Kurrajong Campsite, Purnululu National Park, WA

Day 114 – 10^th June 2011

Kurrajong Campsite, Purnululu National Park, WA

We left early morning to drive the 250km to Purnululu National Park (aka the Bungle Bungles). We were only 20min out of town when we passed another 4WD coming towards us and heard the unpleasant noise of a rock against the front windscreen. We couldn’t believe it! We were advised that there were road works further along the drive where the risk of flicked up rocks was increased but not on this straight stretch of road just out of town and you usually expect it to happen when you pass a truck, not a normal car. Luckily it only left a star crack so we are hoping it can be fixed. We really aren’t lucky in the windscreen department, but you gotta laugh with it!

We filled up at Warnum Roadhouse ($2/L) before taking the Purnululu turnoff. The road to the national park is only 53km but takes between 2 to 3 hours. We had to tackle 33 creek/river crossings before arriving at the visitor centre, so we immediately got some 4WDriving experience - quite exciting to cross the larger crossings. At the visitor centre we were informed that Mini Palms Gorge had just opened 2 days earlier (at the last information I saw it was still closed as there was quite a bit of cleaning up to do after the massive floods during the wet season) so that messed up the plans a bit – but in a good way! So we decided to do the Mini Palms walk first (5km return – 2h) as it was a bit clouded this afternoon and Echidna Chasm is better when there is more sunlight. After the walk we drove to Kurrajong Campsite to set up the tent before dusk set in. Easy tea tonight – yummy risotto! We had to rug up as it cooled off quickly – so we went to bed early, as it’s a lot warmer under the doona.

First Creek Crossing to Purnululu NP 

Another creek crossing - in total we crossed 45
(and this is when the road is open)

Drive to the Bungle Bungles

Riverbed crossing

Mini Palms Walk, Purnululu NP

Mini Palms Walk

A tight squeeze

Palm trees in Mini Palms Gorge

Mini Palms Gorge

Mini Palms Walk

Mini Palms Walk

Mini Palms Walk

Too cold to cook outside

Kurrajong Campsite

Kimberleyland Holiday Park, Kununurra, WA

Day 113 – 9^th June 2011

Kimberleyland Holiday Park, Kununurra, WA

We spent the day getting ready for our 4WD adventure. Went food shopping and prepared some meals (spaghetti bolognaise and vegetable risotto) so we just need to heat them up while we’re bush camping. Late afternoon we picked up the 4WD and packed the car with all the camping gear – ready to go in the morning.

Our hired 4WD for the next 6 days

Kimberleyland Holiday Park, Kununurra, WA

Day 112 – 8^th June 2011

Kimberleyland Holiday Park, Kununurra, WA

This morning we booked the 4WD, organized van storage for our 4WD treck and went shopping for an esky. Got some more information from the visitor information centre so we can plan our trip a bit more as we have now decided to also visit the El Questro Wilderness Park on the Gibb River Road. Set up camp at the caravan park and relaxed in the afternoon (including a compulsory swim to cool off as it’s quite hot up here!).

Diversion Dam, Kununurra

For a moment we thought they were on to us

Sleeping Buddha - Lily Creek Lagoon, Kununurra

Campsite with a view

Cockburn Rest Area, WA (45km West of Kununurra)

Day 111 – 7^th June 2011

Cockburn Rest Area, WA (45km West of Kununurra)

Another day of driving. We passed through Halls Creek this morning and had a look at the nearby China Wall, a natural quartz vein. Had lunch at Spring Creek Rest Area – very busy as this is located just at the Bungle Bungles turn off so it looks like a lot of people camp here and do a day trip to the national park (leaving their caravan at the rest area – which seems safe to do as there were lots of people around – to the extend that if you would arrive a lot later then lunch time you might find it difficult to find a spot to camp). After lunch we took the Bungle Bungles turn off as we discovered there is a new caravan park 750m off the highway that has just opened and they also organize day tours into the park for those unfortunate people –like us- that don’t have a 4WD. We decided to give their offer a miss as we are actually planning to hire a 4WD from Kununurra and explore the park ourselves – as we have the time this seems more economical for us, however their tour would cover the park quite well in 1 day so suitable for people that have limited time. Continued driving to the Cockburn Rest Area on the crossing of the Great Northern and Victoria Highway (quite noisy! but a free night) - pretty drive with views of the Carr Boyd and O'Donnell ranges on either side of the highway.

Halls Creek 

Halls Creek

Jack, local Aboriginal legend

China Wall, Halls Creek

Goanna

Carr Boyd Ranges

O'Donnell Range

Burning along the highway

Horses grazing next to the road

Mary Pool Rest Area, WA (108km West of Halls Creek)

Day 110 – 6^th June 2011

Mary Pool Rest Area, WA (108km West of Halls Creek)

We hit the road early morning as we wanted to be at Geike Gorge, just out of Fitzroy Crossing, in time for the 11am boat cruise. The cruise is run by DEC and takes you crocodile spotting (freshies) past the eastern and western walls of the gorge. It’s amazing to see where the water level of the Fitzroy River comes up to during the wet season. Also at the Gazebo /“ticket office” some photos showed the flood levels of 2002 and 2011 - up to 1m above the roof of the gazebo! If you have your own boat there is a launching facility so you can cruise the river yourself.  After a quick stop in Fitzroy Crossing for lunch, we continued on to camp at Mary Pool Rest Area (very popular place to spend the night as it was that busy it almost seemed we arrived at a caravan park).

Boab trees are scattered in the landscape

Nice yellow trees along the road

Geike Gorge (Eastern Wall)

Some logs left in between the rocks from the floods

Crocodile

A very persistent tree growing on the cliff wall

The light/dark rock mark is where the water
level comes up to during the wet season

Can you see Crocodile Rock?

Geike Gorge (Western Wall)

Crocodile sunbaking on the rocks

and another crocodile (aren't they cute?)

Geike Gorge

Turtle on the log, apparently they very rare
to spot as they are extremely shy

30 sec later the turtle has already disappeared
but we noticed a crocodile in the water 

Flooding 

Fitzroy River

Nice scenery whilst driving

Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park, Derby, WA

Day 109 – 5^th June 2011

Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park, Derby, WA

After the morning chores of packing up the tent, food shopping and filling up with fuel, we finally left Broome at lunchtime. We travelled to Derby where we had a look at the Boab Prison Tree (with a 14.7m girth and believed to be 1500 years old), Myall’s Bore (a 120m long trough – the longest in the Southern Hemisphere), Frosty’s Pool, the town’s jetty (this jetty experiences some of the highest tides in the world – in excess of 11m – no swimming due to crocodiles!) and the Old Derby Goal. As it was getting close to dusk so too late to continue on driving, we spent the night at the local caravan park.

Stray cattle on the road

Boab Prison Tree, Derby

Cattle Trough, Derby

Friendly trees

Derby jetty

Mosaic

Old Derby Goal