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Category Archives: Australia
Australia day 40 – Wyndham to Spring Creek camping ground , WA
Now, what was it I was saying about frogs? This morning we find a little green one sitting on the engine manifold when we open up to check the oil and water (which we now do every day), and he doesn’t want to budge! Wyndham is about 55km north of the Savannah Way along the Great Northern Highway and as we retrace our route to contiinue our journey west towards Halls Creek. We stop to make a detour to the Grotto 2km down a dirt track. Here is a deep pool set in a gorge and accessed by 142 steps leading down from a sandstone pavement. In the wet a large waterfall cascades into it, but today the river bed is dry and only a few drips of water are tickling into the pool. It’s a lovely cool spot and it is supposed to be safe to swim here, but we are not about to risk it, particularly as the debris on the surface doesn’t make it seem that inviting.
Further on we turn off down the Gibb River Road – the iconic 4wd outback challenge which links Wyndham with Derby on the west coast. We drive about a kilometre before turning back, just so we can say we’ve been on the Gibb River Road. Perhaps some day we’ll come back in a 4wd with all the gear and do this route! There is, of course, the option to take an adventure tour if you have a few $1000 dollars to spare, or if that doesn’t appeal there is, incredibly, an hop-on hop-off bus on this remotest of tracks, which runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays! Which rather seems to destroy the romance.
There are two roadhouses on the next 150km stretch, at Doon Doon and Turkey Creek, and we stop at both to top up with petrol and for Andy can collect his free coffee. There is a ‘Revive and Survive’ scheme throughout Australia to encourage drivers to stop and rest at regular intervals and the enticement is a cup of free coffee. So why not, particularly as Andy is a caffeine junky? The Turkey Creek Road House aka Warmun is on the edge of an Aboriginal settlement which can’t be visted without permission. This is quite a common arrangement and is intended to protect the privacy of the indigenous communities.
We invested in a book of free camp grounds before we left Wyndham and tonight we are going to give one a try. We have ear-marked a site just south of Turkey Creek but as luck would have it there is a major highway upgrade programme underway which involves constructing new bridges across many of the creeks that cross the highway and the site has been a casualty of this programme. As has the next one and we are beginning to wonder if we are going to find anything. But there are a surprising number of stopping places along this road providing basic facilities such as picnic tables, bqs and pit toilets and we eventually stop at Spring Creek. At first site it appears to be a rather unattractive lay-by, but at the far end it turns down into a small shady area by the creek- perfect! A few other people think so too; there are four other campers here making this little site quite full!
Posted in Australia, Western Australia
Tagged Australia, Spring Creek, Western Australia, Wyndham
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Australia day 39 – Wyndham, WA
We are always on the hunt for a power point to charge up laptops, camera, monkey etc and it can be quite a challenge when you are camping (impossible on free sites, of course). We end up on the computer in some unusual places as a result. Kitchens are the best place, but not many sites here have them, then there’s the laundry and sometimes even the shower block, but it’s necessary to take a chair. On some of the quieter sites, we leave our stuff charging, but on others we sit either blogging or, in Andy’s case, playing games and kill two birds with one stone. But you can get some funny looks! We caught up with an old boy we camped alongside in Spring Vale (Katherine) today. He’d also arrived here via Kununnurra and wasn’t too impressed with the Wyndham site, but what had really pissed him off was being pulled over by the police for not wearing a seat belt and fined….$450 (£225)!!! The crocodile farm in Wyndham has feeding time at 11.am so we decide that if we can’t get to see a ‘saltie’ in the wild we will just have to pay to see one in captivity – after all we can’t come all the way to northern Australia and leave without having seen one. The tour is worth every cent! The farm’s breeds crocs for their prized underbelly skin which is sold mainly to France for Gucci shoes and handbags. Apparently the estuarine croc is only found in Australia and their skin is highly valued by the fashion industry. As a sideline, the farm runs daily tours of their breeders. There are 30 magnificent adult corcs looking deceptively docile as they rest, submerged and absolutely still just under the surface of the water. But this belies the speed and ferocity with which they can launch themselves several feet in the air to seize any food that might be on offer. There agility, speed and sheer bulk and power is awesome. Some are in the smallest of pools, completely undetectable until the food brings them flyig up through the water in the blink of an eye. It brings home just how vulnerable you can be standing on the edge of even the most innocuous-looking little outback pool. There is an internet cafe tucked away in a residential street and we spend some time researching our onward travels. India is top of the list at the moment, although according to all the information the summer months are the worst time to visit – too hot and wet – all but the hill stations in the north and Kashmir. So it maybe Kashmir – although the air fare from here seem incredibly expensive (as is all air travel from Oz). We need to organise visas and further jabs. We are waiting for the Indian embassy to confirm that we can get visas in Perth, but despite sending several emails they don’t seem to be inclined to respond. On the other hand we have received a reply at last from Wicked. They would be happy to undertake a full service on the van in…. Alice Springs!! We point out that this is just a tad out of our way. (Someone hasn’t bothered to read our correspondence or they would be aware we are on our way to Perth via Broome.) We await further instructions! As the sun starts to set we head for the Five Rivers Lookout aka The Bastion Lookout. 350 m above sea level. The panorama is amongst the most spectacular we have seen with far-reaching views of the Cambridge Gulf midflats and the five rivers that converge in this area. Once again the emptiness of this vast country is just staggering. But despite that, it is still hard to be alone for very long and we are soon joined by several other people who have come to watch another beautiful sunset.. Continue reading
Australia day 38 – Wyndham, WA
A chillax day. A swim in the pool followed by a visit to the pontoon jetty on the estuary for Andy to do a bit of fishing, whilst I catch up on some blogging. But the fish aren’t biting and there’ll be no fresh barramundi for dinner tonight!
There is a so-called ‘park’ of aboriginal statues in the town. The park turns out to be a tad disappointing; a bit of scrub land with a few picnic tables and five giant dreamtime statues, some of which are looking decidedly uncared for.
On the other hand 36,00-hectare Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve turns out to be well worth the 8km drive down a rather uneven dirt road just off the Great Northern Highway There are spectacular views of the huge lily-covered wetland area from the car park on Telegraph Hill; one of several small basalt hills n the Ord River flood plain.. There are also the ruins of a wireless station here, built to assist ships entering Wyndham port. A little further on and there is a metal walkway and bird hide right on the edge of he idyllic Marlgu Billabong. It’s late afternoon and the fish are jumping and there are birds galore.
Frogs, frogs and more frogs (and toads). There is certainly no shortage of frogs in the north of Australia. We hear them hopping through the grass at night and they like to congregate in the amenities block. They are partial to the toilets and it is not unusual to find one staring up at you from the bowl (cane toads especially like to sit in the bowl). It’s always advisable to check under the seat as well as they often crouch there. But small ones can go unnoticed under the rim only for their legs to dangle down when the toilet is flushed. They also like to sit on the taps and if you’re not vigilant it comes as bit of a shock to come nose to nose with a frog when cleaning your teeth. The really tiny ones can even hide up in between the handle of the tap and the tap itself. They also like the showers and we’ve often come across them waiting for us there. But the little blighters can jump great distances and touching them can kill them, so it’s best to let them be and make for a frog-free cubicle (if there is one)!
Australia day 37 – Kununurra to Wyndham, WA
There is a park in Kununurra called Celebrity Park where a number of trees that have been planted by famous people who have visited the township. The park is situated alongside the beautiful Lily Lagoon which as it’s name suggests is covered in pink lilies. Each tree has a plaque with details of the ‘famous’ person responsible for planting it. Many, not unsurprisingly, are Australian personalities who we have never heard of. Somewhere is Rolf Harris’ tree but we don’t find it. The most famous person we’ve heard of is Princess Anne who planted a tree here in 1985.
On from Kununurra to Wyndham, along the way passing a majestic escarpment running at 45 degrees to the road and stretching off into the distance. Wyndham is a small township (pop 1000) on the Ord River estuary 110km north of Kununurra. Geographically this is the northern most township in Western Australia and a significant port serving the cattle industry, the Ord Irrigation Project and many mining companies. The estuary is home to some of the largest saltwater crocodiles in the world although we have yet to see any ‘salities’ anywhere. Perhaps we may spot one here? The town is split into two, with the old town and wharf area across the mud flats of the estuary and the main, newer part further inland. The ‘old’ town has a hotel and a couple of shops, but it has obviously seen better days and some of the commercial buildings are either falling down or boarded up. The main part of town is surprisingly well served with two or three shops, a police station, civic building, petrol station, and a few other small businesses. The caravan park has a pool – and our first priority is a dip to cool down. The park itself is a little tired and unkempt, but we have the whole of the unpowered area to ourselves with views out onto the bush. Our second priority is to inspect the 2000-year-old boab tree at the rear of the park. With it’s 20m girth this is an impressive sight.
Another beautiful sunset with pink and orange skies over the bush beyond our van. Later we hear the crackle of dry grass on fire; there is a large bush fire raging about 300 yards from the other side of the camp site. We can see the flames leaping amongst the trees, a spectacular if somewhat scary sight. Fortunately the wind isn’t carrying it towards the caravan park and after watching it for a while we return to our van and another early night.
Posted in Australia, Western Australia
Tagged Australia, Kununurra, Western Australia, Wyndham
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Australia day 36 – Kununurra, WA
We are still trying to get our heads around the time difference between the NT and WA. This is a bizarre shift which means we gain one and half hours but it’s now dark at just after five instead of 6.45pm and sunrise is somewhere around 4.45am. As our eating and sleeping patterns are governed largely by sunset – after dark it’s difficult to cook and the insects make life unpleasant – we are now going to bed even earlier and today are woken by the dawn chorus around 5am. The sky is a beautiful pink and the air is still cool, but there is no going back to sleep once the birds are awake, their noise just won’t allow it!
Early to bed and early to rise does have its advantages and by 7.15am we have had breakfast and are starting out on what turns out to be a three hour walk around Mirima National Park. The track conveniently starts from just behind our pitch and takes around the spectacular sandstone formations which tower over this small (by Australian standards) park. Billed as the mini Bungle Bungles, the walk meanders around massive red outcrops formed from sand dunes deposited more than 350 million years ago, through gorges and under overhangs. The cool shade, long shadows and early morning sun are a delight.
If this sounds similar to yesterday’s walk that’s because the geology is the same. Orange sandstone and conglomerate in layers often blackened as a result of an outer skin of lichen. But not, as the tourist literature would have you believe, that similar to the Bungle Bungle range whose black and orange beehive domes rise 200 metres above the plain in Purnululu National Park further west.
By the time we return at 9.45 it’s too hot to do much more than potter around camp followed by a wander round town and a bit of shopping. My favourite green flowered dress has finally had its day after over 15 years of services. Two large rips are beyond repair. My old sarong is going the same way, so replacements are urgently needed! We pick up a dress in the local charity shop along with a Hawaiian-style shirt for Andy that Paul would be proud of. All for $12!
As sunset approaches we drive out to Kelly’s Knob on the outskirts of town for another wonderfully rich and dramatic sunset which spans the horizon and lights up the clouds. The colours change from soft pinks to deep burnt orange as the sun disappears. The sunsets in the north are something else!
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Tagged Australia, Kununurra, Western Australia
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Australia day 35 – Keep River National Park, NT to Kununurra,WA
We are up at the crack of dawn and breakfasted in time to set out for our bushwalk at around 8am. This is a glorious time for walking, the sun is still low in the sky and its warm light casts a wonderful glow casting long shadows and highlighting the deep burnt red of the sandstone outcrops. This the most magical walk meandering round sandstone and conglomerate rocks that has been weathered over millions of years into impressive curves, deep crevices, caves and overhangs. The path, by turns is fine, soft sand or pebbles takes us through 8 foot tall yellow cane grass and mounds of sharp green spiniflex, between rocky outcrops shaded by eucalypts and up over the top of the escarpment. There are splendid views over the countryside and. only the bird calls can be heard resonating around the area. This is the beginning of the East Kimberley. Such a delightful and atmospheric hour’s walk.
On our way out of the park we stop for the short walk to Ginger’s Hill where there is a small stone structure typical of many built by Aboriginal groups through the area as hides from which to catch birds of prey. They would light a fire somewhere close by and wait in the hide with a lure. When the birds approach initially attracted by the smoke and then by the movement of the lure, the hunter would grab the bird through the branches of the roof. A technique that must have required considerable patience and skill..
The border crossing is uneventful. The quarantine officer makes a cursory inspection of the food we are carrying and checks we have no honey.. We’ve been unable to dispose of our organic waste from last night’s meal and I have to separate it from the non-organic and place it the designated bins – lovely job! And then we are on our way again.
The scenery changes almost as soon as we are over the border – the savannah is interrupted by ranges of hills many with horizontal sandstone escarpments protruding. The dry bush belies and bush fires belie the fact that this is still the tail-end of the wet and some roads are still closed.
Lake Argyle, about 45 km from the border, is our first stop in Western Australia. This 1000 sq km of water is the largest freshwater lake in Australia and was created when 1 million acres of pastoral land was flooded in 1971 after the damming of the Ord River. The reservoir supports a huge irrigation project in Kununurra 71 kms away. It is certainly spectacular nestled among the peaks of the surrounding hills which drop straight into the deep blue waters. But it’s hard not to wonder how much more beautiful this area must have been before the building of the dam and to feel regret for the loss of Aboriginal sacred sites and a way of life.
At this time of year there is little happening here; the unpowered camp pitches are closed, there are no tours running and the petrol is so expensive that the owners feel obliged to place a sign on the pumps apologising for the price! We stop to have lunch in the shady park overlooking the river gorge just beyond the dam and then head on for Kununurra and a welcome and refreshing dip in the camp pool.
Kununurra – pronounced Kananarra – was founded as recently as 1961 and is one of the youngest townships in Western Australia. The township was developed to service the Ord Irrigation Scheme which has created 17,000 hectares of arable land which produce sugar cane, melons, mangoes, pumpkins, sandalwood and seed crops. Despite its recency, Kununurra looks much like any other small north Australian township – wide roads, little traffic, one storey buildings many raised above ground level and lush vegetation. Like other places along our route there is a large Aboriginal community here many of whom seem to have little to do but hang around on street corners or sit on the grass under the shade of the trees. There is however, little sign of the drunkenness we were led to expect, nor is there any sense of hostility or tension.
Australia day 34 – Timber Creek to Keep River National Park, NT
There is not much to detain us in Timber Creek; there appears to be no ‘safe’ fishing spots within 2wd range. Just outside Timber Creek is Policeman’s Lookout which provides a superb view of the majestic Victoria River winding through rugged hills and untouched woodlands as far as the eye can see. The silence broken only by the raucous skwarking of white parakeets or some such similar bird.
Western Australia and the Kimberley beckons. But first, just a but further down the highway is a sealed road which serves no other purpose but to access three superb lookouts; two wonderful views of the Victoria river valley and one of Timber Creek and it’s nestled under a sandstone escarpment. At the latter there are a series of information boards about the Nakarous who were stationed out here from 1942 to patrol the coast and inland region in case of invasion by the Japanese. It turns out that the found the struggle to survive the harsh conditions of the tropical bush country left little time for defending Australias front line!
As we drive west the trees become more stunted and large boab trees often carved with the initials of previous travellers are more in evidence. The boab has to be one of the strangest looking trees with its, grey, bulbous trunk that grow up to 20 metres in diameter, toped by a crown of disproportionate branches. Plumes of smoke waft into the area across in the distance where small spontaneous fires have broken out.
We arrive at the border with Western Australia much sooner than we anticipate and decide to camp the Northern Territory tonight and cross tomorrow. This decision is entirely based on the strict quarantine regualtions which mean that we can’t take any fresh fruit or vegetables into WA and would mean dumping tonights dinner! We stop for a brew in the car park on the border and suddenly a huge fire breaksout across the road. Lots of smoke, flames dancing and crackling as it devours the grasses over a stretch on either side of the border.
The Keep River National Park is only3 km up the road. This small park is known for its striking landforms, similar in structure to the Bungle Bungles further west. There are excellent bushwalking tracks that run through the rugged terrain of sandstone formations. There is also a camping ground 18 km into the park along a red gravel road and despite the restrictions of our hire agreement which prohibits any travel on unsealed roads we spend the night in probably the remotest camp site of our trip so far.
Remote though it may be there are two 4wd campers on the site when we arrive. Both have neat arrangements involving tents that fold out and sit on top of the vehicles. This is basic camping; some bbq areas and two pit toilets one of which is infested with ants! It’s a beautiful spot though, so peaceful and a walk awaits us in the morning.
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Tagged Australia, Keep River National Park, Northern Territory, Timber Creek
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Australia day 33 – Katherine to Timber Creek
Most of the country from Katherine along the Victoria Highway travelling west is mile after mile of savannah woodland – it’s not for nothing that this road is known as the Savannah Way. That is, until the area around Victoria Crossing where the flat gives way to the spectacular; angular red glat top sandstone escarpment ranges on both sides and the strangely shaped boab trees with their bulbous trunks start to make an appearance.. The Victoria River is the largest in the Territory and it sweeps through deep valleys and gorges and at some parts is over a kilometre wide. Unfortunately access to most of the Victoria region requires a 4wd and we are restricted to a brief glimpses of the river at Victoria Crossing and for a short distance alongside the road. A road house is the only settlement at Victoria Crossing consisting of a bar, diner camping ground and petrol station. We make a short stop to have an ice cream and top up with petrol. The road house is the first services stop since Katherine 194 km away and the last for another 90km. There is also a caravan park bar and restaurant here and that is all for the next 90 km.
There’s little traffic on the road, although we do see a Roller and a Bentley! There is a certain camaraderie amongst those travelling in camper vans particularly in Wicked vans, which usually manifests itself in energetic waving at one another. Whether this is from sheer excitement of seeing someone else on an otherwise empty stretch of road or out of empathy for some other poor sucker who ended up with a clapped out old rust bucket, I’m not sure.
There are many areas of charred earth along the road sides, the result of the small bush fires that seem to break out regularly and palls of smoke can be seen at intervals signalling several small fires are burning up the dry grass in the surrounding country.
Timber Creek is a tiny place on an eponymous tributory of the Victoria River at the foot of the rugged Newcastle range It is a tiny place consisting of a caravan park, motel, bar, mini mart, cemetery, a visitors centre and not much else. It is reknowned for its fishing in particular for barramudi and apparently people come from all over to fish here. The plan is for Andy to catch our dinner tomorrow!
The creek runs at the back of the caravan park and we arrive just in time to witness the daily feeding of several rather large and aggressive freshwater crocs. There are apparently 13 in this stretch. It’s quite an awesome experience standing only inches above these menacing creatures as they rise out of the water to snap their jaws with a mighty clap around pieces of meat dangled above their heads.
There are also hundreds of what look like black towels hanging from the trees on the other side of the creek, which on closer inspection tturn out to be huge fruit bats. Apparently they don’t hang in the trees in the caravan park, thank goodness!
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Tagged Australia, Katherine, Northern Territory, Timber Creek
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Australia day 32 – Katherine NT
Katherine Gorge is situated in the Nitmiluk National Park 29km from Katherine. It is defined as a series of 13 gorges and there is a visitors centre and a commercial operation offering a huge range of different tours and cruises from a two-hour cruise taking in two of the gorges at $56pp to helicopter adventure trips through all 13 gorges with gourmet picnic and swimming in your own private rock pool at $300pp. There are also several walks of varying lengths from two hours to three days or more depending on how far up the series of gorges you want to trek. We opt for the two hour loop walk which takes us up the escarpment to a lookout which from where there is a good view of the first gorge and the surrounding countryside before looping back through the empty (of people) savannah. It’s not a particularly difficult walk and fortunately it’s cloudy so we are spared the direct sun and the temperature doesn’t reach the predicted 40 degrees. But we still feel exhausted by the time we get back to the van! The secret is do everything slowly, slowly; drink plenty of water and have frequent stops.
Frogs are everywhere on the campsite but particularly in the toilet block often sitting in the toilet bowl or under the toilet seat. Always a wise move to check before sitting down! There are also numerous wallabies which hop around the vans after everyone has gone to bed, which can be a bit of a shock when caught short in the middle of the night – as Andy discovered. Apparently, a 12 foot ’saltie’ has been removed from the billabong today, although it’s probably not a good idea to camp by the water’s edge even so.
Had a dip in the pool again which we discovered today is fed from a natural ‘hot’ spring although the water isn’t hot, just luke warm. We get talking to an older Australian couple who often drive up from Wollongong to holiday around the Daly River. She is originally from New Zealand and we get chatting about travelling and taking vitamin B1 to stop mozzie bites. We’ve been taking 2 x 100mg of B1 since we arrived in Darwin on the recommendation of the pharmacist friend of Helen and Adrian but it hasn’t stopped us getting bitten. We been advised variously to take 20 tablets a day which seems a bit over the top, by an Ozzie from Darwin, to 125mg, by the Kiwi today. We’ve upped our dose to 200 mg twice a day to see if that is more effective.
Andy met someone tonight who used to live in Sydenham and swim in Forest Hill Pools before he moved out here to live. Small world, eh?
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Tagged Australia, Katherine, Northern Territory
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Australia day 31 – Katherine NT
The saga of the van continues and not on a positive note. This morning the battery is flat again and this time we haven’t been running anything off it during the night. In fact it still had a charge just before we went to bed . There is no-one at the campsite to help jump start it until the owner returns from town about three-quarters of an hour later. Another call to Wicked, who are adamant that the van was fully serviced before it left the depot – because they always are and it seems inconceivable that our one wasn’t despite all the evidence to suggest the contrary. Another visit to a local garage ensues and it turns out that there is no water in any of the cells of the battery, consequently it isn’t holding a charge. Wicked agree that a new battery should be fitted (at their expense) by which point it’s lunch time and all the mechanics have disappeared for an hour. We are experiencing a very off-hand, if not downright rude, attitude from the receptionist in particular and wonder why.
The receptionist is looking after an indigenous child, a cute little girl of two, who is asleep on the sofa when we arrive. Like any two-year-old she’s inquisitive and lively when awake, but she has no toys and nothing to occupy her and is expected to sit still on a chair all day. This leads to a certain amount of tension between child and adult and the latter seems to have no compunction about threatening her with smacks and other punishments such as being sent to the toilet if she doesn’t remain seated. In fact smacks are administered in front of us – obviously corporal punishment is not disapproved of in this neck of the woods. There is an element of thinly disguised racism too, as the receptionist points out to us that this is an indigenous child and indigenous people let their children run wild.
By the time we get away, it is too late to make a trip to Katherine Gorge as planned. So, after sending another email of complaint to Wicked, we visit the hot springs which are just outside the town centre, instead. The spring is not actually hot rather luke warm and flows through shady pools which are probably the only safe place to bathe around here. The water is a few degrees below the ambient temperature and very refreshing. There are some Ozzies and a couple of Aborigines sitting in the water chatting and we get talking about the alcohol restrictions which are pretty draconian in the Northern Territory. There are many areas where the sale and drinking of alcohol is restricted. In some areas it is an offense to be carrying alcohol In Katherine alcohol can’t be drunk in public places within two kilometers of the town, including the hot springs. Although this doesn’t deter some in the group we are sitting with who have a stash of beer with them and are drinking in the creek when we arrive. In certain circumstances there is a limit on the amount of alcohol that can be purchased in a bar or off license (bottle-o) without providing id. As we sitting chatting the police turn up, beer is hastily poured away and the empty bottles hidden under water. The police want to know if anyone is drinking and whilst they don’t catch anyone, they do find the stash of alcohol and pour it away. It seems that there is a very paternalistic attitude to drink and drinking which may be primarily designed to protect the Aborigines from themselves, but is applied to everyone in the name of even-handedness and seems to cause a certain amount of resentment in both communities.
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Tagged Australia, Katherine, Northern Territory
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