From Tomb Raider to Croc Dundee

DRIVE: Wyndham to El Questro via The Grotto and Emma Gorge (82km).

As we drive out of Wyndham, workmen are busy extending the lanes on the highway for a good few kilometres. Quite a project considering Wyndham is so remote and it’s a bit of a ghost town. Maybe they’ve found gold again.

We finally hit the Gibb River Road today although coming into El Questro the road is sealed almost all the way to the doorstep so not quite off road corrugation yet.

On our way, there’s a sign and an off road track for “The Grotto”. Curious to see what it is, we detour onto the dirt and drive a few kilometres to a car park at the top of a gorge. The gorge seems lush with plants and trees and we venture further following a high ridge line. Steep stone steps fall from the cliff face into The Grotto below so we carefully traverse them into a tall gorge with a waterhole in the middle.

The smooth stone walls of the gorge have been immaculately shaped and long sprawling tree roots have taken hold between the crevasses. It’s like Tomb Raider and I am expecting a secret stone floor to give way and expose a labyrinth of underground tunnels, giant spider webs, snakes and skeletons. It’s that kind of place.

There are trickles of fresh water still falling from the top of the gorge sustaining moss and lichen. In wetter times, there would be a majestic waterfall filling up the pool 100m deep.

A thick rope swing hangs invitingly from a tree branch just waiting for an adventurer to swing out and plunge. However, with the dry weather, the waterhole looks a bit stagnant and too dark to enter. I am sure Lara Croft would be swinging from the rope with gusto.

The Gibb River Road at the junction of the great northern highway runs 770km from the Kununurra side to Derby. Most of it is unsealed. We pause at the sign for a photo opportunity just like every other traveller gone before us and then head to Emma Gorge.

Emma Gorge is part of the El Questro experience. The main resort is lush with well manicured green grass, boutique accommodation, a pool and a cafe/bar/restaurant. We decide to sit and enjoy an iced coffee before hiking the 1.5km into the gorge.

The hike is a bit rocky underfoot following a fresh water stream. Emma Gorge is massive with a vertical amphitheatre of rock wall surrounding a fresh water pool fed by a tall waterfall. The pool water is cold and refreshing but over the far side, thermal spring water seeps through a crack at the base of the cliff and the rock is warm to touch.

Again, Jenny is in heaven and even the sun is shining in on her side of the gorge.

This is definitely a Crocodile Dundee kind of pool. There’s a resident crocodile (or three) in here hiding somewhere under a ledge. Don’t worry, it’s just a freshie so no one’s worried and besides, I have a hunting knife between my teeth as I dive under the water... “That’s not a knife” says Andrew...

Seriously, a couple of swimmers with snorkel and mask have just spotted the crocodile on the move.

Returning to Emma Gorge Resort, we find a picnic table and stop for lunch. Cream cheese and smoked salmon for us today so life isn’t too bad on the road and we have certainly been eating well from our seemingly never ending grocery supplies.

Next stop is a dirt road to El Questro leading off the Gibb River Road. We drop the tyre pressure once more as from here on in, its 4WD terrain for a couple of weeks. There’s a couple of creek crossings on the way to El Questro but the dirt road had been recently graded so quite smooth really.

On arrival, we find reception and check in for three nights. There’s a range of accommodation from the caravan park, boutique tents, remote riverside camping and the exclusive El Questro Homestead, it’s location kept secret from the riff raff.

CAMP: El Questro Riverside Campsite, Wren / 3 Nights.

I had booked two remote riverside camping sites, Sea Eagle and Wren on the banks of the Pentecost River but reception assured me that all 4 of us will fit on one site so we choose Wren. Best to keep the Coight family together. All of the riverside camping spots are named after birds but Jen’s Magpies don’t get a look in.

It’s a short 2.5km drive to Wren passing an airplane landing strip and then following a single lane track to our campsite. It’s awesome, a super large bush camp, slightly elevated with direct access to The Pentecost River just metres away and a fire pit. Anne is very excited about having a fire.

We waste no time setting up camp, experts by now and then take a swim in the river to cool off from the midday sun. The El Questro team assured us it’s fine to swim as there are no estuarine crocs in this section. Can’t quite work out why the crocs are further down the river and not here...!

Always looking for a trick, I happen to stand on a tree branch in the river so seize my opportunity to have some fun. Jen is close by but a predictable target so I chose Andrew. The tree branch is long enough for me to be more than arms length and the guys don’t know I have it under the water.

I prod at Andrew’s leg from beneath the water which startles him a little, then I go in for a second bite as Andrew shouts “holy shit”. After a few seconds, I target Jen. Is that you? Jen says. Anne is on the river bank and comes to my defence and says “it can’t be Steve, he’s metres away”. Exactly, my croc trick had worked but I quickly show my hand as by now it’s obvious and I can’t keep a straight face. I reveal the stick but Anne is still coming to my defence adamant that I was metres away oblivious to the stick I was holding. It’s a funny moment.

There’s no time to waste, the sun is dropping and we gather firewood and start a big camp fire. The sky darkens and millions of stars appear. This is real camping. We sit around the camp fire recalling our events of the day. Andrew and Anne don’t have official CB radio “handles” yet so after Andrew’s magnificent impression of a famous Madagascan Lemur, I pronounce him”King Julien”. Hail to the king. Anne’s is “Honey Bun”.

The temperature is cooler here at night which I like as it helps with a good night’s sleep. The girls are playing a board game, Andrew is on his laptop updating his footprints and as usual, I am first to bed and first up in the mornings making noise and putting the kettle on for a coffee. See you in the morning then...En savoir plus