Day 42 and I’m Home

It’s great to be in your own bed after 41 days in the camper trailer. Not that it was uncomfortable, but it was not an innerspring mattress.

Well the road south was one of steady changing weather. From the Northern warmth, sun and clear blue sky with no wind, to winter with severe weather warnings and wind or I should say gales. The fire has been on continually since I’ve been back.

After leaving Alice Springs early, the road to Coober Pedy was uneventful. I did notice that the road side had the occasional wild flowers and patches of water. Not blankets of wild flowers as in WA but pockets of fresh daises and others!

Cobber Pedy has it’s charms but it is not a place I would care to live. I headed out on the back road to The Breakaways for some sunset photography and came across more wild flowers, some sort of pea I think. Couldn’t resist a staged photo of Rhonda in the fading light.

Coober Pedy’s Opal Mullock Piles in all Direction

Rhonda in the Evening Light

So what have I thought of the trip and what were the highlights. I was a bit apprehensive at doing the trip on my own, after all 14,500 kms which it turned out to be, is a lot of time to spend in the car just with yourself. I took some advice from friends I met on the trip and bought a CD book and that covered 11 hours. Will have to get into a CD book club before the next trip. While driving you see a lot and I was continually stopping to photograph something of interest. Being prepared to stop was a benefit of being alone as it would have pissed most others. Yes, if I could have had a like minded person as company, the trip would have been better. C’est la vie.

What I did find and make at the many caravan parks and camping grounds was friends of all ages. People willing to say hello and wanting to talk about your trip and theirs, where your from, and life. I have made some memorable friends and particularly in the Kimberley where a lot of fellow travelers were doing the same routes. Many people I would meet and then a few days later re-meet at some gorge or camping ground. Some notable friends were Jude and Rob, and their traveling companions Reta and Gary from Lake Macquire and Sydney whom I met up with five time and spent some very enjoyable hours with on treks and around the campfire. Pat and John from Snowtown, Scott and Cass and their 5 kids from Mandurah, and Don and Julie from Cable Beach. There were many others but these couples particularly made my trip a very enjoyable one.

The highlights as in sites would have to be the Bungle Bungles, Mitchell Falls/Plateau and the Horizontal Falls. All of these were adventures in themselves, all requiring very specific trips to view and all with spectacular scenery.

Bungle Bungles Cathedral Gorge Panorama of 7 Shots

Bungle Bungles Picanninny Creek Lookout Panorama of 7 shots

Mitchell Falls

Mitchell Plateau, Surveyors Pool Panorama

Landing at Talbot Bay for Horizontal Falls

Horizontal Falls (Second Falls) at 3.5 metres

 

Flying out Looking from Second Falls Through First Falls into Talbot Bay

The Kimberley trip is now over and I have thousands of RAW photos to process and the realization that it is back to work next week. Still that means access to good coffee as only Melbourne Coffee shops can do.

The next trip is in my mind already which will take in visiting relatives in Qld and Beef Australia 2015 Rockhampton, then maybe up to the Gulf? May – June 2015!!!!

 

Day 32 to Day 39 Broome, the Last Stop and the Road Home

It has been a week since I last posted and I can say that I’m now half way home. Sitting in an Alice Springs caravan park having just had tea. I have had to rug up as it is cooling down fast. I’ve the trackies on. The first time since I left Alice Springs 28 days ago.

I arrived in Broome on Friday 18 July with the first job of getting Rhonda to the local ARB workshop due to a slow leak in the long range fuel tank. The response was have it back at 7am on Monday. My plans had once again changed with now four days in Broome. First thing Saturday morning, I was down to Roebuck Bay port area for sunrise over the bay. What I ended up with was stairway to the sun with the sun raising over a near low tide giving the reflection on the sand bank extending from the beach. That evening, I did the reverse by going to the beach at Gantheaume Point for the sunset over the Indian Ocean.

Stairway to the Sun

Sunset at Gantheaume Point

During the day I explored the port,  local pearling museum which was very interesting, especially the videos put together locally featuring early photos of the town and community with narration by locals related to early Broome characters.  The Broome market was also on and I had heard it was very good. Well maybe for the tourists and the the ladies but not me. On a hot afternoon, the local ice-cream van proved to be my highlight at the market.

Sunday I went looking for dinosaur foot prints at Gantheaume Point. Unfortunately there are only three days per month with the tides low enough to see them and I was not there for those tides. Naturally I found this out on Monday. Sunday afternoon and I was off to Malcolm Douglas’s Crocodile Farm about 15 kms out of town. It is only open from 2pm to 5pm for feeding. There were some very large saltwater crocs there. A lot of pens had breeding pairs in and a few very large ponds had large numbers of crocs either lazing in the sun of floating in the water. It was very informative with plenty to see.

Monday after dropping the car off at 7am, was spent reading. I’ve been reading Jeffrey Archer’s “Paths of Glory”, a good read about George Mallory who may have been the first to reach the summit of Everest. Don’t anyone tell Michael!

Picked Rhonda up at 4.30pm with leak fixed and prepared to head off on Tuesday morning for home via the Great Northern Hwy. From Broome it is pretty well the same distance whether heading south and across the Bight or retracing my steps and heading down through the red centre. The weather in WA gave me the direction with rain in the Pilbara and rain and storms in the south.

I was hoping to make Kununurra for the first night but had been stopping for that perfect Boab tree shot and then hit a wallaby just south of Warmun in the twilight and so stayed the night there. The wallaby went under the bull bar between the passenger side wheel and the engine bay hitting and bending the tie rod. Not too much of a bend to impact the steering, but had a wheel alignment in Kununurra which will get me home without scrubbing the tyre.

This slowed the pace and so overnighted at the Victoria River Roadhouse, located in the middle of the Gregory NP. A beautiful place of high red escarpment in all directions.

Gregory NP

Victoria River, Gregory NP, Sunset

Victoria River, Gregory NP, Sunrise

Made Renner Springs on the Stuart Hwy last night and an easy run to Alice today. Still stopping to take various photos and spent a while around an old wind mill last night for some sunset picture.

Sunrise, Renner Springs

Tomorrow Coober Pedy, Sunday Adelaide and Monday home. Cannot wait to see the grand kids. I will then do my final chapter for this blog and tick the Kimberley Trip on my bucket list. I will be back though.

 

Day 31 – 32 End of Gibb River Rd, Next Stop Broome

 As I quickly left the Gibb River Road on the 13 July to make the Horizontal falls trip, I missed going into Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek.  Yesterday I rectified this omission and headed back up the Gibb River Road for 124 km to the Windjana turnoff then 20 km to Windjana and another 24 km further to Tunnel Creek. I’m glade I did go back as both sights are well worth the trip.

Windjana Gorge

Windjana Gorge is a cutting by the Lennard River through Napier Range, an ancient Devonian limestone reef that Tunnel Creek is also part of. 100 metre cliffs form the southern face and also the gorge walls. What is special is this is home of a large number of freshwater crocodiles. The photos remind me of the Peter Pan song.

“Never smile at a crocodile,
no you can’t get friendly with a crocodile,
Don’t be taken in by his welcome grin…..”

Never Smile at a Crocodile

Anyone for a swim?

Pick of the Sunny Spots

These four were a good size!

Join me for a dip?

Tunnel Creek is a 1.4 km return walk, all underground. Naturally I took the tripod to capture what lay in the dark. You walk in through a knee deep pool and along the length of the tunnel in and out of the creek. What I did find on the way back was a couple of small freshwater crocs in one of the dark pools. They were about 300mm long. Halfway along the tunnel the roof has collapsed, opening the tunnel to the sky.

The start of the Tunnel

It is much darker than this. Walkers with torches at the back

Approaching the Collapsed Area

The Opening

Looking back at the Collapsed Area

A Section of Stalactites and Stalagmites

Approaching the End

The Tunnel End

This morning I was up at 4.30am and off to the Derby Jetty to get some sunrise shots. I arrived to an almost full tide and a large coastal freighter loading. You can see from a low tide photo I took a couple of days ago the difference. The recent tides have been 11 metres.

About 45 Minutes before High Tide

Not quite Low Tide

Sunrise at Full Tide

 So with these photos this morning, I bid farewell to the Gibb River Road and the Kimberley. It’s been very enjoyable and I’ve met some very nice people and made some good friends. Next time? When I don’t know, but I would love to bring the family.

The cloud has rolled in, in Broome and I have looked at the weather down south! I better enjoy this winter warmth as I think I will be in for a rude cool shock soon.

 

Day 29-30 The Horizontal Falls

The only booked/fixed part of this trip has been the Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventure to Talbot Bay. Travelling by myself, I paid a premium single rate but I can say that it was worth it. All of the 30 odd passengers were picked up in Derby at 2:15pm for a flight direct to Talbot Bay. The planes were Cessna seaplanes which landed alongside the large houseboats moored together permanently in Talbot Bay.

Three of these Cessnas Flew us in to Talbot Bay

 

The Accommodation

The accommodation was good with shared showers and toilets with the food good but basic and not restaurant quality.

Still this was not a gourmet food trip but an adventure to the horizontal falls where the huge tides of the Kimberley get trapped behind rocky hills with narrow passes of entry and egress.

The 2 Falls Flowing into Talbot Bay

The rush of the huge tides cannot adequately pass through the two passes in the hills, leading to a differential in water heights, either side of these passes.

Once landed and stowed away, we proceeded to meet the local fish. A groper of about 1.5 metres and plenty of Lemon sharks all eager for some fish.

We then boarded 2 of the high speed boats for a tour of the creek system at the end of Talbot Bay, then onto the Horizontal falls. The first falls (pass in the hills) is navigable and had a quite pronounce rise with the tide running out. The second was even higher but with the much narrower pass, these falls were not navigable. We did numerous passes through the first falls which is a huge buzz like no fun park ride I know.

My boat about to pass through the First Falls

The Second Boat about to pass through the First Falls

That night we settled in for a Barra and salad meal.

Being on the water, I was hoping for a great sunset, but not to be.

Next morning, I did another helicopter trip around the falls. That’s now three for the trip. Pretty good as I had never been in a helicopter before this.

Helipad is Top of One of the Accommodation Boats

Second Falls

Looking from the Second Falls to the First and out into Talbot Bay

Back to the boats and the falls which were running out much faster than the previous night. Again good fun and something special to remember. I think Disney and Water World would have trouble replicating this in their fun parks!

Second Falls being Un-navigatable

First Falls

The flight back was a tour around the islands that litter that part of the coast.

Day 25 Back to the Gibb River Road.

Day 25 and I headed off to see more Aboriginal art to the west of the King Edward River camp. Again beautiful and differing types.

Aboriginal Art at King Edward River

Aboriginal Art at King Edward River

If you go back to my initial itinerary of the trip you will see that I have varied it considerably. I have found that after a long walk into a gorge that it’s nice to relax for the afternoon. This has cut the single night stops and made for a relaxed holiday. I have noticed that some see the walks as a race and how many can they see.

I travelled back to Drysdale River station and filled up again and headed back to the Gibb River Rd and onto Mt Barnett Station (roadhouse) which has Manning Falls on it. The roadhouse also had fresh ice coffee so bought a few for the fridge. The camp ground is on the Manning River with the falls upriver from the camp. A very pleasant site with toilets and cold showers. Well mine was cold.

Day 26 and I was up early to a grey sky, the first I had experience since Central Australia. I walked to the falls with a friendly couple who were retired school teachers I had met the night before. Don and Julie were great company. The walk to the gorge is 2.5 km each way and it’s rocky and rough for the last half km. While it was a grey day, I appreciated the cool respite under the grey skies. Not long after we arrived at the falls, a tour group of young adults arrived with three climbed the falls and proceeded to jump into the main pool.

Manning Falls

Some like the Extreme Life!

The walk back to camp was uneventful except for a few spits of rain. I forgot to mention the start of the track to the falls starts on the other side of the river from the camp. You cross in a punt that you full across via a rope and pulley. All I could think about was “don’t pay the ferry man until he gets you to the other side”. Wait, he was me!

Punt Crossing

Had only planned for one night but decided to stay two and again relax in the afternoon.

Day 27, 13 July and I was off down the Gibb River Rd again, bypassing a few gorges and heading to Silent Grove camping ground and Bells Gorge. It had rained the night before, and for most of the way to Silent Grove, it was drizzling with the auto wipers in the car almost continually on. Bells Gorge again is a short walk but very rocky. It started to rain properly while I was in the gorge and I got saturated. I had to put the camera in the backpack in the end as it was getting to wet.

Bells Gorge

A Quiet Spot Above the Falls at Bells Gorge

I’ve fallen behind on my schedule and will be heading directly to Derby tomorrow to meet my planned Horizontal Falls trip to Talbot Bay. Am planning to head back after Talbot Bay to see Winjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek and Geikie Gorge. Will wait and see? Have arrived Derby and beside washing and shopping and posting this blog over a bloody slow link, I have done very little else.

The next post will be after Talbot Bay.

Day 21 and off to Mitchell Falls

 Day 21 (7^th July) and I’m off on the track to Mitchell Falls. Stopped at Ellenbrae Station for their famous scones. The station yard is this green oasis in a dry landscape and a very pleasant interlude in the trip to Drysdale River. Arrived at Drysdale about 1pm and after filling up at $2.40 a litre, had one of their famous burgers for lunch, then proceeded to the camping ground on the Drysdale River (Miners Camp).

Miners Camp (Dunny in right of photo)

Found at Miners camp that I had lost all the water from the Cub 80 litre tank. A rock had taken the drain plug T-piece clean off. Fortunately I was able to remove the remains of the T-piece and shorten the hose to seal the tank. Back to Drysdale River Station next morning to fill the water tank (water was free).

Thread and Cap for Drain Plug Snapped Off

Miners camp is clean with only toilets available. Mind you these are a toilet seat pop-riveted to a half forty-four gallon drum over a long drop. Not what I call comfortable! The Drysdale River here is very pleasant and was great for getting the bull dust off my feet and legs. Everything is covered in red bull dust now’ although the Cub inertia is remarkably clean of dust. Good seals!

Caught up at Drysdale River with a couple (Scott and Cass) and their five kids who I had met at the Pentecost River camp. To see the harmony in the whole family camping was truly refreshing.

Two of Scott’s Boys Fishing in the Drysdale River.

Left next morning with every intention of staying overnight at the King Edward River camp site but when I arrived and after speaking to a couple who had just come out from the Mitchell Falls, decided to take the cub the whole way in. It was corrugated and rocky and the 87 kilometres took 2.5 hrs. I’m glad I did. Stayed two nights at Mitchell Falls and in doing so was able to book the return helicopter flight back to camp after walking to the falls. Would not have been possible to book on the same day you had expected to walk into the falls. Later that day, two couples who I had briefly spoken to at the Pentecost camp also arrived and setup camp beside me. My time with them greatly enhance my trip there and their friendship was greatly appreciated.

Sunset Looking down the Mitchell River Valley

Day 23 and off to the falls. The walk was no to long (about 4.2 Kilometres) but with the photography and sights, it took approx. 3hrs to get there. The main points of interest are Little Merten Falls which has aboriginal art under the falls. Big Merten Falls where Merten Creek falls into a very deep gorge before joining the Mitchell River below the Mitchell Falls. Next is Mitchell Falls and it’s 4 tiers. As I stayed 2 nights, I was lucky to see a presentation by the local ranger on the wet season at Mitchell River. If you look at the aerial shot of the falls and image the two dry right overflow falls areas all being more like a hugh rapid than a falls due to the volume of water, you may get the idea.

Little Merten Falls

Aboriginal Art Work Below Little Merten Falls

Aboriginal Art Work at Little Merten Falls

Big Merten Falls

Mitchell Falls

The Heli flight topped the day.

Mitchell Falls with Big Merten Gorge coming in on the Left and the two overflow for the Mitchell River on the Right

Day 24 and rather than proceed straight back to King Edward River, one of the couples, Rob and Jude and I headed up to Surveyors Pool, about 27 kilometres North of Mitchel falls. This road degenerated into a 4WD tack before we arrived. The walk in was short and easy and lead to a picturesque pool with two waterfalls dropping into it. There was no swimming sign and the first thing we saw was a fresh water croc entering the pool from a rock and just hang in the water.

Surveyors Pool

Left Surveyors Pool and returned to King Edward River stopping at an Aboriginal art site very close to the King Edward River. Truly some beautiful art of many different styles.

Aboriginal Art Work at King Edward River

Aboriginal Art Work at King Edward River

King Edward River Camp site is a very well maintained area with very good toilet facilities. No showers.

Rock Barrage Just Downstream from King Edward River Camping Ground

 

Day 18 Continued, Home Valley and El Questro

I’ve been offline for some days now with no connectivity so here what’s happened.

Day 18 (4^th July) and I headed out from Kununurra to Home Valley Station, bypassing El Questro as I had been told it is very packed with tourists, which was confirmed later. At Home Valley, I camped down on the Pentecost River. An idyllic spot looking to the West, North West over the Cockburn Ranges. Met some great people here sharing their camp fires at night.

Crossing the Pentecost River with Cockburn Ranges in background

The river at this point is very wide and tidal with a lot of fishermen frequenting the location. At sunset the setting sun lights up the ranges escarpments which is simply beautiful . Sunrise comes up behind the range and provides some great opportunities for photos with the range and the river.

Sunrise and Fisherman on the Pentecost River

Sunset looking up the Pentecost River at Low Tide to the Cockburn Ranges

I stayed at Home Valley for three nights and toured back to El Questro and Home Valley sights during that time. Emma Gorge was a magical spot where after a short walk up the gorge you get to a large grotto. A lot of visitor swam there but it was freezing as far as I was concerned. There were spots within the large pool where thermal water entered and it was quite pleasant.

Emma Gorge

While taking photos here, I stepped backwards and slipped on my backside. Naturally I held the camera up but in the process wacked my right elbow with skin and blood all over the place. Saved the camera though!

That afternoon I ventured into El Questro proper. Up Chamberlin Gorge and out to Explosion Gorge (4WD track). The number of people in El Questro amazed me. It is very well marketed.

Explosion Gorge

A lot of the walking tracks at Home Valley were closed, but I did get out to Bindoola Gorge which was not flowing.  Back to the camp for the afternoon where I just relaxed. By this stage of the trip, my knee has come better, but when walking (scrambling) up the many rocky trails and back down, I have found that it’s best not to overdo it. Also this is a holiday and even though I’m travelling thousands of kilometres, I’m enjoying just sitting at times in the shade.

Bindoola Gorge, Home Valley Station

Day 18 and I’m off to the Gibb River Rd. 4th July

Restocked the pantry and got the new UHF aerial installed and then had a look around Kununurra. A very lazy day.

I’m heading out onto the Gibb River Rd today so won’t have any internet/mobile coverage. This will continue until I get to Derby on the 14th July so no more updates till then.

Went out for a sunset shot last night and used a massive Boab tree for the silhouette. They are fantastic trees with character.

The fire is in the Carr Boyd Ranges at the back of Kununurra. There is burnt out bush everywhere. The fires are not massive into the trees but takeout all the spinifex and undergrowth. I take it is the natural cycle up here.

Be in in touch in 10 days.

Day 16 Back at Kununurra 2nd July

 

Just had 2 nights at the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu). It is a magical place with Pooh bear bee hives everywhere in the Piccaninny southern half of the park. The northern section is more gorges.

First the road in.  About 53 km from the Great Northern Hwy. to the park entrance. Then depending on the camping ground, another 20 kms in, and then another 20 odd km to Piccaninny. The road in is very corrugated, winding and uphill, down dale. 50 km/hr is very good going but still took me 1.5 hrs in and out. Also shook the life out of my UHF aerial which is being replaced tomorrow.

Just had to do the sunset photos on the first night which had no cloud so reversed it to the sun on the escarpment at the entrance to the park.

Walked the Piccaninny trails yesterday and after lunch did the 30 minute helicopter flight over the whole sandstone massif. Very specular and the only way to get a full perspective of the park. You’ll also notice the greenness of the place. There was water in a number of road crossing on the rod in and within the park.

 

The walking tracks are well marked and not hard going from climbing etc, the tracks are not sure under foot being rocky and uneven in many places. The days were a very pleasant temp wise with the mornings very cool. Plenty of bird life but I wasn’t carrying all the lenses so missed most shots. Caught the Red Tailed Black Cockatoos on the Great Northern Hwy on the way back to Kununurra. Also the sunset over the lake in Kununurra.

Going to have a look around Kununurra tomorrow and get that new aerial fitted.

Day 14 On the Road to the Bungle Bungles, 30th June

When I last posted, I had the Tanami Track ahead of me. Well it didn’t happen after a few stories from fellow travellers in Alice. I wasn’t going to do it by myself.

Day 11 and I headed up the Stuart Hwy to wayside Pub/roadhouse/camping ground called Dunmarra. Overnighted and asked the locals about the next short cut called the Buchanan Hwy. The difference is this was all through station country and about half the length of the Tanami.

Day 12 and early into the Buchanan. Dusty and corrugated but very manageable for the first half to Top Springs, a pub with fuel bowsers (wouldn’t call it a Roadhouse). Plenty of wildlife and cattle on the road, so had to be vigilant of the road and what might come out of the scrub. The road changed from Top Springs through to the Victoria Hwy.  Rocky and gravel most of the way. As you get closer to Victoria River Downs, the road is maintained well. A very nice station which the road goes right up too. After Victoria River Station you hit Jasper Gorge and the road gets rocky and winding. You see some nice water courses and then the signs.

Got through to Lake Argyle resort for the night.

Day 13 and had a look around the area. Booked for the afternoon/sunset cruise. A very interesting trip on the lake which was so informative. Did you know that the Ord River has the second largest water flow behind the Amazon in the world? It is impressive.

Today I’m off to the Bungle Bungles for a few days. Time at the moment is not important with the one exception being to be in Derby for my overnight flight into Talbot Bay to see the horizontal falls on the 15 July.