SATURDAY 23rd JUNE

Rest day. Everyone worn out after big walk yesterday. Wendy and I made some pikelets for morning tea. 2 x Ian’s and Pete did another gorge walk. Typed up blog notes ready to cut and paste when we have reception, should be next stop at Kununurra we will be on bitumen tomorrow for the rest of the trip. Our last night at El Questro so booked in for buffet dinner tonight. Should have power and water from tomorrow for 4 days.

Went for a swim in the river near camp ground

Buffet barbeque at El Questro Wilderness Park

FRIDAY 22nd JUNE

Colours are amazing

All out early to tackle El Questro Gorge walk today. We have to drive over a river crossing about 700mm deep. When we got there some people wouldn’t attempt it so they can actually pay and get transported over it but we all drove through no problems. We did 5.2km to the halfway pool over along a very rocky creek bed. The rest kept going but only Wendy finished it with the boys so glad we didn’t continue, they are all pretty sore and tired. Amazing huge gorge walls and very tall palm trees.

Halfway pool

Looking down the gorge

 We drove to Moonshine Gorge and saw a group on their horse back tour. 

Unusual site in the middle of nowhere

On our way back through we had a lot of spectators watching us!!. Bought some lovely boab prints from the artist here.

This afternoon we went on the Chamberlain Gorge cruise with Deb and Jim. Lovely scenery, saw a freshie sunning himself and some little rock wallabies. 

Beautiful clear water of Chamberlain Gorge

Colours amazing on gorge walls

We fed the Archer fish when they spat water at you throw a pellet to them and had some champagne and fruit and then back through the gorge. They told the interesting history of El Questro which was still a working cattle station 29 years ago so we didn’t know about it. This was our first time here.

We had dinner with Deb and Jim as they are moving on tomorrow.

Jim and Debbie and Me on  the cruise

THURSDAY 21st JUNE

Drove down driveway to El Questro and stopped at Zebedee Springs on the way in. These are warm water springs in a tropical landscape with tall palms and red gorge walls. Very pretty, a change from the cold water. 

Zebedee springs little warm water pools

Booked into campsite and then did some 4x4 drive tracks to lookouts. Saddleback Range lookout 360 degree view of Wilderness Escarpments which run parallel to the Pentecost River. Very steep and windy and for experienced 4x4 drivers only “a bit Hairy”!! 

The track up to lookout

Saddleback Ridge Road up to lookout very steep

The gorges here are 1800 million year old rocks some of the oldest in the world absolutely amazing colours. Crossed back over Pentecost River and Chamberlain River to Branko’s Lookout, another steep windy drive but magnificent view down the rivers and where they meet. Crossing the Chamberlain River took 8 minutes of slow rocky river crossing.

 Magnificent views to the left and right down the gorge at the two rivers

Caught up with Debbie and Jim as they are starting their trip across the Gibb River Rd we thought they must becoming this way soon so it was by chance we caught up here.

WEDNESDAY 20th JUNE

Entrance to Home Valley Station

No plans today. Free to do whatever you want everyone is sick of rough roads.

We went for a short walk on the Cockburn Range lookout track. Amazingly we had phone reception for a while first time in a couple of weeks. Rang mum J. ,Keith and Katy. It was day time so didn’t bother Russ at work. Continued to Meteorite Valley Lookout and back. Swim in the afternoon and booked into restaurant for dinner tonight, others are running out of fresh food as some don’t have the same fridge space as us.

Inside a termite mound

Cockburn Range

Wildflowers along the track

Two boabs in campground in day and at night

TUESDAY 19th JUNE

Back on Gibb River Rd and dust and dirt and corrugations, stopped at Bundilla Gorge very hot walk and no swimming just like a rock quarry interesting and different.

Bundilla Gorge only looked from the top no swimming here

 Reached Home Valley Station beautiful boabs lining the drive way, some grass and an actual swimming pool. 

Lovely sunset reflections on the Pentecost River

Staying two nights here. Straight to pool for a swim. Drove down to watch sunset over the Pentecost River and colours and reflections of the Cockburn Ranges. Saw a salty croc sunning himself and beautiful sunset reflections.

MONDAY 18th JUNE

Back towards Gibb River Rd, little Ian had to change tyre today and got a broken windscreen. Some cars just don’t slow down coming the opposite way and throw rocks all over you!! Usually maniacs who have hired 4x4 cars. Got to Ellenbrae Station where they sell scones and jam and cream. They have a sign on the Gibb Rd and lots of people think it is a joke it is in the middle of nowhere. Lovely grassy area and the station ladies are busy making scones a lovely surprise!! Checked in for the night, had a swim in Sandy Gorge and a quiet afternoon. Cooked an apple cake in the Weber as a trial worked well.

Lovely scones and jam and cream at homestead

Sandy Gorge swimming hole

Amazing camp kitchen

SUNDAY 17th JUNE

Checked out a very interesting aboriginal site and saw a burial hole still with human skulls in it. 

 This is a very amazing site!

Back to river for a swim very hot today. On to Drysdale  Station to pick up vans everyone misses their comfy beds!!! Troopy isn’t too bad but others were in tents and on the ground getting too old for that!!!!

Crossing The King Edward River

Had half a Kimberley burger each for lunch sorted troopy and van out again ready to move tomorrow. Drove to Miners Pool for a swim. 

Miners Pool swimming hole

A young guy we met had gone to coast and caught plenty of fish and gave us enough mackerel fillets for everyone so we had a fish cookup tonight in foil on the fire.

SATURDAY 16th JUNE

Down to heli pad for our briefing at 7.30am and then off on 3km walk to Mitchell Falls. Walked across the top of the falls through burnt out country (they had bushfires there only a week or so ago) so nothing is green now.

Burnt out path to falls

 I can’t describe the scenery it is unreal just amazing colours and falls. 

Little Merton Falls 

Walking across top of falls

Walked around the ridge for an amazing view of the 4 falls that make up the Mitchell Falls. 

Magnificent Mitchell Falls

We made it!!!!

Had a couple of swims and waited for helicopter. Caught the helicopter from the rock platform and did a few loops to view the falls.

View from helicopter

 Fantastic views and interesting information about the size of the park etc and landed back at the campsite. Had lunch and decided to pack up and move on as it is very hot and nowhere close to swim here. Drove back to King Edward River to camp and this will cut return awful road trip in half tomorrow.

FRIDAY 15th JUNE

Headed off without vans to Mitchell Plateau National Park. Stopped at an aboriginal art site on the way and then King Edward River for a swim. 

Interesting rock art

Continued up and down hills and across creeks and floodways to an amazing lookout over the plateau. Back on corrugations and dust up to camp ground. Set up camp and booked helicopter flight for tomorrow return trip from falls. (29 years ago we walked both ways this time taking the easy way back there was No helicopter then!!).

Walked to Little Merton Falls for an afternoon swim and had campfire tonight.

King Edward River

Camping in the troopy brings back memories!!!

Helicopter for tomorrow

THURSDAY 14th JUNE

Drove over 30km of rough corrugations back on to Gibb River Rd and headed east on to Kalumburu Rd. Past some people who had lost a wheel off their van and this was the3rd one they had lost!!

Third wheel gave way bearings gone!!!!!

Not good driving turned into Drysdale Roadhouse after 60kms of terrible corrugations. A little oasis some green grass, petrol, store and restaurant. Spent the rest of the day organising the troopy as we are going to leave vans here and do 2 days camping. Road too rough for vans. Booked in for buffet dinner roast pork and vegies and yummy sticky date pudding. Not losing any weight on this trip !!!!

WEDNESDAY 13th JUNE

Woke up to chickens and peacocks wandering through the camp. Nev had fun feeding them and making them jump for the crumbs!! 

Nev teasing the chickens!!!

Today a rocky 1 and a half hour drive to Wunumurra Gorge access from the station. Very slow rocky climbing road. Easy 20 minute walk to a beautiful gorge and swimming hole, took morning tea and lunch today.

Clear swimming hole at Wunumurra Gorge

 Saw some amazing aboriginal art – the best I have ever seen. Beautiful swimming hole with sandy bars to stand on in the middle and crystal clear water. Drove back and checked on a couple of graves of Kimberley pioneers of the area.

Very distinct aboriginal art approx 1000 years old

Kimberley pioneer graves

TUESDAY 12th JUNE

Back onto Gibb River Rd traffic is increasing every day as we get further into the peak season. 

Gibb River Road

Called in to Barnett Gorge which is on aboriginal land and walked to top of gorge for the view followed a track to plunge pool and went for a swim

Barnett Gorge

Continued on to Mt Elizabeth Station which is 30kms off the Gibb River Rd and this road had some of the worst corrugations we have been on. Booked in and headed to Warla Gorge for a swim on the Hahn River affair way to drive for a swim sandy beach entry for a change from rocks.

Water is always cold!!!!!

MONDAY 11th JUNE

The walk to Manning Gorge takes 11/2 hours not a lot of shade so headed off early and loaded into little tinny to pull yourself across river and clambering over rocks and came to magnificent gorge and falls and beautiful waterhole to swim in. Hot walk back.

Tinny to cross river at start of walk pull cross by rope

Manning Gorge lovely swimming spot

Amazing country