Douglas Daly: Bush Fun on the River

Extending our travels into the Top End, we found the delightful Douglas Daly bush camp with its own large swimming pool and lovely bush sites beside the river.

We camped in the long grass, lit a campfire in the firepit, then explored the pandanus-lined river's rapids and dark chasms where the owner warned not to swim because of crocs.

Robert gingerly skinnydipped quickly in a sandy pool where small fish, not crocs, saw to skincare.

Gen had some success bug hunting for spiders, large yellow grasshoppers, including a 3mm spider looking like a ladybug, and things that bit us.

Further up the river were The Arches, rocky outcrops plunging into narrows where the river eventually emerged into large rock pools.

At dusk, we sat by the fire and watched as flocks of parrots flew overhead, closely followed by a trio of black cockatoos calling plaintively with strong and sure wingbeats.