Sunday, March 29, 2009

Another trip to Fogg dam

Still have not really seen the monster, but lots of evidence today... the sign and the trap.
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Crocodile Trap Fogg Dam_0176
  Christy Fogg Dam_0194
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Water Monitor Fogg Dam_0166
Water Monitor Fogg Dam

Motorcycle Swap meet at Humpty Doo

Took a trip with Hugh and his friend Christy to the Village Green at Humpty Doo to see motorcycle swap meet.
Ahhhhhh the sound of Harley-Davidson's on a Sunday morning!
Christy and Hugh Swap Meet
Swap Meet
Swap Meet
Swap Meet

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Monster Crocodile at Fogg Dam


I was warned last trip to Fogg Dam about the big crocodile lurking at Fogg Dam.
This photo was taken by a local Brian Hammond and appeared in the Sunday Territorian with this story today: [Note the surname should be Hammond]



Monster croc at popular NT tourist spot

NADJA HAINKE

March 22nd, 2009

A MONSTER croc - believed to be at least 4.5m long - has been spotted lurking near a walkway at a popular Northern Territory tourist reserve.

NEWSBREAKER BRIAN HANNOND, 66, took this picture when he discovered the beast at Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve - about 70km southeast of Darwin - on Friday evening.

Mr Hannond, of Stuart Park, said the saltie was sitting only two metres from where he stopped his car.

"I've never ever seen a croc that size out of the water," he said.

"I didn't get out of the car. But to sit there that close you know why you wouldn't have a chance in the world against him. It's the ultimate killing machine.

"He would be the king of the swamp out there."
r Hannond, a wine seller, said the croc was sitting on the left side of the dam wall walk at the entrance of the reserve - about 100m from the car park.

At the other end of the causeway, he said he spotted another croc.

The reserve is a popular stop for tourists.

Signs warn visitors not to swim in the water because of saltwater crocodiles.

Parks and Wildlife rangers put a trap in the swamps last Friday after they received reports of crocodile more than 3m long in the area.

Croc catcher Robbie Risk urged visitors to be cautious.

"It is a bit of a worry," he said. "People have just got to be wary when they are in the area."

Mr Risk said crocs could enter the dam from Adelaide River during the wet season when waterways flooded.

The sighting comes five days after 11-year-old Briony Goodsell was taken by a crocodile in the access prohibited Black Jungle Conservation Reserve.

Her horrific death and an apparent influx of crocodiles in to Top End urban centers have sparked strident calls for culling.

An NT Government source revealed on Wednesday Parks and Wildlife would cull crocodiles, in particular in the rural area where there is more risk of interaction between crocs and humans.

But Labor MHR Damian Hale in Solomon yesterday opposed plans to immediately cull crocodiles in the Territory.

He said the Government's crocodile management plan had to be reviewed.

Mr Hannond was also against culling the reptiles.

"The crocs have been here before us. People just need to use their brains," he said.
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An update Saturday March 28th , in an email from Fiona Douglas today to NTBirds , a mailing list I am on:
"...Later, on the Fogg Dam wall, near the start in the tree'd section, the most
ENORMOUS crocodile. Don't ignore the warning sign about the dam wall being
closed to walkers. The croc was a good 5-6 metres.
Fiona"

Friday, March 20, 2009

Planning Days

Our team met over two days in what was a quite useful team building exercise. It was great also to meet socially after work at the Darwin Sailing Club.
IMG_5880
Nikki
Sean Petrie and Andrew Crowhurst
Sunset Fannie Bay
Planning day
Planning day

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

ALIA tour of Casuarina Library

On Wednesday evening, our ALIA Top End Group had an official tour of the Casuarina Library that I briefly managed in 2008 before moving to the Health Library.
Warren, Jayshree, Robyn
Casuarina Public Library
ALIA tour of Casuarina Public Library
Casuarina Public LibraryCasuarina Public Library
Casuarina Public Library
Peter Walton and Di Richards

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Magpie Geese at Knuckey's Lagoon

Local wisdom has it that when the dragonflies are about its the heralding of the end of the Wet, but with storms over the last few days I am not so sure. I checked out the bird life at Knuckey's Lagoon
 Knuckey's Lagoon

between Darwin and Palmerston and disturbed these dragonflies and saw only Magpie Geese
Dragonflies at  Knuckey's Lagoon
Magpie Geese orchard  Knuckey's Lagoon
Magpie Geese orchard  Knuckey's Lagoon

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Andrew Finegan farewell

, former colleague from both Charles Darwin University and Darwin City Council Libraries is moving back to Melbourne. A small gathering of colleagues was held on Thursday evening.
Andrew Finegan, farewell get together
Andrew Finegan, farewell get together

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Fogg Dam Sunday drive

I took a trip today on my own out to Fogg Dam. Fogg Dam according to Google Maps is 66.5 km – about 1 hour 22 mins from where I live.
There was plenty of birdlife and also I was warned by a couple of drivers about a two metre saltwater crocodile they had seen on the road!
One driver actually did a U turn to come back to warn me!
I must admit I was nervous for a while paddling about at the waters edge,
but the photography was good

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