Day 30-33 Kununurra, WA

After a five hour drive we pulled into Timber Creek for an overnight stay. Ava was a bit sick so we stayed in a "cabin". You don't get much for your $140 p/n donga, which is a refurbished construction site shed. No photos could capture the ambiance.

The landscape is continually changing. Plenty of termite hills since Mataranka which along the Victoria Highway to Kununurra, survive even back burning. The locals like to dress up termite hills with T-shirts. Hmm. We stopped at Gregory's Tree which was the camp site of the first European expedition into the North Western region of WA, led by Augustus Charles Gregory. They left their date of departure on a Boab tree July 2nd 1856 (it looks like it was only done yesterday).

 

Victoria River and at the WA border we were told to "Hand over all fruit, veg and honey or else!"

Boab country, Gregorys's Tree in the middle

Day 1- Kununurra

A cute town but hot and humid. We were up early and walked the mini Bungle Bungles in Mirima NP at 7.30am as it gets too hot by 9am (up to 40 degrees c). Home of the Miriuwung peoples.

Mirimia NP

Stringybark tree used to make didgeridoos, spears and digging sticks

They damned the Ord River to make the Ord River Irrigation Scheme- a high yield agricultural area to produce fruit and vegies. Thus a huge Lake Argyle was created.

Lake Argyle- same size as Sydney Harbour

Driving around the irrigation scheme we stumbled upon a 'Hoochery'- yes siree the oldest working distillery in Australia. We tasted six different rums, whisky and varietals on ice. I liked the whisky but at $169 per bottle- the kids had an ice cream sandwich instead.

Ivanhoe Crossing- need a 4WD

We stayed on the banks of Lake Kununurra 

Catfish was kissed and released.

 Locals say that Catfish was sold at $4 per kilo but when re-named Silver Cobbler it now sells

 at $40 per kilo- ugly character.

Day 2 Kununurra

After a hot night and plenty of swims in the BIG4 caravan park pool, we road our bikes to the only place you can swim in Lake Kununurra. We all discovered Joel is chicken and wouldn't venture out too far. There could be freshwater crocodiles about but they don't have a big enough snout to eat humans. Come on Joel!

Our trip to Wyndham (1 hour west of Kununurra) included a swim at the Grotto. Joel again showed his true colours. It was a steep climb down but the pool was refreshing in the heat. Later that night we found out that it has a resident fresh water croc. I haven't told the kids yet.

We arrived at Wyndham, a small, tired and very dry town with a massive port on the Cambridge Gulf. The Five Ways Look Out is AMAZING. It is the meeting point of the Ord, Pentecost, Forrest, Kink and Durack Rivers with the Cambridge Gulf and Timor Sea. 

Considering 10% of Australia's live export of cattle goes through Wyndham, you think the Port and Graziers could inject money into the local town- it really needs it. 

We ate lunch under the watchful eyes of Wyndham's BIG crocodile 

Our resident fresh water croc at the caravan pales into insignificance

Day 3

Up early for the much awaited flight over the Bungle Bungles

We got picked up at 5.30am- nice sunrise over Lake Kununurra

Captain- turn up the funky music

Everyone was nervous when Joel sat in the cockpit...

Left- Irrigation Scheme. Right- Lake Argyle, the second largest man-made water expanse in Australia

Argyle Diamond Mine- bit of a blight on the environment

The Bungle Bungles

Over and out!