Butterfly Gorge Nature Park – Northern Territory 11-06-2014

 

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!

Tjuwaliyn Nature Park (Douglas River Hot Springs) – NT 09-06-2014

Douglas River – hot springs that vary in temperature from scalding to deliciously warm or cool!

   

Thermometer sign, also no soap or detergents allowed.                            Bubbling thermal spring!

Only later we were told, that freshwater crocodiles have been seen in this river.

 

The Great Bowerbird’s bower overlooking the  Douglas River.

  

Northern Rosella

Rosella plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa ) – Growing in Northern Australia before the Europeans arrived.   Rather striking and makes a wonderful jam.

Hot days – 33 deg C 

Snappy Gum (Eucalyptus leucophloia) at sunset.

Umbrawarra Gorge Nature Park – Northern Territory 08-06-2014

Merten’s Water Monitor

Fern-Leaved Grevillea  (Grevillea pteridifolia) These graceful trees are just starting to bloom now.

Sundew plant

Aquatic plant

Ripples formed by shallow seas some 800 million years ago.

Crystal clear waters.

Marri (Corymbia calophlla)

Yellow Kapok tree (Cochlospermum fraseri)

Manbulloo Homestead to Nitmiluk National Park – NT 06-06-2014

Alan’s butterflies!

River Pandanus at the falls

Leliyn  (Edith Falls)  Nitmuluk National Park

Hairy Birds Eye (Alectryon tomentosus) ? Flowers and smooth grey bark appear correct however supposed to be found in Queensland Rainforest.

Darwin Woollybutt (Eucalyptus miniata) ?

At Leliyn Campsite - Function with style! Showers too!

A group of children age 9-11 from a remote Community southwest of Darwin visited Leliyn to swim in the plunge pool below the falls. After their swim they had a barbeque lunch near us and the girls were fascinated by our roof top tent. We invited them to climb the ladder and have a look (one at a time on the ladder! we added) They loved it and some queued for a second look, then the boys came over and wanted to climb up as well, one boy going so far as scrabbling inside. Imagine a few bouncing around on our bed so we said no! I invited their young teacher to have a look, so she did, saying to one of the girls maybe we could have a rooftop tent. The teacher told us that English was very much a second language because of the Community’s remoteness, and yes, boys and men come first in their culture.

I wish that I could have taken a movie of the children going up and down the ladder.