Treetop Walk (TTW)

Had the car yesterday so thought I'd go for the Treetop Walk. Had been wanting to do that for some time. I tried once some months back, but it started to drizzle hardly 15 min into the walk. So idea abandoned. Looked like a nice sunny day today. So, "kay kiang" (trying to be too clever) and decided to dig out my old army boots to give them some exposure. Halfway into the walk and it gave me blisters with another 4km to go. Lesson learnt - never use new shoes (or old shoes not worn a long time) on a long trek!!

For first timers, you can find more info on nparks website. (See here) I parked at Venus Drive and made my way from there. There are clear direction signs all the way so you're never lost. My walk was about 9.5km in total distance according to the app on my phone. Started at 10,10am and ended about 1.30pm. It's not a casual stroll and the terrain is slightly undulating, so be prepared to pant it out if you're out of shape. Wear a comfortable pair of walking shoes and make sure they're not too worn-out (see pix below for reason). I'd recommend long pants if you're concerned about insect bites though I did not encounter any (I was in shirt and pants too). Bring along an umbrella, you'll never know when you need it. And lots of water, but you can fill it up at the ranger station and also answer nature's call there when she comes a-calling! Enough of writing ...

View from Venus Drive Carpark

A little stream to add to the "romantic" setting

This part gets a bit muddy when it rains

You'll come across this little bridge after about 15min

Caution : Evidence of wild boar foraging in the forest

Evidence of an ancient civilisation? ... actually just remains of
a previous kampong that the forest has grown over

Saw a family of long-tailed macaques

You do the same for me later, right, buddy? Buddy?

Hard at work early in the morning

I simply love squirrels ... they're adorable

2 here ... there's a family of 5 running around there 

Nice flower

As mentioned, clear signs along the way

Idiots, idiots and idiots ... why litter in a nature reserve?

Some parts of the path run parallel to Island Country Club Road

Ranger Station

A modern toilet in the middle of nowhere ... hats off!

Drink your fill

It's a one-way round trip. Turn right to start and you end up
here again

Dangerous?

It's a sloping climb to reach the start point of the TTW

Then you go down

Another lovely squirrel ... this one found a piece of bread

The bridge at the TTW

Looking down

Nice view

You need to pay for the view - it's a long walk uphill after
the TTW and you walk a longer distance getting back to
the ranger station than getting to the TTW - be forewarned!

People who visit the TTW like to leave their "souls" behind
(soles!! get it?)

Saw so many - that's why you need a good and relatively
new but seasoned pair of shoes

Saying good-bye to me

And then I saw this on my way out...

Beautiful ... camera, camera, snap, snap ....

Went home to google ... it's a Blue Malayan Coral Snake!

Highly venomous!! One bite can kill a man!! Faint!!!

Darwin (Territory Wildlife Park)

Having read the reviews at Tripadvisor, we decided to give TWP a visit. We wanted to catch the first show at 9am but couldn't wake up on time. This is the low season and we were like the first visitors at the park on that day (about 9am then). It was only later in the morning that we saw more visitors. The advantage in visiting such places during the low season is that you have almost the whole park to yourself literally. There is no need to fight with the crowds, to jostle for a good view ... it was a very good feeling indeed. According to one ranger, this is the wet season so the park's coming alive with lots of green, unlike the dry season when there's more brown than green.

The entrance fee is A$26/adult. I was flipping though some tourist magazine and found a 10% discount voucher. Happy! The ticketing counter is co-located with the giftshop and a small cafe. 400 hectares is huge indeed and you're in for a day of exercise if you choose to walk. Fortunately for us, there's a free tram service ... thank goodness. We missed the 9am Tuckertime@Billabong and started with the Nocturnal House - it was dark inside as they tried to simulate night-time in there. It was interesting and I wished we had more time to examine the exhibits but it was time to move on to the Oolloo Sandbar for the feeding of the barramundis and whiprays at 10.10am. This was the most interesting station for me as I got to feed the whiprays. As I said earlier, visiting during the low season has its advantages.There will probably be too many volunteers for the feeding during the high tourist season but for us, it was a breeze. The ranger even had to coax for volunteers. It was terrifying for some to see a huge whipray "flying" through the water towards them (Think "Jaws" and you get the picture less the music!!). Someone fell into the water out of excitement and fear!! Actually it's the bait that the rays are aiming for. Me ... I had fun - the rays sort of sucked the fish from your hand. You need to put your hand and the bait under it as the mouth is located below. The whiprays felt rough on the top but silky smooth at the bottom. We also had a go at trying to get the archer fishes to shoot the worms off our hands. Again, everyone could have a go at it as there were only 10 odd visitors there.

Next up was showtime at the Flight Deck - Top End Birds of Prey (11am) - where we got to see various birds of prey up close. Very entertaining and informative show. I must say that the rangers at TWP are very professional and knowledgeable. There was some time to kill before the next presentation at the Walk-through Aviary. So we visited the Aquarium and the Wetlands Walk. We also walked through the Monsoon Forest Walk where we saw lots of flying foxes roosting in the trees. The presentation at the Aviary was mild compared with the other 2 shows but I loved the free-flying birds and had one helluva time snapping away. Have a look at the birds here. The sky became downcast and it looked like the normal afternoon showers will start soon. We decided to call it a day and made our way back, thus missing a few attractions. It poured just as we drove out of the carpark.

Berry Springs is right next to TWP but it was closed for swimming and it was raining too. We just took an obligatory scan of the park - nothing to see from the car park - and that was it. A pity.

It would be good to set aside a whole day for TWP if one intends to explore all that they have to show.

The entrance to TWP

Entry is A$26 per adult

A very friendly and curious wallaby examining my cam

Entrance to the Nocturnal House

A resident at the Nocturnal House

Another creepy-crawlie resident

The tram that goes around the park

Directional signs

Two strange creatures outside the Nocturnal House

Interesting view (Tunnel at the Aquarium)

A sawfish

Most exciting station for me - the Oolloo Sandbar

Ranger feeding the whiprays ... they're huge

Then we had a chance at feeding the whipray

Ready ... steady ... don't lose your nerves

goodbye, dear right hand!!

Trying hard to get the archer fish's attention

Itchy wallaby

...so many flying foxes up on the trees

Berry Springs - an obligatory visit