The Gibb River Road and upper Kimberley Region: 11 – 30 June 2014

The road ahead

We had agreed to meet up with Alison and Amanda at Zebra Rock Gallery, close to the Valentine Springs Road, a loop road that would take us north of Kununurra to Ramsar Listed Parry Lagoons. They landed up with a puncture in Keep River National Park and returned to Kununurra very early in the morning to have that repaired and we all ended up at Zebra Rock Gallery in time for morning tea and trip report...  En route for Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve and forty kilometres down the 4WD old Wyndham dirt road we stopped to spend a night at Mambi Island on the lower Ord River. Mambi Island came highly recommended by Peter and Velda Herring. The Ord River is the most famous of the East Kimberley Rivers with a diverse variety of ecosystems. We met the A’s on the upper Ord River at Leycester’s Rest. Spent a couple of nights on the Dunham River which is a tributary of the Ord and in Kununurra we were camped beside the Kununurra Diversion Dam; part of the massive Ord Irrigation Scheme.  Only a boat ramp sign marked the section on the Lower Ord River known as Mambi Island probably because the island is just a well vegetated mid stream sandbank. We were in the throes of setting up camp when the A’s arrived looking somewhat bemused to find us there! Since we are slow travellers they take the opportunity to explore side roads and creeks. Fortunately curiosity had them turn in here or they’d have ended up further ahead than they thought their mud map indicated.   

  

Mambi Island

Our camp site beside the river was very dusty with a roughly "ploughed-up" appearance thanks to cattle hooves breaking up the layer of recently deposited silt.  Later we were to discover the cattle preferred to drink right where we had chosen to camp and we had to remove our table and chairs during afternoon tea and give them right of way- after they had given us a long and righteous stare. It was a glorious spot that gave us wide vision of the bird life frequenting the riverine zone. Unlike Kakadu saltwater crocodiles so furtive and sinister we quickly spotted a saltie basking up on the Mambi Island sand bank directly opposite camp and on many occasion we saw salties cruising our stretch of the river. Late afternoon, we noticed the fishermen camping just upriver from us wisely dispose of fish offal onto this sand bank well away from their campground. This put us in the pound seats when it came to observing the scavenging Sea eagles, whistling kites, crows and crocs that came in for what seemed to be a customary evening snack. George discovered SKV had a puncture and lifted the wheel with the hi-lift jack until he could change the tyre the following morning. An almost full moon cast a beautiful light across the river and we sat out enjoying the balmy evening until bed-time.

We rarely see as many Boab babes across Africa and yet this Australian landscape appeared so African!  

Arriving atop Telegraph Hill, George unhitched and left for Wyndham to repair or replace our punctured tyre. The A’s arrived to see where we’d be camping overnight before taking a look at Marlgu Billabong before they too headed off to Wyndham- to take in the sights of this old frontier town. This large cattle capital with abattoir began a slow death when the abattoir closed in favour of live cattle export. Since Darwin took over the live cattle shipping industry it appears that local mines are shipping out their ore – nothing in comparison to Port Hedland. George discovered a very different place to what he recalled from our last visit- many places had closed and it was very run down. He had no choice but to turn round and head down the main road back to Kununurra where he bought a new tyre to make up for the 200km round trip. Lea had contented relaxed with her book and the panoramic view of the Ord floodplains and watched the many tourists calling in at Marlgu Billabong Bird Hide below Telegraph Hill. Once everyone had returned it was time for the highlight of Parry Lagoons – down at Marlgu Billabong. The A’s rushed down in their truck and we followed more leisurely on foot.  

A Bird Watcher’s paradise at dusk

The 36000ha Parry’s Lagoon Nature Reserve’s crown must be Marlgu Billabong with boardwalk and bird hide but it also includes the wetland of the Ord River flood plain, grasslands, woodlands, rugged sandstone outcrops and ranges. With two avid twitchers in our party we wanted to maximise optimal viewing times at dusk and dawn when bird activity was at its best hence we were illegally camping on Telegraph Hill. The sights and sounds from the boardwalk were superb and thanks to darkness falling early the place was ours. So much entertainment; after diving often enough a young magpie goose managed to unearth a  water lily corm and to our delight, proceeded to chase this bobbing ‘apple-like’ prize about for a good while in such close proximity to us.  A saltwater croc raised dreadful anticipation as it glided ever closer to a duck that seemed anxious and unsure but did not take wing until the very last moment. The pelican and whistling ducks could be seen further up in the fingers of the billabong and thermal-ling in updrafts around Telegraph Hill.        

The dawn showing gave us an awesome display of collective fishing beautifully synchronised by the pelicans – a grunt similar to a hippo appeared to be the signal to dive

Two hours after dawn we turned south for the Gibb River Road. This 667 km ‘beef road’ originally connected remote Kimberley stations to the ports of Wyndham and Derby until it steadily grew into a route the adventurous tackled as it provided rare views of an exciting wilderness area. As caravan novices in 2006 we had attempted the Gibb River Road from Derby (west) in peak season! We were so put off by the corrugations and swirling red dust thrown up by a continual stream of speeding 4WD – some hauling rattling trailers showing  little or no regard to road conditions. By the time we reached Windjana Gorge National Park we’d had enough and stayed south to Tunnel Creek taking the Great Northern Road across to the east instead. This time we were doing it earlier in the season and with more experience behind us. Alison and Amanda were popping into side roads to view many of the places we’d enjoyed previously on the eastern side as far as the Pentecost River. We’d arranged to meet them at Home Valley Station either that afternoon or any time the following day should they decide to see more of El Questro Station and all that it had to offer.

The inspiring Cockburn Range provides a fine introduction to the Gibb River Road. Our unconfirmed belief is this Range featured largely in Baz Lurman’s film ‘Australia’      

One of the major rivers draining the region and running into the Cambridge Gulf is the Pentecost River. This is a swift flowing river crossing and the deepest we’d encounter thus we were a little disappointed not to cross it with the A’s and have action shots of the event.

Keep your hands on the wheel and definitely keep your snoopy eyes on the boulder strewn river crossing ahead!

Home Valley Homestead, a large working cattle station proved to be a most picturesque station with boabs at its entrance gate and a well laid out area for its guests particularly the huge Dusty Bar. We’d been told about their bush camp down on the Pentecost River and naturally that had greater appeal for us. However, being a Saturday it had been closed to campers until after 4pm. due to a wedding. We happily relaxed alongside the swimming pool until lunch time feeling very decadent! On the dot of four we pulled out for the bush camp only to be briefly held up at the entrance gate as the bride on a white horse and the groom on a black steed were having their photos.  Turning east we were suddenly confronted with another startling aspect of the Cockburn Range. What a superb backdrop! The fast setting sun highlighted the entire length of the western face, in particular the sandstone cliffs and the bluffs; especially one with a sandstone tower or sentry box carved out by nature. We could barely take our eyes off such a spectacle and yet cattle gates to be opened and closed, pot holes thick with bull dust and a steep gully to manoeuvre our way through were a distraction. A large open campground with a very good ablution block came as a surprise considering its close proximity to the Pentecost River although camps had to be behind the road – well away from the tidal river bank and the many salties frequent the river. We were to spot some making use of the tidal gutters that become exposed at low tide, enabling them to slip easily back into the water when necessary.

Up  early the following morning, we returned to the homestead to begin a 6km return Bindoola Gorge Lookout Trail through classic East Kimberley scenery of savannah woodland, low rocky ridges that gave us views of the homestead and the Cockburn Range (with face in shadow it appeared quite ordinary) and the Pentecost River much further downstream. We were most taken by the Scarlet Gums (Eucalyptus phoenicea0 with their flaky rough textured yellow bark which were all in flower. Although the name implies scarlet flowers we only saw burnt orange flowers and the odd yellow. In a small clump of them a bird party was taking place with plenty of chirps from wood swallows, honey eaters and finches. Once up in the mountainous terrain (part of the Pentecost Range) we walked the rim of the sandstone gorge to the Bindoola River with sheer cliff faces and incredible rock formations – layered and fissured in such a way as to look like irregular building blocks. We perched on the edge Johnstone Lookout with a cliff drop of more than 40m and absorbed the atmosphere and beauty; our eyes searching for any movement in the cobbled riverbed or rock pools below. 

    

Bindoola Gorge from Johnstone’s Lookout

We saved the 3.6km Mount Baldy Lookout return walk for the afternoon as it provided the most perfect panoramic view of the Cockburn Range at sunset and we wanted to share that spectacle with Alison and Amanda. They arrived at lunchtime having upset their day by having to return to El Questro to collect the little door-step we had lent them for the duration of their trip. Further delayed at the Pentecost River helping a couple with a puncture and desperate for a jack!

We did it! It’s a brief window of opportunity to capture the sight of a sun-lit Cockburn Range from the almost treeless summit of Mount Baldy.

Mount Baldy is not very high at all and covered in shaly sandstone and siltstone with many clumps of Curly Spinifex. We had to scurry back down as darkness falls very early this far north. In fact our body clocks have fallen into another rhythm much like the time frame we became accustomed to in Niassa. We eat earlier, fall into bed even earlier and more often than not we are up and away by break of day!

Leaving the A’s to meander at will we took to the Gibb River Road for Ellenbrae Station with a planned stop 15kms down the road to see the Bindoola Falls. No signs we passed the possible site and with no place to turn around we were forced to give it a miss. We were impressed by the state of the road which made for easier travel and at that hour of the day free of any traffic. The Pentecost Range stretching to the north of us was far from remarkable – little more than a long set of rolling hills. Somehow we had expected rugged terrain; and felt mildly disappointed by a subdued landscape of open savannah - no prominent features other than small ‘jump-ups’ or shallow creek crossings until we reached Roelie’s Jump-up followed by a steep descent into the Durack River. We marvelled at the vast width and extent of the flood plain as depicted by river-borne debris in bushes and trees for well over a kilometre.

     

The Durack River was definitely not a river to mess with in the Wet.

Obviously the Durack River Homestead had a bad time over many decades as it has since been abandoned. The pioneering Durack family are synonymous with the Kimberley driving the first cattle into this dominantly cattle region (The family home was situated within the borders of Lake Argyle and during the formation of the lake was plucked from the rising waters because of its historical value).

Ellenbrae proved a most interesting station and lured us on down its road with many signs tempting taste buds to a “scone-sational” end. After registering at the homestead we were directed to Ringers Camp. The ablution block set in a green oasis, fenced and gated to keep cattle out; was most unusual stone structure with the biggest wood fired ‘donkey’ we have ever seen in the middle of a ‘verandah’ with a camp kitchen to the side. To the left of the kitchen a road sign reading FLOODWAY drew us into rustically ram-shackled area housing a toilet behind a shade cloth curtain, Further along the dark little passage a large bathtub was poised in the middle of the other room with a shower in the corner.  Fortunately a door to the en suite could be closed with a huge bolt made of one inch pipe. As the day wore on and the number of campers steadily grew it was far from fun to contemplate a toilet visit. Alison was brave enough to take a dip in the creek pool despite the murky tannin stained and leaf strewn cold water set within beautifully tall melaleucas and dappled sunlight. Hot shower to warm up turned out to be more of a hot dribble which did not impress.

    

New bet being made between Alison and George re Pardalote nesting in the holes that had obvious reptile claw scratches... Camera’s go out for the night... Results: inconclusive!

On the road again travelling more of the same sweeping savannah woodlands, we came to accept this aspect of the Gibb River Road and recalled reading in the book “ Surviving the Outback”   that the Kimberley was so named because of ‘it’s similarity to its counterpart in South Africa’. At the time we had scoffed at this as we certainly did not have that impression from what we’d seen of the west or east Kimberley other than low veldt baobabs....  Observing the passing scene of golden grasslands studded with white trunked rough leafed cabbage gums, Grevillia with gingery bottle brush flowers and the Scarlet gums with burnt orange flowers – very Australian and yet, close your eyes and take a new look... It could be Mopane woodlands in Botswana or the familiar Miombo woodlands of Zimbabwe or even the game reserves of Northern Natal. These open woodlands with long grass now seemed very African. Later, George pulled out the first book (The Kimberley by Jocelyn Burt) given to us by Didj-Mtwaze (Ken Tinley) our first visitor to our ‘Gondwanan home’ in 1997. Inscribed within the cover he had written “a foretaste of the Top End of Australia whose floral affinities with Africa are so similar, yet overlain with its own unique Spirit of Place”. Here we were - experiencing just that! Patches of parasitical mistletoe, the ‘foreign’ bushy growth readily noticeable in some trees revived our interest in the mistletoe bird and its habits. Especially as we have recently come to understand that mistletoe is only capable of establishing itself on a small number of host plants and to have a large number of trees infested indicated many tiny Mistletoe Birds active in the area?    Approaching the Kalumburu / Gibb River Road Junction we began to wonder when we’d ever come across the river to which the road derives its name.

  

Expectations of the Gibb River running alongside the Gibb River Road somewhere along the route ended when we found the Gibb River crossing on the Kalumburu Road.

It became a matter of surviving the Kalumburu Road as we made the 60km run to 4000 sq km Drysdale Station.  What a relief to reach the station gates and get into a camp site and discover Getaway had managed the trip pretty unscathed. We were to leave our caravan in the care of Drysdale Station while we headed northwest to the jewel in the crown of any visit to the Kimberley – the Mitchell Falls. Road reports from all and sundry said the road in was  atrocious and by the time we left Kununurra the A’s were fast coming to the conclusion that their hire vehicle was not covered on unmaintained tracks  and they could only hope to join a tour group from the Station. After enduring the first section of the Kalumburu road we too had serious doubts. However, we quickly sobered up on hearing flight costs and with no further ado began packing for a night away in SKV. Alison and Amanda were able to pick up a flight in the Drysdale fixed wing plane with another family of three which eased costs a fraction. Within an hour of their arrival they were off on a two hour flight that took in Mount Hann, Prince Regent River along the remote coastline of NW Kimberley before circling over the Mitchell Falls on their homeward flight. Poor Ali- suffered air sickness twenty minutes after departure making it a gruelling trip. 

The sight of these shredded tyres and rims written off on the Kalumburu Road added to our anxiety for the road ahead...

We departed for Mitchell Falls at sunrise and within an hour - a puncture!

Despite no towing, we were subjected to a noisy, slow trip up another 100kms of the Kalumburu Road before we reached the turn off to the Mitchell Plateau, an area rich in environmental and Aboriginal cultural significance.

We visibly blanched at the first part of the road that approached the King Edward River yet quickly acknowledged by Niassa or Tanzanian standards this would be considered a good road!

A welcome break from the road came when we pulled into a parking area with just a sign ‘Walk’ to see one of world’s greatest Rock Art Galleries. We tagged onto an APT Oka tour group just ahead of us and gained so much more listening to the guide... There are two ancient art styles to be found in the Kimberley. The earliest are the Bradshaw’s; named for an early explorer in the 1890’s, Joseph Bradshaw, the first European to report and describe this well preserved style of rock art dating  back at least 17,500 years. The more recent Wandjina style features human figures with halo-like head dresses. They are said to be ancestral Rain Spirits and as we understood, these are ceremonially touched up by an Aboriginal Elder at the start of each Wet season to bring on the rains. 

Manuru Aboriginal Art Site- The detail and delicacy of these paintings really appealed to us as we saw a similarity to Africa’s Bushman paintings.

Manuru provided a lovely setting among the sandstone outcrops with a mass of tiny blue or white flowers sprinkled copiously in the surrounding grasslands. As we made our way back to the truck via a Burial ground we noticed a long snake skin dangling from a crevice on a rock face and George was quick to spy Rambi-rambi asleep further along the ledge

 This beautifully marked Northern Brown Tree Snake hunts by night and is adept at plucking bats from the air as they fly in or out of narrow cave openings. Totally harmless to humans, we add. 

Unique to the Mitchell Plateau vegetation were Fan Palms (Livistona sp.)

Seven hours later after many creek crossings and jump-ups we trundled into the Mitchell Falls campgrounds – very sorry the A’s had missed out on this adventure thanks to fellow traveller’s word pictures painting a daunting scene in all our imaginations. Other Hertz vehicles were there to prove the possibility. We found ourselves a site as far as possible from the buzzing helicopters constantly ferrying tourists back and forth on a six minute trip from Mitchell Falls. We took the River View trail before an early supper as we were keen to attend Ranger John Hayward’s Campfire talk. His passion was evident in his presentation of video clips and photos on a big screen of the Mitchell River National Park in the Wet and the rock art and archaeology of the North West Kimberley. This electrician with an interest in remote wilderness bottomed out on the Pentecost River twenty years ago and one good turn led to another bringing the breaks that brought him to this remote Ranger post for the past twelve years certainly imbued us with his enthusiasm. We reluctantly dragged ourselves away two hours later for much needed sleep and another early morning start on the morrow.

At first light we were away down the estimated 4-6 hour walking track to Mitchell Falls.  All was quiet and serene and other than bumping into Ranger John Hayward at the crossing of Little Merten creek we owned the trail and the sights along the way for the next three hours. The trail connects three waterfalls: Little Merten, Big Merton with its deep narrow chasm below and the 80 metre high Mitchell Falls which drop over four successive stages. Plenty of rocky and uneven surfaces through rugged sandstone country; beautiful woodland filled with the sound of friar birds, finches and wood swallows feasting on flowering gums; amazing cliffs, gorges and water crossings were encountered along the way. We were so glad we had decided not to take the expected walk in and chopper out or vice versa options. There was nothing to beat ‘ground truthing’ and the more we saw, the more we regretted the limited time we had given ourselves.

  

It was awesome and the fact we had the Mitchell Falls to ourselves without the intrusion of helicopters or people in those early hours added to the pleasure. With eye on the time we reluctantly waded back across the Mitchell River a short distance upstream of the Mitchell Falls; carefully picking our way over rocky slabs of the channel to find thigh deep passages through swiftly flowing water.  By the time we reached Little Merten Falls again we regretted not having walked behind the fall of water earlier as the queue of people waiting to do this had already built up. We had not done justice to this beautiful region; it required far more than the 22 hours we’d relegated to it. Speed walking as the heat steadily built up- we were back on the rough road by 10 o’clock mindful of  reaching Drysdale Station earlier enough to hopefully have our puncture tyre mended as soon as possible. Despite a search for another Aboriginal Art site alongside the King Edward River we rattled and shook our way back to the station in good time.  Tyre fixed immediately and early bed for early getaway to catch up with the A’s at Mount Elizabeth Station.

It was a relief to complete the final leg of compulsory and very exhausting corrugation ‘trembling’ that went with the Kalumburu road. In comparison the Gibb River Road, undergoing upgrading was a dream. Thirty K’s off the Gibb brought us into Mount Elizabeth in plenty time morning tea. As our eyes cast round our hearts dropped as this certainly didn’t appear to be a station that warranted the expensive stay of 2-3 days, the brochures had led the A’s to expect.  No familiar Hertz shape vehicle in the campground we decided the A’s would not anticipate our arrival until well after noon at the very earliest. They were not to know our bad habits had gone for a Burton of late! We settled in to await them. At lunch time the station owner arrived with a message “The A’s had tyre problems and would meet us at Manning Gorge Campground beside the boab”. Having paid for a night we had no alternative but to stay put. Other than a donkey braying at odd intervals, we relaxed – very glad to be still.  

Away at first light we had one particularly stony stretch back on the Gibb River Road close to Mount Barnett Roadhouse. They kindly allowed us to pop down the Manning Gorge road to locate the A’s without purchasing a permit. Our hearts dropped when we found no A’s parked close to any of the Manning Campground Boabs.  Lea set off on foot to check further afield and discovered hidden two hot and very bothered A’s having just battled to change yet  another punctured tyre – the second in two days and the third for the trip thus far. They had to re-shower before joining us at the Roadhouse where severely rumbling tummies were allayed with very good value breakfast. Manning Gorge Campground certainly ticks boxes as a good site for next time but we didn’t have time to hang around as we wanted three nights at Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary; owned by Australian Wildlife Conservancy. It was considered another jewel in the crown of the Kimberley and only allowed a limited number of visitors. As soon as we’d been able to anticipate a date, Alison had phoned for a place only to be informed that no bookings taken. It was first come, first served from the shelter containing a radio-intercom just off the Gibb River Road – only then would we be able to ascertain whether the Sanctuary had space for us before driving the 90km south-east of the Gibb River Road. We hurried on west for Mornington leaving the A’s to sort out another tyre at “Over the Range” some thirty kilometres beyond the Barnett Roadhouse. 

TYRES are singularly most vulnerable on the Gibb River Road.  Neville’s enterprising business, the only tyre and mechanical repair workshop along the road and seemingly in the middle of nowhere saved the day for a second time. 

“Mornington, Mornington Do you copy?”  Resulted in no vacancies for two let alone four! They advised we get back there early the next morning but with nowhere close to legitimately stay on the off-chance we’d get in – we could only return to the Gibb River and await the A’s and decide our next move. Although disappointed we decided to push on to a Roadhouse at Imintji and enjoyed a change in scenery with the northern escarpment of the Phillips Range providing interest. The roadhouse advised the access to Silent Grove Campground would be no problem and from there 4WD would get us to Bells Gorge. Some 8 km west  along the King Leopold Range we took the 19km track to attractive, busy little Silent Grove- squeezed in sideways for a view of the bush and plenty of bird activity. George and Amanda had had enough of vehicles and were content to relax around the camp. Lea and Alison were drawn to check out Bells Gorge another 10 kms inland although they had some doubts about getting to the gorge described as a “steep descent on a rocky goat track that evokes images of sprained ankles and bruised behinds”. Curiosity got the better of us and once we knew that only entailed 1km we decided to beat the heat and do it. While putting on swimming costumes George decided a chauffeur was a good idea and joined us. The goat track was no real obstacle with due care and once we were down in the creek bed out of the sun it was a most pleasurable twenty minute walk into an arena of rocks and human noise! So many people wallowing in the rocky channels above the first waterfall, their laughter and voices magnified in the gorge. George climbed to a high point for a photo and lost sight of Lea and Alison who’d meanwhile crossed the river and climbed the rocky outcrop to the lookout over Bell Falls. Amazingly, by the time they returned – silence reigned bar the sound of water rushing over the rocks. Alison was into a rock pool while Lea hovered on the edge wondering if she could manage a dip – hot body made the water seem even colder. Wow! She was IN with a little shriek – amazing George from afar. He’d been distracted by a ‘machine’ owned by the only other couple left in the gorge. While the cousins wallowed together in a most refreshingly pool in a most glorious setting – Ali ears and eyes picked up a drone above us.  A good 500 metres away an intrigued George stood with the owner of the ‘drone’ as he manipulated it, filming the gorge from above.

  

Bell Gorge- very glad we did not allow another 10km of rough road prevent us from seeing this rewarding place.

We pulled out early next day hoping to ensure a good campsite in the very popular Windjana Gorge while the A team continued another 35kms further along the Windjana road to visit Tunnel Creek. We’d had a taste of the King Leopold Ranges yesterday but nothing prepared us for the sheer pleasure we all enjoyed back on the Gibb River Road after crossing Bell Creek. The long steep climb up the scarp of King Leopold Range unfolded wonderful vistas – This was a most worthy western entrance to equal that of the eastern Cockburn Range and we found ourselves reveling in the rugged beauty. We stopped for breakfast in March fly Glen Picnic Area busy with overnight campers and we were sorely tempted to wait by the roadside for the A’s (somewhere further back) to pass us so we could suggest a night here!

While admiring other aspects in the King Leopold Range the A’s zoomed past...

Further along the drag as we neared the Napier Range we began seeking out a large rock alleged to bear a likeness to Queen Victoria’s head.  George’s adamant “There it is”, confused the search a couple of times. We came across the A’s by the roadside with binoculars to eyes staring up at an outcrop with a prominent face-like rock. No! That is not Queen Victoria, we called out.....Despite driving, Alison’s hawk eyes had spotted a Wallaroo in the shadow of that rock.     

By the time we spotted ‘Queen Victoria in Yammera Gap the camera was only able to catch her profile at an awkward angle!

We have been lucky with snake sightings this June!

Think Australia. Think of all the potentially dangerous snakes capable of killing humans! King Brown is more often the first to come to mind in the lengthy list and yet during the eight years on the road and walking the bush we have generally seen oh so few snakes. More have been dead and others mere glimpses and they are rarely the baddies... When we have a clear sighting we are excited! Fortunately when we saw the large snake moving across the road George instinctively knew not to jump out the truck for a photo instead he rapidly threw SKV into reverse and backtracked the short distance... The first photograph was spoilt by the shadow cast by Getaway and as I stood peering over George head from inside the cab – ‘King Brown’ royally swept round and retreated. Later, thanks to the close encounter and scrutiny of a snake book we identified it as the equally toxic Western Brown. As for our   second black headed python on the road (first was on the Tanami) an unexpected road train carrying fuel bolted past us leaving us in a cloud of dust. George cursed him volubly for disregarding a python. Fortunately once the dust had settled and, despite the hour of morning the python immediate reaction indicated it was not cold or sluggish; all was well. George was thrilled to capture the python’s tracks after it somehow avoided the road trains many deadly wheels. 

  

We found the two campsites at Windjana (one for generators) pretty quiet in comparison to our first visit in 2006 and after perusing both settled in the quieter one. As the day wore on we began to wonder whether the incredible heat of the day 36.7C had kept the A’s inside the cooler Tunnel Gorge.  We’d sort of expected them back around lunchtime... Mid afternoon they rolled in cursing their fourth puncture en route for Tunnel Creek and the struggle they had endured to try and change that under very trying and difficult circumstances. A kindly man further infuriated them when he stopped and said their tyres should only be inflated to 30. However, he had better equipment and sorted the problem plus, he waved down a speeding vehicle and gave him hell for creating hazardous conditions when there was a problem on the road. Although the Gibb River Road has been much improved and we really haven’t been bothered by as many road hooligans as endured the first time we attempted the road. However, there are still groups of stag hoons in 4WD utes putting foot to prove themselves on the Gibb. Within the pages of Amanda’s new book ‘The Complete Guide to Finding Birds of Australia’ we noted the following “high incidence of road rage, crashes and inconsiderate driving (Australians were recently voted the world’s most abusive drivers)”- Very interesting!  Although to balance this inconsiderate and very macho behaviour, we saw an almost equal number of mindful drivers out on the Gibb River Road Adventure too.

Windjana collage: George couldn’t resist snapping the termite mounds out on the grassy plains- these blobby formations appeared to be slapped together in haste and some brought to mind Samurai warriors.

The mystical air we’d experienced on our first visit to Windjana Gorge recaptured us just as strongly and we were delighted to witness Alison and Amanda feel that same overwhelming sense of sacredness within the towering red cliffs, the incredible lighting cast at dawn and  dusk upon the trees sheltering in close proximity to the ancient Devonian limestone reef once covered by tropical seas until the ‘reef’  was altered by natural occurrences, weather  or  river sedimentation and erosion to provide us with awe inspiring scenery. It must have been courting time for the Great Bowerbirds as the song and dance going on in different parts of Windjana Gorge had us all check out those particular spots. Sure enough bowers hidden deep into the undergrowth produced a fine display from the male owner; in the case of one male he was attempting to induce three curious females into his bower. These are delightful birds with their antics and they remind us of American Roadrunners!  Johnson crocs have become so used to tourists that they loll in very relaxed attitudes in the water or bask along the water’s edge- we counted 50 in a row one morning. Alas, Lea longed to hear the muted yet resounding ‘clap’ she recalled these ‘freshies’ making when snapping their mouths, on our last visit.

The second night in Windjana camp had us all irritated by fellow campers arriving far too close for our liking, virtually hemming us in. Just as Alison stalked off to shower and the Camp-host arrived at Amanda’s door for payment George found the deep freeze temperature plummeting in SKV. He was already anxious about the battery status in Getaway after twelve days on solar power with no decent top-up from 240v mains. The unseasonally high temperatures did not help either.  Lea dashed over to the Camp Host to ask if there was room in the Generator camp for us to urgently charge up with our generator – he led us to believe space was very limited at that hour and  the A’s could not join us... BUT we were happy to grab at least an hour; speedily pulled out with Lea hanging onto everything loose inside the caravan as George drove along the dark road leaving behind very bemused onlookers not to mention an anxious Amanda fighting off late comers trying to take our spot despite leaving chairs and door mat scattered there! Plenty of room over there and a quieter camp despite the gentle humming of generators permitted until 8pm. We were gone over 1.5 hours – our rapid and totally unexpected departure had left the A’s in a state of consternation as minutes ticked on and on...  The neighbours had gathered into a noisy musical evening around a camp fire. Tents had squeezed in on the rear flank where we’d exited ... On our return we found Alison coming to look for us ... Relief,  all was OK for the night. Over a late supper (for the hours we now keep!) thrown together the decision to get to Derby next day was made. With no spare tyre – the A’s were keen to contact Hertz and have a new replacement and we needed a good 24 hour batteries recharge on mains. 

   

So much for playing a good support role in the Kimberley Expedition... The A’s punctures had all occurred in our absence – Bad!  Usually we are the slow coaches and set off for the next destination ahead of them with the ‘ruling’ in view of last light at 5pm. and no mobile communications; search party would go out if we were not all present and correct by 3.30 each day.  This time the A’s departed first so they had the peace of mind – we were behind them with our spare tyre if required. The last leg of The Gibb road proved not to be the dreaded dustbowl of our memory- it was a blessed stretch of bitumen and we were all safely through to Derby in good time. SKV was due for an oil change. We loathed the thought of hanging around in Broome for a booking... On entering the outskirt of Derby we saw an Auto workshop and took a chance. An absolute stroke of luck- the mechanic could do it then and there having just completed a job earlier than expected. He was happy to enjoy a relaxed ‘smoko’ while George off loaded Getaway in the caravan park.

We thought we had landed with a fine site at the back of Kimberley Gateway Caravan Park but by the time our team had come together we had two couples with trailer tents backing us. Worse, they noisily set up their chairs immediately behind ours. It was most off-putting and as soon as all the  laundry was on the line, the women shot off to the supermarket to resupply with fresh fruit and vegetable. No ways could we remain in camp for the evening knowing our neighbours had been sipping stubbies all afternoon! We departed for the Derby Wharf keen for the A’s to experience the setting sun over the remarkable King Sound  and see the massive jetty structure that copes with Australia’s highest tidal variations. Sadly, being a neap tide the dramatic exchange of water that can occur in King Sound was not as striking as we’d first seen in 2006 during an extreme or Spring Tide.

  

The Gibb Road Exploration team on the Derby jetty prior to Barramundi fish and chips

Alison had been hankering for a braai throughout our trip and we found it hard to believe our ears when bacon and lamb chops was mooted as the trip began drawing to a close. Before leaving Derby we popped into a butcher and bought the meat and biltong hoping for a night in a bush camp on the Fitzroy River near the Willare Bridge.  It proved far too rough and inaccessible and we ended up with a marathon drive towards Willies Creek north of Broome. George and Lea’s memories of this bush camp were at odds... After turning onto The Cape Leveque road the 4WD warning for Willies Creek had us reappraise the situation on our mobile we requested the A’s to pull over and await a review. After Alison had checked the Broome Bird Observatory had camp sites available for us we all back tracked to the main road and headed south. All these changes had put us well ahead of schedule and in such a perfect little environment we booked into BBO for four nights.

The three trails especially Pindan and Spinifex, the Bird Hide, the Coastal platform and the two camera traps happily absorbed relaxing days at the Observatory.

Battery charging matters were niggling George – he couldn’t relax. BBO did not allow generators or electrical devices to be run in their small campground.  A day in Broome was planned so that George could search out a Century Battery Supplier and have his faulty battery tested and hopefully replaced under guarantee. Alison and Amanda had been given tips on the local hot-spots for birding in Broome beginning with whereabouts of the Broome sewerage farm lookouts; the Court house for barking owls, Booby’s down at the docks and around Streeter’s Jetty in Chinatown for red headed honey eater.  We were held up over the battery... In view of our impending trip to the Dampier Peninsular and our sources of power proving a concern without regular 240v input we decided to invest in a portable solar panel. Eventually we caught up with the A’s down at the Chinatown jetty- only Amanda was lucky to see the ‘red heads’ the rest of us were hot and thirsty!

On arrival in Broome at the start of June, Alison and Amanda had been given recommendations for Matzo’s Broome Brewery. They had so enjoyed their meal there and in particular the Desert Lime and Ginger Cider that they had bought a case for the road.  When they first introduced us to this most unusual and refreshing cider they expressed their desire to take us to Matzo for a farewell lunch when we all reached Broome. With two days left we met for lunch.  

A most tasty lunch in a delightful setting on an old colonial verandah overlooking the azure blue waters of Roebuck Bay drinking cider and sampling the brewery’s beers...   

To end the afternoon we went to the Broome Courthouse gardens to find the Barking Owls. Success! A pair fixedly stared down at us from their Tamarind tree and gave some gentle hoots. On our return to BBO we heard the Tawny frogmouth was down at the Shoreline viewing platform and we dashed down to enjoy good encounter with a sleeping, well camouflaged the frogmouth before sunset. Barbeque or Braai!  We had one to start our stay and one to end as the BBO facilities were excellent. Although we did have to share the toilets and showers with rubbery green tree frogs of many sizes.  We counted sixteen in a toilet cistern – how the devil they get in there, beats us!

And so, as all good things do – Alison and Amanda’s holiday in the sun came to an end. On leaving BBO we travelled the last 15kms of red pindan sands together to ensure nothing went wrong during the last 45min trip back to Broome in readiness for their flight home to Tasmania where temperatures are down to 4C at night and only registering 9C at midday, in comparison to minimums of 13C and maximums of 28+ here. At the airport turn off sad farewells before we made for Broome Vacation Park where we’d see out the last two nights of June. Frantically wrote up the trip and prepared for our next adventure...