February | 2021 | This Adventurous Age

February 24, 2021
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2007 Travels August 18-22

SATURDAY 18 AUGUST – WEDNESDAY 22 AUGUST KUNUNURRA

On Saturday morning I walked to the shopping area to get a newspaper. Browsed some shops. Visited the Saturday markets and bought some grapefruit and tomatoes.

**Kununurra has so many superb boab trees**

While I was away, John washed Truck and applied vinyl protectant to all the necessary places. Truck looked a different vehicle to the dusty, dirty one that had come in yesterday.

We washed the outside of the van – that was allowed, here.

**The Sleeping Buddha across Lake Kununurra**

M arrived from El Questro. She had done some walking and driving yesterday, but decided that she, too, was ready for a dose of “town”. They put her on a site that overlooked the lake – pleasant, but a bit of a distance away from us.

**Seen by M when walking – python digesting dinner**

Son phoned. He’d had a great day with the Darwin branch manager. They even went to a rodeo! He would be flying out on the red-eye later.

On Sunday we went out to the rock gallery on the Packsaddle Road. John had a chat with the owner, who said he would cut John a nice slab of the type of stripey zebra rock he likes. We were to go back on Wednesday to collect it. John had in mind to carve shallow bowl like pieces to become Xmas presents for the offspring.

I bought a bag of assorted rock pieces, for $20. I had in mind to try carving these myself – to make earrings, perhaps, or bead shapes.

M bought a carved stone wine bottle holder rack – very “different” but also quite heavy and awkward to store in her Troopy for the rest of the trip. She only realized that later….

The Weekend Australian came into town on Sundays, so bought one of those and enjoyed a thorough catch up on national affairs. Yesterday’s WA paper was not the same…..

**Kununurra – the contrast of the irrigated areas**

Refuelled Truck – $152cpl.

On Monday, M and I walked to the shops, in the morning, and to the Post Office. Then we explored some streets, walking on our way to meet John at a yard that also had slabs of the local rock. I think we inadvertently took a really circuitous route!

John selected several pieces of the rock. More weight!

Later in the day, he went out and organized buying a new tyre for Truck, as replacement for the one that blew out on the way to El Questro.

On Tuesday, M left to go to Old Halls Creek, to explore, for a couple of days. That was another place we had already stayed at.

John was basically just happy filling in a few days here, before we could head directly for Broome. Bit boring. I’d have preferred to Have left yesterday or today, and maybe had a couple of days in Derby, instead, as we hadn’t been there since our 1993 trip, But John’s quest for rock complicated it all.

**Two views of the old Ivanhoe Crossing, from the western side**

On Wednesday we went back to the gallery to collect the cut slab. It was lovely. John was so impressed that he had a second one done, too, and we waited there for that. It cost $120 for both.

We did some preliminary packing up.

February 22, 2021
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2007 Travels August 17

FRIDAY 17 AUGUST EL QUESTRO TO KUNUNURRA 105kms

We had an early start.

Son left about 7am. In a later phone call, he reported that he reached Darwin just on dark, and that it had rained from Katherine onwards.

His visit to the Kimberley was all too short, sadly, but hopefully that tiny sample would give him the motivation to return here, before too much longer.

We did the LAST tent pack up of this trip. Actually, part of me was quite looking forward to getting back to the van, too. It was coming into the hotter, dustier time of year in the Kimberley – always more noticeable in a tent.

After a rather routine leg, we got into the caravan park at Kununurra just after 10am. This time, we were allocated a lovely, big, shady, proper caravan site. $26 per night.

Drove down to the storage area to retrieve the van and put it on site. Discovered that it had, in fact, been moved by the fire brigade. Seems part of their response to the bushfire that K and I had seen, was to do a back burn. This then got into the big compost heap and area of reeds near the van storage area, and was more of a threat than the original fire had been!

They had parked the van on a slope, with the jockey wheel in a big rut. Not a great combination with a Treg hitch! The handbrake had to stay on. The rut meant I couldn’t wiggle the van sideways to help line it up with the hitch. John couldn’t manage to get it exactly lined up. So he got us to swap, with him directing and me driving. We still couldn’t get it right. Eventually, he lost his temper and started yelling at me, whereupon a very nice man from a nearby camper trailer rig came over and helped me manhandle the van onto the coupling.

The van smelled really strongly of smoke, inside. Not pleasant.

We spent much of the rest of the day unpacking and putting things away and back into travel-with-van mode. Cleaned truck inside as we did so. Got it all done, but overall it was a hard day’s work.

**Starting to set up the van on site at Kununurra**

Drove to the Post Office and collected a bag of mail, that contained little of note. There were two books on building pizza/bread ovens, that John had ordered before we left here. There was also a bill for physio treatment I’d had on ankle, way back before we came away. Apparently my doctor hadn’t properly submitted a form that would have given me five free physio visits, so they had to bill me. So, back at the van, I wrote a note to doctor, asking if it could be remedied. I also phoned our accountant and made an appointment to see them about our tax returns, in late October.

Visited the supermarket to stock up on luxuries like fresh milk, and bread……and salad and fresh fruit……

The business of the normal world intrudes!

We celebrated – though that was probably not the right word – our return to civilization, by having fish and chips for tea.

TV again, for John. I did appreciate the decent mattress again, and not having to get down on all fours to get into bed. Or assistance to stand up out of bed. The aging knees don’t have the spring they once had – the plastic crates containing our food, in the tent, had more than one function….

It had been a great circuit through some of the more remote parts of the Kimberley – a good mix of revisiting some favourite parts we don’t tire of, and discovering some new places. We had, in fact, only been away from the van for a tad over six weeks – it felt longer. Had it not been for the timing of son’s visit, though, we probably would have been out there for another couple of weeks.

February 20, 2021
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2007 Travels August 16(2)

THURSDAY 16 AUGUST – AFTERNOON EL QUESTRO

After a rather late lunch and a bit of pottering about, we drove off to go to the jetty from where the Chamberlain Gorge boat trip would depart at 3pm.

El Questro is a working cattle station of some three quarters of a million acres. Back in the early 90’s it was bought, as a very run down and uneconomic cattle operation, by a young couple from Melbourne. They began to develop tourist facilities – initially the Village and campground and a very up-market house. This was built beside the Chamberlain River, a branch of the Pentecost, and partly cantilevered out over it. The cost to stay there – with all services – was an eye watering amount, and some very prominent people have availed themselves of its privacy and uniqueness.

ElQ was sold to a large scale tourism operator – GPT – in 2005. It had come a long way in just the 16 years since inception to now. Some visitors make the criticism that it is too “commercial”, but my own view is that there is a place in the Kimberley – and similar environments – for a range of visitor offerings.

The drive to the boat jetty took us near the big house, but it was tucked away in its privacy down its No Access track.

The boat was quite large, flat bottomed, with a canopy roof for shade. We only puttered along, with the driver doing a commentary most of the way. We were, as the name indicated, on the Chamberlain River, which joined the Pentecost just downstream from the jetty, past the big house.

At one point a group of archer fish came to the boat – obviously used to doing so, and there were some large catfish amongst them too.

The waterhole in the river into the Chamberlain Gorge, is only about 3kms long.

**The later afternoon light showed off the Gorge at its best**

Close to the Gorge end, where the river clearly was becoming more shallow, the boat pulled into the side and we were able to disembark onto a large rock platform at the cliff base.

Here, the ripple rock formations were evidence of the sedimentary nature of the rock and its origins under lakes or shallow seas.

I really liked that we had been able to get out and do a walk around for about 15 minutes here.

**Rock shelf where we could walk around**

On the return journey, we were provided with a glass of bubbly and platters of fresh fruits were passed around. Very nice.

The trip took about two and a half hours, It was well worth doing and value for the $40 each that it cost. The commentary was excellent and the scenery wonderful. It was evident that the Gorge continued much further than was navigable. According to the property map, it was possible to access places further up, via the 4WD Explosion Track.

**Chamberlain Gorge continued well beyond the end of the waterhole….**

Although it was getting late and the light was fading a bit, we drove up to Branco’s Lookout.

This involved crossing the Pentecost – or one of its channels – then quite a steep little climb up a 4WD track to the lookout point. I went with M, so son could travel with John, who thought he might be able to impart some 4WD techniques to the lad.

The views from the top were worth the effort to get up there.

**Continuation to left from previous pic, showing the rugged range country of ElQ**

We could, in the distance, see the big house, on a bend in the river.

**Using zoom lens, the big house by the river**

After we got back to camp, son went off to the Village, to make phone calls.

It was our last night here. Son had to leave tomorrow, to do the drive back to Darwin, then the flight to Melbourne, to be back at work on Monday. I would not have minded staying on here for another couple of days, to see a few more of the sights of the place, and do more walking, but John really wanted the comforts of the van again – proper bed, and his ever-present TV! M decided she would stay here longer, though.

It was our last night’s campfire. Just before tea I discovered, to my horror, that the old basket that had travelled with us since 1997, on the back seat of Truck, usually holding our thermos and lunch making needs, was borer or bug infested. It was absolutely riddled with little holes in the cane. It was some little piles of sawdust that alerted me to it, when I’d moved the basket, so the bugs were obviously active. It had a ceremonial cremation on the campfire.

February 18, 2021
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2007 Travels August 16

THURSDAY 16 AUGUST – MORNING EL QUESTRO

John was up at a reasonable time, so we all got a good start to go and do the walk to Amalia Gorge and Falls.

We had to drive back through the ford to the parking point about 7kms from the Village.

It was a really scenic and interesting walk of 3.4kms return. The printed description warned that it was of moderate difficulty, for fit people who did not get vertigo!

One certainly did need to be sure footed to tackle this track! This was obvious from the outset, when the track followed a rocky creek bed.

We could see high cliffs and hillsides ahead of us.

The track crossed the creek a few times.

**Creek crossing here – wet feet unavoidable**

The creek was flowing. In places it widened into lovely small pools which reflected the gorge walls and surrounds. As was usual up north, there were paperbarks growing along the creek.

Soon, the valley walls closed in and we were into the Gorge.

There were sections where the Gorge was narrow, the creek was deeper, and we had to make our way over water smoothed rock slabs.

**The way ahead – over the rock sheets**

In other places we were almost rock climbing, rather than walking. It was rather slow going.

There were a couple of places that were a bit squeezy, and one manoeuvre around an overhang above the creek that was not at all pleasant.

After quite a lot of this clambering and scrambling, we came to the 32 metre high Amalia Falls, with its large plunge pool below.

This end part of the Gorge was well shaded, cool, tranquil.

The plunge pool had vegetation growing around, wherever it could find a spot to put down roots.

**Tree roots using cracks in the rock wall**

There was only a steady trickle of water coming over the Falls. Like so many of these that we had seen through the Kimberley, in the Wet season, it would be really spectacular. Not that one would be able to walk in here then, to view it. The smoothed rocks that we’d encountered on the way in were testament to large flows in the creek, at times.

M and K went swimming in the plunge pool. It would have been a good 75 metres across, from where the track arrived, to the ledges at the base of the Falls.

They said the water was very cold.

I wandered about, taking photos and finding things of interest growing around the pool, and just sitting resting and enjoying the place. It had been well worth the effort to get here.

The walk back was no easier, but at least we knew what was coming. As is so often the case, this made the return walk seem shorter.

I noticed vistas and details not seen on the way in.

The Amalia Gorge walk was listed as 3.7kms, return. In some ways it seemed longer because of the nature of the trail.

**Track skirted pool and went through the gap….**

However, it had been an excellent walk that we all thoroughly enjoyed. M and K said it was a totally different experience to the Champagne Springs walk they had done yesterday and, they thought, more enjoyable.

On the drive back to camp, called in at the Village and bought cans of cold drinks.

We had already booked ourselves onto a boat trip this afternoon, so it was lunch at camp and go again. After a somewhat leisurely start to the time here, we were now intent on packing experiences into today.

February 16, 2021
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2007 Travels August 15

WEDNESDAY 15 AUGUST EL QUESTRO

Last night, we had all planned to do the Champagne Springs walk this morning, before it got too hot. However, John did not wake up in time – he had a real sleep in – so son and M went off without us.

**ElQ locations – from map supplied when we booked in**

In the late morning, when John was eventually ready, he and I went up to the Village. We browsed in the souvenir shop there, looked at the work done by an artist in residence they had, and had an ice cream. I bought an Australian fauna colouring book for grand daughter.

Son and M came back from their walk while we were there, saw our Truck and stopped off too. They had enjoyed the Chanpagne Springs walk – bit of a warm up for a harder one tomorrow.

We sat and people watched for a while. It was a really pleasant atmosphere there, in the shady green, so much of a contrast to some other places we had been.

**The very pleasant Happy Hour venue at the Village**

The two hire motorhomes must have gone out this morning to do some sight seeing, because they came back, through the ford, while we were there. When they pulled up, one had a fair sized rock wedged between his dual back wheels, and was trying to work out what to do about it. Noted by son!

After lunch at camp, John and son drove into Kununurra. Son had to make contact with work, and was also intending to follow up on the two motorhomes. I think John appreciated being a passenger and getting the chance to look around that, as driver, he did not normally get.

Son reported to us that the motorhomes had been hired in Perth, for 21 days and were to be dropped off in Alice Springs. Surprise, guys!

We had Happy Hour at the Village again, followed by time around the camp fire.

**Late afternoon reflections in the river by camp**

Son had a toothache and was a bit down because of it.

February 14, 2021
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2007 Travels August 14

TUESDAY 14 AUGUST HOME VALLEY TO EL QUESTRO 60kms

After breakfast, son had a last – unsuccessful – fishing session while John and I did a slow pack up. We then headed off to destination El Questro, with son taking the lead and, after the Pentecost crossing, disappearing into the distance.

Between the Pentecost and the turn off to El Questro, the old and very bald tyre on the driver’s rear side, that had been our spare before the most recent wheel change, went flat. It had done a heroic job and, at least, it died in service. John had not expected it to last nearly as long as it had.

So, we did a wheel change. We were already mobile again by the time son came back, from ahead of us, to see where we had gotten to.

The track into El Questro was in quite good condition. The quite long ford of the Pentecost, just before the entrance gate, was about 40cm deep, at its deepest point.

ElQ was a very groomed and smooth operation now, and very much on the beaten tourist trail, with day tripper groups being brought by mini bus out from Kununurra.

M had gotten the Kingfisher private site, number 11 – up high, looking down on the river, with good room for all three of our rigs. It was an alright site, but with not much shade. This was a contrast to the site we’d had on our last visit here, which was right down at the river level, in a grove of trees and pandanus. But I thought that, given the popularity of the place, we had been lucky to get one of these sites at all.

There was a pit toilet within walking distance, too, which we shared with the next camp site, which we could not see or hear from ours.

ElQ was not cheap: $15 each for entry to the place, and $15 a head, per night, to camp. However, given the quality of their facilities, the infrastructure they have to maintain, especially the internal tracks, I thought those fees were fair enough. They did provide a variety of activities for guests to do, too.

We set up camp, had lunch, explored around the immediate camp area.

**Two aspects of the river beside our camp area**

Took our shower gear and drove back to the Village, to have showers. There was a row of little single person ensuite style bathroom units – modern, clean, with hot water! I couldn’t remember the last time I had a warm water shower – long time ago!

**Row of little bathroom units at the ElQ Village**

Then we found ourselves a table on the groomed lawn area in front of the bar and reception area. This was really pleasant, under shady trees.

Happy Hour was from 5-6pm, when beers cost $3.50 each. We indulged. It was interesting, to sit and watch the other tourists.

I think son was quite taken with ElQ.

While we were at Happy Hour, two big hire motorhomes arrived. By the terms of their contracts, son said, they were not supposed to travel off the bitumen. However, from overhearing them talk – the men very boastfully – they had actually driven the length of the Gibb River Road, from the western end, regardless, and were quite proud of themselves. The water crossings of the Pentecost on the Gibb, and on the way in here, would have been well higher than their underfloor areas. The occupants had South African accents.

Son, who held a senior role with that hire company, was less than impressed. He noted their ID numbers, in order to track where they would be returned to, and he intended to alert the manager there about where the vehicles had been. They would not be getting their quite substantial deposits back, and those vehicles would be gone over very carefully for damage.

You never know who will be watching you!

**Late afternoon light on the range by our camp**

We had quite a late tea. Time around the campfire again. M told us all about her trip into Emma Gorge, on her way here the other day, and the walk she did there. That is another part of El Questro that is more easily accessed by day trippers from Kununurra. She said it was too busy for her real liking. She had intended to visit Zebedee Springs too, but discovered that access was restricted to mornings only – the afternoons were reserved for tour group access.

**Route from Home Valley Station to El Questro (on Zoom image)**

February 12, 2021
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2007 Travels August 13

MONDAY 13 AUGUST HOME VALLEY

After a fairly early breakfast, I drove with son to Kununurra. He wanted to go for a drive and we couldn’t explore the local property. He also needed to be able to check his emails for work related stuff.

M left Home Valley at the same time as we did. She was going ahead of us, by a day, to El Questro. She had lots she wanted to do there; John and I had previously stayed there and there were some parts we didn’t particularly want to see again. We were hoping she would be able to bag one of their riverside “private” camp spots for all of us, when we joined her tomorrow.

We stopped at the Pentecost, to take photos at the ford, of the vehicles crossing – which had to go back and forth in order to be photographed. It was a bit old hat to me, but a great new experience for the other two.

**Pentecost River crossing, on the Gibb River Road**

In Kununurra, I directed us to the caravan park, so I could check on the van, while son caught up on his emails. I got a gas bottle filled. And luxury – I bought a newspaper! Yes, the world was still out there!

We did a quick sightsee around town: the spillway, the old Ivanhoe Crossing, the zebra rock gallery and the Argyle diamond shop. It was a pity the lad didn’t have more time than just the one week off work.

As we set off out of town to go back, there was much black smoke coming from the caravan park direction. The area behind the caravan park, close to the van storage area, was on fire!

We went back, in a hurry.

The park staff said that some of the locals had started a fire in the long grass outside the park, but the van would be safe.

To be on the safer side, I went down there and removed the lock out of the Treg coupling, to make it a bit easier, in case the van did have to be moved.

We left when the Fire Brigade was there and things seemed to be under control.

**Home Valley Station bush camping area (Zoom)**

When we arrived back at camp, son went off to the ramp to fish some more. John and I did some preliminary packing up.

The evening around the camp fire seemed rather strange without M there.

February 10, 2021
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2007 Travels August 12

SUNDAY 12 AUGUST HOME VALLEY

John worked on the brakes. M helped by trying to decipher the notes he’d made, from the laptop manual. He seemed to have fixed them and was very pleased with himself.

It looked like, our previous service centre, when they were supposed to have properly fixed the brakes in 2005, had used pins that were the wrong length, and bent them to fit. This was certainly the case in the brake on the other wheel, that was partly coming apart, so he presumed it was the same on the one that fell apart here. That one remaining pin was definitely a different configuration to the one supplied to us now. We’d had trouble with their brake work on a previous trip too. Landrovers were such great vehicles, but it was so hard to get work done properly on them in Melbourne.

Son fished while the brake work was going on. He only managed to catch catfish, which annoyed him no end.

After lunch, when the work was all done, we drove back up the Gibb, to Bindoola Lookout – partly to test the brake work, partly so son could see the outlook from there, to add to his mind-blowing Kimberley collection.

We stopped off at the Reception/bar area and bought ourselves a beer each. Again, this was to allow son to soak in the atmosphere of the place. He used our GoCall card account to phone his estranged wife, to check if all was well. I gathered that he had some concerns about how she was managing her life and the company the children were being exposed to.

We spent a couple of hours round the campfire, after tea. Another great night.

I was really enjoying sharing this special area with son.

February 8, 2021
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2007 Travels August 11

SATURDAY 11 AUGUST HOME VALLEY

Another hot day.

We pottered about. Basically, the day was spent waiting for son to arrive. His flight was due in Darwin about 1am and it was his intention to collect his camper from the guy that ran their Darwin branch, who would wait up for him, then head off in this direction.

**Pentecost River, looking downstream at low tide**

In the morning, we went for a walk along a track that went away from the river, somewhere back in the general direction of the homestead. We said we’d walk for 30 minutes, then retrace our steps. Exercise!

Son – K – arrived a bit later than I’d expected – about 5pm. I was very relieved to see the camper with its attendant cloud of dust, making its way along the track to us. Mothers always worry!

K had been awestruck by the scenery, from the Victoria River area, onwards. He couldn’t stop commenting on it.

When John had told him, on the phone, that there were big salties sunbaking near our camp, son had scoffed at him. As soon as he got out of his vehicle, there they were, just lying around on the mud. He was totally amazed.

He had also asked if the fishing was any good. He had only been here about 15 minutes, when a couple of aboriginals who had come down from the station area, to fish off the nearby concrete boat ramp, hauled in a really big barramundi. K’s eyes were out on stalks! They kindly let him hold it for a photo.

After that, son was determined to try his own luck. He and John fished for a while, but didn’t catch anything.

Son had brought the brake parts. It hadn’t been easy. The courier service had let them down and he’d ended up having to dash across to South Melbourne to pick them up. But the effort of the Landrover place, to get them to where he could collect them, after hours, was excellent.

K also brought beer with him – great! We had been on strict rations for some time now. And fresh food – bliss! He had put together quite a thoughtful selection in Kununurra, apart from the list I’d given him. He’d included cooked chickens and salads. So we had a real feast for tea, with fresh rockmelon. It made a very nice change from fish!

After tea, we sat round the campfire and talked. K had really wanted to stay somewhere we could have a campfire, so he was happy.

He was amazed by the number and brilliance of the stars, which made us look afresh at the skies. We had begun to take the nightly display for granted.

February 5, 2021
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2007 Travels August 10

FRIDAY 10 AUGUST HOME VALLEY

The river here was very tidal!

**High tide in the Pentecost River at Home Valley**

As the water receded and muddy banks were exposed, lots of crocodiles became evident, sunning themselves on the mud. They were of varied sizes, including some rather large ones.

**Tide going out – two large sun baking salties**

After seeing what lives in this river, here, there is no way I would ever be camping anywhere down near the river level. I knew that some travellers, intent on getting a free camp, pitched camp beside the Pentecost, just a bit upstream from here, near the Gibb River Road ford. I don’t reckon they would be doing so if they came here first, and saw what we can see, every day!

The cattle that appeared and grazed by the river did not appear to be alert for crocs.

**I wondered if any of these cows ever ended up as croc dinner?**

It was a hot day.

John fired up his laptop and checked the Defender manual he had on a CD. Very useful that. He was almost certain he could do the repairs here.

M drove John back to the homestead so he could phone the Landrover people, to arrange for the parts we needed. They told him that component “never comes out”. Well, we had news for them. It was not a very helpful comment. They would courier the parts to son’s workplace at Tullamarine.

After all that was sorted, John tried some fishing – keeping a very careful eye out around him!

M and I did some washing. heated water on the campfire, washed the clothes in our plastic basin, then trudged up to the amenities block to use the sink there and the cold water tap to rinse same. We hung them on a line strung across between the uprights of the shelter.

Then I sat in the shade from a tree, admiring the views and the sunbaking salties, and doing some sewing.

Today was our wedding anniversary. We decided to live dangerously and drink the last of our beer – two cans each! M had bought a block of chocolate up at the homestead, while John was phoning, and presented it to us, so we had something to celebrate with! Chocolate was a real luxury in the context of our rather basic catering of the past few weeks.

Sunset on the Range was glorious!

This Adventurous Age

Adventures travelling and working around Australia.

Monthly Archives: February 2021