El Questro - Rain & Mud

Kununurra and the Kimberleys

News time again, what an interesting week. Tonys fishing trip last Saturday was a disappointment, a number of things saw him write a letter to the company havent heard a reply as yet.

The huge boab in the last report is here in the van park, have to go and measure how big it is around the trunk, you can just see me at the base i'm the the little blob in the blue top. Some of the big trees can hold up to 1,200 litres of water which sees them through the dry season. I had a quiet afternoon, caught up on washing and letter writing for those who dont have computers.

Started to pack gear for our short trip out to El Questro on Monday. We left early to get out there, it really is a Tourist area even though it is a working cattle station, $30 for a permit and $30 a day for an unpowered site, a bit of a rort I think. However it is a beautiful place, we went with Kevin and Helen to do as many of the gorge walks as we can.

First one was Zebedee Springs, a short walk through a Livistona Palm forest to the springs, a constant 32 degrees, sheer bliss, the higher you go the warmer the water, if you get there first you get the full spa treatment as you sit under the falls. We didnt want to get out but eventually did.

We then went to El Questro Gorge, magnificent a 1.6klm walk over rocks, back and forth across the creek numerous times to a very clear waterhole full of fish. After a rest we went back and had lunch, then did the walk up to Telecom hill, flowers were gorgeous, totally different scenery to the gorges.

The tower was the original communications until underground fibre cable was put down. After tea we had a sit around the campfire till bed time. Next day we had a swim in the Pentecost river and it was freezing, tony cant believe I went in. After lunch we went out Chamberlain gorge where all the boat tours leave from and on the way back we saw the main El Questro homestead, $1000 per person per night , needless to say we werent staying there.

Thought we would go and have a look at Explosion gorge but when we had gone in quite a way I asked Helen if she could look on her map to see how far in it was, well it was over 20klm so we decided to turn back, just as well as it started to rain, yes I said rain, it just DOESNT rain up here this time of the year. Well by the time we did a few deep creek crossings and got back to camp it was quite heavy so it was a trial trying to cook dinner etc.

It rained steadily during the night so decided to have a quick cuppa and head off, theres nothing worse than packing up wet canvas. The road was very wet and the corrugations already bad as we headed out, decided to go to Wyndham for a look bitumen road very welcoming, still drizzling rain. After a bit of sightseeing from the lookout over the huge tidal flats we headed back to Kununurra, still raining.!!

Got back to camp after lunch, Danny told us that the road west from El Questro had been closed and by late afternoon the road was closed from the bitumen turn off so we got back just in time. Weather forecast is for cloud clearing so well have to wait and see what is happening on saturday if the road doesnt open we wont be going to kalumburu at this stage, but will head to Halls Creek to Derby and come in from the western end.

Dont know when we will have reception again but will talk to you all again soon!

The Kimberleys