Umbrawarra Gorge: A Bush Reward

Three km south of Pine Creek, we turn onto a heavily corrugated dirt road that paints us red again as we drive over dry creeks, then deeper into the Bush.

Half an hour later, we pull up in the shady, neat campsite which we share with 3 other campers. Gen scavenges from firepits and finds smouldering logs to literally borrow a campfire from yesterday's visitors.

She also takes aerial images of the dusty road weaving through bushland to a distant mountain ridge.

In the mid afternoon we hike a km along the Umbrawarra gorge which has deep, cool, tawny pools with sandy banks. The initial section of the hike is easy, but to head a further 5 km up the gorge involves rockhopping of steadily increasing intensity.

We return in the early morning. Trees along the path dangle masses of yellow, fluffy, honey-scented flowers and other colourful plants, like eucalypts and bush tomato provide a magic scene. Little friarbirds and small brown birds flock to dip in the pools and chirrup their cheerful calls.

We rockhop to a large, sandy beach where rocky cliffs tower opposite. The site has an atmosphere revered by the locals, a place to sit and take in the sounds, sights and scents...and be rewarded.















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Umbrawarra Gorge, Northern Territory