Border Crossing Into Western Australia

DRIVE: Keep River National Park to Bungle Bungles Caravan Park, Mable Downs Station via Lake Argyle and Kununurra (439km)

I have never been to Western Australia, neither has Andrew so this is completely new territory. We arrive at the border to see a rather large and nice welcome sign just before we get to border security for the latex glove treatment... we have to declare anything at quarantine that is on the list including fruit and vegetables, honey, plants and 3 day old underwear... so reluctantly the two courgettes, half a lemon and a carrot come out of supplies and I hand them over. The underpants have been stashed and hidden so phew, got through clean... sorry, I meant soiled.

To celebrate reaching the Western Australia border, we have a group shot just before border patrol and then hand in hand, myself and Andrew cross as we leave the girls in NT. Please don’t share the video as we both have family and our reputations to consider!

Kununurra is literally just up the road so we divert to Lake Argyle. Lake Argyle is a man made lake
Which covers an area 18 times the size of Sydney harbour, 1000 km2. At full flood level that area increases to 2100 km2. The main Ord River Dam, which holds back these huge amounts of water, is surprisingly small.

The drive in is pretty spectacular and the red rocks surrounded by lush trees and spinifex is quintessentially Australia. As we turn a corner into Lake Argyle Caravan Park, we are pleasantly surprised by an elevated green oasis overlooking the dam. There’s even a magnificent infinity edge pool overlooking the lake and I can visualise us sitting in it watching sunset and cooling off with beer and champagne. Now that’s a thought too good to leave behind, so we decide to book in to the Caravan Park for a return visit in a few days. Why not, we may as well throw in the sunset cruise and make the most of our visit. Stay tuned for a photo of us in the pool then...

The caravan park even has an air conditioned cafe with Internet (luxury) so we enjoy refreshing iced coffee and chocolate.

As we still have a few hours of driving to go, we make headway to Kununurra to replenish Food and supplies and then take the highway towards The Bungle Bungles Caravan Park on the edge of Purnululu. We are i the famous Mable Downs country and its pretty rugged and dry out here. Now this is The Walshies and The Lloyde’s original rendezvous point but with plans changing, we have enjoyed a few extra days together. We stopped in a picnic bay on the side of the Hwy for an express lunch and the vegemite shows it’s worth. There’s a trailer section parked in the picnic area so we have some fun as it’s obviously punching above it’s weight... see pic.

Hitting the road for the final push, we come around a sweeping bend and see an overturned truck on the side of the road with driver and police officer discussing the incident. Looks like the truck veered onto the other side of the road, corrected, then flipped, spinning 180 degrees over into the gravel.

CAMP: Bungle Bungles Caravan Park, Mable Downs / 1 Night.
We quickly set up on arrival at the caravan park as the sun is disappearing fast. I have a powered site and we share the power chord so everyone can charge up their essential electronic equipment over night.Read more