Adventure across Arnhem Land

[JohnM]

Buffalo and magpie geese.

 

[JohnM]

Next day and time to move on. First stop was only 20km or so to the indigenous art centre at the community of Ramingining. Photography is forbidden in and around any of the communities that we visited and it was also forbidden inside this art centre, where the artists were actively working. (The gallery at Yirrkala was much more a commercial outlet for indigenous artists, so it did not have the same restrictions within the gallery – but they still applied outside the building).

We entered only about three communities. In each case, it was directly to the art centre, in two instances, or the boat-launching ramp in the other, and directly out after the activity was done.

We could take photos of the two panels representing the two ‘moieties’ of the Yolngu people on the roof of the art centre verandah. With the permission of the artists working at the Ramingining art centre some photographs could be taken. I asked, got the OK and took a couple of quick shots.

I had a mixture of surprise and disappointment to see the artist painting the thin stripes with a fine small brush with very long strands. It was a plastic-handled horse-hair brush, not anything traditional. The paint had a very sticky latex-like quality, but I didn’t ask questions about its traditional authenticity. Maybe I was expecting too much. The prices being asked for all the art and weaving works were astronomical, both here and at Yirrkala.

For anyone who has visited the NGA and seen the 50 or so ‘totem poles’ exhibit, they are from the Yolngu people.

 

[JohnM]

We then moved on to Barramundi Lodge. This was set up some time ago for fishing expeditions, but barra fishing is best in wetter times of the year. Outback Spirit bought the property and upgraded it to broaden the scope for accommodating dry-season tourists as well as the fishing people.

The Lodge was located well outside the Community at Maningrida, which was the boat-launching site for our fishing expedition.

This day’s travel was quite short and we arrived at Barramundi Lodge in time for lunch. The lodge is set on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the floodplain.

 

[JohnM]

It was quite hot when we arrived and the tents had been shut up with the A/C on.




Mid-afternoon and a very informative talk about barra fishing from Trevor, one of the fishing guides.

 

[JohnM]

More fires and a lot of smoke around.



Kurrajong.



Green ant nests.

 

[JohnM]

PJM developed a taste for Green Ant gin. It has whole green ants floating around in it.

 

[JohnM]

Next day, a barra fishing expedition.



Gun that 250hp outboard Trev and hold onto your hat!



Mangroves – barra habitat.



White-bellied sea eagles.



We’re on!

 

[JohnM]

Then it’s PJM’s turn. Errr - that’s not a barra…

Flathead – back it goes.



And neither is this. PJM has missed the memo that this is a barra fishing expedition. Golden snapper, aka fingermark. Apparently excellent eating, but back it goes.



I didn’t miss the memo. 55cm barra. That is the legal minimum, but we already had a bigger one, so back it went. The boat ended up with 58, 63 and 70cm fish to take back to the lodge.



No barra for PJM. Naturally, that night barra was on the dinner menu. Not what we caught as it was insufficiently relaxed. We ate what the previous group caught and ours will be eaten by the next group. The difference in taste and texture between wild-caught and farmed is great.

 

[JohnM]

Moving on the next day. Another fairly short drive to arrive at Mt Borradaile before lunch. This is the property of the long-established Davidson’s Arnhem Land Safaris. Other parties dealing directly with them, and that mostly fly in, are also accommodated at this larger camp.

The focus is on visiting the many indigenous rock-painting sites and the Kakadu-like wetlands.

All perfectly good, but not up to the level and finesse of Outback Spirit’s own properties.



Fuelling up before departure and a rather interesting spider’s web on the deck.

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

After lunch we went on our first excursion to a rock art site. There are many sites on the property and we visited two during our day and a half there. The first one was quite close to the lodge, while the larger site the next day was further out.

There was a variety of (windowless) transport. We had to laugh at the ‘smash glass’ hammer still mounted in the bus.



Turkey bush.



Getting into some spinifex country. That stuff burns right down to a small tussock that soon re-shoots.

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

And the highlight of this site - the rainbow serpent. First looking up at it, then moving around the rock formation to climb up to the cavern, the roof of which it was painted on.

 

[drron]

I now have pleasure in welcoming PJM to the You Caught the Wrong Fish club. Both my son and myself have caught Spanish mackerel when bottom fishing for coral trout and coral trout when trolling for spanish mackerel.
But my best was when fishing off Mornington Island. Our very experienced guide had no idea what I had hooked other than it was big as it took a fair amount of line out. When I finally pulled it in it was a very large spanish mackerel. Except I had pulled it in backwards as the line was twisted around it's tail. As the guide said there is a first time for everything and that is definitely the first time I have seen a fish lassoed.

 

[JohnM]

Next day, out to what is called ‘the catacombs’. Past the airstrip and a couple of birds of a type I do not recognise. Can anyone offer some insight?



Tramping through seasonal wetland, with permanent lagoons in the background.

 

[JohnM]

Chock-a-block with paintings.

 

[JohnM]

Moving through.

 

[JohnM]

Massive spider’s webs.

 

[JohnM]

Some is obviously quite recent and there are many layers overpainted. It’s difficult to get a straight story on the overall age.

 

[drron]

Those planes are called little planes John and they are not for you as Seat 1A is reserved for the pilot.