Nourlangie Safari Camp, Episode 3 - Flemming Jensen

Crossing East Alligator River.

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

In the previous episode, Flemming arrives at Nourlangie Safari Camp and learns “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”. 

Wednesday 1st January 1969

We did not do much today, it was New Year’s Day. Toby, Nourlangie Safari Camp’s Aboriginal assistant and I moved various things so that there could be room in the big garage now that the rainy season approached. There were guests from the neighbouring camp 19 miles away for lunch and they were dishing up cool stuff.

While the ladies prepared the food, the men drank some beers and tried to survive in the heat! Already in the short time I’ve been here I’ve got a very good impression of this place.

"Despite the fact that we are not doing so much, I’m hungry all day"

In the afternoon we visited some Aboriginal families as Pat and Allan (Stewart) keep an eye on them and provide them with flour, sugar, tobacco and other household stuff. Pat is a nurse, so she also makes sure that they are fixed up if they need help. One of the old women asked for ‘Aspro’. She said that one of the others had beaten her! Pat’s view, and the case was probably closer to it, was that she had a hangover. The drink is still too much here. A large part of the government cash benefits goes to the ‘wet goods.’

Thursday 2nd January

Today we drove Toby and his family to the East Alligator River about 60 miles away. Here he and one of his families had a camp where he would stay for a month. Here, his oldest daughter who is 11 years would undergo a ceremony that will lead her into adulthood. A kind of confirmation, I think.

The tour went through the wilderness and across rivers and water. On our way we met among others, a lot of huge buffalos and kangaroos. The roads were in many places very bad so the Nissan was really on trial.

At the East Alligator River, as far as white people are allowed to come, there was a small grocery store. The female owner was happy for me because she had a guest book and throughout the book she had only two other Danish names so my name was very welcome.

When we got home in the afternoon I sailed on one of the many lakes that are near here. One of these days I will take fishing tackle with me.

Friday 3rd January

All morning we were messing with the machine to create power for the camp and were frequently interrupted by beer breaks. Before lunch I drove along with Pat down the road and picked up gravel which was used to fill some holes on the airfield. When we got back Allan had screwed a screw out of hand so now the machine probably will not run for a while.

Despite this the mood was good at lunch time. Pat had some lovely steaks ready so it helped of course with the mood. Many times I become very shy because I eat like an ox. In the last six months I have not been accustomed to three main meals but now despite the fact that we are not doing so much, I’m hungry all day.

At night I sleep like a rock, it all must be due to lack of food and sleep for a long time because it can’t be over-exertion. In the afternoon a terrible storm broke loose and we went to bed and rested. I was woken at eight o’clock and the evening meal was ready. What a life.

After dinner Pat said that she hardly had any meat left, so one of these days we must go out and shoot a buffalo. As Allan said there’s not much to do in the rainy season and I do not expect to get much out of my stay here, purely economic. I take it as a great experience.

Last night Allan offered me a job for the summer as a sort of guide and driver for one of the two mini buses he expects to buy. They must bring people from Darwin to Nourlangie Safari Camp and around the area. My salary would be forty five dollars and free room and board. It sounded very tempting but I had to think about it. If I say ‘yes’ it will most likely mean that it is not possible to go home before next Christmas without dropping New Zealand and Japan, for the tourist season here lasts to October. If I say ‘no thanks’ Allan is going to Sydney next month and I could possibly get a free ride. Then I’d get time to earn some money and see a little more of Australia.

Then after a trip to New Zealand and Japan, home through Russia with the Trans-Siberian Railway to Finland and from there I could hitchhike home. If not, it gets too late in the year, and this will be something to think about in the coming months.

In the next episode, Flemming goes hunting with Allan Stewart, author of "The Green Eyes Are Buffaloes".

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