{"id":207527,"date":"2025-10-12T09:32:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T09:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/207527\/"},"modified":"2025-10-12T09:32:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T09:32:12","slug":"my-thrilling-trip-chasing-crocodiles-in-remote-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/207527\/","title":{"rendered":"My thrilling trip chasing crocodiles in remote Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

I thought my car was big until I turned on to Fog Bay Road. I\u2019m two hours south of Darwin in Australia\u2019s Northern Territory and this left turn has taken me into the wilderness of the Top End.<\/p>\n

Suddenly everyone\u2019s driving a monster 4\u00d74. The tyres have knobs on and there are cages in the truckbeds from which huge dogs eyeball me. They tow boats on trailers, carry sand plates, have winches on the front and jerry cans strapped to the roof. I can\u2019t tell if they\u2019re tourists in search of extreme adventure or just Top End residents popping to the shops.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m heading to the Finniss River Lodge. The further I travel, the more primitive it gets. For the saltwater crocodiles living in the tidal creeks, the land is much the same as it was for their ancestors, 200 million years ago: a sun-scorched, flood-drenched land where the red soil has been leached of nutrients for a quarter of a billion years and is mostly good for nothing but eucalyptus, sorghum and kangaroo grass. <\/p>\n

What kind of madmen, desperados and dreamers, I\u2019m wondering, would choose to live in a barren land full of dinosaurs where the two seasons are burning and drowning?<\/p>\n

What you need to knowHow to get there Fly to Darwin and it\u2019s a two-hour drive southWhat does it cost? One night\u2019s all-inclusive from \u00a3700ppWho will love it? The crocodile-curious and foodie adventurersLodge suites with views of the floodplain<\/p>\n

Leo Venturin was one of the dreamers, an immigrant Italian builder who always fancied himself as a rancher. He is now 89, and his 50,000-acre cattle station is home to the Finniss River Lodge, offering all-inclusive luxury in a place where luxury usually counts as a patch of shade and a cold beer.<\/p>\n

\"Finniss<\/p>\n

Finniss River Lodge has six en suite rooms<\/p>\n

The lodge lies on the shore of a seasonal floodplain that drains into the Timor Sea 13 miles west. Clad in corrugated iron, it looks like a cattle shed, but with air-con, a pool and termite-proof hardwood floors. The six en suite rooms are as comfortable as you\u2019ll need but it\u2019s clear that the views over the floodplain are considered the most important feature.<\/p>\n

At the right-hand end are a library, bar and restaurant but, once again, it\u2019s nature that\u2019s the star attraction. That the lodge manager, Chase Johnson, is also the Northern Territory\u2019s leading crocodile guide tells you pretty much all you need to know about this extraordinary spot. That her colleague Brad packs a Colt .45 on his hip suggests it\u2019s unlikely you\u2019ll find a pillow concierge and a signature fragrance at this particular five star.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only use it on feral pigs,\u201d he says of the automatic, explaining how the invasive swine threaten the habitats of 149 native species, spread leptospirosis to cattle and, by getting eaten, have helped drive the explosion in saltwater crocodile numbers from a few thousand in the 1980s to more than 100,000 today.<\/p>\n

I want to see crocs but they want me to see cows, and that\u2019s how I come to be standing in a paddock with a bottle of South Australian sparkling wine and an Esky full of canap\u00e9s surrounded by flies and a few dozen of the station\u2019s 5,000 tropically adapted Brahman cattle. I didn\u2019t realise, but it was a test.<\/p>\n

\"Chris<\/p>\n

Chris Haslam meets a herd of tropically adapted cows<\/p>\n

\u201cWe like to bring guests down to see the cows on their first afternoon,\u201d Chase says, elbowing a three-quarter-ton bull aside. \u201cIt gives us an idea of how they react around wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raising cows in the tropics is agricultural masochism. The risk of bovine pestivirus, buffalo fly, blackleg disease, screwworm fly, tail rot, three-day sickness and a stack of other threats means the herd needs constant surveillance, and even a wire scratch or a fly bite is enough to see a cow rejected by the Asian markets in which they are sold.<\/p>\n

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Are the crocs a danger to the cows? \u201cYeah, we lose a lot,\u201d Brad says. \u201cWhere there\u2019s livestock there\u2019s dead stock.\u201d <\/p>\n

Guests eat as well as the crocs here, with tiger prawn ceviche with pickled jalape\u00f1o, coconut and macadamia cream on that night\u2019s menu, followed by Cape Grim beef rib fillet with romesco and paperbark potatoes. <\/p>\n

\"Finniss<\/p>\n

The six en suite rooms are comfortable and offer fantastic views<\/p>\n

RICHARD LYONS\/FINNISS RIVER LODGE<\/p>\n

Breakfast served between termite mounds<\/p>\n

The next morning, an hour before dawn, we drive into a high-rise megacity with millions of inhabitants \u2014 their homes are like the fairy towers of Cappadoccia, or the temples of Bagan. They\u2019re magnetic termite mounds: 13ft slabs of baked earth orientated north-south to regulate the temperature. Look up the fascinating science of Amitermanis meridionalis before you go, though, so you can fully appreciate the surreal experience of eating a cooked breakfast between the towers as the sun rises above the mist.<\/p>\n

Then we head to the beach. It\u2019s in a village called Dundee, which was obviously the inspiration for Crocodile Dundee. <\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Chase says. \u201cWe named the place after the film.\u201d It\u2019s a pretty spot, with a boat ramp, a campsite, a pub and a long curve of palm-shaded sands with warm turquoise water that absolutely no one will even paddle in. <\/p>\n

\"Dundee<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t paddle at Dundee beach unless you want to risk meeting a crocodile<\/p>\n

ALAMY<\/p>\n

Looking for crocs<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a sure-fire way to check for crocs up here,\u201d Chase says. \u201cYou go up to the water, touch it and if it\u2019s wet there\u2019s a crocodile in it.\u201d Are there sharks too?<\/p>\n

\u201cNah,\u201d Brad says. \u201cCrocs ate all the sharks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last month, he says, a tourist had dashed into the pub to report a 15ft crocodile waiting by the petrol pump. \u201cTell him it\u2019s self-service,\u201d the barman said.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t see any crocs but we will this afternoon, Chase says. As we board the airboat after lunch I take a moment to assess my situation. Brad\u2019s got his .45, Chase has her bush hat and her cattle dog, and there\u2019s an Esky full of beer strapped to the deck. With wallabies in the paddock, black cockatoos overhead and mangroves full of crocodiles ahead, it strikes me that I may never see a better snapshot of life in the Top End.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Exploring on an airboat in the Northern Territory with guides from Finniss River Lodge<\/p>\n

HELEN ORR\/FINNISS RIVER LODGE\/TOURISM NT<\/p>\n

The floodplain feels primordial. It\u2019s exactly the kind of \u201cwarm shallow pond\u201d identified by Darwin as the petri dish for the origin of life. At least a dozen species of dragonfly buzz back and forth like neon helicopters. Rainbow bee-eaters, lemon-bellied flyrobins, rose-collared doves and blue-winged kookaburras gave them a run for their money. There\u2019s a monitor lizard monitoring the bank and huge tarpon are breaking the surface to gulp air like they\u2019re thinking of making the move to dry land.<\/p>\n

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\u201cCan you see the croc?\u201d Chase asks. For a few moments I can\u2019t but then I see a yellow eye, the tip of a snout and a hint of a smile, just four feet away. Now I understand why there\u2019s steel safety fencing on the boat. \u201cShe\u2019s guarding her nest,\u201d Chase says. \u201cWe had a big thunderstorm two weeks ago and it\u2019s the lightning that triggers the girls to lay.\u201d She\u2019s still talking when the croc bursts from the water to lie upon her eggs. <\/p>\n

\"Head<\/p>\n

The lodge\u2019s guides can help you get an up-close look at the crocodiles<\/p>\n

ALAMY<\/p>\n

The speed and the power are terrifying, and while you might think you could cover the same distance quicker, you probably can\u2019t \u2014 especially if it\u2019s taken you 20 seconds to spot an animal that\u2019s just a couple of arm\u2019s lengths away.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Chase is talking to the 8ft croc in the same way a horse whisperer might speak to a spooked filly.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s still a small one,\u201d she says. \u201cThe girls stop growing at 10ft. The boys don\u2019t.\u201d The biggest-known male weighed nearly a ton and was 17ft long. His name was Sweetheart, his carcass is on display in Darwin\u2019s Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) and he was caught in Sweets Lagoon, three miles upstream from here.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a sobering thought, I say, glancing around the mangrove.<\/p>\n

Chase opens the Esky. \u201cBetter have a beer, then.\u201d
Chris Haslam was a guest of Visit the Northern Territory (northernterritory.com<\/a>) and Finniss River Lodge, which has one night\u2019s all-inclusive from \u00a3700pp (finnissriverlodge.com.au<\/a>). Fly to Darwin<\/p>\n

Mini-guide to the Northern Territory<\/p>\n

By Chris Haslam<\/p>\n

Wildlife\"Cattle<\/p>\n

Besides the local cattle there\u2019s plenty of fascinating wildlife to see during the 12-night tour<\/p>\n

HELEN ORR\/FINNISS RIVER LODGE\/TOURISM NT<\/p>\n

The kaleidoscopic birdlife of the Northern Territory makes even the most seasoned British birder feel like a seven-year-old with a new pair of binos. The dazzling colours of species such as the gouldian finch, the rainbow pitta and azure kingfisher have evolved, ornithologists say, due to the colour-forming carotenoids in their diet and are used to communicate within their shady tropical habitat. But this 12-night group wildlife tour of the Top End offers more than birds. Other species include Antilopine wallaroos, possums, flying foxes, dingos and crocodiles, but it\u2019s the birdlife \u2014 and especially that of the Kakadu National Park \u2014 that will make you weak at the knees.
Details Thirteen nights\u2019 full board from \u00a37,995pp, including flights, departing September 16, 2026 (naturetrek.co.uk)<\/p>\n

Culture<\/p>\n

The capital, Darwin, is named after an English naturalist and the 39,000 square mile wilderness of Arnhem Land to the east is named after a Dutch ship, but now those who were here first are pushing back. The \u00a330 million Larrakia Cultural Centre is under construction on Darwin Harbour, and curators worldwide, including those at Bristol Museum, are returning items taken from the Northern Territory\u2019s original inhabitants ahead of next September\u2019s opening. If you want to learn more about the world\u2019s oldest living culture, join an eight-day private tour of Arnhem Land and the Kakadu National Park. Guided by Davidson\u2019s Arnhemland Safaris, which works alongside the Amurdak people, you travel through the Kakadu National Park and across the East Alligator River into the Mikinj Valley, visiting aboriginal communities, hearing their stories and seeing their ancient rock paintings. Back in Darwin, you\u2019ll find entire buildings covered in astonishing 21st-century street art that continues a tradition dating back a staggering 50,000 years.
Details Seven nights\u2019 full board from \u00a35,495pp (steppestravel.com). Fly to Darwin<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The termite mounds of the Northern Territory<\/p>\n

FINNISS RIVER LODGE\/TOURISM NT<\/p>\n

Swims<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unfortunate that this appears alongside a piece about crocodiles but be assured that many bodies of NT water are not infested with salties. In the Litchfield National Park, the West McDonnell Ranges, around Katherine and in the fabulous Kakadu National Park, you\u2019ll find shaded pools of cool, clear water, fed by waterfalls and surrounded by woodland where wild budgies roost. Indeed, the most sublimely chilled two hours of my recent visit was spent wallowing in a natural whirlpool bath beneath a rapid on the Florence Creek at Litchfield\u2019s Buley Rockhole \u2014 and such is the wealth of truly wild swimming experiences that Tourism Australia has developed an eight-day, waterhole-hopping road trip linking the best spots (australia.com). Guaranteed croc safe and no Dryrobe required.
Details Sixteen nights\u2019 self-catering camper-van trip from \u00a32,249pp, including flights (trailfinders.com)<\/p>\n

Cruise<\/p>\n

The Nitmiluk Gorge outside Katherine, three hours south of Darwin, is a wonder of the world. Not one but 13 gorges, this labyrinth of water and red-coloured sandstone has been home to the Jawoyn nation for 45,000 years. You\u2019ll see their art, along with freshwater crocodiles, water monitors and turtles, as you cruise upstream on day six of a ten-day Singapore, Darwin and the Ghan Expedition trip that starts with two nights in Singapore then three in Darwin before boarding luxury train the Ghan for three nights and then arriving in Adelaide.
Details Nine nights\u2019 B&B, including three nights\u2019 all-inclusive on the train, from \u00a33,999pp, including flights (travelbag.co.uk)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I thought my car was big until I turned on to Fog Bay Road. I\u2019m two hours south…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":207528,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[64,63,128,338],"class_list":{"0":"post-207527","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-science","11":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207527"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207527\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/207528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}