Bungle Bungles

20th - 21st July 2010

Days 215 & 216

After a very windy, slow and rough 56kms into the national park, which took us 2 hrs, we were happy to set up camp and go and explore. It is a beautiful place of bushwalks that lead you into a chasm or a gorge or to a scenic lookout. But the actual rock formations for which the Bungles are famous for, are incredibly humbling to walk amongst. They look like domed beehives and are striped black and orange from the (black) or absence (orange) of blue-green algae. The area covered by them is huge and would take months to explore them all.

Cathedral Gorge



Handprints with ochre

Walking through the Bungles via Picininny Creek

Darc looking out at a lookout

Kununurra

18th - 19th July 2010

Days 213 & 214

Kununurra proved a good base to explore some interesting sights. The spot we stayed at overlooked Lilly Lagoon, a perfect spot to watch the sunset and say hello to the resident freshie that likes to hang at the water's edge.

We went out Ivanhoe Crossing, an old water crossing that used to be to only link between Wyndham and Kununurra. Brave Wayne gave us a thrill and we drove over it. With water splashing up to the windows, the pull of the river as we crossed and a croc in the water, the kids had an adrenalin rush to last them the day. From there we tried to find Middle Springs, but had no luck, though we did fin Blackrock Falls which were nothing very exciting.

We checked out the Sandalwood Factory and learnt lots about the growing, harvesting, uses and future of the Indian tree for Australia.

We spent half a day at the Zebra Rock Gallery, learning about different kinds of rock. The boys were in their element as we watched people carve, shape and sand beautful pieces of raw stripy rock into wine racks, platters, vases and jewellry. We were also able to feed some catfish off a short jetty there. These fish had no manners and would even take food out of each others mouths - should be called pigfish, very funny to watch though!

We explored Kununurra's Celebrity Tree Park, trying to find as many famous people as we knew, who had planted trees there over the years. The earliest was Princess Anne in the late 60's and the most recent was Nicole Kidman when she was filming "Australia" here in 07.

The smiling freshie at Lilly Lagoon

View from our camp

Catfish at the Zebra Rock Gallery

Ivanhoe Crossing

Lake Argyle

16th - 17th July 2010

Days 211 to 212

Well, we made it to WA!! We got through quarantine fine and made our way through some scenic ranges to stunning Lake Argyle. This huge lake holds 8 times the water of Sydney Harbour and supplies nearby Kununurra with enough water for a complete farming irrigation system (Ord River Irrigation System). There were some beautiful lookouts, picnic areas, the dam wall, but best of all was the magnificent swimming pool overlooking the lake. The water was freezing but the view was too good to miss.

We woke to the sounds of cockatoos drinking water from the rockpool at the front of our camp.

Beautiful Boab Tree

Mmmmm!

Lake Argyle

Yay!!

Timber Creek

11th and 12th July, 2010

Day 206 & 207

After an interesting day of venturing into Gregory National Park to check out the many many boab trees and Bullita homestead, not only did we cop our first flat, but when we arrrived to our presumed campsite for the night, it was full. So we had to turn around, and drove the 60kms over rough corrugated road we had just come, only to find the next camp was full also. We ended up at a nearby roadhouse which was fine as the kids could feed crocs in the afternoon off a suspension bridge.

We spent the next day exploring the pretty countryside and lookouts, a bit of fishing in the Victoria River and checking out the old Police Station.

Freshie

Blake croc-feeding

Keep River National Park

13th - 15th July, 2010

Days 208 - 210

This quiet, fairly small and not well known national park was a real treasure chest of beautiful bush walks, lots of interesting rock formations, a variety of wildlife and some incredible aboriginal rock art. It's a place of transition from where the wetlands of the Top End meet the arid desert of the East Kimberley region. So much so that on one side of the path is the red dust and on the other is the white desert sand.

James loved this place, we think because it was so dirty and dusty, so we stayed for his birthday. The big 5 year old had a party and we cooked popcorn, pikelets and his cake in the camp oven.

We woke to the sounds of the kids wanting to climb rocks, training for all the gorges we'll see very soon.

Some local rock art

Baby gecko

Happy birthday Jimmy Bear!

Rent a party

Katherine
8th - 10th July 2010

Days 203 - 205

We reached Katherine, via Adelaide River and Pine Creek , ready to set up camp for the first time in 9 weeks. We pulled into the park at 4.30pm and were swimming in the pool by 5.15pm, not bad, bit rusty, but not bad.

We checked out Katherine Gorge and marvelled at the sheer height and immensity of the gorge rockfaces. We would have loved to canoed down it, but not sure if the tour company would allow us to put 2 1/2 kids in each canoe. Maybe next time, the kids are too good as croc bait!

We spent the afternoon swimming in the hot springs (we rate them as the best springs we have been to so far) wandering the grounds of Blythe Homestead and checking out other sights Katherine has to offer.

Katherine Gorge

Boys

Katherine Hot Springs

Woke to the sounds of a very very early rooster with a relentless cock-a-doodle-doo.

Last Days at Lee Point Darwin
2nd - 8th July 2010

Days 197 to 203

Bittersweet to be getting ready to leave Darwin, but its time to move on, still lots to see.

We enjoyed Cracker Night with friends down on the beach on July 1. Amazing, you can still let off your own crackers for that one night a year, brought back childhood memories.

Wayne celebrated his end of work time with a fishing trip with the guys from work, out to Corroboree Billabong for some fishing. A wild weekend had by all, but no fish !! Ask him about fishing out a guy from croc infested waters.

There was a lot of school holiday activities on that we took the kids to. Some cultural experiences around the suburbs and fun programs in the city. We checked out a guy building these amazing sand sculptures down on the waterfront. The photo doesn't do it justice. We also revisited places that we really liked and sorted out a new water tank, generator and air springs for the car, ready to hit the road again.

We had a fantastic day out at Litchfield National Park, swimming in Florence Falls and Buley Rockholes, standing amazed at the magnetic termite mounds, taking the 4WD track down to The Lost City to see some amazing rock formations, walking down to Tolmer Falls and the spectacular Wangi Falls.

Florence Falls

The Lost City

Fortescue Falls

Sunset in Darwin

Sand sculpting by the Foreshore

Firecracker Night