A bit of station life.

Wednesday, July 23 and Thursday, July 24:

Left Leycesters early and drove to our next stop (No 599) Larrawa Station Bush Camping. We weren’t sure what we would find at it is not listed in Wiki Camp. It is an open area with lovely flushing toilets and hot showers. Luckily we were able to grab some shade under trees but everyone else has their generators going full bore.

Luckily they were turned off. We walked down to Christmas Creek which has several permanent billabongs and then took sunset shots of the range.

As we liked the place so much and had shade and a breeze we decided to stay another day. Wendy one of the owners came around each night for a chat and to collect our $20. Full of information and loved talking about the property. Employs 2 people and had 2 volunteers there as well as the time.

Sunset at Larrawa Station.

Our camp at Larrawa Station - one of the few trees in the camp.

Upper reaches of the Ord River

Tuesday, July 22:

Left Wyndham and headed west to a free camp (506) Leycesters  - Ord River (the rising of the Ord before it flows through the Bungle Bungles to Lake Argyle) between Turkey Creek and Hall  Creek. Stopped at the middle free camp but as there were no time restrictions, people had really settled in taking the shady spots by the river while the top; sealed area was full of overnighters.

This spot is good as we are away from everyone else – some of whom seem hell bent on camping out on top of everyone else.

A couple pulled in near us  - Don and his wife from Tamworth  -who Wal had a long chat with. I gathered fire wood from the Ord River behind us and had enough for a fire so we invited them to join us for drinks around the fire and after tea a cuppa by the fire. We all enjoyed ourselves – the skies were so clear but no shooting stars tonight.

 

The Ord River.

Wonderful Wyndham

Sunday, July 20:

Left Kunnunura at 9 and arrived at Wyndham at 10.30am just in time for the market in the caravan park and then took off after lunch to Port Wyndham, the jetty, museum and the ore loading piers.

The loading dock at Port Wyndham, six kms north of Wyndham.

Monday, July 21:

Spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the rest of Wyndham. Went to the Pioneer and Afghan cemeteries.

The Pioneer Cemetery included graves of those men who died during the construction of the meatworks at Wyndham in 1914-1916. Two died on the same day from different causes – one of sunstroke and the other drowned.

The Afghan Cemetery is a little out of town and quite small but contains about half a dozen graves with stones marking the head and foot. It is said the graves are so large because the Afghan’s lead camel was buried with him – don’t know how true but the cemetery is a tribute to the Afghans’ contribution to the development of the Kimberley.

Our next stop was The Bastion which is a high peak above the town from which you can see the Port and 4kms south the township. You can also see the five rivers which flow into Cambridge Gulf – the Ord, King, Forrest, Durack, Pentacost rivers. Great view over the port which ships out ore from the Kimberley Mining Group – the mine is located west of Doon Doon and trucks pulling four ore trucks each go backwards and forwards about 150kms each way, twice a day and night. We counted five trucks but I guess there are more.

A views across where five rivers join. Taken from the Bastion.

Next stop was the crocodile in the main street. It was made by the school kids for the town’s centenary where I purchased a hand carved boab done by a local Jaky Weaver for $25.

Next stop was the town’s giant Warriu dreamtime sculptures in a park next to the outdoor cinema. 

Then we got adventurous and travelled along a dirt road for 20 plus kms looking for the prison boab tree, Aboriginal rock art and the Moochalabra Dam. We also saw a pair of Broglas which escaped from view and the graceful Black-necked Storks.

Wally standing in front of the Boab Prison tree.

The local fisherman was advertising barra so I called in but they didn’t have any barra as his is still out fishing and the water is still too cold for them. Instead I purchased some Jew Fish and barra fins which you cook the same as barra. I’ll try anything.

Then it was back to camp and well deserved swim. At 6pm we head back to port Wyndham to the hotel where we had barra and chips.

Our camp at Wyndham Caravan Park.

I was told I should make up a lemon butter to pan fry or put the barra fins on the barbie  – butter, lemon juice, white wine and capers and a dollop of cream. Don’t have the latter two but will try the other.

Westward, ever westward

Monday, July 14:

Left Manbulloo Station for a free camp (national park $3.30 per person) at Sullivan’s Camp. We pulled up, found a spot and a chap wandered over for a chat. He was Wayne and his wife was Sue and they were from Newcastle. Next in came another van. The driver asked is he could pull in behind us but leaving lots of room. No worries. His name was tom and his wife’s name was Sue. So we were dubbed Sue1, Sue 2 and Sue 3 in order of arrival.

Wayne played the ukele and pulled it out. The next couple who arrived in a campervan hopped out and she grabbed her ukele toos so we had dueling ukeles in the camp that night. We all sat together and had drinks before turning in for the night. All the Sues were heading west so we will probably meet up again. 

Tuesday, July 14:

Moved on to the next free camp  - which was the last one before the WA border and Kununurra. Called  the Saddle our backyard was a giant cliff face which changed colours as the sun set. Next to us was another Vietnam Vet so we had drinks together and had a great chat.

Wednesday, July 16:

It was only a short hop the border and the quarantine check then onto Kununurra where we had booked into Hidden Valley which was the cheapest park and had received good reviews on Wiki Camp.

After setting up on a nice grassy site – though it took a bit to get into the site – we looked through the brochures to see which tours we would book. We decided on the one I had already picked with Kimberley air and Triple J – a flight on a seaplane and a trip along the length of the ord river form the wall back to Kununurra - $595 each but great value. 

We couldn’t get both on the same day so had to stay an extra night.  In the need we were glad as it would have been one exhausting day.

Went shopping then flopped into their beautiful pool.

Tom and Sue 3 were also in the park so we had drinks with them each night we were there. They are from Mooroopna and were good fun.

View across Kununurra.

Thursday, July 17:

We spent the morning driving around  and re-visited places such as Ivanhoe Crossing, Packsaddle Rd where we purchased some delicious bananas. Then decided it was too hot so flopped again in the pool.

Friday, July 18:

Boat trip up the Ord and Lake Kununarra. Picked up at 11.30am and didn’t return until after 5.30pm. This was an amazing trip with owner Geoff who has lived and worked in Kununurra since the 1980s. Saw lots of corcs (fresh water) wallabies, birds and of course scenery which is so difficult to capture on the camera. His boat was powered by 3 outboards – 350 each and burns lots and lots of fuel.

Agile Wallabies.

A back water on the Ord River.

Saturday, July 19:

Picked up at 7.30 by our pilot Kathie and her driver for our flight with Kimberley Air. We madly took photos but I’m sure they won’t do everything we saw justice. We took off from the airport; went to pick up two passengers at Lake Argyle so did a sea landing and takeoff and then it was south over the Bngle Bundles and argyle diamond Mine before landing back on Lake Argyle where Kathie laid out morning tea for us all.  Another takeover and a shot hoop to let our Lake Argyle passengers off and then it was another see take off back to the airport. It was great fun and great value for money.

The Hoochery and Sandalwood factory then shopping at IGA.

The islands in Lake Argyll.

The Bungle Bungles from the air.

Indian Sandlewood plantations at Kununurra.

Sunday, July 20:

 Left Kunnunura at 9 and arrived at Wyndham at 10.30am just in time for the market in the caravan park and then took off after lunch to Port Wyndham, the jetty, museum and the ore loading piers.