18/08/2026
Driving thousands of kilometres north through the centre of Australia, I've felt the huge distance from the salt water reefs of home.
My first chance on this trip to get wet came at the stunning natural thermal pools of Bitter Springs in Elsey National Park, Northern Territory.
The pool, a section of Roper creek, is surrounded by endemic palms and paperbarks in a forest singing with insects and birds. After a quick dip in the middle of the day, I returned later in the afternoon when most people had left, hoping to photograph Rainbow Fish amongst the lillies.
It is crocodile country though, and rangers survey the area regularly - as I write, I see that it has been closed due to a 2m croc!