Kununurra - afternoon - Thursday 24th June

This was billed as a 'cruise', which it wasn't. It took 3 hours plus and covered nigh on 70kms. It was incredibly beautiful, and yet repetitive. It was too long, but we sat longer in the bus. Effectively, there was only one point of departure, and we needed to finish somewhere close to our accommodation for the night. So ... I would not want to eliminate it. But ...


We had two whopping big engine-things on the back and we went hell-fer-leather. But not just us. There were four boats our size on the river. Sorry, I did not mention we were on the Ord River, starting from the wall of the Argyle Dam and finishing on the outskirts of Kununurra.

The wash was phenomenal, smashing into the river's edge in both direction. Not only us, but the other boats. AND - there are three sessions each day. That is a lot of wash.


Grant is one of the head-honchos of JJJ Tours. He was very good. Very knowledgeable. Very open to questions. We talked about viability. We talked about evaporation. We talked about sustainable cropping. He gave sooo much information. But, it was useful to me. I must admit that I asked most of the questions. But that happens everywhere. He knew the river backwards - well you would belting down it three times each day during the Dry Season.


Immensely beautiful, you must admit. And some of you will have seen some of the reflections on my other blog, Sydney Eye. I took more photographs in this 3 hours than on many other entire days. *blush*

I have taken the bird and crocodile images out for a separate post. There will also be a separate post on the most sublime sunset that I have ever sailed into. Beats the one on Darwin harbour hands down. But here, just admire the sedges, the reeds, lilies and the light .. ooo the light.


Here is just a hint of the animal life along the river. Miniscule samplings. Look at the green ants ... and that wrapped up thing is their nest. We saw lots of this, and once again dilly diddums moi had to show her ignorance and ask what the heck they were. Just terrific. And see that wasp nest ... I am confused because I think that is a Paper Wasp too ... but I told you on Geike Gorge that something that looks quite different was also a Paper Wasp. This is all from memory ... soo ...

And how about that Rock Wallaby? There were two of them sort of on adjacent rock faces. How on earth did they get there? And what did they eat? Mountain goats have nothing on these little blighters!

I had my hat wedged firmly on my skull, my winter woollies wrapped around me, and with my balance issues was flung around more than I enjoyed. But ... I loved lots about this trip. Just not the environmental damage.

Kununurra - morning - Thursday 24th June

In hindsight, this was a watershed day. We had been on the road for 8 days with 6 to go. This was our last day in the Kimberleys. Our last day of those wonderful rocks and colours. El Questro was an oasis, a pander to citified sensibilities. It worked a treat.


I had heard of the Gibb River Road prior to this trip, but did not realise that it held iconic status. 'The road maketh the man' syndrome. See that little fruit on my hat there, balanced on my spare coach seat? That is a Rosella. And you thought that to be only some variety of parrot. Wrong! They make jam from it. And wine ... I bet that would make the palate wince!


So, off we toddled into the irrigation area. Mile after mile of mango trees. And vegies as far as the eye can see. Kununurra is a town based on the Ord River Scheme of the 60s. This seems to be going stronger and stronger even though us city folk down south thought it had ceased to exist ages ago. It had a setback because rice was not a goer. But they diversified. The hassle now is that they are going big time into Sandalwood trees for use in the perfume market. What a waste of resources. I want them to grow cauliflowers and turnips and pumpkins. Food for the masses.

The two little fauna shots were taken on the edge of Lake Kununurra (Ord River) where we had our group photo taken. It was while we were setting this up that one of the chaps on the tour announced: "Ladies and Gents, we have a female Prime Minister".


So here we are at the Argyle Downs homestead of the Durack Family. They were instrumental in the settlement of the Kimberleys and in the commencement of the farming of cattle. When it was realised that the Ord River would flood the homestead, they moved it, brick by brick, to higher ground. For its position in the psyche of the early settlers of this nation, it is a most modest abode.

In the grounds of the Durack homestead was this bower, and this male Greater Bower Bird - the one I have been promising or a few days already! Have a look at his neck-kerchief - beautiful, eh what? And yes, the photo of the bower was an 'on yer belly' shot.

El Questro - Wednesday 23rd June

I found this to be a nicely paced day. Up early and out to Chamberlain Gorge by 7:30am. Then a swim in the thermal pools, lunch in the restaurant, then the rest of the arvo to ourselves.

This was the sort of cabin that we all had - Queen bed, two singles and an en-suite. A tiled en-suite. It was a bit of a hike to the bar, etc, but such a joy to wake up to the birds, go to the door and see the sun come up against the backdrop of that typical Kimberley hillside.


I think I have said before, that the guides we had were knowledgeable, articulate and very personable. Dale was our National Parks chap. Kathy was our skipper, and Christina was on her first cruise, being on a Working Holiday from Germany. The bacon and egg sambo I could have done without. Champagne is not my poisson of choice. But I hoed into them both, and washed it down with good strong cawfee.


And how about drifting down here early in the morning? Just fabulous. I know I said that Geike Gorge was my favourite but I suspect that was because it was first. This was gorgeous, too. Every so often there was debris from the Wet up high somewhere, but it was harder to see the damage done by the Wet Season in this gorge. The reflections were a knockout, but I cannot show you ALL of them!

At one point, the engine was cut and we were given pellets to hold over the edge for the fish. They would shoot water and you would get such a surprise that you would drop it. Very effective. Some of the fish were very large - especially the barramundi. My photos of that were useless. Go see what Diane managed.


We did not see many marsupials at all, but this rock wallaby was a treasure. He even performed for me! All the cruise 'boats' were this sort of flat-bottomed craft.

We then went over to Zebbeddee Springs before it closed at noon so the big-wigs from El Questro Homestead could have exclusive use. I guess if you pay a coupla thousand a night you can expect that. The water comes from deep within the earth and is 32C all year round. The vegetation is mostly Livistona Palms, Wild Mango and Swamp Bloodwoods.

And to close, the flower after which our bus was named: The Kimberley Rose.

Wyndham, El Questro - Tuesday 22nd June

So, we got ourselves back onto the Great Northern Hwy heading towards Wyndham. Mike and Barb have done this trip numerous times. They know where all the 'toilet experiences' are (good and bad). They know where all the good sandwich shops are. They ring ahead (sometimes up to two days), and place our order for lunch. They like to support nice people and good enterprises. Indigenous if at all possible. This was one such. Only been going a couple of years, but well run, clean, well patronised. And good sambos with lots of filling. And, as Barb chirruped 'a VAE - value added extra'. Out the back of Doon Doon is a wildlife refuge. Just as we were about to depart, this little bundle of joy bounced on board. Mariejke had been out here from Holland for about 20 years and the refuge is her baby. Certainly, a VAE!


So, sated, we choofed off to Wyndham and the 'Five Rivers Lookout'. Not a lot to Wyndham, a big hospital, a wharf for the export of live cattle. Many towns up here are 60% indigenous. Much of the NW coast has mega tides, like up to 11 metres. That's big, hey. So sometimes, at Wyndham and Derby, they have to take the stuff to be exported out to 'platforms' because there is no water at the dock!

So, what are the 5 rivers: King, Pentecost, Durack, Forrest and Ord. They all pour into the Cambridge Gulf. Can you imagine the quantity of water choofing our here during the Wet Season. My guess is that would be measured in 'Sydney Harbours' per nano-second. From this marker, Alice is 1075 kms, Darwin is 462 kms and Perth is 2160kms. As you can see, salt is a problem.


After yet another mind-expanding vista of this wonderfully varied country, we headed back down the Great Northern the way we came, turned onto the Gibb River Road and drove into an upmarket oasis for the next two nights. Not exactly moi, I feel self-conscious in places like this. But it was noice. I had a wonderful green bean salad, and a very smooth cab/merlot that was still only $9. By this stage, I had been without phone access for 6 days.