Bag a Barra — 17 July 2020

It's time to head to the Top End and Bagabara. With Glenn Watty Watts, thanks to Shimano. Remember to buy local and fish local, visit Shimanofish.com.au. I'm getting closer, Watty.

Yeah, that's all right, yeah, yeah. They're like you're in a good spot down there, mate. Oh mate, how good is it? And I was just talking to Vic Women about it, and mate, if this is your typical Northern Territory Outback pub, which has more character that I can actually describe.

amazing. Yeah, that's right. Like, um, the word iconic gets overused a bit these days, but that, that joint really is, um, is one of those iconic territory pubs and, um, you can imagine there being a few wild nights there over the years. Oh, mate.

It's just amazing. It's just like, I know in the outdoor part, you know, the outdoor area. Um, I mean, they'd have to be, I know, a 100 aisle of Cubra hats hanging off the ceiling and other things that people have left here and there's, they'd have to be almost, you know, 1000s of stubby holders that people have left behind. And, you know, that are just sort of on display and stickers, just so many stickers.

I notice there's a wall out the back too. covered in number plates. I mean, I don't know how that happened. I had no idea.

But just the whole area, the whole area wadding is you, as you drive into the, you know, what would be, what best described as a, as a 19, early 1900 village, you've got the, you know, the helicopter on the roof of the old shed across the road from the pub and, and there's an old junk shed there where you can go in and I haven't been in there, but you can go in and check out things that are for sale and old motorbikes and plenty of history here. It's like it's like going back in time. Yeah, that's right. And there is some, um, some, some genuine history to explore, I suppose, as well. They've got the, there's a, um, World War 2 airstrip out the back there as well, um, with all of its attached stories, and yeah, it's a, it's a cool, quirky little area.

You probably, if you have a hunt around the bar there, duck, you'll probably find one of my business cards pinned to the wall too. Yeah, yeah, I can see it from here. I mean, you're kidding. It'd have to be almost a 1000000 business cards pinned up on the wall in this place.

It's just incredible. and certainly just, mate, you know what? This is the definition of northern territory outback. And a must stop. You would not.

Look, you would you would not drive up the Stewart highway without turning in here. You just wouldn't do it. They used to. I suppose they still do hold a B&S there every year as well, which it's a big crowd. And I was just thinking then when you're saying about how much stuff's hanging off the wall.

You'd hate to be the poor old insurance assessor coming out to assess the joint profile risk or something, would you? Oh yeah. Exactly. and I'll tell you one thing too.

They certainly look after the road travellers. Um, fantastic um, camping facilities outside, big, big large campgrounds, powered sites and all that, great amenities, blocks. They've just building a brand new amenities blocked there too, which is like a big modern style donga. So, uh, look, certainly looking at looking after the families and uh, and looking after the travellers and plenty of people stopping in for the night, others a year longer, and uh, look just an amazing place and they certainly cater for the road traveller.

And I've got to say to you too, I'll probably give the beef and barab feed a bit of a run. Have you ever had that on the Barbie? Yeah, oh, is that a trio of burgers or is it combo fee? It's a combo feed.

It just says the beef and bar, Barbie, barbeque, and you've got a, it's by appointment only. got to book in for that one. Righto, must be good. Yeah.

anyway, I'll be able to tell you all about it. Mate, although you and I will be together this time next week chatting away on the radio, mate, where are we, where, what area in the Top End are we talking about today? Yeah, so another one just close to Darwin today. Shoal Bay.

I suppose it's the next bay around from Darwin Harbour towards the east, and it's a really popular spot for locals in particular to go catching um try catch a Barra, um, particularly Big Barra, but also, um, it's one of the most popular areas for catching mud crabs in its, um, absolutely loaded with big mud crabs through this time of year. Yeah, but that people love them. Oh, they are the guy, those mud. You got a recipe for those?

Uh, yeah, I tend to do it pretty simple. A lot of time I just sort of shell them and clean them up and throw them straight on the barbeque and just sort of slowly roast them, I suppose, with the hood down for 20 minutes or so, but the, the popular one up here, of course, is the chilly mud crab where you'll crack the shells and and make up a, a fairly um, sort of, uh, I guess tropical source where you'd put your, your sweet chilli and your mango and that sort of stuff in there and um, and sort of uh, I guess steam and boil them in there and they come up really good. Yeah, I mean, mud crab is a very expensive thing. We take it for granted up here.

You can go. I'll probably catch half a dozen tomorrow without trying too hard, but if you go to buy them, I think they're probably $50 a throw or something like that. Yeah, in the southern states. Oh, mate, and I'll tell you now, you don't realise how lucky you are, being up in this part of Australia until you get up here yourself.

I mean, I just said to Vic, that the attitude and the, um, you know, the attitude of the people uh, up here is just so different than down south, laid back, no BS, no political correctness, especially where I am today. And it's no, it's nowhere. Well, certainly, there's a sign out the front. what happens if you um, if you happen to leave your kids unattended, they'll feed them Red Bull and teach them to swear. So to come in, make sure you hang on to your kids, but just just rule Aussie character.

And I think the whole territory's like that, isn't it? Yeah, that's right. And it really is that's sort of, it's something that you've got to embrace up here if you try and fight it. You, you don't go anywhere and I'm paying the joint and heading back south, but you, Shoal Bay is actually a place you've got to go into with the right attitude as well.

It's notoriously difficult to navigate and shallow, so you've pretty much got to wipe out the plans that you've got on your diary for next sort of day and a half when you go fishing in Shoal Bay because there's every chance you get stuck on a mudbank for 10 or 12 hours and have to just sit and wait for the water to come back. So, it's a bit of a risky spot and that's why mostly locals go there, but certainly worth a look for anyone travelling up, particularly in small tinnies, it's easy to navigate around in in your little car toppers. Yeah, now, now, I spoke to you the other day and you told me that you organised yourself. You got yourself another little tinny and you were taking out for a test run out, that guy.

Yeah, that's right. I went and bought myself a 3.6 metre flat bottom punt the other day, and we sort of, you sort of need a small tinny up here for doing other things, but yeah, she's a little ripper. got a 15 horsepower, 2 stroke on it. You know, light as a feather, so they're easy to handle.

I actually forgot how much fun it was sort of zipping around in one of those little things that compared to the big boat. So, to have the perfect combination, need half a dozen boats, but I think I'm sitting sitting pretty happy on 3 at the moment, that's probably as many as we can fit. Yeah, no, good as God, but once I'm on that end of that. So I'll be going on the bigger boat too, by the way, Watty, when I'm there.

Yeah that's right. Well, it's easier to carry the 100 litre esky in the big one. exactly right. Which we will need when I'm there.

I've got to say to you too, when we leave here, I can just get a quick tip off you while I've got you, Watty. Edith Falls, worth a stop. Yeah, definitely. there's a lot of waterfalls between you and me at the moment.

And if you went to every one of them, it'd take you a month, but they're all worth going to them, particularly at the moment, when there's not going to be any crowds there, it's you'd be one of the very few people that's ever had those sort of locations to yourself. So definitely worth going worth stopping into anything you've got time to for sure. Yeah, that's right. Well, basically everyone's right behind me now.

So we obviously we came in a couple of days early because we have work exemptions and things. And but yeah, it was a bit like that at Lornhill last week in Lornhill National Park, added to ourself. Never happened again. And I guess that, but I think they're catching, a lot of people camped, he last night, mate, at Darley Waters. So there are people out and about and which is good.

I actually, you know, I've seen all different sort of state number plates on people that have been away for months. So, and people who have been stuck up here, which would be, which I could think of. I couldn't think of anything worse. Ah, mate, me getting stuck up here, you'd be brilliant.

wouldn't it How good would it be? Anyway, all right. been stuck up here for 10 years now, mate.

I'll get free eventually, I suppose. Oh, mate, it's a great spot, and like we say, and I keep saying it, then I'm probably driving your cookie at home. Look, this is, look, the fair income Australia up here. I love it.

The Northern territory certainly is the place to be. And the weather is just fantastic. It's like daylight savings. It's just unbelievable.

I mean, the sun's up a little bit later, but not too bad, but it just hangs around a bit at the end of the day. It's a beautiful spot, particularly 1st thing in the morning, you would have noticed that nice cool air and then it's crisp up by lunchtime, she's ready for the pool and then you can kick back and relax for the rest of the day. Yeah, getting to the points. The points, mate.

The one extreme to the other day, and he, she's pots all points. Anyway. All right, why? Well, I look forward to seeing you, mate.

and I'll be seeing you in a few days. And mate, I'm sure we'll have a couple of pots and points when I get, once, once you get hold of me. We'll give them all a run, mate. Yeah, look forward to it.

Good on you, mate. There he is. Our man, Glenn. Watty, what's who runs Barefoot Fishing Safaris up there in Darwin and I forget you can check out the website, barefootfishingsafaris.com.au, or you can simply just go onto the Facebook page, give that a like as well. He puts up some little videos and tips and all sorts of things, certainly does know his stuff.

And he's right what he said. I mean, those big mud crabs that he's just catching free willy up there, down south, people will be playing, paying plenty for those.