Day 21. In the morning we explored the village of Jabiru in Kakadu National Park, traditional lands of the Bininj and Mungguy people. By the lake we encountered a local seafood vendor so grabbed 1kg each of king prawns and bugs for tonight's dinner. After lunch Ross and Robyn drove us 40km out to the East Alligator River Region where Ross and I braved the dangerous crocodiles patrolling at Cahills Crossing. Fished for a while but no luck with the famed barramund...

Day 20. Up early for our drive up to Kakadu for a few days. Straight through pretty Katherine (we will stay here for a couple of days on our way south), then onto Pine Creek for lunch in the shade. Onto the Kakadu Highway stopping at Cooinda for park entry passes and to purchase Yellow Waters Sunset Cruise tickets for Monday. Got a phone call from Robyn and Ross who we know from Canberra so we decided to drive on to Jabiru Lodge and Caravan Park to join them for...

Day 19. A short drive out to the site of the old Elsey Homestead and the memorial cemetery where so many of Jeannie Gunn's local characters are buried from her famous 1908 novel 'We of the Never Never' depicting the harsh life in the outback. Raechel later bought the DVD of the 1982 movie for us to watch tonight. Morning tea at Stockyard Gallery and quick visit to the Barra feeding. Afternoon spent at nearby Bitter Springs floating down the Little Roper River on...

Days 17 & 18. Up early as we are doing a very long haul north of 1,100km over two days to reach Mataranka Springs just south of Katherine. Our first stop Wycliffe Wells for lunch then onto Barrow Creek, an old Telegraph Station, stopping for a walk at The Devils Marbles. Giant round red boulders neatly balanced on each other! Refuelled at Tennant Creek, a wild looking outback town, then onto Banka Banka Cattle Station where we stopped the night. Campfire, ba...

Day 16. Breakfast in the van of pancakes with maple syrup cooked by my lovely wife Raechel. Yummy! After some domestic chores we drove into busy Alice Springs town centre for some shopping and sightseeing. Lunch and a walk through the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens. The chef's chicken soup with herb and cheese damper very tasty. Very interesting dry arid flora not seen in our home region - notably Crimson Turkey Bush (Eremophila latrobei - see photo), Silver Cassia...