The Last Bit of our Holiday

16^th  - 18^th September 2012

After finishing our trip down the Canning Stock Route we camped south of Wiluna. Overnight it was cooler then what we had on the CSR; we had to put the Doona back on the bed. We kept travelling south to Kalgoorlie still seeing wildflowers along the roadside. In Kalgoorlie we went to the Superpit lookout, it’s the largest hole we’ve ever seen, the Dump Trucks working looked like matchbox toys. The pit is part of the Gold/Nickel mining in Kalgoorlie. We camped 10 Ks south of Kalgoorlie after travelling 498 Ks.

We arrived in Esperance to get Phill & Shell’s cruiser checked out as we were still jump starting it every morning; both of their batteries had died, that was better then what we thought the problem could have been. We didn’t have be back at work until October, so we decided to catch up on our washing & restock some groceries & head out to Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance.     

19^th  - 22^nd September 2012

We arrived at Cape Le Grand & made camp in the campground. We had a couple of great days touring the area with a drive around the coast to Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove & Lucky Bay, the beaches are differently the whitest beaches in Australia & the water is so blue and crystal clear. Dale, Phill & Shell had a go at fishing but didn’t catch anything. We watched a couple of magical sunsets. On Friday afternoon the park ranger, Cameron, came around and told us to make sure we put everything away as overnight there were going to be some strong winds. Strong winds was an understatement, we found out later the winds were about 80 Ks. We had just gone to bed when it started, we didn’t get much sleep as we were shaken & rolled all night, there were a few showers of rain. We got up at 6.30; the wind had died down a bit. Un be known to us Phill & Shell had slept in their cruiser. The wind had dried out the camper so we packed up & headed back into Esperance & had breakfast at McDonalds. The winds were forecast for the next couple of days so we headed back to the farm at Cascade.

Our holiday is over; we travelled 9955 Ks in 81 days. While we were at Grand Le Grand we tried to work what was the best part of our holiday, none of us could pin point one thing that stood out, we all agreed we had seen some of the most beautiful & amazing parts of Australia, from the Sunset cruiser at Timber Creek, the Chopper flight over Mitchell Falls, all of the Gorges along the Gibb River Road & Tunnel Creek, all of the Canning Stock Route, Horizontal Falls, the National Parks - Karijini, Millstream & Cape Le Grand, all the rivers & beaches we camped near, the sunsets & sunrises, all the wonderful people we met in the many places we travelled.  All of the above made our time away with Phill & Shell a very enjoyable and memorable holiday.

 We spend our first week back at Cascade unpacking, cleaning & washing everything in & out of the camper & cruiser and getting used to the cold weather. Phill has been offered a job by Rob & Christine King, one of the neighbours here at Cascade, driving their chaser bin during the harvest. We helped Phill & Shell move down to the King’s property, it’s about 25Ks from us, the weekend of the grand finals. Then Shell flew over to Cairns to see their children & meet their new grandson Nate who was born while we were away.

Sorry No Photos

Sorry there are no Photos with the last few updates, there is a problem with the blogger provider. When its sorted out I will add the photos.

Wednesday 29th August

We packed up & left by 8.30, we had a look around Old Halls Creek, saw the China Wall it’s a large White Quartz rock wall that stands about 1 metre high and goes for about 5 Ks no one knows why it’s there and know where else.

In Halls Creek we restocked our supplies & fuel, we went to the local cafe for lunch, rang all the family to say see you as we are ready to start the Canning Stock Route.

Tuesday 28th August

After a very enjoyable week at Bunda we said our goodbyes to Reg, James & Mark. Back on the Buntine Hwy we continued back into WA we're now on the Duncan Hwy & gained the 90 minutes we lost 12 days ago.
We drove in and had a look at Marella Gorge, back on the Duncan Hwy we came across a large section of Bulldust, crossed the Fox River then came to Sawpit Gorge, we made camp there for the night on the Black Elvrie River, we travelled 202 Ks.
Each day of our travels are getting hotter & the nights are getting milder, we all had a very nice swim in the Black Elvrie River.

Bunda

Reg asked us if we could stay for a few days to keep his ringer James company, as the rest of the crew had to go into Katherine for a few days.  We took up the offer & we all had a great time. As well as the cattle on the station there are goats, pigs, a camel called Carla, a Donkey & a Buffalo.

Before Reg went to Katherine we watched him work some weaners in the yards with his 5 dogs.

The guys helped James do some cattle work, feed out some hay & lick to the cattle; they also did some grader work. We got to see some magical sunsets & sunrises. James also taught us all a bit more about the stars and gave Shell & I alot of tips & helpful advice on how to take photos.

Monday 20th August

After leaving Top Springs we turned south west onto the Buntine Hwy which was bitumen for 170 Ks to Kalkringdji. During the morning we past another 3 Roadtrains; from Campfield Station. Then we were back on dirt for 200 Ks until we arrived at Bunda Station, we called in to say G’day to Reg Underwood, we worked at Bunda in 2009/2010 for 7 months for Reg & Janelle.

Bunda Station is 1788 Sq Ks. Reg has a Brahman stud of 2500 head and about 7000 head of commercial cattle. Reg took us on a drive around the station, we saw his stud cattle & some of the commercial herd, we were gone over 3 hours & travelled over 120 Ks & but only saw a tiny part of the station. During our time working at Bunda, I don’t think Dale even got to see all of the station doing the grading of the fence lines & making fire breaks.

Sunday 19th August

After packing up at Jasper Gorge we kept travelling south & we crossed the Victoria River, we had travelled over 125 Ks from Timber Creek, it was the same river we did the cruise on Friday night.

We camped at Top Springs Roadhouse. While at Top Springs 8 triple Roadtrains came through loaded with cattle from Campfield Station which is down the Buntine Hwy, they were going to Darwin for Export.

Saturday 18th August

After we left Timber Creek we travelled south down the Buchannan Hwy which was dirt, through Jasper Gorge and camped at Jasper Creek we travelled only 85 Ks.

Friday 17th August

We travelled 135 Ks to Timber Creek, on the way we stopped at Gregory’s Tree which is a Boab tree & it was craved back in 1856 during Gregory’s exploring days in NT.

In Timber Creek we toured the Police Museum & went on a 4 ½ hour cruise on Victoria River, we saw Wallabies, Crocodiles salt & freshies, Jabiru’s, Pelicans. Neville the guy who was our skipper on the cruise caught some Catfish then feed the Sea Eagles and Hawks.

We also watched a beautiful sunset.

Thursday 16th August

Phill & Shell got their cruiser back just before lunch, so we left Kununurra, we had a kodak moment at the border and lost 90 minutes of the day.
We called in at Newry Station, were we worked for the muster season of 2010, to say g'day to Tom & Camiella.
We camped not far up the road at Saddle Creek we travelled 125 ks.

Thursday 16th August



Dale washing the camper

Monday when we packed to leave Kununurra, we didn’t really leave. The guys washed the cruisers & campers, then Phill & Shell fuelled up & discovered their fuel tank was leaking. We drove around Kununurra for an hour to find someone to fix it; eventually one guy would do it but not straight away. To cut a long story short, 3 three days later & 2 different parks; we have been in Kununurra 6 days & 3 different caravan parks must be a record. The job was bigger than the guy first thought, the tank had actually cracked all around the filler neck not just the filler hose.

Filling in our time

The guy is working on Phill & Shell’s cruiser now, so we will be back on the road by this afternoon. Don't know when we will next be able to update the blog.  

Kununurra

View from Kelly's Knob

We Spend 3 days in Kununurra, the first day we found a park & set up, we found a lady in the park who was a hairdresser we all got our ears lowered. Second day we caught up on the washing & grocery shopping to restock our supplies for our trip down the Canning. We rang our parents & girls and updated the blog. We went out to dinner at Kelly’s Bar & Grill which was very nice.

Shell & Phill enjoying Sunset

Our third day we ate out for lunch then went to the Hoochery, where we sampled some of their rum drinks & cheesecake which were very nice so we just had to buy some for us to enjoy on the rest of our trip. We went to Kelly’s Knob to watch sunset a well.

Which one do we choose to taste at the Hoochery

Enjoying a sample at the Hoockery

Saturday 11th August 2012

G’day all, after 15 days we are back in phone/internet range. In the 15 days we travelled 1840 Ks from Broome to Kununurra, we had an amazing experience travelling the Gibb River Road to say the least. We’re very glad we did it now so we could do all the walks into the Gorges, some were very rocky, uphill down dale but well worth the effort. The roads conditions changed all the time, some days we had full on corrugation, other days we had rocks, dulldust, sand or all of them mixed together to keep us on our toes.

The landscape kept changing all the time as often as the road conditions, it was just amazing from all the Gorges, Waterfalls,Trees, Valleys, Lagoons, Rivers, Creeks, Mountains Ranges to Wide Open spaces, here’s that word again amazing, the Kimberley is certainly a beautiful part of Australia. I have taken so many photos; I have added only just a few to the blog and changed how I did the blog this time, instead of a day by day update I have just added the Gorges & a few River.

In Brief

At Drysdale Station the guys had one of their famous Kimberley Burgers and at Ellenbrae Station we all enjoyed their Scones, Jam & Cream.

 I have taken alot of photos of creeks, lagoon, boab trees, sunsets, planes, the guys at different places and doing different things, to many to bore you all with.

Along the Gibb River & Kalumbura Roads we had quite a few water crossings most only just wet the bottom of the tyres except the Gibb, Drysdale & Pentecost Rivers.

Dale crossing the Pentecost River

Home Valley

We camped on the banks of the Pentecost River at Home Valley with views of the Cockburn Ranges. We got to see saltwater Crocodiles & Mud Skippy’s.  The sunset didn’t have the wow factor as there was a smoke haze over the ranges; we had blue hills not the red hills like in the bouchers. We walked into the Bindoola Gorge along the Bindoola Creek. 

King Edward River

From the camp ground at King Edward River we walked 500 metres to a waterfall, the rocks around the falls were amazing colours and there were holes so smooth that have been made by water & small rocks over many years. We did another walk to some local Aboriginal Art & Burial Site.

Mitchell Falls

Dale & Shell in the Chopper

It took us 2 hours 20 minutes to drive the 76 Ks from King Edward River, once we arrived we did the Mudcrab Helicopter flight which took us up stream where the fresh & salt water meet each other, we saw a croc, then we flew over the Mitchell Falls, spectacular, we had really great views of the surrounding area, then we landed at the top of the Falls.

The Mitchell River

We had a swim at the top of the falls in the Mitchell River then we walked back out the 3.8 Ks, about 800 metres from the end is the Little Merten Falls, we all had a swim which was really nice then we finished the walk.  

Dale in Little Merten Falls

Gibb River

Getting into the campsite on the Gibb Phill & Shell had a little problem with the sand, they got to use the Maxtrack. It was Phill’s birthday so we went all out, we cooked some Cheese & Bacon bread, Lamb Shanks & dessert and we had a few liquid refreshments. We also saw some local Aboriginal art & the Gibb River waterfall.

Barnett Gorge

Barnett Gorge was the least impressive of the gorges & very badly sign posted. We met 4 young French travellers Michael, Mary Lou, Jessie & Steppanie that afternoon & we had a great night camped with them.



Micheal, Phill & Jessie

Manning Gorge

To start the trek into the Gorge you have to either swim across a lagoon or pull yourself over in a boat, Dale, Shell & I went by boat Phill swam. Then we walked the 2 Ks in. Once in the gorge we all had a swim which was very nice but cold.

Galvans Gorge

To get to Galvans Gorge you walk along a stream with waterlily in, and at the top of the gorge is a Boab Tree.

Bells Gorge

We walked into Bells Gorge to see a beautiful waterfall flowing over the rocks into a very deep pool.

Windjana Gorge

Windjana Gorge we walked in along the Lennard River down into the Gorge where there were about 20 freshwater crocodiles sunny themselves, we got to within 3 metres of them.

LennardRiver



One the many Croc in the Gorge

The Gorge

Tunnel Creek

Tunnel Creek is a tunnel 750 metres long and we waded through fresh water to see stalactites and stalagmites. To see them we had to take our headlights & spotlight as its pitch black most of the way in the tunnel.

Horizontal Falls

Cape Leveque

We were picked from our Caravan Park in Broome taken to the airport where we boarded their seaplane. We flew out over Willie Creek Pearl farm, Cape Leveque then on to Talbot Bay, there are about 1000 little Islands in the Bay; then we flew over the Horizontals Falls.

Talbot bay

We landed near a pontoon/houseboat & boarded their boat which has two 350 ph motors. We travelled through the 1^st fall its 20 metres wide & had a 1 metre drop and the 2^nd fall is 7 metres wide with a 3 metre drop so we  couldn’t travel through it, we were a bit disappointed but them’s the breaks, it all depends on the tide whether you can go through the 2 falls. Back at the houseboat we had Barramundi for lunch. Every day they feed the local Sharks during the feeding Shell got to pat one of the sharks. We then went on a cruise around the bay then boarded the seaplane and flew back to Broome. Phill & I got a bit seeding on the plane flight but a great day was had by all.





The Horizontal Falls

Shell patting the Shark

Broome

Dale at Matso's


We spend 4 days in Broome, the first day we caught up on our washing, computer work & maintenances, we had to replace our Auxiliary battery, that’s our 3^rd thing to go wrong. Second day we went to the Horizontal Falls. The other 2 days we did the tourist things in Broome. Sunset on Cable Beach & we had a beautiful meal of Fish, the Museum, Lunch at Matso’s Brewery, we checked out some pearls & the pearling history, Gantheaune Point, Roebuck Bay and we did a Stargazing /Astronomy Tour.

Sunset at Cable Beach



Ganthaeune Point 

We also caught up with a friend whom we haven’t seen in 30 years Graeme Carthy & his wife Eve. Graeme has an earthmoving business in Broome & he does jobs all over the Pilbara & the Kimberley in WA. We would like to thank Eve for her hospitality while we were in Broome. Graeme was working on a job out near Nookanbah, it’s about 100 Ks southwest of Fitzroy Crossing, we travelled out there too see Graeme on our way to start the Gibb River Road.





Dale & Graeme

Quondong Beach

Coral

We spend 3 nights at Quondong Beach. On Friday morning Phill & Shell got some very exciting news their daughter Traci had a baby boy Nate, both are well, so we had a roast dinner & wine to welcome him into the world. During our stay we saw whales in the distances, I’m afraid to far away to photograph, also on low tide we walked around the rocks & saw some coral & other little sea creatures. A very nice & relaxing time was had by all.

A Feather Starfish

Thursday 19th July

Sunset at Quondong Beach

We arrived in Broome at 10.30 found someone who can fix the Air Con for Phill & Shell but they can’t do it until Monday which suits us. We went to ARB Broome & got our new Steering Dampener fitted. We headed out the Cape Leveque Road to Quondong Beach & made camp, we travelled 214 Ks. We walked down the beach & walked sunset very nice way to finish the day.

Wednesday 18th July

When we woke this morning we had cows wandering thought the campground. We said goodbye to Phil & Rhonda they assured us this would be the last time.

We had lunch near Sandfire Roadhouse and we had Peacocks as our luncheon companions. We keep travelling to Goldwire campground, we travelled 370Ks