Mitchell Falls

May 23. Day 21.

Mitchell Falls

0715/1030. 190 KM

An early rise was we needed to pack for an overnight camp using Chris’s tent due to the fact that we left the AVan at Drysdale due to the road conditions into Mitchell Falls. It has a pretty terrible reputation.

We headed up the Kalumburu Rd and were averaging between 70 and 90 kph. Some heavy corrugations but the LandCruiser tends to “float” over them somewhat at about 80 kph. Better than at the bone shuddering 20 kph bike speed! After turning off onto the Mitchell Falls /Warrender Rd after 100 km our speed reduced. This section of road is sign posted as Not Maintained, and it is not. The first 50 Km were OK but the last 30 were pretty rocky and we were reduced to 30 kph. Arrived, and relieved, at the camping area. This is a WA National Parks administered area. Apart from having a NP Pass, an Aboriginal Lands Use Pass ($50/ person) we also needed to pay a NP camping fee! $17-/person. We picked a site, parked the car, and started walking.

It is a fairly demanding walk in on a sometimes ill-defined path. A lot of small and large boulders predominate. We headed straight through to the Mitchell Falls, making a commitment to explore other options, including Mertens Falls, on the way back. After about an hour and twenty minutes we arrived at the river and pools above the falls. A wade through water knee deep for about 80m got us to the other side of the river and we positioned ourselves via a rough track with a lot of boulders to a stunning vista of the falls, all four tiers. Magnificent. Majestic. Something pretty special about being here. And we had earnt it too! There was an APT tour group there initially. They had flown in by helicopter directly off their cruise ship. Tough how the other half live! Then when they moved on we sat in our solitude, soaked it all up and had a lunch snack. We then wandered back along the track passing the Large Mertens Falls again and then later and closer to the campsite we detoured to below and in fact behind the Little Mertens Falls. In the rock face here are some Aboriginal art paintings. As we checked out one specimen an Aborigibal guide escorting a group of about 6 people came past. Needless to say they were interested to stop and view. The guide was very keen to hussle them along saying this was “Womens Business”. Interesting.
Had a very refreshing swim in the rock pool below the falls. This counted as our evening shower as the only facility at the camp site is hybrid toilets.

Celebrated a great day back at the camp with a couple of cold bevs. Most enjoyable. Then ensured a LLD - a little lie down. It had been a solid day. Round trip walk and and rambling is about 8-10 km and it was warm, about 32 deg.

Dinner consisted of cold leftovers from the night before’s roast, along with a bit of a salad. Quite acceptable, all things considered. And a red of course, a Stella Bella shiraz.

It was dark, as usual, by six o’clock. After dinner I tried writing up this blog but sleep beckoned. Chris was in bed by 7:30 and I was a goner by 8.Baca selengkapnya