From SinclairWIKI

In June 2010 many Sinclair's otherwise known as a Mob, met in Darwin to begin an amazing two week odyssey.

Contents 1 Photos 2 Stories 3 Keith's Diary 3.1 Saturday 26 June 3.2 Sunday 27 June 3.3 Monday 28 June 3.4 Tuesday 29 June 3.5 Wednesday 30 June 3.6 Thursday 1 July 3.7 Friday 2 July 3.8 Saturday 3 July 3.9 Sunday 4 July 3.10 Monday 5 July 3.11 Tuesday 6 July 3.12 Wednesday 7 July 3.13 Thursday 8 July 3.14 Friday 9 July 3.15 Saturday 10 July 3.16 Sunday 11 July

Photos

Keith's Picasaweb Photos

Stories

• Connor’s Lost Football

Keith's Diary

Quote of the trip: "what is it with adults and interest in culture?" -* Yann Sinclair

Saturday 26 June

Camp: Riyala

• got up early, got to the airport early, somehow Qantas decided that all of us should be upgraded to business class
• met the Newmarket mob at the airport
• eventless flight with great service
• Dad met us in Darwin, took all of us for a little drive around Darwin, mainly Eastern Point and to the Causaurina shopping centre so Danny can claim travel for work
• picked up Dan St mob and headed to Riyala, started to get the impression of the Territories uniqueness

Sunday 27 June

Camp: Riyala

• visited the Territory Wildlife Park
• getting to the park was interesting with a general name and a GPS which didn't quite know how to get there
• Dad and Su enjoyed a quiet day
• Uncle Longnose (Ian Morris) joined us for dinner

Monday 28 June

Camp: Riyala

• Dad took us on a day trip to Litchfield park for an amazing swim in Buley Rock holes everyone was happy to spend the day here
• back into the vehicles
• drove to Florence Falls and to the lookout, and wow what a sight
• then a walk down 135 steps to Florence falls
• swam across the pool with John and Danny to the falls and felt the wind and the force of the water as i swam underneath, quite an amazing experience, so much power
• Tolmah falls, which had a natural bridge, but no swim, an amazing viewing platform
• Wangi falls were next, a swim was promised but not delivered, because of the possibility of Crocs in the pool, and no one really argued
• Greg and his mob joined us for dinner, first time i had seen Greg since before Callum was born
• Dad picked up Nia very late and dropped off Ian for a trip to Sydney

Tuesday 29 June

Camp: Edith Falls

• we packed and headed out for our first night camping at Edith River falls (Leliyn)
• on the way we had morning tea at Adelaide River and had a refresher and discovery on the involvement of Darwin and NT in WWII and learnt that the Japanese were quite close to the Northern shores
• lunch at Pine Creek, to discover some mining heritage
• we arrived early enough to setup and have a swim
• Edith Falls is in Nitmiluk National park
• in the evening we headed over to hear the ranger provide an interpretation on the Jaywon people and the Nitmiluk

Wednesday 30 June

Camp: Victoria River

• a morning walk to the Upper Pool, Connor walked the whole way, a swim at the top, which was spectacular, and then back to camp to pack up and a last swim in the pool before heading off
• we headed through Katherine to Nitmiluk Gorge (Katherine Gorge)
• walking to the top of the Gorge to a spectacular view and then to the very top of the Arnhem Escarpment on the edge of Arnhem Land
• lost Pauline and Su but were soon found and off to Katherine for quick shopping
• the 200km tour de force to Victoria River Crossing
• Pau driving the bus on a parallel route (the bus was worried)

Thursday 1 July

Camp: Victoria River

• Drove to Menngan Station to meet Billy
• drove off road as in no road to the first art site
• a few rode with Billy Keith drove Tahka and Dad drove the bus
• we figured out that the bus would not make one of the creek crossings
• so Billy's Rav4 and Tahka were loaded up and a few started walking
• the 4wd came back to the pick up walkers and we sat down to hear the Wadderman creation story, of how the country was created from songs
• Billy's wonderful story telling and singing was just fantastic, a voice and tone in harmony with his stick rhythm
• many art sites seen, and many legs scratched, as we walked around Mennegan station with Billy
• lunch at camp 2, a swim for the brave, in the cold creek on what was a cool day.
• more art sites taken in.
• back to camp
• a quick drive later to Joe's Camp?
• the sunset was clouded over and drops of rain felt
• dinner was had quickly, to be ready for the show
• we headed down to the roadhouse to watch the fireworks, which turned out to be quite a show going for about half an hour, and when it happens in front of you, quite spectacular

Friday 2 July

Camp: Gunlom

• pack and go again, getting faster each time
• back to Katherine on parallel roads
• time for shopping and getting gas bottles and diesel topped up.
• lunch and then headed for Kakadu Park
• a great entry into Kakadu with GFL (g being for grand or great, depending in the mob)providing interpretation.
• a quick stop at Mary River for permits and more ice cream
• then the entry to Gunlom was found, a bone jarring drive into the the falls, corrugations providing a challenge.

Saturday 3 July

Camp: Gunlom

• a great morning walk up the right side of the falls
• walking up the rocky scree slope in the cool of the morning, making it to the top and an amazing view of the plateau and our first glimpse of the rock pools and lots of people
• photos and gawking then up stream to a quiet place GPJ knew of for swimming
• morning tea was had and a glorious swim
• some members participated in not so secret women's business, learning how to weave
• lunch in camp and a lazy afternoon containing more swimming, play, reading, cooking, weaving and as always talking

Sunday 4 July

Camp: Muirella Park

• packing again,
• a swim
• then heading back across the corrugations
• the fridge on wheels (GFL's trailer),was askew, not quite right
• quick inspection found a broken leaf spring ,which Pre-empted a change of plans
• drive on to Muirella park as planned but three nights instead of two.
• stopping at Cooinda to book the Yellow Waters cruise for the next night, the inevitable ice cream was consumed
• stopping into e YYY cultural centre for some view into the first of Kakadu's Heritage values
• a surprise meeting with Denis Hare, Keith's old boss from Datacraft
• arriving at Muirella Park and camp was established
• a spring was removed
• much hotter now showers were had and the mozzie protection was lathered on
• a hot night was had

Monday 5 July

Camp: Muirella Park

• an early trip to Jabiru was made, a spring was ordered and shopping done
• a decision to take all who wanted to the excellent Jabiru Pool for a while
• we were invited to attend the opening of NADOC week organized by Ben, on of the local rangers
• heading back to the camp for a clean up and then off to Cooinda
• arriving at Cooinda on time, unfortunately the Yellow Waters crew weren't as early
• into the buses and ferried around to the jetty's, our first view of the Kakadu wet lands, and WOW
• into boats and finally out onto the Spectacular Yellow waters billabong, interpretation provided by Candy
• crocs seen at every turn, along with Jabiru, Kites, Brumbies, ducks, geese and countless other creatures
• great photos were at every turn and it first occurred that Kakadu was a 360 degree place, great views in all directions
• the sun was streaming through what looked like rain clouds but this was the dry season
• beautiful light and more creatures
• then as we headed back to Yellow Waters the skies opened.
• back to camp for dinner and to survey the water damage, but to our delight GFL and Su had secured the tents from the rain.
• during the night more rain fell, quite a lot really, especially given the dry season

Tuesday 6 July

Camp: Muirella Park

• A delayed start to getting away, no rush this day
• drive down to Nouralganie Rock (correct name is XXX)
• a walk from the carpark to the the first site and some interpretation from GPJ
• ran into Denis Hare again with his two grandkids
• another rock was visited and group shots taken, with an amazing back drop
• a small group walked further up the rock to another art site and a cool change
• back to camp for lunch
• a mob headed off to cool down in the Jabiru pool
• GFL and Keith remained in camp to fix the fridge
• a great swim was had and the fridge was repaired

Wednesday 7 July

Camp: Merl

• pack and go
• stop at Bowli centre
• Dad ran into Victor
• purchases made at the store including morning tea
• shopping done at Jabiru
• set off to Merl and pitch camp
• packed into vehicles and off to the Border Store for ice cream
• Ubir sunset
• confirmation of Kakadu being a 360 degree place

Thursday 8 July

Camp: Merl

• early morning rise for some to go to Jabiru Dreaming for sunrise and then some very cool spelunking, which included ghost bats and unique rock art
• a very unique condensed experience
• back to camp to find everyone had slept in, breakfast ANC ready for a day trip into Arnhem Land
• goodbyes to the Mexican mob
• heading off to Coopers Crossing where a cross was spotted
• cross the sumbereded road
• onto more corrugations and onto Gunbalanya where we found Inalak Gallery
• in the distance (400 metres) we could see what we called Gunbalanya Billabong, where we could see 1000's of birds circling, floating and standing
• a walk around the gallery was interesting, there were art spaces all around
• Dad chatted to AAA about a painting he was working on, so far about 2 weeks work and expected to fetch $1500.
• art was viewed and some purchases made
• morning tea was had in the shade, photos of the birdlife taken
• more purchases made
• lunch and photos
• pack and a quick tour of Gunbalanya, some diesel for the Hiace, just in case
• back onto dirt roads to look for more art.
• tour buses were avoided and art sites scoped
• some spectacular Arnhem art was found including a painting of a lugger from the early contact
• back across the crossing and some more ice cream

Friday 9 July

Camp: Riyala

• pack the tents for the last time, and finished dead on 9:30 as had become the custom
• headed off for some to experience Jabiru dreaming and others ZZZ walk
• remeeting we set off for Jabiru, some diesel and then off to Mamuluk billabong, impressive but not as intense as Gunbalanya Billabong
• heading off for lunch at East Alligator River in the cool shade
• stopping again at Fogg Damn, many birds spotted and photographed
• a quick detour unto Humpty Doo woolworths for supplies and ice cream
• arrival back to Riyala

Saturday 10 July

Camp: Riyala

• cleaning and packing in the morning making Thrifty look less used after about 2700km with us.
• also a quick wheel change on Tahka which had developed reduced pressure in the driver side rear wheel
• heading off for Coolinga markets to have a look and after finding some great mozzie coil holders, headed into the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
• the MAGNT was very good, lots of local flora, fauna and art represented.
• the group split with Dan Street and New Market mob parents heading into the CBD while Connors street mob with all the kids headed to the Darwin Wave Pool
• en route, Kate and Josie were found by the bus picked up and the Darwin Wharf precinct was explored and dinner booked at Crustaceans for 6:00pm
• Thrify was left on the wharf and all walked back to the wave pool, Kate and Josie headed back to the mexican mob
• the wave pool was a hit, everyone had a ball, the bigger kids out in the surf, right at the front of the pool with Keith keeping an eye.
• all met back at Crustaceans for dinner at 6:00, with a table for kids and one for parents, a great result, 20 in all for dinner.
• after dinner a walk down the wharf for ice cream and back to the cars and a final goodbye to the mexican mob
• the goal to get as much sleep as possible before a 3:45 start
• some quick last minute packing was complete and sleep was commenced

Sunday 11 July

Camp: Home

• after a great day and night on Saturday everyone was ready to go in the morning, leaving riyala on time at 4:15 and making it to the airport by 5:00, a quick breakfast and on to the plane.