Day 53 15/05/2011 Kambolgie Campground – Mardugal Campground (Kakadu)

Day 53 15/05/2011 Kambolgie Campground – Mardugal Campground (Kakadu)

Oh my, what a big day today!!  We headed off early because we wanted to do one of the Yurmikmik walks – we walked to walk to Yurmikmil Lookout (5kms) and then head onto Motor Car Falls another (2.5kms) total 7.5kms. 



Motorcar Falls



The walk didn’t get off on to a great start. We headed out on the walk just before a tour group and missed the turn off to the falls/lookout and ended up on the Boulder Creek Walk – this was a gorgeous spot and worth the short walk to but not only had we waylaid ourselves the tour group had blindly followed us and then headed off climbing a hill.  We watched them go up the hill and wondered where they were going although we were prepared to follow them as we had no idea how to get to the falls/lookout!!! It wasn’t long before the tour guide realised he was in the wrong place and headed back down the hill and found the right path ….. so we all knew where to go. 



Motorcar Falls - our swimming hole for the day!!



The climb to the lookout was steep and in hindsight not really necessary to do although it did give us a great view over the savannah woodlands. I thought that the lookout looked over the falls – I was very wrong!! We then moved onto the walk to the falls. 

I have to admit for a while I thought I had lead the family up the proverbial garden path!! The walk whilst not difficult was uncomfortable as there were lots of plants on either side of the path that either scratched our legs or put thin spikes into our socks!!  Pete and the kids walked well and had blind faith!! Luckily we eventually found the Motor Car Falls….I have no idea why the name but the falls were amazing and the swimming hole at the bottom was beautiful.  Without too much encouragement we pulled off our sweaty clothes and just jumped in the rather cool water. No saltwater crocodiles here to worry us!! We had a refreshing swim in a near crystal clear pool.  There were large boulders around the pool and gave the kids somewhere to climb.  Unfortunately for Zac he had to try and swim with his head above the water, he tried really hard not be a sad sack about it!!



just beautiful!!!



We ate our lunch beside the pool and then took a second swim; I think we were actually avoiding the walk back.  The reality was we couldn’t live at the falls so after two great swims and lunch we changed back into our clothes and headed on out!!.  The kids walked well and by the time we got back to the car the temperature was in the low 30’s!! We were sweaty and smelly, certainly hoping the camp ground we had chosen for tonight had showers.

We didn’t have far to drive to our next campground but on the way we stopped at the Bukbukluk Lookout again this was a fabulous view of the savannah woodlands and it was also giving us a greater understanding of the size of Kakadu.

We headed into Mardugal Campground, excited to see that there were showers, Pete was also beginning to show some side effects from his reading outside last night!! He was covered in mosquito bites up his arms and legs.  He kept protesting that he didn’t feel like he was being bitten!!  Well newsflash it was obvious that he was.

Once set up we settled into a board game enjoying the coolness of the late afternoon but it quickly became obvious that we couldn’t sit outside as we would be carried away by the mozzies so into the caravan we headed … mind you the caravan was beginning to resemble the inside of a sauna, thank goodness for our little fan otherwise I think we would have melted into puddles.  It was with great reluctance that we turned the generator off at 9pm!!  It is though not often that you can go to sleep with the sound of mosquitoes trying to work out how to get in to you through your window screen…..not a very pleasant thought