Kununurra

Sunday 21st July was another early start (because of the first in gets the spot policy). However we were held up a little as I was so pleased with my photos taken on the sunset cruise that I showed one or two to the tutor. He agreed that the one of Brandt was a very good photo. He printed off an A4 copy for me.
So we were pleased to receive a text message from Barry and Pat to say that they had sort of booked us in to a site at Kimberleyland Holiday Park.


That evening there was free entertainment down on the edge of Lake Kununurra - at sunset. Needless to say, I got trigger happy on the camera again. The following two photos my favourites.





Monday we drove around some of the sights of Kununurra, the main one being a drive out to Ivanhoe Crossing. The crossing itself was closed. There was quite a current running over it. The estimate was about 600cm in height. The combined height and current made it dangerous .


Shopping in Liquorland I spotted an interesting label which meant I stopped looking at the price. We were entertaining Australian guests (folk we stayed with in Narromine), so bought a bottle each of red and white.


Tuesday we drove with Barry and Pat on a day trip to Wyndham. We went via Parrys Creek, which is a bird watchers heaven. En route we passed some interesting boab trees.


At the bird hide, the birds didn't stay still very well, so I turned my camera on the water lillies.


then took in a scene with ducks, white necked heron, great white egret and a rainbow bee-eater.


Next stop was lunch in Wyndham, a drive along the waterfront then up to five rivers lookout.


Barry looked at his watch and so we headed back to Kununurra, stopping at The Grotto.





Access was via 140 man made steps (which clung to the edge of the cliff). As I said Barry had looked at his watch, some of us looked at the steepness of the access, decided that the water in the swimming hole would be very cold, so took photos and departed.

Now we start our journey along the famous and notorious Gibb River Road. (followers, you will notice a fairly big gap till my next post - probably about two weeks, when we get to Derby)

Lake Argyle, day two

In the morning I attended a two hour photography workshop. (I think I now understand more about my camera, and can move away from the "auto" setting.
We had booked in to the sunset cruise on Lake Argyle - so a chance to try out my morning's learning.


Taking a photo of a rock wallaby was my first challenge. I experimented with camera settings until I got the following shot:


Next challenge was the fresh water crocodile. He has his mouth open. This is the way he cools his brain.


As I said, this was a sunset cruise so we got some lovely colour on the hills.








Then the sun went down. I think these next photos show that the photography workshop was worthwhile.





While we were stopped to watch the sun set, some braved the cool water and went for a swim. (but the photographer stayed on board, happily snapping away)

Lake Argyle, day one

An early start (departed Timber Creek at 7:30am) saw us at the border just after 8am WA time. The reason for being on the road so early was that we had been told that the Lake Argyle Caravan Park did not take bookings, it is high tourist season at the moment, and we didn't know how long it would take to get through the quarantine check at the border.



The border check took less than five minutes and we were on our way again.

The check in at Lake Argyle was also smooth (the waiting list had not started for the day at that time).

After settling in we, with Pat and Barry (BCA nomads that we met at Katherine, then again at Nungalinya) went for a short drive. So here is a selection of the amazing scenery we saw:

Location:Lake Argyle

Timber Creek

This was our last stop in Northern Territory before crossing into Western Australia (WA). The caravan park owners put on a daily display of feeding the Kites and Fresh Water Crocodiles.


I didn't get many good photos of the Kites as they were far too quick for the camera shutter. The meat or bread scraps were tossed up in the air and the birds swooped down and caught them. We were warned that if a piece of bread landed on the ground in front of us we were not to try to pick it up as we would be likely to have a nasty encounter with a bird.


Then after a safety talk we walked down to the bridge for the feeding of the crocs.


But before the crocs were fed, small bits of bread were dropped by the bank for some turtles that seemed to be happily co-habitating with the crocs.





On the second night I stood on the bank - quite a different view:





Then later that evening we went to a lookout to watch the sunset (sorry! No good photos)





We liked the poem on one plaque

Leliyn ( Edith Falls )

Edith Falls is in the Katherine Gorge National Park. To get from Darwin to Western Australia we had to return to Katherine. We had been told that Edith Falls were a "must see" so we called in. There is camping available there, but on this day there were no vacancies (lucky we weren't planning to stay there).

We were not disappointed with the scenery:


Our first view,


steps for easy access to the plunge pool at the base of the falls


beautiful scenes


people on the grass area as one would if at a beach.


I am certainly glad that we took the trouble to call in.

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Our social life at Nungalinya College

We were one of four couples who were BCA Nomads volunteering at Nungalinya College. The College supplied power and water to our vans and an unexpected surprise was that they gave us lunch and dinner when the kitchen was open. (we only self catered at weekends and one week of our stay).
I was introduced to the Curlew


They just looked like statues, but what a screeching racket they made at night.

Of course Brandt had to make pikelets for a morning tea





Also, on our last Sunday he did his favorite camp oven casserole


(you could say), while Frank slept


and Penny prayed over it


The girls had fun making a delicious fresh fruit salad for desert


Also at Nungalinya Frank celebrated his 75th birthday. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of this on the iPad (they are on the laptop though). He ordered a fish and chips meal. Unbeknown to him we also bought an ice cream, some birthday candles and a packet of gummy bears. Thus we decorated the ice cream in its tub and made it into his birthday cake.
On our last night there, Frank, Pauline and the Bregmens went "out to dinner - first course at Red Rooster and desert at Macdonalds. We even had free coffee there (due to our age)!