We awake to mist. We awake to mist. We start the day with a drive along a track that takes you past Australia’s first RAMSAR site. We drive only partially along this track before stopping to walk the track. The wetland is expansive, egrets, herons and ducks are readily seen. While the water is clear it’s no place to swim because of crocodiles. The habitat surrounding the wetland ranges from savannah, grassland, monsoon and melaleuca forests. We note tracks left by Banteng cattle. We also notice pig tracks and diggings.  With only a few rangers to manage this park, ferals both plants and animals are becoming a major problem. Pigs are currently digging up turtle nests. It is unfortunate for the rich country we are to have to rely on, in some instances, funding from the international organisation RAMSAR to fund feral culling programs. Clearly feral control is inadequate as we have noted buffalo for the first time in Kakadu National Park. Our Northern wetlands are destined to be plagued by destructive pigs and buffalo if the focus on ferals is not improved.

Despite the problems the wetlands are beautiful and coastal landscapes stunning. We saw no one on any of the beaches we visited today. 

We noted many birds today the special ones include Rose-crowned fruit dove and Emerald Dove. The black Eastern Reef Egret was forever present along rocky headlands. We found the Black Bec-de-mer. This is a marine invertebrate that attracted the Maccassans and they traded for it with the indigenous people. It was then dried and sold to the Chinese. Seems indigenous folk have been trading with our Northern neighbours long before Europeans considered it. 

Track (17/06/2015 8:23:05am) Garig Gunak Barlu coastal circuit – https://cloud.hemaexplorer.com.au/public/M4XbeD7eR9EWmw5XTuustdc6