Wandjina dreaming - Kimberley trails

[bPeteb]

More wonder at Brolga

 

[bPeteb]

then a very short drive to Wanjina. 15 minutes late and Jody our guide had already given up on us! Zane gave her a quick call and she was soon back. Was so good to hear the stories of the art from someone with direct links

More amazing

 

[bPeteb]

and yes there's more



bAlt making sure to get the best shot


Jody our local guide

 

[bPeteb]

another visit to King Edward for an early lunch



and a swim. I stayed in the big pool and pretty much everyone else went to the falls and down to the lower pools. I'm glad I stayed where I was. Apparently everyone who sat under the falls got covered in tiny little worms. Yikes!!

The coughatoos we could hear the first time we visited took flight during our second




the only good cane toad is a dead cane toad. So sad that these monsters have made it to WA.


Drysdale River crossing. No sign of any crocs


bAlt of course going in for a swim with Pat


welcome to Drysdale River Station. 1,000,000 acres!

 

[bPeteb]

Once we got the camp set up, own tents tonight, I was straight on the phone to Qantas to ask for the relase of a seat for bAlt to come home from JNB. Approved pretty much instantly. Shocked and stunned and very happy. This night was also the first of our pay for your own dinner nights. We had a choice of five different burgers - camel, emu, beef, chicken and vege. I had emu, bAlt camel.

My emu


and my emu


A few camel were sent back as they were bordering on rare. It wouldn't have bothered me.

It was so great for the guides to have a night off and for us to buy them a drink or two. They work incredibly hard for long hours


Surprise, surprise, another early start to get us to El Questro as early as possible.

Another glorious sunrise



bAlt had been haunted by mossies all night and had wrapped himself like a ninja




no wonder we could hear crickets all night

 

[bPeteb]

our route for the day to Elq Questro along the Gibb River Road


more camp pack-up


breakfast


refuelling and rewatering


the Drysdale River tip. When it fills to a specific height it's set on fire

Drysdale River crossing


Crocodile dreaming site

 

[bPeteb]

one of the guides spotted some brolga off the road. those of us intersted quietly wandered back along the road and we managed to get these shots


then we went to Ellenbrae


What a great story. Failing as a cattle station so they started selling cakes and then scones to passing travellers. Homebrand fruit cake sold as 'home made'. From 6000 scones the first seascon, 2022 saw 22,000 sold. They were good scones too So good I's eaten it before I thought about a photo

a bouganvillia like none we've seen before


early lunch prep that we would eat on the go, again to get to El Questro to leave us plenty of daylight

 

[bPeteb]

maybe an hour out of Ellenbrae we stopped to offer help to this car


Maria and her husband were here from the US. They'd already shredded one tyre and had continued past Ellenbrae, where they could have had their tyre fixed, and now had shredded their second. They'd already been offered help but for whatever reason said no. Zane pretty much forced Maria to come with us to the next station where they also fixed tyres. Her husband wanted to stay with the car.

We stopped to get the night's firewood, with Maria's assistance. It was here someone picked up the hollow branch with the little monitor in it


Zane rang ahead when the sat phone got some signal and found out that the next station no longer offered help with tyres. After much teary discussion with Maria, Zane called Ellenbrae who agreed to go and pick up Maria's husband and the two damaged tyres. He'd stay at Ellenbrae and we'd take Maria on to El Questro where they had a booking at Emma Gorge Resort.

The constantly changing scenery


and the crew taking pictures of it. I think the coughburn Range?


Crossing the Durack (?) River.

 

[bPeteb]

more of the scenery as we approached El Questro. Love the boabs!


Another safari tent camp. Wild Kimberley's camp right behind us.


Nice big tents and big stretchers too


El Questro had a resturant and a bar


Originally we were buying dinner here but we hadn't eaten enough so Pat cooked the most delocious risotto


with Tim Tams for dessert


the thing that excited a number of travellers was another laundry. Actually, multiple laundries. I will not complain, as some of our stuff ended up in a machine

 

[bPeteb]

Early mornings aren't so bad when there's no camp pack up, just kitchen tidy. The issue is that evebn when people are told that wake up is 5.50, half the camp starts to loudly jibber jabber just after 5. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The early start today was so that we could get to Zebedee Springs by 7am and then to Emma Gorge. And yes, it's apparently named after Zebedee from Magic Roundabout



Zebedee was way more magic that the roundabout. Just beautiful


Pat gave us all some cucumber so we could get the full spa experience




theres a funny story about this sign. Guides were all told to get their groups out so the area and the wildlife had a rest. Someone eventually found out it was to give the guests at the exclusive El Questro Homestead time without the plebs!

 

[bPeteb]

We are actually lucky to get Emma Gorge. It had been closed on and off over the last few weeks due to fires.

To my last walk with just my sandals and it was a bit of a test closer to the rock pool. Spectacular!

 

[bPeteb]

More at Emma Gorge

 

[bPeteb]

It was 11 oclock somewhere! They were so delicious we all had two!


super lazy afternoon back at El Questro.

Horses across the fence from us


Zane said the pools behind the restaurant are nice. They weren't


bAlt went on a walk up to the transmitter lookout (or something like that)


while I sat at the bar and watched the sunset


Pat cooked a starter tonight of layers of wraps with cheese, tomato and salami in between cooked in a frying pan


I have no idea what dinner was but dessert was this crazy concoction of rice bubbles, marshmallows and chocolate. Yum!

 

[VPS]

It was 11 oclock somewhere! They were so delicious we all had two!
View attachment 346888View attachment 346889

super lazy afternoon back at El Questro.

Horses across the fence from us


Zane said the pools behind the restaurant are nice. They weren't
View attachment 346891

bAlt went on a walk up to the transmitter lookout (or something like that)
View attachment 346892View attachment 346893View attachment 346894View attachment 346895

while I sat at the bar and watched the sunset
View attachment 346896

Pat cooked a starter tonight of layers of wraps with cheese, tomato and salami in between cooked in a frying pan
View attachment 346897

I have no idea what dinner was but dessert was this crazy concoction of rice bubbles, marshmallows and chocolate. Yum!
View attachment 346898

Loving your TR as usual - that rice bubble slice was very popular back in the 60s and 70s at country fetes

 

[pjm99au]

Great trip report and thank you for all of the pictures. Our son is a pilot based in Kununurra and often flys to all of the places you have visited. He’s not a great one for pictures so it is nice to see what he is seeing

 

[bPeteb]

Before I continue a bit about the group and travel in general.

As I said, 20 on the tour on a truck/bus that can seat 23. Ages ranged from one 40 something to 79, with only four under 60. Four of us working, the rest retired.

One retired couple, early 70s, from London on a long NZ AUS holiday that this trip was bringing to an end. He, an autocrat if ever there was one, had been in a senior position in the civil service. Agnes his wife was such a gentle soul with a scientific background. He carried a camera around his neck with a huge tele lens on it. On a couple of occasions rudely told people to move out of his way so he could get a photo. Did not really do much to help until late in the trip. I was sat with them one evening and one said to the other "I was going to offer to help do x but it was already done". I said you'll just need to offer sooner.

A retired couple from the NSW central coast, early 60s. Lovely people who worked liked troopers at every campsite.

Two friends, early 60s, who first met in the NZ Navy and had reconnected through social media. Ally had until recently owned a place in Katherine that KWE had used as an overnight stop. Her friend Anne was over from NZ and was sadly suffering from early and worrying signs of dementia. You could not get Ally away from the washing up!

Three related ‘Finnish’ ladies, two sisters and a second cousin. Second cousin from Brisbane, a nurse, was the youngest, sisters 60s, one also in Brisbane and one on holiday from Finland. The two sisters were like Ally, nearly impossible to wrench away from washing up.

Our oldest had driven up to Broome from the Adelaide Hills on his own. Runs three walking groups. You could blow him over but he could walk for days. Graeme became responsible for the unloading and loading of the kitchen tables, crockery and cooking gear.

One single of an indeterminate age, maybe late 50s. Lives in Canberra, originally from Poland, our early moring hater. Bea did as little as possible.

Our group of six - five from the Kangaroo Valley and a friend from Berry who was a ring in so they could get a group discount! One still working (owns a local supply business), one the pyschologist. All very intelligent, conversational, and passionate about the referendum. Hugh, larger than life, hilarious, a wanderer who was usually last on the bus after a stop, had driven up from the Valley. A terrific guy. Our Berry traveller is an ex-lawyer running the yes campaign in her area. They provided differing levels of help, but apart from Hugh, looking back, not a huge amount apart from getting lunch ready. The pysch and his partner very, very little. The lawyer a similar level of not much apart from getting the urns ready so she could have a cup of tea.

Finally us. My sister is 69 and a retired teacher who really does still like to organise things. I had the job of loading and unloading the 20 camp chairs and food prep most nights. My sister also helped in the kitchen and with loading and unloading. bAlt was Mr Everything and Everywhere. Up in the roof of the truck amongst the tents and swags. Last pair of arms in the chain of bag loaders. Lifting the big eskies out. Helping everyone with any and every problem. We joke that we travel with a pharmac_ and he was handing out cold and flu tablets, cough lozenges and panadol, mainly to the Valley gang who brought a cold onboard. He even provided an ankle support (we had two, plus two knee supports) for one of the group who tripped and hurt her ankle. He was called out at the end of the trip as the kindest and most helpful person on the trip. I have no idea how he's put up with me for as long as he has.

The bus seating actually worked out well. Apart from the London couple who flatly refused to sit in the back seat, or even sit apart, everyone rotated around the bus, sitting with each other and chatting. The seats were roomy, well padded and reclined enough to make them even a bit more comfortable but not enough to encroach on the space behind. Apart from the back seats, each pair had four USB-A points. The one thing that was needed was a small net pocket on the back of the seat in front. When you had your phone charging you had to hold it, or sit in your lap or under your leg. Not ideal. There was also no overhead storage, I guess due to the risk of stuff falling out if it was there.

Along with a day pack, we were limited to a bag of no heavier than 15kg and no larger than 30x80cm. Our bags were exactly those dimensions and weight. Ours were also the equal biggest and heaviest. Oops.

All meals were included apart from one lunch and two dinners. Breakfast was cereals, yoghurt, toast, spreads, coffee and tea. Lunch wraps with cold meats, salads, hummus, falafels, any leftovers. Dinners were varied - curry, pasta, bbq, sausages, roast, salads or cooked veg. Always lots, always delicious. It was amazing how much a couple of the men ate. As mentioned previously, even this want unusual. Snacks of fruit and muesli bars. We apparently didn't eat as much as expected. The second food shop in Kunanurra was much smaller than originally planned. We had plentiful water onboard both in the truck tank and a large 80 litre cooler. The food was stored in a large fridge and two huge eskies. We brought gin on board at Broome plus some g&t and beers in cans. We stocked up again in Kununurra. There was no shortage of space in the eskies to keep the drinks off the group, plus Pat, cold.

That's about it. Back to the trip.

 

[RooFlyer]

Stunning TR so far, thanks. Brings back many memories of work trips into the area (and mending of too-many 4WD punctures ). The indigenous art is truly spectacular, and varied.

On my trip to the Kimberleys last year (cruise/zodiacs) two issues came up. Recent retouching of the art (done, but seems to not be spoken of widely) and twice we were asked not to take photos, at local elders' request.

Did either of these topics come up?

 

[bPeteb]

Stunning TR so far, thanks. Brings back many memories of work trips into the area (and mending of too-many 4WD punctures ). The indigenous art is truly spectacular, and varied.

On my trip to the Kimberleys last year (cruise/zodiacs) two issues came up. Recent retouching of the art (done, but seems to not be spoken of widely) and twice we were asked not to take photos, at local elders' request.

Did either of these topics come up?

Retouching yes. Talked about at pretty much each site by Zane. Jody talked about it too. Said that without it happening much would disappear. Only those with direct links are able to do it though. No mention of no photographs.

 

[bPeteb]

Off early, what's new, to Lake Argyle, or Lake Are-zseel (as in zsa zsa) as Zane pronounced it for a laugh each time.

Some pics around El Questro Station before we departed including some brolgas in the paddock behind



the geography is just, yes, that word again, spectacular


I studied Lake Argyle and the Ord River Scheme in geography when I was at school. Along with the Bungles, a bucket list tick for me.

Not much of the gravel Gibb River Road left after El Questro. The first and last 100 kilometres are sealed. It felt like cheating when we hit the tar.



We've finally completed the 660km Gibb River Road

 

[bPeteb]

A bizzarely smooth ride into Kunanurra where first we crossed the lower 'barrage/dam'


Then into Kununurra. Lots of sandalwood forrest around town so the logical first stop was the sandalwood shop Kununurra

Very interesting history about sandalwood growing and the vital part the region plays in the survival of sandalwood. Of course bought some 'stuff'



lots of corn, cotton and other crops growing around the town


then a far more important stop - Hoochery Distillery!! Visit Us | Hoochery Distillery in Kununurra | 100% Australian-made Rums

Not really rum drinkers. They also have gins.



we of course bought two neat paddles plus the coughtail paddle. It might have been a tad before 11am

We might also have bought a full bottle of the chocolate coffee rum-based liquor and another t-shirt to add to my growing collection