• Gail Woodward
  • Gail Woodward

A Horse with No Name

A 58-day adventure by Gail Read more
  • Trip start
    June 18, 2016

    Home

    June 18, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Leaving home this morning and heading to our first stop tonight... Hughenden ☺

  • White Mountains National Park

    June 18, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    The White Mountains Range represents the edge of the Cooper Ck basin. Any water falling west of this range flows south all the way into Lake Eyre, South Australia.

  • Cloncurry

    June 19, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    We didn't come across any rain on our way from Hughenden to Cloncurry however there were puddles and flowing rivers. A full moon and dinner at the Wagon Wheel (Prince of Wales) topped off a great day. A trip into the John Flynn museum (Royal Flying Doctors Service) this morning and off to Lawn Hill we go!Read more

  • Boonjamulla National Park (Lawn Hill)

    June 20, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After popping into Adele's Grove on our way to The National Park camping grounds, we set up our site for the first time for real! We walked a few metres to the gorge river, cooked up some delicious dinner sous vide style (vac packed and simmered in hot water) watched the moon rise, and curled up with some reading material in our cosy tent. This is home for the next 4 nights.Read more

  • Day 2 Lawn Hill

    June 21, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Today we headed up the gorge on the electic motored boat which holds 8 or so people and is run by staff of Adele Grove. We didn't see a fresh water croc but the scenery was pretty special. ..like an oasis with stunning rock formations and waterfalls. We saw many birds including the one the area is famous for. ..the park emblem. ..a purple crowned fairy wren.Read more

  • Lawn Hill Day 3

    June 22, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    This morning we did a 9klm round walk onto "The Island Stack" which is situated in the middle of the Lawn Hill gorge. It is a tabletop structure, the height of the gorge where Aboriginal art shelters can be found. ..stone carvings, gathering places and rock paintings of the Waanyi peoples. The ripple rocks were on top of the stack, showing that the entire structure used to be underwater. As the bridge footings were washed away we had to either swim or traverse a fallen tree to get there and back...we chose the tree.Read more

  • Hells Gate Roadhouse to Borroloola

    June 23, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We found friendly service, fuel and food including good coffee when we stopped at Hells Gate Roadhouse (Qld) on our way from Lawn Hill to Borroloola (NT). We drove via the Savannah Way route heading towards Kingsfisher Camp but then turning at Christine Waterhole to the highway near Doomadgee. Crossing cattle properties, we had 3 gates, 2 river crossings, cattle grids and dirt roads - all unfenced with either cattle or horses. Still mostly dirt and gravel roads to Hells Gate although roadworks are in progress and the same to Borroloola.Read more

  • Borroloola

    June 23, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Having driven about 600klm today. ..mostly on dirt and gravel, we appreciated a friendly face, wholesome meal, hot showers, laundry and a comfortable bed at the Savannah Way Motel in Borroloola.

  • Mataranka Homestead, Mataranka Springs

    June 24, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 33 °C

    The small town of Mataranka, south of Katherine, is renowned for its sandy-bottomed thermal pool, pastoral history and as a welcomed stop with tourers. The area was made famous by the novel We of the Never Never – a book written about nearby Elsey Station by Jeannie Gunn.
    Here's hoping the springs have some therapeutic and healing powers.
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  • Gunlom - plunge pool, Kakadu NT

    June 25, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    Sat. 25th June - 1 week; Gunlom (Waterfall Ck) camping area is close to a clear plunge pool and waterfall. At the top of the waterfall is a lookout with views over southern Kakadu. Haydn read great reviews about this spot via the FJ Cruiser forum. The drive was almost 40klms of gravel and dirt roads, however the road was in pretty good condition. We are looking forward to lighting a fire tonight to toast some marshmallows. The weather is hot and dry so the waterhole makes for a wonderful way to cool down. Again, plenty of birdlife, lizards and a snake. We found this impressive termite mound.Read more

  • Gunlom Waterfall walk - Kakadu, NT

    June 25, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    Around 5pm we climbed 500m up the escarpment to the top of the waterfall to take in the breathtaking panoramic views...just beautiful! The perfect place to contemplate life and to 'just sit and be'. On our way up we saw some rock art on an outcrop...see if you can spot it in the photo.Read more

  • Gagadju Lodge, Cooinda - Kakadu NT

    June 26, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Gagadju Lodge, Cooinda
    Cooinda is the centre of Kakadu, in the Yellow Water region. The local Aboriginal name for this area is Ngurrungurrudjba. It is part of the South Alligator River floodplain.
    "People need to come here and relax, sit on the country, and go home and feel the same way. " Natasha Nadji, Bunitj Clan.
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  • Nourlangie Region - Burrunggui Rock Art

    June 27, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Kakadu's rock art represents one of the longest historical records of any group of people in the world.
    Burrunggui is the upper section of Nourlangie where we saw the art work today; and Anbangbang is the name for the lower section of the rock and surrounding area where the Nawurlandja - Anbangbang Billabong is situated.
    Namarrgon Djadjam (Lightning Dreaming) - the eye of the Lightning Man can be seen in the distance in the middle of a large sandstone cliff. The Lightning Man is said to live at the bottom of the cliffs.
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  • Jim Jim Falls, plunge pool & Sandy Beach

    June 28, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    The name Jim Jim is derived from the language word for water pandanus...anjimjim. There are 3 pools, the lower one had a huge croc trap set up in it :/ then two more up near the waterfall. One has a beautiful sandy shore and the one below the falls is the plunge pool. Two kilometre round trip along a sandy path to begin with then rocks and boulders the closer you get to the falls. Again, another specacular area, but this time the vegetation is monsoon forest. Pockets of this vegetation are located around Kakadu.Read more

  • Yellow Water Cruise - Jim Jim Ck

    June 28, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Thanks to our cruise guide Reuben, a traditional owner of the lands where we toured today with Yellow Water Cruises. We did the 2 hour sunset he cruise which leaves at 4.30pm near Cooinda. As well as seeing both male and female saltwater crocodiles, we saw sea eagles, Jabiru birds, whistling ducks, magpie geese, burdekin ducks, kingfishers - all assortments of water birds, wild horses, lilies, paperbarks, water pandanus, Kakadu bamboo...just to name a few. Reuben was very knowledgeable and passionate about his family's land.Read more

  • East Alligator Region: Jabiru

    June 29, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We left Cooinda and travelled to Merl Campgrounds not far from Jabiru. After calling into the bakery at Jabiru to pick up a Buffalo mince pie, we settled into camp. The facilities are great.
    Late in the afternoon we went on a 45min helicopter tour with Kakadu Air. It was FANTASTIC!Read more

  • East Alligator : Bardedjilidji walk

    June 30, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    After our exhilarating helicopter flight which took us over Arnhem Land and many stunning land and water features, we watched the sunset near our camp ground before travelling a kilometre up the road to the Border Store...close to the border of Arnhem Land and Kakadu...to grab some takeaway Thai food! Who would have guessed?!
    This morning we are joining one of the local ranger's guided walks. Bardedjilidji is a 2.5klm walk through layered sandstone outliers, beginning near the upstream boat ramp which launched into the East Alligator River. Yesterday we saw many large crocs in this river! One large male usually every kilometre of river and several smaller females.
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  • East Alligator Region: Ubirr Rock Art

    June 30, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After watching a display of traditional painting by two Arnhem Land artists, we headed up to Ubirr to see the rock art indicative to this area (including crosshatching techniques). We climbed to the top of Nadab lookout with views over the floodplain, to get a great view of Kakadu. Tonight is our last night in the park. Off to Darwin to celebrate Territory Day with fireworks tomorrow!Read more

  • Farewell Kakadu - Happy Territory Day!

    June 30, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    There are 7 regions of Kakadu: South Alligator (we will exit the park through this area on our way to Darwin, calling into spots along the way), Jabiru (helicopter tour), East Alligator (camping at Ubirr - rock art), Nourlangie (rock art - half day trip), Yellow Water (camped at Cooinda and river cruise), Jim Jim and Twin Falls (half day trip from Cooinda), and the Mary River Regions (we entered Kakadu from this direction and camped at Gunlom). We have had a fabulous week in Kakadu and would recommend it to anyone interested in the experience xRead more