Lake Argyle to the West Kimberleys - 20th August on........

We really only left Lake Argyle and made the trip to Kununurra as we had to vote in the federal election - what a farce it has turned out to be!!
We booked in for 3 nights at The Ivanhoe Big 4, which is in town. We had done all we really wanted to do in the East Kimberleys while we were at Lake Argyle, so it was really just a chance to relax, enjoy each others company and see little bits and pieces around the town.

After lining up for 1 1/2 hours to vote, we headed off for an afternoon exploring of Wyndham. We had been warned there were only two views of the area - the view looking out to where the 5 rivers join and the view in the rear view mirror as you drove out of town. This description could not have been more accurate...... The view of the 5 rivers - Ord, Forrest, King, Durack and Pentecost Rivers - may have been better had we been able to see through the smoke haze. The picnic lunch I had packed to have at the lookout was enjoyed on the trip back towards Kununurra in the car. The heat of 39 deg was also a killer!!

On the way back into Kununurra, we stopped for a look at The Grotto - a rock formation with a lovely waterhole at the bottom. In the wet season, the waterfall above cascades into the waterhole below. Lovely in the dry season, so no doubt spectacular in the wet. Zali, Peter and Ella went for a swim (a bit murky for me) and enjoyed the cool down and escape from the heat. Parry's Lagoon was also near by, as we are not really that into bird watching we gave it a miss. A highlight of our stay in Kununurra was the return to Pump House restaurant - this time for dinner. Sitting by the water of Lake Kununurra and enjoying the surrounds was so peaceful....... We also went for a swim at 'swim beach', which Ella couldn't quite understand how they could call it a beach as the only waves it had was when a boat sped past. Again, not quite clear enough water for me to submerge in (toes only), so I enjoyed reading my current mag under a tree on the rug. It was from this point that I could spot the crocodile trap set up for a catch about 6m from where the swimmers were. Hidden at the edge of the trees and just out of the view of anyone who went in for a dip. At this point, I casually suggested we head back for some lunch and perhaps a cool swim at the park. Once we were back in the car I explained my anxiousness to get them all out of the water so quickly!! Other swimmers either didn't see the trap or were prepared to take the risk, but not me!!!

So we packed up from Kununurra and we were making our way to Fitzroy Crossing for a few nights, via a few nights of free camping. A stop for tyre checks on the car and the van and then petrol on our way out of Kununurra saw my real first panic of car or van problems...... Pete filled the car with petrol, went to pay, I tried to start the car and NOTHING!!!! From a fully functioning car to one that now had a very flat battery (within 6 minutes of putting petrol in the car). The people in the next car were ever so helpful and came straight over to see what they could do to help. "Pop the bonnet" was their first request. In my panic that we had missed checking some level of fluid in the motor, I couldn't find the latch to pop the bonnet. To which they replied, "Is this a rental car?"....... my reply, "No, it is ours, we have had it nearly 3 years....." in a very quiet voice and a look of disbelief on the man's face. A further look below the front seat and I located the required button and we were in action - with a very red face from embarrassment!! By this stage, we had even further assistance and before we knew it the car had been jump started and we were on the way to Auto 1 for a new battery before leaving town. First shop - no go...... Second shop - thank goodness they had one and could spare a worker to fit it straight away. Apparently with the heat, car batteries in the north of this great country require replacement every two years. Ours had never been replaced and hence went dead so quickly.

So after what should have been an early departure from Kununurra was now after lunch. Luckily, we were on the road to Leyceter's Rest - 270 km west. This was a lovely little free camp spot on the banks of the empty Ord River. It was actually named after a little boy from Halls Creek who had been killed on the Ord River in a single car accident. Setup, dinner, bed and an early rise (after Zali fell out of bed in the middle of the night - no damage, thank goodness) saw us back on the road and off to Mary's Pool - another free camp on the banks of the Margaret River.

On the way to Mary's Pool, we stopped for a look around Hall's Creek. Upon visiting the Information Centre, we were recommended to take a trip out to Palm Springs. Pete explained we didn't have a 4wd, but the lady said we definitely didn't need one. She also recommended we unhitch at the local police station to keep the van safe and head out for a visit. On arrival at the Police Station, there were people everywhere. Peter went into check if unhitching in their car park was okay and of course, it was. We just couldn't park it right out the front as it was court day and there were many clients around. Hmmmm - was our van safe?? We had images of arriving back with the gas bottle gone, graffiti up the sides, jockey wheel unwound.... we just didn't know. So again, I got busy and made a picnic lunch for the 45km trip to Palm Springs.

We cruised through the first 3kms and then the dirt road started. Straight into corrugations, deep divots and soft red edges,. Not quite what we had in mind for the next 42kms. I had estimated that it would take 30 mins to travel the 45kms. Pete was stressing, the temperature hit 42 deg and we were in deep trouble if we got a flat or something happened to the car. We hadn't even put down our tyre pressure as it was not what we had expected!! Pete was driving and it took 1 3/4 hours to reach our destination. There was much discussion about what the hell we were doing, but on arrival we were so pleased we had persevered with the road conditions. We are not seasoned rough road drivers and we have no desire to ever be 4wd mad people - this is as bad as it could get for us!! A beautiful water hole surrounded by palm trees, the odd car driving past on the road and us with our picnic lunch. Just divine for the short time we could afford to be there (after the much longer than anticipated travel time). I offered to drive back into the town - more prepared for the road after growing up in the country) and managed to get us back to our caravan (which had been left in perfect condition and court was STILL on) in just over an hour. A quick re hitch and we were on the road again for Mary's Pool.

We arrived at Mary's Pool about 5pm and the free camp area - which is huge - was very full. We found ourselves a lovely spot on our own, set up and headed off for a walk across the near empty river. Ella was hot enough to feel the water, so Zali decided she needed too as well. This was all fine until Zali's shoe fell off in the little pond and Ella offered to go in and retrieve it. Of course, the rocks were slippery and next thing, Ella is in the water. She hit her back and elbow on the way down and was very bravely playing down the fact she was in pain as she was desperately trying to keep the tears in. Once we were out of view of anyone else, the flood gates started. She was filthy dirty after the fall, so this meant a 'camp bath' back at the van. The thought of this horrified Ella and I have promised to keep the photographic evidence to myself. All clean, in her pj's and pride back in check, Miss Ella was fine. To our astonishment, people were up at 5am the next morning and off on the next leg of their journey - what is with that??? Not us, Pete, bucket by bucket from the river and with the help of the girls, washed the car and van of all the red dirt we had been collecting, we slowly packed up and were ready to head off before 10am. By this time, the new lot of campers had arrived and set up and we were yet to see the main road.

It was now onto Fitzroy Crossing for a few nights. The Fitzroy River is the second largest outflow of water, to the Amazon River in the world. Although it is the dry season, there is still some fairly deep water in parts of it. Our aim here was to relax by the pool after 'roughing' it on our free camp nights. We stayed at Fitzroy Crossing Lodge and it was beautiful. Besides going to watch the local AFL grand final between 2 remote Aboriginal communities on the Saturday, we did nothing!!!!! We are headed back this way when Jen arrives to check out Geike Gorge so there was no point exerting energy, except to walk to the pool and laze around. Here the girls' befriended a beautiful little girl from Perth, Bianca. She is the same age as Zali, but got on incredibly well with both girls. Along with her parents, Tash and Paul, they have been travelling around Oz for 10 months and are now on the home stretch back to Perth. Our time with them (they were in the van behind us) saw family games of Celebrity Heads (but an educational version for the kids), beer drinking and sitting around the pool having great chats. Bianca was having so much fun with the girls they extended their stay and relaxed with us..... more from Fitzroy Crossing and what it has to offer come the end of September........

After 4 nights at Fitzroy Crossing, we made our way to Derby. This is an entry point to the Gibb River Road, which we will access to visit Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek when we have Jen with us. So many reports about how beautiful it is, so we are very excited about heading back this way in mid September. The caravan park at Derby was not the best place we have ever stayed at, but the local pool and water park kept the kids entertained for hours. This is where my improving swimmer, Miss Zali, decided she is now brave enough to jump off the diving blocks into the deep end with me waiting there to collect her. It didn't take long for her to realise that she didn't need me and she could 'swim' to the edge and get herself out and start again. By the next day, the swim vest was gone for swimming in the shallow end and she can 'swim' with her head above water and can safely get herself out at the ladder. We are thrilled with this, as she has always been so timid and lacking in confidence around water. The pool for our own backyard is now even higher on our priority list!! We did a few little odd bits around Derby during our short stay (including me driving the wrong way onto the jetty), but there really wasn't a lot to see. The Gibb River will definitely be worth the effort on our return there in a few weeks.......

From Derby we were off to Broome where we have now been for the past 5 nights and will be for a little longer. We will venture south to Barn Hill and Port Smith before Jen arrives and then the schedule picks back up again to fit in as much as we can before she returns to NSW with Ella (not sure how we are going to cope once Ella has gone, she is a blessing and treasure to have with us xxx). So during this time, we are relaxing by the pool (including laps by Pete and I to try and stave off too much weight gain), trips to the beach (though it was shut for 2 days at the end of last week due to a croc sighting), catching up with Tash, Paul and Bianca and driving around this quaint seaside village. We are loving being at Cable Beach. Ella even spotted Tim, Amber, Will, Angy and Kate (friends from home) at the same caravan park and the girls are enjoying hearing all the stories of the great places they have visited over the past few months.

Til Jen arrives on the 16th - stay safe, enjoy life and Happy Fathers' Day to all the dads reading.
Love
Ange, Pete, Zali and Ella
xxxxx