Fantastic Falls & Gorgeous Gorges

18th May - Had the best shower in over 2 weeks this morning and by the way we got the shower tent folded easily, after looking at the youtube video again, nothing like the instructions but hopefully we’ll remember what to do next time. Left early to go to El Questro this morning, decided to only spend 1 night here.  Arriving at around 9.30am we set up quickly and set off to do a couple of smaller walks before lunch. The first to Zebedee Springs was a very short walk to a spring fed thermal pool, it was only small and there were already a number of people swimming and as we wanted to do another walk we decided to give it a miss and continue to the next one, El Questro Gorge. 

Walk in El Questro gorge

This was supposed to be an hour in to the halfway pool but only took us half an hour, taking photos on the way.  

Lower pool in El Q gorge

We were told the second half was quite a bit more rugged and there was no-one else at the halfway pool so we decided not to go further on and to take the plunge at the halfway pool. I took my usual time getting in but Ray got straight to it and it was lovely, such a lovely setting with a small waterfall over the rocks into this small deep pool and crystal clear.  

Sat on a nice flat rock in the sun to dry before returning. Well worth the walk in. 

View of Pentecost River and Cockburn
Range from Pidgeon Hole Lookout at El Q

We went back to camp for lunch and decided to do some 4x4 driving to a lookout over the property and maybe one more walk but the info at the walk was different to the info on the sheet we had and some people who just finished it said we wouldn’t finish before dark so back to camp to plan the next leg to Emma Gorge early tomorrow and on to Drysdale Station. 

El Questro is a beautiful property with lots to do and see, many creek crossings (a couple as deep as we want to go) and the 4x4 driving was great fun.  The campsites are very roomy and as there aren’t too many people here yet we have plenty of space to ourselves.

The car doesn’t seem to have a problem starting anymore so we wonder if it was dirty fuel and feel a lot better about taking it further on the Gibb River Rd.

Ray on a mission onEmma Gorge track

Emma Gorge pool
(the couple swimming
do have clothes on)

19th May - Packed up extra early today and left El Questro Station to go through Emma Gorge before heading for Drysdale Station further up the Gibb River Rd. We quickly walked Emma Gorge to the beautiful waterfall and pool at the end but 8.30 in the morning was a bit cold to go for a swim, though there was one brave young couple in there when we arrived. They confirmed later that it was quite chilly.  

The sight of the Cockburn Range is breathtaking with the sheer walls rising out of the slopes of the mountains as we travelled out of El Questro country. 

Cockburn Ranges from Gibb River Rd

The Gibb River Rd was in reasonable state for the most part and the Pentecost River crossing was a bit bumpy but not as deep as a couple of creek crossings at El Questro.

On coming car crossing the Pentecost

All other creek and river crossings were uneventful and we stopped at a little picnic spot above the Durack River and Ray had a short fish with one bite then snagged his lure so that was the end of that. We continued on to Drysdale Station, set up, did some much needed washing and dug in for the night. We passed through a lot of burnt out countryside on our way and found out that the Dept of Environment and Conservation burn off before it gets too late in the season for the new growth to appear, it always amazes me how quickly the green appears after a fire and especially out here - there must be a lot of residual moisture in the ground as we’ve seen lots of ground with lovely green grass and shoots on trees amongst the blackened bush where there has been a burn off recently. 

Road washout 22k from Drysdale

20th May - The Kalumburu Road from Drysdale Station to King Edward River is not too bad but has some wash outs, corrugations like speed humps  and many creek & river crossings as well as rocks to maneuver around which slowed us down now and then but on the whole we made good time. 

 

Crossing the King Edward River was OK because we followed someone else who’d waded across the knee deep, rocky, steady flowing river, I wasn’t completely comfortable but the car didn’t miss a beat and the camper just follows along really well, we hardly know it’s there. Both are very dirty after the past few days of mud and water, of course. 

We set up camp in the national park camping area by the river and went to find the local Aboriginal rock art.  Amazing to think that these drawings have been around for so long, some are in excellent condition and others have faded and been drawn over but it’s still something to see the real thing. Ray went for a fish further down river and I followed with the camera finding him way down near some rapids. 

I followed the rock shelf down to a waterfall of only about 3m drop and 5-6m wide but with an incredible amount of water going over and the noise was almost deafening. The whole scene was just beautiful, I would like to have sat and watched it until the sunset but then we wouldn’t have got back to camp before dark.  Another campfire lit and early night for us.

21st May - Packed up and set off at 7am for Mitchell Falls camping area. It took us 2 hrs to do the 80kms due to many corrugations and rough patches but we were fast compared with others we’ve spoken to. 

The scenery changed a lot on the way here, from the Aussie bush we are used to, to predominantly palm trees, then some other trees again and somewhere along the way there were just large rocks everywhere. 

We set up in the National Park camping ground which is again lovely and quiet with lots of space, we have a whole small section to ourselves with campfire which we used again tonight. 

We walked to Little Merten Falls and had a swim in the pool at the base, beautiful!! More rock art on the sheltered rock surface beside the waterfall which was again amazing to see. Spectacular falls into a large pool which we again had to ourselves, then we sat on a rock in the sun to dry a bit before walking back. Lazy afternoon and campfire tea again.

22nd May - Well today we had our first helicopter flight as we did a small tour over the Mitchell Falls and surrounds, only a 15min flight but enough to show the falls and how inhospitable the bush is out here, I don’t know how anyone ever found their way out of here when exploring. 

Mitchell Falls from Helicopter

What we had to ford to access
the other side to view the falls

We had been told that it was almost impossible to get across the river above the falls and be able to see all the tiers, so we decided to be helicoptered one way and walk the other, we found some others who wanted to do the same to cut the cost a bit and were dropped off at the top of the falls where you can have a swim before walking back to camp. As we got there someone was walking/swimming across to the other side and made it quite easily so Ray and the other guys went straight across. I was going to stay as I didn’t think I could swim against the small rapids we had to go through but others came back across down a bit lower and had no trouble, besides I would have regretted it later, I easily got across and so glad I did. 

What a site and the roar!! I’d love to see it during the wet season. We spent about an hour there and headed back, seeing another opportunity to see the falls from the other side we clambered over boulders to get some more close up photos. It’s not a long walk and on the way back some more aboriginal rock art to admire but we were tired out so it seemed a bit of a slog. Spent the rest of the day relaxing and planning the next stop.  

23rd May - We retraced our steps to the intersection of the Gibb River Rd and Kalumburu Rd. The ride was better than on Monday maybe because Ray lowered the car for this trip or maybe all the cars that went to the Falls flattened the corrugations a bit, though some of the road had deteriorated a little. 

We only took 1hr 40 mins to do the 80k back to King Edward River where we were met with about 10 of the off road bikers, who camped behind us at Mitchell Falls, walking their bikes across the river with some difficulty but they all got across and watched as we crossed, the flow felt a bit stronger today. Got to Drysdale Station for fuel and bread at a10.30 and moved on to the Gibb River Rd intersection for an early lunch before going on to Barnett River Gorge glad of the information from one of the bikers, who’d shared the helicopter ride with us, that there was a big hole in the crossing at the Hahn River as one of the riders had his bike washed down the river with him on it, almost drowning but for him grabbing a tree. He got out with his bike, drained it and got it going again, amazingly. I walked across to get a good line that we could go by, even then it was above my knees (not that that’s so deep, I guess). 

We managed the very rough drive out to Barnett River Gorge and I was thinking this could be a mistake, no-one would go out here! Wrong - there were 4 cars and more following us. 

We went to a lovely swimming hole and had a swim but didn’t actually get to the gorge, then went back a bit up the track to a camping spot where we set up for the night and again enjoyed another campfire but the bugs drove us indoors and still a few cars have come in the evening! 

I’d hate to drive this track in the dark.

We passed this car below on our way and a little way up the road was the bull

Why you need a bull bar
notice the hole in the passenger door
where the bulls horn broke off

The result

24th May - Where were we last night? Oh yes parked in the bush on a dodgy track. Lovely quiet night with a creek trickling a few metres away. We set off from Barnett River Gorge to continue our trek along the Gibb River Rd, stopping at Mt Barnett Roadhouse for fuel and some supplies but there were so little supplies and what was there was very expensive and we didn’t really need anything except some fruit which we bought a little of. It must be hard for the locals with so little fresh food to choose from. 

Photos above of Galvins Gorge - the one on the left showing the boab right on the edge 

Part of the road in to Adcock Gorge

Another part of the road in

We called in to Galvin’s Gorge, a short drive off the Gibb River Rd, with a waterfall into a lovely swimming hole but again 8.30am was a bit cool for a swim, then on to Adcock Gorge which is on private property but allows day visitors only. What a beautiful spot it is, well worth the rocky road in, another waterfall into a large pool some of which is covered in waterlillies, just gorgeous. We then went on to Bells Gorge which we were told at Bungle Bungle, was closed but must have opened in the last week so decided to camp the night in the national park at Silent Grove nearby, another lovely spot with good facilities (so glad to have a flushing toilet again). 

After lunch we went on to Bells Gorge -the camping there is not that great- to have a swim in the pool below the waterfall. Yet another beautiful spot and again worth the scramble down the cliff, though I nearly ended up down at the bottom again when I slipped or a rock moved under my foot, on our way back out. 

Bell Gorge

The water was cool but we had a lovely swim, I think I’ve had more swims this week than I’ve had in the last 9 years! The countryside is still shades of green though not so many shrubs, more gum trees - the varieties of which change all the time - and tall spinifex.  I particularly like an orange gum and grevillea that we don’t have on the east coast but I’d love to have at home, will have to look it up when I get back.

25th May - On the road again to our last gorges on the Gibb River Rd and the surface today was really good but we’ve seen more cars today than we’ve seen the last 3 weeks, the peak season is starting obviously so we’re glad we missed most of the traffic until now.

Looking back through beginning of
Tunnel Creek

 We went straight to Tunnel Creek, very interesting it’s just so dark and I don’t like going through water where I can’t see what’s on the bottom. Somehow I ended up wet to the thighs and I didn’t see anyone else that wet! Amazing to see what was a reef, uncovered, albeit by torchlight.

Looking to roof cave in about
halfway through tunnel creek

Water dripping from limestone

View from end of Tunnel Creek

Entrance to Windjana Gorge

Then on to Windjana Gorge where we set up the camper for the night and went for a walk through the gorge after lunch. Quite a few fresh water crocs on the sandbanks and of course Ray had to try and get close for a photo because we left the telephoto lens in the car. 

Freshwater Croc in Windjana Gorge

I think he was pleased to have seen them, it’s what he was looking forward to. Unfortunately the last kilometre of the walk was closed due to the damage done in the wet season but it was still a lovely walk, though I think we are ‘walked out’ now so it’s just as well we are at the end of the gorges trek.

Some of the exposed reef in
Windjana Gorge

Sunset on Windjana Gorge
from camp

Ray has got the scent of the coast so we seem to have sped through the Gorge region but I don’t think we could do them all in one trip though we could have spent more time in Kunanurra and anyway it’s a good excuse to come back and do the things we missed. The weather has been fantastic temps between 28 & 30 degrees, beautiful blue skies and for the first time no rain driving us back home early (not that we can go home early this time). I hope the weather continues as we explore the coast and spend more than one or two nights in one spot. Even Ray is looking forward to supermaket shopping (I don’t believe it) and we both are looking forward to having phone service and able to speak to the kids, hopefully tomorrow.