Territory dreaming
Leave behind the big smoke and lose yourself in the sprawling, solitary vistas of Kakadu and Arnhem Land.
As the sun dips towards the horizon at the grand Nawurlandja lookout, it’s impossible not to feel liberated. On this baking red escarpment in the midst of remarkable Kakadu, we sit and breathe in the world around us – endless savannah broken only by other rocky outcrops, the Anbangbang Billabong ahead of us and the Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) rock art site behind. It’s only a brisk 15-minute walk from car park to peak, and yet we’ve entered rarefied air. We could be at the end of the Earth.
This is the soul of the Northern Territory, with its open spaces, dramatic landscapes and bracing sense of freedom. Here lie wonders that seem a whole world away, but are a five-hour flight or less from anywhere in Australia. Outdated notions about the Top End – too far, too hot, too dry – have given way to a spirit of adventure, with getaways that can be tailored to any comfort and energy level. Enjoy an expert guided tour, planned or bespoke itineraries, or just strike out on your own and explore. Choose where to go and how much to see; come for a few days or a few weeks. We’re travelling with Offroad Dreaming (offroaddreaming.
on an initial two-day tour of the 20,000 sq km Kakadu National Park. It’s just a small group of us in a big 4WD, with our delightful driver and guide Kelda. Her local knowledge and insights underscore the benefits of having a guided experience – “to be told what you’re looking at when you’re looking at it,” as she puts it. There’s only one road in and one road out of Kakadu. Soon the Darwin traffic gives way to single-lane roads, and eventually the Bowali Visitor Centre and park ranger Adrian, for a cultural and philosophical grounding in Kakadu from both Gukberkero (Aboriginal) and Guhbele (non-Aboriginal) perspectives.
It feels we’re at the gateway to a unique world, and sure enough, beyond lies the World Heritage-listed Nourlangie Rock Art site, one of Kakadu’s chief attractions. Winding (yet wheelchair-accessible) bush trails lead to the base of the rocks, where we find the AnBangBanga gallery, with Indigenous artefacts and places of natural shelter that were used regularly right up to the 1970s. Aboriginal people have lived in the area continuously for 65,000 years.
Around a corner, inconspicuous at first glance, the famous ochre rock art images appear as if from nowhere, chronicling hundreds of centuries of life and spirituality right up to contact with European explorers. The weight of antiquity is heavy; animals, fish and creation beings such as lighting man (Namarrkon) nestle alongside depictions of visiting sailing ships. You feel a personal and very human connection. The stirring views from the Kunwarddewardde lookout on site and nearby Nawurlandja only reinforce that.
Exchanging dry for wet, a trip down the East Alligator River (Erre) beckons. This is the domain of the gingas, the giant saltwater crocodiles that still rule today. We’re on board with Guluyambi Cultural Cruise (1800 525 238) and our guide Gleeson, of the Gunuwingul tribe, tells us these dangerous waters were once crossed in paper bark rafts – the guluyambi of the title. He demonstrates the use of woomeras (spear throwers) as, navigating the peaceful narrow waterway, we keep an eye out for gingas and their close kin the ‘logodiles’. (Is that a croc? No, it’s a log!) Watching a car get stuck as the road dips underwater at Cahills Crossing is stomach-churning. And if you haven’t had your fill of crocs, the Mercure Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru (08 8979 9000) will accommodate you.
Even more remote destinations await on the second part of our Territory adventure, with a flight from Darwin to the distant Gove Peninsula in East Arnhem Land. We join Lirrwi Tourism for a Bawaka day tour, driven along endless deserted dirt roads and sandy shores to a far-flung beach commune, where our guides Joshua and Peter steep us in Yolngu culture and homeland life. I learn that I am Dhuwa, my skin name is Gammarang, and by tradition Joshua is my uncle. Spear fishing and the most pristine stretches of beach you’ll ever see – including the stunning Yalangbara Peninsula, with its sandy link to a rocky outcrop – are part and parcel of the experience. As are the unmistakable sight of crocodile (they are called baru here) tracks leading down to the water.
“I feel happy here, like home,” says Peter of Bawaka, and you may feel that too – the peace that comes with a rare sense of isolation. We’re on ‘Territory time’, and it’s tranquil. I reflect on that on the way back to Gove, with a stop-off at the fascinating BukuLarrnggay Mulka Centre for an informative talk on identity and communication in Indigenous art by manager Will. The work on display is exquisite (you can also shop online, It’s a top end to our Top End adventure – a getaway that’s outside many people’s experience, but closer than you think. AWW Check out australia.com for Holiday Here This Year ideas. Offroad Dreaming offers Kakadu and Litchfield tours, plus private itineraries. The Lirrwi Tourism Bawaka Yolngu Day Tour is priced from $450pp (minimum of two adults).