So many things happened the last time we visited Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park we arrived this time with mixed emotions. We were hoping to repeat the best parts and avoid any negatives.
We had heard that the canoe hire business was being run off its feet and the evidence came soon enough, with the movement of people towards the launching area prior to business commencing at 8.00am. Together with the arrival of numerous day visitors, presumably from Adels Grove, there must have been a lengthy queue by the time business opened!
Our routine for Boodjamulla had been established during our previous visit – enjoy one of the bush walks in the morning while the day is still warming up, then return for lunch before going for a paddle up the gorge in the afternoon. We found that sticking to the shady side of the gorge on the paddle upstream avoided the direct sun, and leaving it to later in the day also avoided most of the early morning canoe-hire traffic . We continued with this routine as it still made sense.
Our day started like most others these last few weeks, with Chris getting up at first light to organise breakfast. We left around 8.30am to tackle a great walk that takes in views of the upper gorge, together with further lookouts over Indarri Falls and the lower gorge. All up the walk is around 7kms; sometimes on the flat but more often climbing to, or descending from, one of the lookouts.
The country here is quite unique, in that you can turn your back on the gorges and waterways and be in a relatively arid, ochre coloured sandstone escarpment landscape – with no hint of the lush oasis that lines the green-coloured river. We stopped a number of times to just sit back and take in the scenery. On one such occasion, high above the water, Chris observed a 2.5 metre croc casually swim from the safety of the pandanus over hanging the water on one side of the river to a similar situation on the other side. It glided across, unphased by the relentless stream of canoes passing by during the morning peak period. None of the people in the canoes were any the wiser as the croc stayed just below the surface of the water. While out walking we passed a number of other people with the same plan of attack – walk in the morning and avoid the heat of the afternoon.
We returned to camp via the river walk (in the shade of the palms and pandanus trees that line the banks), getting back right on midday. Lunch and some washing were in order before setting up the kayak and exploring the extensive network of gorges upstream from the canoe hire and launching ramp.
We pushed off just before 3.00pm; making our way slowly past the pandanus (which is a favourite hiding place for the freshwater crocodiles and elusive snapping turtles) before entering the first of several gorges where the sandstone walls closed in around us, shading us from the direct sun. As the gorge opened up again we approached Indarri Falls – here there is a short portage (where you need to carry the kayak) around the falls before recommencing the journey upstream to the next series of gorges. We had to negotiate a short section of “rapids”, paddling against the flow until the river widened out again and a more serene pace could again be maintained. Our upstream paddle came to and end when we reached a series of fast flowing cascades that blocked our progress.
Our return was more of a drift with the current than a paddle. It is the sort of place where you just need to slow down and take everything in. Bee-eater birds were darting in and out of the trees and swooping low over the water to catch insects. A darter was sunning itself on rocks to one side of the river before diving for one of the many fish clearly visible below our kayak. Strange bubbles would rise up from the depths and appear on the surface around us. Could they be from a turtle or a croc?
We washed the last of the accumulated dust and dirt from the kayak before finishing our paddle for the afternoon. We then attended to our own accumulated dust and dirt in the form of a hot shower before a BBQ dinner with salad purchased largely from Borroloola a few days ago. The sun has set and the sky has turned an inky black which helps to showcase the brilliant sky full of stars. The Milky Way is exactly that, a milky blur across the heavens.
After dinner we ventured down to one of the landings spread evenly along the river bank beside the camping grounds. Not knowing what we might find, we progressed cautiously. the area is popular with olive pythons who are just as likely to be out on the hunt on a warm evening, let alone the things that might be in the river. The stairs down to the river are quite steep and we disturbed a cane toad on our descent.
Once at the bottom we directed our torch into and across the water. No tell tale red eyes were watching us but we did spot a pair of turtles cruising around looking for a feed. Fish would swim by and jump when the turtles got too close. The fish startled then took interest in a small thin snake, possible a baby tree snake that was trying to avoid the attention of the fish. The snake chose the landing below us as its escape route. It was at that point we decided to retreat to the Tvan for the night, passing the cane toad on our way back up the stairs from the river.