RETIRED AND FREE – Alice to Broome

We are now officially homeless – or nomadic is a preferable title.  Steve retired 30^th June and my last day was 19^th July.

Sold most stuff off, sent important thing for storage with one of our daughters and off we set from Alice on 23^rd July.  We head North west up the Tanami – 2 long days of the most awful road, very corrugated, inhospitable landscape and nothing really going for it. 

The Tanami is known as the worst road in Australia (and I can see why). We had planned to camp at Lake Gregory – supposed to be permanent water and great for birds – but after going 100km out of the way (and $30 out of pocket )  ranger said no water, no birds. We continued on to Wolfe Creek, arriving well after dark.  If we thought the Tanami was bad, the road into Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater was much worse, nearly un-driveable. 

BEWARE: Be prepared to be shaken, rattled and rolled on a lot of the roads if you go through just before the grader like we did.

Obviously not a well policed National Park as you are not supposed to have fires or animals, but at least 6 campers had fires and one woman had 3 dogs – shame on them. 

ISSUE: We noticed the fridge was not holding its temperature losing about 8 degrees C in 1 hour. Tried different ideas could get it cold but didn’t last.

We thought the next day would be short but no such luck, the road into the Bungle Bungles is very winding – nice scenery though and a lovely patch of rainforest at Calico Spring.  Allow 2 – 3 hours (for 53km), depending on state of road.  Worth it though, the views are stunning.

The Bungle Bungles are amazing formations, strange shapes and patterns.  Plenty of walks to keep you busy for a few days.  Best to do walks early as it gets too hot later in the day. There are plenty of  birds around the campsite too.

TIP: If you like wildlife and birds go to the Lookout and the window first – none of the tour groups go there early. It is hard to miss the crowds in the shorter walks unless you have time to do them another day and also do them early.

Off to Broome with a stop planned at a roadhouse along the way – but it was full so a massive day all the way, arriving after dark again.  We had showers and headed off for dinner at the Little Indian restaurant.  Great food, but a bad introduction to Broome as some Indigenous kids were running round and through the restaurant, they looked suss and low and behold they got their opportunity and snatched someone’s handbag – nearly bowling a table and people over getting away.

Broome has grown a lot since we were here in 2010 but is still very pretty, with great weather.  We had to fix up a few things on the car (shaken to bits on the roads), car cigarette charger and battery for fridge so that and looking around planning took the first day.  We had hoped to do a cruise to see snub nosed dolphins and also a bird tour.  BUT due to the dry the bird tour was off – although we did go out to the Bird Observatory and look at all the wintering shore birds. 

This morning we were on the tour tomorrow for the dolphins, this afternoon 3.10, cancelled due to wind increasing.  We would have stayed another day to do it – no-where else are there snub nose dolphins, plus manta rays, dugongs, turtles.  But not to be, going to be increasing wind till at least Saturday.

Fridge upate. Battery confirmed dead and fuse blown in dash cig lighter.  All our lovely home cooked food wasted.  But both issues now fixed.

An afternoon of browsing around town and then drove down cable beach for our own beach BBQ at sunset, amazing. 

So very relaxing. Also realised that we need to plan better so that we could have seen the stairway to the moon, Dinosaur footprints and the ww2 Catalina wrecks – only seen at certain times of the year and tides.

The Infamous GIBB RIVER road

Looking forward to this trip, have wanted to do it for a long time.  Anticipating wildlife, rivers, water-crossings and amazing waterfalls.

An easy drive today, the Gibb River Road from Derby to Tunnel Creek is pretty good, lots of tarmac and the dirt not too corrugated.

We stopped at Derby for fuel and saw a sign to wetlands and a bird watching tower so we took the detour.  It took us round the sewage farm where there was a wrecked car on its side.  We found the wetlands but just as we got out the car there was lots of noise and bangs. There were not many birds around so we decided to leave – only to find our way blocked as some locals had come and turned the vehicle over into the middle of the track (to  steal parts no doubt).  I had to move lots of bits of car so Steve could edge round between the fence and the main car body.

Tunnel Creek was interesting but we had not realised we would need different shoes – it is rocky, wading and slippery.  We went in around 100m and saw a freshwater Crocodile lying on the sandbank. 

A lady coming out said there were lots in the water and she had to wade very close to some.  This factor and that neither of us like closed dark spaces much (plus the show issue) made us chicken out of walking 2 kms in a dark tunnel of water full of crocs.

Next on to Windjana Gorge to set up camp for the night.  The rocks look fascinating – apparently the most geologically preserved and easy to see reef fossils from the Devonian era, even though we only saw one fossil.

What astounds me is how many families with kids (7ish to 12) are out on long trips when it is not school holidays).

Early morning walk through the gorge.  Due to the unusual drought there are only large puddles of water – but in them plenty of freshwater crocodiles, lots of birds around and a few trees full of bats. The walk is 7km return and very pretty.  The rock formations are stunning and you can look for fossils in places.  More water though would have been good.

Next stop Silent Grove, on the way there is an interesting rock formation called Queen Victoria’s head – it does look very much like a side view of her. 

Minor stop on the side of the road when the fuse for the fridge went, but great that everyone who passes checks to see if you need any help.

Lazy afternoon in camp but plenty of birds around to keep us occupied as there is a spring fed creek along the edge of the campsite.  At last some real water, lizards and skinks.  So unusual that we have seen none at all on our journey so far.

Out of camp at 5.45am to get to Bell Gorge before the crowds – it is a 10km drive and then a 15 minute walk to the bottom of the gorge.  WOW we were not expecting it to be so beautiful – even with very low water levels and only a trickly over the falls. 

There was no wind and the light on the water with the reflections was magical.  Birds were everywhere coming into drink, hundreds of Red Winged Parrots, Finches and other small birds.  Fantastic place for photography, although damn it I still forget sometimes to check settings in the heat of the moment.  Realised too late that I had too slow a shutter speed to capture the parrots in flight well.  We had been here an hour by this point and I thought no worries, changed the speed, took one photo and along come another couple and scared them all off.  From this point on the birds just went as more and more people came along.  We then completed the rest of the walk to another gorge – still lovely but the wind by now had got up so no more reflections and hard to get photos without people. 

This has been the highlight of the trip so far, it was a seriously magical place and so peaceful.  We went back in the evening, but not the same, still people and wind and no birds. 

Next day it is off to Mornington Wilderness camp run by the Australian Wildlife conservancy.  We were recommended this place by bird watchers in Broome – but were taken aback by how many people are here.

The road in was pretty amazing after the Gibb River Road (even thought that was brilliant compared with the Tanami).  They advertise bird tours which is one of the reasons we came here.  When we got here at the same time as a French couple who asked about the tours we were all told they were cancelled due to “an event”.  Not much we could do but they said they would find out that evening if there would be one in 2 days time, but definitely not tomorrow. Not ideal.

As we have 3 nights here we thought we would do a quick drive around to determine times of day best for each spot –but the quick 22km took around 1 hour – weirdly after the good road in, the roads here are bad.  First spot was out to Dimond Gorge – not enough water really for anything amazing, but lots of people go canoeing on it. This needed to be a morning place for photography.

Cadjeput waterhole is stunning no-one around and such a beautiful place.

Would be great to spend a few hours, swim and picnic if there was more water – but still lovely and unexpected.  On to St John Gorge aiming for sunset – what we did not realise was sunset was earlier due to a hill so we drove there, could see the amazing colours on the rock, but by the time we walked down it was gone – still it was a nice outlook regardless.  We might go back earlier another night.

Next morning we did a trail around Annie’s Creek and low and behold we found the Purple crowned fairy wren’s, one of the two birds we really wanted to see – the other being the Gouldian Finch. The birds are tagged so that they can monitor the numbers.  The trail was lovely and full of birdlife.  We will do it going the other way round tomorrow.

We got back to camp and got talking to a gentleman who had just come off the “non-existent Bird tour”.  Apparently he complained (and he knew the right people higher up in the organisation) and they put one on – but did not let us know, the other couple who had wanted to go were lucky and found out by accident just in time for them to go on it.  We did discover thought that although they saw large flocks of birds they did not see the Gouldian or in fact any birds we had not found ourselves (just in greater numbers). 

Later we went down to Bluebush, another swimming hole, not quite as stunning but lovely anyway.  I was also very excited when I saw a long bright yellow snake – apparently a Green tree snake (which in this area are bright yellow). – Sad, too fast for me to get a picture.

Back to St John earlier for Sunset.

We have decided to leave a day early due to the lack of bird tour – and we have now found out the Gouldian finches have moved on – gives us longer to get to the next booked place in 3 days – and more gorges we will have time to see.

Fridge update. Still not behaving itself, getting a little frustrating.

Short trip into Adcock Gorge – very pretty with water lillies and lots of birds.

Arrived at Manning Gorge about 3pm, even though the falls are dry and the river not flowing the spring keeps it from drying. Very beautiful place. 

The campground is on the edge of the river – you have to wade across (above my neck height in places) or take the long way round and rock hop.  There are blue baskets on a string for you to take your gear across the river.  3.5 km to gorge proper, well worth the walk – stunning.

TIP – again go early as between 7 and 8am heaps of people start the walk.

Left around 11.00am for a very bumpy drive to Ellenbrae for an overnight stop.

WARNING:  Expect to be dusty and for everything you own to be covered in fine dust.  You can shower 5 times a day, but as soon as you move you are covered again.

Next stop El Questro.  This is a very touristy place and a price tag to go with it, (bring your own everything). We have been given a hint to book a private campsite. Definitely worth it – the standard camping is packed, the private riverside camps are very secluded along a river – beautiful. 

What we did not know is that they also get the Gouldian Finches here, having missed it at Mornington we were keen to find it here and booked a bird tour (which would only run if they could find 2 other people). 

Finally some river crossings on the way in – more what we had expected all over the Kimberleys.  Unfortunately one crossing to El Questro Gorge and 2 walks we wanted to do was too deep for us without a snorkel – water we wanted and now too much!!!!!!

Yeah – they got the other people so bird tour is on. Although the guide said the Gouldian Finches had been elusive recently we found a flock of around 15 or so, mostly juveniles but some with their majestic colours. 
Truly wonderfull coloured birds and on the endangered list due to loss of habitat.

The drive to our campsite is 8km from the main area and after dinner in the dark we missed the turn and went off down a deteriorating track, we worked it out though.

There are a number of 4×4 tracks to lookouts and billabongs, we managed all bar one as we did not have quite enough clearance for that track.  A few were water crossings, many were very rocky with deep holes.

TIP:  Do the tracks and walks early before the hoards – also tracks are narrow and windy, much better to not meet traffic coming the other way.

El Questro is a truly stunning place, would love to see it after a big wet.

What has amazed me on the trip so far is that for many people the whole journey is just about swimming holes.  So much so that you get to somewhere like Zebedee Springs, a small spring fed stream with very small waterholes and you have about 100 people in each 6 foot round hole (3 of them).  I think a swimming hole is great if you have it to yourself, but not sure of the attraction of crowding in with a hundred other people.  Every swimming hole was the same unless you got there at crack of daylight – then you might have a short while.

Emma Gorge was a great walk – again the 2 swimming holes were packed (at 9 am after a 1 hour walk).

You would need to start of at 5.30 for any peace and quiet.

Finally the end of the Gibb River Road – BLISS, tarmac. I used to love dirt roads but these latest ones certainly knock you and your vehicle around.

There was some fantastic scenery along the way – not much I have been able to capture on camera as still not the best at finding ways to convey the scene in a photograph. Also we tend to be in the best scenic places at the wrong time of day.

Beyond the Gibb River Road going East.
After a disappointing lunch stop at Wyndham we headed of to Parry’s Lagoon Nature Reserve and specifically Marlgu Billabong.  Surprisingly there was water – and bird watchers.  Very pretty place with water lilies, crocodiles and lots of water birds.  Spent a lovely couple of hours before heading of to Kununnura.
We are not used to the crowds, when we used to camp we never worried about booking ahead but it is getting hard.  Kununnura had all the first campsites and parks full.  Luckily the last one in town, we got the last site.  A great one on the edge of the river.  There was a lovely musician playing, it was perfect weather, friendly neighbours and a great view.  What more could you ask.  After a couple of wonderful relaxing days (with washing machines – Yippee) we headed off to Lake Argyl.  This is so popular that there is a section (most of it) that is just first come first served so you could have a long drive and not get a spot.  We headed off early – there was a long queue when we got there but luckily if you did not care about having a powered site it was not too difficult to get a spot.  This is very commercial, but stunning with an amazing infinity pool overlooking the Dam.  I had not realised how big the Dam is, massive.  We took a trip out on the lake for birds, wildlife and scenery – well worthwhile.  3 days here was just about right, some nice walks and lots of birds.
Keep River National Park was very dry so not long here – would be good in a wetter season.

From here to Darwin with one overnight in a motel on the Adelaide River.  A great little unheard of museum here, the Adelaide River War Cemetery.  Worth a couple of hours.

A couple of days in Darwin and off to Thailand.