Gunlom

The ranger guided tour of the Savannah showed most of the plant species in the park, plus a lot of birds. We saw a bush that makes soapy water; in a bird bath a friend of hers could not see why these things were in the bath. They got binoculars, and worked out the birds were bringing them. Then they would wash their wings etc with the resulting soapy water.

There are fruits with strychnine, deadly, but other ones have quinine, which were used to prevent pregnancies. So they were living in a Garden of Eden, plus had a good time.

Paperbarks contain litres of water - one had a bulge, with enough for everyone in the group. The Kakadu plum has about ten times the vitamin C of an orange. There are 3 kinds of bush apple. We sampled some watery honey from a yellow bottle brush flower.

On the way, we stopped at Maguk; a magic waterhole, with huge jumps. Everyone loved that place.

Right: more Maguk.

Gunlom is down a 40 odd km dirt road, but well worth it.

Gunlom.

This little buddy was waiting in the reeds for the little fish that flocked in the river bank weeds. We saw him get about three in a row. He's not much afraid of people either.

The infinity pool at the top of Gunlom. What a view!

Marie and Ollie travelled up this way to find a little gorge, well shaded, and a nice little way to swim, at Gunlom.

Gunlom.

Gunlom.