Broome to Winjana Gorge - Tuesday 30 August 2011
Well the van is cleaned and the fridges are off, ready to go into storage for the next 9 days while we are on our Kimberley Wild trip. We had to have both car and van moved off site and in storage by 6:30am for a 6:45am pick up.
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| Waiting for the Bus |
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| 4WD Bus coming around the corner |
We were picked up on time, along with another 15 and our Tour Guide, Driver, Cook Cheryl on the bus ready to go. First day we headed to the “Boab Prison Tree” near Derby, then onto Winjana Gorge to set up camp and lunch. Camping was tents, swags and sleeping bags, no caravan luxury for the next few days. After lunch we were taken to Tunnel Creek part of the Napier Range, and walked through the caves along the creek.
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| Boab Prison Tree |
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| Walking through Tunnel Creek |
Back at camp we walked up through the gorge and found 8 freshwater crocs sunning themselves on the bank, incredible to see so many together in the wild, usually you get one or two together. Back at camp we were treated to a full on BBQ. It was about now that we were given the next day’s plan, breakfast 5 to 5:30am, Pack tents 5:30 to 6am, pack truck 6 to 6:30am and on the road, it came as a bit of a shock first up but after 9 days we sort of got used to it.
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| Winjana Gorge |
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| Local Freshie going home |
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| All the Freshies behind us |
Winjana Gorge to Mt Barnett Station – Wednesday 31 August 2011
Cheryl was not joking, she woke us all at 5am and we were on the road by 6:30 heading for Silent Grove and Bell Gorge. This was our first real hike up a rough track and over gorges to a beautiful oasis at Bell Gorge, we all took the opportunity to swim in the waterhole and under the waterfall, before the 45min hike back out to the truck and on the road to Imintji for lunch. Imintji is a roadhouse miles from no-where, it was like most of the Kimberley hot and dusty.
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| On top of the range towards Bell Gorge |
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| Bell Gorge waterfall and swimming hole |
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| Nice easy track to walk - this is normal for most tracks |
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| Imintji Roadhouse |
After lunch the final couple of hours we headed to Mt Barnett Station which was our campsite for the night, right on the edge of the Manning River. After a great dinner, we all crashed in our swags by 8am, ready for another 5am start.
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| Our home for 9 days |
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| The kitchen |
Mt Barnett Station to El Questro – Thursday 1 September 2011
We weren’t disappointed, the call came at 5am for breakfast and pack, but by 6am we were swimming the river for a 1 hour hike to Manning Gorge. Here we are, 17 adults on the river back at 6am swimmers on clothes and shoes in polystyrene boxes swimming a river, very different to working, more like something I would have my scouts doing years ago. But it was great, and when we arrived at the gorge the view was spectacular and the swim under the waterfall was special. Now another hour walk back to the river swim back over pack the truck and off to El Questro.
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| Walking into Manning Falls |
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| Our tour group |
El Questro – Friday 2 September 2011
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| Emma Gorge |
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| Zebedee Springs |
Special treat today seeing that we were not travelling Cheryl gave us a sleep in, 5:30am she was all heart! First stop on the day was Zebedee Springs by 7am for a swim in the thermal springs, very nice indeed. Then out to Emma Gorge and a walk up the gorge along the river to another great waterfall and swimming hole. The wet season this year was one of the biggest for years therefore most waterfalls were still flowing and the countryside looked great, plenty of green for so late in the dry season.
On the way back to camp we stopped off to view the Chamberlain Gorge and River and the fancy El Questro homestead. Back at camp and time for a rest this afternoon to re-charge then off to the El Questro Steakhouse for dinner.
El Questro to Lake Argyle – Saturday 3 September 2011
Back to 5am starts and on the road by 6:15am heading for Kununurra, we soon left the Gibb River Road and the corrugations and dust. It was a real experience to do the “Gibb”, I am pleased it was not in my vehicle.
The stop in Kununurra gave everybody the opportunity to buy real coffee and check the phone messages, we talked to Ryan and found out that all was good at home but cold, we reminded him that we had 35 deg today. After fuel and groceries we headed out to Lake Arglye for the night and a great sunset cruise on the Lake, drinking champagne while swimming in the lake watching the sunset, doesn’t get much better.
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| Enjoying the great pool at Lake Argyle |
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The beauty of Lake Argyle |
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| Champagne at Sunset swimming in Lake Argyle |
Lake Argyle to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles) – Sunday 4 September 2011
Yep up at 5am and on the road by 6:30am, heading back into Kununurra a quick tour around the town, pick up supplies. I got a text message from Ryan for Father’s Day and an email from Catherine, so I felt very special.
We then headed off down the Great Northern highway for about 2 hours to Purnululu National Park turnoff, from the highway to the national park is 53km, which took us just over 2 hours of rocking, rolling and river crossings. We set up camp and watched the sunset on the “Massive” the main rock formation through the Bungles. Back in the swags to night, watching the sky and stars at night is something special.
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| Fathers Day in the Bungles |
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| The majestic Bungle Bungles |
Bungles Bungles - Monday 5 September 2011
First walk at the Bungles were up through the Beehive formations and Cathedral Gorge, it was just spectacular it was starting to get very warm by the time we had finished this walk we were in for a hot day 38deg.
After lunch we took a helicopter flight over the area we had just walked and it looked just as impressive from the air. Then to finish the day we walked up through Echidna Chasm, another impressive formation.
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| The famous Beehive |
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| Bungles from the air |
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| Aboard the Helicopter |
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| Planking in Echidna Chasm |
Back to camp for our last bush camp night, it was topped off with our “Kimberley Awards” night where everybody received an award for something they had said or done over the past 7 days, lots of laughs and fun, our guide Cheryl won the Kimberley Gold Award for everything she had done for us, even the early starts were getting easier
Purnululu National Park to Fitzroy Crossing – Tuesday 6 September 2011
On the road early again, we were starting to get used this early starts now, first trip was the 2 hours of rough road to the highway then into Halls Creek for fuel and real coffee. Just out of Halls creek we visited the China Wall then travelled onto the Laarra Aboriginal Settlement and Art Gallery for lunch, then the final couple of hours to Fitzroy Crossing. Last dinner for the trip at the Fitzroy River Lodge, we had made lots of knew friends and had a great time.
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| China Wall |
Fitzroy Crossing to Broome – Wednesday 7 September 2011
The last day up and gone by 6:30am out to Giekie Gorge for a river cruise, just another special place to look at some incredible natural structures. After a tour through Fitzroy Crossing we headed for the 400+ km back to Broome by 4:30pm to find the car and van and put it back on site, my babies were safe and pleased to see me.
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| Geikie Gorge Cruise |
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| Geikie Gorge |
The 9 days was just fantastic, to see and experience the Kimberley’s we were very lucky we had an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, fun, a great driver and a good cook, what more would you want. The 5am starts sound hard but they are the best way, you beat the heat and other tourist buses to most areas, and it is crowded at some places, the distances are also incredible you spend a great deal of time on the bus.
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| Packing the truck each day was a huge job |
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| Just about home |
Our whole trip is a real adventure and the Kimberley’s is one of the real highlights and should be on most peoples Bucket List.
As a wrap up our Kimberley Experience was fantastic, the tour company were teh best our guide was exceptional and everybody on the tour are now all good friends. The Kimberley is such a big vast area, the distances between sights are exceptional, so the early starts made a great deal of sense. Well done Cheryl on running a great trip. The poem below was written by Graeme, who was on our trip, he wrote the poem while on the trip and it sums up the early starts to a tee.
People Who Laugh at Breakfast
People who laugh at breakfast
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| The Tour Group in the Bungles |
Should explain to the rest of the world...
It's a very odd way
To kick off a day
It comes as a shock
When it's just 5 o'clock
When the sun is just peeping
Other campers are sleeping
The day is just starting
The sparrows are farting
I don't mean to be rude
But it's not about food.
It sets me to wonder
What stars are they under?
At this early hour
It can't be the grog
Not "a hair of the dog"
Did they dream in their tent
How their passions were spent?
Perhaps it's their genes,
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| Our Bus/Truck next to a Boab |
If you spell what I mean.
So... People who laugh at breakfast
Should explain what the hell it's about
What their neurons are doing
While the cows are still mooing
And the weather report's still in doubt.
I'm not very good at breakfast
In fact I'm a bit of a grump
I scowl at the dishes
Like a batsman who swishes
My vocal chords can't make the effort
Till 2 cups of coffee have sung
No words do I utter
Until toast and butter
And Vegemite loosen my tongue.
By midday I'm starting to function
By 5 o'clock PM I'm right
Some are owls, some are fowls
Some have thrown in their towels
By the time that I'm humming - midnight!
But people who laugh at breakfast
Can be ready at 6 for a hike
And people who laugh at breakfast
Are people I'd like to be like.
Broome – Thursday 8 & Friday 9 September 2011
Back in the van and a comfy bed, no we didn’t get up at 5am. First job to the dentist for Marlene to fix a tooth after a mintie went wrong, then to the Airport to drop Jill and Stuart off, groceries then home for the afternoon to do the washing.
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| Farewell to Jill & Stuart at the airport |
Friday was a quiet day catching up on things and relaxing, the last 9 days was catching up on us. A quiet day is what is needed before we get back into travelling mode again. Dinner that night was at the Zoo Café with a number of others from the trip that are still in Broome, lots of laughs.
