Kakadu in the "Dry"

[whynotwalk]

Sunset from Mirray Lookout

I'm recently back from a jaunt in the Top End, including my first look at Kakadu. I've put up a set of photos here http://s1085.photobucket.com/albums/j433/auntyscuttle/Kakadu%20July%202011/

I'm also writing about it here http://auntyscuttle.blogspot.com

cheers

Peter

[whynotwalk]

And now the words about Kakadu are up too , plus some new images,

Go to: http://auntyscuttle.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... while.html

cheers

Peter

[stepbystep]

Lovely stuff Peter, I have friends in the Kimberley now facing the invasion of the Cane Toad, devastating! They say it will reach Perth one day.
Particularly like that pic of the skink, and some great bird pics too

[north-north-west]

Those more serious clouds are part of Gunumeleng, known to many as the build-up...

...or, in Darwin, 'the suicide season'.

*sigh*
It's been too long since I was up Top.

[davidmorr]

My club just got the message below about the plan for bushwalking in Kakadu. If you have knowledge or an opinion about bushwalking in Kakadu or other parks, you may want to read it and have some input.


From: "Russell Willis" <rrwillis@internode.on.net>
To: <walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au>
Subject: Kakadu Bushwalking Review -- what happens in Kakadu may flow on to other parks around Australia
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2011 10:40:11 +0930



You are receiving this because this email address was listed as the contact for a bushwalking club. As the official bushwalking representative on the Kakadu Tourism Consultative Committee, I felt I needed to contact as many clubs as possible as what happens in Kakadu may flow on to other parks around Australia.

Kakadu Bushwalking Review

This has been coming for years. Now it is finally underway.

Have your say.

This is the most important item which I have ever sent out.

Kakadu is Australia's largest national park. It was the first park to be owned and jointly managed by the Aboriginal traditional owners. More and more parks around the country are going to joint management. What happens in Kakadu will set a precedent for all jointly managed parks throughout Australia. If you have ever been to Kakadu, think you might ever go to Kakadu, or think your children or grandchildren night ever want to visit Kakadu, it is important to have your say. The review applies to everything from short walks of an hour or less to three week expeditions.

Bushwalking in Kakadu is currently restricted to a few specific routes. While some of the traditional owners would like to see it opened up a bit, others would like to see it restricted even more. There are even some who would like to see overnight bushwalks banned entirely. For those who are interested, I have prepared a short paper about the history of bushwalking in Kakadu. See http://www.bushwalkingholidays.com.au?pdf/bushwalk_history_2011.pdf

Please encourage your members to go to the Kakadu Bushwalking Survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCKRRN3 and fill it in. Most people will be able to finish it in ten minutes or less. A few who have had particular experiences might take half an hour.

If few people take the time to fill in the questionnaire, it will be assumed that most people don't care. Please help! Your response will help ensure that bushwalking in Kakadu has a real future.

There are a few interesting questions which were unable to be included in the main questionnaire. If you ever had a problem obtaining a permit to do a walk in Kakadu, please send an email to [url]mailto:walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au>[/url] . If I can collect enough information about permit problems, it might help improve things in the future.

Finally, I put out an free email newsletter on an irregular basis. You can see the current one at http://www.bushwalkingholidays.com.au/newsletter55.htm . It contains short articles on things like the future of national parks in Australia, photography, our changing weather and much more. There are already 2000 people who subscribe. I'd welcome anyone else who might be interested. If you sign up, you can opt out at any time.

I hope that you and/or some of your club members will be able to help.

Regards,

Russell Willis

Willis's Walkabouts Bushwalking Tours

Founding member & past president,  Darwin Bushwalking Club

[Nick S]

Ubirr is an awesome place hey Peter..
I was there around December and the first big rain of the wet season had just come down. In buckets. All the other tourists had been washed out but we walked up in the easing rain and had the whole rock to ourself as the sun set.. We were completely saturated but comfortable.