Friday, July 31, 2009

Ohhs and ahhs

Australia’s Top End has oodles of gorges and we have seen our fair share. However, Geike Gorge just near Fitzroy Crossing, is one on the ‘must-do’ list. Located in a small national park, the gorge is accessible by boat and an hour tour is led by one very comedic aborigine, making the $25 well worth it.

Gieke Gorge

The gorge itself is carved out of limestone, differing from the more common sandstone of others seen to date. With the wet season producing a torrent of water rushing down the gorge, the limestone walls are carved into many interesting shapes. I’m sure I have seen similar ‘modern’ art sculptures, only the gorge is alot more artistic! There is even a very real likeness of Richard Nixon. As you marvel at the natural formations, you also cast your eye over the many (and I mean many) large freshwater crocodiles lining the banks.
We are making our way across to Broome and have settled in Derby to restock, replenish and service the car. Derby has the feel of a town on the brink of expansion, with enough attractions to keep you entertained.
Derby is also home to the highest tides in Australia, with variations reaching 11 metres. It was really quite bizarre to stand on the jetty, and watch the incoming tide. Moving very fast, in no time at all the jetty, which stands 12 metres above land level on low tide, almost becomes engulfed on high tide, all in a matter of minutes! The jetty also provides a good spot to catch mud crab.

Crabbing on Derby Jetty

Dave, having befriended our next door neighbour, was loaned some WA standard crab pots (they are animal friendly over here) and we set off to try our luck. We may have only caught one crab, but Dave won the heart of a 5 year old german boy who followed him everywhere and was so excited when Dave (with the help of a little translation) asked him to help pull the pots up. His mother couldn’t get him to leave.
The waters around here are used for pearl farming, with Paspaley (who produce 80% of the worlds pearls) found right here in the Kimberley’s.

Boab Prison Tree

In the early days aborigines were captured and used as slave labour for the most dangerous pearl dives. The Boab Prison Tree, just out of town, was used as a staging point for these ‘prisoners’ being walked into Derby. Over 1500 years old, this specimen is huge and certainly would house a few men.
But the most intriguing feature up here is the Horizontal Waterfall and we treated ourselves to an overnight adventure, to witness this phenomenon.

Horizontal Falls, seen from above

Picked up from our camper, we were transported to the airport to board the ‘Beaver’- a 1961 four passenger seat sea plane. Fifty minutes later, having viewed the Kimberley’s by air, we landed on Talbot Bay beside a catamaran that was to be our lodgings for the night.








'The Beaver'- so small Dave had to be co-pilot!

After a cool drink it was on board the ‘fast boat’ for a ride up the creek. The creek is part of the tidal flow and at low tide becomes a mud flat. With the tide differentials increasing, it was back towards (and through!) the main attraction- the Horizontal Falls. The ‘falls’ are actually the tides gushing through a narrow gorge of the Buccaneer Archipelago. As the tide can reach up to 11 metres, the water moves very fast and quite literally rushes through the gorge faster than it can disperse out the other side. This creates a ‘waterfall’ up to 4 metres high! It was quite weird to see this wall of water develop.

Wall of water building up (hard to see in a 2D photo....)

Back on board the cat, we sipped champagne as we watched the colours of the Kimberley sunset and dined on fresh barramundi. Next morning we were woken at 6am- time to shower and jump back on the jet boat to view the falls again- nearing the 2 metre mark they were getting too big to ride the jet boat through, but as the sun rose, we got to marvel this spectacle.

Buccaneer Archipelago

Leaving our water home, the flight took us over the Archipelago, were we viewed the tidal mud flats, islands and remote Kimberley region. Much of the water in the Archipelago is still uncharted and current sea charts say ‘depth give or take 500 metres’, ‘depth give or take 2 metres’! No wonder there are not many boats up here.

Tidal mud flats

Now you would think we have seen enough gorges to date and if you are sick of reading about them stop here!

1800's Police Station ruins, Windjana Gorge NP

With a couple of days before we depart for Broome, we set off along the infamous Gibb River Road (infamous for how remote and tyre shredding the 4WD road is) to view more of such. Tunnel Creek (which is not a gorge!) is as the name suggests an underground creek. WOW. Pretty darn cool.

Inside Tunnel Creek


Armed with reef shoes and a strong torch we set off into the tunnel. The tunnel is tall and wide, so not claustrophobic and a sandy bank allows you to walk beside the creek. Occasionally you have to wade through the water, but it is clear and easy to see your footing. Being limestone and with a constant water source, stalactites and columns adorn the walls and ceiling making this a real Aladdin’s Cave.

Limestone formations, Tunnel Creek

But back to the gorge- Windjana Gorge. This gorge is also part of the ancient Devonian Reef of the Kimberley region. Sheer walls that were once undersea and alive with coral now stand as a reminder of what will become of the Great Barrier Reef in a few billion years (or sooner if global warming helps it along). Fossils and shells adorn the cliffs, but the most impressive feature here is the crocodiles. Being the freshwater variety they are no threat and you can really get up close and personal. However, when they moved their back legs into launching position we tended to move away quick, especially as our neighbour had been bitten on a previous visit.

Wont show you the pics of when we got closer.....



Crocs from all angles.....

One more gorge was on our agenda- Bell Gorge. Such a pretty spot and finally somewhere safe from crocs, to swim at too.

Bell Gorge

I opted to stay at the top pool, above the terraced waterfall, while Dave took the walk to the bottom (he is more agile on rocks than I!). After a cool swim it was back to our camp (we stayed in our tent for two nights again) to watch the Bower Birds rifle through our belongings.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Aaaaahhhhhh

Ahh Kununurra- there is something comforting about this place, a familiarity that makes you feel at home. Everyone who stops here ends up extending their duration to simply chill and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. We ended up extending for 3 days, but perhaps that was to recover from all the frivolity with our neighbours! Our new friends Margaret, Tony, Annette and Brian were very hospitable and had many a travelling war story to keep us entertained long past our usual bedtime.
But, it was not all socialising into the wee hours, we also enjoyed the local Kimberley area. Marlgu Billabong in the Parry Creek area was even more stunning than the wetlands of Kakadu.

Parrys Lagoon

With a backdrop of the Cockburn Mountain ranges, literally thousands of ducks nestled on the banks and many varied species of birds frolicked in the water. It is no wonder then that the Parry Floodplains have been listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. It was rather amusing then, to be able to drive through these floodplains (it is the dry season remember)- we traversed a path through the tall grass until finally rejoining the highway to Wyndham.
Wyndham. After the sanctity of Kununurra, this place had an air of decay and desolation. Established in the late 1800’s to service the goldfields, the money and life of the town have long since departed. Past the port area, heading to the literal end of the road, the land appears to be used as an industrial dump. Barrels and other large discarded metal items line the Cambridge Gulf that opens to the Timor Sea. Once the site of a thriving abattoir, perhaps this is left over rubbish, or is it from when the town was taken over by the army during WWII?


Part of 5 Rivers view, Wyndham

However, a drive through town, with its unkempt houses, takes you 350 metres above sea level to one of the best views from a lookout we have seen to date. From the top of the Bastion you can see the meeting of 5 rivers- the Forrest, Pentecost, Durack, King and Ord, as they enter the Cambridge Gulf. The 360 degree view stretches for miles, making you feel you are truly on top of the world.
Back down at sea level, we viewed the last of the sights of Wyndham. The Dreamtime Statues are a monument to the indigenous heritage of the region and are a little better looked after than the local houses.

Aboriginal statues, Wyndham

However, it is the Big Croc’ that seems to be most loved, having recently been given a fresh coat of paint.

Big Croc, Wyndham

After a full day sightseeing, we were looking forward to a swim at the Grotto. A natural amphitheatre, we walked the 140 steps down only to discover that the water, whilst clear underneath was covered in a layer of algae. Back up the steps it was and home to meet up with our neighbours.
Lake Kununurra was certainly filled with fresh, clean water and at 3 times the size of Sydney Harbour is huge. We enjoyed a relaxing drive out to dam, taking in the rugged landscape, until eventually driving atop the dam wall.

Dam Wall, Ord River

The Durack Homestead, relocated when the dam was being filled, is now a museum dedicated to this famous pioneering family. The remoteness of this countryside was brought home as we were about to enter the homestead however. Told to move back, we witnessed a King Brown snake being killed with a shovel, before we could enter.

Killing the brown snake...

Our home in Kununurra was on the doorstep of the Mirima National Park. A track from our back door (we only have a back door), led us to a small park with sandstone ranges, cliffs and a hidden valley. The 350 million year old sandstone, has some amazing colour changes due to sunlight variances and was a perfect backdrop for a tipple (mmmmm........bit of an alcohol theme here in Kununurra). There is certainly more than alcohol though..... nowhere else in the world can you find a pink diamond than in the Kimberley’s. With no mining licence Dave took me to a couple of jewellers, however with a price tag of $48,000 for the tiniest pin prick of a pink diamond, I was resigned to the fact that I would not be getting a new ring........... but they are soooooooo pretty (and rare).
Leaving Kununurra behind, we free camped near the entrance to El Questro, a private nature park. We are glad we did not plan to camp at El Questro and not for the fact that the road in, part of the Gibb River Road, was too rough to take our home. El Questro has got to be the most expensive nature park in Australia. With countryside and natural attractions no different to what we have and will see, we decided not to pay. Coupled with the fact that one of the gorges was closed for a private function and the hot springs are only accessible to tour groups after midday, it really wasn’t worth it. Unless you are the likes of Rove and his new Missus (they honeymooned here for 3 days), and can afford the $3,500 per night of the homestead, I wouldn’t bother with this park. However, we did get to venture along part of the infamous Gibb River Road and did a 4WD track that took us past gorges, rock art and lots of cows.

Rock Art, El Questro

Off it was to Purnululu National Park, home of the Bungle Bungles. Purnululu National Park would have to be one of our highlights to date. We had not heard of this park before, only of the Bungle Bungles. However, they are only part of the attractions here. The 53 kilometre 4WD road into the park was again not accessible for our home, so we left it at the free camp (with many others) near the park entrance. Having packed our tent, lounge cushions (to make a comfy mattress) and supplies, we set off for our ‘weekend away’. Heading to the north of the park, our first walk was to Echidna Chasm.

Echidna Chasm

WOW- it is as if a giant has prised apart the 200 metre tall sandstone rock creating a long narrow split, which allows you to walk deep inside. There is nothing like standing ‘inside’ a rock, viewing the striking colour variations as the angle of the sun above changes. At various stages the rock was fluoro orange! Our next adventure saw us walking up a creek bed and then climbing in, around and under fallen blocks from the cliff face to a hidden amphitheatre. With abundant Livitona palms lining the gorge walls, it really was a pretty view.

Bungle Bungles

With the day nearly at a close, we headed to the south of the park to set up camp. Sipping a hot chocolate we sat and gazed at the vibrant stars, before retiring to our very cosy tent. Dave loved it as I had no choice but to snuggle him. We awoke to the dawn chorus, an amazing sound of about 20 different birds, but I just wish they didn’t have to start so early.

Our camp, Purnululu NP

With the sun shining again (we have now had 3 months with no rain), it was off to see the striped sandstone beehives- aka- the Bungle Bungles. These rock formations rise majestically from the Spinifex covered sand and are really a sight to behold. They are actually very tall, dwarfing us as we weaved our way to Cathedral Gorge. Another amphitheatre, this gorge is almost 360 degrees of vertical sandstone walls.
We really enjoyed our ‘weekend away’. Purnululu has many delights and you can’t help but soak up her beauty.

Mini Palms Walk- no fatties can enter.....


This part of Australia sure is remote, more so than the ‘busy’ Stuart Highway of the red centre. With long distances between anything, there is a need to stop and stretch the legs and probably why we saw a couple playing tennis at a roadside stop!
Fitzroy Crossing was an oasis in this dry Kimberley country. The town had been on the news for the past couple of weeks as the local shopping centre was burnt down, destroying the supermarket, post office, video store and take-away shop. We have still been able to buy supplies though- the local recreation hall has been set up as a make shift supermarket and the library is now the post office.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Go West

After nearly two weeks ‘bush’ in Kakadu, we enjoyed our pit stop back in the city (Katherine). Katherine is most famous for her gorges, of which there are 13 in total. The only way to really see the gorges is via a boat, so we booked ourselves on a 4 hour tour. It really was most enjoyable cruising the river, watching the changing faces of the gorges and spotting the odd freshwater crocodile. We cruised through 3 of her gorges, the second by far the most impressive. With the gorge rim standing tall and mighty either side of us, it allowed us a respite from the sun. A safe swimming spot gave us the opportunity to cool off on the way back down the mighty Katherine River. After our swim, back on board we once again enjoyed the scenery and the sun now glistening across the water.

Katherine Gorge

But it was time to leave Katherine and our stay at Springvale Homestead. Goodbye to the hundreds of long neck turtles that stuck their heads out of the nearby creek, the pink lotus lilies lining the banks and the wallabies who came over for a pat on dusk.

Coming over to our door for a pat

The Flora River Nature Park is probably one of the smallest parks in the NT. The gravel road to get there was in very good condition, so it is probably not that frequented either. Along the drive we stumbled across a couple of drovers herding some good looking Brahman cattle, so it was only fitting that we put on some Glen Campbell and sung country songs till we reached our campsite. The woodland countryside was dry and dusty with no real green to break up the brown palette of colour. You can therefore imagine our amazement upon reaching the Flora River. This Nature Park is famous for limestone tufa (pronounced too-fa) formations. The river is rich in minerals and the calcium carbonate within precipitates onto rocks and plants to form bars across the river. Acting as a series of dams these ‘spongy rock’ formations create pretty cascades, running with the glowing blue/ green water. Bright green Pandanus Palms line the bank, dipping their leaves into the water, setting a very tropical scene. But, once again, no swimming for us (you guessed it- crocs).

Flora River

It was funny to stand with your back to the river and look at brown, dry scrub and then face the river and see pretty cascades set off by bright green and blue hues.
It was goodbye to Flora and hello to Gregory. As we approached the WA border the scenery is once again changing. While still made up of rocky escarpment and flooding rivers, Gregory National Park is greener and the escarpment a rich red colour. The red of this landscape reflects the sun, creating a brilliant blue sky above. If this is a taste of what is to come in WA, we are certainly looking forward to exploring her.
Our first walk in this National Park started at the base of tall escarpment walls. It was akin to standing in an ancient stadium, the walls towering above us on all sides. Likening ourselves to ancient gladiators preparing for battle we stopped to look and listen. The sun cast flickering shadows, dancing across the rockface. The only sound was a breeze rustling the many palms fringing the walls, creating a wind chime effect. No need for gladiators here. Our exploration led us to discover aboriginal rock art, nearly 40,000 years old.

Rock Art, Gregory NP

The art here is weathered and hard to distinguish, however been left to discover for yourself, gave it a certain appeal.
Gregory National Park, was once part of Bullita Station, until a devastating flood in 1977. A year later the national park was born, sometimes it is just too much to pick up the pieces. The original homestead and stockyards are maintained, stories and displays inside giving an insight into the harshness of station life.

Bullita Homestead


Since entering the Northern Territory, we have been very keen to see a Boab Tree. We have now certainly had our fill of these bizarre bulbous trees. Some many, many years old are metres wide- big enough to house a couple of people for a night! Gregory’s Tree, an ancient boab, is where the explorer set up camp in 1855- 6, the dates clearly etched into the boab trunk.

Gregory Boab Tree

The Keep River National Park, 3km from the Western Australian border is officially the Northern Territories smallest national park (at only 32km long!). However, it is one of the most impressive. Looking east you are looking at the Top End, look west and the Kimberleys enchant your eyes, the Keep River, literally the dividing line between the two landscapes. As a consequence there is a mix of plants and animals from each diverse habitat. This park even has the beehive formations of the Bungle Bungles. With $500 thousand recently spent on upgrading the road, this park is the NT’s best kept secret!



Bungle Bungle formations - Keep River National Park

Alas a few days later, it was time to cross over in WA- the only state we have not yet been to on our journey (although we have still to explore some states more thoroughly). The quarantine laws are quite strict entering WA, and all vehicles are searched. We had eaten all our contraband fruit and vegetables, but alas we would have to say goodbye to our faithful herb pot.

Campfire, Keep River

(Kel & Dean- your mint and parsley is now happily growing in the Rangers yard of the Keep River National Park!)
Kununurra- the gateway to the Kimberley region and our first stop in WA. With not much else for miles in any direction, it is a hub for many in this tourist season. Still we managed to negotiate a spot and have some very nice neighbours who invited us over for drinkies and many laughs- they are enjoying the ‘younger’ company.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Winter sun


Exactly why we aren't going in for a swim...

As the sun heated up, our next stop was the Yellow Water Wetlands of Kakadu. It was here that we took a boat cruise through the South Alligator River and onto the wetlands. A perfect way to see the many, many crocodiles and birdlife of the floodplains. It sure was amazing to see many different species of birds at the waters edge, mere centimetres from a croc’s mouth. However, crocs are actually lazy and these birds were in no danger.

This croc seemed to follow us

We got a good deal and did this cruise twice- once at sunset and once in the early morn. Each time had an abundance of life, but also heat. The days were reaching over 34 degrees and with the sun dancing off the water, it did not make for a comfortable ride.
With a dip in cool water needed it was off to the Falls region. A short boat ride took us to the base of Twin Falls were we could walk and marvel at the beauty of the water cascading over the towering escarpment. The water was crystal clear and very inviting, however we could not even dip as toe in for fear of those pesky crocs. You could swim here up until 2002, however with 8 crocs trapped last season and 3 to date this season, it is closed to bathers. But it did look so inviting.

Twin Falls


One theory as to why crocs have ventured up to the Twin Falls area is the dreaded cane toad. Cane toads have killed vast numbers of snakes and goannas, eaters of tasty crocodile eggs. With no one to eat the eggs, more crocodile hatchlings are surviving. An increased number of crocs means more territory is needed.
Both the Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls roads were 4WD only, however unlike some tracks were actually fun.


Stopped to help someone bogged, nearly became so ourselves....

Not too much bouncing, but much sand and twists and turns, and the occasional river crossing. The deepest crossing was 55 cm’s- not enough to do any damage but enough to test the vehicle.

River crossing on the way to Twin Falls

The walk to Jim Jim, rated as difficult, was not as fun. The tall, engulfing escarpment was a majestic sight, however was it worth the walk......... It would be amazing to see these falls in the wet, by helicopter though (the only accessible way in the wet).

Jim Jim Falls









I did not make it for a swim, it just wasn’t worth scrambling over yet another boulder for. No wonder this is one place without crocs. After a hard days walking, I did appreciate our picturesque campsite at Garnamarr. Now that we were away from the wetlands, there were no mozzies, and we were able to enjoy a beverage while watching the distant escarpment change colour in the setting sun.
The Mary River Region was the last of the 7 regions of Kakadu for us to visit. Apart from watching the setting sun from Ubirr Rock, it would also have to be my favourite. After travelling a long and dusty dirt road you arrive at Gunlom, a lush oasis, complete with kiosk. This was rather a funny sight, quite literally in the middle of nowhere you could buy a meat pie, quiche or hamburger. Of course with such a good cook on board, we did not purchase such. After setting up camp, it was off for a swim. Even in the dry, the waterfall is still flowing and with no crocs in residence here, it was nice to be able to swim in the plunge pool at the base of the falls. It is such a pretty spot, so we decided to stay for two nights. A cool swim, no bugs of any description, could it get any better? The dingo puppy playfully bounding near our campsite made it so. The next day we braved the very steep, 500 metre climb to the top of the falls and were rewarded with not only a great view, but also our own private plunge pool.

Top of the Falls, Gunlom. Don't jump Dave....

With July 1 approaching, Territory Day, we headed for Katherine to be part of the celebrations. There are many things you can still do in the Territory- smoke in bars- and buy fireworks! You can only buy them on Territory Day though, but they sell all sorts of explosives that were never legal in NSW. Dave bought the biggest, meanest looking fireworks available and some parachutes, ‘just like when we were kids’. The seller asked if we knew were to set them off, we replied in the negative. Then with a big smile on his face, he said- ‘anywhere you want to!’ There really are no rules up here. Officially they can only be let off between 6 and 11pm on Territory Day, however I suspect we will hear them for the next week............


Dave and our fireworks!

We are staying in the grounds of the Springvale Homestead near Katherine. As walked to the nearby helipad, there were already a crew of fellow campers letting off their crackers. But it was Dave’s ‘biggie’ that caught everyone’s attention. It was certainly the loudest I have ever heard and pretty dam spectacular too.