, the fish whisperer of Maningrida

After lunch, a wrap with something and salad, a drink and a piece of fruit, taken under a tree near the boat ramp, we set of for our tour of the towns attractions. The art centre was neat and tidy but nothing that stood out art-wise. We even had a guided tour of the fairly small building, being shown the packing room, the despatch room, the photo studio for the internet and oh, we’re back in the display hall. They, and we, have to do these set pieces, it’s all in the tour companies contracts and on the whole it’s not that onerous.

Maningrida Arts Centre, Maningrida NT

Random art work.

Maningrida Arts Centre, Maningrida NT 

Main showroom.

Maningrida Arts Centre, Maningrida NT 

Maningrida Arts Centre, Maningrida NT

 The Women’s craft centre is where they do a bit of fabric printing and personally I thought it pretty ordinary. They have these garments and knick-knacks at idiotic prices: Judy tried on a colourful top - $150, the sort of thing she picks up at Millers and whines about it of it cost more than twenty.

The museum was smallish, had some interesting displays of old photos and aboriginal artefacts, and was opened especially for us. We were given the tour and then it was locked up tight again.

Museum. Maningrida NT

World's mangiest dog. Maningrida NT

Judy heading for the shade. Maningrida NT

Back at the lodge, we lazed around our tent for a while before dinner, looking forward to the chef's speciality - 'Barra Bites'. Various guides had been winding us up about this all day and saying how we had to catch the fish or we'd miss out on a real treat.

When dinner came out, it was barramundi sure enough, with two deep fried prawn on the side. This we all assumed was the barre-bites, but we were wrong, this smallish size chunk of barra was it - dinner. Talk about disappointing, especially after last night's feast.

In to bed early again as we have another long day on the road tomorrow.