Camping in the Kakadu/Darwin/Bungle Bungle area.

[LKC]

We are thinking of going on a 'big' holiday with our kiddo's (aged 6 and 4) up to see some of the northern part of Australia and I wondered if anyone had any advice or could answer a couple of questions I have.

We are considering either Sept/Oct this year or June/July next, whenever coincides with the school holidays, and going for two or three weeks. We are thinking of flying to Darwin and picking up a Britz 4WD with camping stuff (they are kind of kitted out with a kitchen and so on in the back), and spending some time exploring around Kakadu, across towards Kununurra and the Bungle Bungles and maybe part of the Gibb River Road. It has always been a dream of ours to see this area. We were thinking about camping out mostly, with maybe a couple of two night stops in somewhere a bit more luxurious so as to be able to get clean and sleep in a proper bed.

Which would be the best time of the year to visit? We were thinking of late Sept/early Oct which I believe is the end of the dry, or alternatively
June/July.

Can anyone recommend any other places to visit, or maybe an itinerary that we could follow? We are pretty easy going with respect to how much we do, but don't want to waste the opportunity while we are there.

Are we completely mad trying to do something like this with smallish children? We do a fair bit of bushwalking, so they are used to that. On one hand they are still quite small and I am worried about putting them in unnecessary danger, but on the other hand I think it could be the most wonderful experience for them. I suppose I am ever so slightly worried about crocs and snakes (having never come across them in Sydney), and also you do hear of backpackers and so on running in to other sorts of violence/trouble in remote areas. The alternative option would be to hire a campervan which may be 'safer' but may also restrict us in terms of where we can go. Am I just being silly and over-protective?

Any other advice with regards to camping and so on, particularly with children?

[Freckleface]

I haven't been to the places you are talking about so can't offer any suggestions about that area. However we took our kids 'hard core' 4WD camping in very remote areas from the time they were babies. As long as you find out about the various areas you are going into they will be fine.

Actually they will be more than fine - they will have the time of their lives and make many happy memories.

[Maruska]

Sorry can`t offer advice but as for camping with kids - they are much more resilient than adults and oblivious to the discomforts of camping, it`s a big adventure to them. Your plan sounds great

[LKC]

I haven't been to the places you are talking about so can't offer any suggestions about that area. However we took our kids 'hard core' 4WD camping in very remote areas from the time they were babies. As long as you find out about the various areas you are going into they will be fine.

Actually they will be more than fine - they will have the time of their lives and make many happy memories.

I think you are right. Providing we are sensible in the fact that we have an itinerary, good maps, make sure we know where we can get petrol etc, we will probably have the time of our lives!

[Freckleface]

I think you are right. Providing we are sensible in the fact that we have an itinerary, good maps, make sure we know where we can get petrol etc, we will probably have the time of our lives!

I am sure you have already done this - but if not.......get in touch with National Parks and Wildlife in the NT (they probably have a website these days). They will be able to give you a lot of practical info about what to do and how to do it safely.

[Bobj]

We are thinking of going on a 'big' holiday with our kiddo's (aged 6 and 4) up to see some of the northern part of Australia and I wondered if anyone had any advice or could answer a couple of questions I have.

We are considering either Sept/Oct this year or June/July next, whenever coincides with the school holidays, and going for two or three weeks. We are thinking of flying to Darwin and picking up a Britz 4WD with camping stuff (they are kind of kitted out with a kitchen and so on in the back), and spending some time exploring around Kakadu, across towards Kununurra and the Bungle Bungles and maybe part of the Gibb River Road. It has always been a dream of ours to see this area. We were thinking about camping out mostly, with maybe a couple of two night stops in somewhere a bit more luxurious so as to be able to get clean and sleep in a proper bed.

Which would be the best time of the year to visit? We were thinking of late Sept/early Oct which I believe is the end of the dry, or alternatively
June/July.

Can anyone recommend any other places to visit, or maybe an itinerary that we could follow? We are pretty easy going with respect to how much we do, but don't want to waste the opportunity while we are there.

Are we completely mad trying to do something like this with smallish children? We do a fair bit of bushwalking, so they are used to that. On one hand they are still quite small and I am worried about putting them in unnecessary danger, but on the other hand I think it could be the most wonderful experience for them. I suppose I am ever so slightly worried about crocs and snakes (having never come across them in Sydney), and also you do hear of backpackers and so on running in to other sorts of violence/trouble in remote areas. The alternative option would be to hire a campervan which may be 'safer' but may also restrict us in terms of where we can go. Am I just being silly and over-protective?

Any other advice with regards to camping and so on, particularly with children?

DO IT!
I lived in the Kimberlies and every year take a trip back to marvel at the magnificence of it all. September will be fine and temps will be about the low to middle 30s.
A suggested sortie, or two off the bitumen;

First left hand down a bit after the WA border control (NO VEGIES, SPUDS ETC!!!) is the Golden Gate Ck. turn left immediately after the ck, go 6.3 km, turn right and follow the track 9.1 km to a gorgeous gorge.



From there, back to hwy, turn left and go to the Lake Argyle t/off, go along there to the Spillway Ck, go over the bridge, head towards the village. About 1 km after the bridge is a very red rock some 30 metres off the road on the rhs. It has native paintings. Almost opposite, there is a track that leads to the Spillway Ck. Water is to drink. It is also one of our campsites.



After that, go to Kununurra, and have a squiz at Ivanhoe Crossing, 10 km from town. You can catch barra there Just cast a small soft plastic lure into the white water and retrieve.

That's enough for now...Might see you in Sept.

Cheers, Bobj.

[wakeboard1980]

Do it for sure. I did 3 months around Aus back in 2004 in a Hilux 4wd with a canopy on the back, I would honestly do it again tomorrow if I had the chance. I spent over about 45 days of that in the NT and WA. One of my favourite places would have to be Litchfield National Park. swimming under waterfalls in June.....middle of winter....it was great. There are so many places to see and visit up the Top End. I would suggest planning a route of where you want to go from peoples advice and your own research but don't plan it so gou have to be somewhere at a certain time. When I did it I would drive through somewhere and if I didn't have any where specific to visit I would have a quick scout around and if I saw anything I liked I would stay the day, if not, onto the next town.

I would generally stop for 2 nights every 5-6 days to do some washing etc and have a good explore around.

Gibb river road awsome, kakadu, not bad, did a jumping croc cruise on the way in, you can't go wrong up there.

I see Bobj has already posted on the thread, he is the man to speak to, think he explored the area with a horse and cart many moons agoget as much info out of him as possible.

Have fun planning your trip, I am very jealous, I will have to do something similar with my wife and little girl in a few years.

[LKC]

DO IT!
I lived in the Kimberlies and every year take a trip back to marvel at the magnificence of it all. September will be fine and temps will be about the low to middle 30s.
A suggested sortie, or two off the bitumen;

First left hand down a bit after the WA border control (NO VEGIES, SPUDS ETC!!!) is the Golden Gate Ck. turn left immediately after the ck, go 6.3 km, turn right and follow the track 9.1 km to a gorgeous gorge.



From there, back to hwy, turn left and go to the Lake Argyle t/off, go along there to the Spillway Ck, go over the bridge, head towards the village. About 1 km after the bridge is a very red rock some 30 metres off the road on the rhs. It has native paintings. Almost opposite, there is a track that leads to the Spillway Ck. Water is to drink. It is also one of our campsites.



After that, go to Kununurra, and have a squiz at Ivanhoe Crossing, 10 km from town. You can catch barra there Just cast a small soft plastic lure into the white water and retrieve.

That's enough for now...Might see you in Sept.

Cheers, Bobj.

Thanks Bobj, I was hoping you'd be about! It is partly your wonderful stories that have inspired us to go up that way. We wanted to go on a 'big' holiday before Charlotte starts school and we have two of them bogged down with homework and after school things. We looked at flying in to Broome to start with, but the flights were way more expensive and the hire of the 4wd was more too so although I would have loved to see Broome, particularly the dinosaur footprints, we will have to give it a miss this time.

With regards to camping areas, are there specific areas to stop, or can you stop wherever takes your fancy? I presume that most of the land is either owned by cattle farms or is Aboriginal.

[LKC]

Do it for sure. I did 3 months around Aus back in 2004 in a Hilux 4wd with a canopy on the back, I would honestly do it again tomorrow if I had the chance. I spent over about 45 days of that in the NT and WA. One of my favourite places would have to be Litchfield National Park. swimming under waterfalls in June.....middle of winter....it was great. There are so many places to see and visit up the Top End. I would suggest planning a route of where you want to go from peoples advice and your own research but don't plan it so gou have to be somewhere at a certain time. When I did it I would drive through somewhere and if I didn't have any where specific to visit I would have a quick scout around and if I saw anything I liked I would stay the day, if not, onto the next town.

I would generally stop for 2 nights every 5-6 days to do some washing etc and have a good explore around.

Gibb river road awsome, kakadu, not bad, did a jumping croc cruise on the way in, you can't go wrong up there.

I see Bobj has already posted on the thread, he is the man to speak to, think he explored the area with a horse and cart many moons agoget as much info out of him as possible.

Have fun planning your trip, I am very jealous, I will have to do something similar with my wife and little girl in a few years.

We were thinking of doing something similar, camping for a few days and then stop somewhere to do washing and let the girls go crazy with the tv! Around that time, depending on exactly when we go, is our wedding anniversary and Matts birthday, can't think of anything more amazing than celebrating those in that setting.

I am toying with the idea of making it three to four weeks rather than two. Although it means Sophie will be off school a bit, she will learn loads by going. The school won't mind, there is one boy who was in her class last year who has gone travelling with a circus for a year!

[LKC]

Bobj, which is the thread with all of your photos on? Is it the sunrise/sunset one?