Kununurra to Bungle Bungle Caravan Park

Kununurra – 19 July 2012

This morning we headed off for our day trip along the famous Gibb River Road, albeit only as far as El Questro Station. Our first stop was Zebedee Springs, a beautiful palm fringed thermal spring of between 28 to 32C. Sue and I soaked in the warmth for about an hour while the girls honed their dam building skills at the end of one of the pools. They successfully raised the water level by an inch or two. 

The start of the Gibb River Road, western end

Dam builders at work - Zebedee Springs

The girls enjoying a warm shower at Zebedee

Another shot of that warm shower

We left just on midday, when the station owners close the springs to the general public and make them available only to resort tour groups. We then drove the short run to El Questro Station, crossing the Pentecost River in the process. They’d done up the station a bit since our first visit 18 years ago, and now had nice shady, grassed areas with picnic tables and a full blown café for the punters. I had my lunch here while the girls had an icecream and then we hit the road again for Emma Gorge.
We began our walk from a very crowded car park, expecting to share the gorge with the multitudes. Luckily we passed many of them leaving as we walked in. It was a fairly challenging 1.6km to the end of the gorge, where we found a beautiful waterfall and large pool that beckoned us for a swim. That was until we put our feet in it, only to find it was about 10C. We braved it anyway and found it to be very invigorating (Sue said I couldn’t add any rude adjectives here). We swam to the far side of the pool, to beneath the waterfall, and then followed the wall back to a cave, near where we had entered. We all noticed the water was a fraction warmer here and continued further back along the wall, where we found a thermal spring entering the pool. The water would have been about 25C here and we all huddled in to thaw.

I climbed higher up the rocks where I could hear more water running in and found a deeper private pool in behind a large boulder. The only trouble was it was about 1 inch narrower than my butt, so I had to squeeze in with a bit of a sideways twist. After the others joined me, with their narrower butts, I decided to remove myself, only to find I was stuck. With a bit of a wiggle and a grunt I finally managed to free myself. I was real worried at one stage that I would miss happy hour.

Negotiating the rocks before a very cool swim in the Emma Gorge pool

We checked out the shop back at the car park, got changed into some dry clothes and made the run back to Kununurra. I had planned to load the boat back on the roof before dinner, but we again changed our plans and decided to have another day at Kununurra to catch up on a few things before leaving for the Bungle Bungle.

Kununurra – 20 July 2012

We began the day with a trip into the shops to stock the shelves before we left the next day. The car wash was busy when we got back so I decided to have a crack at setting up the new satellite dish. With the help of an instruction book and the neighbours, we managed to get it all running in time for the live rugby game that afternoon.

Sue and the girls enjoyed the midday movie, before Sue took them up for a swim. I loaded the tinnie back on the roof, packed up a few other things and then had happy hour. Never did get time to wash that car.
Sue knocked up a cracking roast lamb dinner, which we all devoured with gusto.

Bungle Bungle Caravan Park – 21 July 2012

Today we left Kununurra at 9.00am and stopped for fuel at Warmun ( formerly Turkey Creek), paying the princely sum of $1.41 per litre for autogas. We turned off the highway 52km south and made the 1km run on dirt to the caravan park. We had booked an unpowered site for 2 nights, but upon arrival found there had been a cancellation, so we scored the last powered site.
After lunch I took the tinnie off the roof and the outboard off the back, before dropping the tyre pressures on the cruiser in preparation for the run into the Bungle Bungle the next day. I also set up the sat dish, before kicking back for happy hour.

Georgia and Kelsey spent their afternoon making poos out of the local dirt with some water from the tap. They were also rapt when a few bulls came walking through the caravan park sites. Their favourite was Hercules, apparently a regular visitor, who they followed around for quite a while, squealing and running away whenever he approached them.

Cordon Bleu chefs with a fresh batch of poos . . . .

After a feed of satay chicken for dinner, we headed over to the communal camp fire and chatted for an hour or so with some fellow travellers from Melbourne. They were about to start their journey home across the Tanami with camper trailers.

With the kids in bed, Sue and I did some work on the blog, before hitting the sack ourselves, ready for an early start the next day.

Berry Springs to Kununurra

Berry Springs – 12 July 2012

We got to the Territory Wildlife Park this morning at about 9.00am. First stop was the pelican feeding at the billabong. The girls, once again, got to feed the stars of the show. After a short walk we got to the aquarium, where we saw many different fish, reptiles and native animals presented in their natural environments. Good educational matter for the rugrats.

Next was the Ooloo Billabong presentation. The keeper stood in knee deep water with whip rays and large barramundi. As he fed them, we learnt about the environment they came from in the upper Daly River at Ooloo Crossing. Georgia felt a bit woozy and had to sit down. We think she might have been affected by the heat and having to stand for a while listening to the keeper. We jumped back on the train to the air conditioned kiosk. She came good after a chocolate muffin and a cold drink.

The whip rays and barra at Ooloo Billabong


We jumped back on the train and headed to the Nocturnal House. Here we saw the creatures of the night in a very low light environment. It took a while for our eyes to adjust before we could spot the critters. The girls enjoyed being the first to see the animal in each enclosure.

A short walk away was the Monsoon Forest Walk. Unfortunately the walk-through aviary was undergoing renovation, so we just strolled to the end of the boardwalk, where we found a small stream with a few fish in it. The girls and I fed the fish some Cheetos (like Cheezels).

We again jumped on the train and headed back to the kiosk for lunch. I walked back to the car and grabbed the coolbag with our sandwiches, and we cooled off while we ate.

Georgia with an albino python

Kelsey had a turn with the python as well . . . . very brave


After lunch we grabbed some golf clubs and balls from the kiosk and went across to the Woolybutts area, where Georgia and I sweltered while we enjoyed 9 holes of mini golf. We just finished our round in time to make the short walk to the Birds of Prey presentation.

The sign says it all . . . . . though they left out an 'e'

 
Here we saw a barn owl, an Asian baza, a rufous owl, a brahminy kite and an osprey. After the show, the two handlers held a wedge-tailed eagle and a peregrine falcon and we were able to take close-up photos.



One of the handlers with a wedge-tailed eagle after the show

Another handler, this time with a pergrine falcon

We returned home and spent the rest of the arvo researching accommodation for down the track.

Katherine – 13 July 2012

We left Berry Springs, and after a stop at Adelaide River for fuel, we had lunch in a shady park at Pine Creek. After lunch we continued on our way to Edith Falls, turning off the highway 40km north of Katherine. We changed into our swimming gear in the van and then headed off on the 1km walk up to the top pool. It was just as beautiful as we remembered and we enjoyed a refreshing swim with the girls.

The upper pool at Edith Falls

 

The girls looking for good skimming rocks in the lower pool at Edith Falls

We returned home and spent the rest of the arvo researching accommodation for down the track.

Katherine – 14 July 2012

We headed into town to the shops and spotted a local market on the way. All the girls cruised the stalls, while I cruised the tackle shop on the corner. We picked up a few things at the shops afterwards and then returned home and cranked up the air conditioner while we had lunch.

After lunch I hit the computer to catch up on some outstanding drafting work, while Sue and the girls returned to town to do the grocery shopping.  Sue also picked up a few early birthday presents for the girls. When they returned, Sue cooked while the girls played with their new Trashie Trucks.

As we were heading into WA in a couple of days, we had to eat all our fruit and veg, or declare it at the border. So that night, we enjoyed roast chicken with a magnificent potato/sweet potato bake.

Katherine – 15 July 2012

I once again hit the keyboard and almost finished my drafting backlog. Sue took the girls for a walk/bike ride down to the Katherine Hot Springs, which were just around the corner, about 1km away. They didn’t swim but returned after lunch, and while Sue watched, they swung from the rope with the local kids into the warm pool. Sue had a lot of trouble getting the buggers to come home, they had that much fun.

Once again we enjoyed a fresh batch of potato bake for dinner, this time with barbecued steak and snags.

Kununurra – 16 July 2012

We woke early, just after 6.00am, to prepare for our long drive to Kununurra. Fortunately we woke to a cool, dry easterly breeze, which made for ideal driving conditions, providing us with a tail wind all the way to WA. The classroom in the back seat was also very comfortable for the teacher and her students. Not long after leaving, we noticed a crack spreading across the top of our windscreen . . . . . bummer!

We got fuel at Victoria River and then stopped for lunch at the entrance to the Bulla community, where we took photos of a few large boab trees, the first the kids had come in contact with.

A large boab tree beside our lunch-time stop

We arrived in Kununurra at around 3.00pm Territory time, gaining 1½ hours with the time zone difference. Perth time was 1.30pm, giving us a longer afternoon to do things in town.

After organising a new windscreen claim with RACQ, we headed into the local Novus repairer and booked the car in for the next morning. Then it was off to the post office, where we picked up a couple of packages of forwarded mail and our new satellite tv kit, which we’d ordered back in Darwin. Pretty flash hey!

There wasn’t room for the kids and the sat dish in the back of the car, so I left Sue and the kids in town and dropped the kit home. I returned to find them in the toy store, of all places, putting in orders for more birthday presents. After we finally got out of there, we headed over to Coles, picked up a few items and then headed home.

Kununurra – 17 July 2012

After a quick brekky, I dropped the car off at Novus and the boss dropped me home. On the way I picked his brains for fishing and swimming spots. He was accommodating.

Back at camp, we began packing up the caravan to shift onto a powered site, as none had been available when we arrived. Without a car our generous neighbour kindly offered his services and repositioned our van for us, enabling us to have everything set up before we got the car back.

I got the car back from Novus just before lunch, so after a feed we headed into town, with the intention of getting some information from the Tourist Information Centre and then taking a drive along the dirt road adjacent to the Lower Ord River, ending at Wyndham. But as is often the case with us, our plans changed, and we ended up chewing the fat with one of the staff at the Info Centre for a lot longer than expected. Before we knew it, the afternoon was fading fast, so we took a trip to get Sue a mango smoothie and then headed out to the Zebra Rock Art Gallery. Sue and I had visited here 15 years ago and while the zebra rock art was very interesting, it was the catfish in the river behind the gallery that we thought would hold the biggest appeal for the monsters.

The kids really enjoyed the rock art as it turned out, but the catfish were still a big winner. All those white whiskers above the water’s surface, clamouring for each small morsel of bread was something to see. There were also about half a dozen turtles in the mix, who didn’t stand a chance competing with the catties. But we discovered, that by dropping the bread onto some adjacent floating weeds, the turtles, with their heads above water, could zero in on the bread before the ravenous hoardes below could find it. The turtles did okay in the end.

So many whiskers, all straining for a piece of our bread . . . .

After the gallery and the catties, we headed up the road to one of the local fruit farms. We had great memories of selecting all our own fruit from large bins at farms such as this in the past. There was a multitude of different fruits available. Our favourites were the many different varieties of melons which we devoured with ice-cream back in the van. To our dismay, all that was available now, was about half a dozen different fruits, pre-cut and glad wrapped in a fridge . . . . . very disappointing. We grabbed ¼ of a watermelon and a rock melon for later before heading home.

Kununurra – 18 July 2012

Georgia and I went into town after breakfast and picked up a couple of things from the supermarket and then dropped the tyre pressures at the servo. When we got back, Sue gave me a hair cut with the clippers and re-plaited the rat. We left town at about 9.30 and took the turnoff onto the dirt to follow the old Wyndham Road. We had stops at Valentine Springs, Middle Falls and Blackrock Falls. None had any flow, but were pretty nonetheless. We also took a turnoff back to Ivanhoe Crossing and had a look from the other side for a change. It was closed to traffic. After a couple of pics we headed off towards Wyndham again and stopped for lunch at the Manbi Island boat ramp. The river here was a good 15m below ground level, but a lower section of bank was big enough to provide some really nice campsites. Even though the road in was quite corrugated and dusty, there were still a few caravans on the lower bank enjoying the isolation.

Ivanhoe Crossing from the western approch

Another hour on the road saw us arrive at Parry’s Creek Farm, where camping was available. We drove in for a quick look and then continued on to Wyndham. As we entered town, we stopped at the Big Crocodile in the main street for a couple of pics with the girls. They were most disappointed that no climbing was allowed.

Wyndam's big croc

A tour of Wyndham took all of 15mins before we headed up the steep access road to the Five Rivers Lookout. From there we saw the mouths of the King, Pentecost, Durack, Forest and Ord Rivers, where they enter the Cambridge Gulf. Julia Gillard became the first Prime Minister to visit Wyndham that morning. What a shame we didn’t arrive until the afternoon. Never thought I’d owe so much to corrugations . . . . .

About 40kms south of Wyndham we turned off the highway into the Grotto, a small, fern lined gorge with extremely cold water, just ask Georgia.  She was determined to swing from the Tarzan rope that we’d seen on the internet. She surprised us all when she actually entered the water, got hold of the rope and then managed to bring it to the edge. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t tall enough to swing from the short rope and could only let it go and watch it swing back to where it started. We climbed back up the 140 steps to the car park and made our way back to Kununurra.

Georgia . . . valiantly retrieving the rope at The Grotto

With so many tired bodies on board, an executive decision was made to grab Chicken Treat for dinner. No arguments there.

Lee Point, Darwin to Berry Springs

Lee Point – Darwin – 5 July 2012

This morning we hit the wave pool, which was freezing according to the kids. We weren’t silly enough to go in the water. It was quite a cool day with a chilly breeze blowing. The kids had a ball in the waves on the supplied tubes and boogie boards.

Having a blast at the wave pool

 A bit of boogie boarding

After a quick splash in the lagoon we headed off to the Military Museum at East Point. This was very interesting and we all learnt heaps about Darwin’s involvement in WW2.

Georgia and Kelsey beside one of the exhibits outside the Military Museum
 
Next stop was an early arrival at the Mindil Markets (just for a change). With no planned rendezvous tonight, we enjoyed a quiet, family-only evening on the beach with about 5,000 others. The sunset was a ripper.

Another dinner at Mindil Beach

And yet another cracking sunset

 Lee Point – Darwin – 6 July 2012

This morning we arranged for a TV aerial tech to visit our van and hopefully heal our sick TV reception. He performed as hoped, replacing a dodgy coax cable, and in the process sold us on the idea of a sat TV system. We previously discussed these with Bob and Margaret’s friends, John and Carol, so didn’t need too much of a shove to take the plunge. We did a bit more research online after he left and ended up ordering a system through Satplus (his recommendation), who happen to be just up the road from our place, in Caboolture. It would be waiting for us in Kununurra when we arrived in WA.

While Sue was making lunch the microwave chucked a hissy fit and started strobing wildly. Needless to say we switched it off and made plans to buy a new one.

After lunch we went to Casuarina Shopping Centre, got the girls hair cut and looked for a new microwave. The search continued to the Good Guys and Retravision. In the end we realised that the only microwave that was going to suit us was a small cheap one at the Good Guys, so we planned to return the next day.

We went back to the van, showered and changed, and then met John and Penny at Stokes Hill Wharf for a feed of takeaway. We enjoyed fish and chips and Thai, before feeding the mullet and batfish with bread that Penny had bought along for just that purpose. There was also a few large barra circling beneath the other fish. John and I had our casting arms twitching.

Lee Point – Darwin – 7 July 2012

We met Mandy, Nicholas and Samantha at Lake Leanyer as planned and enjoyed a couple of hours with them before heading back to the Good Guys to pick up our new microwave. There was a BCF in the same complex, so we picked up some new rod holders for the tinnie and an inverter for the car. After a stop at Bunnings for some hardware, we returned home where I installed the microwave. We had a bbq for dinner that night. 

Our crew with Mandy, Samantha and Nicholas

Lee Point – Darwin – 8 July 2012

A day at home for me, fitting 12 volt lights to the van and a battery charger and 240 volt to the front boot. Sue and the girls went for a walk down to Lee Point in the morning and did some shopping at Casuarina in the afternoon. Heaven tonight, in the form of home made pizza. The first since leaving Brisbane.

Lee Point – Darwin – 9 July 2012

First stop this morning was an aluminium supplier for some angle to mount our new rod holders to the tinnie, then we continued on to Palmerston Shopping Centre. After the shops, I picked up some bolts from Bunnings and we returned home for lunch.

After lunch I fabricated the new rod holder brackets, fitted them to the tinnie and then packed up the boat. Sue and the girls spent the afternoon doing school work, followed by a walk down to the beach.

Berry Springs – 10 July 2012

We left Lee Point for Berry Springs today and set up the van at the Lakes Resort in about 85% humidity and 35C. We found out on arrival, that the Australian Water Skiing Championships were being held there on their private lake.

We had a bbq lunch and swim at Berry Springs before returning home to get changed and then drove to Humpty Doo for a final happy hour with Bob, Margaret and the rest of the crew. We got home at about 8.00pm.

BBQ lunch at Berry Springs

Swimming in the main pool, Berry Springs

Berry Springs – 11 July 2012

Litchfield National Park was our destination today, and we started with a stop at the magnetic termite mounds, which aren’t in fact magnetic, but are built in a north/south direction to take advantage of the warmth provided by the sun at different stages during the day.

At the magnetic termite mounds

A regular termite mound for comparison


Our next stop was Florence Falls. We took a few pics from the lookout and then descended over 100 steps to the pool below, where we shared the tranquility with about 60 others. You couldn’t hear yourself think. We didn’t swim here, but the girls waded around in the rock pools.

The lookout over Florence Falls

We tried Buley Rockhole next, but the car park was full, so we continued on to Wangi Falls. We found a nice shady piece of grass and ate our lunch before donning snorkels and goggles and entered the cool water. We all swam together and spotted many different fish before crossing the main pool (100m) to the waterfall. We climbed 5m up the rocks into the private pool, which is about 2m diameter and has its own small waterfall tipping into it. Sue just had to have a few photos for the scrapbooking album, so Tarzan swam back for the camera.

The main fall at Wangi

 

The girls in the private pool at Wangi

A closer shot of the private pool

Enjoying the private pool before handing it over to others

Another angle on Wangi's main fall

Georgia chillin' underwater at Wangi

Kelsey free-falling at lunch

We left Wangi and headed back to the Tolmer Falls lookout. A few pics were taken and then we went back to the car and gave Buley Rockhole another shot. This time we scored a car park and spent the next 1 ½ hours lounging in the rapids and bombing in the deep pool. The kids had a ball and didn’t want to leave.

Kelsey with a private waterfall at Buley Rockhole

Sue takes the plunge at Buley

Adam and Georgia copping a free massage

We got home at 6.00pm after 1 ½ hours on the road. The toasted sangas went down a treat.

Humpty Doo to Lee Point, Darwin

Humpty Doo – 28 June 2012

The day started very early. Kelsey woke up vomiting at 1.00am and then again not long after. She wound up in bed with us and was running a mild fever. We had to cancel a catch-up with old friends of my Dad’s who were passing through Darwin. Sue went to the chemist later that morning and picked up some panadol for the fever, which helped markedly. We spent most of the day at home, before Kelsey picked up mid afternoon. As we’d previously organised to catch up with John and Penny again at the Mindil Markets, and Kelsey was feeling better, we headed into town for another sunset and a feed. Kelsey was fine the rest of the evening and that night.

Sue and Penny at Mindil Beach

John and Penny with our girls

Humpty Doo – 29 June 2012

No further trouble from Kelsey during the night, she appeared to be fighting fit again. After a few more chores around home that morning, we joined all the crew for a bbq and swim at Berry Springs. The kids had a ball swimming in the warm pools, as did the adults.

Main pool at Berry Springs

We came back to the van, got changed and went in to check out the weekly Palmerston Market. The girls loved it, as they had their faces painted for free and also had a specialist balloon made for each of them. Kelsey got a kangaroo and Georgia a buffalo. We met Monty Dwyer there, the ex-weatherman from Sunrise. We ended up buying a full set of his books and dvds, written during his travels around Australia. We had dinner on the grass in the town square beneath approximately 50,000 screaming lorikeets. 

Potential road kill

But alas, she survived



Our rainbow child

Humpty Doo – 30 June 2012

Kelsey woke this morning with tummy pains which turned out to be a nice old case of the trots. We decided to rest her that day, so I did some more welding while the girls relaxed. Later that day we drove to Berrimah to buy a new water pump/tap for the van and then went on to Howard Springs. You can no longer swim with the barramundi at the springs, which was a real bummer, as we’d been telling the girls about it since leaving Brisbane. They were doing a lot of work to make the area more tourist friendly and the girls enjoyed running through a new water feature that had been completed. Kelsey’s tummy was still troubling her, but she came good for dinner and the rest of the night.

Humpty Doo – 1 July 2012

We started Territory Day with a trip to the local shops to buy some fireworks for that evening. As chance would have it, we ran into one of Sue’s girlfriends from Brisbane in the car park. Kerri, her husband and two kids had made the long run to the Top End for a quick 4-5 stay with friends, just down the road from Humpty Doo. We chatted for about 30 minutes before getting our fireworks and heading into town for a trip to the Darwin Museum.

The Museum was enjoyed by all. We especially enjoyed a special fishing exhibit and the Cyclone Tracey display. We sat in the shade on a beautiful grassed lawn and ate our lunch overlooking Fannie Bay.

Next stop was Aquascene at Doctor’s Gully, where we hand fed the mullet, milkfish and many more with the bread supplied. The kids loved getting their fingers sucked. We finished 2 hours here with an ice-cream each, before heading home for the Territory Day celebrations.

The girls hand feeding the milkfish and mullet

Kelsey feeding a mullet

Adam feeding the milkfish

Georgia keeping the mullet happy

A close up of a milkie sucking in a crust

There was about 40-50 people at the block that night. After a mixed feed of bbq and party food, we enjoyed about 1 ½ hours of fireworks, supplied by all. It was a really good night, without any collisions in the dark.

Humpty Doo – 2 July 2012

Sue had a really bad night’s sleep and woke to her own dose of the vomiting and diarrhoea bug. She endured a hairdresser’s appointment, feeling like she was going to die and spent the rest of the afternoon curled up in bed. The girls gave her plenty of peace and played with Margaret’s grandchildren all afternoon. I continued my welding and fabrication.

Margaret kindly made a big round of toasted sandwiches for all 4 girls and I grabbed a late serve of fish and chips at the shops while picking up some groceries. Sue of course opted out.

Lee Point – Darwin – 3 July 2012

Today we packed up all the gear and moved to the Lee Point Caravan Park, on the outskirts of Darwin. We decided this was best because we had a lot of running around town to do and could save considerable time by staying closer than Humpty Doo. When we arrived at the park there was a small market in progress, where park patrons sell their wares each week. Sue and the girls were rapt with our timing and headed straight for the market, while I set up the van. Luckily, they didn’t spend too much money.

As the tinnie was already set up on the trailer, we left it behind and I returned later that afternoon to pick it up separately. On the way, I managed to find my way into a couple of tackle shops and Super Cheap, where of course I had to buy a few lures, etc.

That night we caught up with our old friends Ian and Mandy Carmichael and their son Nicholas. Their unit backs onto a golf course and the kids had a ball kicking the footy on the fairway. We had a great night with them catching up on old times. They mentioned their daughter Samantha was arriving on Friday evening for a surprise visit (for Nicholas). Mandy asked if we would still be around on Saturday for a catch up with her. We hadn’t seen Sam since she was 13 (now 23), so we made a date to meet on Saturday at the Lake Leanyer Waterpark.

Lee Point – Darwin – 4 July 2012

After a late start to the day, we headed into Darwin City and had a wander around the shops and mall, before the girls had their first feed of Maccas since leaving Brisbane. It never even touched the sides.

After town we drove down to Stokes Hill Wharf for a quick look and then over to the Darwin Waterfront, a new development which includes a hotel, private residences, restaurants, retail stores, a lagoon with a sandy beach and best of all (for the kids), a wave pool.

We didn’t swim then, as it was getting late, but made plans to return the next day.

That evening Georgia and I donned the maroon and adorned the bed in front of the telly for the State of Origin 3 broadcast. Once again, the mighty Queenslanders triumphed over the evil Cockroaches from the south. That’s 7, can’t wait for 8.