Northern Australia Unveiled: Adventure, Wildlife, and Wilderness, Part 1

Exploring the Wide Open Spaces of Australia’s Northern Reaches, Part 1

My entire body tenses up as I walk towards the cool water. I feel bolts of lightning shoot up my spine as I wade knee deep into the crystal clear water and I sense something is very wrong. Lush green ferns draping out over the water provide plenty of shade from the scorching midday sun, and enormous lily pads on the surface of the water complete the somehow familiar scene. Despite never having set foot here in my life, I have an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. My entire being is telling me I need to get out of Dodge, and I need to go now.

Boab trees look majestic in any setting.

Giant Boab trees grow across the northwest of Australia, and while extremely similar, are not actually related to African Baobabs.

This isolated riverbank in Northern Australia is eerily identical to the scene in Crocodile Dundee where Linda Kozlowski attempted to fill her water bottle before having a very up close and personal meeting with a monster saltwater crocodile.

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As I climb into the canoe and push offshore I am assured there’s nothing to worry about. To be perfectly clear, there are plenty of crocs in the water, but they’re just little freshies, and nothing to worry about. They don’t really attack people. Well, except the one at the waterfall we’re going to, but other than that, no worries mate.

“It’s always fun to spot odd Australian wildlife, and I never imagined seeing a kangaroo that lives in a tree.”

Northern Australia provides countless refreshing water holes—provided there are no reptilian locals.

The natural spring on a small creek at Innot Hot Spring is much more enjoyable than the built up resort.

We’re aiming to travel a few thousand miles right across the top of the continent from northern Queensland, across the top of the Northern Territory and into Western Australia, and apparently this kind of indifference to crocodiles is perfectly normal.

Natural Hot Water

After the scorching heat and humidity of Cape York we thoroughly enjoyed the fresh air provided by the elevation of the Tablelands directly inland from Cairns. Nighttime temperatures are genuinely cold, and hiking through the low mountains is a great way to warm up and enjoy the brisk morning air.

Each Boab tree is unique, proudly displaying its own style and personality.

Yokohama’s Geolandar X-AT tires ate up the gravel and washboard roads without complaint or issue.

After a tip from a local, we set out in search of the elusive tree kangaroo, which to my surprise is actually real and not just hoax like drop bears or so many other exaggerated Aussie critters. Exactly as the name implies, they look exactly like a small kangaroo but prefer to live high in the treetops. Native to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and this very tiny region of Northern Queensland, the highly endangered tree kangaroo is extremely difficult to spot.

Soon we were standing around with a few other people craning our necks, and I couldn’t believe it when we actually spotted a small family of three high in the towering trees. Obviously aware of our presence, they watched us carefully and clearly had no intention of coming down for a closer meeting. It’s always fun to spot odd Australian wildlife, and I never imagined seeing a kangaroo that lives in a tree.

Exploring Lawn Hill by canoe is a breathtaking adventure.

Arriving in the Northern Territory for the first time in my life.

Later in the afternoon we rolled into Innot Hot Springs—another honest-to-goodness natural hot spring. Plenty of scorching hot water bubbles to the surface in a small sandy river, which I much prefer to the modern concrete swimming pools nearby. Camping on-site means we could enjoy a soak and stargaze long into the night and again at sunrise. Once again, I was shocked to learn Australia really does have plenty of natural hot water bubbling to the surface—you just have to go looking.

Being close to the water is the only way to beat the intense heat at Lawn Hill.

The elusive and highly endangered tree kangaroo is tough to spot high in the canopy.

Lawn Hill National Park

Surrounded by thousands of miles of red dirt and dust, the paradise of Lawn Hill National Park is a spectacular red rock gorge complete with striking blue water and lush vegetation. The best way to experience the gorge is in a canoe, so after overcoming my fear of winding up in the next Crocodile Dundee, we pushed off from shore for a few hours on the water.

After a short and stunning paddle upstream we arrived at Indarri waterfall, almost the perfect place for a quick swim. The water and view are top notch, but sadly the locals are a little unfriendly. We’ve been warned the freshwater crocodile that lives here is territorial, and recently a few people have been bitten. Given he is only a freshie, it’s not like they lost limbs or anything, though it still feels very strange to swim in water with a crocodile that is known to have bitten people. Truth be told, I think I was in the water for less than a second before I made a hasty exit.

Only after jumping in for a swim did we see the good sized freshwater crocodile in this pool.

The mailboxes in outback Australia are unique to say the least.

After dragging the canoe up and over the falls, we continued farther upstream where the canyon became overgrown, wild, and clearly not often visited. Eventually the canyon narrows down until we found ourselves in a small and fast flowing creek and couldn’t go any farther.

Not surprisingly, Lawn Hill is a popular spot, and when we discovered the campground was full we decided to push on before making camp on the side of a random dusty track. With enormous distances, the auxiliary tank in the Gladiator is essential, and transferring 18 1/2 gallons with the push of a button sure is a nice way to go.

It’s not just the snakes, spiders, and crocodiles you have to watch out for.

Crocodiles are a part of everyday life in the north.

Boabs and Red Dusty Roads

After thousands of miles of rough tracks, fine red dust eventually worked its way inside the canvas cover on the Gladiator bed, and a fine layer coated everything from our clothes and bedding to our plates and bowls. Washing off with a quick shower from the world’s simplest shower bag at sunset is always worthwhile, and many nights I fell deeply asleep the second my head hit the pillow.

“Terra Crew plans to expand this event into multiple days, with more classes, vendors, and concerts every night.”

Surviving millions of years, crocodiles are literally living dinosaurs.

The murky water is the perfect place for a stealthy croc to lie in wait.

I’m not usually one to get caught up naming birds or plants, though I have to say the mighty Baobabs of Africa are etched strongly in my mind. They have an enormous presence and majesty, and some of my favorite wild camps were surrounded by these giants. While a few different types of Baobabs are native across Africa, a small pocket of northwest Australia is home to the Boab tree, which looks virtually identical. With an enormous swollen trunk and stunted branches, the silhouette of these giants is unmistakable. With soft pulpy fresh, they are actually a type of succulent that can live for thousands of years by storing water in their enormous trunk. Boabs of all shapes and sizes are a regular feature of the Kimberly landscape, and I have to constantly remind myself I am not back in Africa.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dan Grec continues his adventures Down Under in the next issue of TREAD. Until then, join him on his expeditions around the world on YouTube and Instagram @TheRoadChoseMe.

Editor’s Note: A version of this article appeared in TREAD Sep/Oct 2024