The experience at Gudjekbinj is for visitors who wish to interact with Aboriginal people and with the natural environment. It is for those seeking knowlege - students of anthropology, sociology and peace studies; and also for those just seeking a peaceful escape from a world suddenly a little too hard to deal with.

Visitors who take the time will discover that the ethics too often dismissed by Western society are the values the indigenous custodians live by. To them kindness, loyalty, honesty and integrity are not obscure aims but necessities for survival. Here live women and men who learn as young children to take care of others, people who despite their fears have reached out in friendship to those of other cultures.

Gudjekbinj- Baby Dreaming is 450 kms (270 miles) east of Darwin, Northern Territory, in western Arnhem Land. (maps a, b).

The Kunwinjku or 'freshwater' people have lived in this area for tens of thousands of years. Visitors can see the signs of long occupation in the little caves at Kikikyaw (Little Bird Dreaming) - the homes of 'old' people' now long gone (c) ,and the ancient rock art (d) precursors of the Kunwinjku people's world-famous X-ray art. (u)

Gudjekbinj is beautiful country (see pictures g, gg,h,i ) with much endemic fauna and flora (see j, k, l, m, mm, n, nn). But to the members of the Ngalanbali clan Gudjekbinj is much more. For instance it is also the home of baby spirits who live in the clear streams (e). As soon as the rains stop (March-May) the spirits become dragonflies or take human form, leaving tiny footprints in the white sand. Other baby spirits inhabit little red termite mounds on a hill (f) Then there is Lost Baby Dreaming, a grove of pandanus, for babies who haven't found mothers.

Baby spirits look after mothers, thus reflecting the importance of reciprocity in family life. where even small children learn to care for younger ones, a role acknowledged with the title of 'little daddy' or 'little mummy'. And senior people are revered. Indeed among the Kunwinjku it is a compliment to be called 'old lady'!

TRAVEL TO BABY DREAMING

WHEN
The best time to travel is between May and early November (see climate chart bb). July-August is the coolest period. The road is usually impassible from late November to early May.

NUMBERS
1 -6. Larger organised groups (eg of students, birdwatchers etc.) are welcome if plenty of notice is given.

LENGTH OF STAY
A five day itinerary is given below. However length of stay can vary between from two to ten days.

CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD
The only contact is via a telephone at the outstation. The campsite depending on where we stop, is 5 - 20 kms from a main road. Baby Dreaming is 100 kms. from the nearest town (Oenpelli).

ACCOMMODATION/FOOD
Camping. Visitors must bring food in with them.

TRANSPORT & PERMITS
4WD vehicles are available for hire in Darwin (eg. Delta Europcar <www.europcar.com.au>). Charter flights are also available (phone Gunbalunya Air 61 8 8979 0165). However a hire car must still be brought from Darwin to take visitors around Baby Dreaming.

Helicopter travel may also be arranged from either Darwin or Seven Spirit Bay (Gurig National Park) to Baby Dreaming. Contact <www.choppertours.com>.

Permits from the Northern Land Council are necessary. These can be arranged through Denise Goodfellow and the traditional owners.

BOOKINGS
Visitors are welcome to make their own arrangements through the residents of Baby Dreaming and Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow. However arrangements can also be made through Diverse Travel <www.diversetravel.com.au> or if visitors are coming from Seven Spirits Bay, then <www.sevenspiritbay.com>.

GUIDES
Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow, adopted sister of the two senior custodians Esther and Mrs. Nganjirra (p) provides specialist birdwatching/natural history expertise for visitors and also acts as mediator when residents are present. Residents are being trained as birdwatching/natural history guides and visitors are encouraged to provide positive comments and feedback.

VISITORS
Visitors have included anthropologists, medical specialists, birdwatchers, herpetologists, anglers, students and film crews (see visitors - r,s,t,tt,u) . Many are interested in Aboriginal art (u) and dance (q), and plant usage while others simply want to make friends. Baby Dreaming and its residents will feature with Denise in the documentary series Snake Buster to be shown on Discovery/Animal Planet next January (in Europe; later in the USA).

WARNING
Some stories (see VISITORS' STORIES) mention the killing of certain animals. My relatives and Denise are aware that some people may find such experiences distressing. Consequently there is generally no hunting in front of visitors.

5 DAY ITINERARY

This is just a general guide. Activities may be changed as visitors or residents wish.

Denise will accompany visitors as specialist guide/trainer/mediator. She will point out sites of interest, birds and plants, and begin to introduce you to the ways of her Kunwinjku relatives. Denise is happy to tell you of how she became a member of the clan, how all have worked as one to overcome racism and other difficulties, and discuss Kunwinjku ways of rearing children, conserving the land, teaching etc. (see stories on <www.denisegoodfellow.com.au>.

For the first twenty or so kilometres in western Arnhem Land the dirt road winds between towering escarpment and vast wetlands, country which rivals the most beautiful anywhere in Australia.

On reaching Gudjekbinj we will make camp at Barkibong, a beautiful deep billabong with a rocky waterfall at one end, and edged with pandanus and paperbarks (g, gg). This is a lovely site with plenty of shade and soft sand to camp in. Bathing is in a clear shallow pandanus-fringed stream with a sandy bottom and small native fish (Spangled, Sooty and Banded grunters; Archerfish; Rainbowfish etc.). Activities at Barkibong include fishing for Saratoga, Barramundi or Sooty Grunter, and birdwatching.

There are small freshwater crocodiles here but according to the traditional owners no estuarine crocodiles. However there is a small patch of unstable sand at one spot which visitors must avoid.

Day 2. Watch for birds at breakfast (this is the time of day when they are most active).

Drive to the small outstation to meet Esther and Mrs. Nganjmirra and other residents (p). There may be ten people there or thirty (people often come from other outstations to meet visitors particularly if they bring children). Many are shy at first, but soon respond. Residents regard visitors as opportunities to make friends.

Esther and Mrs. Nganjmirra may wish to go out with us to collect pandanus and natural dyes for their weaving (v, vv., vvv). We can help boil the leaves with dyes. Peterson, Shane and others may wish to show their paintings (uu).

The afternoons are hot, and this is often a good time to find a waterhole to soak in or a shady cave in which to eat lunch. However for those so inclined Denise is happy to go searching for diurnal reptiles, birds of prey, or plants. Late afternoon we can go birdwatching or fishing. Nights are good for spotlighting for reptiles and birds.

Day 3. We can shift camp to Kikikyaw - Little Bird Dreaming (h;u). This most beautiful area of ancient sandstone is a haven for butterfly and birdwatchers, herpetologists, and botanists.

Among the endemic reptiles are the 4 m. Oenpelli Pyth(best seen from October-June).

From March-May the beautiful blue-purple endemicon, and several species of geckoes, skinks and other lizards Mammals include Black Wallaroo (n) , Nabarlek and Short-eared Rock-wallaby (nn) (I do have checklists if you wish them).

Butterflies include the rare blue Adaluma urumelia (l) which is fairly abundant around the spinifex (Triodia sp.) which grows among the sandstone Patersonia ii (mm).

For those interested in Aboriginal culture the stony country of Kikikyaw is the site of the 'old people's homes' (c), and there are ancient paintings throughout the rocks (d). We can explore the caves and rocky outcrops looking for endemic animals and plants, or simply seeking rock art little of which has ever been documented.

That afternoon after picking people up at the outstation we could look for yams or sugarbag (native honey (q), macrantha (m) is found flowering on the white sand at Kikikyaw as is the Mt. Brockman Grevillea formosa (endemic to the Arnhem Land escarpment). Later in the year other grevilleas are flowering including the lolly pink G. good

Day 4.
Explore nearby hills and rocky outcrops to look for more paintings, birds and other fauna.

Help Peterson cut didgeridus and prepare them for painting or talk with him and Shane about painting (uu).

That night we may join the residents of the outstation for a dinner cooked together over an open fire (read about the dinner Jim cooked in VISITORS' STORIES).

Sometimes Peterson Nganjmirra and the senior custodians will arrange a traditional Mangardi i (corroborree or dance) This is done as much to teach the Kunwinjku children and visitors as anything else. Together we can grind ochre for paint which Denise's sons will apply to their bodies with paintbrushes made from the fronds of the little sandstone palm.

Day 5. Birdwatching in the morning. Return to Darwin.

Esther said once when showing a little visitor how to find bush honey, that 'we gotta teach all those kids. Colour don't matter - they all gotta learn" (y). And she wasn't just talking about gathering food.

Gudjekbinj is a gentle place where visitors and traditional custodians can share knowledge and get to know and respect each other as fellow human beings.

Inquiries to Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow.

VISITORS' BEHAVIOUR
A few rules: crystals, jasper and agate are common in some areas of Baby Dreaming. If you wish to take a rock from Gudjekbinj please ask the traditional owners.

Campsites and vehicle tracks must be smoothed out.

Do not approach residents until invited. It may take a few minutes for them to compose themselves to greet visitors properly. The general response to visitors is that they're 'great people' - make sure that you leave the same impression. By the same token the residents are aware that visitors may like privacy, and will not visit our camp unless invited.

Residents appreciate gifts of food. However please do not take lots of sweets but rather fruit. Esther is the exception - she 'loves lollies' and Denise usually takes her a bag. Often visitors and the residents cook a meal together at the outstation for everyone.

Apart from shaking hands men and women visitors should not be attempt to touch residents particularly of the opposite sex. Often after a little while the old ladies or a child may reach out to hold your hand and then of course you must reciprocate

Residents really appreciate feedback about how visitors feel about them and their country.

Denise will be able to answer any other questions on etiquette.

REFERENCES
Denise's books, Birds of Australia's Top End and Fauna of Kakadu and the Top End (available from Denise, UK Subbuteo Books, US Laurel Hill Press) will give visitors an insight into the fauna of the area and its relationships with Kunwinjku people.

Baby Dreaming: by Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow with Stephanie Thompson & Peterson Nganjmirra.