Charnley River Station (June 5 – 7)

A gorgeous treed campground with very few people.  Charnley River is run by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy – a not for profit organisation which manages over 3 million hectares on 23 properties across Australia, managing wildlife, habitat and fire conservation.  They are doing an amazing job.

All the gorges here you had to drive to and we had been told Grevillea Gorge was a nice one.  So we headed down the 35km road (1 hours drive) to the pools and waterfalls.  We had to clamber down a couple of steep and very slippery waterfalls to get to the bottom pool.  A swim across the pool (Ash and Cadell) or a crawl on hands and knees around the rock ledge (Jac and Coen) took us to the best rock-art we have seen yet.

 

 

crocodiles

Frill Necked Lizard

Then just as we were readying ourselves to leave - every parent’s nightmare, a scream from Coen who had slipped off a rock.  I could tell from the look on his face it was bad.  An inch long gash on his shin with the contents of the inside of his leg clearly visible.  Thank goodness for the travel first aid kit (thank you KMR (Karen and Mark) for restocking us before we left).  After a moment of hesitation and panic we steri-stripped the cut, bandaged him up while I sat with my head between my knees feeling very much like I was going to faint.  Ash then had to piggy back Coen back up the last little waterfall, back up the ladder we came down to get to the pool and the 200m back to the car.  Back at Charnley Homestead they rang the Royal Flying Doctors Service and I spoke to the Doctor who said ideally it should be stitched up but as we were 4 hours drive away from anywhere the steri-strips would suffice.  Fortunately they had crutches, so Coen is hobbling around on them trying desperately not to split the wound open.

 

Well that put a stop to any more gorge walking for the rest of the day.  And no swimming for Coen for 8-10 days which is going to be incredibly difficult.

Each night and early morning we were woken by the sounds of dingo's howling away to each other.  This guy wasn't in the slightest bit phased by our car coming towards him on our way out of Charnley River Station.