Derby Wharf

We landed in Derby on Sunday, its 300k's north of Broome and has the largest tidal fluctuations in Australia, 11 metres, you could really get caught out in a boat. The wharf is famous for the fishing, not sure why I caught a catfish and Mick caught nothing! Some locals did catch a Mulloway about 75cm long on a handline. The current flows so quickly you need 8oz sinkers to keep the bait down there.

This is the tide about half way to full

Low tide, quite a difference. The tankers load minerals from this wharf and have to get loaded in a 5 hour timeframe or come back on the next available tide 25 hours away!

The sunsets are quite beautiful up here.

That's Mick and I, we look well don't we, I asked a local to help and take our photo, didn't have the heart to say it didn't really work!



Geikie Gorge

Well, as they say when in Rome, which is a Gorge out this way, Mick and I decided we should do at least a few touristy things so headed off to Geikie Gorge this morning for the boat tour, it is a beautiful place with magnificent limestone cliffs which are weathered by rain and floods. Some of the erosion would be considered pieces of art if standing inside a building. The water is not suitable for swimming as there are fresh water crocs in plentiful supply.
The flood level can be seen where the rock changes colour, you really have to be inside the gorge to realise the volume of water it carries when in flood.

Imagine this flooded.

Look close can you see the croc?

Beautiful erosion, looks a bit like a luck dragon.

Massive walls of limestone

Free Camps Kununurra- Fitzroy Crossing

We have taken a slow pace to get from Kununurra to Fitzroy Crossing as we had been told about a few free camps people said were pretty, and they were, both of these were situated on the rivers edge and busy to the point of being almost full by dusk. We have learn't you really have to be in them by 2pm to have a chance of getting a half decent spot.
Mick and I even had a dip in the one above as it was so hot!

Not here at Mary Pool though as the sign said crocs!

Caravans everywhere, hardly another vehicle on the road except the odd road train.

Some of the scenery on the way, this country just goes on forever.

Kununurra

Kununurra is a bit of an Oasis in the vast red  landscape, this lagoon is at the entrance to the town.

There are also some massive old Boab Tree's in Kununurra.

Flowers

As you know WA is famous for the wildflowers and I have seen some beautiful one's, here are a few.

Beautiful aren't they.

Argyle Dam Ord River

The Argyle Dam is situated 70k's from Kununurra and holds 40 times the capacity as Sydney Harbour. The original land owners were the Durak's and their homestead was moved stone by stone to higher ground prior to the valley being flooded. The spillway pours water at a rapid pace and the noise is quite deafening.
The caravan park at the dam has an amazing pool which looks out over the dam, made us wish we had booked in here and not in Kununurra, mind you it was hard enought to get to the bottle shop from in town let alone out here. You were only permitted to buy 2 bottles of wine per person and not till after 5pm, you should have seen the queue!! and it was only white people!

The Spillway

The Pool & Dam Beyond

The Durak Homestead  

A Lost Week

We are now in WA at Kununurra, I would like to post the photo's I have taken getting here but some gremlins have been in my camera!!!! So sad as I have taken beautiful photo's of massive boab trees so huge and old they are amazing. We crossed from Kathrine to Kununurra via Gregory National Park which includes the Victoria River, now that was a great photo, I'm nearly ready to cry now, this was where we took photo's of the river with the red mountains reflected in the water and also where we saw the Jone's helicopter from that show Keeping us with the Jone's, we then passed their property Coolibah. I do have a photo of where we are in Kununurra.

My next few days will be busy trying to make up for those lost photo's!