Day 25 - The Rainbow Serpent

The Rainbow Serpent at Ubirr

Rock art depicting a Mullet at Ubirr

 Today there are lots of photos. A pictorial blog so to speak because we had the opportunity to view art galleries thousands of years old.

We started at Ubirr which is in the north and then headed our way to the south back to our camp at Gagjudu Lodge Cooinda.

Nadab lookout at Ubirr overlooking floodplains to the East
Arnhem escarpment

In some ways I felt like I was back in Year 4 Social Studies when Ross Sharpe would talk about Aboriginal Rock Art, the Alligator River and made us do a project on Oenpelli. Saw the sign to Oenpelli today today and went to Cahill's Crossing on the East Alligator River which leads to Oenpelli. I'm not sure if he had been up here but the last few days have really been about some of these fascinating places like Rum Jungle, Oenpelli, Arnhem Land and The East Alligator River which to me as a child almost seemed like they were in another country.

Namarrkan Sisters at Ubirr - they became crocodiles
according to legend

At the Nadab lookout we were able to see the flood plains of the East Alligator River and look out to the escarpment of Arnhem Land. It would be amazing in the wet season (not that they have really had one this year because Bundaberg stole it) to see the water cascading down the escarpment and then spreading out to form the Kakadu wetlands. 

Mabuyu hunting figure at Ubirr

Thylacine at Ubirr

 One of the fascinating pieces of rock art was the Thylacine. It's a bit hard to see
in the photo to the left but in real life the stripes at the  back are very clear.

We kept a look out in the East Alligator River and at the other billabongs and waterholes but did not see a croc in the wild today - can't say we are too disappointed, the less we see of them the better. Had to drive through water a few times on the roads and was half expecting to have to wait and let one across the road!

Cahill's Crossing to Arnhem Land

At Nourlangie lookout

Traipsing around the wet north over the last few days, we have noticed that the red dust is just about all gone from our boots now - bit of a shame really. It was actually a great reminder every time we put our boots on of the 'red centre'.

According to the Dale straw tourism poll that we have conducted on our way around we believe that the French, German and Dutch economies must be holding up best in the Eurozone crisis, as these make up almost exclusively the tourists we have come across in what is extremely big business in the 'red centre' and the 'green north'.

Namarrgon - Lightning Man on the right of the photo

 Tomorrow we head to Katherine Gorge as we start the southward journey.

Love to all
S & E