Corroboree Billabong

Heather guided our boatload of tourists skilfully through the bends of the Corroboree Billabong and, just as skilfully, told us what we were looking at. The billabong is on the floodplain of the Mary River and is beautiful, the banks lined with pandanus and paperbarks, the shallow waters covered in several types of waterlily. It's home to birds and animals that congregate there during the dry as the floodplain dries out.

The leaves of the waterlilies track the sun, so they all lean the same way.

We were able to get close to quite a few birds on the cruise. The stately Jabiru was particularly impressive.

Juvenile Comb-crested Jacana with astonishingly big feet. It spends its life on lilypads.

A male Darter with wings stretched out to dry.

Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)

But we all wanted to see crocodiles, saltwater crocodiles, and we weren't disappointed. Heather was able to show us several small crocodiles lurking around the lilies. As we approached too close they submerged quietly under the surface of the water with scarcely a ripple. And then she spotted a larger older crocodile on the bank, soaking up the last warmth of the sun.

Saltwater Crocodile