Sunday, 3 May 2026
This morning we drove towards Jabiru again to explore the Mirray Lookout, which is right on the border between the Jabiru Burrungkay Region and the Yellow Water Region, 23 kilometres from Cooinda. We arrived in the car park at 10.00am and … we were the only ones there. Bernie rigged up the solar panel on the roof of the truck (balanced atop the swag) to put some energy into our second battery while we were hiking.
The Mirray Lookout Walk was described as a moderately difficult two kilometre return walk. Although it was only 10.00am, it was already HOT! The walk information board assured us that we would be rewarded with a view of the north of the park from the top of Mount Cahill. It told us that the lookout shelter was surrounded by trees but still gives hikers an appreciation for the grandeur that is Kakadu. We were warned that the lookout is not a 360 degree view but provides avenues of cleared views.
Wearing our sturdy footwear, long sleeved shirts and hats and packing plenty of water and our cameras we headed off … up hill, all the way. The path was more clearly marked and cleared than other paths we have walked while we have been here. So, although it was steepish we felt confident that we were on the right path the whole way to the shelter. Sweating buckets we actually arrived at the shelter on top of Mount Cahill much more quickly that we anticipated. Our guide told us to allow one and a half hours for the walk but we managed the outward bound section in just 23 minutes. The walk through eucalypts, with an understory of fan-leafed sand palms was strange. To our southern minds eucalypts and palms don’t go together but, here in Kakadu, it’s the norm
At the top, the shelter provided shade and seating and there was a lovely breeze blowing at the top of the mountain. What a welcome relief after our hot climb. That was the good part, the frustrating part was that the ‘avenues with cleared views’ seem to have grown over and we only had very obscured views of the lowlands and the stone country (sandstone escarpment). It was still pretty awesome, but some clearer lines of sight would have been welcome. Fortunately, we had excellent views of the escarpment and woodlands on the walks we completed on Saturday.
We were joined by a couple of blokes who have also driven up from Victoria with another friend and a fourth friend is flying in to join them in Darwin in a couple of days. They left Victoria 10 days ago and travelled via the Oodnadatta Track. They are in Kakadu for the fishing and will be going out with a fishing guide tomorrow to try their luck. In fact, it’s a long weekend in the NT this weekend and there a quite a few fishermen staying at Cooinda trying their luck with the barramundi over the weekend. Bernie spoke with a bloke yesterday who was very pleased to have caught nine barra.
After enjoying the coolness on top of the mountain for rather longer than necessary, we started the downhill part of the hike. It was easier slogging back down the hill for sure but we still had to be careful to watch our footing on loose rocky sections of the trail. Arriving back at the truck, Bernie packed the solar panel away and we pointed the bonnet back towards Cooinda.
Almost opposite Cooinda’s access road, there is a turn out for Jim Jim Billabong. We couldn’t remember for sure whether this was open or closed at the moment. Jim Jim Falls, definitely closed but maybe we could drive into the billabong? We took the turn off and drove down the sealed road until we reached a T-intersection with unsealed road. To the right Jim Jim Billabong, which was CLOSED. To the left Kakadu Billabong Safari Camp, which was open, so we turned left.
The road was rough and had some washouts and puddles but the truck (and Bernie) could handle it. We were very excited to see a flock of red-tailed black cockatoos. AWESOME! Thinking that this road would lead us to the trail head for the Kungardun Walk at the Mardukal campground we kept on driving. However, I was misreading the map and we almost entered one of the private areas that is set aside for the Mungguy people. Oops. As soon as we realised, we turned the truck around and started heading back to the highway. Still, if we hadn’t made the mistake we wouldn’t have seen the cockatoos. Love, love, love the black cockatoos but only seen the yellow-tailed variety in Victoria.
We arrived back at Cooinda and finally, FINALLY made ourselves lunch from our pantry box. Buying dinner at the lodge is costing us plenty without buying breakfast and lunch too. When we checked in we were asked if we wanted to buy breakfast vouchers for $33.00 per person per day. No way! We can’t afford that with diesel at the price that it is, ha, ha.
We haven’t even looked at the prices for the lunch selections at Mimi’s Restaurant and were happy enough to make ourselves a tasty lunch with crisp bread, chili tuna and salmon pouches and cheese that we have with us. Then, after lunch, we really mixed things up by spending time in the pool BEFORE Splice o’clock.
About three o’clock we showered off this morning’s sweat, to freshen up for our twilight Yellow Water boat cruise. If you have cruised before, you qualify for a discount on your subsequent cruises, so we thought we might as well experience the cruise again in the late afternoon light. Besides we were optimistic about seeing more/different birds?? And, of course, it was totally crazy freshening up, because we then sprayed ourselves all over with Bushman Insect Repellant in preparation for the mozzies that would undoubtedly appear along with the dusk.
We wandered over to the shuttle bus stop. Greg was there again as one of the bus/boat drivers this afternoon with two boats going out for the twilight cruise. Bernie asked if he was going to tell different jokes this afternoon? Greg just laughed and asked where we are from. Melbourne, said Bernie to which Greg replied, I’m from Gippsland, Drouin. Bernie told him he is originally from Drouin and I told him I’m from Warragul. It certainly is a small world!
Our cruise was same, same but different. The afternoon light was beautiful and we did see some birds that we did not see during our morning cruise on Saturday. Greg was excited to see a spangled drongo and some black-winged stilts. He said that the stilts especially were unexpected, as they usually don’t arrive until the water levels recede a bit more as they are more of a shore bird. We saw quite a few crocodiles swimming about, rather than hauled out on the bank, which is by far the most common pose to see them in.
Right at the furthest reach of our cruise, before turning around to return to the dock, Greg finally found us a couple of comb-crested jacana or Jesus Birds, because they can walk on water. Really it is their incredibly long toes that allow them to walk on lily pads and other vegetation floating on the water, giving the appearance that they are walking on water. And we were happy to see the white-bellied sea eagles again. We’ve never seen so many, so close before. Unfortunately, there were no kingfishers this afternoon.
Just one more night here in Kakadu before heading to Darwin in the morning.
Steps: 7,804 (5kms)
