Mount Borradaile 2

Thursday was a spectacular day. We joined five others from the group who were prepared to do one of the more difficult walks in the morning, allowing us to see another 5-6 spectacular art filled caves at the higher levels of the sandstone outcrops surrounding Mount Borradaile. 

The climbing involved was quite easy for us but the agility required to navigate slippery rocks and big crevices was a little challenging at times. The guides were excellent - ensuring their rather elderly tour group stayed safe and experienced a wonderful, awe inspiring cultural experience for their efforts.

This ancient beautifully incised message stick coated in a bush preservative was found in this cave.

This was the weavers' cave ..........

A close up of the women in the weavers' sitting position. The bottom figure has rarrk work (hatching) on the body.

More finely detailed delicate work - up close. We were literally crawling along a ledge less than a metre away from these paintings.

It is thought that the painted spots on the breasts of these women indicate they were lactating!

The only way to see some of these works ......

A beautifully detailed macropod .......

This one is "celery man"........

Our new friend Jenny, not looking too worried about the big rock jump she is about to make .....

We reached the top of this rock outcrop eventually and had 360o views of this massive property.

Our last stop was a large burial cave - still with many human bones in situ. With great respect we carefully navigated the cleared areas in the cave to take some time to appreciate the huge array of paintings on the cave's roof - quite an awesome experience.....

We were able to finish off our challenging and rewarding walk with a swim in a local freshwater (guaranteed no crocs) waterhole. I could have stayed in this perfect pool of crystal clear, lotus fringed water all day! 

This is our one picture of our driver, guide, general all round great bloke who is also a great storyteller and a very funny man. His name is David. He's out of uniform in this pic but the excuse is he was joining us for a swim!

Later in the afternoon a sunset cruise on the extensive wetlands of Cooper Creek was planned. Cooper Creek eventually forms part of the East Alligator River system but around here it forms a huge area of water in the wet season and now in the dry is home to multitudes of birds: egrets, herons, Jesus birds, jabirus, mango geese, sea eagles, bee eaters, finches, whistling kites and ducks and yes, plenty more crocodiles......

Our guides made the cruise a very special experience with an open bar, delicious nibbles, a very informed commentary on everything we were seeing and then the most amazing (another one) sunset and magical view of Mount Borradaile (known as Awunbarna to the Amurdak people) in the last rays of the setting sun.

Mount Borradaile 1

We started early on Wednesday morning from Barramundi Lodge - driving for almost 6 hours on more bumpy, dirt tracks with only 2 short breaks - before arriving at Davidson's Safari Lodge in Central Arnhem Land in time for another beautifully prepared sit down lunch - a welcome relief after the long, bone-rattling ride.

More cabin accommodation here, so well suited to these remote conditions .........

The lodge is in Central Arnhem Land "Stone (sandstone) Country" and in an area that contains some of the most spectacular Aboriginal rock art in the country. Mount Borradaile, known to the Amurdak traditional owners as Awunbarna, is a key feature on the 7,500 sq klm property about 20 klm north of Kakadu NP. 

Charlie Manguida, the last remaining Amurdak custodian, is 92 years old. After Charlie there will be no remaining Amurdak custodians on this land, a very sobering thought.

In the 1980s with the blessing of Charlie, Max and Phillipa Davidson set up the safari camp and airstrip, restricting access to the unique Mt Borradaile rock art "galleries" to carefully controlled pre-booked groups. The emphasis is on conservation of the culture and natural environment. We feel very privileged to be here to have this experience.

On our first afternoon our guides led us (safari style) to the first series of rock art and habitation caves nearest to the lodge - culminating in the amazing Rainbow Serpent "gallery".

Another variety of pandanus growing in this stone country.......

We saw work spanning 50,000 years! - paintings from different eras, paintings over-painted, now extinct animals, different styles over the millenia, paintings on every surface ......

This was our first glimpse of the amazing Rainbow Serpent gallery............

..... walking around to get a better view .......

"Aburga" is over 6metres long and over a metre wide at those toothy jaws ..... quite a sight to behold on the roof of this elevated cave.

The female form with enlarged genitals, in various styles, is a recurring image throughout the cave galleries here.......

These caves would have made ideal shelters ....

There were many hand prints throughout the caves .......

This chain of handprints all had a chopped off index finger ......

The female three fingered spirit figures were also a recurring theme.

A very sheltered habitation cave, with charcoal, paintings and grinding stones and other artefacts still in place. ......

The sandstone cave area beautifully lit at sunset .......

The fruit from the pandanus gets part eaten by the local wallaby population and so its seed gets spread  all over the country ........

Another beautiful ArnhemLand sunset on the track driving back to the lodge .......