28th October - Broome, WA

I forget.....that like adults, children have things they love to shop for. Today it was made clear that the DVD section in Target country holds the same appeal as christmas morning. After a scary movie scene last night and a few tears, the desperate father made promises of a visit to the shops today for more suitable movies. Hence with a bag full of 'Iggle Piggle', 'Bottle Top Bill and his best friend Corky' and of course 'New Macdonald's Farm' (of course it can't be classed as old anymore) we set off back to camp. When I really think about it I'm not quite sure why I thought two playschool DVD's and a handful of others would stimulate hungry minds forever. Oh well...my mistake.
 
Today we are absorbing the fine environment of Broome and in between discovering 12,000 year old dinosaur footprints and learning about the pearling history, we enjoyed a drive along the pristine beach of Cable beach. With the tide moving 10 metres in less than 6 hours, this place is really something unique. We are blessed again by very few people and have been able to enjoy Broome at its relaxed and laid back best.
 
With lunch yesterday at the local Roebuck Bay Hotel and again a swim in the cool waters, what more could you need..?

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24th October - Fitzroy Crossing WA

We are back in civilisation after an eventful few weeks travelling the beautiful Kimberley region. We have had an action packed time including nearly being burnt by bushfire in Bell Gorge (King Leopold range off the Gibb River Rd), almost tripping over a freshwater crocodile in the darkness of Tunnel Creek (a 1km creek carved tunnel under a limestone range), had a driving light rattled to death on the corrugations of the Mitchell plateau, been overwhelmed by the stench of a drowned cow in the King Edward River, and finally stood isolated, like the last people on earth, overlooking the magnificent and dramatic Mitchell Falls. (Both kids came the 6.6km into the falls…just awesome!)

 

The animals we have been coming across have supplied us with so many laughs including the small Northern Quoll that climbed onto our kitchen and into our (empty) pots and pans looking for goodies at Mitchell Falls. The comical Frilled Neck lizards that run on two legs across the Mitchell Plateau, and of course the freshwater croc that we took by surprise as we walked by torchlight through the water filled Tunnel Creek. This is adventure…..

 

This morning I had a tiny yellow honey eater bird eating a baked bean out of my fingers….????

Bizarre….It must be a Fitzroy Crossing thing.

 

Anyway tomorrow we head to Broome where we will be quite an embarrassment with our dusty, dirty, filthy car and trailer. Oh well…. all in the name of fun!

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12th October - Bungle Bungles – Purnululu National Park WA

 

"You picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel………" Kenny Roger's crooning words from the song 'Lucille' run through my head, albeit slightly varied lyrics due to our circumstances.

 

After a fleeting visit to the mostly undiscovered Bungle Bungle range, 300 km south of Kununurra, we had left the park and headed north to the Gibb River Rd and the famous El Questro station. Having set up camp and unstuck the shorts from the sweaty seat covers, we relaxed, pulled out a beer and began discussing the day's events.

 

Minutes into this, Max (looking over the car) exclaimed that we had lost our spare tyre from its cable mount under the car! Given that it was a brand new unused Mickey Thompson tyre and new rim, it is quite an expensive bit of equipment to just lose.

 

Thanks to the patience of my parents who were happy to take another day out of their time dependant travel schedule and look after the grandkids, the next day we were able to head back to the very rough Bungle Bungle track in search of our 'loose wheel.'

 

It was always going to be a gamble…$200 in fuel alone to drive there and back, despite whether we found the tyre or not. We left at 6.30am. The road back included 50km on the dusty Gibb River Rd, 200km on the bitumen and then 56km into the Bungle Bungles on a rough, un-maintained track that requires careful negotiation and slow going. It takes nearly two hours to travel the 56km.

 

Anyway moral of the story is we did not find the spare wheel. A replacement wheel and tyre ended up costing us $598 from the dude at Bridgestone in Kununurra at ten minutes to 5pm. Nice going!

 

Our arrival in Kununurra was delayed slightly by stopping to help a Sydney couple on their honeymoon. The young couple, glowing with newly wed enthusiasm, were on a road trip from Broome to Freemantle in a Britz camper. They had blown one tyre, and soon realised their second had a very fast leak. As we have two air compressors, we spent the last 100km stopping every 15-20km to inflate their fast leaking tyre, so they too could make it into Kununurra for replacements. Aaahhh…. eventful day.

 

All was good that night as we pulled into El Questro at 7pm, in time to kiss the kids good night. We were relieved to get out of the car and did not want to let that new spare tyre too far out of our sight.

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10th October - Lake Argyle, WA

 

After being 'granted' permission to enter the great state of Western Australia, minus our fruits and vegetables, we were told to check for resourceful cane toads attempting to abscond across the border. Toad free, we turned south through the jagged rose coloured cliffs of the Ord range towards Lake Argyle.

 

Ten years ago, I flew over this magnificent Lake as part of a flight from Kununurra, and it was something else to see it from the air. As we drove in through the ridges and valleys it was clear how this area was capable of holding water 18 times the size of Sydney harbour.

 

Once we'd set up camp and done our historic duty in visiting the re-located Durack Homestead (moved from the valley when the dam was built). We stood looking over the mighty stretch of water and were nothing but impressed. It was a vivid blue reflecting the cloudless Kimberley sky, and out of its depths rose jagged hilltops of stone. 

 

The Ord River dam was an impressive piece of engineering with no concrete, just clay and rock holding back the waters. The size and stillness of the lake in contrast to the coloured rocks was just amazing. It was definitely worth the detour in to see this mighty, yet under utilised lake.

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9th October – Road from Katherine NT to Kununurra WA

Who ever thought that tearing up old magazines and letting the little pieces fly out the window could be so much fun? It seems that our children have found a new way to amuse themselves as the kilometres tick by. Unbeknown to us the affair has been going on for quite sometime, hence nearly half of 4WD ACTION has disappeared across the barren land before it we noticed. The unfortunate hazards of leaving windows open.

 

Illegal littering aside, the road across to Kununurra is a beautiful mixture of coloured escarpments and rolling grasslands, all edged by the mighty Victoria River. Crocodiles sun themselves on the sandy banks and dodgy little roadhouses pop up every few hundred kilometres, offering up their services to heat damaged travellers.

 

We of course are enjoying the reasonably cooler conditions of the inland after a hot and humid week on the coast at Darwin. Our path will now lead us across the border into Western Australia, where we will have to hand over our fruits and vegetables before being allowed to pass.

 

Tonight we will camp on the shores of Lake Argyle, the giant lake formed by the damming of the Ord River. Nearby is the Lake Argyle Diamond Mine, and further on the spectacular Bungle Bungles NP, which will give us plenty to do for a few days. Maybe I won't need those magazines after all!

 

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5th October - Darwin, NT

Well I think the Wet season may have begun! The last two days we have had tropical downpours around 3 or 4 o'clock, after the standard hot, humid day. The rain is not really a big deal, it is just funny seeing it turn on like clock work now we have hit October. Have not seen rain for so long that Ella has been crying when the downpour begins. It only seems to last half and hour or so, and is still a balmy 33 degrees so don't worry.
 
Took ourselves off to a crocodile park yesterday (grandma and pa in tow), to get ourselves up close and personal with a few salties. Our encounters in the wild have been limited to a few sightings on the East Alligator river and the sight of a shiny eyeball or two while spotlighting. I was lucky enough to feed one of the prehistoric beasts with a chicken leg, which certainly made my day. Jake and Ella held a baby saltie which made a good snap for the photo album.
 
Well it looks like the rain is easing and we will be able to safely take ourselves off to the Mindil Market after all. Jake and Pa are still swimming.....hope they didn't get hit by lightening!

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29th October - Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu N.P

I have to admit that I have a thing for funny place names and Jim Jim Falls has for a long time held a fascination for me. JIM JIM....who the hell was Jim and how did he get such a breathtaking waterfall named after him? I admit that the waterfall was not actually flowing (as it doesn't in the dry season) but at 180m high the straight gorge walls made you feel like you were in a hole you couldn't get out of even if you tried. The walls went straight up, allowing Jim Jim Falls to be known as the tallest single drop waterfall at least in the southern hemisphere. The sight was amazing.
 
We made the trek down a well graded gravel road to the camp area from which we traversed a slow, rocky 4WD track dotted with patches of bulldust and sand. Leaving our cruiser behind, we began the real challenge. The 2km return trek into the base of the falls over rocks and boulders, through a gorge carved out mercilessly by the wet season waters. A shallow emerald lagoon lines the base of the gorge, housing fish and any crocodiles that managed to find their way into the gorge during wet season floods. The signs here are clear "ACTUNG" ...Do Not Swim. 
 
We were warned that the hike into Jim Jim Falls was not suitable for small children, but buggered if we were coming this far and not giving it a go. Ella was strapped to Max's back via a backpack and Jake just had to use his little three year old legs. It was a picturesque climb, made that much easier by the decision to wait till late arvo, so the humidity and sunlight were at their minimum. Jake did a wonderful job and only towards the end as the boulders got too large did he need to be carried on my back.
 
It was a challenge scrambling our way through the last hundred metres of huge boulders, but as we crested the final obstacles we were greeted with the most welcome sight known to man (or woman). A huge, cool, emerald plunge pool that was so deep, rimmed by the towering walls of the falls. Just an amazing sight. To top it all off, this part is crocodile free as it is a scramble for anything to get up there, let alone a crocodile.
 
Well we swam, we wallowed and we gazed up in wonder as we floated the cool waters. It is amazing to find water this deep so late in the dry season, but it made us realise how deep this pool must be as the water cascades off the clifftop, pounding into the rocks below during the wet. Such a great experience. We reluctantly called an end to our swim, packed up our gear and began the trek out. As the sun faded we found our way out of the gorge  and managed to capture some pretty pics as the sun disappeared behind the range. Such a classic Northern Territory sunset.
 
The following day we began the journey again into the lesser known Twin Falls, 20km from camp. The 4WD in required a deepish water crossing of the Jim Jim river, but nothing compared to the crossings we have been through up the Cape. The kids have been obsessed with the recent arrival of grandma and pa, and so we have benefitted from their constant desire to be holding one of their hands. No complaints here! The walk in to Twin Falls was easy compared to Jim Jim and included a leisurely boat cruise up the gorge that reminded me that I really hate groups of tourists. It was a pictureque place with white sandy beaches lining the base of the falls and deep green pools similar to Jim Jim, yet here you couldn't swim and the easier access made it popular with 4WD tours.
 
After leaving behind Jim Jim, we made for the northern boundary of Kakadu and finally pointed our 4WDs towards Darwin. Kakadu National Park was a grand mixture of aboriginal rock art, stunning wetlands, a buzz of neverending wildlife and a tribute to aboriginal culture. It really was something special.

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