26^th of September

Once packed we got our gas bottled filled and then headed out from Yellow Waters, back to the Kakadu highway.  The first attraction of the day was the Maguk waterfall and pool.  The turn off into the 4wd track is only around 48km from Yellow Waters.  Then it’s another 9km along a sandy 4wd track to the visitor car park.  Once we arrived there were a fair few vehicles already parked, plus a big tour bus.  Thus, we expected a large crowd of people at the waterfall, all swimming in the pool!

We kitted up and then headed for the 2km return walk to the falls.  The first part is pretty nice and shady as you walk in the rain forest that grows along the creek.  The last bit is in the open, without any shade and requires a bit of rock hopping as usual.  As we arrived at the end of the walk, most of the tour bus travelers and others left!  We must have smelled badly!! Thus when we finally got there and I went for a swim, there were only four others swimming in the pool!  

This waterfall isn't very big, but had quite a lot of water still running so it was very pretty.  The pool below it is quite deep and is a fantastic pool to swim in.  According to our guide book, above the waterfall is another pool that one can swim in.  Also, about a couple of meters away is a hole in the rock that has water as well that is about one meter below the surface.  If you jump into it, there is no way for you to crawl back up without a rope.  However, if you dive there is a tunnel connecting into the first pool.  I don’t know how many people are willing to do this, but apparently quite a few!  As we arrived I did notice a couple of young blokes running about up above the waterfall.  So I’m not sure if they were doing the underwater swim or not.  At least I wasn't game enough to do it!  I certainly didn't want to do another much longer walk to get up there, just to risk my life!!

While I was cooling down and swimming, Sibba sat down in the shade and interrogated a couple of unsuspecting backpackers that were travelling together.  So when I got back from swimming, she knew everything about their life!!

On the way back I spotted one of the red dragon flies and managed to snap a photo of it.  They are also very pretty.

The next stop on the Kakadu Highway was the Bukbukluk Lookout.  This lookout offers a view to the north of the park, mostly over an area that used to be a pastoral station.  As we headed south and approached the turn off for the lookout, we could see bush fire smoke on the horizon.  We initially assumed that it was far away and would not affect us as it seemed to be far to the west and south of the highway.  The turn off is a short drive to the east and then doubles back a bit north.  From there it’s a 200m walk to the lookout.  We stopped at the turn off to take some bush fire smoke photos and then headed to the lookout.  Once we got there we realized that the bush fire was spreading pretty fast and was heading our way!.  The lookout was in an area with pretty dense foliage and the bush fire was just on the other side of the highway a few hundred meters away.  Sibba headed straight for the car, but I lingered on to take some photos.  At least until I could see and hear the bush fire front roaring like a hungry tiger ahead as it chewed up the crispy dry foliage.  The noise it makes is about 100 times more powerful than you hear when you have a camp fire.  Plus, it was coming our way!!

I headed straight for the car again as we were pretty exposed if it jumped across the highway.  Nowhere to run!  We headed back to the highway quickly and turned south again.  As we drove further south, we came across areas where the bush fire was burning on both sides of the road!.  Fortunately it was in areas that were not with dense foliage, like we had just left behind so it was not that bad, apart from the smoke!

We drove a further 8km south away from the fires and headed into another 4wd track, which is around 36km long.  At the end of it is the Gunlom Creek Falls and pool.  This is where one of the main creeks comes off the Arnhem Land escarpment and joins the South Alligator river.  Although this is a corrugated 4WD  track, there was an old Holden Station Wagon very slowly making its way along the track!.  We passed it half way and wondered if they would make it all the way!

At Gunlom Creek Falls, we walked the short walk to the pool and falls.  Unfortunately there was only a small trickle of water coming down.  Below the falls is a very large pool that people swim in.  This fall must look much better when there is more water in it.  We spent some time enjoying the view and taking photos before heading back to the main road.  On the way we came across the Holden, still slowly making its way along the corrugated track!

Back on the Kakadu highway we drove to the Stuart Highway, so we could get to Katherine and stay there overnight in a Motel.  As we approached the Stuart Highway, we also encountered bush fires, just a few meters from the road.  All these bush fires caused a lot of smoke, so back on the Stuart Highway, where the southern Kakadu Highway joins it at Pine Creek there was a smoke haze. 

We had already stopped at Pine Creek on our way up to Darwin, so we drove to Katherine without stopping.  Once there we checked into a Motel so we could get an early start the following morning.  After coming back from dinner we realized that some locals occupied the next motel room.  They were drinking and arguing most of the night, so we didn't get much sleep!

Crossing a creek on the way to Maguk Falls.

Some minor rock hopping was required as well!

Maguk falls and the scenic pool.

Maguk Falls.

Finally, caught a red dragon fly on film!

The bush fire smoke at the turn off to the Bukbukluk lookout.

At the lookout the fire seemed to be drawing near us. 

The fire front was rapidly advancing towards us so we left in a hurry!

Snapshot off the black box video recorder showing the fires near the road.

The Gunlom Falls and pool.

Gunlom falls, with hardly any water.

At Gunlom falls.

This was obviously a popular tree to jump from into the pool!

The afternoon sun creates this stunning color effect after a recent bush fire swept through.

At the Stuart Highway near Pine Creek with the bush fire sun.