Fri, 10th June, 2022 Jarnem Campground, Keep River National Park, near NT/WA border, NT (Jarnem walk)

We had reset the clocks last night so up at 6am (WA time) with the sun (7.30 NT time). Bit chiller too, 18 degrees. Will have to get out my bed socks!

On with our boots and off to do the loop walk, 7km on one map, 6.5 on the other!!

Following the guy in the hat again along the sandy track. Lovely green grass in one section which obviously stays wet for a while as there are plenty of cow hoof marks embedded in the track from when they wandered through when it was wet. Another boab with plenty of leaves still.

Reached the junction and headed towards the lookout. Up the valley between the two hills. Found the yellow barked trees we saw at Edith Falls (I think).

Great view back down.

Turned off to get to the lookout. Up and around to the top. Very windy up here. Found out the yellow tree is Gardenia. Great views over the hills that look the same as the Bungle Bungles.

Walked onto the rock with Steve for a selfie but we nearly got blown off the ledge - hence the windswept look.

Looking at the hill we climbed up on the other side of then around the vista.

As we headed back down - looking over the valley area where the Keep River is - somewhere down there.

Back to the intersection and we follow it to Nigli Gap.

Pretty flowers that we find out is Turkey Bush. The yellow and orange flowers I took at Timber Creek valley lookout are Woollybutt. Owenia has little fruit.

Continued on checking out the different rock shapes and more plants.

Heading across to the ‘bee-hive’ hills.

No water in this creek and no birds either.

Reached a shelter area. Great honeycomb effects. Found one painting of the emu and there were two others with white outlines but we couldn’t see any like on the info board.

You don’t normally see the roots of the boab but this one is leaning over which exposed them.

3kms back to the campground now. Crossed a creek that was just flowing. Steve tracked it back to the base of the hill and it runs along the edge of it. There were some little fish and a shedded snake skin hanging from a ledge.

Pandanus seeds that have recently fallen. Steve found a new pair of nuts! Put them back under the boab tree.

It is a lovely walk - love all the rock shapes and colours and the very tall palms.

Through a gate and on the other side is the sacred area again. Another big boab - I love all their different shapes and sizes. Obviously the cattle still roam here and there are droppings on both sides of the fence just here.

Along the side of the hill and back to the first intersection. Now for the long walk back through the softer sand. A Kapok with more leaves than most we have seen.

Back to camp by 9.30am. The ranger has been and removed the ash from our fireplace. Nice and neat and the track was slashed and the signs news so 10 out of 10 for this park and its staff.

Had a cuppa then I started writing up the blog from yesterday. Trying to keep it up-to-date. Steve went off to find someone to chat to.

Had lunch then cooked up the pears and peeled onions to freeze as we will cross the border tomorrow so we can’t take any fruit, vegies or honey across.

Got the blog done. A few more campers have arrived. Listening to some different bird calls around the camp but can’t see the birds.

A couple from Melbourne with a camper trailer pulled into the campsite beside us. After they set up they joined us for drinks. So much cooler today that I had to put long sleeves on to sit by the fire and I wanted to get the warmth of the fire. What a contrast to the heat of late. Spotted a satellite that we thought was the space station but it was the Hubble according to my phone app. Would have been what Steve saw last night too. The ISS was on the other side of the world.

9pm 21 degrees - closed the windows to keep out the cool breeze.