Leaving Kakadu

Tues 21 April….. What a place that Kakadu! Last night we had wild horses wandering through the camp, and heard dingo’s howling and barking at the moon and the mossies were on exceptional form! Peter saw the biggest toad in the world, you could only get 2 in a bucket. This morning, a Dingo pee-ed up next doors caravan wheel and the horse evidence was spread everywhere
We have a sort of a plan for today, we still want to do a 4WD trip to some places we can’t go to in the van. There is nothing going for a few days from Cooinda, and we can’t hang around with all these mossies about, so we decide to motor on. We will stop at the Mary River Roadhouse hoping they do trips from there. On the way we attempt to drive to a place called Gumlon which apparently is very beautiful, a gorge, waterfall and plunge pool with no crocs! We abandon this trip after a few Ks to avoid us and the van being shaken to bits on the corrugated, unsealed road. It would have been 37K of purgatory there and back! At the Mary River roadhouse we learn that they will be doing 4WD trips to Gumlon, but not yet. Basically we have arrived in Kakadu too early. Another month, when the wet season is totally over and the rivers have subsided and the roads are open would have been the right time. For once we are too early, when generally we are too late. We decide to cut our losses and leave the Park and head for Katherine where we can take stock for a day or two before heading off to the seaside at Broome.
We were looking for somewhere to stop for lunch when just through Pine Creek we saw a sign for Copperfield Dam, 2 Ks down a dirt track which we thought would be worth a look. When we got there we were amazed to find a magnificent lake and picnic area, with toilets and barbeque as well. There was only 1 van here and they told us they had found the lake on Sunday, parked up and seen no-one since. Well it’s Kit off and into the Ooloo. Lovely clear warm water, no crocs! Didn’t see any snakes what a find! We should have stayed the night but we are nearly out of beer and need to restock in Katherine. 90Ks later and we keep our appointment with the Bottle-o then head for tonight’s campsite. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time at the “Top End” and are sorry to leave. The wildlife and scenery have been second to none and the tropical weather amazing. We will not miss the mossies but they will miss us!