The second day adventure were combination of two states activity within the whole day. In the morning, we traveled around 3 hours from Katherine to Judbarra or Gregory National Park where we did a trek. The group followed the 1.7 km loop of Nawilbinbin Walk as our last adventure activity within Northern Territory. Then, later afternoon we crossed the border to Western Australia to reach the first place of adventure which was cruising and swimming in huge man-made lake called Lake Argyle.
I woke up early in the morning so I can still pack again some of my stuff back to my luggage while inside my permanent tent. Then, I checked if I can do something to help for breakfast with the group. Some had boiled the water, some prepared bread spread, some took off the fresh milk for the cereals. Everyone has something to do. After the breakfast, we took care as well the cleaning of the mess we made and returned everything back to the truck.
After everything were finished, everyone returned to our tents to put all our stuff back to the truck. We arranged everything at the compartments at the back of the truck where all the group’s luggage, tables, chairs, gas tanks, fresh goods, groceries, seasonings for cooking and others stuff that we used every time we eat in middle of remote wilderness for the group’s survival. When the group was ready, we left the tent village to continue the second day adventure. My excitement spikes again as I was wondering what kind of adventure we were going to do for the day and what kind of place we were going to discover and experience.
From Katherine, we drove along Victoria Highway towards Gregory or now called as Judbarra National Park. We stopped for few minutes in Victoria River Crossing where we had a chance to see the famous river itself which became so important in the region. Then we returned to our truck and drove straight to our destination. From sealed road of national highway, we drove a bit to unsealed road which called Joe Creek which still good for 2WD vehicle. Then, the group got off from our truck and we had at least 2 hours of trekking following the Nawilbinbin Walking Trail.
Along Joe Creek to Parking Area
Nawilbinbin Walking Trail starts from the parking area, then goes up to its slope until it reaches the base of the cliff and continues to the trail near the escarpment walls where most of the aboriginal arts painted, drawn and printed in the rocks can be found. Then, the walk goes down back to the car park in the valley.
Judbarra (Gregory) National Park is the second largest national park in Northern Territory after Kakadu National Park and according to Wikipedia, the name will be permanently called as Judbarra National Park on 2021. The hike we did along Nawilbinbin Walk was discovering the aboriginal rock arts that can be found along the escarpment walls and rock shelters. The area is considered the largest site in Australia for having large number of composite engrave and painted figures.
Along Nawilbinbin Walking Trail towards Escarpment
Within the walking trail when we reach the elevated slope, it gave the group a birds view of the valley of Judbarra. And when I saw it with my own eyes I felt relief that the trail was an enjoyable one.
With Livistona Palm Trees
When we were so near in the escarpment walls, the Livistona Palm Trees are wide-spread in the area that makes that part of the plateau so fascinating. It is one of the reason that I liked the walking trail because of these trees which partially covers the group half of its trail from direct sunlight.
Along the escarpment walls trail of Nawilbinbin Walk
We reached the Escarpment Walls where we found mostly the aboriginal arts created in the rocks which depicts the richness of the aboriginal cultures in that part of the park. We stopped many times in different point along the Escarpment Walls to see and discover the many arts that was drawn, painted, stenciled and printed in the wall rocks. Scotty our guide emphasized some of the aboriginal drawings and paintings for the group to see, to appreciate and to be able to take photos of it. And the amazing thing of these arts is the thousand of years of its existence, which a wonderful discovery. Judbarra is sacred place for the aboriginal people, therefore this place are still visited by their community as religious site.
Aboriginal Arts in the Escarpment Walls
The Group near Escarpment Walls
After enjoying our time with the arts in the ridge walls, we decended back to the ground where our truck was park to end our adventure in this “One of the Most Prolific Sites in Australia”.
Descending along the Nawilbinbin Walking Trail
Escarpment Walls from the ground
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