Journey to Carnarvon Gorge

The journey from Rubyvale to the Carnarvon Gorge is approx 302km. Unfortunately, there is no signal for Vodafone in Rubyvale, so Google Maps did not work. Never mind, I had planned for such an eventuality and have a satnav app called Sygic, this already has the maps downloaded. Unfortunately, it didn’t get the route very accurately, short by about 100kms. It was only a conversational “how far is it to Tarkarakka Bush Campsite?” When paying for fuel, expecting the answer of 7kms down the road, but being told “Carry on this road for 60kms, then turn right and it’s along there in 40kms”. Our promises to be at the campsite before the office shut at 6 ... we’ll we failed. We failed so spectacularly that we just enjoyed the drive, the setting sun and took in the scenery. The last 40kms were great as it was getting towards dusk and the animals started coming out. The farmland was also not fenced so cows stood in the middle of the road.

Kangaroos and wallabies have no road sense at all and it is now obvious to me why there is so much roadkill. Rather like deer, they appear from nowhere and jump straight in front of vehicles. Even at the speed we travel at, we have come close on a couple of occasions to hitting one.

Our favourite new marsupial is called a “pretty wallaby” with eye shadow etc. We thought they were rock wallabies, but apparently not.

We arrived at the camp at around 6:35, found our “late arrivals” information and then went to our pitch. Probably only 10%full, we had plenty of space. Looking up we saw a steady stream of bats, flying foxes in their thousands. We could hear them .... and smell them too.

Last year there was a fire in the gorge and the bats, who had contentedly been living in the gorge, left and are still seeking a permanent home. They are not liked by many people because they are noisy and quite smelly. They roost in the trees near the camp. The camp has a scheme to try and move them on that involves bird scarers etc, a fine balance when you are trying not to upset the campers!

Early to bed as we have to go hunting for platypus early tomorrow.Read more