Kununurra to El Questro Station (May 19-24)

I’m sure those corrugations were worse coming out of the Bungle Bungles!  Headed to Kununurra for a night in a caravan park.  Wow it is hot up here – straight to the swimming pool.  Spent the afternoon doing loads of washing – it’s been a while.  Did the most expensive supermarket shop ever!  As well as a quick visit to the Toyota dealer to check out the clunk we acquired under the front end.  Something to do with the steering, all fixed and had the 260,000km service done on the car.  We have already done nearly 5000km.  We saw our first fresh water crocodiles in the shallows of the lagoon beside the caravan park.

 

Azure Kingfisher

We are officially on the Gibb River Road. 

 

We had been told of the private riverside campsites at El Questro, so rang from Kununurra and booked ourselves one.  We were a little disappointed to find the one we had been allocated had no shade whatsoever and that we couldn’t swim in the river as there had been a recent sighting of a saltwater croc just downriver. 

Up early to be at Zebedee Hot Springs by 7am to beat the rush.  By 8am it was overrun.  It is only open to the general public between 7am and 12pm, then the people staying in the expensive accommodation have the place to themselves.  El Questro is definitely a commercial venture.

Spent the hot afternoons swimming in the river pools by the Station, definitely no crocs.

El Questro Gorge was definitely a favourite, with a rocky walk to a gorgeous pool with a waterfall and an enormous rock blocking the gorge.  We stripped off to our bathers and waded across with our backpacks above our heads to clamber up the side of the rock to continue on.  The boys then spent some time jumping off the other side of the rock into the crystal clear pool below and again and again.  We then continued for another hour to climb, hop, jump and scramble our way over and around a boulder field to another even more amazing deep pool with a well positioned rock to sit under the waterfall for a nice massage.  Saw a couple of snakes.  We had been told that they were going into hibernation now as it is winter up here, but I think they have changed their minds as it is so hot!

 

 

The temperature most days lately has averaged 35 degrees, so it is fortunate that most of the walks are through shaded gorges.

The boys have had no luck with catching any fish from camp, where are all the barramundi?  We do however have a pair of White-breasted Sea Eagles nesting just opposite our camp over the river.  They are so large and graceful.

Spent a morning 4WDing to Branko’s Lookout and Explosion Gorge.  Such a shame we couldn’t swim because of the salty sighting.  Thank goodness for the waterholes by the Station.

 

 

Cadell's improvements to access the river from our campsite

Cadell and I spent another morning walking to Emma Gorge. (Coen was totally washed out from a fever and Ash’ knee is not doing so well after the recent rock scrambling).  Emma Gorge was a lot bigger and deeper and much much colder.  It also had a waterfall and hot springs trickling down the rock face.

 

Boab Tree

Had a magnificent beef stew cooked over the fire followed by chocolate bananas done in foil in the hot coals for dinner.  Tomorrow we head for Home Valley.