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Tanabe Granite Carvings

After leaving Wiligi, we retraced our steps back towards Jabiru, which also included another crossing of the famous Cahills Crossing. Some of you may have seen photos and videos of this crossing with crocodiles everywhere ... well, we would have loved to have seen that! In our 4 crossings we barely saw any! The video below was on our last crossing and the tide was a bit higher and there were a few more visible.



After a short stop in Jabiru for everyone to grab some lunch and any last-minute supplies, we were off again to Mamukala Wetlands Walk and whilst the bird watchers in our group loved this experience ... us not so much! Our next stop at more wetlands we sat in the air-conditioned car!!!


Now one thing that we were interested in was the huge carvings in granite rocks which were created by a Japanese sculptor by the name of Mitsuaki Tanabe. Mr Tanabe was dedicated to the importance and conservation of wild rice. Some of the other carvings feature lizards and insects.



Over 10 years, starting in 2010, Mr Tanabe traveled to Australia during the dry season and would slave away with his grinder and diamond cutter and create these amazing works of art in the granite. When we were there, it was so hot with the sun belting down on us and it's hard to imagine someone willingly did that day in, day out for so long. Unfortunately, he passed away before he could finish, but his son took part in completing the works in 2016.



You'll find this amazing place on the Arnhem Highway, at Mt Bundy. So many people would drive past here every day and not even realise what was hiding just up the track off the side of the road.


We arrived at Corroboree Park Tavern where we were camping for the night and some of us enjoyed dinner and drinks together at the pub.



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