more at Daly River

1 September 2018

Our days at Daly River Wildlife and Adventure Lodge slowed down a little once the host kids went back to Darwin for school, but there was still plenty to do.

We explored areas further away from the Lodge. Nauiyu (Daly River) community was interesting to visit and they had a good grocery store for supplies.

Tip #1: Spend some time at the Merrepen Arts Gallery. The Aboriginal artwork is diverse, both large and small. The staff were very friendly and we enjoyed chatting with them.

We walked over the new Daly River bridge and croc spotted along the banks. We saw lots of sea life - stingrays, gummy sharks, small barramundi and other fish - and amazingly, a sawfish, considered an endangered species.

We enjoyed a drink at the Daly River pub which gave us a great outlook over the river including three large salt water crocodiles and the old causeway.

Tip #2: Definitely visit the pub. It's full of character and the views of the river are great.

Local Aboriginal kids were swimming in the rapids through the culverts under the causeway, just three hundred meters away from those very large crocs. I wondered whether there were any crocs closer-by that we couldn't see.

Our last full day in Daly River was another good one. Pete invited us to have a go at working the poddy cows from the large yard into a small holding area. He taught us how to move the cows gently, by getting into - and leaving - their comfort zones. It was difficult, but patience was the key, and Pete was a good teacher. We learnt a lot about cow psychology and training that day.

We drove out to the large billabong on the property, hoping to see some of the big crocs that lived there. It was a beautiful place, filled with bird life, but the thought of what lay beneath the waters kept us well back from the edge.

A trip on our bikes to honeymoon hill to watch the sunset seemed a fitting way to end our stay. It truly was an amazing few days.

Tip #3: This is a great place to take an adventurous family. If you just want to relax, it's probably not for you!