So we are a day ahead of schedule thus the sunset cruise on Corroboree Bilabong we have booked for tomorrow night would, ideally, be more convenient if it could be tonight. So as we leave Litchfield and start the trek towards Kakadu that is our plan, to see if we can rescehdule. Thus we head for Corroboree Roadhouse on the Arnhem Highway (the road to Kakadu) where we are supposed to meet the shuttle to the cruise tomorrow night in the hope we can reschedule.
But of course Nina has some sightseeing planned before Corroboree, specifically Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve. This is a vast wetland area that, in the 1950s, was the site of a failed effort by Australian and US governments to grow rice.
At Corroboree Roadhouse we have no luck in rescheduling our sunset cruise, no cruise agent on site and unanswered phone calls so we decide to find our own way to Corroborree Bilabong in the hope of finding a cruise representative. This turns out to be a successful strategy, though it took a bit of waiting around for an earlier cruise to finish, and captain Webbie gets us rescheduled.
The cruise was great. A number of crocs, both fresh water (longer snouts) and salt water, a lot of raptor birds (eagles and kites), some beautiful Cormarants, and many of the little Jacanas where father is caring for his brood of little ones. The sunset turned out to be very colorful topping off a great cruise.
The captain pointed out the highwater mark for the billabong reached during the wet season. It was 3-5 meters above the current water level.
After the cruise we drove back to Corroboree Roadhouse in the dark, which was very unusual for us as we try to avoid driving at night. Even though the drive was short 20km (12 miles) we had a number of close shaves with Wallabies darting across the road infront of our vehicle.
At the roadhouse camping ground we ate a quick meal of previuosly prepared food and got into our tent as fast as possible to get away from the mosquitoes.