Day 148 - 151 10th July - 13th July 2012

Day 148 Tuesday 10^th July 2012.

Left our caravan in a 24 hour rest area. Vania and I were abandoning the caravan for 2 nights. I was very confident that nothing would happen as there were “lots” of others doing the same, plus I had the caravan well locked up. .

The road into Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle) is very much a dirt road, actually 4 wheel drive track at times. They (DEC) advice that no 2 wheel vehicles or NON off road caravan should go on the road. No twin axel caravan allowed.  The road is 52 k’s long and it took us 2 hours to complete. Dare I say any more about corrugations! There were also 11 water crossings. The highest water level would have easily gone over the top of my tyres.

We arrived safely at the rangers visitor centre. I had to “sweet” talk my way into a campsite as they had no record of my voice mail. You need to book campsites in here that’s how popular this is.

Found our spot, set up our tent and then headed of to Echidna Chasm. We were advised that the best time to see this was around noon as the sun shone into the chasm.  To get to the chasm we had to make our way thru extremely narrow “gaps” where the cliffs would have been 500-600 feet high. Eventually we made our way into the chasm. Wow! Talk about spectacular. Truly amazing. Pictures don’t do this place justice.

Vania wasn’t feeling to crash hot so I took her back to our campsite for some rest and peace and quiet. I went back and did the “Mini Palms” walk. Once again very spectacular. I had to drive 1k. in the river bed (dry) to get to the car park. Walk was about 5.5K’s and it was very challenging. On some occasions I could hardly fit thru the rock openings with my backpack. Once again very spectacular.

We had a BBQ with salad and retired both worn out. Tomorrow we were going to the  other side of the Purnululu NP where the true Bungle Bungle are.

Inside Echidna Chasm. Cliffs "way" above .

On the way to Echidna Chasm

Rock formations in Purnalulu NP.

Enjoying a BBQ outside our tent

One of the many sections walking into Echidna Chasm.

The colours were "unreal"!

Tall "Palm" trees all the way into Echidna Chasm as well as "Mini Palm" walk.

Day 149 Wednesday 11^th July 2012.

Up and at it early as it gets extremely hot very quickly.

We did the Cathedral Gorge and it was fantastic. At the end of the walk there was a HUGE open space with cliffs all around. There was a significant water hole. Vania decided to teach a young boy how to “skim” pebbles across the water. Many people simply sat in awe at this fantastic place. Very spiritual for me.

We did several other walks and also went to the lookout. I was feeling very, very buggered by about noon and decided to go back to camp. Both Vania and myself were “domed” out.

Had another BBQ and more salad and retired to the sounds of “dingoes” howling in the distance. It is such a great feeling to go to sleep looking up at the thousands of stars and the “milky way”. This sort of “stuff” really charges my batteries. Extremely peaceful.

Tomorrow we pack up our tent and make tracks back to our “orphan” caravan.

The TRUE "Bungle Bungle

Walk into Cathedral Gorg

End of the Mini Palms walk

Paradise

Looking up at the tall palms

Our humble tent campsite in Purnalulu NP (Bungle Bungles)

Have to have at least 1 "Arty Farty"

This was a smooth part of the road!

End point to the Cathedral Gorge walk. Beautiful water hole.

Water hole at end og Cathedral Gorge walk. Peaceful!

Poor Houdini has had some health issues along the way (grazed head, smashed leg,....)

Day 150 Thursday 12^th July 2012.

Up and at it early again. Packed up the tent very efficiently. I think I was over cautious in bringing the generator with us. I had been having “intermittent” problems with the Waeco and certainly did not want our food provisions to go off. As it turned out the Waeco did not miss a beat.

Back along the dirt road for a slow 2 hours drive. I’m still in 2 minds if I should let down my tyre pressure when travelling on corrugated dirt roads. I have heard stories for both inflating and deflating as well.

Arrived back at our “orphan” caravan relatively early and Vania and I decided that we would make tracks to Kununurra. We would use Kununarra as a “base”. Plus it would give us an opportunity to catch up on some domestics (eg laundry, repairs, etc….).

Arrived in Kununarra safely late afternoon. After visiting our friendly information centre we headed out to Hidden Valley Caravan Park (yes we actually have to pay). This weekend the Kununarra Agricultural Show is on and most of the caravan parks are fully booked. We managed to “squeeze” into an unpowered site.

I completely had to empty WDU564 as we had spilt around 12 litres of drinking water in the back of the car. The joys of outback camping.

We decided to treat ourselves and went out and had Chinese and plenty of fluids as well. This outback travelling can send a person to “drink”.

Relatively quiet day planned for tomorrow. Need to catch up on laundry and I need to give WDU564 a wash. I’m sure she is carrying half the Kimberley’s around with her.  I need to look after her as we still have a LOOOONG way to go.

Graze on the head was due to knocking myself under the car. Acting like Mr Fixit!.

Lots of "market gardening". The use the irrigation system from the Ord River and the daming of lake Argle.

Day 151 Friday 13^th July 2012.  

Friday the 13^th. Think I’ll stay in bed ALL day.

Not really. In fact up and at it early as most of the people in the caravan park are early rises.

Vania did the laundry and I washed WDU564. Late morning we went to see the sights of Kununarra. The best one of these was a rum distillery. Both Vania and I had 3 shot glasses of different rum. Boy, did that warm the cockles of the heart, and it had just turned noon.

I was a bit disappointed in that I couldn’t drive over the Ivanhoe river crossing. They had closed the crossing off because it was flowing to quickly. This area of the work is fully irrigated by the Ord River and the HUGE man made Argle dam / lake. There are numerous market gardeners up along this way all reliant on the irrigation.

Tomorrow is a big day. Taking WDU564 on the Gibb River road (again) into Zebedee Springs (thermal pool), Emma Gorge and El Questro Gorge. Big day coming up.

Anyway that’s it from Vania and myself. I have been working on this bl**dy” blog to long. Till next time, take care from Vania and Oscar.

Ivanhoe crossing. I was hoping to drive across this but they had this section of the road closed. Crocodiles on both sides and also Barramundi (fish).

Ivanhoe Crossing in Kunarrara

Mangoe trees.Also grow Paw Paw

Dam at lake Kununarra.

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