Travel Pics - The Den of Nargun!

[dalekboy]

Mitchell River National Park, where we went looking for the Den of Nargun!



Intrepid gentleman adventurer, Sir Scott Pollard, led the expedition. Here he is in his cunning hat.



After making our way down into the valley, we continued on towards the Den. We were tempted by Deadcock Den, but decided the name may have been a warning, given it was of cultural significance mainly to the women of the Gunai tribe.



Near the Den we discovered this small lizard practicing its push-ups.



Here, a different lizard told us about how its uncle once appeared in a movie with James Mason.



The Den of Nargun!
Here we played Yahtzee and drank hot chocolate. There is also a velvet painting on one of the walls, but you can't really see it in this shot. It's quite a lovely den.



Another lizard poses for the camera! This one told us it had a big brother just down the road.



Detail shot of the iridescent scales.



© Scott Pollard
Yours truly, taken by Sir Scott Pollard, or 'Dimples' to his friends.
I got to call him Sir Scott Pollard.



Finally we were attacked by this tree and fled the area, vowing to return one day, when things were wetter.

Comments

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

Lovely shots. One day, when I have time, leisure and a good companion I'm obviously going to have to do some road trip type stuff.

[bunnikins.livejournal.com]

You write the best photo captions ever. I'd comment on the actual photos, but I'm too busy giggling at the lizards!

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

I especially love the lizard doing pushups shot :)

[rendragon.livejournal.com]

Gotta love the Den of Nargun.

Does anyone know what species of skink they are? I've always wanted to know (they hang out at my holiday house about 30min north of Bairnsdale too)

[pre-vet-girl.livejournal.com]

Skinks can be very hard to identify (because there are so many different ones...over 370 species), but I think they may be Southern Water Skinks (Eulamprus tympanum) according to the description in my lizard book. Here's a link to a picture from the Victorian Museum, what do you think?

http://museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/lizards/images/tymplive1.htm

I haven't been to the Den of the Nargun in years, it looks gorgeous. Has anyone read the book "The Nargun and the Stars" by Patricia Wrightson? It is a children's book, but very cool.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Looks like the right sort of lizard to me. Plus a sign in the area mentioned that breed. There were two sorts, smaller goldy coloured that were about 7-10cm, and the larger darker coloured ones, which were about 15-20cm.

Measurements are very approximate.

Haven't read the book, or seen the TV series, but hope to experience both one day. It was my knowledge of both that made me want to visit the place.

[pre-vet-girl.livejournal.com]

:-)

I've had the book since I was a child, it's one of those treasures I have on my bookshelf and re-read now and again. (I have just read it over the last few days, having been inspired by your photos.) It keeps company with Charlotte's Web, The Secret Garden, Black Beauty, and a bunch of others.
I didn't even know there was a TV series, but I remember listening to the radio play (again, when I was a kid). The book is fantastic, I think you'd really enjoy it.
Great to read about your road trip too :-)