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Western Australia

May - June 2017
A 54-day adventure by Duncan Read more
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  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 34

    Tunnel Creek

    June 10, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    About 35 Kms from Windhana Gorge is Tunnel creek. This park offers a unique opportunity to explore a creek with permanent pools of fresh water as it tunnels 750 meters through the Napier Range. In the Dry, the full length is walkable, but parts are of knee deep water. With the only light being your touch light, mixed with the sound of the local bats was enough for Ange to make the easy decision to be happy with a walk as far as we could see daylight and the water not too deep.
    Tunnel Creek became the hideout of Jandamarra, an Indigenous freedom fighter. He was a Bunuba man living in the remote Northwest Kimberley. He was nicknamed " Pigeon " for his speed and agility by William Lukin, who claimed title to a million acres of Bunuba Land he called the Lennard River Station. Jandamarra learned how to ride horses, use a rifle and speak English giving him skills in both cultures. For more than a decade, Jandamarra's people had been resisting white pastoralist invasion of their lands. Torn between cultures Jandamarra chose to side with his own. Indigenous people were treated poorly with great pain and suffering, imprisoned ,kept in scorching summer heat and chained together by neck collars after being accused of raiding stock or simply being on pastoral land- what was their country .You can one day look up the tragic story of Jandamarra and his people and then sit and think of the inhumanity the indigenous people endured. The legacy of Jandamarrra is the challenge for us to achieve co -existence of indigenous people and those who choose to come to this land.    Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 34

    Windjana Gorge

    June 10, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    The park consists of a 3.5 km long gorge, the walls soaring 100m above the Lennard River. In the Wet this river is a surge of turbulent water but in the Dry it is a series of pools. It is home to freshwater crocodiles which we could see stunning themself along the river bank.Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 35

    Bell Gorge

    June 11, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    After a long trip over corrugated road with creek crossings we stopped at picturesque Bell Gorge. We walked along a stoney path lined with gums, boabs, and pandanus. After some rock hopping over small water ways we were greeted by the falls , and the magnificent displays of rock formations and color.Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 37

    Purnululu National Park -Bungle Bungles

    June 13, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Purnululu National Park is 304km from Kununurra. It covers an area of 239,723ha and has an adjacent conservation reserve. The Bungle Bungle Range, which includes the banded domes, covers 45,000ha of the park. Prior to the mid 1980's, the existence of the domes was known only to the local aborigines and very few whites, mostly stockmen. In 2003 this national park was World Heritage listed for two main features- the area's incredible natural beauty and its outstanding geological value.
    The Bungle Bungle Range is renowned for its amazing banded domes that make a striking sight rising up to 200 meters above the plain and giving way to reveal hidden gorges and pools. The orange and black beehive shaped domes are made of sandstone deposited about 360 million years ago. Erosion by creeks, rivers and weathering in the past 20 million years has carved out these domes, along with spectacular chasms and gorges, creating a surreal landscape.
    The dome's striking orange and grey bands are caused by the presence or absence of cyanobacteria. Dark bands indicate the presence of the cyanobacteria, which grows on layers of sandstone where moisture accumulates. The orange bands are oxidized iron compounds that have dried out too quickly for the cyanobacteria.
    Two of Purnululu's most stunning attractions - Cathedral George, aptly named due to its immense and inspiring circular amphitheatre is surrounded by towering cliffs and honeycomb type rock, and Echidna Chasm , which is a palm-fringed narrow gorge , Both are accessible by foot only.
    A definite bucket list tick off for us !    Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 39

    Lake Argyle - Ord River

    June 15, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    We spent several days in the wonderful town of Kununurra, an attractive town on Lake Kununurra on the Ord River. It is near the vast man made lake - Lake Argyle. Kununuarra is the Kimberley's gateway to the east. The word Kununurra is an Aboriginal name meaning 'the meeting of big waters' , and boy are there some big waters' here. The Ord River was damed in 1971 to form a storage reservoir supplying water to one of Australia's largest and most ambitious irrigation schemes. ' Argyle Downs', a one million acre cattle station, was flooded to create a vast and beautiful lake, the biggest man-made lake in Australia. It was a dream of pioneer pastoralist Kimberley Durack that led to its infancy which was later fully established. We took a full day tour which included a morning of spectacular cruising on the Ord River from Kununurra to Ord River dam. We had fantastic commentary from the skipper, of course his name was Grant. He not only gave us a history lesson, maths lesson -heaps of figures in regard the actual water storage , he was constantly spotting so many different birds, our favourite would have to be the magnificent sea eagles. Also fresh water crocs, wallabies and other wildlife. We then joined an afternoon cruise/ sunset / swim on Lake Argyle -and yes you guessed it another fabulous sunset watched whilst consuming wine and cheese. Lake Argyle covers a massive area approx 75 km long, 40 km wide and if you decided to take a walk around it, you would cover nearly 900 km, that's a decent morning's walk ! At capacity it holds approximately 20 times the size of Sydney Harbour - it is currently well above capacity. The entire system works on gravitational flow, which terminates into the farming irrigation channels. Some of the crops grown are , mangos, bananas, Chia, sandalwood, pawpaw, vegetables to name a few. there is a camp ground and resort at the small village town of Argyle, which boasts quite an amazing infinity pool. Some of the other attractions we visited whilst in Kununurra were , a sandalwood farm / shop, the Hoochery distillery-serving samples of their award winning rum. We drove north to look at Wyndham, geographically the northern most town of The West and visited the very touristy El Questro. As you would know the area is home to the Argyle diamond mine, home to the famous Argyle pink diamonds-Duncan was always a little too busy to go diamond shopping ! Kununurra and the surrounding region is such a beautiful and still relatively untouched land-we loved it.Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 39

    Geikie Gorge , Darngku

    June 15, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    After 100 years plans are currently underway to change Geikie Gorge to its traditional name of Darngku. Colonists named the gorge Geikie , after a Scottish geologist. At that time the traditional owners the Bunaba people , were still living there - their homeland. It is also a place of historical tragedy for the traditional owners, who were attacked by the colonists in the late 19th century. It is claimed by some that their remains are still hidden in the caves where they were shot and burnt.
    The Dept. of Conservation and Land Management ,
    together with the local Aboriginal cooperative respecting the traditional owners , run a tour to see and learn about Darngku. The flood waters of the massive Fitzroy River have carved the 30 meters deep gorge through the limestone at the junction of the Oscar and Geikie Rangers. The limestone ranges, formed the ancient barrier reef, wind across the country between 69 to 100 meters above the surrounding plains, in much the same way that a reef would have reared above the Devonian sea floor. Layers of fossils and limestone strata of an ancient reef are a crisscross section, showing glimpses of life in the Devonian period before reptiles and mammals evolved. The gorge is home to the freshwater Barramundi , Leichhard's sawfish and Coachwip stingray. It is also the home of freshwater crocodiles of which we saw several sunning themselves.    Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 40

    Kimberley Specials.

    June 16, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Kimberley moon rise -magic !
    Kimberley VERY used car-just left at the roadside.
    Kimberley VERY big saltwater crocodile.
    Kimberley big red dirt termite mound.
    Kimberley put another steak on the barbie -
    Brahman Bull - roadside on the Gibb River road.
    Kimberley cyclone warning road notice.    Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 40

    Kimberley Boab

    June 16, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    The Boab tree is everywhere and comes in so many shapes and sizes - love that no two the same.

     Grand Boab in leaf.
    Baby Boab
    Stubby Boab
    Boab with nuts
    Boab with mates
    Boab with head and with lost head !Read more

  • Duncan GrantWestern Australia
    Day 40

    Kimberley flowers 2

    June 16, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Stopping frequently so Angela can take a pic of another flower or shrub. Would like to have been here In about four weeks as many plants are showing a lot of buds and some flowers just beginning to bloom.Read more

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