Northern Territory

Aussie animals continue to captivate us. The clever Black Buzzard breaks emu eggs by picking up stones with his beak and hurling them at the egg until it cracks.

We don’t know what the Horny Devil does for a living. By his appearance, anything he wants.

Aboriginal people lived nomadically in Australia for 40,000–60,000 years. About 220 years ago when England began sending convicts to this land, their lifestyle took a distinct downward turn. We are trying to puzzle out what this means today. The two cultures couldn’t be more different spiritually and materially. Most of the blacks we see in the towns seem to have lost themselves, and alcohol is a major problem. However, in national parks and cultural centres we learn about their proud culture, traditions, and sacred places. What gives? In Alice Springs we meet Eric Brown and his deaf/mute Aboriginal wife Napaljari who is a painter. Eric has a wealth of information. He lived among them out in the bush for thirty years.

We learn that the traditional ways are surviving just fine deep within their own land where possessions have no value. Closer to “civilization” are Aboriginal towns run by their Councils of Elders where people live in houses, go to schools, etc., but alcohol is prohibited. They’re sort of halfway into the white people’s world, though holding many of their own traditions and rules intact. Sadly, the most visible Aboriginals are the ones living in the midst of whites. Since few whites can fathom such a completely different way of being, there is considerable suspicion and resentment. And, on the part of the Aboriginals, there’s a lot of sitting around and drunkenness.

Back to nature. We can’t have a blog installment without a cliff photo. Here is Trephina Gorge, east of Alice Springs.


Heading north, we suffer our second punctured tire at the Tropic of Capricorn. Back we go to Alice Springs to repair it, then north to Devil’s Marbles. The many huge balanced boulders were formed underground when molten magma solidified, fractured, and weathered when the surrounding land eroded away. Water seeping into a crack weakens a rock until its own weight causes it to split apart.




Busy termites construct many tall mounds as far as the eye can see.



We are now in the tropics, roughly equivalent to northern Mexico. We have timed our arrival for the winter, but still it’s hot and humid. Swimming is a welcome diversion, though caution is advised. Stay away from salty (crocodile) territory! Katherine Thermal Springs (about 90 degrees F) and Edith Falls are lovely.

We leave you with this little-known bit of trivia: what does Qantas (Airline) stand for? “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service.” It was founded by a couple of WWI pilots.