THURSDAY 21 JUNE     KUNUNURRA

There was no rush to get up and go anywhere. Of course, those are the mornings when I wake up bright and early…..

The weather seemed to be clearing this morning. (I wondered what the other two would have to say to me, if we ended up stuck here for two weeks in sunny weather! )There was occasional light drizzle only. But it was quite cool, for these parts, and everything felt so damp.

When we all got going for the day,  (i.e. John)  walked to the town shops.

Kununurra is another of the relatively recently purpose- built townships that we’ve encountered. Unlike most, which are mining related, it was constructed to serve the needs of a new irrigation project, about 1960. So it has the usual cluster of shops and services together, with houses radiating around these, and a designated light industrial area, all in a pattern of curved roads.

The small shopping mall contained supermarket, newsagent, souvenir shop, a jewellers with wonderful pearl and diamond creations (reflecting local industry), some food shops. 

Not far from the mall, was the Argyle Diamond shop, selling diamonds sourced from the nearby mine, including a  comprehensive array of the famed pink diamonds. We went and had a browse there – an exercise in wishful thinking!

Now, of course, although irrigated farming continues in the surrounds of Kununurra, servicing the needs of tourists like ourselves has become a major industry.

Noticed, on our walk, that there were camping rigs of all descriptions, from large caravans to 4WD’s with tents, parked up everywhere. They were all around the parkland perimeter that was across from our caravan park, with some tents in the park. They were parked in ordinary streets. I also noticed No Vacancy signs outside all accommodation places.

Kununurra was more than bursting at the seams!

After the walk, just did the usual camp things for the remainder of the day. Back at home, I’d phoned the Derby Visitor Centre and ordered a copy of the 2007 Guide to the Gibb River Road, that they produce and revise annually. This was an essential source of up to date information and charges, in an area where things can change considerably, from season to season. So now, I dragged that out of its storage box, together with the Moon’s guidebook on the Kimberley, which was similarly essential for track information, and started, with M, looking at what we might do. That filled in time, at least.

I was amazed by the costs of everything through the Gibb area, these days. Clearly, whatever little jaunt we did undertake, was not going to be cheap!