E

E - pantry, frightening, flower, exciting

Eco pantry
We have visited a number of environmental food sources over the last two weeks

The first was the Fogg Dam wetlands reserve we are staying.
Fogg Dam was established in 1956 as a rice growing experiment. However, it failed. Consequently, it has become a wetland typical of the tropical north and a home to such a large number of wildlife. Wetlands such as these are the pantries of the indigenous people. Magpie geese are a very popular ingredient in their diet and are currently plentiful.

Even though the dam was artificially created for rice, it has become an important eco friendly pantry for the wildlife of the wetlands but not the intended rice bowl for southern Asia.
http://www.foggdamfriends.org/history-of-fogg-dam.html

Egret in the eco pantry

 

 

Midden remains at Anbangbang Billabong

near Nourlangie Cliffs (Menu: catfish and file snake)

 

 



Egit Frightening
An accidental tourist met his fate at Mary River NT on 25 August. The guide we had in Kakadu said locals were devastated that a Darwin person could be so 'foolhardy' .... she used a different phrase! However, on our return from Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) Arnhem Land, we had to wait at the crossing as the water level was too deep to pass. We took lots of photos of the five crocodiles, which were scanning the river banks for wayward tourists. If only they could have rolled over to the other side they could have played 'rock and roll' with the EGIT who was standing in a tinnie, line fishing. He is to the left of the depth marker.

 



Egit in tinnie at East Alligator River

 Our guide was gobsmacked that a fisherman could be so reckless as the news of the deceased tourist was still fresh in the media and vivid in everyone's mind.

Edge exciting
My closest image encounter with one of the five crocodiles who were vying for first roll of the aforementioned egit if the chance presented itself.

The cutting edge of the mud flat!

 

 Exstipulata Flower

A scattering of licence here! The shrub which is currently blooming everywhere between Darwin and Gunbalanya is the Calytrix exstipulata aka An-bandarr aka Turkey Bush 



 

 

 

The Nourlangie National Park sign says that the shrub,

'An-barndarr is easy to spot being a mass of pink when it's flowering but a tad untidy when it's not' !

I think it is beautiful!

 

 

Catch up with the rest of the Scatterdays mob at http://lgfns.blogspot.com.au/