Nourlangie Safari Camp, Episode 2 - Flemming Jensen

In this episode, Flemming meets Allan Stewart (above), owner of Nourlangie Safari Camp.

Nourlangie Safari Camp, here is 9SLK is anybody listening? (My radio code) The Diaries of Flemming Jensen, 1968-1969

In the previous episode, Flemming arrived in Darwin from Copenhagen, via Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Asia, India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Timor and Macau, winding up on a Darwin beach that was "a bit like hell because of the heat and the million mosquitoes".

Monday, 30th December 1968

I was with some Australian friends and we were completely worn out by the night's exertions. We used to sleep on the beach but tonight we had found an open space away from the beach but the million mosquitoes that kept us company at the beach had followed us!

When it was dawn we went down to the beach where we used to sleep to take a bath. We had heard something about it being dangerous, it was probably something about a dangerous fish. I think they called them Portuguese Man of War or something like that, but the heat meant that we had to have a swim in the water.

"The whole day we ate nothing except beer"

Then the two Australian’s went up to the employment office where they would try to get a job. I went to the nearest park where I was airing my stuff. My sleeping bag, shirt and pants were completely drenched in sweat from our hot night. I think I'm getting a little too well known here in Darwin for after only five minutes the police were there.

“You are not allowed to camp here” they said and otherwise I should soon find myself a place to live! I dare to go to the post office because if there was no mail I had to sleep another night on the beach! Luckily there were letters both from Alice my girlfriend, my father and mother and Gerner. He said he had gone south on Saturday and we had to settle accounts later. My check from home was there and it was redeemed by the help of a Danish businessman and I was ready for the trip south.

I always had my backpack and my umbrella. It was good to have it whether it rained or the sun shined or when I was sleeping in the open, it was good to lie in a shelter. While I was walking down the Stuart Highway a jeep passed me. It stopped, the driver looked amazed at me. He had never met a man with an umbrella on the Stuart Highway before. I got a ride.

He was the owner of a safari camp (I had no idea what it was) and after the trip progressed and we had visited all the pubs along the road he offered me, as good practice is, to take me along to the camp. It sounded exciting and I said yes. I offered to do some concrete work and build a few showers as it was no problem for me. I did not know when I would go to Sydney because the camp was far from everywhere and the rainy season would possibly make it impossible to get away.

We were lucky that as a whole we reached the camp, although it was around midnight, and many rivers had increased and had flooded the roads. It was the third attempt he had tried this week. The two previous, he had to give up. Today we managed to get there and at midnight we reached Nourlangie Safari Camp, where we were greeted by his wife who offered coffee and sandwiches. For a long time I thought that Pat was his wife.

The whole day we ate nothing except beer, so it was really nice to get something to eat. Excited about my future here in this wilderness. I went tired to bed.

Tuesday 31st December

It's not really much that I can bring myself to write in my diary now because I am so tired. The time is nearly midnight but I thought on the other hand, that here in the last hour in 1968, was the best time to let my thoughts fly.

"It is a good practice here that you drink a beer when you're done with one or another thing"

I've always wanted to spend some time on a big farm or similar. Wishful thinking of course. But that it should happen to me here in Australia, it is simply amazing. Yes, it's almost too much of a good thing.

I find myself west of Arnhem Land in the middle of an Aboriginal reserve and about 120 miles in the air route from Darwin. The place is called Nourlangie Safari camp. The owner and his wife are very nice and the days are a little organised by Toby, their native assistant. We have cleared away a tree that had fallen over a road and otherwise we continued drinking beer. It is a good practice here that you drink a beer when you're done with one or another thing and it gets you often.

Here in the camp there will be tourists from around the world to hunt buffalos, crocodiles, kangaroos and other game. This region is so rich, you can also go fishing on the lake. There are no tourists at the moment as they do not arrive until after the rainy season is over in March. Here is something to be done, among others, some foundry work as I am going to do. I've got my own little house and I get three good meals a day and tonight I go to bed full up. That is something I have not tried for a long time. Because of the day, Pat had cooked up something extra tasty.

I wrote in a letter home that I will probably celebrate the New Year among indigenous people and kangaroos. This was obviously meant ironically but it would come true. Yes I can even hear the roar of the crocodiles from a close lying river and yes, I had certainly not imagined that.

In the next episode, Flemming meets Toby, the Aboriginal assistant at Nourlangie Safari Camp, and heads out to East Alligator River.

Nourlangie Safari Camp.

Reproduced with permission: Kakadu National Park Cultural Heritage & Biodiversity Management Unit.