Top End an adventure playground for kids
WHEN parents of young children plan family getaways, many yearn for happy, busy kids who allow their mum and dad a little downtime. THIS often translates into a resort with a beach or pool, family-friendly dining, perhaps even a kids club.
With my three daughters now seven, four and nearly two, it started to dawn on me that they saw Australia as one big beach. I had an urge to whisk them away from Sydney to the Top End, with its vast country, abundant indigenous culture, intense heat and crocodiles.
Adventurous holidays can be intimidating for parents of young kids, which I pondered as we set off for Kakadu and Katherine for six days.
The girls came home exhausted – as did we – but all the richer for what they’ve learned about their country. Here were my fears, and here’s also why you shouldn’t worry. PARENT FEAR: LONG CAR DRIVES
It wasn’t always calm in the back seat on the threehour drive from Darwin to Kakadu. But we ditched the ipad, ignored the whingeing and told the kids to “look through the trees”. (A tour guide named Goody imparted this advice to my husband Mick and I on an overland tour from Perth to Alice Springs 15 years ago, explaining it was a metaphor for life. We’ve never forgotten it.) It paid off – we spotted three wild dingoes, wallabies, frogs, hawks and a snake.
The kids also learned how fast the landscape can change – from dusty scrub to flood plains and rocky escarpments. These changing environments allowed us to explain to them why indigenous tribes had to be nomadic. The trip also allowed them to experience that underrated feeling from which many interesting thoughts grow: boredom. PARENT FEAR: HOTELS LESS SET UP FOR KIDS
Many hotels in remote Australia don’t provide babysitting, kids clubs or kids-eat-for-free deals. Our simple lodge at Cooinda in Kakadu had all of us sleeping in one tiny room. But the kids loved the trundle mattresses on the floor and the baby frogs who hopped all over our beds.
We happen to like some comfort, though, so after bedtime we sank a beer on the patio listening to the sounds of the bush, or slunk off to the stunning resort pool for a night-time dip. PARENT FEAR: LIMITED FOOD OPTIONS
There isn’t always a great selection of fresh produce in remote Australia, so we stocked up where we could. The land up here would get no farmer excited, so we explained to the girls how resourceful tribes had to be here, and how much food can be found in the bush.
They learned from locals in Kakadu that in the wet there are fruit on the trees, and in the dry, other bush tucker can be found such as goannas, yams and waterlily flowers, whose crunchy stems taste like celery.
In Katherine, they tried bush tomatoes – but hated them. PARENT FEAR: LONG-ISH BUSHWALKS
We picked some short, simple treks that offered amazing rock art, beautiful views and colourful indigenous stories to boot.
The best were the 1.5km circular walk at Kakadu’s Nourlangie Rock and the half-hour uphill trek to Baruwei Lookout at Nitmiluk, from which you can enjoy sweeping views down into Katherine Gorge.
The local Jawoyn people believe Bolung the rainbow serpent still inhabits the deep, green pools of the second gorge and must be left undisturbed, which fascinated our older girls. On the way back down, our fouryear-old Sasha kept a keen eye out for the rainbow snake, while hunting leaves to give to the Jawoyns for a “bush tucker dinner”. PARENT FEAR: CROCODILES
Most croc attacks have been down to human stupidity. If you take a boat cruise, hold your kids close and admire these intense, fascinating reptiles from a distance. Then sit down at night and read them stories about crocodiles – there are so many good ones. PARENT FEAR: NO OCEAN TO SWIM IN
There is a sprinkling of water holes up here where you’re safe from saltwater crocs – and they are divine. At Leliyn (Edith Falls) and Katherine Hot Springs, the girls clambered over rocks, swam under waterfalls and floated down gentle rapids.
If it’s a conventional swimming pool you’re after, though, don’t worry – they’re in every hotel up here, and even some service stations. PARENT FEAR: WILL THEY FIND INDIGENOUS CULTURE INTERESTING?
Indigenous culture is mesmerising for kids. As well as the colourful stories of the Dreamtime, our girls were fascinated to learn that some elders don’t know how old they are, they call their brothers’ and sisters’ kids their own, oh and they crush up their dead relatives’ bones to put in funeral urns.
Sitting with local indigenous artists who taught us their painting style was a privilege and a joy – for all of us. IF YOU GO: GETTING THERE: Kakadu and Katherine are both around three hours from Darwin by road. Darwin is just over four hours flying time from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and around three and a half hours from Perth and Adelaide – via multiple carriers. STAYING THERE: Cooinda Lodge in Kakadu is the jumping-off point to the Yellow Water Billabong, which is great for croc spotting. Prices vary. Visit www. kakadutourism.com/accommodation/cooinda-lodge/
Nitmiluk Chalets are comfortable and just a walk to the gorge. Prices vary. Visit www.nitmiluktours.com. au/book-accommodation/chalets PLAYING THERE: For information on bushwalks and places to visit in Kakadu, visit www.kakadu. travelnt.com or www.kakadutourism.com.
For information on tours and activities in Nitmiluk, visit www.nitmiluktours.com.au.
Top Didj Cultural Experience and Art Gallery in Katherine holds sessions with indigenous artists who teach small groups how to paint their own piece of artwork, make fire from sticks and throw spears. $70 Adult, $45 Child (3-15). For info, visit www.topdidj. com. * The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism NT. AAP