Di and Fireman Ron struck gold aboard the iconic Yellow Water Dawn Cruise 

When you go to Kakadu National Park one of the things you’re probably going to want to do is to see crocodiles in the wild. Everyone wants to see a crocodile up close and personal, and without being in any danger of becoming breakfast. While we were staying at Cooinda Campground, near Yellow Water Billabong, we booked in to take the dawn cruise. Apart from the crocs, we were also very keen to see the birdlife, the lush Kakadu wetlands and the mighty South Alligator River.

Nesting Birds

The cruise set off with two boats, each with a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. We had Tilly who was very passionate about both the area and her job. We were on the water just as the sun was coming up and the bird activity was starting to become hectic. Tilly took us to a few places where she knew there would be, or had previously seen some interesting birds. She really hit the jackpot straight away as we crept in to observe a Whistling Kite’s nest, a Darter bird and then a phenomenal array of Whistling Ducks, White Cranes, Spoon Bills and a big Jabiru.

Crafty Prey

While we were moving our attention from one bird sighting to another, we kept coming across Saltwater Crocodiles. They were very numerous and not too worried about the boat floating quite close. The boat came to a gentle stop and we watched the crocs seemingly studying the menu of ducks and other water birds that were frolicking at the water’s edge, while also keeping an eye on us for any potential danger. Tilly seemed to have amazing timing and as she was describing how the fish jump over the crocs’ tails to escape their jaws, a Barramundi jumped over the tail of the croc right in front of us.

Birds in Flight

We could tell that we had picked a good day when Tilly became very excited about seeing the big Jabiru out on the wetland just beyond the other water birds. She was explaining how the local Rangers thought that a pair of Jabirus may be making a nest in the paperbark trees nearby when the Jabiru took off and flew across the river just in front of us. The size of this bird and its wingspan was incredible.

Soon after, a White Breasted Sea Eagle flew over us as well and took up station in the top of a tree to spot his breakfast.

Di Spots a Kingfisher

While we were switching our attention between these amazing sightings, and the crocodiles, Di spied a bird up ahead that was quite small and brightly coloured. She alerted Tilly who was very excited when it turned out to be the Azure Kingfisher, which as the name suggests is a very bright blue colour. This bird is a much smaller cousin to the kingfisher most of us are used to, the Kookaburra. This little kingfisher allowed us to get quite close and study him for a while before scooting off, but we did see him, or another one a bit later.

In the distance across the wetland we spied Agile Wallabies and also some Water Buffalo. The damage the Buffalo does to this area is very obvious once you see where they trample and dig up the banks of the river.

South Alligator River

As we quietly motored along the river we were also told about the wonderful flora of the wetlands and we were lucky enough to see many examples of native plants and water lilies.

The South Alligator River is quite a unique river system in that it is totally enclosed within a National Park. This means that the 280 bird species and the 350 fish species are fully protected. I think that this really hit home for me when Tilly advised that there were no introduced fish species in the river at all. That’s pretty amazing.

Comb Crested Jacana

One of the highlights for us, and especially for Tilly judging by her reaction, was the spotting of a Comb Crested Jacana, a rare water bird. When Tilly spied this bird she was very excited, and then things escalated when she saw a mature male watching over four chicks as they padded across the water lilies. She estimated that the chicks were about four days old and they were being watched by Dad as they had a feed. They looked so small and fragile, especially with their large spindly legs and toes, that they could have been mistaken for cotton wool balls on bamboo skewers.

Well Worth It

The fact that our guide was so excited was infectious and we were all on a high when we eventually went back to the dock after an incredible two hours on the water. If you ever get to Kakadu National Park, the Yellow Water Dawn Cruise should be on your bucket list. Book it in advance online to avoid disappointment and enjoy the great campsite at Cooinda–Happy trails, Fireman Ron & Di.

Check out – Yellow Water Cruises