This Gorge is noted for its Common Crow Butterflies – thousands live in the rock crevices. Unfortunately for us this is the season of ‘cold’ bushfire burnings – carried out piecemeal, so that no fire gets out hand. To-day was was the turn of Butterfly Gorge, hence very few of these large black and white butterflies were around.
Burning off along the footpath.
We climbed up the sheer sided rock outcrop (foot holds and ledges all the way, so not difficult) and down again to reach the Main Pool, pictured above - no butterflies! A swim across the main pool and through the narrowest section of this gorge would have taken us to the upper pools. This according to the guide is where ‘a little climbing and swimming leads to the most beautiful and peaceful part of the gorge’ The day is hot 33 deg and I was nervous thinking that there may be one or two freshwater crocodiles in the main pool.
Rufus Fantail at the Main Pool – not a good photo but I like the tail!
Giant Paperbarks (Melaleuca leucadendra) – 50m in height! Most of these huge Melaleucas were logged years ago to provide rot proof timbers for the Stoke Hill Wharf in Darwin.
Native Apricot (Pittosporum angustifolium) The birds love them!
Giant - Termites nest near the 4WD track to the gorge.
Sand Shrike Masked Finch
Widening the main highway.
Tea stop & Purple rubbish bins!
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