Lynne, Markku and Tina (from Finland) arrive in Kununurra to conquer the Kimberley. Mike also there lurking behind the camera. Kununurra is the main inland town in the Kimberley - the most northern part of West Aust.
catfish swimming amonst the water weed - Ord River
Ivanhoe crossing - original road from Kununurra to Wyndham
Kununurra from Knob's Hill
This boab is probably the only item of interest in Kununurra
Zebra Rock Gallery. Local rock approximately 600,000,000 million years old. Very old rock being carved by very old species
Wambun Aboriginal Art Centre (used to be known as Turkey Creek)
Purnululu National Park
Above and below - crossing one of the many creeks/rivers into the Purnululu National Park
(Bungle Bungle Ranges). This is south of Kununurra and about 54 tedious, tortuous (with many water crossings) kilometres off the Grt Northern H'way. 4WD more or less essential most of the year because of the vehicle height needed and water crossings. The road is impassable in the wet season.
Above and below - crossing one of the many creeks/rivers into the Purnululu National Park
(Bungle Bungle Ranges). This is south of Kununurra and about 54 tedious, tortuous (with many water crossings) kilometres off the Grt Northern H'way. 4WD more or less essential most of the year because of the vehicle height needed and water crossings. The road is impassable in the wet season.
One of the chefs at Purnululu camp site - she crochets these little hats from locally woven wool
(but we've forgotten which wool - Kangaroo, Wallaby??)
Dinner time at the campsite - regular Aussie country fare; peas, carrots and lumps of meat (not an olive, prosciutto pasta, tapas or anything drizzled in sight) . Tasted pretty good tho' - accompanied by the usual bottles of fortifying tonic
evening at the campsite
The Bungle Bungle Ranges are within the Purnululu Nat Park, the following four photos are taken
in Echidna Gorge. Below is probably an example of the residual ancient monsoon areas.
Lunch time
Campsite where we ate
Funny little huts for two people, but quite comfortable
Bungle Bungle Ranges
Lake Argyle (boat trip from Kununurra to arrive here)
Eagle, Lake Argyle
Lake Argyle wallaby
Duracks home (first cattle droving settlers, originally from Ireland, settled in the area in the late 1800s). This is the original homestead, although it had to be re-located otherwise the rapidly
filling Lake Argyle would have flooded it.
Fruit bats
Lake Argyle dam.....massive expanse of water used to top up Ord River
which is used for Kununurra irrigation farms. So much water that only a small
percentage of it is used for agriculture. Many suggestions over the years to try and pump it to
Perth to relieve the water shortage, but pumping costs too great. (If this dam was proposed now, it would unlikely go ahead due to more recent Aboriginal Native Title Land Rights). Many aboriginals won't visit, referring to it as "sorry country"
Ord river
more bats
which is used for Kununurra irrigation farms. So much water that only a small
percentage of it is used for agriculture. Many suggestions over the years to try and pump it to
Perth to relieve the water shortage, but pumping costs too great. (If this dam was proposed now, it would unlikely go ahead due to more recent Aboriginal Native Title Land Rights). Many aboriginals won't visit, referring to it as "sorry country"
Ord river
more bats
Ord river
Nothing sluggish about this river trip - two 350 Yamaha's saw to that. Exciting
careering around the bends in the river!
Ord river boat trip
End of river trip photos
Ord River, near Kununurra.
We booked a Cessna and flew over the Mitchell Plateau,
Mitchell & King George Falls, Drysdale Station and the Kimberley coastline
Entrance to Emma Gorge
Two photos of El Questro homestead and the very expensive accommodation
(where, needless to say, we didn't stay)
Small island off the Kimberley (northern ) coast
The First Class & Business Class lounge at Mitchell Plateau
Mitchell Falls
Kimberley Coast
King George River
Kimberley Coast
Pentacost River
Two photos of Drysdale station where we landed for lunch
The Drysdale burger - after we'd all eaten these, the plane took another
50 metres of runway to become airborne
This was our transport for the day; bit quicker than driving, although a bit more hair
This was our transport for the day; bit quicker than driving, although a bit more hair
raising, especialy when the pilot told us he'd been thrown out of RAAF training because
he once blacked out mid-flight...
King GeorgeFalls
Irrigation farms (avocado, mango etc. Also large plantings of sandalwood)
Irrigation farms, Kununurra
Ord River Reserve
Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve...is 20 Ks south of Wyndham and has been a reserve since the '70s due to its importance as a bird breeding area. There are vast numbers of birds in season - there are 17 species of ducks alone.
Birds fly in from as far away as Siberia - there's every water bird from egrets and cranes to brolgas and pelicans.
Birds fly in from as far away as Siberia - there's every water bird from egrets and cranes to brolgas and pelicans.
Aerial ants' nest at Parry Lagoon
Parry Creek Farm
Wyndham
View of Wyndham from Five Rivers lookout (it's no
great metropolis...). Originally a very busy abbatoir for meat exports.
Now the port is used for exporting live cattle
Historic building. Wyndham
Durack's old General Store
Above and below - crossing the Pentacost River...impassable at times during the "wet"
(wet is Dec - March approx, we were June)
The Grotto, near Wyndham
Home Valley Station bar/dining
Two photos of the Cockburn Ranges taken a few minutes apart - the changing colours were amazing. Pentacost River in foreground. Taken from Home Valley Station property
Home Valley station accommodation
Boabs make a striking entrance to Home Valley
Home Valley Station dining/bar area - how much more country Australian
can you get than this??
The Home Valley guys who escorted us on our Home Valley tour. The curvy one on the left
was not quite so indigenously authentic...
freshly caught bream & damper for lunch
Home Valley Station Bindoola Falls - Tina And Markku
find the terrain somewhat different from Finland
Home Valley - Brahmin cattle are in demand for meat export
Salmond River - Home Valley
Home Valley Station. We went on a tour with a group of Aborigines - Home Valley run
a program to teach indigenous people various skills. These guys gave us a 4WD tour of Home
Valley, brewed our bush tea, cooked damper, fished and then served the catch for lunch. Good fun!
catching the lunch - bream, I think.
Home Valley Station scenery - Bindoola Falls
Monitor at the Falls. He was quite interested in the photo taking
Home Valley Station bar/dining area
Zebedee Springs - very warm water, lovely to just laze and splash in
El Questro Station campsite - Lynne demonstrates Aussie bush tucker preparation to our enthralled Finnish travelling companions. (Sorry, I think it was Middle Eastern couscous plus veges...how boring, not a snake or witchety grub in it)
El Questro Station campsite- setting up the tent.
Very cold overnight
Tina braves the raging, crocodile infested Pentacost river -
well, slight exaggeration on both counts...
crossing the Pentacost, El Questro
El Questro Gorge trail
Ditto. We didn't get beyond this unfortunately, due to various age related physical
malfunctions - my shoulder problems in my case
El Questro Gorge trail
ditto
Lynne had a fall on the trail - we had to fashion her a crutch -a long way from any physio dept...
taken outside our comfortable "tent" at El Questro Emma Gorge camp - slept four easily,
complete with bathroom
Champagne Springs (not in full flood!!)
Champagne Springs downstream
how better to look slimmer than to stand by
an ancient Boab, Lynne...?
Boab tree on the way to Champagne Springs (El Questro).
They can store a fair amount of water....
El Questro homestead where the wealthy stay - very expensive and
exclusive and unless you are staying there they won't tell
you the exact location in case the pampered occupants are contaminated
by the"ordinary" tourists!
warning at the boat ramp - Chamberlain Gorge
Boab tree on the way to Champagne Springs (El Questro).
They can store a fair amount of water....
El Questro homestead where the wealthy stay - very expensive and
exclusive and unless you are staying there they won't tell
you the exact location in case the pampered occupants are contaminated
by the"ordinary" tourists!
warning at the boat ramp - Chamberlain Gorge
very important role - steering the electric boat
down Chamberlain Gorge
Chamberlain Gorge
El Questro, Chamberlain Gorge
Aboriginal rock art
Close up of Gorge rock formation, Chamberlain
El Questro Station campsite (from Saddleback Ridge)
Strange little creature
colourful insect or beetle or whatever...
baby croc
monitor lizard (good bush tucker)
Amelia Gorge, El Questro
Amalia Gorge
Camping at El Questro - Markku, Tina (sitting)
Lynne and Alison (surprise "blow-in" from Tasmania but ex WA)
Amelia Gorge, El Questro
Emma Gorge, El Questro
Emma Gorge, El Questro
Beginning of the notorious Gibb River road (from
Derby to Grt Northern Highway). Impassable frequently in the "wet".
We had a Nissan Patrol - road in fair condition, and we didn't need
to engage 4WD
The Sleeping Buddha, Kununurra
Waringarri Aboriginal art centre, near Kununurra -
"that's ok mate, you can take our photy..."
Mirrima Nat. Park, Kununurra
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