Tag Archives: Keep River National Park

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. 

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