Walking boots and waterfalls

We’re well into our second week in Kununurra, with plans to leave on September 9 (next Tuesday).

The weather is getting hotter every day (36C today and 38C forecast for Tuesday) and we’re making full use of the caravan park pool, amongst its palms and other foliage.

Evidence of a massive earth movement.

We had a great excursion to the Bungle Bungles this week, flying by light aircraft from Kununurra, over Lake Argyle to Purnululu National Park, being taken by 4WD bus to the starting point of a walk, which ended up being about 10km in the hottest part of the day.  After we’d been flown back to Kununurra, with an aerial view of the Argyle Diamond Mine in its extinct volcano on the way, we had a quick swim, then lay about panting in the late afternoon before turning in and sleeping for about 11 hours.

But it was really worth it, as we saw some fabulous geology as we explored parts of the Bungle Bungles.

This whole Kimberley region is just about as old as the earth’s crust, it seems, with some ranges and rocks dating back billions of years.

 On the flight south from Kununurra, the pilot pointed out  

Walking into one of the Bungle Bungles' many gorges.

a range formed when two plates in the earth pushed against each other . . . fantastic from the air!

Flying also gave us a better perspective on the Ord River Irrigation Scheme which we’d only explored by hire car.  We saw the massive sandalwood plantations as well as those growing mangoes, and other crops being cultivated near the irrigation channels.

WA's biggest mango plantation at Kununurra.

After a day’s rest we took off again early one morning for a bus ride to El Questro, a property about 80km from Kununurra, on the last stages of the Gibb River Road. First was Emma Gorge, a resort with a rather special gorge and icy pools that it took us an hour to clamber over rocks to reach. And

Soaking in the warm water at Zebedee Springs.

then we had to climb over and around those same rocks to get back.

We then were driven to the main part of this station, stopping at the warm Zebedee Springs for a glorious soak, especially under a small waterfall. Lunch was barramundi or steak, both excellent in this part of the world, then it was time to be taken to the Chamberlain River for a cruise through the Chamberlain Gorge. We only saw part of its 128km length, but it was wonderfully impressive.

We moored in what the crew call their fish sanctuary . . . only because the archer fish,  

The wonderful Chamberlain gorge

catfish and big barramundi there know that when a boat moors, they get fed.  We saw many at close quarters, and as well as feeding them, the crew plied us with champagne and fresh Ord River fruit such as three different kinds of melon and starfruit. 

Fish food in one hand, bubbly in the other.

By the time we were dropped off in Kununurra that evening, we’d been enjoying ourselves for 12 hours, so once again, we fell into bed.

Everything is working well on the truck again, with batteries replaced, and today it got a new set of rear tyres. We’ve tried out most of the restaurants and cafes attached to touristy places and have had some great food experiences.

Tomorrow we’ll go to the local markets again but now we know what they serve, we’ll have breakfast there. We have some more exploring to do around the farming areas and have promised ourselves a sunset from a rocky lookout above the town. We’ve checked out the Argyle diamonds in some shops here, but because the pink ones are incredibly rare (we’re told only a champagne glassful is found each year) even the smallest chip is worth thousands of dollars, and the champagne-coloured ones are not far behind in price.

Before we know it, we’ll be handing back our little hire car, packing up the Isuzu and heading east to Victoria River, on the way to Katherine.