The Great Pouched Critter Safari of 2025

Segment #4: Northern Territory

Darwin to Fogg Dam & Leaning Tree Lagoon Nature Park

August 5

I got a late start from Darwin this day as East Coast Car Rental opens at 10AM!  The one main complaint I have regarding East Coast is their hours of operation – very limited and inconvenient.  Once I finally got my rental, I started the day with a visit to Leaning Tree Lagoon and Fogg Dam, both excellent wetland areas. The birding was good at both locations.  I kept an eye out for Frilled Lizards and Gouldian Finches but I was not holding my breath for either. Fogg Dam had a lot more visitors compared to the way I saw the place thirty years ago. Then there was only a dirt track, no trails or information signs, loads of birds right up to the road. In fact I was the only person there in ‘96. Leaning Tree Lagoon was a bit more like I remember it back in ‘96. I was still the only person visiting. While I was not expecting any mammal sightings in these wetland locations, I did get some great bird action, mostly the normal common fauna one would expect in such a habitat in Australia. See the below gallery:

Jabiru

Little Reds in Jabiru by the thousands!

From there, I drove east toward Jabiru, entering Kakadu National Park.  Jabiru has changed much since my last visit in 96. The town center is more developed and more of the roads are paved but it is still a dustly outback outpost of a town. There is a large resort now as well. In Jabiru I searched for Little Red Flying Foxes for quite some time.  I was blown away with ho many colonies of Black Flying Fox there were in the town – virtually every stand of large trees had a few thousand Black Flying Foxes! It took me a few hours but I finally found a large colony of Little Reds near the football field on the east end of town.  According to iNaturalist, the Little Reds are normally found near the park in the center of town but evidently the colonies are quite mobile.  Finally I had wild images of all four Flying Fox species native to Australia. I drove the town both during the day and night hoping for some mammal action but aside from the Flying Foxes none was to be had. I walked the trail from Jabiru to the Kakadu Visitor Center (about 2 kms) at night hoping for some gliders….nope. In fact, my entire stay in the Northern Territory had much more bird activity than mammals. I did get a couple good scores though (more later).

Australia’s Four Species of Flying Fox

Ubirr Rock Art Site & Bardedjilidji Trails at Kakadu National Park

Many say Thylacine but I am thinking Numbat

From Jabiru I made it up to the Ubirr Rock Art trails where I searched for Short-eared Rock Wallabies.  No luck but it was still very hot. Was hoping for success when it cooled down a bit more.  I enjoyed trekking the massive rocks look at the ancient rock art there.  The state of preservation is extremely impressive.  Ubirr rock art in Kakadu National Park, Australia, features ancient Aboriginal paintings depicting local flora, fauna, and spiritual beliefs. Key elements include "X-ray art" showing animal internal organs, paintings of creation ancestors like the Rainbow Serpent, and stories about traditional law and the environment. The rock art serves as a cultural record, explaining stories, illustrating ancestral beings, and providing insight into Aboriginal life and customs.  Ages of the various paintings range from 40,000 to 6,000 years ago!

The late afternoon and all evening I trekked the Bardedjilidji Walk searching for and finding Short-eared Rock Wallabies and Rock Haunting Ringtail Possums.  I got one skittish Rock Wallaby at dusk that bolted directly in to a cave at the base of a rock mountain – too fast for me to snap a pic.  I eventually had a better view in the early morning of the next day, but sadly my camera decided to focus on a bush rather than the wallaby and he did not give me a second chance!  And the evening trek afforded me awesome views of the Rock Possums, which were actually very high up on the rock face of one of the larger rock formations of the trail.    There were many bats flying about but I was unable to identify any of them.    I also got what I am pretty sure is a Common Wallaroo and another Agile Wallaby along the trail.  Red-tailed Black Cockatoos were seen often along the trail as well. By the time I left, I trekked the 2km trail at least six times trying to score better pics of the fauna there. It never got boring either. The rock formations are absolutely spectacular, and the vegetation is interesting too. And thinking that humans have been walking these trails for at least 40,000 years was surreal.

Kakadu National Park boasts diverse habitats, including savanna woodlands (making up most of the park), monsoon forests, stone country with sandstone escarpments, and coastal areas like mangrove-lined tidal flats and estuaries. It also features significant wetlands with floodplains and freshwater billabongs that undergo dramatic seasonal changes. These varied ecosystems support a vast array of flora and fauna, making Kakadu a region of enormous biological diversity.  For the next few days I was exploring one of the world’s greatest places. This was my second time visiting this reserve and I hope to return again someday.

Anbangbang Rock Shelter and Rock Art

Anbangbang Rock Art & Shelter

After a nice sleep at the trails, I started my journey south toward Yellow Water.  Before arriving there I stopped by Anbangbang Rock Shelter and Rock Art site hoping for more chances for the Rock Wallabies and the famed Black Wallaroo.  I saw neither.  More Red-tailed Black Cockatoos and awesome views were the main experiences there.  Anbangbang Lagoon was also quite nice.  I did some nice relaxed bird watching at the Anbangbang Lagoon nearby where I had a bit of lunch and had to fight off agressive Australian Ravens and a very bold Blue-winged Kookabura!

The rock art in this area is perhaps the most spectacular and famous of all the rock art locations in Australia.  Anbangbang Gallery's rock art spans an enormous timeframe, with Aboriginal rock paintings produced as recently as 1963/64 and as early as 4,000–6,000 years ago, with occasional earlier use of the site. Located in Kakadu National Park at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie), the shelter contains a wide variety of art styles and subjects, including depictions of creation beings like the Lightning Man (Namarrgon), spirits, and European sailing ships. This is the area I spent time at in 1996, but I don’t remember any boardwalks or paved trails or signage at all.  If someone were to choose one place to get a good feel of Australian rock art, Anbangbang is the place.

Yellow Water, Kakadu National Park

Yellow Water Billabong

I made it to Yellow Water campgrounds where I spent the night with plans on going on the Yellow Water sunrise cruise the following morning.  The two hour cruise is absolutely awesome.  Great views of so many birds and salt water crocodiles was simply phenomenal.   The cruise now operates four to six boats with a couple dozen tourists on each.  The ranger-led interpretation was done by a local aboriginal gentlemen who should absolute seek employment as a stand-up comedian.  He was great.  “Pretty much everything you see here will kill you”….

Yellow Water Billabong is a wetland habitat within Australia's Kakadu National Park and is known for its rich biodiversity, particularly its birdlife and crocodiles. This landlocked billabong features a water surface dotted with waterlilies, surrounded by paperbark forests, pandanus, and freshwater mangroves. It supports diverse wildlife, including crocodiles, wild horses, buffalo, and numerous native bird species like magpie geese, jacana, and jabiru.  And I think we saw virtually all of what the billabong has to offer in that short two-hour boat ride. This was my second time there and I would do it again if I had the chance.

This morning the only mammals seen were the feral ones – feral hogs, feral horses, feral water buffalo…  The bird fauna was outstanding too.  See the pictures below for a glimpse of what can be seen during a short cruise on these extremely biodiverse billabongs.   On the way out we did get some sightings of Agile Wallabies grazing in the morning mist.

Pine Creek & Umbrawarra Gorge

Termite Towers on the road from Pine Creek to Umbrawarra Gorge Nature Park

Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas) Pine Creek Mines

My next destination was Pine Creek, an outback town that is famous for birds mainly.  For me it was a spot for me to try for the rarely seen Ghost Bat, a close relative our our local Greater and Lesser False Vampire Bats here in Thailand.  The Ghost Bats are found in an old mine dug in to the side of a small hill on the outskirts of town.  The entrance to the cave is actually very easy to find but it is completely signed off with all sorts of scary warnings (see the pic below).  I was very disappointed as I had literally come this way so far south to get this species if for no other reason.  I did see many endangered Hooded Parrots though if that is any consolation.  The Pine Creek Water Park is a good spot for birds in general.

While I was there I decided to make the best of my being in this area so I decided to go further south to the Edith Falls area in search of Eastern Short-eared Rock Wallabies as well as some very remote chances of seeing the Gouldian Finches, the one bird species I would actually target. In fact I did target it as is obvious in my expedition planning notes which gives specific locations for four attempts for the bird.  These locations however were all filled with plenty of water.  The one thing I knew about the Gouldians is that they prefer small puddles of water over running water that fills the river and stream beds.  Although I visited each site noted, I did not stay long as I knew it was a waste of time.

I did have three or for recommendations to get to Edith Falls however as people were convinced that they’d seen Rock Wallabies all over the place there.  I was excited to hear that but at the same time I was very leary as I was convinced that these folks, as well-meaning as they were, had no idea the difference between a Rock Wallaby and an Agile Wallaby.  Once I got on the Edith Falls road and the falls themselves, I saw Agile Wallabies all over the place – not one Rock Wallaby.  Oh well, it was still an awesome drive and location.  I did a bit of trekking and nature photography while there.  On the way back I ventured about 60km round trip to see Umbrawarra Gorge for another attempt for Rock Wallabies.  The gorge surely has a population of wallabies but they were just not showing.  The gorge is stunning though – a gorgeous stream cutting through the canyon with a spectacular riparian floral habitat – filled with birds and surely mammals too.  The entire place is spectacular and is far enough off the beaten path that I doubt it is rarely too full with humanity. 

Now I had to head back north and pass through Pine Creek once again.  While I was there I stopped at a local pub for an espresso mocha, and decided to ask the owner about the Ghost Bat mine.  He laughed a bit and said that the signs were a bit over done to scare people away to protect the endangered species of bat inside.  And that local reptile enthusiasts routinely entered past the sign barricade to collect cockroaches for their reptiles.  While that was by no means heard to be permission to enter, I decided to give it a go.  Same goes with this post - I am NOT suggesting to walk around the signs. Just reporting that there are Ghost Bats in that mine shaft and somehow I managed to see them.

Edith Falls & Ferguson River

Edith Falls, in Australia's Nitmiluk National Park, features three distinct habitats: a sandstone escarpment, a riverine corridor with its permanent water sources, and open eucalypt woodland. These habitats support rich flora and fauna, including birds like the Gouldian Finch and Black Wallaroo, and are crucial for a variety of species, especially during the dry season when water sources become scarce.  

Litchfield National Park

August 8

Wangi Falls in Litchfield National Park

 

Black Flying-fox (Pteropus alecto) Wangi Falls, Litchfield NP Northern Territory

Litchfield National Park, in Australia's Northern Territory, is a conservation reserve with diverse habitats, including monsoon rainforests, woodlands, and sandstone escarpments. The park is known for its permanent spring-fed waterfalls and unique geological formations, which create a range of environments for native plants and animals. 

Habitats and geography include Sandstone plateau: The park is dominated by a central sandstone plateau, known as the Tabletop Range, which absorbs water during the wet season. This water is gradually released through springs, feeding the park's year-round creeks, waterfalls, and pools. Monsoon forests: Found in the gorges and near the park's waterfalls, these dense, vibrant forests thrive on the constant water supply from the springs. Woodlands: Covering much of the plateau, the woodlands consist mainly of eucalypts, like the Darwin woollybutt and stringybark, growing over a grassy understory. Magnetic termite mounds are a unique feature of the park. These massive, wedge-shaped mounds can stand up to two meters high. They are built by termites and are aligned north-south to minimize sun exposure and regulate internal temperature.

Litchfield National Park was a spot I missed back in 1996 when I came creating my ecotour company, La Selva Expeditions.  I was not really planning on any major mammal watching while I in the park as I was going to be there only for an afternoon.  I visited the following waterfalls: Florence Falls, Wangi Falls that did have an active Black Flying Fox colony and Tolmer Falls.  These places were all extremely beautiful.  I especially like the Termite Towers pullout which has hundreds of massive termite towers covering hundreds of acres of open grassland. The Black Flying Fox roost at Wangi Falls was a bonus.

Darwin River

Definitely an honorary mammal - my Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) seen in a tiny puddle at Darwin River

My final destination before reaching Darwin city was a location that Brett Hartl sent me where he’d seen some Gouldian Finches in an area in Darwin River, a rural location south of Darwin city.  Now he said that the location was basically a puddle of water that contained about 2 liters or drinking water that he’d replenished a few days before I was going to get there.  I thought it was a long shot for sure but since it was literally right on my way back to Darwin and I was going to arrive at the golden hour of the day, I thought what the hell – give it a shot! 

I am so glad I did give it a shot.  Within about ten minutes I not only found the two liter puddle of water in the middle of the outback, I had numerous Gouldian Finches drinking less than two meters from me!  And at least 10 other awesome bird species – mostly mannikins but also Rosellas and quails too!  This spot made the overall lack of mammal sightings in the Northern Territory all the more palatable.  See the pics below for a sample of what came in to that tiny puddle of water in the middle of nowhere!

The Gouldian Finch is a small, colourful Australian native bird with a natural history defined by a dramatic population decline due to habitat loss from altered fire regimes and cattle grazing, along with the historical impact of trapping for the pet trade. Now critically endangered, with fewer than 2,500 individuals remaining, they are restricted to isolated areas in the northern savannas of Australia. Their diet primarily consists of grass seeds, supplemented with insects during the wet season when they breed in the hollows of smooth-barked eucalyptus trees. 

What started as a diversion for which I had very low expectations ended up being the best birding session of the entire expedition. Nearly 20 species of Australian endemics over a two hour period was outstanding. I am not sure how replicatable this experience could be. The puddle literally came out of two one-liter bottles of tap water simply poured in the dirt in an area that appeared to be a potentially busy trucking station in the middle of the Darwin River nowhere. As my session at the puddle ended, there was a parade of ATV’s coming through - not sure if this is a daily event or not. But considering this location is so close to Darwin may be encouraging. Are the Gouldians working their way back north where they were commonly seen years ago but not at all recently?

Darwin

I was overwhelmed with how much Darwin changed over the past 30 years. It seemed to go on forever and now it actually had somewhat of a skyline! I did spend a night in East Point Reserve with hopes of seeing Northern Common Brushtail Possums but aside from a bunch of Agile Wallabies, nothing else was seen. Next stop, Perth and Western Australia!