Crossing Over

After a delightful breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup we did a tour of Lake Argyle (largest man made lake in Australia), Ord River Dam and Durrack Family Homestead.


Lake Argyle - Diamond Mine close by...but no visitors allowed.
Home of Argyle Pink Diamonds.
Also home of Primordial Rock, only found in the East Kimberley region of  Western Australia.

Wattle?  Durrack Homestead.
Durrack Homestead if had not been moved would be at the bottom of the dam today.

Crossed the Northern Territory border at noon (N.T. Time).

Gregory's Tree, Dated July 2nd 1858.  Now a tree of significance. 


Timber Creek was considered for the night but we decided to continue on to Gregory's National Park where we found a 'real' camp at Sullivan's.  We were the only ones camped there to start with, but not for long!  Full house before the moon was high in the sky.

Signs

Last night we booked into Parry Creek Farm rather than staying in Wyndham proper.  We wanted to visit the Parry Lagoons this morning so this was nice and close to our camp.  The Farm is a great place to stay.  It is studded with boab trees along the creek with lots of grass to spread out our camp.  An added bonus was the swimming pool where Honey Pie cooled off after dusk last night.
We were up bright and early this morning (had laundry to attend to), and soon on our way.

Kapok Bush Fruit and Blossom
Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve is a bird watcher's paradise. Boardwalks with bird-hides skim the edge of one of the lagoons and one could easily spend hours with camera and, or, binoculars, bird watching.
The Kapok Bush grows abundantly in the area and this plant is used by the Aborigines to determine the best time for hunting crocodiles and collecting their eggs.  When the bush is in flower this signals the time when the crocodiles are carrying eggs, when in fruit, the young crocodiles are hatching.  

Which Way's The Best Way?
Quite some time ago, Andrew and I decided that we would take the Savannah Way to Cairns.  We have often tossed up the idea of driving the Gibb River Road although this had not been our original plan.  Many fellow travellers have sung the praises of the Gibb River Road yet have also described less than desirable road conditions along the six hundred odd kilometres of four wheel drive road.  Another option we had considered was to enter the Gibb River Road from the east end and visit El Questro and Emma Gorge.  If we are to do that then now is when we should be doing it.
We decide that we have had enough of hard four wheel driving and that we don't have the time we would like to devote to this part of the world.  So it's off to Kununurra for what turns out to be an afternoon.
Visited the markets on our arrival, as well as an art gallery and the Ivanhoe Crossing. Then time for some retail therapy beginning with a yummy salad for lunch at the Ivanhoe Farm Cafe where we ate al fresco under the mango trees.
Next The Sandalwood Factory followed by The Hoochery Distillery just in time for afternoon tea, or was that drink?
We both managed to spend equal amounts of dollars at our respective favourite retail outlet without even trying!

Sign of the Times.
This photograph was taken two days after Julia Gillard was inducted as Australia's new prime minister.  Quick off the draw!

Partial Eclipse of a Full Moon at Lake Argyle Inn Caravan Park


After leaving Kununurra we drove to Lake Argyle Village at the Ord River Dam to spend the night.  We find the campground very full but manage to get a spot very close to the amenities.
Unexpectedly, we had a marvellous view of a partial eclipse of the full moon at seven thirty.
Planning to have pancakes for brekky tomorrow.

Our Journey Continues.

Nothing is close in Western Australian! Yes, we hope to visit all these places.

When we left Fitzroy River Lodge this morning at eight fifteen, the air was calm and the temperature around thirteen degrees. 

Only went a short distance before we stopped the car to take a walk across the Fitzroy River Bridge. 

It was h

eartening to come across an Indigenous Australian with a huge smile and a cheery 'good morning'. O

ne more positive thing to add to an already beautiful day.

Driving along the Great Northern Highway, the landscape changes often and dramatically. Soft lime-green spinifex gives way to rocky outcrops, to sweeping plains, to ranges far and distant or only metres from the road.

A bird of prey soaring above Ngumpan Cliff.

Ngumpan Cliff and Mary Pool provide picturesque scenery and a spot to either camp or picnic. The size, shape and colour of termite nests changes consistently from small and thin to bulbous and tall, from soft beige to dunn, to brilliant pindan. 

The spinifex changes colour too, from soft lime-green to dusty brown to bright green and back again. 

The trees are either non-existent or sparse and the mighty boab is no longer present. Bloodwoods are common now.

Ngumpan Cliff.

Less than one hundred kilometres from Halls Creek and rounded, faded-terracotta coloured boulders spot either side of the highway. 

The temperature is a bit cooler today, helped along by a headwind to keep the heat under control. 

Some of the tourist literature labels this region as 'uninspiring' yet Andrew and I find it tranquil and a welcome change from the harsh Pilbara country. 

We arrive in Halls Creek just on noon and go straight to the Halls Creek Visitors Centre for information about Purnululu National Park and the Bungle Bungle Ranges. 

The standard information is received: Road bad, will take two to three hours to travel fifty odd kilometers. Maybe you'd like to book a one day tour – cost? Almost three hundred dollars per person. No thank you. 

Andrew telephones the ranger at the national park. The Visitors Centre would not make the call for us as they can only call 1800 numbers. (They wouldn't be tour operator numbers now would they?)

On the public telephone, Andrew is told by the ranger that the road is 'pretty good' and people are completing the fifty odd kilometres to the park's visitors' centre in around one and half hours. Also, there is ample camping available. 

We decide to have lunch at the Kimberley Hotel, buy some groceries from IGA then do some sightseeing around Halls Creek and tackle Purnululu tomorrow. 

China Wall is an interesting phenomenon of a natural quartz formation of an unknown distance and after visiting the wall the two of us drive out to look at Old Halls Creek. 

But everything is an adventure here and thinking that Old Halls Creek Town would be just around the corner, we instead find ourselves driving eighteen kilometres out of Halls Creek proper only to discover eighteen kilometres  of corrugated dirt road. 

Oh well, it is a nice drive with spectacular scenery. 

Unfortunately there isn't enough time to explore the old town ruins because we've decided to drive another one hundred kilometres east along the Great Northern Highway, to a rest area not far from the national park entry, where we will camp for the night.  This way the drive out to Purnululu N.P. can be completed while still feeling fresh. 

The wind has calmed down, the temperature is mild, the light is softening and the shadows getting longer. 

Hope to arrive at Ord River by about four thirty.

 
China Wall, near Halls Creek.

Beauty and the Beast at Windjana Gorge National Park

Last night we stayed at Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park in Derby.

It was good to be back in the tent. We had a good site and the amenities were clean and all in working order. It's amazing how many caravan parks we've been to that are poorly maintained. If something is out of order rarely do you get a discount because of it.

This morning we visited some historical sites in town. One was the Wharfinger Museum. It's a bit scary when you start finding useful things from your childhood in a museum!

The museums we have seen on this trip only highlight the hardships our pioneers would have endured. And to think that so many of them would have come to places like the Kimberelys or the Pilbara from such temperate climates and genteel societies.

What is even more shocking is to discover how the Indigenous Australians were treated and to see so many of them now looking so lost and soul-less. I can only observe and not comment on the situation because I believe I do not have enough knowledge in this area.

I only wonder if all the wrongs can ever be righted.

We visited the Old Derby Goal (Lockup) and I couldn't bear to be there...I could feel the injustices eeked out there as I walked up to the lockup. I left almost as soon as we arrived there, just stopping long enough to read the information boards on site.

Also visited the Bird Observatory but found it very poorly signposted and did not stay, even though there were lots of birds. (But we could not see them because they were in the fenced in bit).

We bought fuel in Derby, $1.62 a litre for unleaded and the LPG was $1.25. That is the dearest we've seen LPG. We haven't used LPG for some time now as we don't believe it's economical at these prices but keep the tank full for emergency only.

We had a short journey today. One hundred and sixty three kilometres to be exact and we rattled in to the Windjana National Park just after lunch.

The Napier Range is glorious, the boab trees are majestic and I just love them.

After choosing a camp spot, close to tap water and the amenities and in the shade of a couple of small trees we relaxed for a while and waited for the temperature to cool down a bit before traipsing down to the gorge.

Ahhh...crocodile country...we will be back tomorrow to do the walk when it's cooler.

Honey Pie thinks it's all a big joke until....

I said, "I think that's a crocodile there." And he said, "Nah, that's not crocodile.  Do you think it's a crocodile?  Nah, do you think it's a crocodile? Hey, it's really a crocodile!"

"Beauty"

Moonrise at sunset over Napier Ranger and Boab Tree.

Heading East Once More

Woke to a dazzling morning.
Our stay in Broome ended today, found it hard to leave and the two of us even had some discussions about staying on...finding work and seeing how things pan out.
Obviously we did leave but not until we had made our way to Cable Beach for our last walk along the top of the sand dunes.
Had a morning coffee and fruit toast at Zanders overlooking the ocean before calling into the local supermarket to buy fresh fruit and vegetables then followed the road signs to Derby.
Found it unbelievably hot today.  We had to wait until we found a roadhouse to stop for lunch, just so we could have some shade.
It was 33oC in the shade but felt much hotter.
Derby (two hundred and twenty kilometres north east of Broome) appears to be a nondescript little town but surprises you with its history and stunning natural features.
It is the oldest town in the Kimberleys, is famous for its boab trees and massive tides.


Myall's Bore and trough which has been known to cater for up to five hundred head of cattle in its heyday.

Boab Prison Tree - could be 1500 years old, is 14 metres in diameter and has an infamous past.
A site of significance to Indigenous Australians. 

Derby Wharf at sunset, tide's in and can recede extra quick leaving you high and dry - and a target for the local crocodiles!

We enjoyed fish and chips from the wharf restaurant, while watching the spectacular colour show of the setting sun.

Broome - Day Three

Streeters Jetty - the original pearlers' jetty.

Micro brewery - yummy food.

Boab Tree outside old Broome Lockup

Sunset Cable Beach.

So much to see and do in Broome.  Here I was thinking that Cable Beach is all that there is to
Broome!
The history is incredible, pearlers, bombers, multiculturalism, the landscape almost indescribable, must be seen to be believed. Bigger than I imagined but not too big. A strong sense of place.