Jabiru, Kakadu NP, NT (6 - 12 August, 2010)

Jabiru was built by the Rio Tinto mining company, to house the staff from the Ranger Uranium Mine. The caravan park we stayed at is very pretty, with lots of gorgeous plants all around the grounds. The caravan and tent sites are is set in a circle with a wonderful resort style pool at the centre.  Most other travellers in the park were bunched in close to each other, on the opposite side of the pool to us; I don't know why they did that, as we were told by the reception staff to "find your own spot and then let us know where you are". At least it was quiet where we set up our rig.

Voting at The Border Store

While in Jabiru, Bucko did the cooking on the small hotplate we had set up outside the van; each night a Dingo would stroll through the camp and past

Bucko. I am sure the Dingo was checking out what food was on offer; more on that in a later Blog see 'Dingo bites Croc'.

The 2010 Australian Election was held while we were in Jabiru, so Bucko took the opportunity to cast his vote at the Border Store at Ubirr (the border between NT and Arnhem Land), along with locals and other travellers, in total 12 people cast their vote that morning.  I am not an Australian citizen, so I did not vote. For more photos, click on Album: Voting at The Border Store

Arnhem Land was always going to be a highlight of our trip to Kakadu, and it was. The countryside is virtually untouched by mankind (white fellas, I mean) and the areas we were privileged to see, felt like God had just finished creating the Billabong, trees, rocks etc, the beauty of it all took our breath away. Our bus driver and guide for the day was an Aboriginal man, who was born in Roper River, (not too far from Kakadu), and even though he was not a person of the Arnhem Land clan he was able to tell us of the  cultural and historic stories. Bucko (and others), took a 15 minute clamber over rocks etc, in the stifling heat, to see rock art; while I sat in the air conditioned bus, along with other ladies.  I missed out on seeing with my own eyes the following wonderful drawing, but,at least we have a picture of it.