Day 7 28 May Mount Borradaile

The track west was too wet to travel on, so we were flown mid morning (instead of a 7am start)  most of the way to Davidson's Safari Camp and arrived for lunch.  The 14 seater was not only faster —it gave us an opportunity to appreciate the north western terrain.

Not much room in aisle; we were fortunately sitting in the back row and even then I had to struggle to squeeze past the two seat-backs to reach my seat.

 Davidson's is an old hunting camp,  and it sports a pool. It doesn't quite reach the luxury of our two previous stops but friendly, comfortable and perfectly adequate. (At one point I  had dropped my sunnies, and our guide retraced a substantial part of the track searching, but Wendy found them on our return in the 4WD under a backpack.) We shared our quarters with an orb spider.

Day 6 27 May- The fishing trip

Since Barramundi Lodge is a world class fishing site, of course an expedition is a highlight of  the tour.
The boat was well set up, and on the eve of the trip we had been given given a lesson on tackle and lures.

I had never handled such a good rod- of course since I last held a rod about 40 years ago this may not be saying much, but I was amazed at how easily the line slid from reel and bale and tangles were just about impossible. As a left-hander I was somewhat dangerous to other boat passengers on casting, but presented no dangers to passing fish.
Wendy on the other hand, in her first fishing exploit, reeled in a 59 cm barramundi, about 5 kg. The lodge said the fish should rest 24 hours before cooking, so our barramundi that night came from the previous tour group. I'm not sure about this resting thing — it may be for the chef's benefit.

We also saw our first moderate sized croc

Day 6 Morning Manigrida Djomi museum

In the morning we went into Maningrida township to visit Djomi Museum.

 Picture of the gallery from its website

The peoples here are Kunibídji and Kuninjku,
On our visit the Museum was being managed by a very friendly temporary lady from Sydney. She explained that the Museum accepted any work offered on commission sale from aborigines if  it used traditional materials—i.e. not canvas.
 As we were leaving this became clear when a couple of young men arrived with canvases and knew better than to speak to the manager.  They were also unsuccessful in doing a deal outside with us.

We were entertained by some virtuoso didgeridoo performances.

 Picture of the gallery from its website

Nearby is the Babbarra Women's Centre. This is best explained by the text on its own website
"We women are from more than 12 language groups in the Maningrida region. We come together at Babbarra Women’s Centre to share our knowledge and ideas. That’s what led us to set up our main social enterprise: Bábbarra Designs. It’s been going strong since 1989.  We design and hand-print exquisite textiles that we sell around the world. Each length of fabric is unique and tells the ancestral stories of our Arnhem Land country and cultures. People tell us our designs are bold and elegant, but for us they are more than designs: these designs tell the stories of our lives. They bring a lot of joy to everyone – to us, our families and our customers alike."

Print for sale on the website

 A  fabric exhibition is planned for Paris later this year. 

Arnhem Land Day 5 26 May -Ramingining- Barramundi Lodge

After leaving Murwangi our first stop was the Bula'Bula Art Centre at Ramingining to meet local artists and see them at work. Their principal media were bark, canvas and weaving pandanus. We liked their style a lot, and bought 2 bark works and a woven dillybag (of the kind slung backwards from the forehead.

Weaving a pandanus fishing trap

Bark art works with "emerging artist" Joseph B Fisher who has only recently taken up this form of work

 Continuing our trek we crossed the Blyth River, which marks the boundary of Yolnu country.

We had travelled only a few metres up the opposite bank when a clunking disclosed that our truck had acquired a foreign object in the river. Inspection revealed it to be a substantial wedge shaped rock being a perfect fit for jamming between the near side rear wheels of the truck.

Much huffing and puffing among the driver and beefier members of the crew with a cheer squad standing by enabled eventual removal of the obstruction by chocking the inside wheel to enable the outer to free wheel, undoing its bolts and loosening without removing from the axle, a mere hour of labour x 3 men.

 Last year our driver bogged his truck further along the track and it was  stranded for 13 days while the lucky passengers were helicoptered to the next destination.

 Late lunch at Barrmundi lodge, relaxation for the afternoon and, in the evening a main course of giant mud crab which I took to with bib, mallet, digging fork, and great gusto.

Tour Map

Day 4 Afternoon 25 May - A first look at the billabong

We took a boat into the Arafura Swamp. There were  just  a few egrets , an eagle, and others not identified by me around the billabong, and captured on the phone:

 A water buffalo relaxing:

  


























Back at our tent just after sunset, dogs playing with brumbies were watched by cockatoos

Day 4 morning 25 May 2018 - Murwangi Camp and aboriginal lessons

Views of our camp set up ( internally luxurious)

                                                 Me watching a lesson on "Cathedral" termites

 After our teacher Frank  poked a hole, the colony set a guard at the entrance (can  be discerned by enlargement of the photo) while worker mites repaired the human damage. I understand that this variety of termite is not interested in eating human houses.

"Magnetic" termites build in north-south orientation to get morning and afternoon shade

 

Pandanus spiralis 

                   

Ochre painting