Mount Borradaile

Situated in the northwest corner of Arnhem Land and adjacent to Kakadu National Park and Cobourg Peninsula in Australia's Northern Territory lies a vast sub-tropical savannah that has been described as a national treasure trove depicting ancient human occupation, and a pristine wilderness area hosting myriad ecosystems and wildlife inhabitants.

Intense media interest has resulted in television documentaries and magazine articles featuring the Mount Borradaile region of Arnhem Land reaching a worldwide audience. Mount Borradaile is a registered Aboriginal sacred site in an exclusively leased area nestled against the Arnhemland escarpment.

Bushwalking is a great way to discover the botanical wonders of the area, some of the plant species here are found nowhere else in the world, along with insect species such as the beautifully coloured Leichhardt's Grasshopper. It is not unusual for a dingo, rock wallaby or goanna to crosses one's path, and the birdlife is incredible, being home to more than 200 species.

The Aboriginals of Arnhem Land have documented their lives in hundreds of rock shelters depicting subjects ranging from now-extinct animals to 20th-century ships. Some of the rock paintings at Mount Borradaile have been dated as originating 50,000 years in the past. This art provides the pictorial evidence of the spiritual beliefs and historical events that are the heritage of the world's oldest surviving culture - some has been dated from 45,000 years before the Great Pyramid of Cheops was constructed, others depict more recent European visitations.

The Rainbow Serpent, one of many motifs depicted in the art, is said to have originated in this region at the dawn of the Dreamtime and travelled throughout the land creating mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes and plains in its passing. It finally came to rest in Central Australia and from its being emerged spirit people who dispersed to all parts of the country, to create varied but essentially similar lifestyles within the tribal boundaries of their own Dreaming land, with many different languages evolving during this process. Walya-Nam-Adiki (my mother the land) features strongly in Arnhem Land Dreamtime lore, bearing many spirit children to populate the land.

Ancestral spirits still live in the indigenous world of today, in the form of animals, rocks, stars, hills and other sacred places and objects, powerful symbols of an ancient culture that has survived, largely unchanged, for an astonishing 65,000 years. Catacombs and grottos forged by nature over millions of years contain burial sites with human remains, which may be viewed but not photographed, in accordance with the wishes of the traditional custodians of the region. Artefacts of stone and wood, tools and weapons from the distant past, are to be found in many locations. Much of Arnhem Land is still unexplored and there may be many more treasures of antiquity yet to be discovered.


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Davidson's Arnhemland Safaris

As most of Arnhem Land is a highly restricted region to anyone but its Aboriginal custodians, the only way for visitors to enter and experience this remote, pristine wilderness environment is on tours approved by the local Aboriginal Council. One such tour operator is Davidson's Arnhemland Safaris, who operates 4 wheel drive adventure tours into the area. Activities on their tours include bird watching, billabong cruises, barramundi fishing, visiting rock art galleries, swimming in crocodile free rockholes, bushwalking, bush tucker appreciation, photography, exploring catacombs, investigating paperbark swamps and rainforest, wildlife spotting and viewing the exotic flora in this fascinating ecosystem. There is no set itinerary, visitors decide their own activities and the guides accommodate their choices.

More information Ph (08) 8979 0413

Top End Mentoring

Taking a totally different approach to the average tour operator is Top End Mentors, a unique executive development program delivered by two of Australia’s Leading Executive Mentors with the mentoring taking place in the unique environment of Mt Borradaile. This program delivers amazing insights into personal growth and achievement, and through these insights and understanding, participants walk away better leaders, having been stretched and challenged to discover and apply their true leadership.

More information Ph (07) 5536 5375

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