DArwin Parks

Submitted: Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 19:20
ThreadID: 20222 Views:7873 Replies:6 FollowUps:11
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Hi All
any feedback please on Free camping in darwin, secondly what parks are available and what are peoples thoughts on these or freecamping please. Some good fishing would be great as well, dont have a boat on trip. thanks Max and Carol
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Reply By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 19:46

Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 19:46
for starters I doubt you will get free camping in darwin. free camping can be had at shady camp (I think there may have been a small fee) with fishing off of the barages - just take plenty of bushmans and beware of lizards. As you head into Kakadu there is a track heading north to places called 4 mile and 6 mile (I can get exact names for you if you want) v relaxed fishing and camping can be had here as you can access the bank easily and I caught saratoga and ghad over 50 bust offs - no time for a swig of your beer in between bites. It was my favoutite relaxed place in Kakadu (it is before the entrance gates but still in the park) Kakadu has free camping areas as well as low cost areas with showers. Fishing can be arranged by charter both around Darwin and at Jabaru but is very expensive and my results were less than immpressive
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Follow Up By: hedevil - Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 20:39

Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 20:39
Hi Davoe
yes we thought we might have been a little ambisious about the free camping i darwin.And it would be appreciated if you have the exact names of 4 mile and 6 mile. dont worry ill have plenty of bushmans as the mossies and anything else that bites appear to be attracted to me but leave carol alone. email adress is magpiemax@hotmail.com.
Shady camps location??? and lizards you means lizards or crocs?? Are these places accessed by coaster??. Any expierience with C/Parks in Darwin?? thanks Max and carol
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 09:31

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 09:31
for 2 mile and 4 mile
http://www.deh.gov.au/parks/kakadu/kakadu-map.html
4 mile was the place I was impressed with and from memory it is all 2wd access. The road to west Alligator head from 4 mile was closed Unfortunaely. Shady camp is back towards darwin a bit and nth of the highway v well known spot wont take much finding just ask anyone
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Reply By: Member - Melissa - Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 20:45

Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 20:45
Hi Max & Carol,

There's quite a lot of camping options in the NT, much of free. To the east of Darwin you can head out to Gunn Point for camping and some great fishing. Same story if you head west where if you poke around Mandorah, Bynoe Harbour and Dundee Beach you will find a heap of good bush campsites. Fishing is pretty good everywhere. Alternatively, if your head south down the Stuart Hwy you'll find good camping along the Adelaide and Fergusson Rivers also. We had a few favourite places when we lived in Darwin:
Surprize Ck falls in the southern section of Litchfield NP. This is 4WD only access through this part of the park with the track going all the way through to the Daly River Rd. Surprise Creek Falls camping area is about halfway along and there is a lovely swimming hole etc. No fishing thought but the drive is great.
Daly River - you can camp at the Daly River Crossing or chose from plenty of secluded river side camps to be found to the north of Oolloo Crossing.
Mary River (near Bark Hut Inn outalong the Arnhem Hwy) where you can camp at Corroboree (lovely!) and Shady Camp. The Mary R is one of the top ends top barra spots.
Pine Creek - this area is an old tin and goldmining region full of history. There are a number of places to camp and plenty to explore including old mine sites, relics, lonely gravesites and abandoned railway lines etc. A good drive is to turnoff the Stuart Hwy near Hayes Creek roadhouse and head towards Ban Ban Springs Stn. Can't recall the name of the road off the top of my head but basically this runs mostly parallel with the hwy and takes you into Pine Creek the back way. We spent a lot of time exploring this region.

So in summary, I doubt you'll get to do more than scratch the surface of all the top end has to offer unless you plan on spending years there. Also recommend you get a copy of the NT Fishing Map (available just about everwhere up that way) which marks most of the popular fishing spots and has a corresponding lacality key listing facilities (eg. ramp, camping, dinking water etc) at each place.

Hope this helps. I have much more detailed info and pics on our website. Just look under travels by state and follow the links to NT then Top End.

:o) Melissa
AnswerID: 97150

Follow Up By: hedevil - Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 21:00

Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 21:00
Hi Melissa
thanks for the info , unfortunatley we dont have a 4by but a coaster bus fairly high clearance, Carol not to keen on the bulldust as heard some horror stories.looking at your web sight at presentsounds like you have had some great expieriences, we are fairly new travellers, never been to NT or further noth than Gerelton in WA...max and carol
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Follow Up By: Hano - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 11:40

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 11:40
Melissa you are making me home sick for the NT!! I have been back a year (in WA) and when I hear people talk about it wow, the urge to drop everything is nearly too strong. I am too scared to look at the website in case I walk out of work, speaking of which I had better get back too some!!
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Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005 at 01:11

Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005 at 01:11
Hedevil,

If your travelling in the dry, you'll still be able to visit many of the places I mentioned with a high clearance 2wd vehicle. Get some local advise on road conditions, make a judgement call and if you proceed just take it easy. Bulldust conditions can vary tremendously from week to week and road to road, but again just check with locals and other travellers to get the latest advice. Corregations are just something you have to live with I'm afraid. Thing is in the Top End you don't have to venture far off the Stuart and Arnhem Hwy's to be on the dirt. Have a great trip...you'll love it!

:o) Melissa
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Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005 at 01:15

Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005 at 01:15
Hano, I know exactly what you mean! I would happily have stayed in Darwin another year or two but hubby couldn't stand the climate (even though he'd previously lived with me in nth Qld for 4 years). Didn't think it would be so long before we got back there...Still don't know when that will be.

:o) Melissa
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Reply By: HILLI - Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 21:07

Monday, Feb 07, 2005 at 21:07
Hi,

I would think twice about camping at shady camp mozzie's & midgi's will drive you nut's (I've camped there and you only camp there once) this time of year there will be to much water to fish. Leichfleid Park has some good camping spot's for a small fee, 4wd track's will be closed(the wet) but it's a better park.
Lee point caravan park is a pretty good park and it's close to buffalo creek for a fish on the incoming tide. plenty of fishing charter's in Darwin, you get what you pay for.

Hilli
AnswerID: 97153

Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 10:43

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 10:43
yea as if. the going rate up there is $200 for 1/2 a day I went on 2 charters and got no fish. At Daly river we travelled for 40 min had 1 cast then he snagged the bait pot which went to the bottom so 1 1/2 hors for 5 min fishing phphhphphphp. Shady camp was definitly full of mozzies making fishing immpossible without bushmans at dusk. I just jump in my van close it up spray the flyspray - and no worries for the rest of the night
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Follow Up By: HILLI - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 13:29

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 13:29
As if what ??? lived & fished in darwin for 11 years!!!
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 14:14

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 14:14
I didnt have good fortune with the charters and I thought they were horribly overpriced hence my as if you get what you pay for comment for just a tinny in the river for 1/2 a day where you can get on a large boat for a full day out of Esperance for around $150 and go right out I am certain the fishing is fantastic and my own boat with a bit of local knowledge would have gone along way. A couple of years ago my freind took a charter out of darwin and his 1/2 day and $200 each got him and his brother 1 mud crab.
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Follow Up By: Hano - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 17:40

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 17:40
I went fishing on the Sth Aligator at the end of last years wet. Caught a heap of Barra (catch and release). We befriended a bloke at the pub there (thanks again Peter) and he took us out in his tinnie to a 'secret' spot. Fantastic fun, and beter with a local because his pride was at stake! We also took the flight over Kakadu, which although expensive was money well spent, to get a realisation for how amazing the top end is.

Hano
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Reply By: ianmc - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 11:02

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 11:02
Thanks for taking trouble to give us that info & site etc.
Bit of a worry is the water dragons which have been known to try & drag tent &
occupants into water. Guess camping too close to water is an issue.
AnswerID: 97215

Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 11:27

Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 at 11:27
I was fishing at 4 mile all day (not to close to the edge) and when it got dark put a float on and jumped into my van ( no way would I camp right next to the waters edge by swag) heard a noise and went out to see a lizard chewing my float. He was about 2m and I assume he had been watching me and come up after dark to take a closer look was not scared but seemed curios. proper campsites were away from the water.
I think you will find crocs travellng significant distances and trying to drag people off is not very likely ............. although it does happen and recently as well
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Reply By: ianmc - Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005 at 13:32

Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005 at 13:32
Davoe, I believe the crocs may eat only once in say 10 days, maybe depends on season, but that fella might have been keeping you on the supermarket shelf for another night.
Remember seeing about 15 all smiling in the sun on the Roper R.banks years ago
so wasnt keen at all to approach the edge to cast a line as they are so quick.
Did a run up the Bloomfield in a 11ft dinghy years ago on my own & felt most vulnerable, only saw their mud slides, & no fish.
Isnt the end of the wet a good time for barra etc?
AnswerID: 97445

Reply By: tonysmc - Thursday, Feb 10, 2005 at 15:06

Thursday, Feb 10, 2005 at 15:06
There is boats for hire at a place right on the highway, locals call the spot 11 mile so is easy to find, (about 11 miles out of town) I have my own boat, but remember buying some trailer parts in the shop and out of interest asking how much to hire their boat. From memory they were very well priced. You could also hire a small party boat with a BBQ on it a corrobbery billabong, very nice.
AnswerID: 97660

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