destination-kimberley.pdf

© January 2008 – May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cover photo: a hired 4WD campervan crosses the King Edward River on the Mitchell Plateau. ©

Copyright Notice Copyright © January 2008–May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Except as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part of Destination Kimberley (“this book”) may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior permission in writing of the author, Birgit Bradtke. That means you may NOT multiply and pass on this guide or any part of it to others! (Note that section 43C of the Copyright Act does allow you to print this guide for your own personal use.)

Disclaimer All information in Destination Kimberley (“this book”) is provided as a general guide only. I, the author, Birgit Bradtke, do not express or imply anything regarding the accuracy or reliability of this information or its suitability for a particular purpose. I have made every effort to ensure the information contained within this book is correct and I expressly disclaim any liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this book or for any loss, injury or inconvenience experienced by any person using this book. It is your responsibility to confirm the currency, validity and suitability of all information I offer. I DO NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS OR ENDORSEMENTS WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH REGARD TO THE BOOK, THE MATERIALS, ANY PRODUCTS, INFORMATION OR SERVICE PROVIDED THROUGH THE BOOK, OR ANY SERVICES LISTED THEREIN, AND I WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY COST OR DAMAGE ARISING EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM THE USE OF THIS BOOK.

Updates The information in this book was correct and current at the time of writing, but things in the Kimberley change often and they change fast. If you find any of the information to be incorrect or out of date, please help future travellers by reporting it here: www.kimberleyaustralia.com/contact.html

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Thank you!

Table of Contents FOREWORD..............................................................................................................8 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE..................................................................................10 GLOSSARY – AUSSIE SLANG.............................................................................11 Part I: Introduction and Overview...........................................................................12 HISTORY.................................................................................................................16 GEOLOGY...............................................................................................................19 FAUNA....................................................................................................................20 FLORA.....................................................................................................................23 ECOLOGICAL THREATS......................................................................................24 THE CLIMATE........................................................................................................28 Part II: General Travel Information........................................................................29 GETTING THERE...................................................................................................29 Visa Information...................................................................................................29 Flying....................................................................................................................29 Driving..................................................................................................................30 Agricultural Quarantine........................................................................................31 THE BEST TIME TO VISIT...................................................................................33 ITINERARY PLANNING.......................................................................................39 GETTING AROUND...............................................................................................40 Public Transport...................................................................................................40 Tours.....................................................................................................................40 Self Driving..........................................................................................................40 DRIVING IN THE KIMBERLEY...........................................................................45 Sealed Roads........................................................................................................45 Unsealed Roads....................................................................................................47 MAPS.......................................................................................................................54 NATIONAL PARKS................................................................................................55 FACILITIES/COSTS...............................................................................................56 WHAT TO PACK....................................................................................................59 MORE INFORMATION..........................................................................................63 SOME NOT SO NICE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW.....................................64 Crocodiles.............................................................................................................64 Box Jellyfish and Irukandji..................................................................................65 Ross River Virus and Barmah Forest Virus.........................................................67 Part III: The Guide....................................................................................................68

BROOME.................................................................................................................68 Getting Around.....................................................................................................72 Things to See and Do...........................................................................................73 Cable Beach..........................................................................................................78 The Broome Bird Observatory.............................................................................79 Practical Information and Commercial Listings..................................................81 THE DAMPIER PENINSULA................................................................................92 DERBY...................................................................................................................104 Getting There......................................................................................................104 Things to see and do...........................................................................................106 Surrounding Areas..............................................................................................107 Practical Information and Commercial Listings................................................108 WINDJANA GORGE............................................................................................112 Camping.............................................................................................................113 TUNNEL CREEK..................................................................................................113 FITZROY CROSSING..........................................................................................115 Getting There......................................................................................................115 Things to see and do...........................................................................................116 Practical Information and Commercial Listings................................................117 GEIKIE GORGE NATIONAL PARK...................................................................118 WOLFE CREEK CRATER NATIONAL PARK..................................................120 Getting There......................................................................................................121 Camping.............................................................................................................121 THE TANAMI ROAD...........................................................................................122 HALLS CREEK.....................................................................................................125 Getting There......................................................................................................125 Things to See and Do.........................................................................................126 Practical Information and Commercial Listings................................................127 THE DUNCAN ROAD..........................................................................................128 Things to See/Places to Camp............................................................................129 BUNGLE BUNGLE-PURNULULU NATIONAL PARK....................................131 Best Time to Visit...............................................................................................132 Getting There......................................................................................................133 Visitor Information.............................................................................................135 Walks and Sights................................................................................................137 Suggested Itineraries..........................................................................................139 WARMUN.............................................................................................................142

DOON DOON........................................................................................................143 KUNUNURRA.......................................................................................................144 Getting There......................................................................................................144 Getting Around...................................................................................................145 Things to See and Do.........................................................................................146 Practical Information and Commercial Listings................................................152 WYNDHAM..........................................................................................................158 Getting There......................................................................................................159 Things to See and Do.........................................................................................160 Attractions near Wyndham.................................................................................161 Practical Information and Commercial Listings................................................162 LAKE ARGYLE....................................................................................................164 KEEP RIVER NATIONAL PARK........................................................................166 Part IV: The Gibb River Road................................................................................168 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?.............................................................................169 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...........................................................................169 ATTRACTIONS ON THE GIBB RIVER ROAD.................................................175 Overview: Gorges, Gorges and more Gorges....................................................175 From Derby to Kununurra along the Gibb.........................................................176 KALUMBURU ROAD AND MITCHELL PLATEAU........................................196 Drysdale River Station.......................................................................................196 Mitchell Plateau (Mitchell Falls)........................................................................198 Kalumburu..........................................................................................................204 SERVICES ALONG THE ROUTES.....................................................................208 Appendix:..................................................................................................................211 USEFUL CONTACTS...........................................................................................211

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

FOREWORD

S

o you want to visit us here at "Australia's last frontier", and you wonder how to best go about it all. What there is to see and do, how much time you'll need, how much money, if the time you chose is a good one and if you're driving skills are up to it. The time and money you have available will impose restrictions on your schedule. Ideally what you see and what you skip should be decided by your interests and NOT by the amount of information that's available. I like to think that you made a huge step in the right direction by buying this book. This guide goes well beyond the normal Australia guide books. Even guide books focusing on Western Australia only devote one thin chapter to the Kimberley: the information the authors gathered on research trips, being tourists themselves. It IS after all a very remote place and the information is NOT easy to come by. I have lived in the Kimberley on and off since 1994 and permanently since 1998. I know the place from the inside. And to some extent, so will you, after reading the guide. This book also goes well beyond the information you find on other tourism websites, which are generally restricted to the main sights and to sales of tours and accommodation. I'm not involved in the tourism industry in any way. I have nothing to gain by pushing any tour packages, accommodations or agents. If I recommend someone or something then I do so because I feel strongly about it and because I have personally experienced the quality of the service I'm talking about. I also don't accept any of those freebies that most of the travel writing world revolves around. You know the deal: the writer gets free accommodation and meals and tours, and in return talks up the business. I love bushcamping, and will choose a private campsite over four or five star accommodation any day. When I do stay in accommodation, my hosts won't know who I am. I may let them know after, especially if I really fall in love with a place, but all my writing is based on what I experienced when I arrived, often as a dirty and smelly camper. (And next time I visit, I will again sneak in undetected, by letting my travel companion complete the check in formalities. It can be done.) So you see, I am fiercely independent. I do not feel obliged to write to further anyone's business interests. My only commitment is to you, my readers. You trusted me enough to buy this book, and in return I offer you the most honest and accurate and comprehensive advice I can give. I hope it will serve you as well as it served several thousand before you!

8 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

A note about the structure of this guide: If you have read the Kimberley Pocket Guide then you will already be familiar with several chapters of “Part II: General Information” . However, the section also contains many additional chapters, about history, geology, the flora and fauna and about the ecological threats the Kimberley region faces today. Of course there is also a loooong chapter about driving in the Kimberley with tips for water crossings, for tyre pressures and similar. I also suggest you carefully read some of the chapters at the end of Part II: • If you plan a wet season/early dry season trip read up on Ross River Virus. • If you plan to swim in the ocean in Broome read about Irukandji. • Everyone should read about our crocodiles, and if it’s just to understand why most people do not need to worry about them. “Part III: The Guide” and “Part IV: The Gibb River Road” are the meat of this book. They contain everything you need to know to make this a fabulous trip. Yes, you do have the necessary driving skills, so go make the most of it!

9 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

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his guide is written in e-book format. You may be familiar with e-books, in which case you can skip this section and dive straight into the book. But for those of you who are not familiar with e-books, here are a few tips:

First of all, if you haven't saved it to your hard drive yet, look in the top left corner, where you see a disk icon or it says “Save a copy”. Click it, browse to your desktop and click save. Now you can open the e-book from your desktop and read it on your screen any time you like. Or you can print it out and read it like any other book. A travel guide that you can’t take with you would not be of much use, would it? The book also has some features that are designed to be used from your computer. And while you are still in the planning stage of your trip this can be very handy. For example, you will come across links in this book. Some of them work just like links on the Web. They take you to webpages with more information. You will recognize such “external” links because they are always written with the www in front of them. Like this: www.kimberleyaustralia.com Other links are internal links. They take you to a different part of the book. The links in the Table of Contents (TOC) on the previous page are internal links. Clicking on them takes you straight to that chapter. Try it. And last but not least there are all the links that tell you in one way or other that you can email someone, or links that are email addresses. They will automatically open your email editor so you can send an email to that address. Navigation You have many options to get around this book. You can just scroll up and down, with your mouse or with the scroll bar on the right side of the screen. You can use the little arrows (at the top or bottom of the screen, depending on your version of Adobe Acrobat). You can use the jump links in the TOC. And, if you remember the page number you want to go to, you can type that at the top or bottom of the screen where you see the page numbers. Play around with everything a bit and see what you find most comfortable. You can also adjust the size of the text by using the plus and minus sign at the top of your screen, or by changing the percentage number that’s displayed between the plus and minus sign. And if none of this makes you feel comfortable while reading, just print the darn thing!

10 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

GLOSSARY – AUSSIE SLANG This page is for non-Australian readers. Some of our expressions and abbreviations might be unfamiliar to you. They are explained here, some even have a German translation. I just kept adding things as I was writing, whenever I stumbled across something that I thought you might not know. Anything missing? Still confused? Just shoot me an email so I can add it. BBQ: barbecues can be wood or gas fired. Gas barbecues at campgrounds or other tourist facilities are often coin operated. If you want to make use of the cooking facilities at the many Kimberley campgrounds you better have some change handy and learn how to cook on a BBQ plate. Billabong: a permanent waterhole that remains when a river or creek dries up during the dry season. BYO: stands for "bring your own" and means you take your own alcohol to a restaurant. Makes eating out much more affordable! Cattle station: see station below Corrugations: ridges and dints on the surface of unsealed roads that make them look like corrugated iron. They shake your bones apart and make the car disintegrate when driving on them... (Wellblechpiste) Esky: cooler, ice box, chilly bin (Kühltasche) Homestead: the heart of a station (see below). This is where the managers live, but on a large station it's more like the centre of a little village, with all the sheds and workers accommodation etc. surrounding it. Licensed: allowed to serve or sell alcohol. You can’t buy alcohol at any supermarket, service station or kiosk, as you can in many European countries. Alcohol sales are very strictly regulated in Australia. Rock cairn: a small pile of rocks, used to mark a path in the wilderness (Steinmanndl) Station: huge expanse of land where cattle is farmed. In the US it would be called a ranch (and be tiny by comparison). Swag: a bed roll, a whole bed inside a canvas cover that can be rolled up to take with you. Much better than a sleeping bag, unless you want to do an overnight hike… Thongs: flip flops (Badeschlappen)

And now, let’s finally get to the book…

11 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

Part I: Introduction and Overview

T

he Kimberley plateau covers the north west corner of the Australian continent. It is a wild and still largely untouched land of sweeping plains and huge tidal rivers, rugged ranges and dramatic gorges, as far away from all the Australian population centres as possible without dropping of the edge of the continent. The Kimberley is 421,450 sq km (162,680 sq miles) in size, about a sixth of Western Australia. On an Australia map the Kimberley looks small, but make no mistake. You are looking at a region that is over three times the size of England, bigger than Germany, larger than Victoria and Tasmania together, or comparable to California. But people are few and far between. Estimates put our numbers in the region of 38,000. And there is only one sealed road, the Great Northern Highway, skirting this area along the southern edge. It connects Broome on the west coast with Kununurra on the eastern border. Those two towns are the main entry points and “bases” for tourists. The third major town in the Kimberley is 220 km north of Broome. Derby is the starting point for the only other main road in the Kimberley: the famous Gibb River Road. This unsealed road runs somewhat parallel to the highway, but cuts right through the red, wild heart of the Kimberley ranges. Sometimes little choice is a good thing. Having only two roads can greatly simplify the planning of a trip. Drive up one road and back down the other... Let’s do that, starting in Broome.

12 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part I: Introduction and Overview

A Quick Round Trip Broome on the west coast is the biggest town in the Kimberley and well connected to the rest of Australia by air and by road. Most Kimberley travellers either start or wrap up their trip in Broome. Some do both. Broome markets itself as a tropical beach destination with exotic flair. Cable Beach with its 22 km of pure white sands is world famous and the turquoise Indian Ocean and red pindan soils and cliffs are of course a photographer's dream. The exotic flair stems from Broome's colourful past as the world's pearling capital and the resulting mix of races and nationalities that make up today’s population. Broome is a good place to relax and acclimatise after a long flight before starting your adventure and also a place to enjoy a bit of comfort and luxury after a camping trip across the Kimberley. The Dampier Peninsula north of Broome is a 4WD only destination. On your way up to beautiful Cape Leveque you pass deserted beaches, fantastic fishing spots and several Aboriginal communities that welcome travellers. Anybody who wants to get away from tourism as usual and hopes to get under the skin of the Kimberley should spend some time on the Peninsula. Once you leave the Broome area and follow the highway north you get to Derby, a major regional administration centre and a very friendly, welcoming town. If you found Broome a bit too hectic and busy (and during peak season it is) you will breathe a sigh of relief when reaching Derby. Though only 200 km from Broome and also located on the coast, Derby is definitely not a beach destination. 13 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

What you find here are huge tidal mud flats, mangrove swamps and lots of crocodiles. But if you have some time you can jump on a scenic flight or a boat cruise to the Buccaneer Archipelago, a group of 800 to 1000 of the world’s remotest islands. However, for most tourists Derby is simply the place for last minute preparations and to fuel up and stock up the 4WD for a Gibb River Road trip. The Gibb River Road starts just outside Derby. 2WDs can come along for the first part of the trip. The first turn off from the Gibb River Road takes travellers to the Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge national parks. If you want to see all of the Gibb River Road then you will do this as a detour and you have to backtrack. 2WDers, however, just continue on this side road until it joins the Great Northern Highway where they turn east towards Fitzroy Crossing, or west back to Broome. (If this sounds confusing have another look at the map.) The Gibb River Road has miles and miles of exactly what you expect from the Kimberley: colourful, sweeping landscapes, steep ranges, lushly vegetated gorges, enticing rock pools and waterfalls, tidal rivers, cattle stations, road trains... And lots of dust and corrugations! Hiking, swimming, camping and four wheel driving are the main activities. Plus marvelling at the views and the grandness of nature, the wilderness, wildlife and the friendliness of the people who live out here. The most publicised attractions in order from west to east are Bell Gorge, Galvans Gorge, Manning Gorge and El Questro/Emma Gorge. But there are many, many more not so well known gorges and waterholes along detours on rougher tracks–so bring a sense of adventure. The awe-inspiring Mitchell Falls require a detour to the north (and several extra days). So, too, does a trip to the remote Aboriginal community Kalumburuon the northern coast (very popular with fishermen). (Note: the access track to the Mitchell Falls is not a gazetted road. Read the fine print of your car hire contract regarding this. Some hire companies don’t allow you to travel such roads, so if you do you void any insurance cover. Other companies may not allow it in their standard agrement but will give written permission when asked.) The much photographed Pentecost River Crossing, a major obstacle to many an early season Gibb River Road trip, is located between the turn off to the Mitchell Falls and El Questro Station. El Questro is the last big attraction along the Gibb River Road. At the end of the Gibb River Road you can turn left/north to visit the historic port town Wyndham. Turn right/south and you get to Kununurra. Kununurra is the main hub of the East Kimberley and home to the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. It's lush and green and tropical, thanks to Lake Argyle–a massive dam only 70 km from Kununurra by road. The East Kimberley is a lot more scenic than the flat Broome area. There is a heck of a lot of water here and a heck of a lot to do! (If for some reason you have to skip the Gibb River Road then you may want to allow more time for the East Kimberley around Kununurra. Kununurra gives you access to the actual Kimberley plateau and ranges, so you can still experience what the Kimberley is all about.) 14 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part I: Introduction and Overview

Many swimming holes and waterfalls are in the immediate area. The Ord River is great for boating and canoeing and the big tidal rivers keep our fishermen busy. There is a reason why there is a boat in every yard in town. A visit to Lake Argyle is a must and is best combined with a boat trip on the Ord River, all the way down to Lake Kununurra. Mirima National Park, a “Mini Bungle Bungle”, is only 2 km out of town. Keep River National Park is only a short hop across the Northern Territory (NT) border, which is only 30 km from Kununurra. This is the eastern end of the Kimberley. From Kununurra you either continue your trip into the NT, towards Katherine and Darwin, (following my new guide “Destination Top End”, which I released in January 2010), or you head back towards Broome. You can visit the famous Bungle Bungle National Park on a return trip from Kununurra (self driving or as part of a tour), or you visit it on the way, when travelling between Broome and Kununurra along the Great Northern Highway. A visit to the Bungles requires a 4WD. (Scenic flights are available from Kununurra.) Not far from the Bungles turn off is the small town Halls Creek which, in itself, is nothing to write home about. However, several gorges and other sights along the Duncan Road are worth a quick detour. Wolfe Creek Crater National Park can be accessed via the Tanami Road, which starts not far from Halls Creek. That trip is a slightly bigger detour. Following the highway the next settlement is Fitzroy Crossing. There you find the Geikie Gorge National Park, the only Kimberley National Park with a sealed access road. Well, and that's pretty much it. Leave Fitzroy Crossing, head further west, and when you see signs of civilization again it means you are back in Broome. This was the quick round trip to give you an idea where the big things are located and some sense of orientation. Of course there are other possibilities for routes and schedules and a lot more things to see and do. We'll get to that.

15 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

HISTORY

T

he Kimberley, known as “The Last Frontier”, was in fact almost certainly the first region of Australia to be seen by man. The early ancestors of the Aboriginal people had to sail all of 70 to 80 km across the straits from SouthEast Asia.

Charting the Coast Greek, Roman and Chinese legends also mention a great southern land. A Chinese navigator may have reached Darwin as early as 1405 and the Macassans paid extended visits to our northern coast on an annual basis, long before the first Europeans set eye on the continent. The first European to sail and chart much of the Kimberley coast was the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman in 1644. The first Englishman to visit was William Dampier in 1688. His trip in the Cygnet was very short, probably not least because he was very unimpressed with what he found. He made another trip, on the HMS Roebuck, in 1699, commissioned by the Admiralty to chart the north-west coast. But he remained equally disgusted and left just north of King Sound to head for Timor. Nicolas Baudin’s expeditions (1800 – 1804) left us with names like Cape Leveque and Gantheume Point, but the Frenchman never approached the coast. In 1818 the Admiralty dispatched another man, Phillip Parker King on the HMS Mermaid, again in the hope to chart the virtually unknown coast. Alas, he initially bypassed the Kimberley to concentrate his efforts on the North West cape and Arnhem Land. He did, however, make three more trips in the following three years, discovering, naming and sketching many places: the Cambridge Gulf and Mount Cockburn, Cape Londonderry, the Admiralty Gulf, the prince Regent River and falls, the Buccaneer Archipelago and King Sound. Careening Bay marks the place where the Mermaid was damaged in a storm during his third visit in 1820. He undertook the fourth and final voyage in 1821 on the Bathurst. The next ship of note is Darwin’s HMS Beagle, under the command of Captain Wickham and Lieutenant Stokes. The party named the Fitzroy River (and many other places) where a tidal surge nearly wiped them out.

Settlers Arrive The very first settlers were attracted by the rich amounts of pearl shell found in Roebuck Bay (the location of Broome today). In the 1860s boats were already using Roebuck Bay as a base and Aborigines were rounded up and forced to work for skippers. The first actual settlement was the 1864 attempt at establishing a sheep station in the area. It failed and was abandoned in 1867. Another failed attempt in the same year was the arrival of 110 settlers with 4700 sheep at Camden Harbour, a rocky patch of dirt on the salty Glenelg River. They lasted six months. Alexander Forrest is the man who finally changed things. A trip, starting on April 22, 1879, took him through good cattle country to the Fitzroy River, across the Oscar and 16 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part I: Introduction and Overview

Leopold ranges, north of Halls Creek and onwards to find and name the Ord River, and finally on to Darwin. His glowing reports resulted in a mad rush and soon settlers, sheep and cows were arriving from everywhere. Millions of hectares along the Fitzroy River were under lease within a few years. (This is still the area where you find the Kimberley’s great cattle properties.) Progress further north and east was slower. Nat Buchanan took up Ord River Station in 1884 and then several more along a route that today is the Buchanan Highway. But the main family to shape the east Kimberley were the Duracks, who brought a huge mob of cattle across from Queensland in an epic two year drive, culminating in the establishment of the famed Argyle Downs Homestead, in a location that is now at the bottom of Lake Argyle. Argyle Downs, Ivanhoe, Dunham and Lissadell are just some of the stations they established, during a reign that lasted over 100 years. The great story of the opening up of the East Kimberley is still very much alive in the great books by Mary Durack: “Kings in Grass Castles” and “Sons in the Saddle”.

Gold! Gold was officially first found in the area in 1885, but in 1887 Charley Hall and Jack Slattery discovered the main field in Halls Creek. This caused another mad rush and men were WALKING to Halls Creek from Derby or the new port of Wyndham. The ports of course, boomed; but the boom did not last long: by 1888 it was over already.

Opening up the North The first explorer to successfully cross the King Leopold Range was Frank Hann in 1898. Boabs emblazoned with the letters FH can be found throughout the area. He discovered and named many places that Kimberley travellers come to see today: he found the excellent cattle country that became Mt. House Station, the Adcock River and Bell Creek, the Manning River, Barnett Creek and Mt Barnett, Charnley River and Mt Elizabeth... all names that you will come across again when reading about the Gibb River Road. The man to open up the area was WA Chief Inspecting Surveyor Fred Brockman. In a 1901 expedition that lasted from early May until late November he covered the country starting from Wyndham, via the Cockburn range, the Pentecost, Chamberlain and Hann Rivers to the Prince Regent River, discovering and naming the King Edward River in September. After further exploration of the coastal areas to the west he followed the Drysdale River back south and eventually reached his starting point on the Pentecost from where he made it back to Wyndham. Like Hann before him he was amazed by the country he had seen. (And so are travellers today!) Thinking of explorers we often think back a hundred years or more. However, the last great exploration team to chart still unknown Kimberley regions, namely the area to the north of the Gibb River and Karunjie Stations to Kalumburu Mission on the coast, left Wyndham in 1954. On horse back!

17 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Destination Kimberley - www.KimberleyAustralia.com

Civilization struggles to get a foothold For many, many years nothing much changed in the Kimberley. Glowing reports brought hopeful settlers which met with the hardships of a rugged country with extreme seasons, unfriendly native inhabitants, the tyranny of distances, heat, fires, floods, tropical diseases… Cattle stations and Aboriginal Missions were isolated and scattered through the huge country, people numbered in the hundreds to low thousands, most of them located in Broome. The Great Depression did not help and WWII disrupted what was left of the little that had been achieved until then.

Recent History Things continued to happen slowly, if anything happened at all, until the 80s. After being bombed in WWII and then seeing the pearling industry destroyed by the advance of the plastic button, Broome was reborn as a world leading producer of cultured pearls and, in the last fifteen years, an increasingly popular tourist destination. (The latter applies to all of the Kimberley.) The idea to dam the Ord River was first brought up in 1941, the main Argyle Dam was finished in 1973. That set the stage for development around Kununurra, a town founded only in the 60s. Kununurra started growing and booming in earnest only in the last ten to fifteen years. The Kimberley is VERY rich in resources like minerals, diamonds, gas and oil, but mining of them also only commenced in the 70s and 80s. Mining, too, is an area that only just started to boom in the most recent years, due to the increased demand. The road connecting Broome and Kununurra was finally fully sealed in 1988. Though several new bridges were built in the last five years the highway is still not wet season proof. Access to some Kimberley towns can still get interrupted during each wet season. Civilization did win out in the end. The Kimberley towns, especially the bigger ones, are modern and lively towns and you can feel that a lot of money is being made in the area. Our wild and rough reputation describes a Kimberley that existed ten to fifteen years ago. It is mind blowing how fast things have changed. But you can also feel that all this is the result of very recent developments and you don’t have to go far to find the Kimberley that the real explorers and adventurers saw. You can still get the sense of the raw and powerful wilderness. There is a lot of it and it is as captivating as ever. Alas, these days you can leave the horses in the paddock and get there in your airconditioned four wheel drive. Yes, even if you’ve never driven one before.

18 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part I: Introduction and Overview

GEOLOGY

T

he complex geology of the Kimberley is the result of a turbulent history. Volcanic eruptions, extinctions, ice ages, a tropical ocean with coral reefs… The Kimberley, a region older than imagination, has seen it all.

The oldest Proterozoic rocks were formed between 2500 and 1800 million years ago. One major event was the collision of two fairly stable chunks of the earth’s crust: the Kimberley “craton” and the North Australian craton, during which massive mountain ranges were lifted up. Torrential rains washed rocks and silt from the many thousand metre high mountains, depositing them on the plains below. Magma and lava spills and intrusions occurred over vast areas, different materials poured over different regions at different times. Evidence of the Proterozoic rocks can be found in the ancient mountain ranges that flank the main Kimberley Plateau, like the King Leopold Range. Schists, quartzites and metamorphosed sandstone are found on the fringes of the plateau between Halls Creek and Fitzroy and in the flat topped Carr Boyd ranges to the west. Erosion, tilting and folding, as well as varying sea levels and kilometre thick ice sheets have changed and sculpted the landforms you see today. In the northern Kimberley the ancient plateau has been dissected by rivers like the Charnley, Drysdale, Mitchell, Prince Regent and others that cut deep gorges and waterfalls in the sandstone and volcanic rocks. The limestone, mudstone and basalt of the Ord River headwaters area is younger (500 to 600 million years), though most of the basalt has eroded and created large grassland areas. One of the best known geological features is the limestone of the Devonian Reef, a massive, horseshoe shaped barrier reef system that existed 350 to 375 million years ago, when most of the Kimberley was at the bottom of a warm shallow sea. The Napier range is a left over from those days. The reef extended north from there along the margins of the Canning Basin, then turned east to follow the coast and curled back towards the current coast line near Kununurra (well over 1000 km all up). That’s why smaller Devonian limestone outcrops can also be found north of Kununurra. The Lennard and Fitzroy Rivers cut through the limestone of the Napier Range and formed Windjana and Geikie Gorge. The sand country is younger still. The Permian “Cockatoo Sands” near Kununurra are 250 million years old. The red brown Pindan, characterizing the area from Broome to close to the Fitzroy River, is underlaid by Jurassic sediments, only 150 million years old. The result of it all? A country of contrasts: white beaches and turquoise waters fringe rich pindan plains, harsh desert country covers the interior. Tropical thickets, raging waterfalls and huge canyons and gorges characterise the central plateau and all of those can be found within kilometres of each other. The plateau in particular is of a raw and rugged beauty that belies its fragility. The ancient, skeletal soils and the vulnerable sandstones and limestones are extremely prone to erosion, both by nature and man. 19 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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FAUNA

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he animal life in the Kimberley is varied, but this may not be immediately obvious to the traveller. If you are just looking for big mammals you won’t find much. At least not much native wildlife…

Mammals In fact, many of the most obvious wild animals you will come across are feral escapees that don’t belong here: stray horses and cattle, wild donkeys, camels, pigs, buffaloes and cats all do a lot of damage, as they do in other parts of Australia. The dingo is a special case. The dingo arrived so long ago that it is regarded as native. Dingos are common but are unfortunately viewed as a pest by many, hunted as such, and as a result are shy and not seen all that often. Most of our native animals are found in other parts of Australia as well, especially across the north and in the Northern Territory. We do have nine species of kangaroos/wallabies. You may occasionally see a big red on the southern edges of the Kimberley, but most of the hoppers you see during your drives will be either Agile Wallabies (also called Kimberley Wallaby) or Antelopine Wallabies. If lucky you may also spot some of the smaller rock wallaby species while hiking rocky slopes or in the cliffs of the gorges. The smaller mammals that call the Kimberley home are harder to see. There is a range of “rats” which are not related to rats at all but are also marsupials. But being of rat size and on top of that often nocturnal, they are difficult to spot. Other rarely seen mammals include the Dunnart, the Marsupial Mole and the Bilby. Echidnas (Spiny Anteaters) can be found all over the Kimberley, although they are not seen all that often. Bandicoots and Quolls are still fairly common, though again not very visible.

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Part I: Introduction and Overview

Reptiles and Amphibians

Agitated Frilled Lizard, Blue Tongue Lizard, sun basking Water Monitor and huge Sand Goanna.

Our most famous native animal would have to be the saltwater crocodile. Don’t miss out on visiting one of the crocodile farms, either in Broome or in Wyndham, to get a close look at those massive ancient creatures. After joining a feeding tour you may think twice about swimming ANYWHERE here. (For more information on saltwater and freshwater crocodiles see the website: www.kimberleyaustralia.com/kimberley-crocodiles.html.) One reptile species you are almost guaranteed to see is the goanna or monitor lizard. The most common out of the nine species in the Kimberly are the large Gould’s or Sand Goanna that you often see crossing roads, and the Mitchell’s Water Monitor, often found sunning itself on rocks and logs at creeks, gorges and water holes. Of our 28 dragon lizards the Frilled Lizard is the most famous. It’s also very common. You will most likely see it sitting on the road. This tree dwelling lizard is very well camouflaged and hard to spot in the bush. Blue tongue lizards (of the skink family) can be found in gardens and plantations and any other areas with moist soft ground and lots of leaf litter etc. All of the above lizards are most active during the wet season and harder to find during the cool dry season. The geckos that you find in houses are mostly of an introduced species, the Asian House Gecko, but many native geckos can still be found in the bush. The introduced geckos don’t seem to like the bush much. A native species that has also adapted very well to living in houses, mostly bathrooms and toilets, is the always smiling and always relaxed Green Tree Frog. Yes, we also have snakes in the Kimberley. The most common are the venomous King Brown or Mulga snake (which actually belongs to the black snake family and is easy to recognise by its large, dark rimmed scales), the huge Olive Python (can grow to over 5 metres), the beautiful Black-headed Python, the small Children’s Python and the Common Tree Snake. All those latter species are non-venomous and completely harmless, but especially the bigger ones can still bite if you annoy them! So better just leave them alone. If you see something that looks like a snake head, sticking out of the water of a slow flowing creek or a billabong, it is likely a Snake-necked Turtle, a very common freshwater turtle. If you see a turtle on the coast you are most likely looking at a Green Turtle. This is the most common sea turtle in the Kimberley, but all six Australian sea turtles can be found on our coast. 21 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Birds

Black Cockatoo, Pink Galah, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher and Pied Butcherbird

Over 300 species of birds can be found in the Kimberley and it’s hard to know where to begin. Generally overseas visitors are most interested in the colourful parrots and cockatoos. Red-winged parrots, Rainbow Lorikeets, Pink Galahs, Northern Rosellas, as well as the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and the magnificent huge Black Cockatoos are all plentiful. Conspicuous large birds are the beautiful Jabiru, Australia’s only stork, and the Brolgas, which often congregate in very large flocks. Also found near water are herons, egrets, ibises and bitterns as well as a range of geese and ducks. Magpie Geese and Whistling Ducks are the most common and the characteristic voice of the ducks can often be heard at billabongs. What else are you likely to see? The iridescent Rainbow Bee-eaters are acrobatic hunters and the large Bowerbirds are clowns. (Don’t leave any keys, coins, jewellery or similar lying around if you see Bowerbirds!) Just as funny to watch are the large family groups of energetic and always busy and noisy Silver-crowned Babblers. Blue-winged Kookaburras often make a huge racket in the evenings. If you hear a beautiful deep warbling instead, look for the glossy black head of the Pied Butcherbird. The most distinctive member of the pigeon family is the Spinifex Pigeon, but we have many other doves and pigeons as well. There is also a huge variety of finches, wrens, honeyeaters… in short, we have lots of everything. ALL Australian species of birds of prey have been recorded in the Kimberley. Consider that the Australian Atlas of Birds lists 760 species and that over 300 of those can be found here, in this one small corner, and you will rest assured that the birdlife will not disappoint. The wetlands of Lake Argyle, Lake Kununurra and the now permanent flow of the lower Ord River are a haven for birds and the area is accessible and easy to explore. Parry Creek Nature Reserve near Wyndham is another birder highlight in the same area. Other good areas are the Point Spring Nature Reserve north of Kununurra and the rainforest pockets on the Mitchell Plateau. And last but not least there is of course the world’s top shorebird and wader location: the Broome Bird Observatory on Roebuck Bay.

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Part I: Introduction and Overview

FLORA

I

f there is any region in Australia that is immediately associated with one single plant species, any Australian plant that may as well stand for a region, then it is the boab tree of the Kimberley.

The massive bulk of those ancient giants, topped by twisted skeletal branches, the endless variety of shapes that seems to give each of the trees its own unique personality, their silhouettes against the horizon, those are among the most enduring images in the memory of any Kimberley traveller. The Australian boab tree (Adansonia gregorii) is related to the Madagascan and African Adansonia species known as baobabs. There are two theories about how boabs arrived in Australia. One says the seeds have floated here from Africa and spread from the coast. The other theory suggests boabs might have survived from the time when Africa and Australia were both still part of one continent, the ancient Gondwana, 65 million years ago. A mature boab tree is a sight to behold. Though not exceptionally high, up to 15 metres, they appear huge. The name bottle tree relates to the swollen trunk that can reach a massive girth of up to 20 metres. But it takes many hundred if not thousand years to grow one of those impressive specimens. Boab trees are deciduous; they drop all their leaves during the dry season. Since the dry season is the main tourist season most travellers only get to see the grey brown skeletons. The Kimberley has other plant species. Over 2000 are known so far and new species are still being discovered among the smaller plants and the less accessible regions and pockets of rainforest. About 350 of the species are endemic to the Kimberley region. The most noticeable plants after the boabs are – as in the rest of Australia – the Eucalypts and Acacias (gum trees and wattles). Some Eucalypts that you may be able to identify are the Northern Salmon Gum (bright salmon bark weathering to white), the Snappy Gum with its pure white bark, the Woolybutt (white bark on the branches and a “wooly” rough brown bark covering the trunk), the Silver Box, which can look as if all covered in silver if viewed from a rise, and the tall, straight Darwin Stringybark, the most common tree in the woodlands and remarkable for being so unremarkable. A gum with a patchy, reddish shedding bark likely belongs to one of the many Bloodwood species and huge heart shaped leaves and a white trunk identify a Cabbage Gum. Those are just some of the most common of the over 50 species of Eucalypts at home in the Kimberley. The twice as many Acacia species are more difficult to tell apart, unless you catch them when they flower, usually bright yellow, early in the dry season. The flowers are tiny, appear as somewhat fluffy balls or elongated shapes, and the trees or shrubs are often totally covered in them. The generally short lived wattles are legumes, pioneers and soil improvers. You find them in large numbers in areas where the soil has been disturbed. Unfortunately you also find many wattle species that were introduced from other parts of Australia. Those prickly invaders can form dense thickets, preventing stock and native animal from accessing water.

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An easy to identify species is the Paperbark (Melaleuca). The bark peels off in thick, fluffy sheets, reminiscent of many sheets of paper. Paperbarks occur in swampy areas and along water courses, usually as nearly pure stands. Birds, insects and fruit bats love the rich nectar of the flowers and the sweet smell is strong near waterholes. Grevilleas are small, shrubby trees. They display unusual and intricate flowers from May to July, so many travellers get to see them. The Kimberley also has several native fig species. Many of them have edible fruit (though not particularly palatable). You find them along watercourses, creek banks and clinging to cliffs near waterfalls and in gorges. Palms are not the first thing you associate with the Kimberley, unless you think of the Mitchell Plateau. Five species of palm occur in the Kimberley, all of the genus Livistona. Usually they appear only in small pockets. But on the Mitchell Plateau L. eastonii totally dominates the landscape. The Bungle Bungle range has its own fan palm, L. victoriae, which is common in the area, but not found anywhere else. The Pandanus or Screw Palm is a pretty looking tall plant, common along watercourses and growing over 5 metres tall. It has a slender, sometimes branching stem and up to 2 m long leaves spirally arranged at the top. It is less pretty to make contact with it as the serrated leaves have very sharp spines! The large reddish fruit breaks into segments when ripe and can be made edible by roasting. You will probably notice some other plants because of their characteristic flowers: Very low shrubs that seem to throw a yellow blanket over the landscape are usually Cassias. The Kapok tree carries bright yellow, five petaled flowers on its totally bare branches. The flowers develop into large pods that burst open to reveal the fluffy, cottony interior. Calytrix is also called Kimberley Heather. Like heather it is absolutely covered in masses of tiny, pinkish mauve flowers, but rather than being a ground cover the shrub can grow to 4 m. The Pink Mulla Mulla can be found in all parts of Australia. The large, distinctive and numerous flower spikes of the low perennial are a pretty sight on rocky slopes, gravelly road sides and sand dunes.

ECOLOGICAL THREATS

S

upposedly the Kimberley is pristine, untouched, the world’s largest true wilderness. In reality there are probably few areas within the Kimberley that have not been influenced by man in some way or other. And that’s without taking into account any effects of global warming. If you prefer to maintain the illusion of an untouched wilderness and to enjoy it in blissful oblivion of the problems we are facing, then skip this chapter. It is not a happy one, but I don’t like to turn a blind eye. Humans affect the Kimberley in many ways, directly and indirectly. Direct influences can be seen everywhere we live. Land is cleared, roads are built, rivers are dammed, rubbish is dumped and so on.

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Part I: Introduction and Overview

Extensive cattle grazing, combined with the damage that cattle do to the fragile soils just by wandering around, has led to serious erosion problems. Cattle also change the species distribution by eating what they like best, leaving unpalatable plants behind, which soon dominate the landscape. Once the balance is upset it’s easy for introduced weeds to get a foothold. Many introduced weeds grow much more vigorously than local plants and outcompete and displace the native vegetation. Once the plant balance is upset it will upset the life cycle of animals that depend on those plant communities for food, shelter or breeding. The problems are most obvious in the lowlands along the Ord and Fitzroy Rivers in the south and east. This is the centre of the Kimberley cattle industry and also where the cattle industry started. Large areas are badly eroded and it’s impossible to overlook the weed problem. Once weeds have gained a foot hold they spread. If the seeds have spikes and burrs then animals spread them. If the seed is encapsulated in fruit flesh then the birds spread them. Wet season floods spread seeds downstream. Then you have vehicles and tourists helping along, too, by transporting seeds and soil on their cars, their clothes and their hiking boots. It quickly becomes impossible to contain any infestation. Noogoora Burr was one of the earliest and worst infestations that led to big areas along the Ord and Fitzroy being quarantined, but today there are dozens of exotics that have joined Noogoora Burr. Some of them were introduced accidentally but many were brought in deliberately: as good cattle feed, as possible agricultural crops, as garden plants. Introduced animals are just as destructive. Wild donkeys, horses, camels, buffaloes and pigs have already been mentioned. Few overseas visitors are aware that cats are a serious threat and plague. The numbers of feral cats are exploding across all of Australia. This are not your cute little pussy cats any more. Our feral cats are large, vicious, supremely adaptable and highly efficient killers. Our native birds and lizards are no match for them. Another potential disaster is knocking on our doors, coming in from the east. The highly poisonous cane toad is continuing its unstoppable march across northern Australia and has already reached the eastern parts of the Kimberley. Any native animals that prey on frogs and toads are at risk. Freshwater crocodile and goanna populations have plummeted or disappeared wherever the cane toad became established in the Northern Territory. Now emergency programs are under way to relocate vulnerable species like the Northern Quoll to offshore islands in the hope to save them from extinction. The rare pygmy crocodile probably won’t be so lucky. It has disappeared from its location in Arnhem Land and now the cane toads are about to set up residence in the only other waterhole, on the WA border, where this rare species has been recorded. Only discovered and already lost. Despite the impressive fight that the Kununurra community has put up there is no solution in sight. Some money is being spent in the Kimberley to at least survey and record what we are about to lose, but at this point that seems to be all we can do. The cane toads will become established sooner or later.

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Lake Argyle and the now permanent flow of the lower Ord River have changed the face of the area forever. While the Ramsar protected new wetlands are an attraction and bird paradise in their own right, they are man made and the project brought a host of other problems with it. The nasty open channel system that is used in the Ord River Irrigation Area leads to massive evaporation and seepage, which means rising groundwater levels and salinity. Broad acre crops like melons or pumpkins are flood irrigated, leading to run-off of nutrients and chemicals into the channels, rivers and groundwater. Many fields are bare over the wet, so top soil is washed and blown away. Increased run-off of solids, combined with the lack of the annual wet season flush means the mouth of the tamed and controlled Ord is silting up. So is the main Argyle dam because of erosion due to the clearing and damage from overgrazing in the catchment area. The rest of the coast is also under threat. Illegal fishing and increasing tourism are already upsetting the marine systems and damaging the world class reefs. Reefs that the world does not even know about yet! The Rowley Shoals off Broome are considered the world’s best kept underwater secret.

Industrialisation It keeps getting worse. The Western Australian government is committed to major industrialisation and agricultural development across the whole of the Kimberley. In other words, it is committed to the total destruction of the Kimberley. A Japanese corporation planned to build a gas processing plant on the Marets, a major tidal area in the middle of the main humpback whale calving grounds. Scared off by the outcry, Inpex has since chosen Darwin, but several other companies including Woodside have also submitted proposals to develop the Browse Basin. The WA government had picked James Prices Point on the Dampier Peninsula to build the controversial gas plant and used bullying tactics to force the project through, despite massive protests and less than enthusiastic responses from Woodside's prospective joint venture partners. The Broome community put up a heroic fight, spread the word, the project met resistance from all over the world and eventually Woodside pulled out, but our government hasn't given up yet. “Hell-bent” is too mild a word to describe its attitude towards industrialisation of the Kimberley. The 10 week oil spill disaster in August 2009 on the West Atlas rig off the Kimberley coast was Australia’s worst rig-based oil spill and possibly Australia's worst oil spill ever. 23 million litres of oil spilled into the Timor Sea between August 21 and November 3. It took 74 days to plug the flow temporarily and 3 weeks to tow a repair rig to the site because the company declined the offer of another rig nearby. Then dispersants, toxic chemicals that kill coral spawn, were used in the “cleanup”. That's a procedure that has been criticised by leading scientists. 50 000 square km are estimated to be affected by the spill and oil slicks came within 69 km of the coast. The spill was grossly mishandled and also kept quiet/swept under the carpet. When the Japanese planned to slaughter 50 of the whales for “research” purposes in 2008, the public outcry was massive. While atrocious, the slaughter would not have affected the population which numbers over 10000. A gas plant would affect it and a host of other rare and endangered species. The oil spill already did massive, untold 26 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part I: Introduction and Overview

damage and the Western Australian government is still pushing hard for the unwanted and unwarranted developments to go ahead. Whatever happens, it would be only the first step. The associated infrastructure upgrades would open the door for strip mining for bauxite on the Mitchell Plateau, alumina refineries and coal and uranium mining. The Mitchell Plateau faces total destruction as the government quietly does what it can to enable bauxite mining development on the plateau. Bauxite mining is strip mining. The whole top of the plateau could disappear, and with it the “sponge” that stores the wet season water and keeps the rivers and creeks and falls up there flowing until late into the dry season. It's that sponge that enables the unique ecosystem and the many endemic species in it to exist. We may soon say good bye to the rainforests and to many plant and animal species on the Mitchell Plateau, forever.

Fires Many people here can't imagine camping without a camp fire. A fire is often needed for cooking (take a little gas cooker, duh!) and is just as important to socialise around and spin yarns in the evening. Well, in many areas, especially national parks and conservation areas, fires are not allowed. Period. In other parts of the Kimberley fires may be allowed at times and fire bans may be in place at other times. Part of the reason for the bans is the risk of bush fires. I guarantee that no matter when you visit, you will see bush fires on your travels. The whole Kimberley burns, every year. Most travellers assume these are managed burns or that it is necessary for the country to burn so new seeds can germinate. Nonsense. Very few of those fires are managed, though many have been lit on purpose. Arson is a big problem, but so are fires that are lit accidentally. In short, fires are a big problem, a big threat to the ecological balance of the Kimberley region. As if we needed another one. Yes, this country evolved to burn and many species need fire. But they need it at the right time of the year and certainly not every year. What you see on the horizon is far too much. There is another issue with camp fires. Wood is a somewhat scarce resource here. In some regions it's scarcer than in others and some areas are frequented by more people than others. In many places fires are forbidden to protect this valuable resource. In some places fires are allowed, but you can only burn the provided wood. That ensures that only a limited amount of wood is taken from any area and that it is taken in a sustainable way. Please do keep that in mind, even when fires are allowed. Collect wood where it is plentiful and only use what you really need. Make a campfire, not a bonfire. And ensure you extinguish it properly before moving on. See above. Please observe fire bans. Please stay on the roads and tracks. Please don’t spread weed seeds.

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THE CLIMATE

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he Kimberley is located north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Our tropical monsoon climate is defined by a distinct wet season and dry season. You find this climate across all of Australia's North. There is no spring, summer, autumn and winter. It's either hot and dry or stinking hot and humid/wet. The time from May to October is the dry season, November to April the wet season. The table below shows how the Kimberley seasons relate to the seasons in your part of the world. Northern Hemisphere (eg. US, Europe) Summer Winter

Southern Hemisphere (eg. SE Australia, NZ) Winter Summer

Kimberley Dry Season Wet Season

(This is of course a very broad generalisation. You will find weather details for all months in Part III: General Travel Information.)

The Monsoon Climate The word monsoon was originally used to describe a seasonal wind pattern in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, but the definition has since been broadened. Today the term describes an annual cycle of dramatic weather events in the Asian, African and Australian tropical regions. Actually, only the wet season is dramatic. The dry season is characterised by clear blue skies, easterly winds and warm days with some chilly nights. The weather is very stable and outdoor events can be planned years in advance. It won't rain. Every day is perfect and beautiful. The wet season is a different story. It is hot and humid, sometimes violent and above all unpredictable. During this hotter time of the year the land heats up a lot more than the ocean does. Hot air rises, low pressure systems form and suck in moist air from the oceans. The air cools, moisture condenses and it rains. Simple enough, but impressive to watch in real life!

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Part II: General Travel Information

Part II: General Travel Information GETTING THERE VISA INFORMATION Unless you are an Aussie or a Kiwi (New Zealander) you need a visa to enter Australia. For most tourists the ETA (Electronic Travel Authority, class 601) or eVisitors visa (class 651) replaces the old style paper visa and stamp in the passport. An electronic visa is included if you book a package holiday. It can also be arranged by your travel agent or by your airline if you book your flight directly with them. So usually you don't have to worry about a thing, it's all done for you. This visa allows you to stay in Australia for up to three months. If you want to stay in Australia for longer, or if for some reason you need to arrange your electronic visa yourself, you can find all the necessary information, download application forms, apply online and pay online at the very user friendly website of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs: www.immi.gov.au

FLYING The Kimberley is somewhat out of the way. Most overseas visitors fly into Melbourne or Sydney. Well, unfortunately (or should I say luckily?) we are on the opposite corner of the continent. Qantas offers daily direct flights between Perth and Broome and flies at least weekly between Perth and Kununurra as well as between Brisbane and Broome. (www.qantas.com.au) Air North is a Qantas partner airline and flies between Darwin, Kununurra and Broome and sometimes Kununurra-Perth. (www.airnorth.com.au, code share with Qantas) Skywest has been acquired by Virgin Australia, which means Virgin now flies between Darwin, Kununurra, Derby, Broome, Perth and other Australian cities. (www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/skywest)

No real budget carrier services our neck of the woods. All flights to the Kimberley are expensive. The earlier you book the better your chances to get a good price.

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DRIVING Driving can be a very attractive option for those who have the time. (Car hire details can be found in the chapter Facilities/Costs and in the chapters for individual towns.)

From Darwin: The 860 km trip from Darwin via Katherine to Kununurra is one of the most scenic drives you can do in this country. On the way lie Kakadu and Litchfield National Park, the Katherine Gorge, Gregory National Park and the Keep River National Park. And in between the parks this drive simply has some of the best scenery in all of Australia. You can cover the distance in a single day. Three to five days allow for some stops in the parks. (I recommend Litchfield, Katherine Gorge and Keep River for a shorter trip.) If you want to have a good look around plan for one to two weeks. If you want to really explore the region allow more. (And get Destination Top End.)

From Perth: Driving from Perth is also a possibility, but only recommended for people who have at least four weeks or more available for the whole trip (whole trips means including your time in the Kimberley). You can cover the over 2400 km distance from Perth to Broome in two to three days. Take a week and you'll see a few things. I recommend no less than two weeks to really make it worthwhile to drive all that distance. Here are a few places you will probably want to look at on the way: • • • • • • • •

Pinnacles Desert Kalbarri Monkey Mia Coral Bay Exmouth Karijini National Park Millstream-Chichester National Park Eighty Mile Beach

From Alice Springs: For people coming from central Australia the Tanami Road is an interesting short cut from Alice Springs to Halls Creek (a distance of about 1050 km). You don't need to be a hard core adventurer to cross the Tanami Desert. Any reliable 4WD vehicle is up to the job, no matter how inexperienced the driver. Depending on the road conditions it can, however, at times be a slow and tiring drive. (A chapter with all the necessary information about the Tanami Road is included in this guide.) The alternative is the over 1600 km drive along the highway, via Tennant Creek (Devils Marbles), Mataranka and Katherine to Kununurra. (This area, including the Alice Springs and Uluru region, may be covered in a future guide, Destination Red Centre.)

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Part II: General Travel Information

By Bus: Greyhound operates between Darwin, Kununurra and Broome. To give you an idea what you are in for, here are the driving times: • Broome-Darwin: 23.5 hrs • Broome-Kununurra: 13 hrs • Kununurra-Darwin: 10.5 hrs See their website for current details on prices, passes and specials. (www.greyhound.com.au)

AGRICULTURAL QUARANTINE Many travellers are not aware of our agricultural quarantine until they reach the checkpoint at the Western Australia - Northern Territory border. Only then do they find out what you can and can't bring into the Kimberley. Often it means that a lot of perfectly good fruit and vegetables end up in the border checkpoint rubbish bins. You can not bring fresh fruit, vegetables and some other things into the Kimberley or Western Australia!

Restricted Items • • • • • •

Fresh fruit and vegetables (including your home dried fruit and even used fruit/vegetable containers), honey (bees can get diseases and mites), walnuts, plants, seeds, cut flowers, soil, sand, any used agricultural bags and containers (like potato sacks, wheat bags, chaff bags, fruit and vegetable cartons and styrofoam boxes).

Permitted Items • • • • •

cooked and tinned food, dairy and meat products, frozen fresh food (except for apples, grapes, stone-fruit, paw paw, blueberry, unpeeled mango, onion and potatoes), processed foods (flour, biscuits, fruit cake, dried packet foods, pickles, relishes, jams and fruit juice/cordial), and you can bring your cat or dog without problems.

For more details see www.agric.wa.gov.au/quarantine/quarantine-wa or call 9334 1800.

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Agricultural Quarantine: What exactly is it? Why is it in place? Australia has very strict quarantine laws and regulations. These restrictions don't usually cause problems for the average traveller. Nobody flies into Australia with bags full of soil or fresh produce. It's a different story when people travel around Australia. Backpackers, campers and caravanners are usually self sufficient rather than relying on restaurants and often they carry fresh food stuffs in their vehicles. Well, not only Australia as a whole is worried about travellers importing pests and diseases. Many weeds, pests and diseases that are present on the populated east coast haven't reached Western Australia yet, thanks to the incredible amounts of empty, dry country in between. However, seeds, bugs, their eggs, spores, microbes etc. can of course travel on plants, fruits and vegetables when they are transported. Therefore a lot of those can't be moved between states unless they are treated and certified.

If you fly into WA you have to declare restricted items at the airport or risk big fines. People driving into the Kimberley from the east have to pass the checkpoint on the Victoria Highway between Katherine and Kununurra, about 40 km east of Kununurra. This Kimberley border checkpoint is particularly strict, because not only are you entering Western Australia, you are also entering the Ord River Irrigation Area (the area around Kununurra). The ORIA is a major tropical fruit growing area and it is the only area within Western Australia that is free of damaging Mediterranean fruit flies. The same rules also apply if you approach the ORIA from the west (driving to Kununurra from Broome), though there is no permanent checkpoint, just big signs and disposal bins. You may, however, come across a mobile checkpoint. Fruit flies are not just an inconvenience. Due to our isolation, the long distances to markets and the associated costs, the growers here rely on that fruit fly free status. To lose it would place a huge financial burden on agricultural businesses in the area and would make some of them not viable. So please, don't do what I so often see proudly reported on travel blogs: don't hide your fruit and vegetables to get them through the checkpoint. You may save a few cents, but you may also wipe out someone's livelihood. When you leave Katherine, only take as much fresh food as you will eat before you reach Western Australia and Kununurra. More information: 9334 1800, https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/...

32 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT I get many questions along the lines of, "We plan to go in April/June/September. We really want to see ... but wonder if ... What are your thoughts?" So, here are my thoughts: (Tables with the temperature averages are at the end of this chapter. But averages don't mean much. Our climate is characterised by its extremes.)

April April is the pre-start of the dry season and the pre-start of the tourist season. SOME of the tours that close over the wet season start operating again. SOME of the more out of the way places and accommodations open. For example El Questro station traditionally opens for tourists on April 1. IF possible. You MAY be able to get into the Bungles IF your car (and the driver) can handle deep water. You MAY be able to see parts of the Gibb River Road, but probably you won't be able to drive all the way through. The Pentecost River will likely stop you. On the other hand there is also the chance that the Kimberley will see a late cyclone and that means there is a chance of flooding. Even the highway could get closed for a few days. It's still pretty warm (day temp. can be above 35ºC) and sticky and you need insect repellent to sit outside in the evenings. On the upside, April is definitely a great month for nature enthusiasts and a great month to see the waterfalls and rivers still raging and that IS an awesome sight. The Kimberley is most beautiful during and immediately after the wet. There is no doubt about that. When people ask me, "Will we be able to do this or that?" all I can say is, "I don't know." (See the appendix for where to get detailed information about road conditions.) Every wet season is different and nobody can predict what you will find. April is for people who are adventurous, flexible, can take enough time, and who are willing to take it as it comes and make the most of what they find.

May This is the month when things really kick into gear. All the tourism businesses are operating and most roads are open. However, there is no guarantee that the Gibb River Road will be open. The later in May you arrive, the better your chances. The last roads to open, usually a few weeks after the Gibb River Road opens, are the Kalumburu Road and the track up to the Mitchell Falls. Catching the gorges and waterfalls along the Gibb River Road at their best is a gamble for overseas tourists. You have to book your trip well in advance, yet nobody can predict when the roads will open until a few weeks or even days beforehand. And even then there is no guarantee! 33 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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If you plan to venture off the beaten track make sure you get the latest updates about the state of the road. (See the appendix for where to get detailed information about road conditions.) Downsides: early May can still be warm and sticky. Also, nobody told the mosquitoes that the wet season is over. In my personal opinion May is the best time to see the Kimberley. All the roads open at different times and all the attractions are at their best at different times. You can never see everything at its best. A trip in May offers a good compromise. One word of warning: Broome gets very busy a lot earlier than all other places. Book ahead. Anything you want to do in Broome, accommodation, car hire, tours, book ahead. By the time the season gets under way Broome is already booked solid.

June By mid to late June we start getting into the peak season and everything gets very busy. Most travel agents and tourism mammoths say June to August is the best time. I think that depends what you are looking for. June to August is certainly the time with the most pleasant day temperatures. (But chilly nights!) June is a good time for people who want to make sure they can see all of the Gibb River Road and the Mitchell Plateau and also for people who are very worried about the four wheel driving, but who'd love to see the more out of the way places on their own. (See the appendix for where to get detailed information about road conditions.) You will still find a lot of water in the pools, but by the end of June the smaller falls can already be reduced to a trickle or dry. (Not the Mitchell Falls, though. After a really good wet season they can flow well into September, but of course the flow rate will be less and less.) The dry season is dry. Blue skies and wonderful temperatures are guaranteed every day. At least that's what we all knew and that's what the tourists knew who were out and about along the Gibb River Road, on the Mitchell Plateau and in the Bungles in June 2007. And then it rained. And rained. And rained. It rained on and off for over a week. Not a little stray cloud and a bit of drizzle, but constant, solid, soaking rain that led to extended road closures and had people stranded for many days. The sun did not show at all for over a week, the North-West was under a solid blanket of thick clouds. Huh? If anybody had suggested such a weather event may occur, we would have laughed at them. It still seems impossible that it happened. Seems. The reality is that nothing is impossible any more. Sure, June 2007 was a freak event. Nobody expects anything like that to happen again. But things appear to be changing. The climate is shifting and the wet seasons are becoming even more unpredictable. Oh, and it rained in June in 2008 again. (Though not as much.) It didn't rain seriously in 2009, but there were days when it looked as if it might ... And then there was 2010, when May was as wet as March and it still rained in June! It hasn't gotten any more reliable since. What can I say... When it comes to the end of our wet seasons there are no guarantees, ever.

34 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information

July/August Tourist numbers are peaking from mid June to mid August. School summer holidays in the northern hemisphere overlap with school holidays in Australia. This is a very busy time of the year anywhere in the Kimberley. Yes, it's nice and cool during the days, but it is also getting progressively dry and dusty. Everything is packed. There is a steady procession of caravans trundling along the highway and a similar procession of 4WD campervans on the Gibb River Road. Campgrounds fill up early so if you want a good spot be there early! Book accommodation ahead where possible, definitely book well ahead if you want to hire any vehicle and avoid Broome best as you can. (The second half of August is quieter.) The cooler weather offers the best opportunities to see crocodiles, especially in the mornings. They will be lazing on river banks and logs to warm themselves. Fishermen and -women take note: the colder the rivers the harder it gets to catch barramundi!

September Now it starts to noticeably warm up and the place noticeably clears out. Every year we have a week or two of hot weather in late August/early September. It makes all the Australian winter escapees hitch up their vans, point their vehicles south and head off. But then we usually get several more weeks of reasonable temperatures. (Though it's a gamble regarding when exactly that will be.) September is not a bad time IF you don't mind hot weather. The heat is still very dry and therefore very bearable. The nights are still reasonably cool and camping is great. No bugs and you don't freeze your bum off. Late in September the longer hikes during the day can become strenuous and especially among the rocks of the Bungle Bungle range you will feel the heat!

October This is the very last month of the tourist season and there aren't many people around. Some businesses start to shut their doors, depending on their location and offerings. It will get hot and hotter, even a bit humid, and you will see the first storm clouds piling up on the horizon. There may be the odd downpour bringing welcome relief, but don't count on it. The countryside is all brown and even the big waterholes are now stagnant and smelly, if not totally dry. If you plan to go camping take into account that the nights can be stifling. Long drives in cars without air-conditioning become unbearable. Plan any walks for the early morning hours, go for a swim in the afternoon if possible, (or do your driving then if you have air-con). One reader asked me if I think he's crazy planning a camping trip for October. Well, I can't call him crazy. My first visit to the Kimberley was in October and I fell in love with the place and stayed. So if you think you can handle the heat... The best way to deal with the heat is to be active (within reason), to drink lots and to not think about it. We just ignore it. You can do the same. Upsides: From my point of view... I can drive to the supermarket or post office and park near the door. Just like that! 35 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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November By November everything looks parched and burned and everybody is looking towards the sky. When will it rain? Some years the rain comes early, some years you think it will never happen. The tourist season is definitely over. Most tourism businesses have closed and it's just too hot to even think about doing anything. Camping is no fun in this weather. Afternoon showers can cool things down for a few hours, but gradually the Kimberley just turns into one big sauna. The first roads get closed. In my opinion it's the worst month for a visit to the Kimberley. That doesn't mean you can't do anything while you're here. (See below.) But if you can somehow plan things differently, I would... The only upside: it’s mango season!

December to March: the Wet Season If your only chance to come here would be during the wet season, does it make sense to visit the Kimberley during that time of the year? Or is it madness? I think it makes sense. Many locals consider the wet season the best time of the year and so do I. But it is important to understand that a wet season visit is a totally different experience from what you see advertised for the average Kimberley holiday. Depending on what you are looking for it may not make sense for you. And it is important to understand just how unpredictable the wet season is! We can't predict when it starts. We've had years with freak early storms in September, we've had years where it hardly rained at all until March. November/December most rain falls in form of thunderstorms in the evenings, over night into the early mornings. (If it rains at all...) The country is very dry and can absorb staggering amounts of water. Flooding is very unlikely. It's an uncomfortable time of the year, stinking hot, but at least you won't get stuck. The highway should be open. Unsealed roads, however, will mostly be closed. The thunderstorms are an awe-inspiring experience. The purple and green clouds pile up on the horizon, roll in, the temperature drops, with the first clap of thunder the wind starts to howl and then the tension of the whole day releases in a sudden deluge... ankle deep water rushing down the roads within minutes... The spectacle is followed by a lightning show on the horizon that lasts for hours and a deafening frog concert that lasts all night. Christmas, New Year and early January our towns look like ghost towns. NOTHING is open, except for the supermarket, post office and pub. And those are empty. This is when EVERYBODY goes on their well deserved holiday. For most business owners it's the only time of the year they can afford to take a big break. January to March can be very wet and the temperatures drop. Cyclones are always a possibility. In between cyclones it can be sunny and hot for weeks. If a cyclone or tropical low pressure trough comes through you may experience up to a week of low, grey skies and non stop rain. 36 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information

Only the coastal towns need to worry about the destructive winds, but the rain and floods reach far inland. The highway ALWAYS floods and gets cut off at some stage. But we can't tell you ahead when, where, or for how long. If you have to be somewhere at a certain date, fly. Don't plan to drive across the Kimberley unless you can afford to be a week late. The humidity is extreme. The dishes in the cupboard look as if they haven't been dried, the clothes that you don't wear smell stale, we use Exit Mould for deodorant and wardrobe desiccators are the hottest selling item. As far as sightseeing goes, there are still many things you can do here. Broome will be humid but at least there will be some room to breathe. You may be able to get to Cape Leveque. (Fly, if you need to.) At Cape Leveque you can even swim in the ocean. (You can't in Broome, because it’s stinger (jellyfish) season.) Scenic flights along the northern coast are spectacular! The falls are at their best in the wet and many are only visible from the air. You may be able to get into Windjana Gorge or Geikie Gorge. There are scenic flights over the Bungles, river cruises or canoe trips on the Ord in Kununurra and lots of smaller waterfalls and swimming holes that don't even exist during the dry. The land is lush and green and fresh and clean. You can watch things grow and all the wildlife is frantically mating and breeding. Granted, you can't go far, but you don't have to. There are rock pools and waterfalls absolutely everywhere and the barramundi are biting like crazy. To visit during the wet season you need to take time, you need to be willing to put up with the inconveniences, and you need to have a real appreciation for nature. Not so much for nature as a pretty back drop, but for nature as a force, a powerful and humbling life force that pulsates through the whole place.

(See the appendix for where to get detailed weather forecasts and information about road conditions and closures.)

37 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Average Temperatures in the Kimberley Averages are only a rough guideline. The daily maximum/minimum can easily be ten or more degrees above/below the average. Also, humidity adds another dimension. Broome might be cooler in summer, but that does not mean it’s more comfortable. All the temperatures in the table are in degrees Celsius. The west coast (Broome), the south (Halls Creek) and the eastern border (Kununurra): Broome average daily max average night min

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

33.3 32.9 33.9 34.3 31.5 29.2 28.8 30.3 31.7 32.8 33.5 33.8 26.3 25.9 25.4 22.5 18.2 15.3 13.6 15.0 18.4 22.3 25.0 26.4

Halls Creek Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec average 36.4 35.3 35.1 33.3 30.0 27.2 27.3 30.3 34.1 37.0 38.2 37.7 daily max average 24.3 23.8 22.9 20.5 17.1 13.9 13.1 15.6 19.5 22.9 24.6 24.8 nightly min Kununurra Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec average 36.2 35.6 35.4 35.3 32.9 30.3 30.6 34.0 36.3 38.3 38.6 38.0 daily max average 25.0 24.9 24.2 21.7 19.1 15.9 15.2 17.9 21.2 23.9 25.5 25.7 nightly min The Gibb River Road (Mt Elizabeth Station) and the far north (Mitchell Plateau): Mt Elizabeth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec average 33.1 32.3 32.2 32.4 30.1 28.0 28.4 30.4 34.1 36.1 36.3 34.0 daily max average 22.0 21.8 20.3 16.9 12.2 9.0 8.0 9.4 14.9 19.5 21.8 22.3 nightly min Mitchell Pl. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec average 32.5 32.1 32.7 33.2 31.7 29.6 30.1 32.5 34.5 35.7 36.0 34.5 daily max average 22.8 22.6 21.9 18.6 14.8 11.2 9.7 12.7 16.4 20.0 22.3 23.0 nightly min

38 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information

ITINERARY PLANNING How much time should you take? How much time do you need to see everything? How much is enough? It's not uncommon for Australians to escape to Broome for a long weekend. You can find some amazing packages during the off season. If all you want to do is relax on the beaches, slurp some cocktails and enjoy a stroll while gazing at the most amazing sunsets this planet has to offer... Go for it. Better to recharge the batteries for three days than not at all. Five days give you a chance to have a good look around the Broome area and enjoy a night or two at Cape Leveque. An alternative is to combine a Broome stay and a round trip to Derby, Tunnel Creek & Windjana Gorge (one night), Geikie Gorge/Fitzroy Crossing and back to Broome. Make it seven nights and combine all of the above. Or add one more night and see at least Bell Gorge on the Gibb River Road. For a trip from Broome to Kununurra on the highway, taking in Derby, the above parks and the Bungle Bungle, you should take a minimum of four to five nights (one or two in the Bungles). This does not include any time spent in Broome or Kununurra. 2WDrivers have to skip the Bungles, so you only need two to three nights. For a trip from Derby to Kununurra along the Gibb River Road, again including Tunnel Creek and Windjana, but without the Mitchell Plateau, I recommend a minimum of four nights. To include the Mitchell Plateau add at least another two. Of course, you can drive from Broome/Derby to Kununurra in a single day, both on the highway or via the Gibb River Road. But you won't see anything. The suggested times give you time to see the main attractions. Quickly. You will need more if you want to enjoy some time camping and exploring, or get off the beaten track.. For Gibb River Road adventurers who want to see the Bungles but who are not returning to the starting point of their trip: allow two nights for a round trip from Kununurra to the Bungles and back, or all you do is driving. Add a third night and use the Duncan Road for one leg, instead of backtracking on the highway. You can see Kununurra in a day. Add a day each for an excursion to Wyndham, Lake Argyle or Emma Gorge/El Questro. From Kununurra you can drive to Darwin in a single day if you are in a hurry, or in a week, taking in all the national parks on the way. (Keep River, Gregory, Katherine Gorge, Litchfield and Kakadu.) The above times are the minimum I recommend for the individual areas. Mix and match as required. You can get through faster, but then you have to start skipping things. Sometimes that's the only option. To see "everything", or rather to see all the main attractions as covered in this guide, I suggest a minimum stay of three weeks. Four weeks to include some sightseeing on the way to Darwin. If you have more time, all the better! (For more detail, see the Kimberley and Gibb River Road itinerary companion booklet that was included as a bonus download.) 39 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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GETTING AROUND PUBLIC TRANSPORT Public transport is a possibility, but certainly not the most attractive option to see a remote wilderness region. Having said that, thousands of backpackers and budget travellers arrive in the Kimberley each year and they get around just fine. Greyhound was already mentioned in a previous chapter. Their service stops at all towns. If you need to get off in between (say you made an arrangement with someone from a cattle station to pick you up) let the driver know. Usually they pull up for you. Unfortunately they have dropped their service between Perth and Broome and these days only service Broome – Darwin.

TOURS If you don't have your own transport, or if you have a 2WD, or if you are towing a caravan, then you can see the less accessible places by joining a tour. There is quite a selection available, especially out of Broome and Kununurra. You can pick from half day, full day and several day tours, or do the whole Kimberley as an organised trip. There are bus tours and 4WD tours, cruises and flights, canoe trips and hikes, Aboriginal culture and bush tucker tours, and some tours combine several of the above. Listings and contact details for all tour operators are in the destination chapters. If you want help choosing or booking tours contact the Kimberley Tourist Information Centres. The chapter called More Information lists contact details for all of them. They have the most up to date information on what tours are available and will be happy to help you find just the right one. Tip: if you contact them during the off season, that is before May and after September, they will have more time for you.

SELF DRIVING The best way to see the Kimberley is to have your own wheels, period.

Car Hire Many people will hire a car or campervan for the whole trip. Car hire and fuel are the biggest cost factors of a Kimberley trip (after international flights for overseas travellers). That’s why car hire is covered in more detail in the chapter Facilities/Costs.

40 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

2WD or 4WD? If you plan to explore the Gibb River Road you need a 4WD. If you plan to drive into the Bungles you need a 4WD. You also need a 4WD to drive to Cape Leveque north of Broome. If you plan to skip the Gibb and to fly into the Bungles, to Cape Leveque and over the Wolfe Creek crater, if you are not interested in exploring any little used bush tracks to less famous waterfalls or great fishing or camping spots, then you don't need a 4WD. The remaining (few) tourist attractions are usually accessible by 2WD, even if some of the roads are unsealed. (E.g. the road to Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge.) During the dry season some people even take 2WDs across the Gibb River Road. (Mad and risky, but not impossible.) However, if you are hiring a vehicle you can't access any of those places by 2WD. Hire companies do not allow 2WD vehicles to be taken off road. (Also always read the fine print of any 4WD hire agreement regarding roads that may be excluded.) If you are travelling around Australia in a 2WD you have the option to hire a 4WD for just a day or two, for example to drive to Cape Leveque or into the Bungles or to explore the Kununurra area or El Questro or whatever takes your fancy.

Caravans and Camper Trailers You can't take dual axle or standard caravans and trailers into the Bungles, period. It's not allowed so don't try. Only single axle, dedicated off road/heavy duty vans and trailers are allowed. You shouldn't take standard caravans along the Gibb River Road. Very sturdy, dedicated off-road vans can be ok, provided you don't mind them getting knocked around a bit. Depending on the make of van and on the road conditions at the time, it may suffer though. The emphasis is on sturdy. Off-road camper trailers are fine, provided they are sturdy, (designed for a tough life, not just “off-road” by name, as some are) and that you drive slowly and carefully. If you are towing you can store your caravan or trailer in Broome, Derby or Kununurra (for a Gibb River Road trip), in Warmun or at the start of the Spring Creek Track (to visit the Bungles) and at Drysdale Station on the Kalumburu Road or at the King Edward River Camp (to visit the Mitchell Plateau). See the relevant chapters and the campground listings in the town accommodation sections for more details.

How Much Experience Do You Need? If you plan to skip the Gibb and to fly into the Bungles, solely because you think you are not up to the four wheel driving, think again! Please. Provided the roads are dry and creeks are low – and during the main tourist season they are – you don't need any experience and you won't be doing any four wheel driving. Not on the Gibb River Road and not in the Bungles. All you do need is the high clearance and tough tyres and suspension of a four wheel drive vehicle because of the rocks and holes on the roads, the corrugations and the bumpy creek crossings. The Kimberley is touted as a remote wilderness and real challenge, but the place isn't exactly deserted. During the tourist season it's actually very busy. You can't get away from people here! As long as you stick to the tracks you will never be alone. 41 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Don't miss out on a wonderful trip because someone told you nonsense about how dangerous it is! People who give that kind of advice have either never been here, or they were here fifteen years ago (it was a bit wilder then), or they stand to earn money if you book a tour or scenic flight instead. Driving in the Kimberley is not hard (a lot more on that below). The car does the work. You just turn the steering wheel in the right direction and accelerate and brake as required. There may be some side tracks that you decide to skip, but do not skip all of the Kimberley by limiting yourself to sealed roads. (You will find all necessary details about the individual roads and tracks in the destination chapters.) Having said all that, the wet season is a different story. But the issue of river and creek crossings is addressed below as well.

Crossovers, Softroaders and All Wheel Drives These days there are so many different AWDs, "softroaders" and other "toy" 4WDs out there, it makes your head spin. Which of them are suitable to "tour the Kimberley"? This question comes up in some form or other quite regularly. There is no hard and fast answer. It all depends what exactly you want to do, on the time of the year, and on the driver. Someone who has grown up in country Australia and started driving old paddock bombs around the bush at age 16 will be able to go nearly anywhere in a 2WD. But he'll probably also know how to fix things if something goes wrong! You can "travel the Kimberley" in any vehicle. But the kind of vehicle determines what you can see and do, where the limits are. Because the conditions of our roads change so much from year to year and over a season, it is impossibe to say exactly which models will go how far. If you have a high clearance 4WD like a Landcruiser or a Patrol (hire 4WDs and 4WD campervans usually are high clearance), then you can access all the places I write about during the dry season, and it doesn't matter if you ever sat in a 4WD before or not. There are also many smaller 4WDs that are not as expensive to run but have good clearance and low range gears and are well up to the challenge. Hiluxes, Rodeos, Pathfinders are examples and there are many more. It gets trickier when you get to the fashionable All Wheel Drives and crossover models. If you have such a low vehicle, then you have to wait a bit longer into the season for the rivers to drop further. You also have to pay a lot more attention to the road. The lower the car, the more careful you have to be, especially at all the creek crossings. The less clearance you have, the more experience you need. You need to be able to judge if the underside of your car will clear an obstacle. When necessary, you need to be able to put your wheels exactly where you want them, i.e. on the high parts of the road, not into the ruts and holes. You also need to understand that your tyres and suspension are weaker and more vulnerable as those on the "real" 4WDs. Your car was not designed for this terrain. It's amazing how far you can take those cars, IF you know what you're doing, and IF you are willing to drive slowly and carefully enough. But AWDs and crossovers are certainly not the ideal car for this terrain, and many of them you probably would not want to take into the Bungles or up onto the Mitchell Plateau, no matter what the time of the year. 42 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

My road classification system The quality of our roads depends on two main factors: when it was last graded and your personal perception. To call roads "good" or "bad" can be misleading. It all depends on your views, your background and experience, and on the timing. I remember one particular trip that we made in several cars. Two local cars, one car load of visitors. During a break I commented to my local friend what an excellent job the shire had done on that road, how good it was now and how well it had held up over the wet season. The visitor from down south heard that comment and exclaimed, "Are you kidding? This is the worst road we've ever been on! It's shocking!" Yep, perceptions vary. I also remember two reader letters I once received, in the same week. One man criticized my description of the Cape Leveque Road as rough as totally misleading and said it ought to be listed as excellent. The other letter mentioned that it was the worst road the people had ever been on. (And those guys had been around and across Australia a few times...) It turned out the shire had graded the road before the other fellow got to it... Yep, road conditions also vary.

So, to make sure we understand each other, here is my personal classification system:

Excellent When I call a road excellent it means that although it is unsealed it is suitable for high speed cruising (up to and above 100 kph). The surface is smooth, there are no pot holes or washouts or sandy bog holes etc. Creek crossings are often reinforced with concrete. Caravans and trailers are fine. Examples are the Duncan Road and the southern half of the Tanami Road (once they've been fixed up after the wet and before they've become totally knackered out again). However, you may encounter places where you have to slow down, like creek crossings, or after rain you may come across damaged parts, so be vigilant. Also keep in mind that a lot of cattle country is unfenced and that wildlife is plentiful. I never drive that fast on the dirt, even though many of our roads would allow it.

Good Roads with a more uneven surface, slightly rocky or corrugated, allowing you to drive at 50 to 80 kph. Caravans and or trailers may or may not be fine. It depends how sturdy they are, the distance, and how fast you drive. It's not the most comfortable ride, but other than that there are no problems whatsoever, you just have to slow down a bit. 2WD vehicles will also get through. Most of the Gibb River Road itself is an excellent to good road, though it can vary over the length of it and over the year. (The western half is usually in better shape than the eastern parts.) The side roads off the Gibb River Road, which take you to the attractions, are not always so good, plus there are of course the river and creek crossings, hence the recommendation of a 4WD for the Gibb River Road. 43 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Rough A rough road in my books is one where I can't use fourth gear. If I am stuck with using first and second only then it's very rough. But this is still not difficult! You just need to make sure that you allow enough time for the trip. Anybody can drive these roads and any off road camper trailer is fine. The real off road vans should be ok in most cases, too. But this is where flimsy standard trailers and caravans are definitely not recommended. They can not withstand the knocks and vibrations coming from the corrugations and rocks and may very well just disintegrate on you. Vans may have trouble clearing steep creek banks. AWDs may come up against their limits, 2WD vehicles are also unsuitable. Usually you need more clearance. Some side roads of the Gibb River Road are rough, the track into Purnululu is another example. The Gibb itself can also get rough in parts when it's due for grading or if it's been damaged after unseasonal rains.

Experience required This means you may need the low range gears or the actual 4WD of your car, or that you have to cross water deeper than 500 mm (for which you should engage low range 4WD). You don't really need to have much experience, but you do need to know how to engage the low range gears and the four wheel drive and how much water your car can handle. As long as you make sure the 4WD hire man shows and explains all that you will be fine. Those tracks require confidence and common sense more than actual skill or experience. Just take it easy. An example may be parts of the road to the Mitchell Plateau, especially early in the season, though most of it is just rough to very rough. Another example is the road into Purnululu in the first few weeks of the season (mainly because of the many creek crossings) or even the Gibb River Road when it first opens. As soon as they dry out and the rivers and creeks drop those two are just rough or even good.

Challenging Real 4WD tracks that may involve rock hopping, deep soft sand, boggy mud... If you never sat in a 4WD before then only attempt this in a convoy with more experienced drivers. None of the roads to the usual Kimberley destinations are challenging.

Summary Most roads and tracks combine several of the above or fall somewhere in between. Generally the worst case scenario is that you have to drive a lot slower than you would like to. The main point to take away is this: You can do this!

44 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

DRIVING IN THE KIMBERLEY If you go on a self driving holiday in the Kimberley (I hope you will, that's the single best way to see the place) then you will spend a lot of your time driving. Hence this is a fairly long and in depth chapter. These issues are important to every stage of your trip.

SEALED ROADS General Advice Did I just write that as plural? Sealed roads? I'm afraid we have only one. Ok, that's not entirely accurate. Only one sealed road traverses the Kimberley from east to west. However, Broome and Derby on the west coast are also connected by a sealed road and so are Wyndham and Kununurra in the East Kimberley. Those roads are excellent, there are plenty of services and roadhouses along the way, there is nothing to worry about. The distances are big, though not quite as big as in other parts of Australia. Still, fatigue can become a problem on long stretches. Have frequent breaks, swap drivers, don't just push on. Also make sure your car is in good nick (this includes your spare tyre!). Parts and repairs are expensive here. The further from the few towns you are, the more expensive everything is. Not to mention that you may have to wait for parts. (Especially if your car is some exotic breed, i.e. not a Toyota. Yep, up here anything besides Toyota qualifies as exotic.) In some areas of the Kimberley you still find one lane bridges. Signs will let you know when you approach one. There are no rules regarding who has the right of way. Be courteous. Slow down, watch for oncoming traffic and if needed stop and wait.

Animals Driving at dusk and dawn is particularly risky. All of the Kimberley is cattle country and we are blessed with a staggering amount of wildlife. Cattle wander out on the road and so do kangaroos. And big lizards. And wallabies. Even crocodiles. Then we have donkeys, camels, wild horses, pigs, buffaloes... You name it, on our roads you can hit it. Avoid driving at dusk or dawn. It's better to just stop for breakfast or dinner. If you see kangaroos, wallabies, cows... anything, slow down! Even if they don't seem to head in your direction, they have a terrible habit of turning around in the last second to dive straight under your wheels. And if you see one or two there is likely to be a third and more. I guess I should also mention the locusts (a kind of grasshopper). We get big swarms of them at the beginning of the dry season. They clog up your radiator and that can overheat your engine. If you encounter locust swarms keep a close eye on the engine temperature. Stop every now and then to scrape the locust glue off your radiator grill. 45 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Road Trains Road trains inhabit the Kimberley and roam even the remotest regions! A road train is a huge truck with three or more trailers. It may be over 50 metres long and can weigh up to nearly 200 tonnes! 200 tonnes moving at considerable speed aren't going to stop in a hurry. A road train can't even slow down or change direction in a hurry, so don't expect them to or you'll end up in trouble and guess who'll win? The drivers of the big trucks are the most courteous, considerate and responsible of all drivers in Australia. The bigger the rig, the more courteous, considerate and responsible the driver. They have a hard and often lonely job and carry a big responsibility, so don't make their life more difficult than it needs to be: • •

• • •

Never ever cut in front of a big truck. Not at traffic lights, roundabouts, turn offs, not on the highway, nowhere. They need a lot of room to slow down and stop and they need all the space available if they need to turn. The sign saying, "Do not overtake turning vehicle", means just that. Don’t! If a driver indicates he wants to turn left he will most likely move right first. He needs the extra space to turn. And there are many blind spots around a truck that size! Always give them plenty of space. On the highway stick to the left of your lane, because they will take up at least the full width of theirs. If you need to stop somewhere for any reason move away from the road if possible. If a road train is about to overtake you don't slow down until the road train has fully moved over to the other lane! If you overtake a road train make sure you have a LOT of room ahead. Don't underestimate the time it takes to pass one of those beasts.

The Wet Season, Water Crossings If you are driving through the Kimberley in the wet season the roads might be flooded. The wettest months with the biggest chances of floods are January to March. That does not mean you won't see water on the road in December or April! Until it actually rains nobody can predict if, when and where you may find water on the road. Every wet season is dramatically different and 50 km can make a huge difference to the amount of rain that falls. If you know that it rained a lot recently, drive accordingly. Keep this story in mind, it appeared in our local newspaper: A reader described driving back from Katherine to Kununurra and noticing a small sign at the side of the road, just before a bend: "Slow Down, Traffic Hazard Ahead!" Good thing he did slow down, he said. Just around the bend he skidded to a halt and his jaw dropped. There was the Victoria River, eight meters above the bridge and a kilometre wide! Yup, a bit of a hazard there. (And he would have known about it if he’d checked the road reports like he should have.)

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

A floodway usually has markers at the side of the road indicating the depth. Look for them in the dry season and try to imagine the country under water. Hard to imagine, isn't it? If you're not sure how deep it is, get out of your car and check. Still not sure if your car will make it? Don't go! Small creeks rise and fall very quickly, in an hour or two you might be able to continue your journey without risking to lose your car. But also be prepared to find roads closed and to wait for a few days. Yes, even the main highway gets cut off at times. It's a common thing to happen during the wet season. Find out what the situation is before leaving for a long drive. How much water can you drive through? A few rules of thumb: • If the water flows too strongly for you to walk across then it is not safe to drive across. Strong flow is more of a hazard than depth. • A water depth of no more than 50cm is recommended for 4WD vehicles. • A water depth of no more than 20cm is recommended for 2WD vehicles. With the right vehicle you can cross water a lot deeper than that, but you should know your car and you should know what you are doing. The above rules of thumb are a guideline for inexperienced drivers.

UNSEALED ROADS How to not get stuck, not get lost, not get bogged and generally have a blast. Lets talk about the biggest concern of many overseas travellers, the 4WDing in such a remote and rugged area. I already touched on this in a previous chapter: many of our unsealed roads are well maintained gravel roads. Often a 4WD is not strictly necessary, though usually it is recommended. The 4WD transmission comes in handy at times, but those moments are rare. What you do need is the high clearance, the big tyres and the overall sturdy build. 4WD vehicles can better withstand the knocks and the rattling of the corrugations. Common sense comes in handy, but for none of the trips described in the guide do you need previous experience or special skills. (It will be exciting and look difficult in your photos, but it isn't.) My general recommendation is this: if at all possible at your budget, get a 4WD. In this part of the world it's worth it. But don't worry about your skill or experience level. The car will do the work. Just make sure someone shows you how to engage the low range gears and the actual 4WD.

47 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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I'm sure you want to avoid a scenario like that of the couple from the Netherlands who got bogged in Litchfield National Park (not exactly a deserted part of Australia). They activated an emergency beacon (for life threatening situations only!) which of course caused a huge rescue operation. The rescuers arrived, engaged the four wheel drive and drove the car out of the bog.

If you have 4WD you should use it. Engaging the 4WD is not a bad idea on dirt roads, even if not strictly necessary. It increases stability and traction and with that it increases your safety. Don't underestimate the difference it makes! The reason so many people get into trouble on our roads is not the difficult four wheel driving (of which there is none), it's the same as on sealed roads: speeding! You do not have the same traction on gravel that you have on bitumen, and if you drive too fast and then run into an obstacle (an unexpected corner or wash out, push bike drivers who don't leave a tell tale dust cloud so you only see them at the last moment), if you need to brake hard or swerve suddenly, you have a MUCH better chance of staying in control if your 4WD is engaged. Driving too fast and then coming up against something unexpected is what causes the far too frequent accidents and rollovers on the Gibb. So engage the 4WD and slow down. 4WD is also gentler on the roads and the environment. The power is distributed more evenly and the wheels are less likely to churn up the road surface. If you are early in the season, find out what depth of water the car can handle, as this can vary. (The height of the air intake, the weight of the vehicle, whether it has a snorkel or not and other things all play a role). People do not get into trouble on our tracks for lack of 4WDing skills. The reason for nearly all accidents and most technical trouble is speeding. Go slow and you will be fine. Anywhere. More about this later.

Caveats Unsealed roads are vulnerable. Rain can cause wash outs, creeks can flood the road and bog holes can remain long after. A lot of traffic can lead to bad corrugations, especially towards the end of the season. The rattling is hard on your bones and hard on your car. Conditions can change. In this part of the world they change often because of the big wet seasons we get. Especially at the start of the dry season, just after a road has opened and before it has been fully graded and fixed, the conditions may be much worse than given in the guide. Also, the rivers may still be very deep (up to 900 mm)! If you are very early in the season you need to get information locally at the time. Nobody can predict today what you will find after the next wet season.

Useful Contacts You can get the necessary updates by contacting the Main Roads department, the shires, the local police station or the local visitor centre. You can also ask at remote roadhouses and sometimes you may have to ring the homestead of the cattle station that owns the country you are crossing. If necessary, such contact details are provided in the destination chapters. (Also see the Appendix for more Useful Contacts.) 48 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

Remember, the water damage is only a concern during and just after the wet. As soon as the roads are dry enough they get fixed and graded and then they are in mint condition. Well, until they deteriorate with use over the season (that means corrugations). If it gets real bad and enough people complain, and if there is money to spare, then a road gets graded again during the season. So there is always a lot of variation regarding the possible speed and your comfort level. Also keep those variations in mind when towing caravans or trailers. They may be fine some times and disintegrate at others. If unsure about any roads or tracks, always get current information about it before you head down that way. Again: the contact details you need to do so are in the destination chapters and in the Appendix Useful Contacts. Overall the roads are improving every year and more and more roads are even being sealed. Most Kimberley guides make the Kimberley sound a lot rougher than it is. If you want to go truly off the beaten track be sure to find out about the present state of the roads first. (The tracks where this is essential have such a comment in the guide. There aren't many and very few tourists will ever venture that far.) If getting off the beaten track, then of course all the usual common sense rules apply. To start with make sure you have proper directions and a very detailed and current map of the area. Let someone know where you are going and when you intend to be back. Consider taking a sat phone and/or EPIRB. If possible, don't go it alone. The best way to avoid trouble is to find some other vehicle to accompany you.

Speed Driving in the Kimberley gives distances a different meaning. When planning the outline of your trip it's best to assume an average travel speed of no more than 60kph on the main unsealed roads. On a good stretch of road you will most likely go faster, but 60 kph takes the rough parts into account. On a bad road it will be a lot less than that. Planning for no more than 60 kph on the good roads gives you plenty of breathing space for photo stops etc. If you know the road is in bad condition, allow more time. Budget three hours for the track into the Bungles, and three hours or even more for the track up to the Mitchell Plateau. Hopefully you won't need it, but it's better to have a buffer than not and then find the track in an awful state. If you are not used to driving on unsealed roads and tracks go slow! It is true that corrugations aren't felt as badly if you go fast enough. But keep in mind how little contact your wheels have with the road if you just fly over the top of the corrugations. You will have precious little control over your car and you might just need it. Think about your springs and shock absorbers, too. Spares are hard to come by in the middle of nowhere. If you can't SAFELY drive at 85 kph over bad corrugations (best speed to soften the corrugations, but rarely if ever safe), then you need to slow down a LOT to prevent your car/trailer from shaking apart. Another thing to keep in mind is that a big 4WD has a much higher centre of gravity. If you have a loaded roof rack on top of it you want to please slow down around corners! If you do have a roof rack then it makes sense to NOT carry heavy items like full jerry cans up there. Keep the centre of gravity as low as possible. It is safer and the car will handle much better. 49 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Another hazard made worse by speed is the danger coming from sharp edged rocks on the road. The Gibb River Road in particular is famous for chewing tyres. The faster you drive, the bigger the risk to have one of your tyres cut open.

Off Road Tyre Pressures The numbers below are not the result of my experience. The pressures are recommended by Adam Plate. Adam and Lynnie Plate own the famous “Pink Roadhouse” on the Oodnadatta Track in South Australia. After thirty years of fixing tyres on anything from pushbikes to road trains, I think you can safely say Adam knows what he is talking about.

How to use this information I am not suggesting that you must run your tyres at exactly those pressures. There are differences between tyre types, sizes, load ratings… Most people won’t know what tyres exactly their hire vehicle has anyway. So don’t worry about hitting some single ideal pressure. The road surfaces vary, too. Use the numbers below as a guideline. What I mostly want you to understand is that the ideal tyre pressure on dirt roads is lower than on bitumen, lower than most people think and lower than a lot of people who should know better suggest. (There is also the added benefit that it makes the ride a lot smoother.) Try puncturing a balloon at low pressure and you understand why. So, to reduce the risk of tyre damage on the Gibb River Road: reduce the tyre pressure, reduce your load if possible and most importantly, reduce your speed! People may argue about pressures, but everybody agrees high speed increases the risk of tyre damage. 60 kph is a reasonable speed for most of the Gibb River Road. (The eastern half of the road is rougher than the west.) You can go faster, but you will increase the risk of tyre failure, especially on the rocky sections. Take it easy and you will get away with higher pressures. Does that mean at lower pressures you can go faster? Unfortunately not. Low tyre pressure combined with high speed is a recipe for a rollover. An unexpected dip, a hole in the road, a sudden swerve or corner… Keep an eye on the road and adjust the speed to the conditions. No matter which way you look at it, you can’t go wrong by going slow. Take your time and you and your tyres will be just fine. Regarding the load: put nothing on the roof (ok, as little and as light as possible) and put the heavy gear in the middle of the car to take pressure off the back wheels. It does make sense to have 4WD engaged on dirt roads, whether you need it or not. It’s a safety issue. It increases the stability and improves the handling of your vehicle. It also protects the roads and tracks. (Numbers below from www.biziworks.com.au/pink)

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

Big, loaded 4WDs 15 inch tubeless tyres: front 20 psi – back 26 psi (without load: front/back 24 psi) 16-17 inch tubeless: front 24 psi – back 30 psi 4WD campers (no split rims) 15 inch tubed & tubeless: front 20 psi – back 26 psi 16 inch tubed & tubeless: front 26 psi – back 36 psi Tubed split rims (the most unreliable tyre type but common on many hire vehicles!) Front 30 psi – back 36 psi (Even if you have no clue about your tyre make or size, on the Gibb you should not have more than that in any 4WD tyres.)

All too confusing and difficult? Adam also has a simple rule of thumb: if you leave the bitumen, drop the recommended pressure by 10 psi. So if the recommendation for your hired 4WD campervan is 45 psi, drop it to 35 when you get to the Gibb River Road. (Beware the many hire companies OVERinflate tyres ABOVE the recommended pressure to decrease the wear on bitumen.) As long as you drive at low speeds, and especially for bad conditions, if in doubt, go lower. If you are not sure about your load and about how much difference there should be between the front and back wheels, just look at them. The bulge on the front and back wheels should be equal. Don't forget that trailers have tyres, too. Reduce the pressure in those as well! If you are travelling at high speeds, check the temperature of your tyres. If they get too hot they need more air. Do not forget to reinflate the tyres when you get back on the bitumen. They get awfully hot when underinflated! If for some reason you have to travel on bitumen with underinflated tyres, go slow. As you see, there is no hazard that can’t be eliminated by taking it nice and slow.

Cattle and Cattle Stations Everything I said about animals in the previous section for sealed roads applies even more so on unsealed roads. All of the Kimberley is cattle country and the land along unsealed roads is often unfenced. Both cattle and wildlife love to wander out on the roads, especially at dusk and dawn. Those are the most dangerous times for driving, it's best to have a break instead. Not all the roads marked on your map are public roads. Some are private. The fact that many Kimberley roads lead through cattle stations means that once you turn off any main road/track you are on private land and are actually trespassing. Find out beforehand if you are allowed to drive to a certain waterfall located on a sidetrack. All it usually takes is a phone call to the station owner/manager to get permission. They like to know who is on their land, just like you'd like to know who is poking around your backyard. (Nearly everything covered in this guide is publicly accessible. If not then I do tell you who you need to ask first and give contact details.) 51 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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One more thing about driving through stations: you will come across many gates. They are there for a reason! Leave all gates as you found them. If they are open, leave them open. They may be open to allow the stock access to water. And if you found them closed make sure you close them again!

Creek Crossings Everything I said above for water crossings applies to unsealed roads as well, with the added hazard of possible submerged logs, rocks or holes that you can’t see. If you are not sure what to expect, get out of the car and check first. (Unless it is crocodile habitat! Don’t worry, the destination chapters tell you where you need to be aware of crocodiles.) Having said that, this is only an issue very early in the season and or on the little known tracks. Once the roads are open and the tourists are out in force you can assume that all crossings are in reasonable condition. Talk to travellers going the opposite direction and talk to the people in the roadhouses and at the stations. They will let you know if there is anything unexpected that you need to be aware of.

Road Closures Roads get closed when they are wet. You are not a hero if you ignore the closed sign to prove your superior driving skills. WE KNOW YOU CAN STILL GET THROUGH, BUT YOU RUIN THE ROAD!

Roads also get closed because of safety concerns. If there is more rain while you are out there you may get stuck for good and nobody can get to you. And then? You also pay a very steep fine if you get caught and you can lose your licence. Stay off our roads when they are wet! If a road is open for 4WD only, then you do indeed need a 4WD vehicle to get through.

Bogged This guide is for the average adventurous traveller, not the extreme 4WDing enthusiast. If you stick to the usual attractions in this guide you won’t need this information. But I will give you some general tips, just in case you become a bit too confident and venture somewhere you shouldn’t go. The Kimberley is generally very rocky. There aren't many places where you can get bogged unless you visit in the wet season or you drive out on beaches or tidal mud flats near the coast. The most likely cause to get bogged is therefore deep, soft sand. The most likely reason is that you have too much air in your tyres. Drop your tyres and often you can 52 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

just drive out. (You should in fact drop them BEFORE attempting to drive in soft sand.) Yes, it works. Try 25 psi to start with, go lower if you need to. You have to reinflate the tyres when you get back on firm ground, or go very, VERY slow. (A small, cheap compressor for such situations is handy. You can also hire a compressor together with your camping equipment.) If that doesn't work, or if you are stuck in mud, don't panic. Get out, have a drink, look at the situation and your options. Whatever you do, stay with your vehicle, unless you know for sure that help is VERY close by and you know for sure how to get there. With close by I mean a few hundred metres! Often it's not as bad as it looks. Plus, generally all you have to do is wait for the next vehicle. Here are a few tips that might get you out of trouble without the help from others: Don't spin the wheels and get yourself deeper into it! Use a shovel to dig away sand or mud in front or behind the wheels (and under the diff if necessary). Collect material to put in the wheel ruts to provide some grip (stones, timber, branches, grass). Use the jack on a base plate (or it will just sink) to lift the car and put some materials under the wheels. Use plenty! You might have to do this several times until you are back on firm ground. And don't despair if it doesn't work straight away. Keep trying. While working, make sure you drink enough, wear a hat and have breaks. Consider waiting for the cooler time of the day. You're not helping anyone if you get heat struck on top of getting bogged!

Again: nowhere on the usual tracks or roads can you get into that kind of trouble during the tourist season, even if you try!!

53 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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MAPS The Kimberley map that I recommend is produced by HEMA. It is THE best map of the Kimberley for tourists, period. This is not just a personal preference of mine. The HEMA Kimberley map is the map that is laminated and glued to the desk of every tourist information centre in the Kimberley. It is the map that best helps the people behind the desk to answer your questions. The HEMA map is more than just a road map: •

It highlights all the attractions, reserves, national parks etc. and gives you a short description of what there is to see and do.

•

It shows exactly what services are available at the remote roadhouses, stores and wilderness camps.

•

It lists GPS coordinates for every roadhouse, landmark, Aboriginal community, for anything that has a name.

•

It lists phone numbers for wilderness camps, national park offices, shire offices, main roads offices and other government departments, anything you might need on your trip.

•

On the back you have a larger scale map of just the Gibb River Road, again with explanations of all the sights along the way.

•

And on top of all that you get a lot of beautiful pictures of the Kimberley and a short travel guide for the region.

It's a must have map. Unless, of course, you have the HEMA Kimberley Atlas & Guide! (If you are not in Australia you can get those maps on Amazon.)

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

NATIONAL PARKS The opening times of national parks in the Kimberley vary. Most parks are open by the end of April and remain open until December. Our weather is, however, unpredictable and early or late wet season rains can warrant park or access road closures at other times. Visitor fees apply to many national parks across Western Australia. You can pay for access to parks individually. You can also purchase a parks pass that covers all of them. Several parks in the Kimberley that were formerly free now attract entry fees. As of February 2014 those parks are: • • • • • •

King Leopold Range Conservation Park Mitchell River National Park Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle) Tunnel Creek National Park Windjana Gorge National Park Mirima National Park (Hidden Valley)

Note: the Geikie Gorge National Park boat trip is NOT covered by a pass. It costs extra. Camping fees are not covered by the passes, you pay extra for camping. (As of February 2014 camping fees are $12/$2.20 for adults/children in most parks.) Day passes for individual parks can be purchased at park entry points. The park entrances are not always staffed, so you may need to have the correct change to pay your entry fee. Parks passes that cover all parks are more convenient and also a lot more economical to buy.

Where to buy passes All passes can be bought at • • • • •

DPaW offices (Department of Parks and Wildlife) The online shop on the DPaW website:www.dpaw.wa.gov.au Over the phone: (08) 9219 8000 From Kimberley Tourist Information Centres From select tourist outlet and retail stores. (Ring the above number to find the nearest park pass outlet or download this pdf.)

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Entry Pass Pricing (as of Feb 2014)

Day Pass You can visit more than one park with this day pass (if you can get from one to the other quickly enough). • $12per vehicle (up to 8 legally seated people) • $6 per motorcycle and concession card holders

Holiday Pass Allows unlimited entry for four weeks. This is the best pass for most Kimberley visitors. • $44 per vehicle (up to 8 people)

Annual Pass Unlimited entry to all WA parks for 12 months. • $88 per vehicle

FACILITIES/COSTS Banks You are not leaving the 21st century behind when visiting the Kimberley. There is the usual range of major banks in all Kimberley towns. Your credit card will be accepted pretty much everywhere, you can find ATMs in all towns and just about everybody who has a cash register offers EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer/Point Of Sale). There are some exceptions (some remoter roadhouses, small businesses), so it is advisable to always carry some cash. On the Gibb River Road: There are obviously no banks, but several of the stations and roadhouses offer EFTPOS facilities and accept major credit cards. Having said that, some of the stations out here that do welcome tourists can only take cash. You will also need cash to pay your camping fees at some of the campgrounds.

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

Costs I won’t beat around the bush: it won’t be a cheap holiday. Western Australia is the most expensive state in Australia and the Kimberley is the most expensive region in Western Australia. The reason is obvious: we are far away from everywhere. Everything has a high transport cost associated with it. Transport: The prices for hire vehicles vary too much to list everything here. Factors are size of the vehicle, 2WD or 4WD, one way hire or return, camping gear included or not, how long the trip is… Contact the hire companies for quotes. Avis, Britz, Hertz, Budget etc. all have depots here. Do an internet search to get an idea for prices. Apollo Campervans www.apollocamper.com Avis Broome www.avis.com.au Britz / Maui Australia www.britz.com or www.maui-rentals.com Budget Rent a Car www.budget.com.au Hertz www.hertz.com.au Kea Campers Australia www.keacampers.com Thrifty (NT & Kimberley) www.rentacar.com.au

Contact details for local Broome and Kununurra branches are included in the respective chapters. You can also hire camping equipment separately:

www.kimberleycampinghire.com.au, Broome, Cnr Frederick St/Cable Beach Rd, 9193 5282 www.kununurrakamperhire.com,Kununurra, Whimbrel Rd, 916801614 or 0417 948 060

When hiring a vehicle, check the small print for details on where the car is allowed to go. Not all cars are allowed on all roads! Make sure you get the permission to take the vehicle along the Gibb or into the Bungles, or up to the Mitchell Plateau. (And note that different branches of the same hire company may give you different answers on this! Local hire can be easier because the staff in local branches are familiar with your needs, Perth staff may not be. It can be a headache...) Your biggest cost after that will likely be fuel. The further you move away from the main towns, the more expensive it gets. So don’t do your budgeting on fuel prices that you saw quoted for Western Australia. Kimberley town prices are a good 20 cents above Perth prices. The FuelWatch website will give you a good idea what to expect: www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au Along the Gibb River Road you will spend a lot more, well over $2 a litre in places. (Prices vary wildly. It depends how far you are from the nearest point of civilization.) If you shop at Coles or Woolworth anywhere in Australia and spend more than 30 dollars you get a voucher that entitles you to 4 cents per litre off the pump price at Coles Express Shell or Caltex Woolworth service stations, respectively, anywhere in Australia. So keep those vouchers! (For overseas readers: the voucher is the bottom part of your receipt.) 57 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Coles Express service station locations in the Kimberley Broome: Hamersly St. (near roundabout as you enter town coming from Broome Rd.) Fitzroy Crossing: cnr Forrest Road/highway. You'll see it. Halls Creek: on the highway. You'll see it. Kununurra: Ivanhoe Rd. There is no Coles Express in Derby or Wyndham. The only Caltex Woolworth is in Broome at the Boulevard Shopping Centre. Accommodation: • A hostel bed in a dorm room costs between $20 and $30 a night. • Cabins at campgrounds can be under $100 a night (for one or two people) but can also be a heck of a lot more in the towns during peak season! • Twin or double rooms start from around $120 for budget rooms, from around $200 for standard rooms in hotels/motels. It goes up quickly from there. (Prices are considerably lower between November and March.) Camping: • Unpowered camping costs from $10pp, powered caravan sites $25-$40/site. • Camping in national parks is $12 per person per night as of Feb 2014. • Bush camping is often free and possible in many places. I’m a die hard bush camper myself and therefore you can find a lot of information and directions regarding free camping in the destination chapters. However, if you plan to travel beyond the Kimberley, in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, then you may want to also look at Jan Holland’s books. I review them here: www.kimberleyaustralia.com/camping-in-western-australia.html

Food: • Eating out: a main course for dinner will set you back between $20 and $40. • Prices for all your essentials at the supermarket will initially shock you, but you get used to it quickly. (It’s not that bad, but prices are considerably higher than elsewhere in Australia.) • Ideally you should buy (and be able to store) enough food to last you for the length of the Gibb River Road. You can buy some basic supplies (bread, milk, tins) on the road, with luck even some fresh food, but don't count on it. More about that in the Gibb River Road chapter. Drinking Water: That is one thing that you do not need to worry about. We have lots of it. It's available and free almost everywhere. You just bring enough containers. (The Bungles are the only exception, no drinking water inside the park.) Details for the Gibb River Road, Bungles etc. can be found in the respective chapters.

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

Phone and Internet Our area code is 08. For the rest of the guide I do not list the area code with phone numbers. It is always 08. And, as you will see, all Kimberley numbers start with 91. With the few people living here we don't need more variety. Will your mobile phone work? I’m afraid most of the time it won’t. Mobile phone coverage is restricted to the towns and those are few and far between. Roadhouses between the towns and along the Gibb River Road have public phones. One notable exception to these restrictions is the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome. It's all Aboriginal country and as such receives lots of funding. You can get mobile phone and even wireless internet access in the communities. (Which I at home just outside Kununurra can't. Just sayin'.) Wireless internet is restricted to the more upmarket hotels/motels, including Home Valley Station at the eastern end of the Gibb River Road, as well as at the Aboriginal communities on the Dampier Peninsula. Normal internet is available at pretty much all accommodations and at internet cafes in towns. If you need to ensure reliable communication at all times, say for example because a member of your group has a medical condition, your best bet is to hire a satellite phone. Note that public phones along the Gibb River Road, as in Silent Grove (Bell Gorge), Windjana Gorge, as well as at Mornington Wilderness Camp operate with a PhoneAway card, NOT with coins, credit cards or standard phone cards. Yes, annoying.

Electricity The voltage in Australia is 220 – 240 V, the same as in Europe. If you come from the US you need a converter/adapter. Our power plugs are different from the European and US plugs. We use flat, 3-pin plugs and you definitely need an adapter for any electrical devices.

WHAT TO PACK The Kimberley may be a bit remote, but it is a totally civilized part of the western world. Anything you may forget can be bought here. Yes, with your credit card.

The really important things Your passport and visa, your plane ticket, any prescription medicines if required and enough memory cards for your camera. Murphy's Law dictates that the one you need will be out of stock when you arrive and you will need more memory than you think. If you depend on any electrical appliances that need charging don't forget the charger and an adapter for our power points. (Though you should be able to hunt one of those down in Broome or Kununurra.)

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Clothing There is not much need or use for smart clothing. Even in Darwin you can dress very casual, no matter where you go. A word of warning: anything white will look grubby in no time. The fine red dust is everywhere and gets into everything. • Take clothing that is comfortable and light weight, lots of shorts and T-shirts. Natural fibres are preferable over synthetics. • Throw in a pair of long pants and a jumper or two for cold nights. (June August) • For April/May pack some very light long pants and something light with long sleeves, to ward of mosquitoes. • Sandals or thongs for everyday use and some comfortable boots for hiking (plus socks, obviously). • Most pubs or restaurants do not allow you to enter in thongs after 6 pm, so you need a pair of proper sandals as well or you have to go out at night in your hiking boots. • Bathers and a big towel, a sun hat and sunglasses. • It's easier to do some washing on the road (most places have coin operated machines for campers) than to lug too much gear around. A weeks worth of clothing should be enough. You can bring sunscreen and insect repellent, or you can buy it here. If you can only get teeny weeny bottles at home it's probably cheaper to buy a gallon here. I hope I don't need to tell you to pack some knickers/undies and your toothbrush!

Camping Most people hire vehicles that have camping equipment included. Alternatively you can hire camping equipment separately, from Kimberley Camping Hire in Broome or from Kununurra Kamper Hire: www.kimberleycampinghire.com.au, Broome, Cnr Frederick St/Cable Beach Rd, 9193 5282 www.kununurrakamperhire.com,Kununurra, Whimbrel Rd, 916801614 or 0417 948 060

You need a big fridge or a big enough esky (cooler, ice box) with lots of ice and you must carry enough drinking water (5L per person per day, more in hot weather). Both ice and water disappear rapidly. Block ice is preferable over crushed ice for longer trips but is not always available. Below is a short check list for first timers. Use it as a starting point. Not everything is essential, it depends how much comfort you need. Some additional handy items to take are listed in the vehicle section. • Tent, pegs and ropes. (For the hotter time of the year just a mosquito dome is preferable) • Extra tarp for shade (plus extra pegs/poles/ropes as required) • Ground sheet (extra protection for tent floor, I never worry about this) 60 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

• Swag or sleeping bag plus mattress or camp stretcher (foam or self-inflating mattresses are better than air beds, which are a pain in the you know what to blow up and always leak) • Cooker and gas cartridges/gas bottle (make sure it's not out of date) or other portable cooker (fire bans are common) • Lighter, waterproof matches • Folding table and chairs • Cooking/eating/drinking utensils (remember to take a can opener and cork screw) • Boxes or crates for your food stuffs • Sealable containers (tupperware) and bags (snap lock) • Cooking oil, salt, pepper, spices, dry herbs, sugar, tea, coffee, milk powder etc. • Good food stuffs include quick oats, muesli, fruit cake, dried fruit, jam, honey, peanut butter, crisp bread, crackers, nuts, pasta, rice, lentils (cook fast), potatoes and other root vegetables, long life packaged cheese, ham, bacon and salami, cryovac meat, and anything that comes dried, instant, or in a tin. • Bucket/bowl, dishwashing liquid, sponge, towel, paper towels, rubbish bags • • • • • •

Some form of lighting/lantern Torch and batteries Water containers (I am talking 10-20L containers, not empty juice bottles) Camping shower (certainly optional, I'd much rather have a swim!) Folding spade and toilet paper Swiss army knife or Leatherman or similar (always handy, especially if you forgot the can opener and cork screw)

A general comment: when packing, consider the fine dust that gets into everything. While it may be just a nuisance on some item it can kill others like expensive electronic gadgets. Protect them.

For Your Vehicle Which items of the below you need depends on what exactly you plan to do. • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Spare tyres, optional tyre repair kit (everybody needs the spares!) 12 volt compressor or tyre pump (very handy, but not essential) Snatch strap and tow rope (should be in your car anyway) D shackles to attach snatch strap (know the recovery points on your vehicle) Shovel Leather gloves (very handy for many things, including collecting firewood) A bottle or high lift jack and a base plate for it, e.g. a wooden plank (jack and plate is a must, a high lift jack is much more useful if you plan to do more adventurous stuff) Jerry cans A basic tool kit to suit your car Zip ties (so, so handy for so many things) Gaffer/duct tape (ditto) Tie wire (ditto) I assume you carry a first aid kit 61 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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• Depending on the type of vehicle and how many passengers, a roof rack may very well become essential! If you get one consider getting a dust cover for it. Other spares that people like to carry, especially those on longer adventure trips, are wheel nuts, fuses, and a set of engine hoses and belts. (Um... I don't.)

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

MORE INFORMATION Every town in the Kimberley, no matter how small, has a Kimberley Tourist Information Centre. Addresses and contact details for all of them are below. If you have any questions (especially regarding tours and accommodation) that aren't answered in this guide, ring them, fax them, email them, just ask them, they'll help. In my experience they have all been great. Whenever I walked into one I was given a stack of free maps and information materials and never did anyone try to sell me any tour or accommodation or anything that I hadn't asked for. Broome is a bit of an exception. The staff is still extremely courteous and helpful, but no matter what I asked, I was invariably just presented with a brochure and price list to choose from. Broome is just too busy and they really don't have the time. They generally steer you in the direction of mainstream and pricier options and they'll make bookings for you. But that's it. It ends up feeling very commercial. (I suspect during peak season the other towns get a bit like that as well.)

Broome Visitor Centre 1 Hamersley Street (First round-about as you enter town) Ph: 1800 883 777 or 9195 2200, (international +61 8 9195 2200) Fax: 9192 2063 www.visitbroome.com.au [email protected]

Derby Visitor Centre 2 Clarendon Street Ph: 9191 1426 (international +61 8 9191 1426) or 1800 621 426 (within Australia) Fax: 9191 1609 www.derbytourism.com.au [email protected]

Fitzroy Crossing Tourist Bureau Flynn Drive PO Box 101 Ph: 9191 5355 (international +61 8 9191 5355) Fax: 9191 5085 [email protected] or [email protected]

Halls Creek Visitor Centre Cnr. Great Northern Hwy/Hall St. Ph: 1800 877 423 or 9168 6262 (international +61 8 9168 6262, skype HallsCreekTourism) Fax: 9168 6467 www.hallscreektourism.com.au [email protected] or [email protected]

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Kununurra Visitor Centre Coolibah Drive (East Kimberley Tourism House) Ph: 9168 1177 (international +61 8 9168 1177) or 1800 586 868 Fax: 9168 2598 www.visitkununurra.com [email protected]

Wyndham Tourist Info Great Northern Hwy (At Kimberley Motors) Ph: 9161 1281 (international +61 8 9161 1281) Fax: 9161 1435 [email protected]

SOME NOT SO NICE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW CROCODILES The Kimberley is crocodile country, you probably know that already. I don't want you to get eaten by a crocodile on your Kimberley holidays, so please don't do anything stupid while you're here. (I'll tell you in a minute what that would be.) Not all crocodiles are dangerous. Freshwater crocodiles are harmless unless provoked. All the warnings below concern saltwater crocodiles. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world (in terms of weight). They can grow to over 6 metres and their jaws can exert a pressure of several tons. They are huge, territorial and aggressive and they are plentiful across the Kimberley. The name saltwater crocodiles is misleading. Salties live just as happily in freshwater many hundred kilometres inland. They have been a protected species since the 1970s. Since then their numbers have been growing and growing. Salties are very territorial creatures. Every grown male crocodile needs its own territory. Can you see what I'm getting at? Put all the above facts together, add the growing number of Kimberley tourists and residents and you can see how the potential for conflict is increasing. So please observe the following rules.

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

Be Crocodile Safe • •

First of all: always, always observe crocodile warning signs! Don't assume it's safe to swim if there is no sign! Crocodiles attack out of deep, still or muddy waters, where they can't be seen. Always stay well away from those. Small creeks, waterfalls, rock pools etc. are usually fine, but if you're not sure stay out of the water. Ask first!

The crocodiles don’t own all the water up here. Most gorges and waterfalls are crocodile free and safe for swimming. This guide warns you about any places that aren’t. But if you venture away from the beaten track then it is very important to find out first where swimming is safe and where it isn't. What to do if you know or suspect that there are saltwater crocodiles: •

• • • •

•

Stay away from the water's edge. Never stand on logs or similar overhanging the water. Saltwater crocodiles can jump to attack! Also, never turn your back, always face the water. If you see a crocodile sliding mark (a crocodile sliding into the water from a river bank will leave a characteristic mark), stay well clear of that area. Don't return to exactly the same place at the water every day, or on a regular basis. Or one day a croc will be waiting there for you... Don't feed crocodiles. Also, don't harass or provoke them, don't interfere with them. Even the small ones, leave them alone! Avoid places where native animals or cattle drink. That's exactly where a lazy crocodile would be waiting for an opportunity to attack. (Saltwater crocodiles are very conservative with their energy and therefore opportunists when it comes to hunting. They stalk their prey, hide under water and wait. A crocodile you can see is less dangerous than one you can't see.) Saltwater crocodiles are most aggressive during the breeding season, September to May. The warmer weather also makes the cold-blooded animals even faster.

Fishing is very popular in the Kimberley and any great barramundi fishing spot is guaranteed to be popular with saltwater crocodiles as well! • • •

Don't clean fish near the water or discard fish scraps in the water. Be careful when launching boats. Avoid going in the water if at all possible. Don't dangle your arms or legs over the side of the boat.

BOX JELLYFISH AND IRUKANDJI There are several kinds of box jellyfish. Only two of them are dangerous and both can be found along the beaches of Broome. The largest kind of box jellyfish at about 30 cm diametre is the multi-tentacled species Chironex Fleckeri, usually just called “Australian box jellyfish”. www.kimberleyaustralia.com/kimberley-boxjellyfish.html

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Not so well known is another, less than thumbnail sized type, with only one tentacle at each corner, called Irukandji. Unfortunately Irukandji stings are a common occurrence on Cable Beach and near Broome in general. Nobody has died in Broome but it was close for a few people. (Two fatal Irukandji attacks have been recorded in other parts of northern Australia. In one case the victim had a pre-existing heart condition.) The rate of jellyfish stings in Broome is currently the highest for all of Australia. A lot of work has been done recently to determine the factors these stings had in common to give recommendations. It appears that water temperatures above 28.3°C, time after midday and windy days make stings more likely. Some sources say so do incoming high tides, others say outgoing high tides. Maybe just stay out of the water around high tides altogether. The water temperature explains why stings occur only around the wet season even though box jellyfish are present all year round. Stings have happened as late as May and June. It takes a while for the water to cool down. There are several beaches north of Broome that have never had any problems with stingers, like Middle Lagoon and Cape Leveque. It may be due to their particular location, the reefs or the currents in the oceans, who knows.

Irukandji Syndrome The most notable result of an Irukandji sting is excruciating pain. Symptoms appear five to 45 minutes after the sting and include lower back pain, muscle cramps, sweating, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, anxiety and palpitations. In the most severe cases people developed pulmonary oedema (water in the lungs), hypertension and toxic heart failure. The treatment of the stung area is similar to that used for Australian box jellyfish stings: neutralise the remaining stinging cells with vinegar before removing the tentacles. There is no antivenin for Irukandji syndrome. The symptoms may disappear within 4 to 30 hours, though in some cases it can take up to a week. Many victims need morphine to treat the pain. The average dose is 20mg, twice of what is normally used on a 100 kg man! One patient required 300mg over an extended time period! Now that is pain that I can't even begin to imagine. Interestingly, some victims take a couple of Panadeine forte, go home and are just fine. Because of the potential for life threatening complications it is a good idea to take the patient to a hospital as quickly as possible. (The victim will probably be screaming for morphine anyway...) Broome hospital is very experienced with Irukandji syndrome and they know exactly what to do. It is unlikely that a healthy person will die from an Irukandji sting, but most people say they wished they would while going through the pain. One person said he would rather be stung by Chironex fleckeri "because the pain goes away in 20 minutes or you die". Another woman said, "I didn't think it was possible for anyone to endure that level of pain without turning into a vegetable." Stay out of the water during jellyfish season!

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Part II: General Travel Information – Getting Around/Driving

ROSS RIVER VIRUS AND BARMAH FOREST VIRUS This chapter is for wet season travellers. Ross River is not an issue during the dry season. Ross River Virus and Barmah Forest Virus are much the same thing. They are two different nasty viruses, carried and transmitted by mosquitoes in Australia's tropical north, including the Kimberley. When I say Ross River Virus I refer to both. Ross River Virus is an arbovirus transmitted by female mosquitoes. The virus lives mostly in kangaroos and wallabies. After a mosquito bites an infected wallaby it can transmit the disease through a bite to other animals or humans. The only way to get Ross River Fever is from mosquitoes, it is not transmitted from human to human. Even though mosquitoes are active all year round, the virus appears to be only active during the wet season, especially the second half of it. Ross River Fever is not dangerous, but it is a horrible disease to go through and can take a very long time to get over. (Many months and for some people years!) Not everybody who gets infected develops symptoms. Some people will never know they had it. The younger you are the less likely you are to get symptoms. Children almost never do. The symptoms can take between 3 and 21 days to appear: mild fever, headaches, dizziness, tiredness, generally feeling like crap... I'm sure you know how a bad flu feels. Ross River feels the same. On top of that you have swollen, inflamed and very painful joints, most commonly the wrists, hands, ankles and knees. You may also get a rash that looks like rubella. None of that is a problem and most of the symptoms usually disappear within a few weeks. The joint pains can be more persistent. The really nasty thing about Ross River is the debilitating fatigue that many people experience. And sometimes that can linger for many months or years. The biggest risk of picking up the virus is immediately after rain. The most common transmitters are the little grass mosquitoes that are only active when the grass is wet. Plus, lush green grass attracts kangaroos and wallabies that carry the virus. The only way to prevent Ross River Fever is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Use repellent and wear light coloured, loose fitting clothes with long sleeves and legs. Use mosquito coils if you sit outside at night and sleep inside a mosquito dome or under a mosquito net when camping. I contracted Ross River in 2007 so I can tell you a bit about it. For those who want to know more: www.kimberleyaustralia.com/ross-river-virus.html

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Part III: The Guide BROOME

B

roome's location is magnificent. Endless white beaches, fringed by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, strikingly contrasted against the red pindan cliffs... Then there is the enviable year round balmy climate, the laid back atmosphere, the exotic architecture reminiscent of Broome's pearling history... It's easy to see why the place is marketed so heavily. What's not so easy to see is that the very same marketing has changed Broome. And according to most, not to the better. In a way Broome has become a victim of its own success. It's hard to argue with the fact that Broome has the best connections to the rest of Australia. Flying into or out of Broome certainly is a good way to start or wrap up a Kimberley visit. (Approaching the Kimberley from the east by driving from Darwin is the alternative.) The town is located on a narrow peninsula. On one side you have the mangrove fringed red flats of Roebuck Bay (a world class birding location), on the other side the world famous white sands of Cable Beach. In the middle sits a town shaped by its colourful history as the world's former pearling capital. Broome is growing at an alarming rate, but it is still a small place. At last count about 14,000 people lived there. But that number swells during the tourist season to well over 45,000! Even though there is a lot of construction happening, the local industry can't keep up with the demand that the heavy marketing has created. Book well in advance if you want to visit Broome between May and August and expect to find a, well, rather touristy place.

Getting There Most Kimberley visitors fly to or from Broome, using Qantas, Skywest (Virgin Blue) or Airnorth. Some drive from Darwin, Perth or Alice Springs. For more information check the chapters Flying and Driving in Part II: General Travel Information. • 220 km from Derby • 396 km from Fitzroy Crossing • 1040 km from Kununurra

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Part III: The Guide

The History of Broome and its Pearling Industry Our ancients sowed their culture Our ancients sowed their seed So there is no pedigree We're all one mongrel breed. (From a song by Jimmy Chi)

Broome history is a collection of colourful and often violent tales. It's not easy to imagine what it might have been like during Broome's pearling days. But if you want to try, and I warmly recommend you do, Chinatown is the place to start. More specifically Johnny Chi Lane, where 20 story boards on the walls of the shops tell the whole story and book shops boast shelves of treasures for those who want to know more. It doesn't take long for the souvenir shops, the sunburned tourists and the time to disappear and make room for the lively, chaotic and lawless frontier town of the early 1900s: Chinese, Europeans, Japanese, Malays, Filipinos and Javanese piling into the opium dens, brothels and gambling houses, the alcohol and the steamy nights of the north west fuelling the swearing and bickering that often times erupts into violent clashes in the dusty streets. Further down the road are the lower level indenture labourers, Koepangers and Manilamen, penned up in tents and shacks, hand processing thousands of pearl shells during long, hot days and repairing the luggers lined up on the shores. Over 400 of them were operating in Broome's heydays. On the fringe of the town live the lowest and poorest of all, displaced Aborigines in their humpies, exploited and abused by their white masters, treated like slaves if not worse. But I get ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning... The Founding Days The first white person appearing in Broome history is Abel Tasman, the famed Dutch navigator who discovered the island state in the South of Australia. He sailed past and charted much of the Kimberley coast in 1644. The English buccaneer William Dampier was the first European to actually visit Broome's shores in 1688, after sailing north from Shark Bay in the H.M.S. Roebuck and landing somewhere near the Buccaneer Archipelago. As the story goes he also landed at what is today called Buccaneer Rock in Roebuck Bay and buried a pirate treasure chest. You can see his ghost there at night, looking for his lost treasure with a lantern... Or maybe you won't. Dampier actually never landed at Roebuck Bay. Still, the Dampier Archipelago, Dampier Peninsula, Roebuck Bay and of course the famous Roebuck Hotel on Dampier Terrace are all named after this first visit. An unsuccessful attempt to develop the area to graze sheep started in the 1860s and was soon abandoned. (Cattle arrived around 1885, when the McDonalds and the Duracks established the first cattle stations across the Kimberley.) 1861 was the defining year in Broome's history. A new species, the pearl oyster Pinctada maxima was discovered in Roebuck Bay and turned out to be the largest pearl shell in the world.

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At the time buttons, cutlery handles and other objects were made from "mother of pearl". It was such a valuable commodity that any pearls that were found in the shell were only viewed as a bonus. A thriving industry emerged, based on the humble button. Within only three years the industry supplied 75% of the world's mother of pearl. It was pearl shell, not pearls, that made Broome. For the next years, from the 1860s till the 1880s, naked Aboriginal men and women called skindivers were collecting the shells from up to 12 metres depth. These Aboriginal divers hadn't asked for work. Rather they had been rounded up, chained and marched to the shore where they were crammed onto the pearl boats. They worked in atrocious conditions, subjected to unbelievable brutality and dying in scores. Slave trading thrived throughout the north west. Only when the shallower waters had been emptied of shells and the pearlers eventually recognised that it was impossible to go any deeper without equipment, the demand for Aboriginal divers grew less and eventually faded away, marking the end of another chapter in the sorry book of our relations with the indigenous owners of this country. Hard hats for divers were introduced in the 1880s, leading to Broome's official birth in 1883. It was decreed to be a township by Sir Frederick Napier Broome, then Governor of Western Australia. Ironically the Governor didn't want to be associated with the new "town", which at that time wasn't much more than a few struggling camps.

The Early Days The next important development in the history of Broome came again from the depth of the ocean. When in 1889 a third submarine telegraph cable was laid to connect Java and Australia, this time through Broome rather than Darwin (it was landed on what is today known as Cable Beach), things really started to happen. The history of Broome's Cable House, the office for the telegraphists, includes another urban myth. Apparently the building was meant for Kimberley in South Africa. Instead it arrived on the western edge of the Australian Kimberley. Nice story, but not to be found in any official documents. Anyway, the steel for the cable house arrived in Broome in kit form from Britain, the teak for the interior was picked up en route from Singapore. The Chinese who had collected and loaded the teak came with it to erect the house. Broome at the time didn't have a jetty, so those Chinese labourers had to cart everything across the mudflats. A deep water jetty was built in 1897 and the customs house that came with it is a museum today. A police station, a hospital and a gaol followed. When a new cable station was built close to Perth the traffic that went through Broome decreased and the Broome cable station was eventually closed in 1914. After WWI the building was converted and reopened as a courthouse in 1921. The heritage building still stands today as the Broome Courthouse on the corner of Hamersley and Frederick Street and is still an impressive building.

Heydays of the Pearling Industry, its Demise and the Japanese Bombings The location of Broome in the north of Western Australia and the port helped the town and pearling industry to grow. By 1900 the town supported a whole fleet of pearl luggers (the number of boats peaked at 403 in 1913) and a population of 1000 whites and 3000 people of Asians/South-East Asian origin: Malays, Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos and others mixed with Europeans and Aborigines. Tropical cyclones in 1893, 1908 and 1910 had sunk many luggers and taken many lives, but the the Broome boom was unstoppable.

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Part III: The Guide

Chinatown was a chaotic place, especially when the luggers were in and the crews had money in their pockets, after 6 months at sea, crammed aboard a little lugger with little distractions. The pearl divers in Broome's history made it the fascinating multicultural town that it is today. The town was booming. Before World War I Broome supplied over 80% of the world's mother of pearl. While the pearling masters and their industry prospered the occupation proved fatal for many of the pearl divers. The "bends", drowning, sharks and cyclones ended many dreams of a comfortable life. The Japanese divers had the reputation to be the best and the hundreds of headstones in Broome's Japanese cemetery speak clear evidence of the risks that came with their work. Enter WWI. The upheaval and the following depression devastated Broome's economy. There was now also strong competition from the Japanese. By 1939 the pearling industry survived on government subsidies. Next came WWII during which the Japanese divers and crew were interned. Most of Broome's pearl luggers were sent south, loaded with women and children. Remaining boats were burnt on the beaches to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Broome and its port were undefended when they suffered the second worst air raid in Australia's history (Darwin of course suffered the worst) on the 3rd of March 1942. The Japanese shot down a plane carrying wounded which had just taken off heading for Perth. They went on to destroy 15 of the Dornier flying boats anchored in the shallow bay. Most of the flying boats were filled with refugees, mostly women and children, many of whom died either immediately or swimming through the burning oil. Then the Japanese bombers turned to the airfield, where most of the planes were destroyed. When they finally left Broome its buildings, vehicles and even the ocean around the bombed boats were burning. 24 aircraft had been destroyed and 70 people killed. Three of the flying boats that were destroyed by the Japanese bombings can still be seen in the bay at very low tide today. The only good for Broome that came from the war was the fact that the Japanese competition wasn't operating either. After the war the pearling industry recovered to some degree, but the heydays were definitely over. Then disaster struck again. As if all that hadn't been enough, in the 1950s a crucial invention hit the market. Yep, the plastic button. Pearl shell became worthless over night...

New Days Dawning The plastic button sealed the fate of the Mother of Pearl industry, but not the fate of Broome. Experiments with cultured pearls had been under way for many years and again it was the Japanese who perfected the process. The results were phenomenal. Broome pearls mature in 2 rather than 4 years like Japanese pearls and they are also twice as big. 20 years later the town produced up to 70% of the world's large cultured pearls. It continues to be one of the world's major suppliers of quality pearls today. Today pearls are no longer the only pillar of Broome's economy. The 1980s saw a new industry emerge: tourism discovered Broome and is growing fast. Some say too fast. From 2,000 residents in 1980 Broome grew to 11,000 in 1999, by the far the fastest population increase in the history of Broome. Today the town has a population of over 14,000, is easy to reach and offers anything in terms of accommodation, dining, shopping and activities that a visitor could ask for. But the history of Broome is visible everywhere. And I don't mean the statues and monuments sprinkled across the town. I mean the Broome people. The faces you see in the streets are still a vivid reminder of the wild pearling days of Broome's history. Such an impossible to identify mix of races...

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GETTING AROUND Car Hire – The Biggies Apollo Campervans, 1800 777 779, [email protected], www.apollocamper.com Avis Broome, 9193 5980,[email protected], , www.avis.com.au Britz / Maui Australia, 9192 2647, 1800 670 232, [email protected], www.britz.com or www.maui-rentals.com Budget Rent a Car, 9193 5355, [email protected], www.budget.com.au Delta Europcar, 9193 7788, [email protected], www.europcar.com.au Hertz, 9192 1428, [email protected], www.hertz.com.au Kea Campers Australia, 9192 8854, [email protected], www.keacampers.com Thrifty (NT & Kimberley), 9193 7712, [email protected], www.rentacar.com.au Wicked Campers, 1800 246 869 or (07) 3227 0100, [email protected], www.wickedcampers.com.au

Car Hire - Local Outfits Broome Broome Car Rentals, 9192 2210, [email protected], www.broomebroome.com.au, scooters, small sedans, soft top vehicles and large 4WDs. Has office in Darwin and offers one way rentals and self drive packages. Just Broome Hire Cars, 9192 5282, [email protected], www.justbroomehirecars.com.au, as the name says, for local use only. Topless Rentals, 9193 5017, [email protected], www.toplessrentals.com.au Access Broome Car Rental, 9192 2859, [email protected]

Other Zuki Freedom, Livingstone St, 0447 486 855, www.zukifreedom.com.au Suzukis with umbrellas, chairs, esky and fishing rod! Access to Gantheaume Point and Cable Beach - limited to 3km north of the rocks. Buggy Freedom, 0447 486 855, $100 per day, min. hire 2 days, includes one entry for Malcom Douglas Wilderness Wildlife Park Broome Scooter Hire, Coughlan St, 9193 5626,[email protected], www.broomescooters.com.au. From $40 a day, lower for longer hires. Broome Cycles, Hamersley St, 9192 1871, www.broomecycles.com.au Hire mountain bikes per day/week, from town shop (near Shell Roadhouse, opposite McDonalds, at 2 Hamersley St) or a trailer at Cable Beach (May - Oct only, look for trailer in Broome Crocodile Park car park). $24 for first day, it gets cheaper with longer hire. $50 deposit and photo ID required.

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Part III: The Guide

Bus Grab the town bus if you don't have a vehicle to get around Broome. The information materials at the Visitor Centre include details about the excellent town bus service. Broome Town Bus, 9193 6585, www.broomebus.com.au Buses run hourly between Chinatown and Cable Beach 7.10am – 7.10pm (half hourly during main season, 8.40am – 6.40pm). One way fare A$4, day pass A$10, includes some discounts at local attractions.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO Broome is not big and many of Broome's attractions are clustered in one area. The best place to start is the Broome Visitor Centre (1 Hamersley St., at the first roundabout as you enter town, 8am to 5pm Apr-Nov, 9195 2200). You can not usually expect to get detailed and personalised advice there unless you want to book with them. They are far too busy in the tourist season. But they will give you street maps and information materials so you can do a self guided tour of the Broome attractions. Ask about the Broome Heritage Trail to do a self guided walk taking in all the historical and cultural attractions. The visitor centre materials also include a tide chart (as you will see below, tides are important to view some of Broome's attractions,).

Chinatown Chinatown with its unusual mix of Colonial and Asian architecture is a reminder of Broome's history. The original commercial and industrial centre of the town was once busy with pearl sheds, billiard saloons, entertainment houses and Chinese eateries. Today Chinatown is Broome's main shopping district. Some of the world's finest pearl showrooms are located here. Even if you aren't here to buy pearls you will enjoy browsing the different shops. At Pearl Luggers on Dampier Terrace you can tour some dry docked and restored luggers, learn more about the pearling history, watch a demonstration of the old diving gear and get a taste of the pearl meat. Look also for the Old Pearlers' Quarters (restored and heritage listed) and the Streeter's Jetty (the original jetty for Broome based pearl luggers). Another good place to find out more about Broome's fascinating history is Johnny Chi Lane, a small mall that connects Carnarvon Street with Dampier Terrace. Twenty plaques on the walls tell the story of Broome's early days. Start at the Carnarvon Street end. The stories take you all the way from the days when the first ships landed in Broome, through the whole history of the pearling industry and all its ups and downs, the second world war, to the advent of tourism and present day Broome. A great read and an hour will have passed before you know. The Broome Heritage Centre is located in the Old Convent and houses the permanent Relationships Exhibition. The exhibition covers the 100 years of the Sisters of St John of God's ministry in the Kimberley. The Sisters arrived in 1907 in Beagle Bay and branched out to Lombadina, Balgo and other Aboriginal communities. I write 73 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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more about those communities in later chapters. The exhibition is a very important resource for the local Aboriginal people and— according to the sisters—a bit of an eye opener for the tourists. Broome Heritage Centre, 9 Barker St, 9192 3950, heritage.ssjg.org.au Entry is by donation to ensure that nobody has to skip the visit due to financial circumstances. Mon-Fri 9am-1pm, Sat 10am-1pm.

Chinatown markets are held in Johnny Chi Lane during the dry season (ask the visitor centre for details). The other markets in Broome are the Courthouse markets. Held every Saturday (Cnr Frederick and Hamersley St., 8am-1pm) these are the largest art and craft markets in the Kimberley and you get music and food thrown in as well. The Courthouse with its distinctive Broome style architecture and gardens is an attraction in itself. It began its life as the Cable House, enabling telegraph communication with the rest of the world. If you have the time, then an evening kicking back in the green and white striped deck chairs at Sun Pictures in Carnarvon St is a must. The Guinness record holder as the world's oldest operating open-air movie theatre (built in 1916) shows current movies on seven nights a week during the dry season. Sun Pictures, www.broomemovies.com.au, adults $16.50, children $11.50, family $55, Tue weekly specials at Sun Cinemas, see current program for start times.

Town Beach Area Town Beach has a picnic area with barbecues and a children's playground and also a boat ramp. Well, and a beach. Town beach is one of the places to watch the Staircase to the Moon, a natural phenomenon where the full moon light is reflecting off the mud flats of Roebuck Bay at low tide. Staircase markets are held at the beach, too. Monthly, obviously, to coincide with the Staircase to the Moon. (Details below.) Another attraction at Town Beach is the Flying Boat Wreck, one of the Flying Boats that was lost in the March 1942 Japanese air raid of Broome. The wreck can only be seen at very low tide. Not really at Town Beach but in that part of town is the not so well known but highly recommended Shell House of Guy Street. The Shell House started out as a private collection of an unbelievable variety of shells that the lady who owned it made accessible to the public. She eventually sold the house and her license (you need a license to collect live shells). The place now has its third owner and has expanded to include shell products, pearls and other souvenirs. If you are looking at buying souvenirs the Shell House is a better place than Chinatown. It's where all the locals buy and do their Christmas shopping. (call 9192 1423 for opening hrs, free entry) History Buffs will also enjoy the Broome Historical Society Museum in Saville St.

Port Area The port is a little out of town but the bus can drop you there. Near the port you find the Chinese and Japanese cemeteries. (Both have only Chinese inscriptions because the stonemason only knew Chinese characters.)

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Part III: The Guide

The Broome Golf Club is out here. So is the Hovercraft Base (the Broome hovercraft is the only commercial hovercraft in Australasia) and the Deep Water Jetty (good for fishing and there are two boat ramps here, too). The laid back Wharf restaurant has excellent seafood and the biggest selection of wines to buy by the glass that I've seen anywhere.

Gantheaume Point Gantheaume Point has some amazing rock formations and colours, good for taking photographs. You find the lighthouse here and Anastasia's Pool. Anastasia's Pool is a small pool in the rocks that the former lighthouse keeper made for his arthritic wife. The high tide would fill the pool and she would exercise her limbs in it. The beach between Gantheaume Point and Riddell Point is called Riddell Beach. It's a scenic area of red pindan cliffs contrasted against the Indian Ocean. The cliffs are ancient. The area experiences 10 metre tides and at very low tides you can view dinosaur footprints that are some 130 million year old. (All other times you have to make do with the plaster cast replica at the top.) Riddell Beach isn't an endless stretch of white sand like Cable Beach. It is smaller and rockier, popular with photographers, with walkers and with locals who want to avoid the masses at Cable Beach.

Other Attractions Matso's on Hamersley St. is the only boutique brewery in the Kimberley. The building is the old Union Bank building and has been moved twice in its history! It also houses Matso's Art Gallery. There are many beers to taste, great veranda views over Roebuck Bay, and the food at the café is pretty good, too! Malcom Douglas' Broome Crocodile Park is located cnr Cable Beach Road & Sanctuary Drive and is a good place to become acquainted with our crocs. Sad Update: Malcolm Douglas died in a tragic freak car accident at his crocodile park on September 23, 2010. The world famous bushman, documentary maker, conservationist and Australia's original crocodile hunter was 69. After long deliberation his family eventually decided to close the Crocodile Park in January 2012 and relocated the crocodiles to the new ponds at the Wildlife Wilderness Park . For a look into today's pearl farming industry visit Willie Creek Pearl Farm. It is located 35 km north of Broome on Willie Creek Rd (off the Manari Rd, which comes off the Cape Leveque Rd). The pearl farm can be visited via an organised coach tour from Broome or independently. (Allow one hour travel time.) Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Willie Creek Rd, 9192 000, www.williecreekpearls.com.au Coach tours: adults $95, children $50, family 2+2 $240, pick up from all accommodations. Self drive tours: adults $55, children $30, family $140 Tours usually start 9 am, 10 am, 2 pm, times may change with demand so check first.

The Broome Bird Observatory is a great place for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers. It is located 24 km out of Broome and also offers tourist accommodation. Just so you know what to expect: the facilities are basic and the last 15 km of the road can be shocking. (More details in a separate chapter below.)

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Sixteen kilometres from Broome, on the highway, Malcolm Douglas had begun developing a 30 ha wildlife park and animal refuge called Malcolm Douglas' Wilderness Park You enter the wilderness through the jaws of a giant corocodile to get to a display about Malcom's 40 year history producing adventure films. The park's two billabongs are home to 200 crocodiles. Other animals living at the park are cassowaries, dingoes (including the rare white and a black), hundreds of kangaroos, euros and wallabies, emus and jabirus, as well as many birds in several large aviaries. Shady paths meander through the whole area and tours through the park happen from 10am to 5pm on week days, and from 2pm on weekends. Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park, 15 min/16 km from Broome on Great Northern Hwy, 9192 6580, www.malcolmdouglas.com.au/wildernesspark.html Open 2pm-5pm year round except Christmas Day, daily crocodile feeding tour at 3pm, adults $35, children $20, family 2+2 $90.

Also along the highway, 18 km out of town, is The Mango Place, or rather, turn left after 18 km and find it after 1 km on your right. Kanagae Estate is a maker of all sorts of mango wines and liqueurs, jams and chutneys, as well as smoothies, fudges, candy and ice creams. They also do yummie wood fired pizzas on Fridays and Sundays. The Mango Place, Kanagae Drive, 9192 5462, www.mangowine.com.au Open Mon-Thu and Sat 10am – 4pm, Fri to 10pm and Sun to 9 pm. Wood fired pizza on Fri and Sun. Offers bus transfers from town and Cable Beach so you can drink yourself silly on the mango wines. You can also find the Kanagae Estate range of producs at their stall at the Broome Courthouse Markets.

From Where to Watch the Sunset? Well, any beach towel on Cable Beach is a great spot, provided you planned ahead and brought an esky and drinks. Another good spot to BYO drinks and a picnic rug is Gantheaume Point. (The red cliffs beat the beach in photographs any day.) Didn't plan ahead? Then head for one of these places: • Cable Beach Club Sunset Bar (upmarket, and you get to see the camels returning from their sunset trips) • Matso's Bar and Brewerie (Hamersley St.) • Mangrove Resort Palms Cafe Bar (Carnarvon St.)

Events Staircase to the Moon Between March and October you can admire the “Staircase to the Moon”. The natural phenomenon is caused by the exposed mudflats in Roebuck Bay at extremely low tide reflecting the rising full moon, creating the optical illusion of a staircase reaching to the moon. (Or so they say. It looks more like moon light on mud flats to me.) One good place to watch the staircase is Town Beach, not least because of the Staircase Markets held there, offering food, craft and music/entertainment. Other popular places are the Mangrove Resort (which also offers entertainment on Staircase nights) and the Broome Golf Club. The table below is for 2014. (Note that Town Night Market dates may change.) 76 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part III: The Guide

Date

Sunset

Moonrise

Markets?

April 16

17:41

18:28

yes

April 17

17:40

19:17

yes

April 18

17:40

20:10

May 15

17:26

18:00

yes

May 16

17:25

18:56

yes

May 17

17:25

19:56

June 13

17:23

17:41

yes

June 14

17:23

18:43

yes

June 15

17:23

19:46

July 13

17:31

18:31

yes

July 14

17:31

19:35

yes

Aug 11

17:40

18:18

yes

Aug 12

17:40

19:21

yes

Sep 09

17:45

18:02

yes

Sep 10

17:45

19:03

yes

Sep 11

17:45

20:03

Oct 9

17:50

18:44

yes

Oct 10

17:50

19:43

yes

Other 2014 Events Broome Races: May 31, June 14 and 21, July 5, 12 (Gentlemen's Day), 25, August 2 (Kimberley Cup), August 12 (Ladies Day) and 16 (Broome Cup). Gates open 10.30, races start at 1pm, gate gate fee $10, $20 on cup days, free for ladies on Ladies Day and men on Gentlemen's Day. North West Expo 2014: May 3/4, Broome Recreation & Aquatic Centre, Cable Beach Rd. Kullari Naidoc Festival: (no 2014 dates set at the time of writing, in 2013 it happened over the first half of July) Traditional and contemporary local Indigenous culture, traditional food tasting, cultural sharing, gala awards and a Mardi Gras. Shinju Matsuri Festival: September 5 - 14. Held during the traditional time of various Asian celebrations, the Festival of the Pearl consists of 9 days of parades, performing arts, fairs and exhibitions. Not only acknowledges the pearling industry but also meant to showcases Broome's beauty, history and community to the outside world. Began 37 years ago! (2015 dates: Aug 28 – Sep 6) Opera under the Stars: Aug 30 at the Cable Beach Amphitheatre. Dragon Boat Races:: Sep 13, Town Beach. First race at 9 am. A full day of entertainment with raffle, sausage sizzle, food, drinks etc. Mango Festival: Usually the last weekend of Nov, celebrates ripening of mango, Mardi Gras, mango tasting, “Great Chefs at Broome Mango Cook-off” 77 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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CABLE BEACH Getting There With its 22 km (14 miles) of white sand Cable Beach has been rated one of the world top five beaches. Don't ask me where and when, nobody tells you that. Not that it matters. Cable Beach is an outstanding beach, there is no doubt about that. You get to it by following the Cable Beach road (take Frederick St from the town centre). If you have no transport hop on the town bus. You find the beach 4 km west of Broome. Or rather, you find the parking lot and the access to the beach. The beach itself extends a lot further on both sides from there. Turn left and a long stroll would eventually take you to the photogenic red cliffs of Gantheaume Point. Turn right and keep going seemingly forever. At the end of the parking area is a ramp down to the beach and if you have a 4WD you can drive down, pick your way over the flat rocks to your right and then keep going until you find a suitably deserted spot to pull up. This area is also popular with nudists. If that's not your cup of tea just don't pull up right next to them. 22 km of beach should be enough room for everybody. Years ago it was possible to bush camp in the dunes behind the beach. That practice was outlawed long ago to protect the fragile ecology of the dune system. Currently a debate rages over beach access restrictions for cars, too. Cars on the beach would be ok if all drivers behaved responsibly, but they don't.

Activities Lying in the sun and bobbing in the azure waters, can you call that activities? If you want to get really active you can hire jet skis or surf boards and other beach gear. (The jet ski hire is left of the Surf Lifesavers Club, 9193 5800 or 0400 035 800, alternatively at 4 Male Crt in town.) If you like walking ask about Minyirr Park. A network of 22 km of self guided walking trails (called Nagula, Lurujarri and Minyirr) spans the dunes. The walks take you along some of Cable Beach, around Gantheaume Point and then along Riddell Beach. Of course you can also join the popular sunset camel rides. (Look under Tour Operators in the last section of the Broome chapter.) (Malcom Douglas' Broome Crocodile Park has unfortunately been closed.)

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Part III: The Guide

Is Swimming Safe? Reader question: "Why don't the sharks or crocodiles inhabit these waters, surely they are no different to those around the rest of the Australian north?" Forget the sharks. The dangerous species prefer cooler waters. Sharks are not an issue when swimming off Cable Beach. Neither are crocodiles. So far. It is a very rare occurrence to see a crocodile at any beach in northern Australia. Beaches are not a suitable crocodile habitat. Saltwater crocodiles prefer river and creek mouths, estuaries and mangrove swamps. Deep, murky waters where they can hide. They are opportunistic stalkers and very conservative with their energy. They need to be able to hide and sneak up on their prey and that's impossible at a beach. Of course it is not impossible to see a crocodile from or near a beach, but the further from any creek, river, mangroves etc. you are, the less likely it is. A little beach, wedged between two mangrove lined creek mouths, is not exactly a recommended swimming spot. But Cable Beach is 22 km long and the next creek is even further away. Crocodile sightings happened at Cable Beach in May 2007 and also in April 2003. Another crocodile was spotted in November 2005 near Town Beach. Those crocs would have been young males looking for suitable habitat after being forced out to sea by established larger males. Every male saltwater crocodile needs its own territory. Crocodile numbers are growing so I'd expect sightings to increase in future. Saltwater crocodiles are less active during the cooler time of the year. Any sightings occurred during the wet season. You should not be in the water that time of the year anyway, because of the jellyfish. As long as there is only the occasional young croc cruising through Cable Beach in the wet season there is nothing to worry about. During most of the dry season you can swim at Cable Beach, but you'd be well advised to stay out of the water during the wet!

Learn about jellyfish: www.kimberleyaustralia.com/broome-beaches-irukandji.html

THE BROOME BIRD OBSERVATORY The Broome Bird Observatory, on the shores of beautiful Roebuck Bay, is the world's top shore bird and wader location. It was established in 1988 by the not-for-profit conservation organisation Birds Australia and serves as both a research and a tourism facility. As they say in their brochure: "Everybody is welcome!" The observatory is a paradise for bird enthusiasts. And if you're not a bird enthusiast, visit anyway. You might just turn into one. The rich mudflats of Roebuck Bay are possibly the most bio-diverse mudflats that have been studied in the world. The abundance sustains a huge number of birds that live on the flats, the highest diversity of waders in Australia. The migratory shorebirds breed in Asia and Siberia during the short summer there, May to July. But you can still go birding at Broome Bird Observatory during that time of the year. Thousands of birds stay at Roebuck Bay because they are too immature to breed. They don't return to the breeding grounds until the year after.

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Between August and October you can witness the adults and this year's chicks returning. Many of the adult birds are still in their colourful breeding plumage when they arrive. The chicks leave their nest within hours of hatching and within only 2 - 5 weeks they have to be ready for the annual migration. They arrive at Roebuck Bay after a 10,000 km non-stop journey. The birds stay at Roebuck Bay until March/April the following year. If you see flocks of birds in splendid breeding plumage taking off at that time of the year, building formations and heading north, know that they will not touch ground again for many thousand kilometres. The integrity of these mudflats is essential to the survival of the species that come here every year to feast on the riches the flats provide. Roebuck Bay is one of the top locations in the world to view these impressive international travellers. Seeing the huge numbers and the variety of birds here it's easy to be lulled into thinking everything is fine. However, particularly in Korea and China many habitats are threatened by huge coastal reclamation projects. And while Roebuck Bay is still in good condition, not all is well. Broome is growing and that means pollution and the pressure on the bay and its wildlife will increase. The excessive recreational use of the Northern Beaches is a particular concern as many thousand birds roost in the area.

To get to Broome Bird Observatory follow the road from Broome to Derby for 9 km and then turn right. From there it is another 15 km along the unsealed (and often awfully corrugated and washed out) Crab Creek Road. 4WD might be required when the road is wet. The previous $5 entry fee for adults has been waived in favour of a request for donations. (About $5 seems appropriate I'd say.) The fee used to include the hire of binoculars and telescope. For guests staying at the observatory the use of the grounds, binoculars etc. is free anyway. The Broome Bird Observatory offers self guided bird watching on the observatory trails or botanical walks. Many birding sites are within walking distance of the observatory. There is also an extensive video library. Get the most out of a visit by participating in one of the tours: one hour, two hour and full day tours with different focus are available. For the serious birder the observatory offers 5 day courses at different times of the year. It is also possible to take part in research and on-site activities. Broome Bird Observatory, Crab Creek Rd, 9193 5600, www.broomebirdobservatory.com Transfer from Broome $45 return for one, additional persons $15 ea), available for people spending 2+ nights. Accommodation in fully self contained chalets or various air conditioned rooms with shared amenities: from $60 to $165 for two, bush camping (hot showers and fully equipped camp kitchen) $15pp. Bookings are recommended for the busy months from June to September. Also always check wet season opening hours.

If you are interested in birds you may also want to check out this tour operator: Kimberley Birdwatching, 9192 1246, 0429 706 800, www.kimberleybirdwatching.com.au Tours vary from 3 hours locally to 2 weeks “Best of the Kimberley”.

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Part III: The Guide

PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIAL LISTINGS Broome Visitor Centre Location: 1 Hamersley St (first roundabout as you reach town from the highway) Open: (Apr-Sep) Mon-Fri: 8:30am - 5pm, Sat/Sun/Public Holidays: 8:30am – 4:30pm (Oct-Mar) Mon-Fri: 8:30am – 4pm, Sat/Sun/Public Holidays: 9am - 2pm Ph: 9195 2200 or 1800 883 777, Fax: 9192 2063 www.visitbroome.com.au, [email protected] Internet Galactica DMZ Internet Café: 4/2 Hamersley St (next to McDonalds), 9192 5897 Post Office, Paspaley Shopping Centre, 13 13 18 Broome Hospital, Robinson St, 9194 2222

ACCOMMODATION The rates quoted below are the full rates for two people, for the most basic rooms available, for one night only, at peak season. Shoulder season (April/May and October) is often cheaper and you can get real bargains between November and March. You can also get specials and offers at other times. More than one night is usually cheaper. The prices are only meant to serve as a comparative guidance. Do your research (direct links to websites are included where available) and book early! For a quick and easy price comparison between online booking sites – which often have cheaper deals than you can get from the hotels or resorts directly – use the accommodation search engine on this page: Broome Accommodation (Don't be fooled if a listing says “Sold”. It might just be that the provider does not take bookings through any of the searched booking sites.) To find a lot more listings see the Broome Visitor Centre website: www.visitbroome.com.au/bookings

Resorts/Hotels/Motels Cable Beach Club International Resort, 9192 0400 or 1800 199 099, www.cablebeachclub.com Asia-meets-the Kimberley-Outback chic. Corrugated iron walls, verandas and Aboriginal art represent the Kimberley, pagoda style roofs, red and green lattice work, red silk bathrobes and the world's largest crystal Buddha provide Asian flair. Family friendly, sunset bar, two restaurants. Rooms from $395 and much above, good wet season packages. Pinctada Cable Beach Resort and Spa, 10 Murray Road, 9193 8388 or 1800 746 282, www.pinctadacablebeach.com.au One of Broome's newly built resorts, a five star luxury resort and spa. 72 luxurious rooms around a courtyard and pool, all expertly designed and decorated with handpicked artwork and furnishings. From $291. The Pearle of Cable Beach, 14 Millington Rd, 9194 0900, www.thepearle.com.au Also brand new, and proudly claiming to be the jewel in Broome's crown. Hotel or self contained villa accommodation along meandering roads and landscaped pathways, all wrapped around a central resort pool. Rooms from $365, pavilions from $710.

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Mangrove Resort Hotel, 47 Carnarvon St, 9192 1303 or 1800 094 818, www.mangrovehotel.com.au, Luxurious rooms with great views over bay, only a very short stroll from China Town, bus stop (to get to the beach) is directly opposite, good breakfast, nice restaurant, great bar, two pools with great views from lawn area. Motel rooms $172, standard rooms $201, executive rooms $270. Mercure Inn Continental Broome, Weld St, 9195 5900 , www.mercure.com.au Simple and clean facilities, pool, barbecue, restaurant, bar and bottle shop. Near town centre, opposite Matso's, the famous must visit brewery and restaurant. Rooms from $132. Roebuck Bay Hotel Motel, Carnarvon St, 9192 1221, www.roey.com.au The legendary but noisy “Roey” has lots of character, a popular bar and a bottle shop. The budget rooms are facing towards the noise, the superior rooms offer more space and peace. Great choice if you want to be close to the action. Budget rooms from $150 and superior rooms from $170. Oaks Broome, Cnr Saville & Robinson St, 9192 9500 or 1300 822 010, www.oakshotelsresorts.com/oaks-broome/ The Tropicana Inn has reincarnated as the Oaks. Contemporary combined hotel and apartment style accommodation, in landscaped gardens surrounding three pools, restaurant, cafe, bar. Rooms $284, studios $315, 1/2 BR apartments from $333/$417. Lower rates for extended stays.

B&B McAlpine House, 55 Herbert St, 9192 0588 or 1800 746 282, www.mcalpinehouse.com Now owned by Pinctada. Located in a quiet part of old Broome, in comfortable walking distance to shops, attractions, beaches. Authentic pearling master's home, built in 1910, beautifully restored in 1982 by Lord Alistair McAlpine (the founder of the original Cable Beach Resort). Eventually the house was converted into an immaculate and exquisitely furnished four star boutique hotel by the current owners. Small, private, personalised service. Rooms start from $255, suites from $365. Cheaper if staying more than one night. Two night minimum may apply during peak season. Courthouse B&B, 10 Stewart St, 9192 2733, www.thecourthouse.com.au A luxurious and gorgeous 6 bedroom/6 bathroom, two storey family home. Spacious, relaxed atmosphere, tropical gardens and pool, very personalised service. In comfortable walking distance to shops, attractions, beaches. Rooms from $185. Old Broome Guesthouse, 64 Walcott St, 9192 7175 or 0404927622, www.oldbroomeguesthouse.com.au In old part of Broome, close to centre and Town Beach, rooms have open air bathrooms and private courtyards. Rooms from $280. 3 night minimum stay. Broometown B&B, 15 Stewart St, 9192 2006, www.broometown.com.au Another stylish boutique B&B, as all the others above features colonial architecture with an Asian touch, luxurious rooms, privacy, central location. Three suites and pool. Rooms from $285. 2 night minimum stay. Coconutz B & B, Lot 12 Denham Rd, Coconut Well, 9192 5266 or 0424 475 956, www.coconutz.com.au Off the beaten track in natural bushland, accommodation in safari style eco-tents. $215, minimum stay 2 nights. Mother of Pearl Guest house, 48 Walcott St, 9193 7227, Broome's newest B&B, 500 m from Chinatown in historical Broome, accommodation in three individual bungalows, outdoor lounge/dining area with a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, BBQ and pizza oven. From $200.

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Part III: The Guide

Bay House Bed & Breakfast, crnr Robinson/Guy St, 9192 2529 or 0438 711 747, Three rooms in large house in central location with views of Roebuck Bay. From $185, 3 night minimum stay during peak season. Windmill Lodge Retreat, 558 Broome Rd, 9192 2337, This is the only B&B in Broome that accepts dogs. Dogs are however not allowed inside, and they must be kept on a leash at all times. (This never used to be the case, but a visiting dog one year killed three blue tongue lizards within hours of arriving, hence the new rules.) From $170/night. Reflections B&B, 69 Demco Dr, 9192 6610, www.reflectionsbnb.com.au Three rooms in large two story house near town beach, impressive breakfast menus, very friendly hosts who can tell you many interesting stories from Broome's early days, and a 10% discount for locals. From $175. Demco B&B, Demco Dr, 9192 6688 or 0418 844 266, www.demcobnb.com.au Diversbell B&B, Piggets Way, 9192 5548, www.diversbell.com.au Gwen’s Place, Taylor Rd, 9192 2874 The Lounging Lizard B&B, Broome Rd, 9193 7439 The Temple Tree B&B, Anne St, 9193 5728 Broome Oasis, 19/544 Broome Rd, 9192 2311, www.broomeoasisbandb.com The Little Pearler B& B, 24 Stewart St, 9192 7664 Chez Marguerites, 2 Morgan Ct, 9192 1998, www.chezmarguerites.com.au Aarons B & B, 12 Aarons Dr, 9193 7041 or 0419 829 078 The Bungalow-Broome, 3 McKenzie Rd, 9193 6393 or 0417 918 420, www.thebungalowbroome.com.au Asrama B & B, 65 Demco Dr, 9192 5513 or 0412 443 505, www.asrama.com.au Ochre Moon B & B, 13 Godwit Crsc, 9192 7109, www.ochremoon.com.au Barefoot Bungalows, Fairway Drive, 0403 887 130 or 0466 650 253

Self Contained Also see the listings under Camping. Many campgrounds offer self-contained cabins or bungalows at reasonable rates. Oaks Cable Beach Sanctuary, 1 Lullfitz Drive, 9192 8088 or 1300 880 861, www.oakshotelsresorts.com/broome-accommodation/oaks-cablebeach Formerly the Rendezvous Sanctuary Resort, then Broome Sanctuary Resort, this year it's part of the Oaks group. Still pretty new, designed like a village and very quiet and private, located far from town centre, well behind the Cable Beach Club Resort and away from the beach itself. Self contained apartments, studios and villas, some with private pools, four pools, bar and lounge. From $309 for studios, $325 for apartments, min. stay 2 nights. Bali Hai Resort, Murray Rd, 9191 3100, www.balihairesort.com Also fairly new, Asian themed design, not far from the Cable Beach Club. The self contained studios and villas are immaculate and beautiful, visitors love the Mandi style outdoor bathrooms and free standing baths, no restaurant or bar on site. Studios start from $328, villas from $478. Seashells Resort, Challenor Dr, 9192 6111 or 1800 800 850, www.seashells.com.au Self contained, very spacious, clean, well furnished apartments and bungalows with weekly house keeping service. Family friendly and only a short walk from the beach. Apartments from $320. Blue Seas Resort, Sanctuary Rd, 9192 0999 or 1800 637 415, www.blueseasresort.com.au Terracotta tiled and beautifully furnished one bedroom apartments only, spacious, clean, fully self contained. Every apartment has a veranda or balcony facing the courtyard and pool. Rates from $305.

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Broome Time Lodge, Cable Beach Rd, 9194 1700 or 1800 600603, www.broometimelodge.com.au Formerly Ocean Lodge. Newly renovated and improved, "centrally located between Cable Beach and China Town", meaning it's away from the beach AND away from the town centre. Self contained rooms around a peaceful courtyard. Studios from $209, rooms from $265. Quality Suites Moonlight Bay, Carnarvon St, 9195 5200 or 1800 818 878, www.mlb.broomeaccommodation.com.au Bayside Holiday Apartments, Cnr Anne/Hamersley St, 9195 5200 or 1800 818 878, www.baysideholidayapartments.com.au Broome Beach Resort, Murray Rd, 9158 3300 or 1800 647 333, www.broomebeachresort.com Cable Beachside Villas (previously Cable Beachside Resort), Murray Rd, 9194 2999 or 1800 685 545, www.cablebeachside.com.au Cocos Beach Bungalows, Sanctuary Rd, 9194 1000 or 1800 813 873, www.cocosbeachbungalows.com The Frangipani Resort (Mantra), Millington Rd, 9195 5000, www.thefrangipani.com.au Habitat Beach Resort, Port Dr, 9158 3500 or 1800 683 988, www.habitatbroome.com

Budget and Backpackers Broome's Last Resort, Bagot St, 9193 5000, www.broomeslastresort.com.au Close to centre, adequate but noisy, large kitchen, cheap meals and drinks, courtesy bus, attracts many long termers. A party place. Bed in aircond. 6-8 bed dorm from $25. Cable Beach Backpackers, Sanctuary Dr, 9193 5511 or 1800 655 011, www.cablebeachbackpackers.com The only backpacker accommodation at Cable Beach, great location, relaxed atmosphere. Free shuttle bus to town. Dorm beds from $25. Kimberley Klub, Frederick St, 9192 3233 or 1800 004 345, www.kimberleyklub.com Close to centre, free bus to Cable Beach, resort style upmarket backpackers, very fancy for a budget place, great facilities but impersonal. Bed in 10 share dorm $30. YHA $27. Roebuck Bay Backpackers, Napier Tce, 9192 1221, www.roey.com.au Part of Broome's historic main pub (see hotels listings), usually crowded with long term residents, very central, near bar, live music and bottle shop, you get to use the hotel pool, free entry at Oasis Bar and Bungalow Nightclub, best prices in town. Dorm bed $25. Zoo Accommodation, Sanctuary Rd, 9192 2509, www.zooaccommodation.com.au Budget medium term accommodation if you want to avoid the backpacker scene. From $170 per week single, $280 double.

Wilderness Broome Bird Observatory, Crab Creek Rd, 9193 5600, www.broomebirdobservatory.com For details see the separate chapter about the observatory, above. Buckley's Bush Retreat, Lot 40 Dampier Loc 4, 9192 1674 Three self contained cabins 19 km from Broome on the edge of Buckley’s Plain, surrounded by coastal park. Grassed area with hammocks, chairs and a BBQ. Rich bird life. Wander over the dunes onto the northern end of Cable Beach. Light breakfast hamper provided. Coco Eco Nature Retreat, Williams Rd, 9192 3103 or 0408 921 454, www.cocoeco.com.au Quiet location with stunning views, 20 minutes north of Broome, bed and breakfast, BYO drinks. Prices from $250. Kooljaman, Cape Leveque, 9192 4970, www.kooljaman.com.au See Dampier Peninsula chapter for details.

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Part III: The Guide

Camping Camping in Broome is generally NOT good value, especially during the main season. Most parks don't take reservations, no vacancy signs go up early, they may squeeze a tent in, but not a caravan. 10 am is the checkout time, so your best bet is to turn up then. If travelling with dogs, overflow areas are your only option as all caravan parks have now outlawed dogs. (See Other listings for pet friendly option outside Broome.) Broome Caravan Park, Wattle Dr, 9192 1776, www.broomecaravanpark.com 4 km east of town, shady, pool, self-contained cabins, used to allow dogs but no more. Caravan site for 2 people $52 powered, $48 unpowered, cabins $215, camping powered/unpowered $27/$25. Cable Beach Caravan Park, Millington Rd, 9192 2066 Just behind the resort (and a bargain compared to prices there), gets very crowded. Roebuck Bay Caravan Park, Walcott St, 9192 1366, www.roebuckbaycp.com.au Most central to town (though still a fair walk), nice views over bay if lucky, gets crowded, kiosk is good for breakfast. On site vans $90, powered van site $37 - $49, camping from $15. Mango Camping Ground, Walcott St, 9192 1366 In CALM/DECs small mango plantation, next to Roebuck Bay caravan park, run from same office. Nice and shady. For backpackers only. Tarangau Art Village Caravan Park, Cnr Millington/Lullfitz Rd, 9193 5084, www.tarangaucaravanpark.com Quiet location in bushland behind the dunes of Cable Beach. Powered site $46, unpowered $36, backpacker accommodation at $25 pp, allows small dogs outside peak season. (NOT from Jun- Aug!) Broome Vacation Village, Port Dr, 9192 1057, www.broomevillage.com.au Out of town, near golf course and port. Camping, ensuite sites, studio homes, chalets. Powered /unpowered campsite $47/$37, ensuite site $56, scabins from $150, chalet $190. Palm Grove Resort, Cable Beach, 9192 3336 or 1800 803 336, www.palmgrove.com.au Powered sites $48, unpowered $44, unpowered tent site $38, studios from $175.

Caravan Storage Broome Storage & Removals, Lucas St, 9192 1354. Keshi Storage & Containers, Haynes St, 9193 5343. Allied Pickfords also have a local agent in Broome and are apparently familiar with that kind of request.

Other Broome's Gateway, 0437525485, www.broomesgateway.com Relaxed, open-style living 20 km outside Broome, camping or ensuite units, great communal facilities, lodge also offers breakfasts, all nice pets are welcome, abundant wildlife. Roebuck Plains, Great Northern Highway intersection, 9192 1880 34 km east of Broome, 24 hr roadhouse, offers basic units and camping, showers for travellers (if you've been bushcamping...), and allows dogs at campsites. Willare Bridge Roadhouse, Great Northern Highway, 9191 4775 165 km east of Broome, 55 km south of Derby, roadhouse, motel rooms and caravan park, 600 m from good fishing spots on Fitzroy River, birdwatching trail on riverbank.

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EATING OUT Broome has an enviable restaurant scene. (That's from the point of view of a Kununurra resident. Kununurra sucks in that respect.) Though there are some unexpected highlights between Darwin and Perth, Broome is the only place where you have more than one recommendable eat out to choose from. Many restaurants and bars employ backpackers for the tourist season and there is a high turnover, so the service is often somewhat hit and miss. Café D'Amore, Jones Pl, 9192 7606, www.cafedamore.com.au Formerly Carlotta's, this is not a café, rather an Italian restaurant. An excellent Italian restaurant, I may say. (This is coming from a European and fan of authentic Italian cuisine.) Casual dining in a lovely Mediterranean style courtyard. Wood fired pizzas, home made pasta and a changing specials menu. Sells wine by the glass or BYO bottle(s) of wine. Frequented by locals as much as tourists. I recommend booking ahead. Matso's Cafe and Brewery, Hamersley St, 9193 5811, www.matsos.com.au Excellent food and excellent beer (Matso's is the only boutique brewery in this part of the world). Open all day and the veranda tables have great views over Roebuck Bay. The inside and the bar are great, too. It's a must stop while in Broome. (The building houses a gallery, too). Trendy. Lustre Bar & Restaurant, Carnarvon St, 9192 1030 A new venue in old Broome. Sandwich bar during the day and bar/restaurant at night. Food, cocktails and service receive mixed reviews, so you'll have to decide for yourself. Half price pizzas on Mondays. Kool Spot (formerly Bloom's), Carnarvon St, 9192 5512 Old timber building with character. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, cakes and coffee. Popular and always full. Many people eat here after catching a movie at Sun Pictures, but breakfasts are even better. Shady Lane Café, Johnny Chi Lane, 9192 2060 Huge servings of home made food, outdoor seating under palm trees, nice focaccias, quiches, wraps and sandwiches. Aarli Bar, Cnr Frederick/Hamersly St, 9192 5529 "Aarli" is an Aboriginal word for fish, the bar's specialty. Small bar, big menu. Huge selection of tapas, pizzas from wood fired oven, fresh whole fish. Mediterranean style dining, where all the food is placed in the middle of the table and everybody shares everything. Al fresco and open all day. BYO. Gets thumbs up from readers. Ra Ra's, Dampier Tce, 9192 1395 Breakfast/lunch cafe tucked away in an arcade and popular with the locals, yummy homemade food, excellent coffee, good music, good vibe and great value for money. Dragonfly, Carnarvon St, 9192 3222 The famous "Henry's" used to be here, but unfortunately Henry's is history! The name of this cafe has been changed to "Dragonfly". It is still a great spot for breakfast or lunch, and now also does dinners. Good coffee, good food. Old Zoo Café, Challenor Dv, 9193 6200, www.zoocafe.com.au The zoo is closed and the old feedhouse has been repurposed. Well, not really, I guess. You still get fed. But it's a lot more trendy now than it used to be... Half alfresco, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Gets thumbs up from readers.

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Part III: The Guide

Town Beach Café, Robinson St, 9193 5585 Another must stop in Broome. Open for breakfast/lunch/afternoon tea, outdoor seating overlooking the beach, great pancakes, great seafood. Gets very crowded during peak season. Very casual. BYO. Zanders, Cable Beach,Rd 9193 5090, www.zanders.com.au Used to be known as the Cable Beach Sandbar & Grill, prime location on the grass at the Cable Beach Reserve, open all day, smoothies, pizzas, steaks, barra burgers, seafood… modern Australian cuisine and licensed bar. Divers Tavern, Cable Beach, 9193 6066, www.diverstavern.com.au Frequented by travellers and locals. Laid back pub atmosphere, large and affordable menu. Zeebar, Sanctuary Rd, 9193 6511, www.zeebar.com.au Modern Australian, great selection of tapas and share plates, lots of seafood, excellent quality food. 18 Degrees, shop 4, 63 Robinson St, 9192 7915 Trendy bar, not cheap, great selection of great tapas. Wharf Restaurant, at the port, 9192 5700 Great Seafood to eat there or take away. You can also buy just fresh seafood to cook at home. Open for lunch and dinner. Outdoor seating overlooking the port waters and the biggest selection of wine by the glass ever. Very casual. I always stop here. Lord Mac's Burger Bar, 2 Challenor Drive, 9192 8428, www.lordmacs.com Typical burger bar with BIG burgers, excellent quality. Land of Pharaos, shop 20, Paspaley Plaza, 9192 6469 Also known as the Egyptian Kebab House, popular with locals for lunch, great wraps and kebabs. Brilliant kebabs, in fact. Little Indian Restaurant, Shop 3, 16 Frederick St Authentic Indian Food, eat in or take away, lovely outdoor sitting, a bit pricey. 12 Mile Cafe, Yamashita Road, 9192 8552 About 18km out of Broome along the highway, turn left onto Yamashita Rd. 12 Mile Cafe is part of Serendipity Farm, the home of Fusion Herbs (certified organic and biodynamic). Organic, home grown food, PNG organic fair trade coffee, served on a little deck under big mango trees. Open Thu-Sun 8am-4pm, BYO, takes dinner bookings for groups of 12+. This place is not what it used to be. It closed, then reopened only on Sundays to terrible reviews in 2013. If someone eats here in 2014, please let me know how it was.

Asian Azuki Japanese Fusion, Napier Terrace, 9193 7211, Japanese cuisine with a twist. Not cheap but well worth it. Also popular for take-away sushi. BYO. noodlefish, Crnr Frederick/Hamersley St, 9192 1697 No typo, it's spelled lower case. The noodlefish has been around for a long time and has quite a following. It offers a delicious blend of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine (emphasis on seafood). Also BYO and outdoor seating. The feel is more trendy and upmarket. 2 Rice, Dampier Tce, 9192 1395 Authentic Asian cuisine (Thai, Malay and Japanese) with authentic ingredients. Eat there or take away. Excellent value. If you are into Asian cooking you can also buy the ingredients, which are otherwise hard to come by.

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Som Thai Kitchen, Hamersley St, 9192 6186, www.somthairestaurant.com typical Thai menu, also offers pearl meat as a starter. Excellent food from fresh produce, indoor and outdoor sitting, BYO. Chin's Chinese Restaurant, Hamersley St, 9192 1466, variety from all over Asia, popular take away. Tong's Chinese Restaurant, 10 Napier Terrace, 9192 2080

Hotel Eateries Check the websites in the hotel listings for the eateries associated with them: Cable Beach Club, 9192 0400 or 1800 199 099, www.cablebeachclub.com, two restaurants (Asian/Australian cuisine), Carvery & Buffet, Sunset bar. Mercure Inn, Weld St, 9195 5900, "Murphy's Pub and Grill", tupical pub food, good value. Pinctada Cable Beach Resort and Spa, www.pinctadacablebeach.com.au, SELENE Brassiere, well reviewed. Mangrove Hotel, Carnarvon St, 9192 1303, www.mangrovehotel.com.au, “Tides Garden Restaurant”, two restaurants and beer garden, modern Australian. Roebuck Bay Hotel, Dampier Tce, 9192 1221, www.roey.com.au, “Cheffy’s at the Roey”, excellent pub food and great atmosphere. Oaks Broome, 99 Robinson Street, 9192 9513, www.oakshotelsresorts.com/..., The "1861" is open for breakfast and dinner

Drinking and Partying Roebuck Bay Hotel, Dampier Tce, 9192 1221, www.roey.com.au The Roey’s is THE pub in town. Good, no frills Aussie pub. This is where the locals hang out. Tides Bar at the Mangrove Hotel, Carnarvon St, 9192 1303, www.mangrovehotel.com.au Happy hour 5.30 – 6.30 pm Fri and Sat and good Sunday session (2 pm). Matso’s, Hamerlsey St, 9193 5811, www.matsos.com.au Also good Sunday sessions in the courtyard. Divers Tavern, Cable Beach, 9193 6066 www.diverstavern.com.au Frequented by travellers and locals. More "civilised" than the Roey. Plus any of the already mentioned places. For those without transport there is a Nightrider bus service that replaces the town bus. It runs half hourly until midnight (and a bit later Fri and Sat).

TOUR OPERATORS Camel Rides on Cable Beach There are several operators, offereing the same rides at slightly varying prices: Morning rides (40 min), afternoon rides, also called pre-sunset rides (30 min) and sunset rides (1hr). Also ask about their photography service and any extras they throw in. (Free pearl earings for ladies, camel statues, 2 for 1 rides with car hire etc., it varies.) Wet season offerings vary also. Broome Camel Safaris, 0419 916 101, www.broomecamelsafaris.com.au Morning ($50 adults/$35 children), pre-sunset ($35/$25) and sunset rides ($60/$40). Red Sun Camels, 9193 7423 or 1800 184 488, www.redsuncamels.com.au Morning ($55 adults/$35 children), pre-sunset ( $35/$35) and sunset rides($75/$55). Ships of the Desert, 9192 2958, www.shipsofthedesert.com.au Morning ($50 adults/$35 children), afternoon ($35/$25) and sunset rides ($70/$55).

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Part III: The Guide

Local Tours Willie Creek Pearl Farm, 9192 0000, www.williecreekpearls.com.au Broome's most popular tour, self drive (4WD) or jump on the bus to the farm 40 km north of Broome. Includes boat trip to see suspended pearl panels. $95 coach tour (children $50, family 2+2 $240), $55 self drive (children $30, family $140). Tours usually start 9 am, 10 am, 2 pm, times may change with demand so check first. They also offer guided tours of Pearl Luggers ($20/child $10/fam. $50) and Broome Sightseeing ($55/$30/$140). Bookings essential for all tours. Astro Tours, 0417 949 958, www.astrotours.net What the name says. The stars of the southern hemisphere explained. Big telescopes, powerful lasers and lots of fun, educational and entertaining. $80 including pick up (children $50) or self drive ($65/$35). 2hr shows, start 8pm Mon/Wed and 6pm Fri/Sat. Kimberley Wild, 9193 7778 or 1300 73 88 70, www.kimberleywild.com.au Half day tour Broome sights. From 12 – 6pm. Finish with either sunset nibbles (adults $90/children$50) or sunset camel ride ($155/$95). Broome Top Deck Tours, 0427 850 559 or 1800 858 985, www.broometopdecktours.com.au 1.5 hr tours (allow a good 2 hrs to include pick ups and returns) with extensive commentary on all thingsBroome in a restored, open top, double decker bus. Pick up from Visitor Centre (3.35 pm), Cable Beach Club (4 pm) as well as Murray Rd. and Sanctuary Rd. resorts (3.50pm). Adults $40, children $15, family 2+3 $100. Broome Trike Tours, 0407 575 237, www.broometriketours.com.au A variety of in depth and informative tours of Broome on a Harley Davidson Trike. 45 min $50 pp, 1.5 hr $99, 2.5 hr champagne sunset $175, 3 hr with lunch/beer/wine/liqueur tastings $175, 4.5 hr wine and dine with crocodiles approx. $275. See website for many more. Spirit of Broome, 9193 5025, www.broomehovercraft.com.au Small hovercraft, daily 1 hr scenic and history flights around Roebuck Bay $111 ($80 children), 1:45 hr flight as previous with added sunset $159/$101, 1:30 hr scenic/historic plus flying boat wrecks tour $159/$101 (only at very low tide, check website for dates). Broome Adventure Company, 0419 895 367, www.broomeadventure.com.au Paddle along the Broome peninsula: 3 hr Turtle Bay Adventure $75, children $60. Includes courtesy pick up and drop off, cool drinks and some beach snacks. Daily morning and afternoon trips. Kimberley Kayak Fishing, 9192 2285, www.kimberleykayakfishing.com.au Fish or just enjoy the scenery. Morning and afternoon 2 hour tours for 2 to 5 people. $98 pp. You should also be able to arrange a flexible schedule or more extended tour. Kujurta Buru, 9162 1622, www.kujurtaburu.com.au Learn about Aboriginal lifestyles of six groups in the area and how they have changed to fit into modern day Broome. Half day tours $88 (children $44). Also offer bus transfers to Aboriginal communities on the Dampier Peninsula for $155. (More info about the Dampier Peninsula and its communities is in the next chapter.)

Further Afield Kimberley Dreamtime Adventure Tours, 0447 214 681, www.kdat.com.au Owned and operated by the Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Community. One and two day overland safaris by 4WD and camel, focus on eco and Aboriginal culture. Insight into station and Aboriginal community history, bush foods and medicines, visits a remote indigenous community, exclusive rock-art, swimming in local waterholes... 1 day tour (operated in conjunction with Kimberley Wild Expeditions) $299, 2 day tour $492..

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UpTuYu Aboriginal Adventures, Udialla Springs, 0400 878 898, www.uptuyu.com.au About 200 km from Broome and 100 km from Derby on the Fitzroy River is Nev’s Oongkalkada Wilderness Camp, the start of your personalised Aboriginal guided tour. What tour? That’s UpTuYu. Extreme outback adventure, tag-along tour, extended camping tour, luxurious designer tour, whatever it is you’re after, Nev will make it happen. It’s all UpTuYu! (Pick up from Broome or Derby can be arranged). Chomleys Tours, 9192 6195, www.chomleystours.com.au Variety of 1 day and one 2 day Cape Leveque tour. All tours visit Beagle Bay and Lombadina. Opportunity to join local Aboriginal guided tours. Kimberley Wild Expeditions, 9193 7778 or 1300 73 88 70, www.kimberleywild.com.au Tours to Cape Leveque or the usual gorges, Gibb River Road, Bunge Bungles.

Scenic flights (Some of the flights below can be combined with on the ground tours or cruises. Check the individual websites to find out more.) Broome Aviation, 9192 1369, www.broomeaviation.com Broome area, Buccaneer Archipelago, Kimberley gorges, Bungles and more. Broome Helicopter Services, 9192 7488, www.broomehelicopters.com Range of shorter flights around Broome area and longer adventure flights up the peninsula or into the gorge country for swimming, exploring or fishing. KAS Helicopters, 9191 1886, www.kashelicopters.com.au 30 min Cable Beach and Willie Creek scenic flights, heli fishing on request. Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, 9192 1172, www.horizontalfallsadventures.com.au Half day tours to Horizontal Falls, incl. seaplane landing and jet boat ride through falls. $745. As above plus Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm tour $795. Full day bus tour up the peninsula plus seaplane from One Arm Point to Horizontal Falls, incl. landing and jet boat ride, $795. Kimberley Extreme, 9192 1172, www.kimberleyextreme.com.au Half day tours to Horizontal Falls, run mornings and afternoons, incl. seaplane landing and jet boat ride through falls. $745. King Leopold Air, 9193 7155, www.kingleopoldair.com.au Broome area, Cape Leveque, Horizontal Falls, Buccaneer Archipelago, even Mitchell Falls or Bungles. Catalina Adventures, 1300 554 026, www.catalinaadventures.com.au Local heli flights and jet blasts. Horizontal Falls, Cygnet Bay, Cape Leveque tours are coming soon. Kimberley Aviation, 0429 112 407, www.kimberleyaviation.com.au Customise your own Kimberley air safari.

Cruises INTOMBI Pearling Lugger Experience, 9192 7321, www.broomelugger.com. WA’s oldest lugger, gourmet sunset cruise ($159/$115 children). Absolute Ocean Charters, 0427 798 155, www.absoluteoceancharters.com.au Whale watching, dive charters, sunset/night fishing, creek fishing, reef fishing, (Many of the cruises further below also offer plenty of opportunities for good fishing.)

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Part III: The Guide

Kimberley Discovery Cruises, 1800 185 960 or (03) 9544 2437, www.kimberleydiscoverycruises.com.au 12 – 14 day cruise packages to the Buccaneer Archipelago ex Broome or Derby. The Great Escape Charter Company, 9193 5983, www.greatescape.net.au Diving trips to the Rowley Shoals, several Kimberley cruises of varying length. Diversity Charters, 9192 6407 or 0429 926 407, www.diversitycharters.com.au 7 to 10 nights around Broome, 7 night “Fishing Frenzy”. Odyssey Expeditions, 1300 683 255, www.odysseyexpeditions.com.au 10 day cruises including Prince Regent River and Mitchell Plateau. Lady M Cruising, 9534 8823, ladymcruising.com 4, 5, 7 and 12 night Kimberley cruises including boat rider through Horizontal Falls. Unreel Adventure Safaris, 427 770 825 or 417 180 463, unreeladventures.com 5-7 night charters, fish as much or as little as you like. Also offering extended cruises along the whole Kimberley coast: Kimberley Quest, 1300 156 035, www.kimberleyquest.com.au, North Star Cruises, 9192 1829, www.northstarcruises.com.au Red Sky Cruises, 0407 739 738, www.redsky.com.au (Who say that 2014 will be their last year. This time definitely!) Makaira Game Fishing, 0409 001 828, makairagamefishing.com.au

Fishing West Kimberley Fishing Tours, 0417 889 479, www.westkimberleyfishingtours.com Custom tailored half or full day sport fishing tours on the open water or full day barra fishing on the Fitzroy River or local creeks. Broome Billfish Charters, 9192 2127 or 0407 682 241 , www.broomebillfish.com Sentosa Fishing Charters, 9192 8163, www.sentosacharters.com West Coast Marine Charters, 0400 089 860, www.westcoastcharters.com.au Fishbroome, 0400 089 860, www.fishbroome.com.au Freshwater Cove, 9193 6836, www.freshwatercove.com Coastal fishing camp in the wilderness north of Broome and Derby, access by seaplane or helicopter.

Don't need a tour, just a boat? Boab Boat Hire, 1300 002 622, www.boabboathire.com.au

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THE DAMPIER PENINSULA

T

he Dampier Peninsula north of Broome is a destination for people who love the bush, camping, fishing and deserted beaches. There used to be nothing much out here other than wilderness, an amazing coastline and Aboriginal communities and small outstations that welcome interested visitors, offer camping/very basic accommodation and are happy to share their knowledge about bush foods, medicines, traditional hunting and fishing techniques and their special relationship with their land and the ocean. All of that is still true. What has changed is that many of the smaller communities have had massive injections of finance and labour to allow them to add more upmarket accommodation and facilities. Those fancy “safari tents” are popping up everywhere! But as I indicated, so far this hasn't changed the overall character of the region. You can enjoy a few more comforts while visiting or you can stick to the bush camps. It's up to you. The best known attractions on the Peninsula are the Northern Beaches, the Aboriginal communities Lombadina, Beagle Bay and One Arm Point, and the "resorts" at Middle Lagoon and Cape Leveque. But there are many more lesser known communities and little homelands, each one more inviting than the next, and more are springing up every year. At many of them you will not find the laid on, artificial, romanticised and westernised Aboriginal experience that you find offered across much of Australia. This is the real thing. Come here with an open mind, accept that the Bardi people do things very differently to white people and that in some of the communities they are still very much learning about all our funny and weird expectations and demands. At the other end of the scale, Cape Leveque is the northern tip of the Dampier Peninsula and the location of the famous Kooljaman Eco Resort. Kooljaman offers a variety of very good facilities, everything from basic camping to upmarket luxury options, and includes a restaurant. But despite the above mentioned upgrades elsewhere, many of the best places on the Peninsula are still very basic, offering accommodation in simple shelters or just camping, and the more comfortable accommodation is all self contained. The more self sufficient you are, the better.

Getting There/Need to Know Allow three days to visit only Kooljaman (two night minimum stay), more to see more, about at least a week to check out all the well known places, and easily over two weeks to visit everyone. The distance from Broome to the tip of the Peninsula is 206 km (allow 2 to 3 hours, depending on the state of the road). To reach any of the places on the Dampier Peninsula drive east on the Broome Road. About 10 km out of Broome turn left/north onto the Cape Leveque Road which traverses the whole peninsula. You will need a four wheel drive to explore the Dampier Peninsula. Most of the roads here are a bit rough: unsealed, sandy and sometimes badly corrugated. Taking a caravan is not a good idea. (Tough off-road vans should be fine.) If you only want to drive to Kooljaman and back you might be able to take a conventional vehicle. (Definitely not recommended!!!) Do, however, enquire about the current state of the road. Road conditions change all 92 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part III: The Guide

the time and you may be lucky (i.e. the road was recently graded). Also, the main Cape Leveque road is getting better all the time, and north of Beagle Bay it is sealed and in excellent condition. There is a second road that accesses the peninsula, sometimes called the Bedunburra Road. This is a private road, meaning you likely have no insurance cover on it and there are no official road reports for it. The turn off on the highway is 110 km from Derby/110 km from Broome, near the Nillibubbica rest area and the Bedunburra homestead. There are no sign posts but it's a big turn off. (Look for“Kimberley Colour Stone” which is located on the corner.) If coming from the peninsula, the turn off to is just south of the Beagle Bay turn off. Turn east. Again, there are no sign posts, but it is the only turn off to the east in the area, so you can't really go wrong. The road is a lot more attractive than the main road. It is usually in overall good condition, nowhere near as corrugated as the main road, but it does have many soft, sandy sections that require 4WD and some clearance, and it can also have some big bog holes until late into the dry. Be aware of the extreme tides that the whole Dampier Peninsula experiences. Best get a tide chart from the Broome Visitor Centre before you venture north. To visit the Dampier Peninsula means entering Aboriginal land. Respect the culture and privacy of the people that live here. That means observe the no entry signs on private roads! They protect law grounds, burial sites and other areas of traditional significance. Even if there are no signs you may still be entering private land. So please stick to the track that takes you to your destination, do not go off exploring. Bush camping on the peninsula is prohibited except in designated areas and dogs are not allowed at all, except on the Northern Beaches. Fuel is available at the Beagle Bay, Lombadina and One Arm Point Communities. . You can buy fuel cards directly from the communities of One Arm Point or Djarindjin/Lombadina during office hours. The cards give you 24 hr access at the bowsers at One Arm Point & Djarindjin Communities (both 18km from Kooljaman). Emergency fuel cards can sometimes be bought from Kooljaman but they cost extra. Beagle Bay, Djarindjin/Lombadina and One Arm Point also have small general stores, which are open on weekdays and stock the basic supplies including meat, fruit, vegetables etc.

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The Northern Beaches FREE BUSHCAMPING 14 km along the Cape Leveque Road you find the Manari Road to your left. A series of beaches, sometimes just called the "Northern Beaches", is located along the Manari Road, a sandy and often rough track. The beaches are mostly frequented by local fishermen, though more and more tourists also find their way out here. You can camp at any of the sites for free for up to three days and dogs on leashes are ok. The turn-offs to the individual beaches are sign posted:

Willie Creek (t/o at 5 km): Although the rocky shore and the turquoise water look very inviting, don't even think about swimming here! The area is crocodile habitat. Willie Creek is popular with fishermen, the campsite is close to the beach and the Willie Creek pearl farm is only 300 metres further on. If Broome is full, too hectic or too expensive for you, why not base yourself here for a few days?

Barred Creek (t/o at 14km) Also crocodile country, but good for catching fish, prawns (in the wet season) and the occasional mud crab. There is a small track that connects Willie Creek and Barred Creek and a few more small beaches and camping spots on the way.

Quandong (t/o at 21.5 km) The most beautiful beach and campsite out of the four main sites. The main camping area is higher up and has nice views overlooking the beach and the rocky headland. It's a good place for both beach lovers and fishermen.

James Price Point (t/o at 34.5 km) There used to be good fishing and good camping, either up on the cliffs, or behind the dunes under big shady trees. Of course, this is the site that our Premier in his infinite wisdom had selected for the hotly debated gas plant, because there is nothing out here, making it a perfect choice. (Why a pristine and sensitive area is a better choice than one that already has industry and infrastructure, he did not explain. Maybe destroying the most sensitive and valuable areas of the Kimberley first will then make it easier to industrialise the lot?) While the gas plant in the end didn't go ahead, the work that was done and the protests that ensued while the government was still trying to push it through have changed the area forever. Manari Beach is another 17 km north of here and if you press on you eventually reach the Coulomb Nature Reserve. (Find out first what state that track is in. This is not for the inexperienced and probably best done in two vehicles.) There is nothing out here so you have to be totally self sufficient. The first few beaches are easy enough to access, but 4WD virgins should definitely not venture beyond Manari Beach, if even that far.

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The Lurujarri Heritage Trail is an 80km long walking trail, following an Aboriginal song line along this coast. It starts at Minarringy (Coulomb Point) and ends at Entrance Point, just outside Broome. And now that there is no longer a huge gas plant proposal looming at James Price Point, for the first time in seven years, you can walk this coastline past James Price Point. The trail is divided into six sections and each of the six sections provides an enjoyable day’s walk. While it is a fairly easy walk you do have to cross several creeks, which can only be done at low tide. The Goolarabooloo people offer a fantastic nine day walk every year during the July holidays. This is NOT a tourism experience, this is a wonderful opportunity to walk with the guardians of the land, become a real part of the group, partake in their culture, camp at their traditional campsites, catch your dinner from the ocean and learn about and eat their food. See their brochure for more information: http://www.goolarabooloo.org.au/downloads/Lurujarri_Trail_broshure.pdf If you visit at other times, get in touch with them anyway as they also offer one day or longer customised trails throughout the year. www.goolarabooloo.org.au/lurujarri.html

Banana Well Getaway Approximately 140 km north of Broome, a good 90 km on the Cape Leveque Road, is the turn off for Banana Well, a neat and pretty well developed little tourism venture set in nice bushland with good fishing and crabbing at the local creek. From the camp it's a half hour drive through bush and marsh to a secluded beach for swimming and fishing. Banana Well Getaway, 9192 4040, bananawellgetaway.com.au About 140 km north of Broome. Disability designed 4BR house ($400), 3 BR house ($300), 2 BR ($130) and 1BR units ($100), room for $90, powered camping (caravan $45, campervan or tent $35) and unpowered camping (caravan $35, tent or campervan $30). Camp kitchen, enclosed dining/TV area, laundry, playground, bait, ice, tackle, fish cleaning facilities, fishing tours, sat phone and internet. Great spring water.

Beagle Bay Community The turn off to Beagle Bay Community is at 113 km on the Cape Leveque road. From there it's another 4 km to the community. Originally the community was used as a home for separated Aboriginal children. Now these very children administer the community. The community is mostly known for the Sacred Heart Church. It was built entirely by hand from 1914 – 1917 by the Pallotine monks and local Aboriginals with raw materials from the area, including the beautiful altar decorated with mother-of-pearl shell. The whole church is decorated with shells and mother-of-pearl. It's in the window frames and inlaid in the floors, mother-of-pearl everywhere. Well worth a look. Contact the office on arrival (follow the signs). The community admission fee is $5. No need to book or get a permit. You just pay when you arrive at the office. The community also has a shop and you can get diesel and unleaded fuel.

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Gnylmarung Retreat Approximately 150 km north of Broome you find Gnylmarung. You should see the small hand painted sign for the turn off about 12 km north of the Beagle Bay turn off. After seemingly endless sandy corrugations (in reality about 25 km) you get to the Beagle Bay. That's the actual bay not the community of the same name. At first glance it looks like a farm on the beach with a few scattered tin sheds. There are some shared facilities and a big firewood pile and several great little camping areas, some overlooking the beach and each with their own bush bbq. Alternatively you can rent one of the bungalows (no linen, communal kitchen facilities). The guys here are very welcoming and helpful, the fishing is great and there is even a hire boat. The visitor numbers are restricted so it doesn't lose that great bush feel. Not to forget: the shiny solar powered phone standing in the middle of nowhere from where you can ring any Australian landline for free. Gnylmarung Retreat, 0429 411 241, gnylmarung.org.au Approximately 150 km north of Broome. Turn off sign posted, about 25 km off main road. Bungalows from $90 per night, camping $20pp.

Goombaragin Eco Ventures This is an Aboriginal owned and family operated, exclusive eco-retreat 160 km north of Broome. The focus is on sharing traditional Aboriginal culture with the limited number of visitors. Accommodation is in safari style tents. Kathleen Cox, the owner, was born in Broome but grew up at the Beagle Bay Mission. Kathleen and her family moved to Goombaragin in 2003 to start a business and become independent from government welfare, while at the same time safeguarding the country according to her traditional responsibilities. Goombaragin Eco Ventures, 0429 505 347 or 0417 971 012, www.goombaragin.com.au Turn off is signposted, Goombaragin is 28 km off the main road. Semi-inclusive 3 day package offering tented accommodation for a maximum of ten people, together with Aboriginal guided cultural tours. Shorter/longer stays possible. Internet access.

Middle Lagoon, Nature's Hideaway Middle Lagoon is a family operated, quiet fishing and holiday and retreat 170 km north of Broome, west of Pender Bay. To get to Middle Lagoon follow the Cape Leveque Road for 134 km (or 21 km from the Beagle Bay t/o) and turn left. The turnoff is sign posted. The remaining 35 km you drive on a track rather than a road, but the track can at times be more comfortable to negotiate and a lot less corrugated than the main road! Peter and Traci Howard started this venture 1996. It used to be a secret tip back then, but these days the Broome locals have to share Middle Lagoon with visitors from all over the world. The facilities have been getting better all the time, and more and more family members got involved in running the business. But despite all that, Middle Lagoon is definitely still a quiet bush hideaway. In fact, it is a little paradise. The inlet is surrounded by a wide beach and protected by a huge rock bar which makes for great fishing and snorkelling. The water in the lagoon is shallow, free of stingers and crocodiles, so it's a great place for swimming and even very young kids can safely play in the water. 96 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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All the facilities are very basic, but what do you really need to be happy? You can launch a boat of the beach. You can rent a tent site or caravan site (even powered), basic thatched beach shelters or breezy cabins made from wood and fly screen (with power, fridge and fan). There is freshwater, bathrooms with showers and laundry facilities and a fish cleaning station. Fires are allowed. You can buy bait, ice and fire wood. ($5 for as much as you can carry in the supplied bin. Fire wood that is, not bait.) There's even a public phone. The beach shelters are my favourite accommodation, because you really live right on the beach. (Which has disadvantages for the owners of the place. A cyclone has washed away a couple of the shelters.) But the cabins and camping sites are great, too, perched on top of the dunes and overlooking the reefs and the ocean. Quite a few locals do drag their standard caravans out here and set them up on top of the cliffs overlooking the lagoon. There is plenty of space for vans but the road in can be a bit rough, so if you plan to tow get current information on it! Update: Sadly, Peter Howard passed away in December 2010. Nature's Hideaway at Middle Lagoon, Ph or Fax 9192 4002, www.middlelagoon.com.au Prices start at $30 for an unpowered campsite, powered campsite $40, a beach shelter is $60 and a cabin $140 (up to 4 people). There is one cabin with an ensuite ($240). Day visitors pay a $10 entry fee, no charge for overnight guests. Operating year round.

Whalesong Cafe and Campground at Munget Munget is a small Aboriginal Homeland overlooking the southern end of Pender Bay. Jacinta Monck and Lenny O'Meara with their four young children are the only permanent residents here. Over the last years Lennie and Jacinta have built up a lovely little tourism venture here, the perfect secret little hideaway. In 2006 they started out with seven camels, offering a combined camel ride/cultural tour to tourists who stayed at nearby Middle Lagoon. They have since added a campground with a funky outdoor bathroom, one little cabin and the “Whalesong Cafe”. The cafe serves excellent food: gourmet pizzas and restaurant style meals, really good coffee and cappucinos, juices, salads... Fruit and vegetables are super fresh, coming straight from their own gardens. There is plenty to do here: mud crab tours, billabong tours, beach picnics, kayak hire... Or just enjoy the bush and ocean doing your own thing. (The camels, unfortunately, are gone.) The campground has room for only about half a dozen camps. Lennie and Jacinta are great hosts and the many lovely little touches around the place add to the intimate feel. I hope it stays that way! To get there drive as you would to Middle Lagoon. Look for a turn off to the right, about 15 km after leaving the main Cape Leveque Road, and follow the signs. (Take care not to confuse access to the Whalesong Cafe with the road to the Two Moons Research Base.) Whalesong Cafe and Campground, 9192 4000, open Jul-Sep Camping $20 pp per night. And internet reception!

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Mercedes Cove Mercedes Cove is an exclusive bush retreat for only a few guests at a time. It is located near Middle Lagoon, offering the same unspoilt beaches, clean waters for swimming or fishing, and peace and tranquillity. To get there drive towards Middle Lagoon. The turn off for Mercedes Cove is 3 km before you reach Middle Lagoon. Mercedes Cove, 9192 4687, www.mercedescove.com.au Accommodation in two self contained cabins, the “Guest House” and the “Open Deck”. Both sleep up to 6 people. $300 per night for four. $35 for each extra person. Self contained eco tents for up to four people at $150 per night. Bookings essential.

Kelk Creek And another low key, exclusive eco bush retreat. Kelk Creek is located about 155 km north of Broome and just 3 km of the main road, at Djugaragyn. (They were previously known as Djugarargyn Bush Retreat and Cultural Walks). Deborah and Steve also sell many of their own products, including their own range of natural body products and bush tucker products. You will get to sample the body products as they supply guest soaps, shampoos and conditioner (which you need to use to comply with the eco standards, the greywater is harvested). You can also join into making these products. (This a paid experience/tour.). For a sample of bush tucker products have some billy tea around the fire, it comes with Steve's famous damper and Deb's bush fruit jams. Kelk Creek, 9192 4377, www.kelkcreek.com.au Accommodation in upmarket eco-safari tents (i.e. real bed, linen, solar powered lighting and even a fridge) includes breakfast and dinner. Light lunch is included in bushwalk tours. Minimum stay two nights.

Lombadina About 180 km along the Cape Leveque Road is the turn-off to Lombadina, a large community located only a few kilometres off the main road. Lombadina offers accommodation and tours. It is one of only a few communities on the peninsula that have been welcoming visitors for many years. (Many others have only recently started to tentatively venture into the tourism business). Access to the community costs $10 per vehicle. Accommodation is in basic but comfortable units or in backpacker type dorms. The community boasts a bakery (the only real bread on the peninsula, though only white, available Mon/Wed/Fri), a crafts gallery that sells locally produced art and a proper shop for basic supplies. Everybody here works, nobody takes government handouts. Then there is the old mission church building, an ingenious design and construction, made from bush timbers and corrugated iron sheets. And, behind the community grounds, is the most stunning beach you can imagine. Lombadina offers many different tours, boat fishing, shore fishing and mudcrabbing and bush walking tours where you can learn about the Bardi country and their heritage.

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If you have visited any Aboriginal communities in the NT or the north west you'll be amazed at these communities and the people. If only it could be like this everywhere. Lombadina Community, 9192 4936, www.lombadina.com Single rooms $100 per night, lodge for 2 people $170 per night, self contained cabin or deluxe apartment for 4 people $220 and $280 a night resp. Bush tucker tours, scenic tours, crabbing, fishing and whale watching tours. $10 per vehicle to access the community.

Chile Creek The Chile Creek community is 7 km from Lombadina, not quite 200 km from Broome, and the last section of the track is very soft and sandy. The tiny, neat community offers wonderful basic camping in a spacious campground away from the community buildings (big bathrooms with solar hot showers, camp kitchen, fire places). Since 2010 Chile Creek also caters to the discerning visitor who expects to see the “real” Kimberley in style: there are five brand new safari tents with queen sized and bunk beds (for whole families) and ensuites, linnen and cooking utensils are supplied, as well as a gas bbq for cooking on the covered veranda. The lovely bush style shelters have been turned into more upmarket bungalows with queen sized beds and shared bathroom and cooking facilities. Chile Creek offers all the usual activities that make up the peninsula lifestyle... Swimming, snorkelling, fishing, mudcrabbing, and of course bush walking. The beach is snow white, endless, and firm enough to drive on for many kilometres. Absolutely amazing. You reach it via a very narrow and very soft track (you will need low range gears and drop your tyre pressures). There could be crocodiles in the creek mouth to the right/north, so for swimming better head in the opposite direction! If you could not get into Kooljaman, which is often enough full during the main season, this is also a good place to use as a base instead and do day trips to Kooljaman and One Arm Point. (In fact, during peak season I'd rather stay here anyway.) Update: Roma has lost her mother and is finding it hard to keep everything running on her own. Chile Creek, 9192 4141, www.chilecreek.com Bushcamping, safari tents and, bungalows. (At the time of writing Roma had not decided on prices and offerings for the season.)

Djoodoon – Bully's Camp Just north of the Lombadina turn off is the turn off to Mudnunn and Djoodoon. Follow the main track for about 8 km to a Y-junction. To your right is the small community Mudnunn. The HEMA map I recommend (p. 55) identifies Mudnunn as a good place to camp to access the beautiful beaches in the area, but really, there is not much there. Follow the left track instead and after another kilometre you get to “Bully's Camp” at Djoodoon. Bully is gone and the place is now managed by Geoff, but the name remains.

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At this stage this is still a real insider tip. The camp has been here since 1993, but it's one of those “I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you” locations that everyone has kept quiet about. Geoff would love to see that change and have a few more visitors, so I am comfortable telling you about it (even if the long term regulars will likely not be too happy about having to share their hideaway). Note: I added this listing before the start of the 2010 season, so it's not quite as secret any more! What do you get here? A huge, spacious, grassy campground ($15 pp), behind the dune, and on top of it three beach shelters to rent ($20 pp) and one big communal bush style shelter, overlooking an amazing beach of beautiful Signet Bay. The large ablution block did not look too inviting (it's an old transportable), didn't look any better on the next visit, and apparently its condition has not miraculously improved since. But it was clean and the water pressure was good. As you will find out, the latter can be a problem in some places. The fishing is absolutely fantabulous and there are oysters and crabs as well. If you are not into fishing you can swim (check with Geoff about crocs first!), walk or laze on the beaches, or chat to Geoff about the unique bird and other wildlife in the area, about life on the peninsula, or about anything else. It's a very, very pretty and laid back place, a bit like Middle Lagoon maybe, just better and with fewer people. Bully's Camp at Djoodoon, 9192 4359 Camping $15pp, bush shelters $20pp

Kooljaman Resort at Cape Leveque Above everything else Cape Leveque is famous for its beaches and justifiably so. Kilometres and kilometres of powdery white sand, interspersed with rocky sections and dotted with treasures the tide left behind. Watch the sun rise out of the ocean, from your bed if you like, and on the other side watch it melt back into the ocean at night. Swim in the crystal clear, turquoise waters, which is free of both crocodiles and jellyfish, all year round. Here's an interesting update on crocodiles at Cape Leveque, submitted by a reader: www.kimberleyaustralia.com/crocodiles-at-cape-leveque.html

Between July and October you can view migrating humpback whales, which pass in viewing distance from the beaches. You can snorkel at the rocks between the beaches, or put your boat in the water and go fishing. The fishing is excellent. Join the Aboriginal owners of the land and catch some delicious mud crabs, take a lesson in spear fishing or learn about traditional bushfoods and medicine. If you are a bit adventurous and like exploring go down to Hunter Creek. But beware of crocodiles at the creek. And don't get bogged here, the sand is very soft. Update: these days Hunter Creek is only accessible via tour with an indigenous guide.

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Even my mate Henry, legendary fisherman and old bush warrior, got bogged here. It was not for lack of skills. His old Landcruiser had a problem and would not stay in four wheel drive mode. He did get help and a tow. A tow from a Pajero! That really hurt, he reckons...

Join a fishing tour or a boat tour if you don't have a boat or don't know enough about fishing to go on your own. Scenic flights to the Buccaneer Archipelago are also available. Then you can camp right on the beach and have a fire at night to cook the day's catch. They even supply the fire wood. For a short break from beach life go for a stroll along the board walk that leads over the top of the hills, past the lighthouse, from one side of Cape Leveque to the other. Learn a bit about the ecology, the plants and animals of the Peninsula and about how the Aboriginals use them. There are also very interesting stories and old letters and newspaper articles, from and about the previous Cape Leveque lighthouse keepers. What a life they must have had, so far away from everything. Back then there was of course no tourism...

Getting There The 204 km drive from Broome can take about three hours. Only the first half of the Cape Leveque Road is unsealed. Even that section is a lot better these days than it was years ago, but because of the heavy use it still gets horribly corrugated. Once you reach the Aboriginal owned country further north the road is sealed and excellent. There is also the Bedunburra back road (t/o 110 km west of Derby/110 km east of Broome). It is not a gazetted road, so use at own risk (no insurance cover!). See page 93 for details. Cape Leveque has a small airport and you can book fly-in day tours or longer stays from Broome or Derby. Road transfers and 4WD tours are also available. (See the tour operator listings for Broome and Derby). Drive-in day visitors have to pay a $10 admission fee. During the wet season (November-April) the road may get closed due to wet conditions.

Accommodation Kooljaman Resort is jointly owned by the Cape Leveque Aboriginal communities One Arm Point and Djarindjin. Every member of the community is a shareholder in the resort and all the profits go back into those Aboriginal communities. They have a lot of conservation projects going on, like tree planting or building board walks to protect the dunes. The construction of the camp itself also followed low impact environmental guidelines. There is a wide range of accommodation. At the luxury end are the safari tents, sophisticated structures built into the steep hillside, so the verandas are on high stilts and overlook the deserted beaches and the ocean. They are serviced and have a little kitchen and ensuite. At the other end of the scale are the palm frond thatched beach shelters. (I assure you, after spending a few nights there, as far as I'm concerned the rich people can have their safari tents, thanks.) 101 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Also available: units, log cabins and a campground. If camping is all you can afford, but you don't have any camping equipment, you can rent one of their dome tents. These are pretty big, solid structures and have a little wooden veranda. The only drawback is that because they are powered, they are all pretty close together (Frankly, the whole campground does not appeal much to me. It's small, fills up quickly, shade is limited and so is green grass. The location leaves to be desired, too. Grab a beach shelter if you can.) Kooljaman has a basic store and a restaurant that offers dine in and take-away meals, in case you didn't catch anything. Book VERY early for the main season, Kooljaman fills up quickly. Kooljaman, 9192 4970, www.kooljaman.com.au Restaurant open for dinner Apr - mid Oct, take-away lunches available between 12-1pm. Unit $115, log cabin from $145 (with ensuite $170), safari tent $275, deluxe safari tent $330, all prices twin share, additional adult $25, child $10. Beach shelter $75 for 2, additional adult $19, child $10, max 4 occupants; on-site tent $65, max 2 people. Powered camping $43 for 1 or 2 people, unpowered $38, extra person $19, $10 for children. The minimum stay is two nights! No caravans! Small camper trailers and campervans are fine. Power is limited! No air-con usage. You can also leave the hair dryer, toaster and microwave at home. Also noteworthy: at the reception you can get a Telstra NextG mobile signal. TIP: if you wanted to visit Cape Leveque but left it too late, and if you are camping and reasonably self sufficient, visit Ardyaloon/One Arm Point instead and camp at Gambanan (more info below), or stay further south at Lombadina, Chile Creek, or even at Bully's Camp at Djoodoon. Though not free, those are all good alternatives during the peak season for people who dislike busy or overly commercial tourism ventures. Kooljaman is a beautiful place any day, but it's at its best in the off or shoulder season. And now there is of course also the alternative of the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm for those who want to do it in style!

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm Just after the Kooljaman turn off you find the clearly signposted turn off to the also spectacularly located Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on your right. This family owned and operated venture has been going for over 60 years. The Brown family were actually the first farm to grow cultured pearls in Australia. The farm is also home to the Kimberley Marine Research Station, the brainchild of James Brown, a third generation pearl farmer with a degree in marine biology. The tourism side is a new addition to their business. It includes a restaurant/bistro (which also offers bbq packs or take-to-your-safari-tent meals for residents), a showroom, tours of the farm by land and sea, various boat tours in the region on their fleet of vessels, and for those who want to extend their stay stylish safari tents with ensuite bathrooms or the renovated Pearler's Cottages.(with air-conditioned bedrooms, no less!) Really nice spot and lovely hosts. Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, 9192 4283, cygnetbaypearls.com.au Safari tents from $180, pearler's cottage from $350. Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm Tour (1 hr, $27 adults, $10 children), Thousand Island Tour (half day, $240/$90), Pearl Farm Patrol Tour (2 hrs $90/$45, land and water), Kimberley Sunset Sail (4 hrs $190),

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Ardyaloon (One Arm Point) Ardyaloon community is located at the very end of the Cape Leveque road. The 400 people community - a main population centre for Bardi and Jawi - was established when the mission on Sunday Island closed and the residents moved to the mainland. Ardyaloon also administers a couple of outstations. When you first arrive please report to the office/admin building. (Follow the road to the roundabout and turn left and the office is to your right.) The entry fee is $10 pp. A visit here is well worth it. The people are great, proud of their saltwater heritage and they gladly share their knowledge and sea skills (guided tours). During the season you can also tour the community based aquaculture hatchery breeding juvenile trochus shells and other species of commercial value, a project that is considered a huge success. There are also a couple of nice beaches and a boat ramp. Accommodation is not available, but the Gambanan campground, run by a well known Bardi family, is only 1.5 km back from here. If you are self sufficient and like quiet bush settings, then it's a wonderful alternative during the main season when Cape Leveque gets too busy. Gambanan is a small bush campground on top of a rocky section of the coast. There is no beach but swimming is possible, and at low tide you can walk on the exposed reef. There is a water tap in the campground and there is also a new shower/toilet block. Apparently hot water for the showers is coming, too. There is also an office where you are supposed to check in, but it's rarely attended. Just pick your site, the owners will come around eventually (everything here runs on Bardi time) and collect the fee. (How much that will be they will decide once the season gets under way.) If interested, you can also get the locals to take you out boating through the islands to sight see and fish. It's a bit pricey, but getting a few people together reduces the costs. One Arm Point Community, 9192 4936, [email protected]

Other Aboriginal Communities and Outstations Bells Point, Djarindjin, Maddarr, La Djardarr Bay... It's impossible to remember all those names. The Broome Visitor Centre publishes a little guide called the Dampier Peninsula Travellers Guide. It has all the contact details for the different communities and a short description of what you can find there. Some offer accommodation, some tours, some have a store and fuel and some have only a camp ground. With most of them you need to arrange your visit beforehand (this does not apply to those I cover in the guide, only to some of the names above) and you may even need special permissions, so contact the Broome Visitor Centre for more information. For anybody who is interested in Aboriginal culture, traditional living, fishing and hunting techniques, bush foods etc. the Peninsula is a great place to learn more and share in the lifestyle of the Bardi people.

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DERBY

D

erby (pop. 4,500) is located on the edge of the King Sound north-east of Broome, just south of the mouth of the Fitzroy River and only just above the high tide mark. And high tides they are! Derby's claim to fame is having the highest tides of any Australian port. Eleven metres of tidal difference means there is an enormous amount of water rushing in or out every six hours. Add to that the silty outflow of the Fitzroy River and you get muddy waters. Even though you are only about 220 km from Broome, the Derby area looks totally different. Mudflats, mangrove swamps ... No, Derby is not your typical tropical holiday destination. It is, however, an honest, warm and welcoming place, one that I always enjoy visiting. Most tourists visit Derby as the starting or end point of their Gibb River Road trip. Even travellers who don't intend to drive the whole length of the Gibb River Road often stop over in Derby. They then travel along the first, well maintained section of the Gibb River Road before turning right, cutting across to the highway and visiting the Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek national parks on the way. Another draw card is the Buccaneer Archipelago, a group of 800 to 1000 of some of the most remote islands in the world. This is also where the Horizontal Waterfalls are located, a phenomenon created by the huge tides rushing through narrow gaps between islands. There is enough to see and do here to justify spending a full day in Derby, but unless they go on some flight, island cruise or tour (organised or self guided tours in the surrounding areas are available) most tourists see no reason to stay any longer.

GETTING THERE • Derby is 220 km north east of Broome (via Great Northern and Derby Highway). • Derby is 258 km west of Fitzroy Crossing. (217 km to the Derby/Broome intersection, Derby is located 41 km north of it.)

Flights from Derby connect to Qantas, Virgin Blue and Airnorth services in Broome or Kununurra. If you need flight information contact the Derby Visitor Centre. Derby is part of the Greyhound Broome/Darwin service. Derby Bus Service, 9193 1550, www.derbybus.com.au Connects Derby and Broome Mon/Wed/Fri. $50 one way, children $40. Derby Taxi Service, www.derbytaxiservice.com.au Operates an airport and Greyhound terminal shuttle. Call 9193 2568 or 0418 666049. The taxi service has different phone no.! For a taxi call 131 008 when in Derby, 08 9191 1434 or 0418 666005 from out of town.

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History The first Europeans to set eyes on this area were the crew of the Cygnet which sailed around the King Sound area for three months in 1688 (and anchored in what is now called Cygnet Bay). Captain Read had the command, but William Dampier published A New Voyage Round the World, so Dampier ended up being falsely credited with leading the expedition. Dampier’s observations about the Aborigines and about the poor quality of Western Australia ensured that for the next century nobody else took any interest in the area. Phillip Parker King (explored the coasts of WA and the NT from 1818 to 1822) and George Gray and John Stokes (explored the eastern coast of King Sound in 1837) also failed to generate further interest in the region. In 1879 Alexander Forrest visited the area. His glowing reports were clearly exaggerated. They did attract many pastoralists, but the isolation and harsh conditions made life in the area almost unbearable. In 1880 a landing port was created at Derby, not exactly an ideal port. The narrow channels off the islands of the Buccaneer are swept by vicious rips and whirlpools and the tidal variations are up to 11.3 metres. So ships in harbour sat dry at low tide and goods had to be left on the mud flats to be ferried to and from the ships anchored off the shore. In 1883 the township of Derby was proclaimed. People now had their own port and police protection. Also in late August of 1883 a shipment of wool, waiting on the mudflats for a ship, was swept away by the tidal wave caused by the Krakatau volcanic explosion in Indonesia. This led to the building of the first jetty 1885. The timing could not have been better. That year Charlie Hall discovered gold at Halls Creek. Miners and prospectors poured into the port on their way to the goldfields and the ships left Derby loaded with gold, pearl shells and wool. The goldrush was short and by the 1890s the port was used only for live cattle and sheep exports. It was also during this time that major problems broke out between the local Aborigines and the pastoralists. The leader of the local Aborigines, a true hero and remarkable guerrilla fighter, was Jandamarra. He became known to the pastoralists and the police as Pigeon. His important story is covered in a separate box below. Pigeon was eventually cornered and shot in 1897 at Tunnel Creek. 1951 iron ore mining commenced at Cockatoo Island and revitalised the town, so that by 1964 there was sufficient optimism to build the new jetty. After the 1970s the port slowly declined. The wharf closed in 1980, then reopened in 1997 to service the lead/zinc mines. The continuing mining and resources boom, the pastoral industry, administration and tourism are the mainstays of Derby’s economy today.

GETTING AROUND BP Colac, Loch St, 9191 1256, [email protected] 2WD and 4WD vehicles available for hire. Derby Taxi Service, 9191 1434, www.derbytaxiservice.com.au In Derby call 131 008, from out of town 9191 1434 or 0418 666005

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THINGS TO SEE AND DO Derby calls itself the "Home of the Boab Tree". Boabs are used as street trees and give the town a special character. Considering its remote location the town is surprisingly big. It's also very spread out, which makes it seem even bigger than the population of about 4500 would suggest. The town centre is hard to identify. When you reach Derby and just keep driving you eventually reach the other end of town, where the Tourism Information (2 Clarendon St, 1800 621 426), the post office, police station etc. are located. That part is considered the centre. Loch Street looks like the main street, however, locals refer to Clarendon Street as the main street. Follow the main street, sorry, follow Loch Street and eventually you get to the Derby Wharf, the famous jetty where you can watch the 11 metre tides rushing in and out of the King Sound. It's also the place to be for the sunset. Every evening a stream of four wheel drives arrives here to claim a spot along the rail. Tourists unfold their camping chairs, set up their eskies and bait their handlines, joining the locals in what's probably been a ritual since the jetty was built in 1885. I've never seen anybody catch a fish here, but that doesn't matter. It's the place to be for sunset. (Update: A reader in 2009 sent me a photo of a 18 – 20 pound mulloway caught of that very jetty, and I had another report of a big mulloway caught in 2010. So never say never!) Since most people never catch anything the Wharf Restaurant and Take Away “The Catch” is doing good business. It's popular, so get your order in early or you'll be waiting for a long time.(It's best to ring ahead, even for take away: 9191 1195 for restaurant and cafe, 9191 2664 for take away.) Tip: for people relying on eskies the shop sometimes sells massive ice blocks in 10L plastic ice cream containers. Not only does such a block last forever, being in a container it also doesn't melt all through your eski.

If you are interested in Derby's history there are a few places to stop at: the Centenary Pavilion, the Wharfingers House Museum, the Old Derby Gaol and the Pioneer Cemetery. The Derby Visitor Centre has information on two Heritage Walks that take in all the historical attractions. The Kimberley School Of The Air offers a free tour showing how children in remote communities and cattle stations are distance taught. Originally the classes were conducted via two way radio, but today computers have replaced the old radios. Derby is also the Kimberley base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Their base can be visited, too. (The Visitor Centre has the opening times). By the way, Derby also has the nicest, biggest and best equipped hospital in the Kimberley. If you want to get sick do it now. Other places to ask the Visitor Centre about are the wetlands and the observation tower there (excellent bird watching), the botanical gardens and the Joonjoo Botanical Trail. If you are interested in Aboriginal art, Warrwa Arts, Craft & Picture Framers can be found at the Karmulinunga Aboriginal Community on the north-edge of town, behind the football oval and Nunga Designs on Stanley St. 106 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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SURROUNDING AREAS Seven kilometres out of town is the site of the Boab Prison Tree, a 1500 year old hollow boab tree that was used as an overnight lockup for prisoners. The tree is a registered Aboriginal site and fenced off. Nearby is Myall's Bore and Cattle Trough: in 1912 a man called Myall sank a bore to a depth of 322 metres. The daily flow of water was 315 000 litres. (The bore was capped in 1980.) The huge 120 metre cattle trough next to it was built in 1920 and could water 500 -1000 head of cattle could at a time! Also in the area is Frosty's Pool, a small pool used for bathing by troops stationed in the area during WWII. The Mowanjum Art & Culture Centre is at the Mowanjum Aboriginal community.You find it south of the Gibb River Road, The signposted turn off is only about 5 km from the start of the Gibb. It showcases authentic art from the community and out-stations. Wandjina and Gyorn-Gyorn images predominate, inspired by the sacred rock art sites of the North Kimberley. Open 7 days, 9am to 5pm from April mid October, Mon-Fri from mid October - March, or by appointment. 9191 1008 The Old Derby Leprosarium, now known as Bungarun, is about only a few kilometres further, to the north of the Gibb River Road. from Derby on the Bungarun Road. This is the last remaining Leprosarium in Australia. It operated from 1936 – 1986 and is now a museum. Open 10am - 2pm Mon, Wed, Sat, access $7 pp. And last but not least there is the Pigeon Heritage Trail. The self drive trail (info from the Visitor Centre) follows the story of Jandamarra, a local Aboriginal freedom fighter or "outlaw" (depending on who you ask), who became known to the public and the police as Pigeon.

The Story of Jandamarra The story begins on 31 October 1894, with Pigeon shooting Police Constable Richardson. Richardson had used Pigeon to track and round up 16 Aborigines accused of stealing and killing stock. What he didn't realise was that those Aborigines were members of Pigeon’s own family. These prisoners told Pigeon that stockmen had been seen with over 500 head of cattle in the vicinity of Windjana Gorge. They convinced Pigeon that if he didn't set them free their lands would be overrun by white pastoralists. Nobody knows what exactly happened, but we can assume that Pigeon agreed that they must take a stand against the white invaders. And Pigeon shot Richardson. He freed the prisoners and, with Pigeon as their new leader, the group headed off to successfully attack the stockmen at Windjana Gorge. The two head stockmen were killed. Another stockman some kilometres away heard the shots and so the news got through to the police at Derby. The police sent reinforcements, a battle followed and Pigeon was shot. He escaped with the help of some Aboriginal women. Over the next six months police retaliated by indiscriminately killing hundreds of Aborigines, most of whom had no connection with Pigeon other than the same colour of skin. For two years Pigeon hid in the Tunnel Creek cave, south of Windjana Gorge. Police were convinced he was dead, but in early 1896 he raided the Lillimooloora Police

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Station, stealing a rifle and ammunition. This remarkable “return to life” ensured that Pigeon became legend. For the next few months Pigeon taunted the police and pastoralists. He was a highly skilled bushman. His previous contact with the police and knowledge of their methods allowed him to easily outwit them. He was finally cornered in 1897 and killed near his hideout at Tunnel Creek.

The drive begins in Derby, taking in the Old Goal and the Pioneer Cemetery. It follows the places connected with Pigeon's operations and eventually takes the traveller to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek, where Pigeon was shot in 1897. Ask the Visitor Centre for the full brochure.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIAL LISTINGS Derby Visitor Centre Location: 2 Clarendon Street Open: (Jun-Aug) Mon-Fri: 8.30am – 5pm, Sat/Sun/Public Holidays: 9am - 4pm (Apr/May/Sep) Mon-Fri: 8.30am – 4.30pm, Sat/Sun/Public Holidays: 9am – 1pm (Oct-Mar) Mon-Fri: 8.30am – 4.30pm, Sat: 9.am – 12noon, Sun closed Ph: 9191 1426 or freecall 1800 621 426 (within Australia), Fax: 9191 1609 www.derbytourism.com.au, [email protected] Internet, Derby Telecentre, Clarendon St, 9193 1272 Post Office, Loch St, 9191 1350 Derby Hospital, Clarendon St, 9193 3333

ACCOMMODATION The rates quoted below are for two people, for the most basic rooms available, at peak season.

Resorts/Hotels/Motels King Sound Resort Hotel, Loch St, 9193 1044, kingsoundresort.com.au Bistro, bar, beer garden and pool in tropical setting. Rooms from $180. Derby Boab Inn, Loch St, 9191 1044, www.derbyboabinn.com Breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, bar, beer garden, pool, bottle shop. Simple, newly refurbished and well looked after rooms from $180.

B&B Desert Rose B & B, 4 Marmion St, 9193 2813 Quality queen size rooms with en-suites, lead light windows depicting Kimberley scenes, rooms have veranda/balcony outdoor area, swimming pool. Cooked meals can also be arranged. From $250.

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Self Contained Kimberley Cottages, Windjana Rd, 9191 1114, www.kimberleycottages.com.au Ten minutes from town centre, fully self contained a/c rooms and 2 or 3 bedroom units in wilderness setting. Dogs allowed. Rooms from $160.

Budget and Backpackers Spinifex Hotel, Clarendon St, 9191 1233, [email protected] Most central location, budget accommodation. This is a typical Aussie pub, with counter meals, TAB, live music, pool tables. Rooms around $100, self contained suites $275. Derby Lodge, 15 Clarendon St, 9193 2924, www.derbylodge.com.au Basic rooms, twin $140 (shared facilities) or $160 (ensuite), self contained apartment $190. West Kimberley Lodge and Caravan Park, Sutherland St, 9191 1031, www.westkimberleylodge.com.au At the edge of town, small rooms with shared facilities $100, with ensuite $175, campground sites from $38 for two. Cheaper rates with longer stays. No children. Accepts well behaved dogs.

Camping Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park, Rowan St, 9193 1055, www.kimberleyentrancecaravanpark.com Good location, reasonably close to centre while bordering on bushland/mudflats. Grassy with lots of shade, large and good facilities, reasonable prices. Allows dogs and also offers caravan storage. Also check out Birdwood Downs Station on the Gibb River Road. (part IV, p. 176) Hamlet Grove Caravan Storage, 4a Manning Rd, 0408 911460 , storage only.

FREE BUSHCAMPING Nearly 60 km south of Derby and about 160 km from Broome you may be able to find some suitable sites by driving into the Willare Bridge Rest Area, just south of Willare Bridge, and following the tracks along the river. This area is only suitable for 4WDs. There is not enough room for any trailers. A much better option is Tumblegoodiron, an excellent camping and fishing location on the banks of the Fitzroy River. After passing the Willare Bridge Rest Area, take the next turn off to the west (it's only a few km further) and drive through a gate. You are now on private property, Yeeda Station. After about 3 km you get to a T-junction. Turn left and after another 3 km you get to the camping area. You can find many suitable sites spread out along river here. Launching boats is possible but watch out for crocodiles. This is an official bush camping area and you can stay for up to 3 days. (You know the fishing is good because the place fills up with locals on weekends, especially long weekends.) The Boab Rest Area on the highway to Fitzroy Crossing makes a good picnic stop. Worth stopping at to have a look at the massive boab in the middle of it, even if you don’t want to camp here. The Lake is on the highway between Derby (163 km) and Fitzroy Crossing (93 km). The turn off is north of the highway and easily missed, but you can see the water from the road, so if you keep an eye out for that you should be able to slow down in time. (You are too far if you get to Mt Wynne Creek. Go back 1.5 km and try again. If you come from Fitzroy it's easy, look for the turn 1.5 km after crossing Wynne Creek) Turn off and drive through the gate. It's a lovely area with nice camping sites all around the little lake and the bird life here is fantastic. The place has become quite popular with

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the caravan crowd and these days it gets a bit busy. This is private station land so please behave. Don’t use detergents near the water, don’t litter etc. The nearby Ellendale Rest Area has some facilities and toilets but is nowhere near as nice an overnight stop.

Other Willare Bridge, Great Northern Highway, 9191 4775 165 km east of Broome, 55 km south of Derby, roadhouse, motel rooms and caravan park, 600 m from good fishing spots on Fitzroy River, birdwatching trail on riverbank.

EATING OUT The Catch Restaurant and Café, at the jetty, 9191 1195 (Take away: 9191 2664) 2.5 km out of town, this used to be called the "Wharf Restaurant and Take Away", and then "The Point". A quaint little shed with a great deck overlooking the jetty. (Usually) excellent seafood, relaxed atmosphere, great sunsets, BYO and no corkage charge. Lalgardi Restaurant, Loch St, 9191 1044, www.derbyboabinn.com Part of the Derby Boab Inn. Modern Australian fare and Roast Nights on Sunday, as it should be. Breakfast 7am to 9am, morning tea 9am to 11am, lunch and dinner, open 7 days/wk.. Oasis Restaurant, Loch St, 9193 1044, www.kingsoundresort.com.au The bistro at the King Sound Resort. Seafood and roast carvery on Sundays, buffet style meals as well as a la carte on other days, bistro open 7 days/wk.. Spinifex Hotel, Clarendon St, 9191 1233, [email protected] Ttypical Aussie pub offering counter meals.. Lwoys Chinese Restaurant, Cnr Elder/Loch St, 9191 1554 Chinese and fresh seafood, eat in or take away. Take away also open for lunch on weekdays. For a local dinner experience try the Derby Sportsman's Club (Ashley St, 9191 1126) on Friday nights. Windmill Cafe, Hardman Rd, 9191 2363 Right next to Derby's only bank (ANZ), sit down and take away food, cakes and pastries.

TOUR OPERATORS The list below is not meant to be comprehensive but to give you an idea just how much is available. Visit the Derby Visitor Centre or see their website to find more tours or to make a booking: www.derbytourism.com.au/tours-and-activities

Ground Based Tours Derby Bus Service, 9193 1550, www.derbybus.com.au Windjana Gorge/Tunnel Creek tours ($150adults/$75 children, incudes lunch and refeshments, departs every other day Jun-Aug and Tue/Thu/Sun during Apr/May and Sep/Oct, departs Sundays only during off season) and customised West Kimberley tours (from $200 pp per day). Yes, this is the company that runs the Derby bus. No, they don't use the bus for the longer tours, but a Toyota 4WD Landcruiser.

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Bushtrack Safaris, 9191 1547, www.bushtracksafaris.com.au Truly off the beaten track tours into very remote areas, along the Munja Track to Bachsten Falls and the Walcott Inlet. Available as fully catered safari or self drive tagalong tours. UpTuYu Aboriginal Adventures, Udialla Springs, 0400 878 898, www.uptuyu.com.au About 200 km from Broome and 100 km from Derby on the Fitzroy River is Nev’s Oongkalkada Wilderness Camp, the start of your personalised Aboriginal guided tour. What tour? That’s UpTuYu. Extreme outback adventure, tag-along tour, extended camping tour, luxurious designer tour, whatever it is you’re after, Nev will make it happen. It’s all UpTuYu! (Pick up from Broome or Derby can be arranged).

Scenic Flights Bush Flight/Reef Flight, 9193 2680, www.bushflight.com.au 30 min flights over Derby, 1.5 hr Horizontal Falls and 4.5 hr Cape Leveque (2 hours on the ground for swimming etc.) (no 2014 prices for those yet) Also offers 30 mins over Galvans, Moll and Manning gorges ($149pp), 90 mins as before and including Adcock and Dimond Gorge and more ($449pp), 150 mins of North Kimberley including Mitchell Falls ($699pp). Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, 9192 1172, www.horizontalfallsadventures.com.au Full day (6 hr) tours to Horizontal Falls, includes seaplane landing and jet boat ride through falls $695pp. Horizontal Falls over night tours with luxury mothership stay, including guided fishing (gear supplied) and all meals $845pp. Kimberley Extreme, 9192 1172, www.kimberleyextreme.com.au As above. Same phone number, same offerings.

Cruises Buccaneer Seas Safaris, 9191 1991, www.buccaneer.com.au Five to ften night Horizontal Waterfalls/Buccaneer Archipelago or Kimberley Coast Safaris on a purpose built 11 metre aluminium vessel. Cruise all the way to Wyndham if you like. Tours include scenic flight between Derby and Talbot Bay/Buccaneer Archipelago. Prices work out at about $700 per person per night. One Tide Charters, 9193 1358, www.onetide.com Five to twelve days, Horizontal Waterfalls/Buccaneer Archipelago, coastal cruises. 9.1 metre aluminium vessel. $680 per person per day. Kimberley Discovery Cruises, 1800 185 960, www.kimberleydiscoverycruises.com.au Twelf to fourteen day cruises and fly and cruise packages from Derby to Derby, Derby to Wyndham, as well as between Darwin and Broome (includes Derby transfers). From $500 per person per day.

Fishing King Sound Sport Fishing: 9191 1115 or 0417 952 282, [email protected] Full day freshwater, estuary and/or saltwater fishing, from about $300 pp, depending on number of people. Barraddict Sportfishing, 0407 911 348, www.barraddictsportfishing.com.au The Barraddict is a custom built 6.4 meter guide boat with an extended, open cast deck. Departing from Eco Beach or Derby boat ramp. Small group fishing and mudcrabbing tours, land based walk in fishing. Eco Beach 3 hr taste of fishing for $250, full day (6 hr) $350, Derby 8 hr $320, 3-4 hr mudcrabbing $110, also offer full day combos as well as customised trips for families, couples, hard core fishing enthusiasts, lovers of scenery and wildlife spotters.

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Unreel Adventure Safaris, 9193 1999, www.unreeladventures.com 5,6 or 7 night extended fishing, diving or nature based tours and charters aboard a very well equipped 16.5 m aluminium vessel. Passenger numbers are limited to 10 though the boat could take more. Many charters include scenic flight between Derby and Talbot Bay/Buccaneer Archipelago. Around $750 pp per day. Fish 'n' Trips, contact Derby Visitor Centre Full day (approx. 9 hr) tours to fish the waters of the Buccaneer Archipelago, from $600 pp, 5-8 people. Also available as sightseeing only for $500 pp. Shorter barra fishing ($250) and mudcrabbing ($150) tours.

WINDJANA GORGE

W

indjana Gorge National Park is a well known and much visited park. It is easily accessible, like Geikie Gorge and Tunnel Creek. The park protects a 3.5 km gorge, carved out of the Napier Range by the Lennard River. The Napier Range is part of the same ancient barrier reef system that you also see at Tunnel Creek and Geikie Gorge. In the Devonian period, over 300 million years ago, this whole area was under the ocean. The walls on both sides of Windjana Gorge are 30 to 100 metres high and the gorge is over 100 metres wide. It's an impressive sight, but it would be even more amazing to see during the wet season when the Lennard River is a raging torrent. Of course you can't get near the gorge then. At the beginning of the dry season it used to be possible to canoe the whole length of the gorge (not allowed any more), but the waters recede quickly. To see the Windjana Gorge follow the 3.5 km path that winds its way through the monsoonal strip of vegetation along the permanent pools of water that remain. The first 500 m take you to “Bandigan Rock”, which you have likely seen many times already in photos of the gorge. Over 80 freshwater crocodiles live in this small area. As the pools of water continue to shrink the crocs end up more and more crammed into those pools. You can't miss them. They are very used to humans, which is no surprise given the tourist numbers. Freshwater crocodiles are harmless. They don't stalk or attack you like saltwater crocodiles do. Still, they can attack if they feel threatened. Their teeth are razor sharp, so please don't try to pet them or pick them up.

GETTING THERE You can reach Windjana Gorge from either Derby (144 km) or Fitzroy Crossing (147 km). The park is located on the Leopold Downs Road, a well maintained but often corrugated gravel road that connects the Great Northern Highway with the Gibb River Road. As long as the road is dry 2WD is usually ok. The sign posted turn off to the Leopold Downs Rd. is 124 km from Derby, on the Gibb River Rd. but before it gets too serious. The Leopold Downs Rd. turn off from the highway is 43 km west of Fitzroy Crossing. See map in the Introduction. Windjana Gorge is in a convenient location for people who want to see the Kimberley but don't want to "rough it". Whether you come from Derby or Fitzroy Crossing, it will take you about two hours to get to Windjana.. 112 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Since Windjana Gorge is only 35 km from Tunnel Creek National Park you can visit the two parks in one day. If you are driving the Gibb River Road, Windjana Gorge is an obvious first/last stop for your trip. Commercial day tours are available from Broome, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing. (See the tour operator listings in the respective chapters.) Access to the park for visitors without a parks pass is $12 per vehicle. See the chapter National Parks in Part II for pass prices, p56.

CAMPING The campground at Windjana Gorge is spacious and well maintained, with good facilities, including showers. (Don't take showers as a given at bush campsites in the Kimberley!) The so called “Savannah Walk” provides an alternative to the main track, to get from the campground to the gorge entrance. And in the evening the view of the Napier Range glowing in the evening sun makes a great back drop for pre- dinner drinks. There is also a separate camping area for those noisy generators and for tour operators. The generator area has the same facilities plus fire places, limited fire wood is provided. (Please do not bring your own wood to prevent spread of weed seeds.) The camping fee is $12 pp ($2.20 for children under 16). Payment is made at the entrance by putting the money in a provided envelope and depositing it. (That means you will need the exact change.) During peak season the ranger may collect the fees. Sites are allocated on a first come, first served basis, there is no reservation system. For more information call the DPaW Broome: 9195 5500

Also see the accommodation/camping listings for Fitzroy Crossing for my favourite free campsite in the area.

TUNNEL CREEK

T

unnel Creek National Park is one of the places that you absolutely shouldn't miss. This small and unusual park is not far off the beaten track, you don't need a four wheel drive to get there and it's great fun to explore. But make sure you take a torch! The park covers 91 hectares in the Napier Range, the same range that could also be seen at Windjana Gorge. It is made of the limestone that remained of an ancient reef system which existed here in the Devonian period (i.e. 350 - 375 million years ago). The main feature of the park is the 750 metre tunnel that a creek has worn through the Napier Range. The tunnel is the oldest cave system in Western Australia. It became famous in the late 1800s. Aboriginal leader and "outlaw" Jandamarra—better known as "Pigeon”—was using the "Cave of Bats" or "Pigeon Cave" as his hideout. After years of playing hide and seek with the police he ended up being killed in front of it, by another Aboriginal tracker, in 1897. (See box in Derby chapter.) Tunnel Creek National Park is a day use only park. There is a small parking area, an information shelter, a bush toilet and ... that's pretty much it. 113 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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THE TUNNEL A short path takes you to the entrance of the cave and the short walk and the entrance are quite impressive already. The wall of the Napier Range is towering above you and you have to climb over and squeeze between big boulders to get to the cave. The opening is like a big hall in the rock and at the back of it the tunnel starts. If you are one of those people who don't like tight spaces and think you might get a bit claustrophobic, you don't need to worry. The tunnel is dark, but it is very spacious. There are several permanent pools of water on the ground that you have to wade through. At the start of the dry season they can be quite deep and in the middle of the season they are cold. For most of the year you can't avoid the wading, so make sure you wear shoes that can handle it. For some reason most information materials make the standard recommendation of "sturdy walking boots". My recommendation is, if you like your boots leave them in the car. Take some sneakers or plastic sandals or similar. But most importantly, take a good torch. Many people also use little head torches. I'd prefer a more powerful torch. Whatever you take, make sure you have fresh batteries. I found the walk to be much shorter and easier than I had expected. And more fun and interesting than I had expected. Don't forget to shine your torch around the walls and the ceiling lots. There are little waterfalls coming over the ledges on the sides, hidden caverns and huge stalactites dangling from the ceilings. About a third or half of the way the ceiling has caved in so you get a break and some daylight. Little bats are flitting in and out of the dark and tree roots are growing through gaps in the ceiling. And then it's back into the dark. Remember to also shine your torch into the—somewhat murky—water. You may find interesting things in there as well. There are fish and apparently the odd little freshwater crocodile (harmless, just don't try to pick them up) and also something that ... well, I never found out what it was. Something like an eel or a water snake. Hey, it was dark and as I said, the water was a bit murky because other people had already walked through it.So I lost it and couldn't find it again. I would love to know what it was. (A reader has since let me know that he saw a black eel in there. So I guess that's what I saw, too.) It's really nice to come out on the other side of the range, like coming back into the living world. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the creek is murmuring... Sure, they were doing all that before as well, but you seem to enjoy it a lot more after having spent some time in the cool dark tunnel. All in all it's a fantastic little trip and great fun, and my readers often mention it as one of the highlights of their trip. So make sure you pack that torch!

GETTING THERE You can reach Tunnel Creek from either Derby (179 km) or Fitzroy Crossing (112 km), and during the dry season you should be able to do so by 2WD. Tunnel Creek National Park is only 35 km south east of Windjana Gorge. That means you can visit the two together in one day. The Windjana Gorge National Park includes a campground, so it's very convenient to spend one night right there. If you don't like camping then you are in for a pretty long day. 114 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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The Leopold Downs Road connects the Great Northern Highway with the Gibb River Road. You can use it to cut across from one to the other and visit Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge on the way. See map in the Introduction. Not driving yourself? Commercial day tours are available from Broome, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing. See the tour operator listings in the respective chapters. Access to the park for visitors without a parks pass is $12 per vehicle. See the chapter National Parks in Part II for pass prices.

FITZROY CROSSING

F

itzroy Crossing is one of only two "towns" along the over 1000 km stretch of highway between Broome and Kununurra. The town is located on the banks of the Fitzroy River, which every wet season swells into a formidable torrent. The Fitzroy can rise up to 13 metres above the old crossing and flow at 30,000 cubic metres per second. The river in full flood is one of the largest rivers in the world and an awesome sight to behold. (Not that many travellers ever get the chance.) Fitzroy Crossing is a welcoming little township with a mostly Aboriginal population. The main reason people stop here is the nearby Geikie Gorge National Park. Like other Kimberley towns this is a sprawling place with no clear centre. The excellent and friendly Tourist Information Centre is right next to the highway (to the north, Forrest Rd corner Flynn Dr, opposite the Shell roadhouse, 9191 5355) and the staff will supply you with free maps and information materials.

GETTING THERE • • • •

396 km from Broome From Derby: 258 km (via highway) or 291 km (via Gibb River Road) 274 km from Halls Creek 634 km from Kununurra

The drive from Broome via the highway isn't exactly spectacular. Usually, during the dry season, 2WDs can negotiate the way from Derby via the first part of the Gibb River Road and the Leopold Downs Road, so do yourself a favour and go that way. (Do, however, check on the road conditions first.) You leave the Gibb River Road 126 km from Derby. (Huge sign posted turn off, you can't miss it.) The Leopold Downs Road is 127 km long and usually in good condition, albeit a bit corrugated. Not only does it run past two national parks that you probably want to see anyway (Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek), it is also a lot more scenic than the highway. The road meets up with the highway 43 km west of Fitzroy Crossing. Greyhound offers a bus service to other Kimberley towns.

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History The Fitzroy River was first explored and named after Captain Robert Fitzroy (a former commander of the HMS Beagle) by Captain Stokes in 1838. The upper reaches were explored by Alexander Forrest in 1879. Forrest's reports on the pastoral potential of the area resulted in Solomon Emanuel (a grazier and banker from Goulburn, NSW) founding Gogo station 20 km downstream from the present day site of Fitzroy Crossing. Local Aborigines resisted the invading European pastoralists and the area around Fitzroy Crossing saw some particularly bloody battles. Fitzroy Crossing itself sprung up for a single very good reason. It was a suitable place to cross the huge Fitzroy River. In the past the river was often difficult or impossible to cross. Travellers had no choice but to pull up at the Crossing Inn and to wait for the waters to recede. Even at other times fording the Fitzroy could be quite an adventure and the Crossing Inn became an infamous watering hole for the adventurers brave enough to have a go. These days there is a highway and a bridge further south and the whole town has shifted south as a result. Still, during particularly wet periods the road still gets cut. It happens a few times every wet season. And drinking beer is still the most popular way to pass wet season waiting time in the Kimberley. The Fitzroy Crossing region is full of interesting stories, perhaps none more ironic than the battle over Noonkanbah Station. In 1979-80 local Aborigines gained control of the station, but a claim for mining rights on the property was made almost immediately. The Aboriginal owners opposed a request by Amex to search for oil. Instead of respecting the rights of the new owners, the government brought police into the area to ensure a safe passage for drilling equipment. The issue was widely publicised as an example of the government's refusal to respect Aboriginal lands. The result: Amex wasted a lot of money and the government looked very stupid. The rigs found no oil.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO The main reason for tourists to stop in Fitzroy Crossing is of course the Geikie Gorge National Park (next chapter), located only 20 kilometres out of town and accessible on an all bitumen road. But a few more places here are worth looking at. The old Crossing Inn was built in 1897 as a shanty inn and trade store for long distance travellers about to tackle the crossing of the mighty Fitzroy. It's still standing and still serving beer, so having a beer here is a must. If you like it you can get a room here, too. The walls of the Crossing Inn are adorned with 20 large pieces of local Aboriginal Art, painted by the students of the Fitzroy Crossing District High School. The Pioneer Cemetery is in the same corner, on the banks of the river. On the way to Geikie Gorge you pass the turn off to the Old Townsite where the historical post office building is located. Today it houses a backpacker hostel. The old police station is also still standing. It's possible to walk from the Crossing Inn to this part of the Old Townsite via a footpath over the small foot bridge over the Brooking Creek. A bit further on is the low level concrete bridge that was built in 1935. Go ahead, you can drive back and forth. But there's not much on the other side, just an unsealed road back towards the highway. (It meets the highway where the Fitzroy River Lodge is located.) 116 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIAL LISTINGS Fitzroy Crossing Tourist Bureau Location: Flynn Drive Open: Mon-Fri 8.30am – 4.30pm (year round), Sat 9am - 1pm (Apr-Sep only) Ph: 9191 5355, Fax: 9191 5085, [email protected] Also houses two Aboriginal art galleries, a shop, and offers photo processing. Post Office, Forrest Rd, 9191 5060 Fitzroy Crossing Hospital, Fallon Rd, 9166 1777

ACCOMMODATION Fitzroy River Lodge (and caravan park), Great Northern Highway, east of town, 9191 5141, www.fitzroyriverlodge.com.au Sprawling complex with motel units, self contained family units, luxury suites and safari lodges and a large caravan park. Take your pick, whatever suits your budget. Restaurant, bistro, two bars, swimming pool, tennis courts. Boab room or safari lodge $160, motel room $209, riverview studio $315, units for 4 from $410. Dogs allowed. Does not take bookings for campground. Crossing Inn (and caravan park), Skuthorp Rd, 9191 5080, www.crossinginn.com.au Double room $190 (single $185), double rooms with balconies overlooking the river $195, Restaurant open for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Camping and caravan sites in bush setting, camping $15pp, powered site for 2 $35. Darlngunaya Backpackers, Russ Rd (Old Townsite), 9191 5140 Budget accommodation/backpackers, located in the historic post office building, owned and operated by the Darlngunaya Aboriginal Corporation (also run Darngku Heritage Cruises at Geikie Gorge). If you ring them they meet you at the bus.

Camping Tarunda Caravan Park, Forrest St, 9191 5330 Powered site $27, unpowered camping $11 pp.

FREE BUSHCAMPING RAAF Boab Quarry, 43 km west of Fitzroy Crossing turn north onto the Leopold Downs Road. 11 km further is a Y-junction. Stay left to get to Tunnel Creek, veer right to get to the quarry. Coming from the north the Y-junction is 60 km south of Tunnel Creek and hard to see. I just love that place. The quarry is not in use any more and the hole has filled up with the clearest quarry water you can imagine. Hole doesn't quite describe it. It's more like a huge man-made gorge, deep and green and with sheer cliffs, that winds its way into the distance. Great for swimming. The surrounding scenery is exceptionally pretty, too, with white rocks and cliffs and huge boabs. There are many sites to pitch a tent, one of them is on a vantage point overlooking the gorge. Just gorgeous. This is a very special place, so please treat it accordingly. There is no wood in the area, you need to take your own. Behave yourself and make sure you take every little bit of rubbish with you. Leave no trace. Please. Push-Ups is located along the river, between Fitzroy Crossing and Geikie Gorge. To find it look for the Brooking Springs Homestead turn off. The turn off is 1.3 km beyond that on the right. The river is just a few hundred metres down the track. Because the Fitzroy floods this area every year it’s hard to predict what you will actually find there. (The last time I checked it it wasn't too inviting, but 2013 it might be great again.)

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Ngumban Cliff Lookout Rest Area is an official overnight stop on the highway between Fitzroy Crossing (97 km) and Halls Creek (192 km). It is a very bare place, but the location on top of the cliff is nice and makes for good views (and some times howling winds).

TOURS Geikie Gorge Boat Tours CALM/DEC, see info in Geikie Gorge National Park chapter. Darngku Heritage Cruise, see info in Geikie Gorge National Park chapter. Fitzroy River Lodge, 9191 5141, www.fitzroyriverlodge.com.au The Fitzroy Lodge operates morning (8am) and afternoon (2pm) 2 hr town tours that take in all the historical sites plus the Geikie Gorge cruise. Bungoolee Tours, www.bungoolee.com.au Aboriginal guided 2 hr tours of Tunnel Creek, $60 (children $20). 9 am and 2 pm Tues, Wed and Thurs only. Book through Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre (91915355 ) or online. Dillon Andrews is the custodian of the Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek and east across to Leopold Downs station area and also offers stays at his Biridu Base Camp (on Leopold Downs) and 1-3 day tagalong tours. Again, contact the Visitor Centre for info and bookings.

GEIKIE GORGE NATIONAL PARK

G

eikie Gorge National Park is the most easily accessible national park in the Kimberley. It is only 20 km outside the small town of Fitzroy Crossing and you don't even have to leave the bitumen to get to the gorge. (It's a 280 km drive from Derby and 390 km from Broome.) Geikie Gorge is situated at the junction of the Oscar and the Geikie Ranges. The mighty Fitzroy River has carved a 30 metre deep gorge into the remains of the ancient limestone barrier reef that existed here in the Devonian period. When the Fitzroy is in full flood during the wet season it covers the whole national park (which consequently is not always accessible). Those floods rise over 16 metres up the gorge walls and the continuous rise and fall of the water has left the bottom of the walls bleached white, an intriguing sight which makes Geikie Gorge very popular with photographers.

GETTING THERE Getting to Geikie Gorge National Park is very easy. If you need directions just duck into the Fitzroy Crossing Tourist Bureau. They'll give you a map and directions and lots of other interesting info about Fitzroy Crossing as well. The Visitor Centre is on the corner of Flynn and Forrest Rd, and Forrest Rd is the one you need to follow anyway. The park is clearly signposted from there. After about 3 km turn right onto Russ Road, and after another 3 to 4 km turn left onto Geikie Gorge Rd. It is a 20 km drive all up. Geikie Gorge National Park is a day use park only, no camping. It's open from 6.30am till 6.30pm April to Nov, access is restricted over the wet when the river may flood. There are picnic shelters and barbecue facilities, water and toilets. There is no park access fee. 118 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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You can explore the park on several walking trails or join one of the boat cruises. You can also launch your own boat, but access to the boat ramp is restricted between 8am and 4.30pm) and you need to contact the ranger first (call 9191 5112).

BOAT TOURS DPaW boat tours, (Department of Parks and Wildlife, formerly DEC and before that CALM, which looks after this and the other Kimberley national parks.) End of April to November, depart several times a day, usually 8am and 3pm, addtional 9.30am and 11am departure during peak season, duration one to one and a half hours, guided by one of the rangers. (Departure times can change, check with the Tourist Bureau or ring the DPaW on 9191 5112, 9191 5121 or 9195 5500.) Tickets can only be bought at the gorge prior to the tour and only with cash. The ticket costs $30.50 ($7.70 for children, $64 for family of four). Darngku Heritage Cruise (Darngku Aboriginal Cultural Tour), 9191 5552 or 0417 907 609 Half day (5 hour) tour that includes a guided walk. Darngku is the Aboriginal name of Geikie Gorge, given to it by the traditional owners, the Bunaba, who will be your guides on these tours. The Bunaba guides have been authorised by their people to take visitors to places that you would not usually have access to. They will share with you their knowledge of the flora and fauna, tell stories from their 30,000 year old culture, show you how to find bush foods and more. This is a good tour for people who are keen to learn more about the rich Aboriginal history of the Kimberley region. The Darngku Heritage Cruise leaves Apr-Oct, Mon-Fri at 8.15am from the boat ramp and includes morning tea and lunch. Book your ticket through the Tourist Bureau (9191 5355). (Darlngunaya Aboriginal Corporation (DAC) which runs these cruises also operates Darlngunaya Backpackers, the budget hostel in Fitzroy Crossing’s historic post office building.)

THE WALKS There are two walks in Geikie Gorge National Park. The Reef Walk is the longer one (3 km). It takes about 1.5 hours to follow the trail across the floodplains to the point where the western gorge wall meets the river and to return along the river bank. It's the only walk that allows you good views of the bleached eastern gorge walls. A short additional loop walk branches off the first part of the Reef Walk and takes you up into the limestone rocks and through a different habitat and vegetation before joining the main walk again. The other walk is called River Walk and only takes about 20 minutes. It leads down to a sandbank on the river where you can have a fish, maybe spot some freshwater crocodiles and if you're brave you can even go for a swim. (Freshwater crocodiles are harmless as long as you don't annoy them.) The main interest of the walks in Geikie Gorge is supposed to be the riverine vegetation and the abundant wildlife. To someone who doesn't know the Kimberley the thick greenery may even seem appealing. However, a lot of the growth that you find along the trails is from introduced weeds that shouldn't be there. Rampant climbers choke native vegetation, thorny shrubs form impenetrable thickets, grasses with hooks and burrs attach themselves to anything that moves and are spread that way. These weeds outcompete native vegetation, the habitat and food source for native wildlife.

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Of course these weeds are not just at Geikie Gorge, they thrive along the whole length of the Fitzroy River, right through the supposedly pristine and untouched Kimberley wilderness. The Fitzroy is not the only place where this is happening. Introduced weeds are just one of the many ecological threats the Kimberley is facing. Update: one reader let me know that the current rangers are attempting to clean up and fight the weed infestations. It's an impossible to win battle, but hopefully it will allow you to see a slightly more natural and native vegetation at least inside the national park.

WOLFE CREEK CRATER NATIONAL PARK

W

olfe Creek Crater National Park is located on the southern edge of the Kimberley region, on the border of the Tanami Desert. It's out of the way and can only be reached via the unsealed Tanami Road.

The country consists of flat desert plains, dotted with occasional trees and clumps of spiky spinifex grass. The endless open space has a mesmerising beauty and makes the striking formation of the Wolfe Creek meteorite crater stand out even more. You can go exploring and hiking along the crater rim and enjoy magnificent views that stretch to the end of the world, or so it seems. There is also a track down to the crater floor. It's steep and the surface is loose. The signs try to discourage you from scrambling down, but it's not really a problem. The crater developed its own little eco-system after the meteorite impact. The nature of the soil and rocks inside the crater is different from the surrounding desert, the ground is more porous and the rim offers some shade, a rare thing in the desert. Wolfe Creek Crater supports reasonably large trees and an interesting variety of wildlife. The rocks along the rim contain the moisture underneath and many flowering shrubs take advantage of this. The best time for nature observations and taking photos is usually the early morning and late afternoon. Most animals will hide during the heat of the day and the harsh light makes your photos look flat. On the other hand, for photos of the whole crater you don't want to arrive too late because then half of the crater floor is already in the deep shadow of the rim.

The Meteorite Crater Wolfe Creek Crater was formed by a giant meteorite that crashed into the earth 300,000 years ago. The 50,000 tonne meteorite impacted with a speed of 15 km a second (!), leaving the second biggest crater in the world, 880 metres across. The forces and the event are well beyond our imagination. A lot of the immense energy of the impact was instantly converted into heat. It melted, pulverised and atomised the meteorite itself and the ground underneath, deformed rocks and shot debris everywhere. The crater that was left was probably about 120 metres deep. Over the next 300,000 years the wind gradually filled it with sand and today the crater floor is 50 to 60 metres below the rim, which rises 25 metres above the surrounding flat desert land.

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Evidence of the impact, other than the crater itself of course, can be seen everywhere. Fragments of iron meteorite have been found kilometres from the crater. The western slopes of the crater and the floor are littered with more iron meteorite: rusty balls, some of them fused to the rocks. The crater was discovered during an aerial survey in 1947 and scientists have intensively studied it since. But the Djaru Aboriginal people, the original inhabitants of the area, have known the crater for thousands of years. They call it Kandimalal and have their own dreamtime story about its creation: Two rainbow serpents formed Sturt and Wolfe Creek as they crossed the desert . Kandimalal is the place where one of the serpents emerged from the ground.

GETTING THERE •

151 km from Halls Creek (unsealed)

To visit Wolfe Creek drive to Halls Creek on the Great Northern Highway. Halls Creek is 290 km east of Fitzroy Crossing and 358 km west of Kununurra. The distance from Broome to Halls Creek is 686 km. The turn off to the Tanami Road is 16 km south of Halls Creek (towards Fitzroy Crossing). From there you travel for another 112 km on the unsealed Tanami Road and 23 km on the park access road. The main road can be used by 2WD during the dry season, May - October. The last bit of road into the park can be quite sandy and the crossing of the Wolfe Creek might cause problems for low 2WDs. The state of both roads varies a lot, so if you aren't sure about your vehicle, try to get up to date information about the conditions, ideally from someone who has recently been there, otherwise from the Halls Creek Shire, who maintains this road. Be aware that the road can also be very corrugated. You should allow two to three hours for the trip, more if you're not in a 4WD. Having said that, the road is being constantly upgraded. Long sections of it are absolutely excellent. But then again, a season of use can always change that. Some old maps still show Carranya Station near the crater as a place offering fuel and accommodation. Nope. The station was abandoned long ago. There is absolutely nothing out here. Access to Wolfe Creek is free, there is no park fee.

CAMPING The crater has few tourist facilities: an information shelter, picnic facilities and bush toilets. No water is available! Please make sure you take enough. Keep in mind that the desert climate is very dehydrating, even if you don't feel the heat as much as in the humid tropics. The campground is to your right before you get to the information shelter. It consists of a loop road with individual camp sites branching off it. It has plenty of room for everybody (though I was surprised to see how much it filled up even early in the season). The only facilities at the campground are bush toilets.

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Fires are not allowed! You are in the Tanami Desert. Wood is an extremely scarce resource here. It takes forever to grow. What you burn in a campfire in one night takes many, many years to grow back. When you stand on the crater rim and look across the desert you understand why the DPaW is pleading with visitors to not touch the wood. Please don't collect wood in an area that is so obviously unable to regenerate it in a reasonable amount of time. Many visitors ignore this. On my last visit a group of young backpackers who were camped next to us lit a huge bonfire. They burned decades of growth and homes of animals that have no hope of replacing them any time soon. Please leave the little wood that is available in the area where it is. It's needed by creatures that depend on it a lot more than you do.

THE TANAMI ROAD

A

t 184,500 km2 the Tanami Desert is Australia's third largest desert. It is often called "one of the most isolated and arid places on earth" or something along those lines. - "As far from the beaten track as possible." - "Strictly for experienced four wheel drivers only." Most of that is utter nonsense. This might have been true ten years ago, but it certainly isn't today. The Tanami Road is a reasonably well maintained road. During the dry part of the year anyone with a good measure of common sense and a reliable car can do this trip. It may not be the most comfortable trip ever, the road sure can get badly corrugated, but it is not the challenging 4WDing adventure that it's made out to be. Having said that, it is still a very long drive through a very remote region. On top of that the infamous Rabbit Flat Roadhouse, which was located about half way, ceased operation on December 31, 2010. That means you have to be totally self sufficient for most of the drive and if you run into trouble you may be a long way from help. There is however a good measure of regular traffic along the road so you don't need to worry about perishing out there. It will just be a drawn out and expensive nuisance. The road starts 16 km south west of Halls Creek and traverses the desert to meet the Stuart Highway only a few kilometres north of Alice Springs.

Climate The average annual rainfall in the Tanami Desert is over 400 mm. That is a lot of rain for a desert. Rain falls during the wet season and when it rains it pours. So much so that the Tanami Track is often impassable during that time of the year. It floods. During the wet season the average maximum day time temperatures hover around 36 38°C, dropping at night to 20 - 22°C. (Note that I said average maximum. The temperatures can soar above 45°C!) The dry season is much cooler. At the coldest time of the year (June/July) day time temperatures peak around 25°C and the night time temperatures drop below 10°C.

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Again, these temperatures are averages. Between May and August you may very well get night frosts!

Environment, Flora and Fauna The country consists mostly of sandy plains. A lot of it is covered in spinifex grass, low acacias (yellow flowering shrubs), some spindly grevilleas and other small trees and lots of termite hills. Up north the terrain is rocky and hilly, in the middle it gets noticeably flatter and in the southern parts you have some low ranges. I find the drive very attractive and never boring. The Tanami Desert includes some wetland areas (though you won't see them): Lake Surprise in the Northern Territory and Lake Gregory in Western Australia. Lake Gregory even retains permanent surface water (lakes in deserts are usually nothing but salt flats). The Tanami Desert is a very important biological area in Australia and is a refuge for many endangered species, both plants and wildlife. The best known would be the rufous hare-wallaby (mala), the bilby and the mulgara. In the 90s these species were still fairly common in the Tanami Desert, more than anywhere else in Australia. Unfortunately increasing pressure from feral invaders and habitat degradation has changed that. There are still a few around, but certainly not what is considered stable populations. Cats, some foxes and rabbits, camels and donkeys all do plenty of damage. So does overgrazing by cattle (there is some cattle farming in the Tanami Desert), a very common problem in Outback Australia.

The Tanami Track The Tanami Road is also referred to as the McGuire Road or Track, but is most commonly known as the Tanami Track. Most of the time it is a perfectly good road that you can often take on even in conventional vehicles, provided it is dry, has been fixed up since the last wet season, and you are reasonably prepared. At worst it is horribly corrugated. The main reason that the Tanami Road is now in comparatively good condition is that the mining industry in the area has picked up again. The Tanami and Granites mines, just off the main road, are amongst the biggest gold mines in Australia. The Tanami Road is their major service route and that's good for anybody else who wants to use it. There aren't many services along the Tanami Track, and since the Rabbit Flat closure there are none along the central stretch. You should have a reliable car and a couple of good spare tyres. Unless you have a long range tank you will also need to carry some spare fuel and of course you should always carry plenty of water. Most of the bore water available along the route is unsuitable for drinking. The only other essential is a reasonable measure of common sense. The whole length of the Tanami Track is about 1050 km. The trip usually takes two days.

Services There are several points along the way where you can buy fuel and limited supplies. If you are lucky you might even get someone to do some mechanical repairs. However, not all those places are reliable. Rabbit Flat was, Tilmouth Well is. 123 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Rabbit Flat, 453 km from Halls Creek, 622 km from Alice Springs, 8956 8744

Used to be closed Tue - Thu (you still find that outdated information in some places). They are now open 7 days a week during the main season. (But please ring if you want to travel after Oct 31 to ask about their wet season hours.) Update: Rabbit Flat closed forever on Decmber 31, 2010!! Tilmouth Well, 869 km from Halls Creek, 206 km from Alice Springs, 8956 8777,

www.tilmouthwell.com Not a community but something of a roadhouse cum tourist resort on a working cattle station (Napperby Station). Campground with ten on-site cabins and two powered sites, pool and bbq area, licensed restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner and take-away) and bar, shop (also sells bbq packs and salads), even gas bottle refills and tyre repairs and some tourist activities. Pets welcome in camping area. The roadhouse sells diesel and unleaded. Drinking water available. Open 7 days a week. Only downside? It's so close to the southern end of the road. Yuendemu, 785 km from Halls Creek, 290 km from Alice Springs, 8956 4000 In 2010 the Aboriginal community had a lot of—greatly exaggerated—negative press after a "riot". I have stayed at Yuendumu myself and while I can think of more attractive places to spend a night, I do not in any way consider it unsafe. You are allowed to access Yuendumu without a pemit to stock up on fuel or supplies at the two general stores. (Opening times vary.) The council also runs a guest house, built for visting contractors, short term employees or people visiting for other reasons. It's $80 for a room for two, with shared facilities and a fully stocked kitchen. It's another option for people who do not want to bush camp, as you really can't drive the whole length of the track in one day. If interested, call the Council office (8956 4000) and they will organises the bookings.

Permits Most of the Tanami Desert is Aboriginal land, belonging to the Warlpiri people. You don't need a permit as long as you stay on the main road and you are also allowed to drive into Aboriginal communities (e.g. Yuendumu) to buy fuel or supplies. If you want to venture elsewhere you have to get a permit first. You also need permission to enter private land (cattle stations) or any of the mine sites. Permits for NT communities: www.clc.org.au/Permits/permits.html Permits for WA communities: www.dia.wa.gov.au/Entry-Permits.aspx

Camping If you plan to bush camp just make sure you don't end up in any of the restricted mining areas or on Aboriginal land where you are not supposed to be. The roads are all signposted, so as long as you obey the "no entry" signs you will be fine. I used to recommend Rabbit Flat to people who prefer a campground, but as of 2011 Timothy Wells, only 200 km from Alice Springs, is the only tourist accommodation/camping that's available. There isn't much along the way in terms of big sights or attractions. The Tanami Track is mostly used as a short cut between central Australia and the Kimberley. I find the drive and the country itself more than attractive enough. I would drive it even if it was a detour. It certainly is a nice alternative to the Stuart Highway if you already know that section of the highway.

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Part III: The Guide

HALLS CREEK

T itself.

he "Oasis Of The Kimberley" it says on one of the faded signs at the town entrance. I think I saw it coming from the Duncan Road. To be honest, from a travellers perspective there aren't many reasons to hang around Halls Creek

However, the country surrounding Halls Creek is some of the most beautiful along the Great Northern Highway and there are several magnificent places just out of town where you can camp for a night. Or for several nights. Of course, you may need to replenish stocks (the local supermarket is as small as the town, but the butcher is great) and if you aren't set up for camping you may want to spend a night in Halls Creek. After all, Halls Creek is the place closest to the Bungle Bungle and closest to the turn off to Wolfe Creek Crater National Park. The motels are very nice and there are a few things to do in town as well.

GETTING THERE • •

360 km from Kununurra via Victoria Hwy and Great Northern Hwy 290 km from Fitzroy Crossing via Great Northern Hwy

History The first explorer to survey the area (1879) was Alexander Forrest, the man who named the Kimberley. He reported about the excellent potential of the Kimberley as cattle grazing country, but he overlooked another opportunity. It was his brother John Forrest who noticed signs indicating that there may be gold. The first two men who went looking for gold shortly after (Adam Johns and Phil Saunders) didn't have much luck, though they did find a few ounces. In 1885 two other men arrived in the area, after sailing to Derby, travelling up the Fitzroy River and then across to the Elvire River. They stumbled over gold just about everywhere. Their names were Jack Slattery and Charlie Hall. (Halls Creek was named after Charlie.) A short but intense gold rush followed. That's rush with a capital R. Officially the gold was discovered on 14 July 1885. It was only weeks after word about the first gold discovery in WA was out that men from as far away as New Zealand arrived. Men walked across from Queensland! The newly established ports in Derby and Wyndham boomed as thousands of miners poured into the region. And within the blink of an eye it was over. Gold had been discovered in the south—in Coolgardie to be precise—which was a lot easier to reach and nowhere near as inhospitable and harsh as the north. Halls Creek was a ghost town by 1888. Nothing much happened over the next 50 or so years. At least nothing much that history books consider worth mentioning. But if you dig around a bit you will find a plethora of riveting stories about the hardships and the heroism of the early pioneers. Since the end of the gold rush Halls Creek has existed as a service centre for the surrounding cattle stations and for the traffic passing through. That's still the case today.

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The historical Halls Creek town site was eventually abandoned. Lack of water was one reason (how people managed to survive there without a water source is a mystery), but the main reason was the re-routing of the main road – today's highway. The move to the new site – only 15 km from the old town – started in 1948 and was completed in 1954.

Today the ruins of the original town site are a tourist attraction. You used to be able to forage around amongst the ruins, evoking the ghosts of days gone by, but no more. All the ruins are now covered and fenced off. That was necessary to preserve what's left, unfortunately it significantly reduced the appeal of the site. The new town isn't much to write home about either. Halls Creek is mostly service town for surrounding pastoralists, Aboriginal communities and travellers. Looking at it it's hard to believe that this is the fourth fastest growing shire in Western Australia. The main road (which is the highway passing through) features a couple of service stations, an IGA and an Outback Fresh supermarket, a great butcher, a bakery, a take away and the nice new Visitor Information Centre at the corner of Hall Street. The population of Halls Creek fluctuates a lot. Apparently it is now around 3300, but the number includes the whole shire, meaning all the surrounding cattle stations and Aboriginal communities. The town itself is a lot smaller and the population is mostly Aboriginal. Halls Creek faces the usual problems of alcohol abuse, domestic violence etc. that you find in all north Western Australian and Northern Territory towns and communities. Having said that, the very strict alcohol restrictions have greatly reduced street drinking, disorderly behaviour and all the associated noise and trouble that you may have read about. You absolutely can spend a pleasant night here, I just think it's much nicer at some waterhole outside Halls Creek.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO The main thing that Halls Creek has going for it is its location. It is still an essential stopover point for travellers, just as it has been for the last 130 years. The country surrounding Halls Creek is amongst the most scenic in the Kimberley, the drive from here to Kununurra is amongst the most scenic in Australia. The turn-off for the Tanami Road and the Wolfe Creek Crater is only 16 km to the south-west, the turn off to Purnululu National Park is 107 km to the north-east. Closer to town, not far off the main highway, are a few interesting places along the Duncan Road: the historic town site Old Halls Creek has already been mentioned. It's a 15 km drive. About half way between new Halls Creek and the Old Town, on a track turning left off the Duncan Road, is the China Wall. The China Wall is an exposed quartz vein sticking out of the ground to form a natural white wall, seemingly consisting of blocks. It rises from the creek at the bottom (which is a nice spot for a swim during the wet season) over the side of the hill and looks like a miniature version of the Great Wall of China. However, for most people the biggest reasons to come out here are the swimming holes and free bush camp sites. (See the next chapter about the Duncan Road.) 126 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part III: The Guide

To explore the town itself get your map at the Visitor Centre and do the Town Walk. You can discover many interesting facts on the totem poles that take you around town. And the Met Bureau Weather Station offers a free tour starting at 1pm where you can learn about the radar and about weather balloon releases.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIAL LISTINGS Halls Creek Visitor Centre Location: Crnr Great Northern Hwy/Hall St, opposite the Shell Roadhouse Open 7am – 5pm (Apr – Sep), 8am – 5pm (Okt – Mar) Ph: 9168 6262, Fax: 9168 6467 [email protected] , www.hallscreektourism.com.au Post Office, Thomas St, 9168 6111 Halls Creek Hospital, Roberta Ave, 9168 9222

ACCOMMODATION Kimberley Hotel/Motel, Roberta Ave, 9168 6101 or 1800 355 228, www.kimberleyhotel.com.au Nice, large rooms, bar and restaurant, pool and spa, outdoor bar and dining area. Budget rooms from $165, corporate $209, deluxe $250, family rooms and apartments from $350. Best Western Halls Creek Motel, Great Northern Hwy, 9168 9600, hallscreek.bestwestern.com.au Renovated motel rooms, al fresco restaurant and bar. Rooms $285. Halls Creek Lodge, Old Town, 9168 8999, www.hindin.org The lodge is near the old townsite and when you first get there you will see a hill with car wrecks and abandoned machinery parts strewn around. That's it. It actually has airconditioned budget rooms, a terraced, shady and well appointed caravan & camping ground with great views and a restaurant and mini mart. (Don't rely on the latter though, it's not always operating.) The old lodge is different, somewhat rough around the edges, but it's good value for money. If you usually only stay at neat Big 4 parks this may not be your cup of tea. I find it has something and is a much better option than the park in town. It’s also a good place for serious explorers and fossickers to get local information about the area, directions to the old Ruby Queen Mine for example. Halls Creek Caravan Park, Roberta Ave, 9168 6169 In town. Was a bit tired last time I looked but the facilities are adequate (also has a pool) and usually clean and tidy. Dogs are allowed. Sites from $38. Pet bond $25. Shell Roadhouse, Mc Donald St, 9168 6060, cabins If you are set up to bush camp I recommend one of the places further along the Duncan Road: Palm Springs, Caroline Pool and Sawpit Gorge are all nearby. See next chapter for details.

FREE BUSHCAMPING Mary Pool Rest Area is an official rest area on the highway, 179 km from Fitzroy Crossing and 109 km from Halls Creek. It's huge, has big shady trees and is well off the road. It's also hugely popular and during the season often looks like a caravan park. Those with tents can camp on the grassy banks down at the river. There are toilets and bins, tables and seats, fireplaces and barbecues and most of the year there is also river water for washing etc.

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THE DUNCAN ROAD

T

he unsealed Duncan Road (formerly Duncan Highway) is an alternative route between Kununurra and Halls Creek. It starts in Halls Creek and takes you through the beautiful back country below Lake Argyle to the Victoria Highway, not far east of Kununurra. Now, there is nothing wrong with the highway between Kununurra and Halls Creek. In fact, it's the most beautiful part of the Great Northern Highway inside Western Australia and I can highly recommend it, especially in the early morning or late afternoon hours.

So Why Take The Duncan Road? Well, some of us prefer back tracks to main roads. The Duncan Road crosses several rivers and creeks that are safe for swimming and there are some really nice rock pools and gorges where you can setup camp for a night (or several). If you are in no big rush and like camping and nature then it's a no brainer. I personally consider the Duncan Road one of the most scenic roads in the Kimberley. (Admittedly we don't have that many real roads.) Then there are the people visiting Purnululu National Park on a round trip from Kununurra. Why not make it a real round trip and choose a different route for the trip there and back? And if you are too early in the year to see the Gibb River Road (which has bigger rivers and opens later), or simply don't have the time to see the Gibb River Road, then the Duncan Road is a great way to get a taste of Kimberley cattle country and Kimberley gorges.

Need to Know • Length: 441 km • Northern (eastern) end: joins the Victoria Highway 20 km east of the Northern • • • • • •

Territory/Western Australia border. Southern (western) end: joins the Great Northern Highway in Halls Creek. Services: none! The road was built specifically to service the remote cattle stations in this area. It was named Duncan Highway in 1961. Decommissioned as a highway in 1976 and renamed Duncan Road. In 1995 ownership was transferred from Main Roads to the Halls Creek Shire which has been looking after it since (and doing an excellent job).

First of all, though unsealed, this road is usually in good to excellent condition. There is nothing to worry about for inexperienced drivers, no special skills required. All the river crossings are reinforced with bitumen or concrete. There may be some wash outs and potholes in them after a big wet season, that's all. Just take it slow.

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There is a fair bit of traffic (by Kimberley standards), so if something totally unexpected and out of your control happens you won't have to wait for too long for some help. Similar to the Gibb River Road the Duncan Road is mainly a beef road and during the mustering season you will see many road trains transporting cattle. Stay out of their way, they hurtle along at quite some speed and can't stop easily. Watch out for animals on the road. Apart from cattle and wallabies (kangaroos) you may also come across wild horses, donkeys, pigs, camels and who knows what else. (A friend of mine recently saw buffalo and very nearly hit it.) Also be mindful of the fact that all this land is private land and act accordingly. No reckless bush bashing, no trespassing, no littering, no starting fires etc. There are no services whatsoever along the road, so make sure you have everything you need, especially enough fuel! It’s 174 km from Halls Creek to the Duncan Road/Buntine Highway intersection. Turn left to follow the Duncan Road for another 271 km to the Victoria Highway, 56 km east of Kununurra

THINGS TO SEE/PLACES TO CAMP Well, the whole 441 km are worth seeing, especially just after the wet season, say late April to early June. Every few kilometres the landscape changes, the views of the ranges, the vegetation, the colours of the wildflowers carpeting the hillsides ... it never gets boring. That time of the year most rivers and creeks have plenty of water left in them. Upstream from the crossings you will find good sized pools with deep and clean water, perfect for a picnic and a swim. All the popular camping spots are close to Halls Creek: FREE BUSHCAMPING Caroline Pool The turn off is 13 km from Halls Creek and sign posted, just follow the signs from there. Caroline Pool is a permanent waterhole on the Elvire River and in the days of old Halls Creek it was the town’s main recreation site. It's still popular with both locals and tourists. To protect this waterhole and the surrounding vegetation the Environmental Health Department had to restrict access to Caroline Pool. As of 2008 it is officially a day use only area. At least that's how the shire would like to see it used. Most people seem to ignore that. If you decide to stop here, please keep the place clean.

Palm Springs The Duncan Road crosses Palm Springs Creek 40 km from Halls Creek. There is a small clean pool and a small clearing which offers room to camp. Unfortunately it's right next to the road. A short walk to the north east of the crossing takes you to the source of the creek, a spring fed pool. This used to be the towns water supply. It's still a reserve today and you're not allowed to swim here, but camping is fine.

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Sawpit Gorge (Also called Sawtooth Gorge.) Turn off to Sawpit Gorge a few hundred metres past the Palm Springs crossing. From there it's another 3 km on a narrow dirt track. The gorge is a series of deep pools along the Black Elvire River (which isn't black but nice and clean). Sawpit Gorge is also quite popular and you are rarely alone out here. From Halls Creek you may even be able to reach those places in a normal car if you are game and drive carefully, but you won't have much choice of campsites at Caroline Pool and Sawpit Gorge, just the small car park area where the track ends. Four wheel drives can get down into the river bed and closer to the water, which is of course much nicer.

Marella Gorge My favourite place along the Duncan Road is a privately owned gorge which is only accessible by four wheel drive: Marella Gorge. It used to belong to Nicholson Station but is now owned by Flora Valley Station (9168 8920) and you need to get permission if you want to go there. They are usually fine with it and as long as everybody behaves and leaves the place the way they found it they might just let us use it a little while longer! (Update: rumour has it that Flora Valley will not allow access in 2014. The rumour has been around every year since they took over Nicholson so there is still hope.) Marella Gorge is not easy to find. The turn off is 23 km from the T-junction near the old Nicholson Station homestead (and 151 km from Halls Creek). It’s hard to see and you easily miss it. Coming from Nicholson Station you have to cross two (dry) creeks first. The t/o is in a sweeping left bend, to your right. You'll see it just as you pass it. There is a big Y where the track joins the road as in, one track in, one track out. (The HEMA map I recommend in Part I shows the gorge.) It's a rough track, only two wheel ruts. The countryside is of course spectacular. After driving through a gate continue slightly towards the right, over the flat rocks. (The track is not really visible here). Shortly after, the track turns into a network of wheel marks, most of which will take you to the edge of the gorge. You won't even see the gorge until you pull up right at the edge. There's nothing indicating it's there. Some good camp sites are perched on top of the edge, some tracks take you down to the water (but are so steep that you want to make sure your driver and car will be able to climb back up). You can swim or sit under the waterfalls or fish ... You'll be alone out here. There's plenty of space along the gorge, several kilometres to get away from each other in case there is another vehicle. But my experience is that half of the people who get permission and directions still can't find it. Which is good, I think. It's a very special place and will hopefully remain that way.

Negri River The Negri River crossing is about 135 km north of the Nicholson Station Homestead and a pleasant camp site is located on the western side of the road, on the Halls Creek side of the crossing. If it’s already taken, just keep driving. Several more creek and river crossings on that stretch of the road make good overnight stops and bush camps.

At the far end, 6 km before the Duncan Road meets the Victoria Highway, a turn off to the left takes you to the Zebra Rock Mine, which is located 4 km from the turn off. Kim and Ruth have owned the lease for a few years now, but they only opened for tourists in May 2011. You can buy Zebra Rock directly from the mine (and all sorts of wonderful items crafted from it), get a free mine tour and look out over Lake Argyle. Best of all, you can also camp here, and it's very good value. Zebra Rock Camping, 0400 767 650 Very friendly hosts, scones and coffee upon arrival. Unpowered camping only, fires allowed, the two shower/toilet units are new and clean (but may be not enough for a big influx of people), $10 pp. You can pick up a Telstra mobile signal from the lookout.

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Part III: The Guide

BUNGLE BUNGLE-PURNULULU NATIONAL PARK

E

verybody calls them the Bungles, or the Bungle Bungles, that maze of curious orange and black striped beehive shaped domes in Purnululu National Park. The sandstone domes are without a doubt one of Australia's most unusual and fascinating landforms However, to call them Bungle Bungles is technically incorrect. It's the Bungle Bungle, singular. Bungles is acceptable. Bungle Bungles? Never. On the website I have to use the incorrect term, because that is what people use when they google it. Unless I also use the same incorrect version they won't find me... Here I'll do my best not to slip. The area of the actual Bungle Bungle range is about 450 km2. The national park is 239,723 ha in size. A 79,602 ha conservation reserve acts as a buffer zone to protect the range. To get to the Bungles takes some time and effort. And a 4WD. But visit them you must!

History Where the name Bungle Bungle comes from is not clear. The Kija Aboriginal people, who have lived here for over 20,000 years, called the area Purnululu, the Kija word for sandstone. Bungle Bungle may be a mangled version of that name, or maybe it stems from the name of the bundle bundle grass that grows in the region. The name Bungle Bungle was first given to a nearby station in 1930. And in 1983, when the Department of Lands And Surveys had to call the range something, they named it after the nearby station. Clear is that the range, though only 100 km from the main highway, was only "discovered" by a film team in 1983. The pastoralists in the area had known about the it for longer, but they sure had other things to worry about in this harsh country. Only when a national television documentary crew turned its cameras onto the astounding orange domes did the world take note. The WA government recognised the botanical importance of the area and also its significance to the traditional inhabitants. Purnululu National Park was established in 1987. It skyrocketed to world fame in no time at all. In 2003 Purnululu was inscribed as a World Heritage Area, thanks to its outstanding geological value and its incredible natural beauty. Or – as the official listing criteria demand: "Superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance" Take a scenic flight over the towering domes, the network of narrow gorges running through them in endless twists and turns in the glow of the morning or afternoon sun, and you'll need no further explanation.

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Today Purnululu is jointly managed by the DPaW and by representatives of the two Aboriginal language clan groups who have traditional connections with the park, the Djaru and the Kija people.

Geology Well, the full story of the geology of the area is a bit too much to cover here. What people usually want to know is how the striped domes were formed, so here goes: The sandstone formation of the Bungle Bungle range is estimated to be 350 million years old, give or take a few millions. Like the reefs at the Geikie and Windjana gorges the range was formed during the Devonian period. But the range isn't part of a reef. It's the sediment of an old river bed. The sediment was laid down in layers, compressed into sandstone and eventually lifted up to form a mountain range. Originally it was all one big block, with joints and weak areas as a result of the movement. Weathering caused more cracks and the edges wore away in the millions of years of torrential wet season rains, winds, combined with alternating winter freezes and 50 plus degree heat in summer. The domes are located on the edge of the range. If you fly over the whole range you can see a new area of domes in the making, as the erosion continues towards the centre of the massif. Not that we'll see it happen. That will be a few more million years... The dark layers in the sediment/rock have a higher clay content and hold the moisture better. They support cyanobacteria (primitive organisms, previously called blue-grey algae). The bacteria only grow on the surface, a few mm into the rock. But that's enough to form a protective outer layer and prevent erosion. The lighter coloured layers have less clay, are more porous and dry out quickly. Cyanobacteria can't grow here and without the protective coat the surface is exposed to "rusting". Oxidisation of the iron in the sandstone gives the range the beautiful orange colour. The sandstone is rather soft and fragile. The raging waters of the wet seasons have washed out wide creeks and deep canyons, steep sided rifts and chasms, not to forget the astounding circular Cathedral Gorge, the result of a massive wet season whirl pool. Erosion would continue at a much more rapid pace if it wasn't for the easily damaged cyanobacteria coat. This is a very fragile environment, hence you are not allowed to do any climbing or similar. In fact, there are only a few hikes through the range and you are not allowed to leave the paths. Most of the range is protected from human feet trampling through it. A helicopter flight over it is the best way to understand the geology of the area and to appreciate the sheer scale of it. Nothing, however, beats walking through it. Spending a day hiking in Piccaninny Creek is like a day in a different, magical world, on another planet, in another sphere. It's impossible to compare the Bungle Bungle range to anything you know.

BEST TIME TO VISIT The park is most beautiful at the beginning of the dry season. Absolutely, stunningly beautiful. Purnululu in early May, after a great wet season, is amongst the most beautiful things I have seen in my life. The road into the park usually opens early in April (weather permitting). If you arrive here in May you can be pretty sure that you'll be able to get into the park, one way or other. Or should I make that past tense...?

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There are no guarantees. In 2007 the park had to temporarily close in June due to out of season rains! The same thing happened again in May 2010. The year 2011 saw an extremely wet and late wet season altogether. The climate is going crazy...

Early in the season the country is still lush and green. The plains around the domes are thickly covered in bright yellow Acacia flowers, the grevilleas are blooming as well and wildlife is still very active. The day temperatures in May are still well above 30, higher amongst the domes. If you want to do an overnight walk you will appreciate the fact that there is still a lot of water in the rock pools. It saves you carrying it all and you can also enjoy a refreshing dip every now and then. But the waters recede quickly and the pools become stagnant and smelly. I personally prefer to get in early to avoid the masses. The main tourist rush in the Kimberley starts in June. Mid June to mid August is the peak season and the park is very busy. This is the coolest time of the year. It's very pleasant during the days, but the nights can drop below zero! The nights in Purnululu National Park are colder than anywhere else in the Kimberley. Camping is the only option if you want to stay over night, so make sure your sleeping bag is warm enough. The weather warms up again in late August/September, tourist numbers drop, but by then all the water is gone and the land is brown and dusty. By October it is pretty cruel during the day. Between the rocks the temperatures can easily soar above 50°C and heat exhaustion becomes a real problem, unless you are fit and used to heat. Officially the road into the park stays open until the end of December (weather permitting). The Visitor Centre and camps close in mid-October. The whole park may close early because of heat or wet weather or even bush fires. Purnululu National Park Visitor Centre 9168 7300 (April - Dec)

DPaW/DEC in Kununurra 9168 4200

GETTING THERE Purnululu National Park is located in the East Kimberley. You can reach the turn off on the Great Northern Highway from either Kununurra (250 km), Warmun/Turkey Creek (52 km) or Halls Creek (108 km). From the turn off it is another 53 km to the park entrance. Important update: A new caravan park opened in May 2011. It is located right at the turn off to the Bungles, on Mabel Downs Station, accessible by 2WD, and the owners are also offering day trips to the Bungles. Bungle Bungle Caravan Park, 9169 1995, www.bunglebunglecaravanpark.com.au At the turn off to the Bungles on Mabel Downs Station, 750m from the highway. Owned and run by the station owners. Road to the caravan park accessible for 2WD. Standard safari tents $120, with ensuite bathrooms $225. No dogs in safari tents. Powered sites $50 (2 people), non powered sites $35 (for 2), extra persons or tent camping $15. Dogs ok if kept on a leash and not causing any disturbance to other campers. Bush restaurant open for dinner (some real bush tucker, stews, roast beef and curries) and fully cooked breakfast. BYO. Caravan storage available at $15 per night.

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Bungle Bungle Expeditions, www.bunglebungleexpeditions.com.au Part of the same operation. Offers day tours to Bungles at $285 pp. Departs 7am, returns 6pm, includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner at bush restaurant. Also offering 4WD station tours, fixed wing and helicopter flights over station and Bungles, as well as Lake Argyle cruises and longer outback tours.

Even though the access track has seen $300,000 worth of upgrades in 2013, it still is strictly four wheel drive and single axle off-road caravans and trailers only. Don't even think about taking anything else. Dual axle and standard caravans/trailers are not allowed. You can leave your caravan at the new Bungle Bungle Caravan Park. Alternatively see the Warmun chapter for caravan storage information. It's a rough road with a lot of corrugations, creek crossings, steep climbs and tight corners. (That is, steep climbs and tight corners for a road. It's not a 4WD track like some people imagine. Just too narrow, hilly and windy to be safe for larger caravans being towed in both directions). Depending on the state of the road it may take you two to three hours for this part. Four critical creek crossings have been upgraded during the above mentioned works, so access is a bit easier than it used to be during the early season or during unseasonal rains. That brings the total driving time to five to six hours from Kununurra, three to four hours from Halls Creek and about three hours from Warmun. But that's only the park entrance. Say, you are trying to "do" Purnululu as a day trip (yes, some people do): be aware that it is another 27 km from the entrance and visitor centre to the domes and to Cathedral Gorge. Mini Palms and Echidna Chasm are on another road, in a different direction, also 20 km from the visitor centre. And the roads within the park are only slightly better than the access road! The speed limit in the park is 50 kph, but I doubt you will be tempted to go faster anyway. Do the maths. A day trip just doesn't give you a chance to see much. Many people ignore this advice and are in a mad rush. Hence they loathe the rough road that slows them down. Hence the road has such a bad reputation. In reality it is not that bad. It can be a bit rough, but it is an exceptionally scenic drive, especially very early in the morning or in the afternoon. Take your time and enjoy it! The creek crossings can be a bit dicey very early in the season. Update: the most critical ones have been upgraded in 2012/13! They are, however, crocodile free. You can always get out of your car and walk across to check for holes or submerged rocks/logs first. Contact the Purnululu NP Visitor Centre or the Halls Creek Visitor Centre for current road conditions. Once the water levels have dropped (a matter of a couple of weeks) the drive is not difficult in any way. Just take it easy.

Purnululu National Park Visitor Centre 9168 7300 (April - Dec)

Halls Creek Visitor Centre 9168 6262

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Part III: The Guide

VISITOR INFORMATION Entry into Purnululu National Park attracts a one time fee of $12 per vehicle. Alternatively you can purchase a parks pass. See the chapter National Parks in Part II for prices. The opening times for the Visitor Centre are 8am - 12 noon and 1pm - 4pm (April to mid-October). If you arrive outside those hours you can self register. Put the money for your entrance and camping fee in a provided envelope and drop it in the box there. (You need the right change.)

Camping In addition to the entry fee or park pass there is a camping fee of $12 per person per night ($2.20 for children), payable at the Visitor Centre upon entering the park. 24hr self registration available, see above. Purnululu National Park has two public campgrounds: • Kurrajong is 7 km north of the visitor centre, in the direction of Echidna Chasm and Mini Palms (Bloodwood). • Walardi is 12 km south of the visitor centre, in the direction of the domes, Cathedral Gorge, Whip Snake Gorge, and Piccaninny Creek. The campgrounds are separated in a generator and a quiet area. They have bush toilets and bore water but there are no showers. It is not recommended that you drink the bore water unless you boil or treat it. The only place to light a fire (provided there is no fire ban) are the shared wood barbecues. Firewood is supplied from outside the park. You can't collect wood yourself in the park! You can only use what is supplied. Please use it sparingly. Important update: You now have to pre-book camp sites at Walardi or Kurrajong at least 48 hrs ahead. You can do so online: www.dec.wa.gov.au/campgrounds/deccampgrounds.html 135 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Bellburn is a commercial campground. Two operators maintain facilities here. You have to book ahead to stay at their camps. If you booked to stay at Bellburn, you still need to call into the visitor centre to register and pay your park entrance fee. East Kimberley Tours, 9168 2213, www.eastkimberleytours.com.au/accommodation.html (Receives regular thumbs ups from readers.) The upmarket mega travel company APT operates wilderness camps throughout the Kimberley, under the name Kimberley Wilderness Adventures. The Bungle Bungle Wilderness Camp was located at Bellburn Creek. In 2011 it was renamed Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge, after the addition of “superior” cabins at a second site upstream, called Piccaninny site. Like all their camps, or now “lodges”, the Bungles lodge offers tented accommodation with private facilities. All camps are fully hosted and include hot showers, real beds and dinners. To book: 9192 7022 or 1800 335 003, [email protected] You can plan and book your whole Kimberley trip through Kimberley Wilderness Adventures. Independent travellers can purchase a safari pass that allows access to all camps. Sorry, lodges. More info: (03) 9277 8444 or 1300 334 872, www.kimberleywilderness.com.au

See the free bushcamping sites listed for Warmun if you want to save on camping fees. Also consider the new caravan park at the highway turn off if you are towing and don't want to take your trailer or offroad-van into the park.

Other Facilities The Park Visitor Centre has information about the park and the Kimberley in general, leaflets and books. The Purnululu National Park rangers also offer activities and free talks on some evenings, so find out what's happening when you arrive. The small shop sells souvenirs and cool drinks, but no ice or food. Make sure you bring everything you need with you. Public telephones are available at the visitor centre. You can organise your helicopter flight from here, too. You could also call into the booking office at Bellburn airstrip (near the Walardi campground).

Scenic Flights Scenic helicopter flights are available from within the park. But for those who can't get here, for lack of time or because they are in a 2WD or towing a caravan, there are other options. See the tour operator listings under Warmun and Kununurra. (Also see the listing for the new caravan park at the highway turn off in the Getting There chapter.) Heliwork Bellburn, 9168 7335 or 9166 9300, www.slingair.com.au Flights available from inside the park are: 18 minute "Dome Special" $235 child, (3-12) $185 30 minute Standard $335, child $285 48 minute "Long Look" $495, child $445

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WALKS AND SIGHTS Purnululu National Park can be divided into two sections: a northern and a southern part. Both parts feature several walks, a sunset lookout and a campground. Once you paid your entrance fee at the Visitor Centre you continue either north or south:

The Southern Area In the southern part of the park you find the orange and black striped beehive domes that the Bungle Bungle range is so famous for. The Walardi public campground is 12 km from the visitor centre. Piccaninny Creek car park is a 25 minute drive from there (45 minutes from the park entrance). All southern walks start from Piccaninny Creek car park. You get your first impression of the domes as you drive towards the car park. You are not supposed to stop on the road except at the provided viewing bays, but it's hard not to because every corner presents you with an even more stunning view than the previous one. You learn pretty soon that the beauty of the Bungle Bungle Range is not easily captured in photos. Standard lenses are nowhere near wide enough to capture the magnificent views. And once you get out of the car and start walking between the domes you will be too close, the valleys too steep and narrow and dark... Photos can't do this place justice.

Cathedral Gorge This is the most famous sight in the Bungles and also one of the easiest to reach. The walk into Cathedral Gorge is about 3 km return. You should allow at least one hour so you can spend some time absorbing the atmosphere. Cathedral Gorge is a huge natural amphitheatre, a geological marvel. A rock ledge on the left invites you to sit down, watch and observe. The acoustics are fascinating (if there aren't too many people around). The voices are carried around and if you turn your head in the right direction the people on the opposite side sound as if they were right behind you. Early in the season there is a pool in the middle of the theatre and if you look up you see shrubs dangling from the towering walls. Just sit there and reflect on the time, the amount of water and the forces it took to form this place.

Domes Walk The Domes Walk is connected to and can be done as part of the Cathedral Gorge Walk. It's like a detour or a couple of side tracks. What you will see is more of the scenery that you also encounter on your way to Cathedral Gorge: sandstone beehives, creek beds, gaps and crevices, evidence of wet season waterfalls and of weathering. It only takes about 20 minutes, so why not?

Piccaninny Creek Walk Piccaninny Creek Walk is in my opinion misrepresented in almost all information material that you find about the Bungles. You read everywhere that it is an overnight hike. As a result few people even consider it. 137 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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But you don't need to stay inside Piccaninny Gorge over night! Just walk as far as you are happy to and then turn around. Easy! This is by far the most beautiful and most rewarding walk in the Bungles. Though it is admittedly NOT the easiest. You follow the eroded creek bed, sometimes stepping from rock slab to rock slab and sometimes working your way through deep, loose gravel. Most of the walk is very open and sunny and the further you go the fewer slabs and the more gravel you find. But you also find jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery: domes and cliffs, chasms and rock pools... If you are fit and have the time to spend a full day you can walk as far as Black Rock Pool, a big deep waterhole, nearly fully surrounded by towering black cliffs. It's the most reliable water source on the way (boil or treat it before drinking), it's always shady and the water is freezing! If you want to camp here and continue on and explore the whole gorge system, you need to register at the Purnululu National Park Visitor Centre. (Don't forget to deregister on your way out!)

The Sunset Lookout Not far from the start of the Piccaninny Creek Walk a path branches off to the right, which takes you to a lookout. (Some call it the Window Outlook. It is like a window between the domes, looking out over the plain below.) Even if you really don't have the time to walk along Piccaninny Creek, you should make time for the lookout. It takes about half an hour to 45 minutes to get there.

Whip Snake Gorge Another 20 minutes further along into Piccaninny Creek the Whipsnake Gorge branches off. This gorge gives you some idea what happens amongst the domes during the wet season. Look up into the trees and at the gauge marks on the rocks and imagine the raging torrent that formed those. The gorge is narrow and at the right time of the day cool and shady which is often welcome after the baking heat in the open creek bed of Piccaninny. The walk ends at high rock walls, a little like a smaller Cathedral Gorge, and earlier in the season there is still some water here to cool your feet in. (The walk in takes a good hour so you may need to.) Again you have to imagine the wet season falls coming down from the walls.

The Northern Area The northern campground, Kurrajong, is only 7 km from the Visitor Centre. The two walks in this part, Mini Palms Gorge and Echidna Chasm, are 12 km further on. (Froghole Gorge has been closed to the public years ago.) This part of Purnululu looks very different and you don't find the famous domes here.

Bloodwood and Mini Palms Gorge The Froghole and Mini Palms site has been renamed into Bloodwood, but the walk into the gorge is still called Mini Palms. Go figure.

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Mini Palms Walk This 5 km return walk (allow 2 hrs) takes you over loose rocks in a riverbed into a narrow, boulder strewn gorge filled with Bungle Bungle Fan Palms (a Livistona Palm species that exists only here). The further you go the steeper the track becomes. You have to squeeze through and clamber over boulders. It's a fun walk and not too hard because there are stairs for the steepest parts. You eventually reach a viewing platform overlooking a palm filled valley surrounded by 150 m high cliffs. At the end of the valley is a cave. Tempting to look at, but the climb to get down has been closed to protect the mini palms that cover the floor. (The footprints are proof that many people ignore the signs.)

Echidna Chasm This one is fun, too. And easier and shorter then Mini Palms (allow 1 – 1.5 hrs for the 2 km). Initially you walk through a palm filled gorge, but that soon becomes narrower and narrower and then narrower still. Every now and then you have to climb over boulders blocking the way, or duck under some that didn't quite make it to the floor and are stuck above you, where you hope they'll stay until you're gone. In the end you find yourself in a gap that's less than a metre wide, with walls so tall that it's nearly completely dark at the bottom. Unless you can schedule this walk around midday. Then you will see the walls above you glow in striking colours, changing with the angle of the sun.

Walanginjdji or Kungkalanayi Sunset Lookout The northern part of the Bungle Bungle has its own sunset lookout, too. (And apparently it's been renamed into Kungkalanayi Lookout) It's only 2.5 km from the Visitor Centre. A few minutes of walking take you to an area with several seats, so you can enjoy wine and cheese while you watch the western escarpment catch on fire.

SUGGESTED ITINERARIES 1 Day Rush Around From: Halls Creek/Warmun. For: people who want to be able to say, "Been there, done that". • Leave Halls Creek very early in the morning. Arrive and register at the Visitor Centre. (3-4 hours)

• Drive to Piccaninny Creek car park (45 min) and walk into Cathedral Gorge via • • • • • •

Domes Walk (1.5 hours). Enjoy lunch at Piccaninny Creek car park (very scenic). For the wealthy: take a helicopter flight in the afternoon (arrange that from Visitor Centre in the morning). For the broke: drive to northern part of the park (1 hour) and take the Echidna Chasm Walk (1 hour). For those who were late in the morning: skip this part. Watch sunset from Walanginjdji Lookout. Leave Bungle Bungle and return to Halls Creek/Warmun (very late!). Skip lookout if you'd rather not drive the access track in the dark.

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1 Night/1 Day Intense From: Kununurra. For: people with limited time who want to see everything. • Leave Kununurra after an early breakfast. Choose a scenic spot along the park access • • • • • • • •

track for lunch. Arrive and register at the Visitor Centre. (5-6 hours) Take prearranged scenic helicopter flight. Make your way to Kurrajong campsite and set up camp. Enjoy sunset from Walanginjdji Lookout. Next day: get going very early. After packing up your camp do the Mini Palms Walk (2 hours) and the Echidna Chasm Walk (1 hour). Have lunch here or... Drive to Piccaninny Creek car park (1 hour). Have lunch. Walk into Cathedral Gorge via Domes Walk. (1.5 hours) Head towards Piccaninny Creek. If you have the time left you can follow the creek bed for a bit. Otherwise look for the turn off to the Window Lookout. Leave Bungle Bungle and return to Halls Creek (very late!). Skip lookout if you'd rather not drive the access track in the dark.

2 Days/1 Night Leisurely Exploration From: Halls Creek/Warmun. • Leave Halls Creek after breakfast. Arrive and register at the Visitor Centre. (3-4 • • • • • •

hours) Pick your camp site at Walardi. Have lunch. Drive to Piccaninny Creek car park and walk into Cathedral Gorge via Domes Walk (1.5 hours) Head towards Piccaninny Creek. If you have some time left you can follow the creek bed for a bit. Otherwise look for the turn off to the Sunset Lookout. For the wealthy: take a helicopter flight in the morning (arrange that from Visitor Center when you arrive). For the broke: drive to northern part of the park and take the Mini Palms Walk (2 hours). Enjoy the Echidna Chasm Walk (1 hour) before or after lunch. Leave Bungle Bungle and return to Halls Creek.

Two Nights/Two Days Leisurely Exploration From: Kununurra. For: keen bushwalkers. • Leave Kununurra after a leisurely breakfast. Choose a scenic spot along the park • • • • • • •

access track for lunch. Arrive and register at the Visitor Centre. (5-6 hours) Take prearranged scenic helicopter flight. Make your way to the Walardi campsite and set up camp. Enjoy the sunset from the site near the Walardi campground. In the morning walk into Cathedral Gorge via Domes Walk (1.5 hours). Walk up Piccaninny Creek as far as you like. Have lunch somewhere along Piccaninny Creek. Enjoy sunset from Windows Lookout.

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• Next day: After packing up your camp drive to the northern part of the park (1 hour). Do the Mini Palms Walk (2 hours). • Have lunch at either Echidna Chasm or Mini Palms car park. After lunch enjoy the Echidna Chasm Walk (1 hour) Leave Bungle Bungle and drive to Halls Creek or Kununurra.

Three Days/Two Nights (or longer) Exploration From: Halls Creek/Warmun. For: bushwalking enthusiasts. • Leave Halls Creek/Warmun after breakfast. Arrive and register at the Visitor Centre. (3-4 hours) • Have lunch at Echidna Chasm car park, before or after Echidna Chasm Walk (1 hour). • After Mini Palms Walk (2 hours) make your way to southern part of the park. • Spend the night at Walardi, enjoying the sunset from the site near the campground.

The next day, either: • • • •

Get going early and walk up Piccaninny Creek to Black Rock Pool. Have lunch there. On your return walk watch the sunset from the Windows Lookout. Spend another night at Walardi. Walk into Cathedral Gorge very early in the morning (before everybody else gets there). • After that pack up camp. Leave the Bungle Bungle.

Or: • Walk into Cathedral Gorge very early in the morning (before everybody else gets

there). • Continue your walk along Piccaninny Creek to Black Rock Pool or further. Spend the night camping along Piccaninny Gorge and return the next day. (Or stay in the gorge for two nights to explore the whole system). • Leave the park when you are ready.

From Kununurra: • If you are coming from Kununurra make your way to Walardi when you arrive. Start your one or two day Piccaninny Creek hike the next morning as described above. Visit Echidna Chasm and Mini Palms after another night at Walardi.

Those are just some ideas. Adapt these schedules to your needs and time frame. See tour operators for Broome, Warmun and Kununurra for tours to the Bungles.

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WARMUN • •

160 km from Halls Creek 198 km from Kununura

For most people Warmun, previously called Turkey Creek, is only another roadhouse. However, two things are worth mentioning: If you are towing you can leave your caravan or trailer here in a secure storage area for a trip into the Bungles (t/o 80 km from here). A fee applies. And if you don’t want to drive you can take a helicopter flight over the Bungles from here. Heliwork Warmun, 9162 7337 (9168 1811 Dec – March), www.slingair.com.au 45/90 minute helicopter flights by the same operator as inside the park. $300/$600 pp for three passengers, $375/$750 pp for two passengers.

The other thing worth pointing out is the excellent art outlet at the back of the Warmun Aboriginal community near the roadhouse. It is open on week days from 9am to 4pm. Ask the roadhouse for information and directions. They can also ring ahead for you to arrange a visit. The Warmun Art Centre (and much of the Warmun community) was destroyed in a flash flood on March 13, 2011. Rebuilding only started in November 2011. In the meantime the gallery was housed in a loaned building near the highway. For a long time it was not sure if Warmun could recover and be rebuilt, but one year after the anniversary of the flood was celebrated with the reopening of the community's much loved art centre. Warmun Art Centre, 9168 7496, www.warmunart.com Gallery open Mon – Fri, 9am – 4 pm, weekend visits by prior appointment. Warmun Roadhouse, 9168 7882, www.warmunroadhouse.com.au Self contained units $175, motel rooms $150, donga room $70, powered and unpowered caravan sites ($35/$27), camp sites $15, caravan storage in secure compound $15, pool, showers for travellers $3, sit down and take away meals, general store, postal facilities, no alcohol license. FREE BUSHCAMPING Leycesters Rest is very close to the turn off to the Bungles, between Halls Creek (100 km) and Warmun (62 km) on the Ord River. (It used to be called Ord River Rest Area). There are several little tracks to get to camp sites away from the main rest area. If the river is still flowing this is a nice spot to sit in the water. Spring Creek Rest Area is even closer to the Bungles turn off, 106 km from Halls Creek and 55 km from the Warmun. It’s nice, shady, and early in the season there is water in the creek. All that makes it a very popular overnight stop for travellers on their way to the Bungles who want to save on camping fees. Some travellers like it so much, they spend a lay over day or two. Towing a caravan? You may get lucky here and find someone to look after it while you explore the Bungles for a day.

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DOON DOON • •

106 km from Kununurra 233 km from Halls Creek

The fairly new Doon Doon Roadhouse is operated by the local Aboriginal Community. The offerings are limited: fuel, some basic supplies and camp sites. Woolah Aboriginal Tag-along Tours at the nearby Doon Doon Station offer day trips to the Dunham River gorges. It’s a great day out with some rough driving to get there (good fun and great for people who wouldn’t do that kind of thing on their own). Once you get to the river you can canoe the gorges (canoes provided) or do some fishing and exploring. The tours are led by local Aboriginal guides and you need your own 4WD vehicle. At this stage the elders haven’t decided what the price will be for this season, so ring the roadhouse for more information once you get here. Doon Doon Roadhouse, 9167 8004

Harry's Hole – Deals Gorge The official name of Harry’s Hole is now Deals Gorge, Harry's Hole is a series of crystal clear pools, cliff faces and waterfalls that take a full day of swimming, climbing and walking to explore. It is magic. Unfortunately it has been treated with very little respect in the past (littering and vandalism), with the result that the indigenous owners had to restrict access. An access fee applies, you also need to get a key to the gate from Doon Doon first and pay a deposit. Camping is not permitted any longer, which is a real shame. However, I do support the decision. All I can say is, if you have the time it's well worth it. Get in touch with Doon Doon early enough to find out about current prices (they haven’t decided yet) and regulations and to express your interest, since they only allow a limited number of people in at a time.

FREE BUSHCAMPING A nice camping area that is well off the main road is located near a signposted Scenic Lookout between Doon Doon (16 km) and the Victoria Highway intersection (45 km). The road to the lookout runs parallel to the highway for several km. It’s a loop road, so there are two turn offs. People with big rigs may want to use the lookout area, but the better camp site is found further on. Pass the lookout on your right and continue driving until you see some Telstra buildings on the right. Just before that is a track on the left. That’s it. 500 metres on you find some nice clearings in a scenic valley between the ranges. The Cockburn Rest Area is on the corner of the Victoria Highway intersection. It’s not very scenic, there isn’t much shade and no water. Why so many people camp here is a mystery to me, but they do.

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KUNUNURRA

K

ununurra is the name of the lively, booming town on the eastern edge of the Kimberley. In the local Aboriginal dialect the name means "The Meeting Of The Big Waters". An appropriate name indeed, as water is the most noticeable feature of this region. Countless gorges and waterfalls, several big tidal rivers, dozens of smaller streams and creeks, Lake Kununurra and of course the huge expanse of Lake Argyle... The vast majority of the attractions in and around Kununurra involve water, lots of water. And water means life, both an amazing flora and abundant wildlife. (And of course excellent fishing!) Water is not the only reason the area is so attractive. The East Kimberley looks very different from the Broome region. The country around Kununurra is a LOT more scenic. A myriad of ranges and gorges and cliffs and escarpments… No matter which way you drive or look, the beauty of this region is astounding.

GETTING THERE • • •

1040 km from Broome 360 km from Halls Creek 825 km from Darwin.

Qantas offers direct flights from Perth to Kununurra at least weekly during the main tourist season (May - September). Virgin Blue flies Kununurra-Broome-Perth and sometimes directly between Perth and Kununurra. They also fly to Darwin. Airnorth flies from Darwin or Broome to Kununurra at least once a day, more often during the tourist season. Also offers weekly flights from/to Perth. If you are able to take a few days for the trip from Darwin, drive. The road between Katherine and Kununurra is spectacular, especially in the Victoria River and Timber Creek area.

The Very Short History Gazetted in 1961, Kununurra is one of the youngest towns in Australia. It owes its existence to an ambitious irrigation project, the Ord River Irrigation Scheme, a project that changed the face of this region forever. Kununurra is situated on the Ord River, one of the many tidal rivers that have carved up the Kimberley Plateau. Our rivers are raging torrents through the wet season and all but disappear during the dry. The Ord was no different, until 1963, when the first dam, the Diversion Dam, was built. If you approach Kununurra from the west you will drive over the Diversion Dam, with Lake Kununurra to your right. It is located only a few kilometres south west of Kununurra. But the main project, the main dam on which everything in the region hinges, was built 50 km upstream and completed in 1972.

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The Main Ord Dam created Lake Argyle and is world famous. Lake Argyle now covers an area of 1000 km2 (2100 km2 at maximum flood level). Imagine 27 times the volume of Sydney Harbour (at maximum flood storage capacity) to get an idea of the massive dimensions of this project. The water is used to irrigate the Ord River farm lands around Kununurra. The first handful of farmers and settlers arrived in late 1962. Back then the scheme was considered a white elephant, the project of dreamers with their heads in the clouds. Indeed, the early days did not see many successes. The climate here is characterised by extremes, too wet or too dry, too hot or too cold, depending on the time of the year. Many crops were tested but had to be abandoned. Even if something grew it wasn't easy to make money. The long distances from and to the markets mean farmers are hit twice with massive freight costs. But the people who hung in there and didn't give up did well in the end. They figured things out. Over the last ten to fifteen years Kununurra simply exploded. One of the youngest and fastest growing towns in Australia, it is now a lively hub for the tourism, farming and mining industry in the East Kimberley. Today 13,000 hectares are under irrigation, with plans to expand the eventual growing area to 43,000 hectares. Kununurra has become the tropical fruit bowl of Australia. The main crops have changed over the years and keep changing. Bananas have all but disappeared. (You can not make money if they get blown over every year.) Melons and pumpkins have remained a constant mainstay. Mangoes were the up and coming crop of the last five to ten years, with many big plantations only now coming into full production. Citrus, mainly grapefruit, are not far behind. Cotton disappeared, but genetically modified cotton varieties may yet bring it back. Sugar used to be a huge crop, but falling world prices and delay of the expansion of the Ord scheme meant the last cane billet was crushed in November 2007. The mill is now mothballed. Sandalwood is all the rage and plantations of it have sprung up all over the valley. Kununurra was predicted to be the world’s largest sandalwood supplier by 2012! Those are just some of the immediately obvious crops you'll see as you drive through the valley. There are many more. And backpackers on a working holiday take note: Kununurra is also the best place in Australia to look for fruit picking jobs! The Main Ord Dam also supplies hydro power to Kununurra, to the port town of Wyndham and to the Argyle Diamond Mine, which is another main pillar of the local economy. With the expansion of the Ord Irrigation scheme in the future, with more mines opening up across the Kimberley and with the Kimberley's increasing popularity as a tourism destination, there is no sign that this white elephant will stop growing at record rates any time soon.

GETTING AROUND Several of the major car hire companies have depots in Kununurra. Note that you can not hire a campervan from Kununurra! You can hire 4WDs, trailers and equipment. Avis Kimberley, Coolibah Dr, 9169 1258, www.avis.com.au Budget Rent a Car, Konkerberry Dr and Airport, 9168 2033, www.budget.com.au Hertz, Airport, 9169 1424, www.hertz.com.au Thrifty Car Rentals, Bandicoot Dr, 9169 1911 or 1800 626 515, www.thrifty.com.au Kununurra Kamper Hire, Whimbrel Rd, 9169 3444 or 0417 948 060, www.kununurrakamperhire.com

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THINGS TO SEE AND DO Kununurra has a lot to offer, no matter what you are interested in. Fishing, swimming, nature, Aboriginal art, boat cruises, canoeing, four wheel driving, hiking, caving and abseiling. A range of industries is situated in the valley and nearby. Several of the businesses offer tours and insights into their operations.

Town Area The best starting point is Kununurra's Visitor Centre (75 Coolibah Drive, 9168 1177). The friendly staff have answers to all your questions and a huge range of maps, brochures and detailed information on absolutely everything that might interest tourists. To get a good overview of the area climb up Kelly's Knob. Actually, you can drive most of the way. Only the last bit is a rocky path with steps and handrails, all the way up to the lookout at 191 metres height. From up here you have great views of the town, the irrigation areas and farmlands, the Diversion Dam, Kununurra airport, the nearby ranges and the lake. Come to think of it, Kelly's Knob is probably the best place to finish a day's sight seeing. Grab some cheese and wine before you go to enjoy the sunset. Kununurra has several art galleries. The Lovell Diversion Gallery (144 Konkerberry Dr, opposite Tuckerbox) has a range of works of local artists. For Aboriginal art try Our Land Gallery (10 Papuana St), also not far from the centre, Red Rock Art (50 Coolibah Dr) and Waringarri Aboriginal Arts (Speargrass Rd, near Kelly's Knob). Two more galleries worth visiting are Birdland Functional Art and Kimberley Boab Creations (both in Poincettia Way). Kununurra, being so close to the Argyle Diamond Mine, is of course the best place to look at diamonds. Kimberley Fine Diamonds opposite the shopping centre (Konkerberry Dr) has one of Australia's biggest selections of coloured diamonds, including pink diamonds. Those are so rare that most people will probably never see one. The Argyle mine is the only mine in the world that produces them. Another place to browse and shop for diamonds is Nina's Jewellery inside the shopping centre. The best place for Kimberley rock art, including the rare Zebra Rock, is Mick Long's Rockalong (Bandicoot Drive). Longy (as we call him) has by far the biggest range of absolutely stunning pieces made from several types of local rock that he mines himself. You can also find his creations and loads of other stuff, including fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables, at Paddy's Markets. The markets are held 8am - 1pm every Saturday during the dry season in Whitegum Park.

Mirima National Park The 2068 ha Mirima National Park – also called Hidden Valley – is right on the edge of Kununurra, virtually still in town. The 350 million year old sandstone formations resemble the domes of the famous Bungles. They were formed at the same time, through the same weathering conditions. Because of the similarities they are sometimes called Mini Bungles. 146 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part III: The Guide

To get there drive east on Barringtonia Ave and follow the signs. Vehicle entry into the park attracts a fee ($12 per vehicle, unless you own a parks pass), but you can leave the car outside the gate and take the foot path. It's a beautiful 1 km walk following a narrow valley. Near the parking area inside the park is an information bay, a picnic shelter and a map that explains the three short walks that start from here. • Demboong banan gap trail: 500 m return, leads through a narrow valley to a gap with views towards Kununurra • Derdbe-gerring banam lookout trail: 800 metre return climb (mostly stairs) up onto a lookout. Great views over the Kununurra Valley to one side and over the Hidden Valley domes on the other side. • A 400 metre circular botanical walk identifies some of the common plants in the area. Hidden Valley is particularly beautiful in the afternoon when the low sun makes the rocks glow. But don't leave it too late or most of the valleys will be in deep shade. Mirima National Park is a day use area only. No camping.

South of Kununurra The Ord River Diversion Dam is located on the main highway, six kilometres west of Kununurra. Above the dam (turn left before you get to the dam) you find Lake Kununurra, which is popular for swimming, boating and water skiing. You can join a boat tour to cruise up the river to the main dam at Lake Argyle, take a sunset cruise, or you can paddle a canoe from the main dam back to Kununurra. See the tour operator listings for details. If you want to launch your own boat use the boat ramp near Kimberleyland Caravan Park entrance (on the highway, at the edge of town). Below the dam (cross dam and turn right at the information bay) is the Lions Park boat ramp, where you can launch your dinghy to cruise the Ord River below the dam. And if you are a fisherman you will. Bandicoot Bar, the rock bar just below the dam, is a top spot for barra fishing. So is the mouth of the Dunham River, which joins the Ord River just a little bit below the boat ramp. Don't even think about swimming anywhere below the dam! You'd end up as croc dinner for sure. If you cross the dam and take the next road to your left you find yourself on the Packsaddle Plains, one of the main farming areas: sandalwood plantations, mango orchards, citrus, melons and more. Nine kilometres along that road is the Zebra Rock Gallery. They do exhibit and sell Zebra Rock, but the Zebra Rock Gallery is also a nice place to visit and have a cuppa, a mango smoothie or a cool drink in their garden. If you have kids go down to their jetty and hand feed the hundreds of catfish waiting there.

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Another reason to drive out that way is the Sleeping Buddha or Elephant Rock, a big rock formation on Lake Kununurra. (The official name is Carlton Ridge.) It looks most like a sleeping Buddha if viewed from town, but to see the elephant you have to cruise up the river or drive along Packsaddle Road. It looks elephant-iest from near the Zebra Rock Gallery. Andy's Chasm This one is not for the faint of heart. You want to be fit and adventurous. You need a 4WD to get there, then you're in for a hot and difficult walk, then you have to find it and then it’s a challenging climb through several waterfalls, up smooth cliff faces etc. Oh, and it’s a wet season destination. At the top of the chasm you find a paradise that few people have seen to date, for all the above reasons. Most of the people who do find Andy's Chasm chicken out at the first waterfall, the rest at the third.(Andy's Chasm is responsible for broken bones and worse. It's ok to chicken out, and don't say I didn't warn you.) To get there follow Packsaddle Road to the end of the bitumen and veer right. After 2 km you see a gate and some sheds. That's the old abattoir. Drive through it. Just keep following the track on the other side. There may be junctions and other tracks branching off it. Stick to the main track and if that's not obvious stick to the left. Eventually you get to a gravel creek bed. Turn left and drive up the creek as far as possible (not far) and leave your car there. Start walking, just follow the creek bed. The walk takes about 30 to 45 minutes. When the climb ends, the country levels and you see another valley branch off to the left, stick to the right. Just stay on the right hand side of the water. Eventually you come to a big smooth boulder to climb over, you need to duck under some trees behind it and then you are standing in front of it: a small gravelly beach and a narrow gap in the rock wall. You would never suspect it's there until you see it. Leave your stuff at the beach and start swimming. And climbing. If you do make it through the first set of gorges and falls you can give yourself a pat on the back and leave it at that, or you can continue exploring. There is a second, much narrower chasm if you just follow the creek straight ahead. It's much easier to climb through and a huge colony of the rare splendid green tree frogs (Litoria splendida) live here. Or you veer left to find a pristine little pool with a white sandy beach and a broad waterfall cascading down the wide cliff face at the back. It's so picture perfect that you wonder if it's real. And there is something special in the air, this very powerful sense of remoteness and isolation that you only get in a place that is truly untouched by humans. Visit at your own risk! Andy's Chasm is responsible for broken bones and worse.

North of Kununurra Ivanhoe Road crosses more farmland. It used to be covered in mainly sugar cane and some mangoes. The cane has now been replaced by melons and sandalwood. A turn off to the left takes you to River Farm Road, a picturesque area on the lower Ord River. If you are rich you can buy yourself a million dollar mansion with river frontage here. The popular Barra Barra Bananas café used to be here, but unfortunately it closed. Most people now visit the cafe at Ivanhoe Farm instead (just out of town on Ivanhoe Road), or the Salad Bowl Cafe a bit further on Research Station road (sign posted).

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At the end of Riverfarm Road is another little gallery, Top Rockz, which sells rocks and jewellery crafted from local materials (not necessarily by local or even Australian artists). Ivanhoe Crossing is the place where Ivanhoe Road crosses the Ord River. This used to be the main and only road to Wyndham in the old days! (The old Parry Creek Road, as it’s named on the other side of the crossing, is still a great drive to Wyndham and is covered below.) The crossing is another good place to try for barramundi. (It's also a

great place to collect free lures that people lose on all the snags there.)

The crossing is impassable during the wet season and for a while after. Once you can drive across again it becomes a popular spot for locals to sit in the natural spas below the crossing with a cold beer on a hot afternoon. You're welcome to join us. (Be aware that saltwater crocodiles live further downstream and that a local was bitten by a big freshwater crocodile here in 2006. I do not guarantee anything.) From Ivanhoe Road you can follow Research Station Road, past the Frank Wise Institute (research institution of the Department of Agriculture, no tours, but welcomes visitors), to get to Weaber Plains Road. Weaber Plains is the third main irrigation and farming area of Kununurra. Spike Desert’s Hoochery is about 15 km out of town (1 km beyond the Stock Route Rd intersection). It is WA’s only licensed distillery, producing Ord River Rum from locally grown cane. (Spike still grows some and mills it himself, now that the big mill is closed.) You can tour the distillery and sample and buy their range of products. Nearby, about 1 km closer to town and opposite the above mentioned turn off is the new Sandalwood Factory. Though called factory it's actually a showroom where you can learn more about sandalwood farming and processing. (The company that runs it is the TFS – Mt. Romance Sandalwood Factory, hence the name.) The show room is very slick, with countless nice smelling things to buy, along with treatments for every ailment known to man, and repellents for every bug. About 12 kilometres out of town you find the remnants of the Kununurra Sugar Mill. The mill closed down in November 2007 and is gradually being dismantled. The City Of Ruins is just four kilometres out of town on Weaber Plains road. (Park

your car somewhere opposite Pardalote Close/Whimbrel Road and follow the tracks from there.) It's an area of unusual sandstone formations that are supposed to resemble the

remains of an ancient city. I can't see a city but it's a nice area nevertheless, great for bushwalking, especially in the afternoons when the rocks glow in their most intense colours, and provided you have the time to walk far enough out the back.

Between Kununurra and Wyndham Middle Springs and Black Rock Falls are located not far from each other (on a Kimberley scale, that is) along Parry Creek Road. There are two ways of getting there. No matter which one you take, you should have a 4WD. The short way is to follow Ivanhoe Road and cross the Ord River at Ivanhoe Crossing (provided the crossing is open). After the crossing go straight ahead until you see the sign to turn left for Middle Springs. The turn off for Black Rock is a few kilometres further still towards Wyndham, also on the left. The longer way is to follow the Victoria Highway in the direction of Wyndham, across the Diversion Dam and over the Dunham River jump up. 10 km from 149 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Kununurra you see a sign to Valentine Springs/Black Rock/Middle Springs and a turn-off to the right. Follow it for 14 km to the T-intersection at the end. Ivanhoe Crossing is now to your right, Middle Springs and Black Rock to your left. The track into Middle Springs is very sandy and requires a four wheel drive. During the dry season you may be able to reach Black Rock in a two wheel drive if you're game (though there are some sandy spots that may be too soft). During the wet it's four wheel drive access only and after heavy rains you won't be able to get anywhere at all. Middle Springs is a big pool with a grassy edge, nice for picnics and popular with families. During and just after the wet season you find a serious of smaller pools and waterfalls above the main pool. To get to them climb up the path to the left of the main fall. It's worth it, even when the falls are dry, for the great views over the valley. Black Rock is a small but fairly deep pool surrounded by tall black cliffs. The waterfall dries up quickly, but the water at the bottom will be there for a long time. And it's a pretty place anyway. Valentine Springs flows only during the wet season. Follow the same driving directions as for getting to Middle Springs/Black Rock Falls via the highway. Valentine Springs is sign posted, but even without the sign you can't miss it, because you would have to cross it anyway. Valentine Springs is not really a waterfall. Rather it's a small set of rapids and a shallow and often very warm pool. But it's nice because it's so close to town and easy to get to. Molly Springs is a gorgeous little spring fed pool and waterfall about 30 km out of Kununurra, along the highway. Emphasis is on little. The pool is tiny, but it's a lovely shady place to sit in the water and watch the fish and goannas and birds. This place is very popular with the locals as it's not so well known by the tourists yet. And since it is a spring the waterfall is there all year. I think the turn-off still isn't sign posted, so look for a track on your right, 1 km after crossing Yearling Creek, 30 km from Kununurra. Molly Springs is a few kilometres off the road. The Grotto is the best known waterfall near Kununurra. It's actually much closer to Wyndham (30km) than to Kununurra (70km). It's a good place to stop for a swim after a visit to Wyndham. The turn off is sign posted and the road is all sealed. The Grotto is a large and deep rock pool enclosed by huge, vertical cliffs. There are 140 steps, part concrete, part rock, that take you down to the permanent waterhole. No handrail, so watch your kids! Moss and bizarrely shaped tree roots adorn the walls and you can often see goannas on the rock ledges. Some of the ledges are tempting to jump from, but beware of submerged rocks. Do a dive around the area first. Using the Tarzan rope is safe. (As safe as a Tarzan rope can be). The waterfall is obviously most spectacular during the wet. It keeps flowing and then trickling for a while after, but even after it has dried up the bottomless pool is always there. It does, however, get a bit grotty towards the end of the dry. If you like exploring, follow the creek and look for Aboriginal art on the rock faces.

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Part III: The Guide

Argyle Diamond Mine The Rio Tinto owned Argyle Diamond Mine—185 km south of Kununurra—is the world's largest single producer of diamonds. It used to be the only place in the world where you can find the extremely rare pink diamonds. (A pink diamond was found in 2007 at the Ellendale project, West Kimberley.) Production at ADM started over 20 years ago as a combination of alluvial (1983) and open pit mining (1985). The alluvial deposit has since been exhausted. Mining in the 2 km by 1 km open pit continues, but the days of the pit are numbered, too. (2008 was supposed to see the end of it, but a low grade operation continued.) ADM hopes that the new billion dollar underground operation will extend the life of the mine until 2018, maybe even 2024. Open pit mining extracted between 60 and 80 million tonne of material a year, containing between 25 and 30 million carats. 90% of those diamonds are used for jewellery. The underground diamond output is expected to be only 50% of those levels. The ADM lease occupies the traditional lands of the Gidja and Mirriuwung people. When ADM renegotiated the lease contract in 2005 the traditional owners made it a condition that ADM commit to creating employment opportunities for indigenous people and to improving the economic and social prospects of the Aboriginal community. The aim of ADM is to have a 50% indigenous workforce.

To visit the Argyle Diamond Mine you need to join a tour, obviously you can't just walk in and out of a place like that. The Kununurra based operator Slingair offers a fly drive tour that incorporates the Ord River irrigation area, Lake Argyle, the Bungles with a landing and ground tour at Argyle Diamond Mine Slingair, 9169 1300 or 1800 095 500, www.slingair.com.au Bungles scenic air safari and Argyle Diamond Mine ground tour, 9am-3.30pm, $725pp.

El Questro Station El Questro is a huge former cattle station at the beginning of the Gibb River Road. Though they didn’t give up cattle farming altogether the main focus of the station now lies on upmarket tourism instead. The land they own is spectacular. To make the most of it you need to stay overnight at El Questro itself. If you stay in the accommodation this can get a bit pricey, but they also have two campgrounds. A couple of the well known attractions at El Questro, namely Zebedee Springs and Emma Gorge, can be visited in a day tour from Kununurra. You could also visit El Questro Gorge as a day tour, or take a cruise on the Chamberlain Gorge, but you can't see all of them in one day and drive back to Kununurra. Anyway, you need to buy a permit to go. Best get it from their booking office in Kununurra before you go (next door to the visitor centre), that will save you the detour to the station township at El Questro. You can also buy a permit at Emma Gorge Resort. For more details on the walks and attractions at El Questro see Part IV: The Gibb River Road. 151 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Events Ord Valley Muster The 2014 Ord Valley Muster will be on from May 16 – 25. The tradition of the Muster began in 2001 when it was nothing more than a one night dinner event for local businesses. It has since grown into two weeks of community based events showcasing the region. Most popular is the “Kimberley Moon Experience” (May 24), an open air festival headlined by a big act, this year including Eskimo Joe, The Waifs, Joe Williamson, 42 Decibel and more. See the detailed program for the whole muster and find out how to get tickets here: www.ordvalleymuster.com

PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIAL LISTINGS Kununurra Visitor Centre Coolibah Drive (East Kimberley Tourism House) Open: (Apr-Sep) Mon-Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-3pm , (Oct-Mar) Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 9am12 noon, Sun closed. Ph: 9168 1177 or 1800 586 868, Fax: 9168 2598 [email protected], www.visitkununurra.com Internet Northern IT Services/Kimnet, Coolibah Dr, 9169 2257 (Look for the big orange “Grunt” sign opposite the Post Office. They are under that.) Post Office, Coolibah Dr, 9168 1395 Kununurra Hospital, Coolibah Dr, 9166 4222

ACCOMMODATION The rates quoted below are generally for two people, for the most basic rooms available, at peak season. Shoulder season (April/May and October) is often cheaper and you can get real bargains between November and March.

Exclusive and Remote Kimberley Coastal Camp, Admiralty Gulf, 0417 902 006, www.kimberleycoastalcamp.com.au The very remote and exclusive camp can be accessed by air from Kununurra or the Mitchell Plateau and even from Broome or Darwin. (Transfer to Mitchell Plateau and helicopter flight from there). Gazebo style rooms with view over the gulf, 12 guest max, pool, boating and fishing (7.5 metre vessel + smaller boats), walking trails... Check prices yourself if you dare. Faraway Bay, Diamond Coast, 0419 918 953, www.farawaybay.com.au Remote, exclusive bush camp accessible only by air. Eight secluded bush cabins on the coast with views over the bay, cliff top freshwater pool, boating and fishing, one hole golf course… Check the prices yourself if you dare.

Resorts/Hotels/Motels All Seasons Kununurra/Accor Ibis Styles, Cnr Victoria Hwy/Messmate Way, 9168 4000, www.all-seasons-hotels.com Standard offerings, bar, restaurant, pool, airport shuttle. Some rates include continental breakfast and 15 min internet. Rooms from $180.

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Country Club Hotel Kununurra, Coolibah Dr, 9168 1024 or 1800 808 999, www.kununurracountryclub.com.au Central location, in a veritable tropical jungle, reminiscent of colonial era set up. Rooms and two bedroom apartments, two restaurants, great bar overlooking pool and tennis court, airport shuttle. Rooms from $255. Kununurra Lakeside Resort, Casuarina Way, 9169 1092 or 1800 786 692, www.lakeside.com.au A bit out of town, on the shore of the lagoon. A la carte restaurant, take away, bistro and bar, al fresco dining, air port shuttle. Motel rooms ($205) or self catering rooms ($185), well looked after. Hotel Kununurra, Messmate Way, 9168 0400 or 1800 450 993, www.hotelkununurra.com.au Was the first hotel in town. Central location, restaurant, bar, pub with sports TAB and beer garden, rooms are separate from pub building, around courtyard with pool, airport shuttle, budget (single and double/twin) and standard rooms. Budget from $130, standard rooms from $180. The Kimberley Grande, Victoria Hwy, 9166 5688, 9193 8340 or 1800 746 282, www.thekimberleygrande.com.au The newest hotel in town, on the highway to the east of town, restaurant, bistro and sportsman’s bar, pool, airport shuttle. From $240.

Self Contained Lakeview Apartments, 9168 0000, www.lakeviewapartments.net 1 km from town centre on the highway, overlooking Lily Lagoon, pool. One ($230), two ($280) and three bedroom ($380) apartments. Freshwater East Kimberley Apartments, 9169 2010, http://www.freshwaterapartments.net.au/ Kununurra's newest and only 4.5 star accommodation option, On the highway, overlooking Lily Lagoon. One ($249), two ($313) and three bedroom ($399) apartments, pool with BBQ facilities. Nice quirk: the 1 and 3 BR apartments have an outdoor shower (in addition to the usual indoor bathroom).

Budget and Backpackers Kimberley Croc Backpackers YHA, Cnr Konkerberry Dr/Tristania St, 9168 2702 or 1300 163 702, www.kimberleycroc.com.au Previously Desert Inn Backpackers. On main road, opposite Tuckerbox supermarket and close to centre, pool and range of rooms. Courtesy bus to Kelly’s Knob for sunsets. YHA, dorm bed from $28, rooms from $95. Kimberley Croc Lodge, Riverfig Ave, 9168 2702 or 1300 163 702, www.kimberleycroc.com.au Used to be the Kimberley Court Motel & Backpackers, now same owner as Croc Backpackers. Central location behind shopping centre, range of rooms, courtyard and pool. Long term accommodation in 5 bed dorms for $155/week, rooms $395/week. Reception at Croc Backpackers. Kununurra Backpackers Adventure Centre, Nutwood Cres, 9169 1998 or 1800 641 998, www.adventure.kimberley.net.au A bit away from the centre, near Kelly’s Knob, in older, residential part of town. From backpackers for backpackers. Range of dorms and rooms. Courtesy bus to Kelly’s Knob for sunsets. Also organise self guided canoe tours on the Ord. Dorm beds from $25, rooms from 65$, VIP/YHA discounts and weekly/monthly rates available.

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Camping Hidden Valley Tourist Park, Weaber Plain Rd, 9168 1790, www.hiddenvalleytouristpark.com As the name suggests, the park borders on Hidden Valley National Park. Beautiful views, shady and well kept grounds, on site cabins, pool, kiosk, bike hire. Camping rates provided on enquiry. Cabins $125. Also offer caravan storage. Ivanhoe Village Caravan Resort (Big 4), Cnr Coolibah/Ivanhoe Rd, 9169 1995, www.ivanhoevillageresort.com On the opposite side of town, grassed, shaded and canopied sites, ensuite sites, annex pads, playground, pool. Unpowered camping $16, powered site $38, ensuite site $48, cabins from $120. Kimberleyland Holiday Park, Victoria Hwy, 9168 1280 or 1800 681 280, www.kimberleyland.com.au Located on the lake, 10 min walk from town, boat ramp, canoe hire, pool, waterfront cabins with great views from $135, powered site $39, tent site $15pp. Discovery Holiday Park, Lakeview Dr, 9168 1031 or 1800 648 112, www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au Nice bush setting on the lake, dinghy and canoe hire, pool. Villas, bungalows, park homes and cabins. Accommodation from $169 to $264. Powered and unpowered sites ($38/$35). Minimum stays apply during peak season. Kununurra Lakeside Caravan Park, Casuarina Way, 9169 1092 or 1800 786 692, www.lakeside.com.au Also located on the lake but well out of town. Part of the Lakeside Resort (see hotel listings). Powered and unpowered sites ($34/$30), cabins ($165). Pets allowed. Dogs must be on leash at all times. Kununurra Town Caravan Park, cnr Konkerberry/Bloodwood Dr, 1800 500 830 or 9168 1763, www.townpark.com.au Most central caravan park, only a two minute walk from the shopping centre or pub. Accommodation in deluxe villas ($170/$230), villas ($160) or studios ($150), powered campsite $35. The Kununurra Agricultural Society Inc offers short term and some long term sites for travellers with pets or very large rigs: 9168 2885, www.kas.org.au/caravan-park.html Free bbq, ablution with free laundry, $35 per night for two people, dog bond. The Zebra Rock Gallery on Packsaddle Rd. offers caravan storage facilities: 9168 1114

FREE BUSHCAMPING Two sites are located along the lower Ord River, accessible via Parry Creek Road. Buttons Crossing is an authorized bush camping area on the banks of the Ord River. Locals come down here to fish and not for the scenery. From the Valentine Springs Road/Parry Creek Road intersection near Ivanhoe Crossing it’s about 4 km to the turn off to Button’s Crossing. Turn right, it’s a few hundred metres down to the water and there are many suitable sites to pitch a tent. You can also launch a boat from here. Mambi Island is another popular fishing/camping site and boat ramp on the Ord and is a lot more scenic. It’s also further from Kununurra. The signposted turn off (boat ramp sign) is 31.5 km from the Valentine Spring Road/Parry Lagoon Road intersection. The camping area is 300 metres off the main road. The river is wide and deep and clear here and you can motor all the way down to the mouth of the Ord.

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Part III: The Guide

EATING OUT All the hotels listed above have restaurants. Kelly’s Bar & Grill, Coolibah Dr, 9168 1024, www.kununurracountryclub.com.au Kelly’s Bar & Grill at the Country Club does breakfasts, lunch and dinner, the courtyard is a very nice place to sit and the menu is modern Australian. The attached Chinese restaurant is called Chopsticks. Durack Room Steakhouse/Sails Restaurant, Casuarina Way, 9169 1092 or 1800 786 692, www.lakeside.com.au The two restaurants of the Lakeside Resort. The Steakhouse has indoor seating, the Sails Bar and Restaurant is outdoors and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nice location and does specials during the week (pasta nights, schnitzel nights, also fish&chips.) Hotel Kununurra, Messmate Way, 9168 0400, www.hotelkununurra.com.au The pub serves rMatso's Broome Brewery beer and reasonable counter meals. I have only had excellent meals at the attached Zebra Rock Restaurant, but some people had disappointing experiences, mainly in the off season (probably when the chef takes a well deserved holiday). Pump House Restaurant, Lakeview Drive, 9169 3222, www.thepumphouserestaurant.com The old pump house on the shore of Lake Kununurra has been converted into an excellent restaurant. Great atmosphere, great food, and a great place to watch the famous Kununurra sunsets. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Highly recommended. Gulliver’s Bistro and George Room, Cottontree Ave, 9168 1666 The bistro is part of the second main pub in town, Gulliver’s Tavern. Usually excellent meals, especially the seafood. The Boab Bookshop and Café (formerly Stars in the Kimberley), Papuana St, 9169 2574 Has changed hands. Not sure the bookshop will re-open. The cafe serves the usual favourites like mango smoothies and ice cream.. Rumours Café, prime location in the shopping centre, 9168 2071 Breakfast, snacks and lunch, large selection of rolls, sandwiches, wraps, bagels and even more sweets, hot take away food, ice cream. Number one morning break/lunch stop for Kununurra’s working population. Kimberley Asian Cuisine Restaurant, Coolibah Dr, 9169 3698 Next to the tourist information, lunches, dinners and take aways. Usually good value. Valentine's Pizzeria, Cottontree Ave, 9169 1167 Only take away. Fresh pizza delivery (typical Aussies pizzas, not authentic Italian!) and some Mexican food. Ivanhoe Cofee & Lunch Bar, Ivanhoe Road, 9168 1774 Only just out of town, serving meals, sandwiches and rolls, home made cakes and ice creams, and selling fresh fruit & veg in season. The BBQ Boat, 0409 681 716, www.thebbqboat.com.au For something different, try the bbq dinner cruise on the BBQ Boat. (If there is one, the boat is very popular with locals, who charter it for just about any function and party that comes up.) Transfer from accommodation included. $75 pp, child $35, BYO drinks. (Also does breakfast, morning and sunset cruises.)

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Drinking and Partying The two main places to head for on a Friday or Saturday night are Gulliver’s Tavern (more tourists) and the Kununurra Hotel (more locals).

TOURS Kununura Scenic Bus Tours, 0437 058 673, www.ksbt.com.au Ord Valley Tour (3 hrs, departs 9am, $89 adults, $35 children, $225 family). Small groups (12 max), fully commented and provides lots of background info about the irigation and farming in the valley as well as taking in all the scenic attractions. 2K Tours, 9168 1314, 0427 633 455 or 0428 633 455, www.2ktours.com.au 3 – 5 hr tours of the Ord River Scheme, Diversion Dam, Lake Argyle, Kununurra and Wyndham. 3 hrs $80, children $40, 5 hrs $120, children $80. Very informative website for those interested in more information about the Ord River Irrigation Scheme.

4WD Tours East Kimberley Tours, 9168 2213, www.eastkimberleytours.com.au This well established and reliable operator offers a range of small group fly/drive tours from one day express Bungle Bungle tours to 2 day/2 nights combining hiking in the Bungles with scenic flights over the Ord River, Lake Argyle and the Argylde Diamond Mine. Recommended by readers.

Scenic Flights Fixed wing plane flights from Kununurra to the Bungles also give you a look at Lake Argyle and the Argyle Diamond Mine. The round flight takes two to two and a half hours. You can combine it with a stay in the park to make it a full day, or even stay over night. Kingfisher Tours, 9168 1333, kingfishertours.net Kununurra area, Bungles (2 hr, $330), King George Falls (3+hr, $690), Mitchell Falls (3+hr, $690), Kalumburu stopover (4 hr, $845). Slingair Heliwork, 9166 9300 or 1800 095 500, www.slingair.com.au Slingair is the fixed plane division, Heliwork the helicopter division. Huge variety of flights over Lake Argyle, the diamond mine, the Bungles, other fly-drive and plane-helicopter combos throughout the Kimberley. Shoal Air, 9169 3554, www.shoalair.com Used to offer tours, now a charter company. Flexible schedules, customised tours on request, optional landings and ground tours also possible.

Boat/Canoe Tours Lake Argyle Cruises, 9168 7687, www.lakeargylecruises.com Sunset ($120/$80 children) and full day "best of Lake Argyle" cruises ($185/$115) on Lake Argyle with transfer from/to Kununurra.(All cruises also available from Lake Argyle.) Fishing and birdwatching tours also available. Triple J Tours, 9168 2682, www.triplejtours.net.au Variety of options: full day tour starting from Kununurra, cruising up the river to the main dam. Includes lunch, visit to the museum, bus transfer back. Or take the bus to Lake Argyle and cruise down the river. Also available are one way cruises in both directions or cruising up AND down the river. Not all tours depart every day. Combinations from $175.

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Part III: The Guide

Go Wild Adventure Tours, 1300 663 369, www.gowild.com.au "Eco-noeing" trips from one to three days on the Ord River, starting from the Argyle dam. All tours are certified as Eco-tours by Ecotourism Australia. The one day trip is combined with a boat pick up at 2 pm (at wherever you made it to, they'll find you) and a guided bushwalk. Transfers, camping kit, maps etc. included. You can also add an optional day of abseiling and, if you get at least four people together, a 120 m flying fox across Carlton Gorge. Rockclimbing and caving tours are also on the menu. For coastal cruises and fishing see Look Sea Tours in the Wyndham listings.

Fishing Ultimate Adventures, 9168 2310, www.barramundiadventures.com.au Greg Harman, also known as “Hairy Dog”, has shown people how to catch barra since 1988. His bush camp is in a great location on the Ord River from where you explore the lower reaches of the river by boat with one of the guides. Lots of fish, lots of wildlife, no hassles, no problems. Macka’s Barra Camp, 02 9571 6399 or 1300 790 561, www.mackasbarra.com.au Located on the other side of the Ord River on Carlton Hill Station. One Tree Beach, 9193 5689, www.kimberleyfishing.com Robert "Bluey" Vaughan’s famous fishing camp is on the eastern side of the Admiralty Gulf. Access by plane from Kununurra or helicopter from the Mitchell Plateau.

Other The Kimberley Specialists, Kachana Station, 9168 2576, www.kimberleyspecialists.com.au Kachana Station is an 77,500 ha property at the Chamberlain River, previously part of El Questro, now an eco-tourism resort accessible by air from Kununurra. Tours are led by an Aboriginal guide and an archaeologist and include some great art sites. Willis’s Walkabouts, 8985 2134, www.bushwalkingholidays.com.au For the serious bushwalker. The single best way to see this country, but you need to be fit, have done some serious long distance hiking before and take some time.

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WYNDHAM

T

he port town of Wyndham – home to only a few hundred people – is located 100 km north of Kununurra, which makes it Western Australia's northernmost town. It is also the oldest town in the Kimberley region. I find it an intriguing place, but I've always been attracted by places that have a somewhat desolate feel about them. Many tourists disagree. Wyndham's history dates back as far as the 1880s when Wyndham served as a landing port for prospectors during the gold rushes. (Compare that to Kununurra, which was founded in the 1960s.) Wyndham sits on the edge of the Cambridge Gulf and salt lakes and tidal mudflats dominate the landscapes. Five Rivers Lookout is a great place to see the Gulf and the five huge tidal rivers draining into it, especially around sunset. There are many historical sites to visit in Wyndham, the crocodile farm, and a bit outside Wyndham the prison boab, the Moochalabra Dam and the Grotto. A trip to Wyndham can also be combined with a visit to Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve. (See below.) If you like the bush, fishing and camping then the King River Road and the old Karunjie Road are worth exploring (4WD only). If you are limited to sealed roads then one day should be enough for Wyndham. The first thing you'll notice as you reach the Wyndham town entrance is the Big Croc. Fear not, it's only concrete. The gulf and the mangrove swamps and mudflats surrounding Wyndham are crocodile heaven. But people in general don't find Wyndham all that heavenly... Kununurra is a booming agricultural and tourism centre, whereas Wyndham has been shrinking and shrinking. Kununurra is surrounded by waterways and lush farmlands, Wyndham by tidal mudflats and nothingness. Kununurra is one of Australia's newest towns and Wyndham is steeped in history. Kununurra is so alive and Wyndham is so... different. There is something surreal about the port. It may sit on the edge of the gulf or the ocean, but it can feel like the edge of the world. However, there is more than first meets the eye and its history is not the only thing to discover in Wyndham. History Phillip Parker King was the first European explorer to sail into the gulf in 1819, during his famous trip on the Mermaid. He named the gulf after the Duke of Cambridge. Since it was King's mission to find a river passage into the interior of WA he sailed up one of the rivers, now known as the King River. But he didn't like what he saw: mangrove swamps, mudflats, crocodiles... His reports were so pessimistic that it took another 60 years for someone else to venture into the region again. Alexander Forrest, who visited in 1879 (and named the Kimberley), saw the potential of the area as grazing country. His description made

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Solomon Emanuel and Patrick Durack have a look as well in 1881. (Two more river names explained: the Forrest River and the Durack River.) The Duracks agreed with Forrest about the potential of the area and in 1883 Patsy Durack left Queensland with 7250 head of cattle and 200 horses, a trek that lasted for two years and four months. 1885 saw the discovery of gold (which eventually led to the establishment of Halls Creek) and things happened fast from here. Wyndham was established as a port and trading point in 1885. By 1886 the town was booming. There were six pubs in town already, the town site was being surveyed and blocks of land sold, over 5000 miners landed in ships and at times up to 16 vessels were anchored in the gulf. To really appreciate what that means you need to take into account just how awfully isolated this area was back then. There was no connection at all to the rest of the continent, other than the ships. The mad boom didn't last long and the gold rush was already over in 1888. Until 1919 Wyndham existed as a tiny township serving the pastoralists that had settled the area. In 1889 the Overland Telegraph arrived in Wyndham, much to the delight of the Aboriginals in the area. (The ceramic insulators on the poles made excellent spearheads). The town in that time was effectively controlled by the Duracks, who owned the nearby cattle station. The WA government began construction of the Wyndham meatworks in 1913. WWI interrupted the construction, but 1919 the meatworks finally opened. They were the mainstay of Wyndham's economy until they closed in 1985. Well, and since 1985 Wyndham has been shrinking. There have been a few newer ventures, like the crocodile farm that breeds saltwater crocodiles for their meat and skins. The farm also houses many big crocs, trouble makers that have been captured and now live there as a tourist attraction. The Wyndham port is still active and ships cattle from across the Kimberley to Asia, zinc from the mines to Korea and – until 2007 – raw sugar from Kununurra, also to Korea. Wyndham's historic and natural attractions provide a trickle of tourist money into the town. It’s expensive to live in Kununurra, so more people are turning to Wyndham again. The Argyle Diamond Mine has been shifting its focus towards local and Aboriginal employment and the number of Argyle employees in Wyndham is steadily increasing. Mining across the Kimberley is booming, agricultural produce from Kununurra is increasingly being exported and there are many other things happening right now in the Kimberley that all indicate that Wyndham and its port may become busy again.

GETTING THERE Wyndham is 100 km from Kununurra on the Victoria Highway and can be visited as a day trip. To avoid back tracking you can use the old Parry Creek Road along the Ord River for one way (4WD recommended). Wyndham can also be visited as a detour on your way from Kununurra to Broome/Derby. It is 56 km north from the Great Northern Highway turn off, or 48 km from the Gibb River Road turn off. From Wyndham 4WD adventurers can also use the King River/Karunjie Road to get to the Gibb River Road. The two roads meet at the Pentecost River Crossing. 159 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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THINGS TO SEE AND DO Wyndham consists of two parts: Wyndham Port is the original town site and is where most of the historical attractions are located. Wyndham Town, also known as Wyndham Three Mile, is the residential and shopping district and the part you reach first. The first thing you'll notice as you reach the Wyndham town entrance is the Big Croc. You can't miss him. He's sitting right at the town entrance. Another interesting group of large sculptures is just one road over to the east, in Warriu "Dreamtime" Park. They depict an Aboriginal family complete with a dingo and a kangaroo. You find the Wyndham Gardens Outdoor Cinema in the same road. Also close to the town entrance is the Afghan Cemetery, with its tombstones facing Mecca. If you wonder what Afghans were doing in Wyndham, those are the graves of the camel drivers who provided the first freight service in the Kimberley. Signposted all the way from the town entrance is Five Rivers Lookout on top of the Erskine Range, or the Bastion as it's called. From here you can see all of Wyndham and some of the highway, the whole gulf and the five rivers flowing into it: the King, Forrest, Durack, Pentecost and the Ord. A plaque with a map is located at the parking bay and shows the area and identifies the rivers. There are also some barbecues and lots of space. Great spot for a sunset and spectacular views. Because of the steep road caravans should be left at the tourist information or in the parking area at the base or the Bastion, at what's called Three Mile Valley. Three Mile Valley is also a picnic area and the start of two hiking trails. One follows the creek and is nice in the wet season with little waterfalls and pools along the way. The other trail takes you up to the lookout. At the end of Wyndham Three Mile you can see the "Largest Boab in Captivity" at Three Mile Caravan Park. (Called "in captivity" as it's fenced off.) A little bit further is another historic cemetery, the Bend Cemetery. (There's a bend in the highway there.) This cemetery contains the graves of the men who died during the meatworks construction. It lists not only the names but also the causes of death, a vivid reminder of just how tough those early days were. Soon after you'll get to Wyndham Port. You find the Old Post Office on your right hand side. It's now the Tourist Information Centre and Post Office Museum. The Wyndham Port Heritage Trail starts there and is the best way to explore all the historical sites. You can get information and notes at the tourist information. Not on the heritage trail is the Gully Cemetery, the last resting place for members of the earliest pastoralist families from the 1880s. North of the wharf (which is a popular fishing spot) is the Crocodile Lookout. This is the place where the blood from the meatworks used to drain into the gulf and naturally there were always lots of saltwater crocodiles hanging around on the mudflats, hoping for scraps. They disappeared after the meatworks closed, but now they are being fed again for the benefit of the tourists. By far the best place to see crocodiles is the Wyndham Crocodile Farm. Just follow Barytes Road and you end up at the crocodile farm. (It's in fact now called the Wyndham Crocodile Park and Zoological Gardens, but to us it will always remain the crocodile farm.)

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The best time for a visit is of course feeding time. (Feeding tours start at 11am, but

double check with Visitor Centre or ring the croc farm on 9161 1124 or 0407 767 530 outside peak tourist season.)

If you are hungry yourself, try the Wyndham Town Hotel (near the Tourist Information) for some really fresh barra.

ATTRACTIONS NEAR WYNDHAM The unsealed King River Road (usually in good condition) starts 6 km out of Wyndham and – if you follow it all the way – takes you west to the Gibb River Road. It passes the Moochalabra Dam, which makes for a nice picnic spot. It's Wyndham's water supply, so swimming, fishing etc. are obviously out of the question. In the wet season the spillway turns into a nice waterfall. Several Aboriginal art sites are located under the overhanging cliffs in the area. 23 km further along the King River Road, just after crossing the King River, is the Boab Prison Tree. The tree has a circumference of 14.7 metres and is estimated to be between 2000 and 4000 years old. As the name indicates, it used to serve as an overnight lock up for patrols taking prisoners to Wyndham. Turn right after another 4 km to get to Digger’s Rest Station (accommodation, camping, tours and great horse trekking! See accommodation and tour listings below.)

Veer left and you get to the Old Karunjie Road (rough!!) which takes you along the Cockburn Ranges to the Pentecost River Crossing and the Gibb River Road. (The Cockburn Range is the rugged red escarpment that you see in the header of my website, in most Gibb River Road photos and in Baz Luhrmann's movie Australia.) I write more about the Old Karunjie Track in Part IV: The Gibb River Road. FREE BUSHCAMPING During the first part of the trip, any track that turns north off the King River Road takes you to a nice camp site, between 10 and 200 metres off the road, on the banks of the King River. The area is popular with local fishermen. Fishing is great during the wet season, the barra are much harder to hook in the dry, and beware of saltwater crocodiles!

On the highway back to Kununurra, 30 km out of Wyndham, is the Grotto, a spectacular and popular waterfall and plunge pool. (See the Kununurra chapter for more info.)

Instead of driving the highway back you can use the unsealed Parry Creek Road. It used to be the main road between Kununurra and Wyndham before the new highway was built. (The road can be very corrugated but is otherwise good. 2WD is usually ok, caravans may be also for the first 7 km to Parry Creek Farm, but always ask about current conditions first if taking caravans or conventional vehicles.) The road passes the ruins of the old wireless station on Telegraph Hill, which is a great vantage point to overlook the river and floodplains. Only 7 km from the highway you find Parry Creek Farm and Marlgu Billabong, a small tourist venture on the Ramsar protected Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve.

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The 36 000 ha Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve is a Ramsar protected wetland and includes the Parry Lagoons, Marlgu Billabong, Police Hole and the large flood plains of the Ord River. Most of the area floods during the wet season. The juvenile fish and prawns that come in with the water are like a huge buffet for the thousands of waterbirds that come here to breed. During the dry season the waters retreat to the creek courses and billabongs. Other birds move in to breed on the now dry savannah lands. The wet season is the best time for bird watching. The more the area dries out the more birds leave for other, more permanent wetlands. But many also stay all year round and can be seen at Marlgu Billabong. A walkway leads out onto the water and the displays inside the covered hide help you identify some of the 220 species of birds that can be spotted here. Many of those species are migratory. Some have flown in from as far as Siberia and use the wetlands as a stopover to regain some energy, others come here to breed. The wetlands are of vital importance to those species. Because human encroachment has already taken its toll access is now restricted to a few roads and walking trails which are only accessible by permit.

The turn off to the Parry Creek Road, the main access road to Parry Creek Farm & Tourist Resort, is 13 km south of Wyndham. It’s another 7 km along the Parry Creek Road (unsealed but good, apart from the corrugations) to get to the resort. The road passes Marlgu Billabong on the way. (You find the resort information under Accommodation.) From here you can take the Old Halls Creek Road back to the highway. It is a very scenic drive, but strictly 4WD only (13 km, and they are rough). There are some excellent picnic and fishing spots here. I love that track. The road was built in 1894. In many places you can still see the stone kerbing, laid by prison convicts. This was the road the gold prospectors used in the old days. The hopeful men got off the ships in Wyndham and then pushed their barrows or carts all the way to Halls Creek.

Alternatively you stay on the Parry Creek Road and follow the Ord River all the way back to Ivanhoe Crossing (57 km) and Kununurra. Get to Kununurra either via Ivanhoe Crossing (the short way back) or by turning right before you get to the crossing, driving out onto the Victoria Highway (14 km) and then turning left. Kununurra is another 10 km from there.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIAL LISTINGS Wyndham Tourist Info Location: Great Northern Hwy (At Kimberley Motors) Open: call the centre for current opening hours Ph: 9161 1281, Fax: 9161 1435 [email protected] Post Office, Koolinda Ave, 9161 1241 Wyndham Hospital, Minderoo Rd, 9161 0222

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ACCOMMODATION AND CAMPING Wyndham Town Hotel, O'Donnell St, old port area, 9161 1003, The rooms are aged, but the place is friendly. Changed hands in 2013. Gulf Breeze Guest House, O'Donnell St, 9161 1401 Basic place not far from the Hotel. Wyndham Caravan Park, Baker St, 9161 1064 Small, shady grounds, friendly place and ”the largest boab in captivity”. The fenced off tree is said to be over 2000 years old. Pets welcome. Parry Creek Farm & Tourist Resort, Parry Creek Rd, 9161 1139, www.parrycreekfarm.com.au 20km out of Wyndham on the Ramsar protected Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve. Camping (lovely site by the creek, powered site $37, unpowered camping $17pp), rooms ($125) and cabins along the billabong boardwalk ($230), restaurant, café, bar, landscaped gardens and pool, open April – October. A warning: if you want to eat dinner here you need to get your order in before 4pm. And a tip: if you stay at Parry's they will let you store your van there for free while you explore the Gibb River Road. Digger’s Rest Station, King River Rd, 9161 1029, www.diggersreststation.com.au Camping, bush huts and air-conditioned bunk house. Cook your own meals on the barbecue or go for one of the home cooked meals (breakfast $18, lunch $15, dinner $28 and snacks). Bush camping $10, with facilities $15 pp, bunk house room $130 for two, extra person $35, homestead bush hut $110 for two.

EATING OUT The restaurant at Parry Creek Farm gets good reviews. Be aware that to eat dinner here you need to get your order in before 4 pm. The Wyndham Hotel serves huge counter meals. (The service at the Hotel has received mixed reviews, so far I never had a problem there.)

TOURS Digger’s Rest Station, King River Rd, 9161 1029, www.diggersreststation.com.au Fishing tours on the property, one hour to one day, horse riding by the hour, sunset rides and day rides (full day $240, hourly from $50/hr) . You can also join one of the extended horse treks (2 to 7 days, prices work out about $365 per person per day). Look Sea Tours, 9161 1775 A variety of coastal and fishing cruises, extended charters. 57 foot aluminium vessel and smaller boats.

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LAKE ARGYLE

L

ake Argyle is your first stop in the Kimberley if you are travelling from Darwin/Katherine, or your last stop if you are leaving us in that direction. The huge man made lake is only a few kilometres from the border between the Kimberley and the Northern Territory, ideally situated for a stopover on the way from/to Kununurra. Alternatively you can always make it a day trip from Kununurra. It's not far and it's a beautiful drive. I drag all my visitors up there.

GETTING THERE The turn off to Lake Argyle is 35 km east of Kununurra and 7 km west of the NT/WA border check point. (Don't forget the agricultural quarantine if you are coming from the east. You can not bring any fruit or vegetables into WA. See Part II: Agricultural Quarantine for more info.) From there it is an exceptionally scenic drive through the hills of the Carr Boyd Ranges, especially if you make the trip there or back in the late afternoon. One of the unusual features of the Argyle dam is the fact that its overflow is not situated at the dam itself, but at the northern end of Pannikin Bay. From there the water makes its way along Spillway Creek back into the Ord River. You cross the bridge over Spillway Creek on your way to the lake. A few kilometres past the bridge is a turn off to your left. The detour takes you to the Spillway Lookout, a vantage point from where you have a good view of the overflow that was blasted through solid rock. After 35 km you reach the Resort Lake Argyle. The main dam, the boat ramp, the picnic area, several vantage and lookout points as well as the Argyle Downs Homestead Museum are all nearby.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO Visit the Argyle Downs Homestead Museum, the famed original homestead of early Kimberley pioneer Patsy Durack. “Patsy” Durack and his two brothers founded the Kimberley beef industry when they made their epic two-year trek from Queensland, with carts, wagons and 7250 head of cattle. The homestead was built in 1884, using natural boulders for the walls, crushed termite mounds for mortar, corrugated iron sheets for roofing and flagstones to pave the veranda. It’s one of the best historic examples of early station homesteads. That’s why in 1971 the entire homestead was dismantled and moved from its original site to prevent it from being flooded by the dam. It has been reconstructed as a museum about those early pioneering days. (Open 8am – 4pm Apr-Sep, entry $4, 9167 8088) There is also a short bushwalk nearby.

Driving along the road past the tourist village takes you to several lookout points. One track branches off to the left and leads down to the shore and boat ramp. You can stop for a swim here, but unfortunately there is no shade anywhere. The views from the lookouts are stunning, even though they only show a tiny part of the lake. You can also see the dam wall and power station from above. 164 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part III: The Guide

Keep following the road as it crosses the main dam. The views from the top of the dam are great, in both directions, over the water at the hills of the ranges, or down, following the river as it disappears between the steep slopes of the ranges, towards Carlton Gorge. Eventually the road ends at a grassy and shady picnic area below the main dam wall. With a bit of luck you can spot some of the many freshwater crocodiles that live here. To appreciate the dimensions of the Lake Argyle you need to take a scenic flight. Any photos taken while driving will only show a tiny part of it. Lake Argyle covers an area 18 times the size of Sydney harbour, 1000 km2. At full flood level that area increases to 2100 km2! The dam wall, an earth filled dam with an impervious clay core, is tiny in relation to the amount of water it holds. Boat tours are the next best thing. To fully appreciate the natural beauty of the area below the dam you can take a boat cruise, starting from the Ord Dam, back down the river to the Diversion Dam at Kununurra. The more adventurous can also hire a canoe for that trip and camp overnight at one of the permanent camps along the river. (See below for some details on tours, more can be found in the tour operator listings for Kununurra.)

ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES Resort Lake Argyle, 9168 7777, www.lakeargyle.com.au Big caravan park with powered and unpowered sites ($15 pp plus $7 site fee for power), single quarters ($125) and on site cabins (from $159), as well as standard rooms ($219), 1 or 2 bedroom apartments ($329/$499). The pub has cold beer and hot meals, the general store has the usual range of essentials, as well as gas, ice and fuel (diesel, super, unleaded), tourist information and souvenirs. They also arrange and book tours for you. A video about the dam construction screens twice daily in the bar. Open May to September from 7.30am till 7.30pm. Oct – April opening hours are limited. The campground has full facilities, including a kiosk, a pool and BBQs and it even allows pets. (On application, so contact them first. $20 pet deposit applies.) The new "Infinity Pool" on the hill top overlooks the lake and is open to all resort guests, including campers.

BOAT TOURS Lake Argyle Cruises, 9168 7687, www.lakeargylecruises.com Morning ($70/$40 children), sunset ($90/$55 children) and full afternoon "best of Lake Argyle" cruises ($155/$90).

If from Lake Argyle you drive back to the main highway, and then turn right towards the NT, and then cross the border, then, 20 km to the east of the border, you come to the turn off for the Duncan Road on your right. Drive down that road for 6 km, turn right again, and after another 4 km you find the Zebra Rock Mine. Kim and Ruth have owned the lease for a few years now, but they only opened for tourists in May 2011. You can buy Zebra Rock directly from the mine (and all sorts of wonderful items crafted from it), get a free mine tour and look out over Lake Argyle. Best of all, you can also camp here, and it's very good value. Zebra Rock Camping, 0400 767 650 Very friendly hosts, scones and coffee upon arrival. Great silver cobbler and chips. Unpowered camping only, fires allowed, the two shower/toilet units are new and clean (but may be not enough for a big influx of people), $10 pp. Several tours, free mine tour in the mornings.You can pick up a Telstra mobile signal from the lookout.

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KEEP RIVER NATIONAL PARK

K

eep River National Park is comparatively small, but the scenery and landforms are just as spectacular as in the bigger parks. The park marks a change in geology, from the sandstone ranges of the Kimberley to the dramatic escarpments of the Victoria River region. The sandstone formations are similar to those in the Bungle Bungle Range. The 700 something km2 park is situated near the border between the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region, only 50 km from Kununurra. By rights this is not the Kimberley any more. But it is such a short distance from Kununurra and it can easily be explored in only one day, so I have included it. You can camp there, you can visit it on your way to/from Darwin, or you can make it a day trip from Kununurra.

GETTING THERE • 468 km west of Katherine in the Northern Territory • 50 km east of Kununurra The park is located on the Victoria Highway. You can visit it on a day trip from Kununurra or stop there on the way when travelling to or from Kununurra. The formed gravel road that runs the length of the park is ok for 2WDs and caravans during the dry season, although the corrugations can get a bit rough at times. Just drive slowly and carefully. During and shortly after the wet season some or all roads in the park may be closed. (For current road conditions ring the NT Parks & Wildlife Service, 9167 8827).

Visit the information centre near the entrance to find out more about the park. Alternatively you can get information and fact sheets beforehand from any of the Visitor Centres in Katherine, Timber Creek or Kununurra.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO Two camp sites, several walks and Aboriginal art sites featuring over 2500 drawings are located along the 31 km main road. The drive itself is enjoyable, too. To your right you see the sharp rise of the Victoria River escarpments and to your left you get a glimpse of the sandstone formations that characterise the Kimberley and the Bungles. Cockatoo Lagoon is not far from the entrance and the information centre and is a good place to watch birds. Three walks in the park lead to places of cultural significance and to some ancient rock art: • • •

Ginger's Hill Walk: starts not far from the entrance. (200 m return) Jinumum Walk: follows the bed of the Keep River, located some 20 km along the main road. (3 km, 2 hr) Nganalam Art Site: a few kilometres beyond Jinumum. (200 m return)

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Part III: The Guide

Interpretive displays give insight into the lives of the Miriwoong and Gadjerong people. They are the traditional owners of Keep River National Park and have lived in the area for thousands of years. The two campsites, Gurrandalng (18 km from the entrance) and Jarnem (at the far end of the Park) offer tables, barbecues and pit toilets. Generators are ok at Gurrandalng but not at Jarnem. Both sites also feature interesting walks. Gurrandalng is a lovely location for a camp site, surrounded and sheltered by sandstone formations. The walk from here takes about 30 min to 1 hour and leads you through the rock formations in the area, with magnificent views around every corner. Jarnem is not as pretty a camp site (still very nice, though!), but the walk is also great. You can either do the whole track in a loop of 8 km, which includes the lookout and the art sites, or opt for a shorter return stroll on either end. The whole loop is an interesting and varied track, taking you through many different habitats. The lookout at the eastern end of the walk is reached after a moderate climb and offers you views in all directions. Signs explain the interesting change in geology and give you information about the history of the area, as well as the flora and fauna. If you are pressed for time I recommend the walk to the art sites on the western end. It's shorter and it's the most impressive part. After you enjoyed the rock art walk just a little bit further around the next corner to experience some spectacular views and photo opportunities. The best time for the walks is, as usual, early in the morning or late in the afternoon, which makes camping a very attractive option. But since the park is so close to Kununurra it is also possible to enjoy the walks in the late afternoon and then continue driving to spend the night in the comfort of a hotel room.

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

T

he Gibb River Road is a short cut. A short cut to the magic of the Kimberley. Sure, it is a short cut in the literary sense as well, a short cut from the East Kimberley to the west coast. But that hardly matters.

There is no better way to experience what the Kimberley is all about than to hire a 4WD and some camping gear and to head for the Gibb River Road. The 660 km dirt road cuts right through the wild heart of the Kimberley, from Derby on the west coast to Kununurra/Wyndham on WA's eastern border, through a spectacular landscape of intensely coloured ranges, dramatic gorges and lush greenery at the rock pools and waterfalls – everything the Kimberley is famous for. The trip is still touted as one of the last serious adventures in Australia, a drive through a very remote area where all sorts of dangers loom, an undertaking that requires guts and four wheel driving experience ... Well, not any more!

Today there is absolutely nothing to be nervous about. Your Gibb River Road trip can be an adventure, if that's what you want it to be. Or it can be an enjoyable and relaxing scenic drive. (Ok, except for the corrugated parts.) Anybody can drive the Gibb River Road. You need no special skills or experience at all. This guide contains everything you need to know. Don't worry, you will be well prepared. (And I have yet to hear from a reader who did not find the drive was a LOT easier than expected.) The Gibb River Road has become so popular in recent years, it is rather busy these days. In the past you would have been entirely on your own if something went wrong. Today you can’t get away from people. The road becomes busy as soon as it opens. A steady stream of four wheel drives and campervans makes its way along the track. You need to get to the campgrounds early if you want a nice spot, and if you think you were going to enjoy peace and solitude, think again. It's gorgeous out here and the country is still wild and untouched. But you won't be alone. If you are a seasoned adventurer looking for a challenge, then you are a bit too late. (But there are plenty of possible detours to satisfy the thrill seekers.) On the other hand, if like most tourists you are a bit nervous about the trip, then the increased traffic on the Gibb River Road has definitely advantages. All of the road is well sign posted. You couldn't get lost if you tried. Fuel, tyre and mechanical repairs, supplies and accommodation are available at several places along the way. If something goes wrong it's just a matter of minutes until another car comes along, at least during the tourist season. (Outside the tourist season the road is closed anyway. More on all that below.)

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Well, people do race through in a single day, but of course that way you don't see anything. One night (probably best spent at Bell Gorge or Manning Gorge) is nowhere near enough. Even with a second night at say El Questro you have to skip too much. Three nights give you a chance to have a look at most of the main gorges and attractions. Four nights is better. If you want to make the detour up to the Mitchell Plateau add another two nights and one or two more for a trip to Kalumburu. I would also suggest you set two nights aside for the Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary. It's worth it. These are still only the minimum recommendations. See the selection of self drive itineraries in the chapter Itinerary Planning and also in the separate bonus download to get a better idea of what’s possible and how to best organise it. When you plan your trip, work on an average of no more than 60 kph on the main road, less on the side tracks. Tip: don't forget to allow for time to set up and pack up your camp. This happened to one of my readers. The family had never camped before and simply did not think of including time for that in their very detailed scheduled. As a result they had to cancel their detour to the Mitchell Plateau. Also keep in mind that to set up camp you need to pull up when there is still enough daylight left and our tropical nights start VERY early. By 6 pm it's all long over!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Permits/Permission You don't need a permit to travel on the Gibb River Road, the Kalumburu Road or the Mitchell Plateau Road. However, you do need a permit if you want to enter the Kalumburu Aboriginal Community and you need to organise it before you leave. The entry permit from the Aboriginal Land Trust is free and should only take a day or two to process online: www.dia.wa.gov.au/Entry-Permits.aspx You can also ring the permits officer: 9235 8000.or 1300 651 077 You also need a Kalumburu Recreation Entry Permit which costs $35 per vehicle and is valid for 7 days. You can try to prearrange the permit with the Derby or Kununurra Visitor Centre, but they will probably just tell you to buy it at the office, store or mission when you arrive in Kalumburu. Any other travel on tracks across Aboriginal land requires a permit. (As I indicated above, no such travel is necessary to visit any of the places described below.) 169 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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The entire country that the Gibb River Road crosses is private land (unless it is a national park or conservation reserve). Yes, somebody actually owns these unbelievable gorges and waterfalls. Camping is only allowed in designated campgrounds. You are allowed to use any of the sign posted gorge access tracks and access tracks to stations with tourist facilities without special permission. Note, however, that some of those places ask that you let them know in advance that you are coming. If you want to go off exploring on any other tracks you have to get permission from the owners! You will find all those details, including who to ask for permission, in the chapters below.

Your Vehicle Even if the idea of your vehicle breaking down out here is not as scary as it used to be, it's still a major inconvenience and a rather costly one as well. Make sure your vehicle is mechanically sound and have it checked over and serviced before you leave. If you have no 4WD experience or are driving a hired car make sure you familiarise yourself with your vehicle. Know its limitations. Know how to engage the four wheel drive. People do get stuck and cause expensive rescue operations (though not on the Gibb River Road, you couldn't get bogged there if you tried) and all the rescuers have to do is engage the four wheel drive. Having said that, you generally do not really need the actual four wheel drive at all during the dry season. There is no deep sand or mud and no steep climbs. What you do need is the higher clearance of the 4WD vehicles. That also means that some of the "toy" 4WDs that are popular in cities and on the beach are not so good out here. Taking a standard caravan is madness. Don't do it. Chances are it will simply disintegrate on you. Dedicated, tough off-road vans are fine if you don't mind them getting knocked around a fair bit. Emphasis is on tough! They can still be a hindrance, you can't go exploring as easily as you can without a van. Be aware that anything that can rattle loose, will. (And that a few things that can't, will do so anyway.) Sturdy off-road camper trailers are ok. With a high clearance 4WD vehicle and offroad trailer you can access everything along the Gibb River and Kalumburu roads. Taking a 2WD during the middle and late dry season is possible but it is most definitely not recommended. You could probably make it across the Gibb River Road itself ok. You do run a risk of severely damaging your vehicle in one of the river or creek crossings because of your low clearance. You may also get problems with your tyres and suspension, which are not designed for this terrain. AWDs and “Softroaders” also have rather low clearance and an overall less sturdy design. It depends on the exact make or model. How suitable they are also depends where exactly you want to go, the time of the year and on your experience level. The Gibb River Road has improved dramatically in the last years, but if you have a low clearance vehicle, whether it's two wheel or all wheel drive, you still need to take great care at all river and creek crossings and on many of the side tracks. Keep your eyes on the road and watch where exactly you put your wheels. River and creek crossings will present the biggest challenge, especially early in the season. 170 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

You are also more likely to run into other problems, due to the stress placed on the whole vehicle by the rough conditions and corrugations. So do take it easy. Take a “real” 4WD, drive at a reasonable speed, and you will get through anything on the Gibb without problems, no matter what your experience level.

Insurance Read the small print of your 4WD hire agreement. Many hire companies require that you ask for written permission to drive the Gibb River Road. During the dry season this is just a formality. The regulation is in place to prevent travellers from taking hire vehicles into remote areas when the road conditions are unsuitable, e.g. during the wet season. While it is rarely a problem to get permission and insurance for the Gibb River Road, it can be difficult to impossible for the Kalumburu Road and especially the Mitchell Plateau Track. Contact your hire company and make sure you understand their requirements. Readers have managed to get permission from various companies, but it appears to be hit and miss, depending on which branch you deal with. (Having said all that, many of the things that could theoretically go wrong would not be covered by the standard insurance cover anyway.)

Road Conditions The western half of the Gibb River Road is usually in excellent condition, big parts are already sealed. There are bridges over some creeks, other creek crossings have been reinforced with concrete. All the sections where the road climbs over steep ranges are now sealed, so you don't get the bad wet season wash outs that you used to get in the past. The eastern part of the Gibb is rockier than the western half, some of the side tracks are a bit rougher, and over the season the whole road and side tracks can deteriorate badly because they are used so heavily. The conditions on any given day depend on the time of the year, when exactly a section has last been graded and how many people have used it since. The road gets graded at the beginning of the season, as soon as the graders can get in. If the grader has just been through you will find a perfect highway. Then the road slowly deteriorates, which means corrugations develop. When it gets too bad the graders will come through again. Usually those maintenance grades happen twice a year but there is no way to predict when. If you happen to travel through just before another grade is due, then you may find a badly corrugated road. That can make the drive very uncomfortable but it isn't difficult. If you are in too much of a rush it can rattle your van or trailer to bits and do damage to your suspension. It can also be dangerous (around corners or if you need to swerve) because you have a lot less traction on such a surface. It's much better to lower your tyre pressure to soften the ride. (Something you should do anyway.) As long as you make sure that all your gear is stowed securely (lids on tightly etc.) the corrugations are only a nuisance. So is the dust. You may want to keep an eye on your air filter and clean it regularly, especially if your vehicle is not fitted with a snorkel.

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The start of the season is a different story. Most of the Gibb River Road is of course closed during the wet season. The date it closes and reopens depends on when and how much it rains. The Gibb River Road is generally open from May to November. It gets opened once the water has dropped enough to make the road safe. But just because the Gibb River Road is open does not mean that YOUR car will make it across. This is where it is important to know the limitations of your vehicle. When the Gibb River Road first opens there is still a lot of water in the main river crossings and some of the creeks on the side tracks can also be very deep. In the first few weeks you may need to be able to drive through more than 500 mm of water, which is only safe with a snorkel. There is no way to predict water levels ahead. If you plan to travel in April/May, for smaller cars and 2WDs even June, then you need to keep an eye on the current conditions. Double check the road conditions and water depth and be flexible with your plans. Up to date information about road conditions and water depth is available from: • Any tourist information centre, • the Main Roads Department (free call 1800 013 314, or 138 138, www.mainroads.wa.gov.au),

• Main Roads regional offices at Derby (9158 4333) or Kununurra (9168 4777), • the ExplorOz website (www.exploroz.com/WA/Kimberley/Roads.aspx).

Driving/Speed/Safety This one is obvious, you would think, but when you look at the accidents that happen every year it makes you wonder. There have been seven deaths on the Gibb River Road since 1993 (speeding, overtaking when they shouldn't, falling asleep at the wheel, ...) You can't drive on unsealed roads at the same speed as on a sealed road! You have to slow down! Corrugations are particularly hazardous. Flying over the top of them might feel a lot more comfortable, but think about how little traction you have when you only just touch the top of those bumps. Especially around bends it is very easy to lose control. So take it easy. Also, do engage the 4WD. No, not because you'll get stuck without it. You won't. But engaging the 4WD and driving with all four wheels greatly improves the handling of the vehicle and the control you have over it. It's safer. Dust is always a problem on the Gibb River Road, but don't let it tempt you into overtaking a slower vehicle unless you can actually see the road ahead. You should also drive with your headlights on, so the vehicles you are approaching and any oncoming traffic have a chance to see you. If you do overtake anybody, put some space between them and you before you move back to your side of the road and shower their windscreen with gravel. Also keep the hazard from airborne stones in mind when passing oncoming traffic. Please slow down to a reasonable speed that does not cause problems for others. The Gibb River Road is an important transport road for the cattle industry. You will come across many road trains, trucks with three, four or more trailers. Keep in mind that these road trains can't just jump on the brakes and stop in a hurry, so stay out of their way!! 172 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Don't take any risks trying to overtake them. You will need a lot of clear straight road ahead to do so and how you are going to see that in their dust cloud I don't know. Last but not least: at dusk and dawn there is always a risk of animals on the road, not only wildlife but also cattle. Remember that all the land along the Gibb River Road is cattle farming country and that the road is not necessarily fenced.

Tyres The Gibb River Road is famous for its sharp rocks and has a bad reputation for shredding tyres. It helps to start out with good tyres. You should take at least two spares. (People who plan to really get off the beaten track may want to take extra tubes, repair kit and an air compressor.) I do know of people who ruined three or more tyres. That can be avoided, you know? To start with, drop your tyre pressures! Tyre pressures on dirt roads should be considerably lower than on bitumen roads. See the chapter Unsealed Roads in Part II for recommended tyre pressures. Do not underestimate the importance of this! Drop the pressure. All Terrain (AT) tyres with their reinforced sidewalls will withstand the rocks better than HT (highway terrain). Conventional nylon tyres are a lot less prone to sidewall damage than radials. Radials are also more expensive to replace or repair. All tyres can last the distance if you look after them and drive to the conditions. There is one method to prevent punctures that works without fail: go slow! If you dislike changing tyres (and paying for them) as much as I do just keep your speed down at 60 kph or even less on the rocky sections. It will greatly improve your chances. (I can not guarantee you won't get a puncture some other way.) Most people who follow these recommendations never have any flat tyre at all.

River and Creek Crossings River crossings can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily the water usually disappears pretty quickly, so this is only a problem at the beginning of the season. I already said it, just because the road has been opened does not mean that YOU will make it across all rivers. It really depends on your car. A few rules of thumb: • If the water flows too strong for you to walk across then it is not safe to drive across. (The flow is more important than the depth.) • A water depth of no more than 50cm is recommended for 4WD vehicles. • A water depth of no more than 20cm is recommended for 2WD vehicles. Of course it is possible to cross water a lot deeper than that if you have the right vehicle and a snorkel, but you should know your car and you should know what you are doing. The above rules of thumb are a guideline for inexperienced drivers. 173 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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If the river or creek is crocodile free it never hurts to wade across first and check for bottomless holes, submerged logs etc. (Don't wade into the Pentecost, ok? You'll end up as croc dinner.) So how do you actually drive across a deep crossing? Engage the four wheel drive for additional traction and select first or second gear in low range. (For the sake of your clutch don't change gears in the water). Keep the revs high enough to prevent the car from stalling and let the car slowly make its way across. You will be surprised how easy it is. You don’t have to take a run up and go fast to make it. I've seen people do that. They are asking for trouble. Your car is more than powerful enough to push its way across. If in doubt about the depth or the condition of the crossing you can always wait for another vehicle. The Gibb River Road is by no means a lonely deserted road.

Fuel/Supplies Diesel and unleaded are sold at several roadhouses and stations. Diesel is available at many points but petrol can be bit harder to come by. There is no LPG. Plan ahead what you want to do. Find out where exactly along the Gibb River Road you can refill your tank. (Details at the end of Part IV.) You might need jerry cans. In fact, if you can, I recommend you take more than you need. Shortages have occurred in the past when the fuel truck broke down or had a problem. Roadhouses have been in situations where they had to ration fuel or ran out altogether. It's rare but it has happened and is sure to happen again. When doing your budget, keep in mind that fuel out here is MUCH more expensive than in the Kimberley towns, that it's already MUCH more expensive in the Kimberley than in the major cities, and that the prices you find quoted on the web may be city prices. (See the chapter Costs in Part II.) You will find prices well above $2 along the Gibb River Road and much higher still in Kalumburu. Imintji Roadhouse makes a point of offering the cheapest diesel along the road. Several stores, stations and roadhouses along the way sell basic supplies and ice as well as refilling gas bottles. Fresh food is scarce, though, so it's good to stock up on that as much as possible, as well as on cryovacced meat. Drinking water is available at many points. We have no shortage of that. But you should still take plenty, especially if you plan to do a bit more exploring. Drinking water is the one thing you can never carry too much of. Take enough to last you for two to three days, just in case. (More if you really venture off the beaten track.)

Camping/Accommodation Everything along the Gibb River Road is private land. Camping is only allowed in designated areas. The facilities vary. Most campgrounds charge a fee. More details can be found in the next section. Several cattle stations offer accommodation and there are also a few resort style wilderness camps. You can do the whole trip in style if you prefer. (Details at the end of Part IV.)

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

A Short Summary Just in case you missed that point: The single most effective thing you can do to avoid any kind of trouble along the Gibb River Road is to take it easy. Slow down, enjoy, and you and your car will arrive in one piece.

ATTRACTIONS ON THE GIBB RIVER ROAD OVERVIEW: GORGES, GORGES AND MORE GORGES... The main reason why travellers subject themselves to the dust and endless corrugations of the Gibb River Road is the huge number of gorges, waterfalls and swimming holes along the road. When you plan your Gibb River Road trip keep in mind that most photos you see, and that includes my own, were taken during or just after the wet season. Once the wet season is finished the water disappears quickly, the falls dry up and the country turns brown. To see the waterfalls in all their glory you have to get here early in the season. However, the pools at the bottom of the falls remain until long after the falls dry up and you can find several places to swim all year round. Before we get to the detailed descriptions, here is a list of the best known attractions, starting from Derby and driving towards Kununurra/Wyndham. Why in this direction? For no particular reason. I had to opt for one direction. The drive is supposed to be more scenic when doing it in the opposite direction, from Kununurra to Derby. Personally, I don't see much difference. Most attractions are NOT located on the Gibb River Road itself but on a side track. The only exception is Galvans Gorge. Well, and the Pentecost River Crossing. What the numbers mean: A/B (C) Attraction A: The distance from Derby to the turn off to the attraction. B: The distance from the Kununurra-Wyndham highway intersection to the turn off. C: The additional driving distance on the side track, one way. • • • • •

123/536 (20 and 55) Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek national parks 195/464 (8) Lennard Gorge 219/440 (30) Bell Gorge 252/407 (90) Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary 291/368 Galvans Gorge 175 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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• 305/354 (7) Manning Gorge (entry fee applies) • 415/244 (60, 186 and 263) Drysdale River Station, Mitchell Falls and Kalumburu • 593/66 (2) Home Valley Station • 602/57 Pentecost River Crossing • 626/33 (16) El Questro (entry fee applies) • 636/23 (2) Emma Gorge (entry fee applies) I've bolded the most well known places. That does NOT mean that I consider them must sees, or that the others can be skipped. And there are fantastic places that aren't on the list, because most people never heard of them. The following pages have detailed descriptions of everything there is to see and do at all the stops. They will hopefully help you with those hard decisions. The chapter “Services” at the end contains a summary of all the essential info about distances, fuel and other supply stops, accommodation, camping, etc. There are more gorges and attractions than listed above. Many of the cattle stations along the Gibb River Road have gorges that you can only access if you stay at their accommodation or take part in one of their tours. Others require that you ask for permission, which they may or may not give, but those places are usually more difficult to get to. You need to have the right equipment and enough experience to explore the really rough and remote tracks. I do mention all those places and necessary details, including contact details, below. But what's on the overview list above, that are the famous attractions (and easiest to access places) that most travellers will try to fit into their schedule.

FROM DERBY TO KUNUNURRA ALONG THE GIBB The numbers indicate the distance (km) of the turn off from Derby/the KununurraWyndham intersection. Take them as a guideline. Odometres and tyre sizes vary and can introduce a huge amount of variation!

0/659 Let’s go! The turn off to the Gibb River Road is only 4 km from the Derby town entrance. After the first 500 metres you find an information bay on your left. Not far from here is the The Mowanjum Art & Culture Centre to the south of the Gibb, and a few kilometres further the Old Derby Leprosarium to the north (Bungarun Rd.) Both have been covered already in the What to See and Do in Derby chapter (p 98). By the way, if after a few kilometres you wonder if you really are on the right track... You are. The first 62 km of the Gibb River Road are sealed.

16/643 Birdwood Downs Birdwood Downs is a 5000 acre working cattle station that also welcomes interested tourists. They are only 1 km off the main road. Accommodation is in basic but lovely, solar powered, single bedroom "Savannah Huts" in the homestead gardens with shared bathroom facilities. You can get full board, bed and breakfast, or just the bed. You can also pitch your tent or park your camper trailer/campervan in the small and 176 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

basic bush campground, sharing the same bathroom facilities as the guests in the huts. (There is not enough room for caravans.) The guided tours of the property (30 min Homestead Tour & Tea and 1.5 hr Savannah Eco Tour) focus on ecology and responsible environmental management, as does the whole property. There is also the “Kimberley school of horsemanship” and guided trail rides on the property. A stay at Birdwood Downs offers insights into the day to day workings and the larger issues of the sustainable management of a Kimberley station. And peace and quietness and the best water in the Kimberley. Former owner Robyn Treadwell called it “Kimberley Champagne”. (Robyn died in Sep 2012 after short illness.) Birdwood Downs, 9191 1275, www.birdwooddowns.com, Savanna Huts for two with shared ablutions ($81), campground ($13.50 pp) with camp kitchen and gas bbq, no caravans, generators or dogs. The restaurant offers breakfast ($17.50) and dinners ($39.50) and packed lunches are available ($31). Savannah trail ride $56.50, champagne sunset ride $99.50, ecological tour $56.50, homestead tour and tea $22.50. Bookings are required for tours, trail rides and accommodation.

124/535 T/o to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek national parks Turn off to the Leopold Downs Road (sometimes just called Windjana Gorge Road, or Tunnel Creek Road, or even Windjana/Geikie Gorge Road). I already covered Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek in detail in Part III. Windjana Gorge is 20 km from the road junction, Tunnel Creek is another 35 km from Windjana Gorge. If you continue on this road for another 74 km you reach the Great Northern Highway, 43 km west of Fitzroy Crossing. Camping is available at Windjana Gorge National Park, free bushcamping at the RAAF Boab quarry near the Great Northern Highway. See the accommodation/camping listings for Fitzroy Crossing for the latter.

124/535 Lennard River Bridge Right after passing the turn off, the Gibb River Road crosses the Lennard River. And just before the bridge is the Lennard River Bridge Snack Stop on your left. Grab a cuppa or a snack (the usual selection of pies, pasties, sausage rolls, ice cream, candy bars etc.) from the trailer and enjoy the river views from the veranda. With a bit of luck you can see freshwater crocs on the banks. Robert Hadley, the owner, has even set up a telescope to help you with that! Crocs or not, it's a lovely spot for a break. (More about Robert here: meanjin.com.au/articles/post/lennard-river-snack-stop/ ) Update for 2012: Unfortunately the Lennard River Bridge Snack Stop does not exist any more after the Lennard river washed away the foundations of Robert's shed in the 2010/2011 wet season

133/526 Queen Victoria's Head A much photographed rock formation. Where the road passes through Yammera Gap the rocks on one side look just like the profile of Queen Victorias' Head.

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187/472 Inglis Gap A small parking area and lookout on the southern side of the road. Beautiful views which are too grand to capture in a photo. This is one of the few stretches where the road has been sealed to prevent wash outs in the wet season.

189/470 Mt. Hart Wilderness Lodge Background: After a drawn out battle Mt. Hart changed ownership. Please refer to my newsletter special issue for more information (click here). Update: also see the newsletter updates from Dec 16, 2010 and Mar 11, 2011. Update 2012: It was not exactly a big surprise for insiders when the DEC announced that as of 2012 Mt. Hart will be operated by APT. I kept the below description as a tribute to Taffy and Kim. Mt. Hart is not what it used to be. See APT's website for more information on what's on offer. www.kimberleywilderness.com.au/content.asp?document_id=146141 Mt. Hart Wilderness Lodge is located a 50 km drive off the Gibb River Road. The previously rough access track was upgraded in 2008 but the creek crossings mean it's still unsuitable for caravans. It's a very scenic drive, winding and climbing through the Leopold Ranges. A lot of visitors to Mt Hart fly in. Not because the track is bad, it isn't at all. It's just that the option exists and is convenient for people with little time or those who aren't into adventures or self driving. Many of those visitors are also participating in scenic flights and only stop for lunch. When I visited Mt. Hart for the first time I was surprised to find the place totally different from what I expected. The official, promotional description is in my opinion a little misleading. Maybe it's just me, but what I expected was a posh place with manicured lawns, focus on style and creature comforts, pampering wealthy guests... It's nothing like that! Mt. Hart is a wild and natural place, full of character and history, and 101% authentic Kimberley. The Mt. Hart lease covers almost a million acres in the King Leopold Ranges. The landscape is very different from the rest of the Gibb River Road, with its sheltered green valleys and many unusual geological features. This really is a unique and exceptionally beautiful area. Initially Mt. Hart was taken up as a pastoral lease and different owners struggled from 1914 to 1987 to make the place work, but nobody succeeded. The area is just too rugged and remote. Draughts and floods meant the homestead was shifted several times. The heritage homestead that accommodates visitors today was built in 1960. Eventually Mt. Hart was declassified as a viable pastoral lease and finally the area was gazetted as the King Leopold Conservation Park in 2000. Taffy Abbotts has managed Mt. Hart (as a joint management venture with the Department of Environment and Conservation) since 1990, and there wasn't much left of the place when he arrived. What you find here today is entirely the result of his dedication and love for the place. Kim arrived at Mt. Hart to stay for one night, and seven years later she is still here, giving Taffy a hand to run the show. Between them they maintain, finance, extend and preserve Mt Hart's history, homesteads and gardens, something that unfortunately the DEC has not really shown much interest in. 178 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

The story of the establishment of the original homestead, in fact, the whole history of Mt. Hart, is well worth watching: Kim has skillfully put together a 12 minute DVD, hilariously narrated by the unimitable Taffy. You can watch the DVD at the bar at the homestead. It will make you laugh out loud a few times, but more importantly, it will make you look at the place with different eyes.

Accommodation at Mt. Hart is in two heritage homesteads with shared bathroom facilities. (These are not just shells that have been renovated into luxury hotels, they are still very much like they were built.) One building is the original homestead, and lucky you if you get to stay there. The place really has something. The second homestead was built by Taffy, in the same style as the original one. It looks very similar on the surface, but it doesn't shelter the same memories and spirits of the past. Accommodation prices include a three course dinner and a cooked/continental breakfast, as well as lunch and a complimentary cheese and champagne hamper if you spend more than one night. The food is served buffet style, with a couple of dishes to choose from. The bread is baked freshly by Taffy and the ice-cream is home-made. (Once the ice machine is fixed...) Camping is available at $15 pp. The brand new campground is 800 m north of the homestead, right on the Barker River, and has good facilities. Campers can book into the restaurant and use the "Three Dingoes" bar, but they can not wander through the gardens and homesteads. (Those old homesteads do not have any locks on the doors. If mobs of people wander through the place and poke their noses into everything, accommodated guests would likely complain...) I suggested during my last visit that they consider offering daily tours of the whole premises, because I think everybody who stays here should get to see the old homestead and be told some of the stories. Kim liked the idea but as of yet I don't know if anything will come from it. Also worth mentioning are Mt. Hart's dingoes. The dingoes you see here are pure dingoes that are not kept as pets but come and go as they like. However, they have been hand reared and are very friendly! You will certainly meet them because they visit you in the campground and they sneak into the dining room... What else is there to do? Mt. Hart does not have the grand and spectacular gorges and falls that you find through the rest of the Kimberley. The gorges here are pretty, pandanus lined creeks, mumbling and meandering their way through the shady valleys of the ranges. Annie Creek Gorge is a great little wilderness walk, easily extended into a great longer wilderness walk, if you are so inclined (decent shoes and long pants strongly recommended for longer hikes). From the car park just follow the creek upstream for as far as you like. The further you go the more difficult the walk gets. You can also climb up to the top of the range for great views. Swimming is not possible, but there are a couple of places near the start where the creek is deep enough to sit in it and cool down, at least early in the season. Mt. Matthew Gorge also has a delightful creek, meandering through the black rocks and cliffs of the gorge, with dozens of shady, small pools, rapids and waterfalls. Again, you can follow it as far upstream as you like, though this time the emphasis is on dipping and soaking in the pools and relaxing, not so much on bushwalking. Both gorges are on the same track, north of the homestead, and you can easily see them in one day. If you want to go for a real swim the best place is Barker Pool, a long and deep section of the Barker River, a short drive south of the homestead. 179 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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And for sunset there is the Sunset Hill, just across from the homestead. (You'll need low range gears to climb up here, or walk.) Mount Hart Wilderness Lodge, 9191 4645 or 1800 240 504, www.mthart.com.au Now managed by the mega touring company ATP. The above description does not fully apply any more. Accommodation with dinner, bed and breakfast is $220 pp per night. Camping is still available. From what I've heard the place has lost a lot of its charme.

195/463 Lennard Gorge Lennard Gorge, part of the King Leopold Range Conservation Park (no dogs!), is one of the little known and less visited gorges. The 8 km long access road to the south of the Gibb is 4WD only and takes you to a parking bay. You used to be able to drive a bit further, but the road is now so rough that you are better off walking the last bit. Once you get to the end of the track the walk (about 1 km) gets more challenging. There is a path, two actually, marked by rock cairns, but they can be hard to find early in the year. You may have to find your own way. (It's easy once a new path has been beaten through the wet season growth.) If you head down towards the right you get to a ledge overlooking the falls plunging 30 m into the gorge below. It's deep and narrow and dramatic... Very, very spectacular. You can follow the rock cairns down into the gorge to a big and deep swimming hole. The track can be dangerous, it’s a looong way down if you slip! There have been several serious and one fatal accident over the years, so please be careful. If you stick more to the left you get to the top of the falls where it is also possible to access the water for a swim. Either way, you need to take some time.

213/446 Lookout This is another small parking area and lookout atop the King Leopold Ranges and again the road has been sealed to prevent it from disappearing over the wet season. About the King Leopold Range Conservation Park Early 1992 saw one of the Kimberley's cattle empires fold. As a result several stations were sold. CALM/DED (now known as the the DPaW) managed to buy Mt. Hart and several other parcels of land in the Napier and Oscar ranges. The DPaW manages these areas as parks, but not all of them are open to the public. The King Leopold Range Conservation Park is 370.000 ha in size and protects some of the wildest country in the Kimberley. It also includes Mt. Hart Wilderness Lodge, Lennard Gorge and Silent Grove/Bell Gorge. A ranger is based at Silent Grove. Ring 9191 7058 with enquiries regarding this area. Alternatively you can direct questions at the DPaW regional offices in Derby (9193 1411) or Broome (9195 5500).

219/440 Bell Gorge Bell Gorge is the most famous gorge on the Gibb River Road. It is also supposed to be the most beautiful. Many people agree with that assessment. (I don't, there are too many beautiful gorges in the Kimberley.) Bell Gorge is about 30 km north-west of the Gibb River Road and the access road is well maintained. You will pass the Silent Grove campground on the way in. 180 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

The gorge is at the far end of the track. A short walk from the car park leads along the pretty Bell Creek down to the gorge itself. The first part takes 30 minutes at the most and takes you to the top of the falls. The area upstream is lovely, especially if you go exploring a bit. This alone is a nice enough place for a picnic and swim. Some people leave it at that, because the walk gets a bit harder now. First you have to cross the creek on slippery rocks and then you scramble down a steep rock wall. Eventually you end up on a wide ledge alongside the first, big pool below the falls. Once you get there everything is just perfect. The waterfalls are cascading down the perfectly U-shaped cliffs, into the deep pool perfect for swimming, with large flat rocks along the side, perfect to sit down, sun bathe, have a picnic or whatever else you can think of. No wonder Bell Gorge is so popular. You can also follow the water over a few more cascades and pools, as it continues on its way through the narrow gorge. Well worth it for the views back if you climb up the hillside a bit!

Camping The DPaW manages the whole area and operates the campground. You enter Silent Grove 19 km from where you first turn off the Gibb River Road. It's a standard campground with all the usual facilities: generator and non-generator areas, flushing toilets and showers, drinking water and barbecues with supplied firewood for cooking. The camping fee is $12 per person ($2.20 for children under 16), paid at the entrance using the provided envelopes, or collected by the ranger. Note: It's possible to book campsites online for other DPaW campgrounds in the Kimberley, but NOT at Bell Gorge. It's first come, first served. Also: only use supplied firewood, don't bring in your own to prevent spreading weed seeds. A word of warning: Bell Gorge has become extremely busy. During peak season the rangers close the gorge itself once the parking area is full. You then have to wait until someone leaves, before more people are allowed in. The campground at Silent Grove is also packed during the main season, with over 200 people squeezing in. Note: The King Leopold Range Conservation Park attracts an entry fee of $12 per vehicle unless you have a parks pass. See the chapter National Parks in Part II for pass prices.

227/432 Imintji Store Important update: Please note that as of April 2015 Imintji is closed!!! Imintji Community Roadhouse, or Imintji Store as it is more commonly called, is run by the Imintji Aboriginal Community. Here you can get some general goods and refill the tank. (Diesel only! This is the cheapest diesel on the Gibb as they make a point of always being WELL below Mt. Barnett prices.) You can also put fresh ice in the esky, get hot food or an ice-cream, you can top up your water supplies, buy some local art and even camp there for a night. The Imintji store is open all year round. (That doesn't necessarily mean that you can get there all year round. Also, wet season hours vary, always check first if relying on them outside the main season and also around Easter.) Eftpos is available and major credit cards are accepted. 181 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Also available is Neville, the mechanic at “Over the Range Mechanical Repairs”. He is located right next to the roadhouse and can patch your tyre, replace it or do repairs on your vehicle. Update 2014: Neville has moved! He now has his own listing 50 km further down. Imintji Community Roadhouse, 9191 7471 currently closed!!! Open 8 am to 4.30 pm. No guarantee that these hours won't change, so just make sure you arrive late morning or early afternoon when they'll be open for sure. (Check wet or pre season opening hours. They may also close for lunch during the quiet time of the year.) Imintji Safari Camp is located near the Imintji Community. This is one of the exclusive safari camps operated by APT Kimberley Wilderness Adventures, part of the mega corporation APT. For more information see www.kimberleywilderness.com.au and the camping information for the Bungles in Part III. Update 2012: Like the Bungles camp, the Imintji camp has also been upgraded some and been renamed into “Bell Gorge Wilderness Lodge”. Smart move from an advertising point of view, but it's still at Imintji and nowhere near Bell Gorge...

252/407 T/o to Mt. House Station, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, Mornington Wilderness Camp Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary is owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy www.australianwildlife.org. The AWC is an independent non-profit organisation that buys up properties in Australia and then establishes sanctuaries. The sanctuaries protect endangered wildlife species by protecting their habitats. The stars at Mornington include the Gouldian Finch, the Purple-crowned Fairy-wren and the dingo. Mornington is unique because the focus here is on conservation work and not on tourism, and that makes for a very special vibe. And even though tourism is not the main objective, the facilities here most definitely rank among the very best along the Gibb River Road. This is a bigger detour and requires at least one extra night in your schedule. I would recommend two or even three. The Wilderness Camp is a bit off the beaten track, 90 km off the Gibb River Road to be precise. You have to negotiate numerous creek crossings on your way in. Depending on the time of the year it can be a rough drive, but in my eyes that makes it even more attractive, because fewer people are willing to make the detour. (Update: I have been raving about Mornington for years. With the result that fewer and fewer people actually skip this detour.) It is also a very scenic track, right from the moment you leave the Gibb River Road. The drive offers beautiful views over the ranges and escarpments. During the second half you will also see many magnificent and unusual boab trees, a good opportunity to get some great photos. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for this drive. When you first turn south-east off the Gibb River Road you pass a little radio booth. All visitors to Mornington need to stop here and radio ahead. (Instructions are in the booth.) Calling ahead is particularly important if you are travelling during the 182 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

main season and haven't booked ahead. Beware that these days the place fills up! Yes, even the campground. If you are concerned about the track conditions you can also get last minute details. If there is anything you need to know about the drive in, the staff will let you know. As you continue your drive you first pass the track to Mt. House homestead (at 10 km) and the track to Moll Gorge (at 33 km). There are no more tourist facilities at Mt. House Station. You may still be able to camp at Moll Gorge, but you need to get permission from Mt. House first. (Ring 9191 4649 or 9191 4703). It's a rough track and there are no facilities. Stay on the main track and you reach a sign posted junction after 55 km. Veer right to get to Mornington. The left track takes you to Tablelands Station. The "Tablelands Track" is a magnificent but challenging track that theoretically goes all the way through to the Great Northern Highway. In reality it has been closed at Teronis Gorge.

The 312.000 ha Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary covers much of the upper catchment area of the Fitzroy River and sections of the King Leopold Ranges. It comprises four major river systems and two gorges, protecting a range of ecosystems. You can access the Fitzroy River, Adcock River, Annie Creek, Sir John Gorge and Dimond Gorge, go swimming, birdwatching, hiking, canoeing, take guided eco-tours, explore the selfdrive trails... And it's just spectacular country. I'd say stay two nights as a minimum, more if you can.. The $25 Wilderness Sanctuary Pass is charged per vehicle and gives you access to the gorges in the area. They even offer some tyre and mechanical repair facilities. The Mornington Wilderness Camp is your base here. You can enjoy stylish full accommodation in the comfortable safari tents. Alternatively pitch your own tent at the large and shady creekside campground and enjoy use of the bar and the fabulous bush restaurant if you like. Dinner is a set two course menu and the chef is fabulous. (Though I can't guarantee that he'll stay on for the next season.) The fully licensed bar/restaurant doubles as the reception, attached is also an informational display area, and free information nights are held several times per week (recommended). The 24 km self drive trail from the camp to Dimond Gorge takes about 1.5 hours return (you will be supplied with detailed trek notes). Don't plan less for it because you will want to stop and take photos and admire the views on the way! This is one of the most spectacular gorges in the Kimberley. And the drive is not all there is to it. Get a packed lunch hamper, life jackets and paddles from the reception and explore the 2 km gorge in a hired canoe (or in your own). As you canoe through the narrow gap near the start of the gorge, picture what would have happened to this wonderful area if the plans to dam the Fitzroy River and to pipe all the water down to Perth would have gone ahead. This is the site where the proposed dam was to be built! The massive, 23 km long Sir John Gorge is 14 km from the camp. This track is rougher than the track to Dimond and you need low range gears to climb out of the last creek crossing. 183 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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If you are lucky, you can explore the first three pools of the gorge by canoe. I say lucky, because there is only one canoe. They only allow two people in the gorge at a time, which of course makes it an extra special trip! Nothing beats the feeling of having a place as powerful as this one entirely to yourself... I can't think of a better way to spend a day. It is well worth the expense. And even if you don't manage to nab the canoe, you can still have a great day or half day. Bushwalkers could hike up a long way if they like, you can swim and laze along the first pool or see if you can spot the Short-eared Rock-wallabies that live in the cliffs along the second pool. If you can't make time for a full day, make sure you spend at least one sunset down here. If you ever want to go for just a quick swim, check out Bluebush and Cadjeput, two swimming holes, each only a 20 minute drive from camp, and both also great for a picnic, relaxing and bird watching. Cadjeput is in my opinion the nicer one, and a good place to observe freshwater crocodiles if you have time and patience. (Follow the edge of the water to the right for several hundred meters, find a quiet place to sit, watch and enjoy.) You can also go for a short walk along Annie Creek (1 km), starting near the campground and reception. You can hire snorkels or binoculars for your excursions and of course you can also join the Mornington guides on one of the many birdwatching and ecological tours they offer. (See website for info on tours.) The Savanna Woodland Trail (1.6 km) is another nice little trail through the woodlands below the escarpment. It starts just 50m north of Annie Creek. In the end you will likely feel that two nights here was nowhere near enough. Mornington Wilderness Camp, 9191 7406 or 1800 631 946, http://www.australianwildlife.org/... Wilderness Sanctuary Pass required ($25). Safari tents with ensuite, full board ($ 285 pp), large, shady campground (full amenities, $18.50 pp, child $8, no generators), bush restaurant and bar. Cooked breakfast $26, continental $16, lunch hamper $29, two course set dinner $60. Cakes and snacks available during the day. Double canoe for Dimond Gorge $65, for Sir John Gorge (full day) $165, includes lunch hamper. (You can hire the canoe withouth the hamper.) Selection of guided tours available. Please organise your visit ahead.

256/403 Charnley River Station Charnley River Station was formerly called Beverly Springs and run by Marion Nixon and her husband. (Marion became known for her book “Children in the Sun”, where she describes her life bringing up her five children on the station). This was the very first station along the Gibb River Road to offer accommodation to tourists. The property was then bought by Peter and Cheryl Camp who renamed it into Charnley River. Charnley River Station is located 42 km north of the Gibb River Road and is a working cattle station that also grows a range of seed crops. The tourism side is Cheryl's baby, who mainly wants people to enjoy the place and have a good time. (The money is in the cattle, not the campers...) We are lucky that she feels that way about tourists, because Charnley River covers some great country! The station caters to general tourists as well as tours and specialist groups. Accommodation is in “Rondavels” with private facilities or in the self contained homestead bunkhouse. 184 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

They do breakfasts, lunches and dinners, all taken in the big communal dining room/kitchen at the welcoming homestead. Camping is available at the large campground near the homestead. Dogs used to be welcome, but unfortunately as of 2012 not any more. Bushcamping used to be available at the gorges north of the homestead (and some camping guide books still list Grevillea Gorge as an available campsite), but no more. After one of their guests got lost for a whole day and they discovered that it is impossible to get liability insurance cover for such a bush camping area, they now restrict camping to the homestead grounds. From there you can take self guided driving tours, explore their many gorges on foot or by hired canoe, arrange a scenic flight or a guided tour, go fishing, birdwatching... It's not hard to keep yourself entertained for a few days. Donkey Pool is a series of small rock pools, a 20 minute drive from the campground. It's a good place for a quick dip and a picnic if you have little time but unfortunately becomes stagnant and smelly later in the year, as those small places do. On the way to Donkey Pool you pass the turn off to Grevillea and Dillie gorges (both about 1 hr 15 and minutes from the homestead), and a bit further on the turn off to Junction Gorge (about an hour's drive). Grevillea Gorge is a steep narrow gorge, consisting of two main pools. Ladders are provided to get down to the first pool. From there it is a very short walk to the top of the waterfall from where you can overlook the second pool. It's possible to climb down, but it's a sheer drop and most people are content to enjoy the views from the top. Which means if you do climb down the chances are good that you'll have that pool to yourself. The second pool is much cooler and shadier than the one at the top. You can continue to find a third small pool (no swimming here due to a resident freshwater croc) and follow the creek to find some rock art sites. Lilly Pool is just above Grevillea Gorge and theoretically you can walk from one to the other. That is, if you feel like rock climbing and pushing through pandanus thickets... the easier way is to just jump back in the car and follow the main track for another couple of minutes to Pott's Camp. From here white paint on the rocks guides you to a creek bed. Cross it to pick up more white markers on the other side, which lead you around and down to the pool. This is a really lovely and peaceful place for swimming and relaxing. Dillie Gorge is also accessed via the Grevillea Gorge track. (The turn off is signposted.) A short walk from the car park leads you down to the rapids connecting the shallow upstream pool with the very large and deep downstream section of the gorge. Cross the rapids and on the other side you find a large rocky ledge and some shade. You also find a couple of canoes that you can hire to explore that pool further. (If you are a good swimmer you can just swim the distance to the bend in the pool, from where you can see to the end of it.) Junction Gorge is on a different track. The turn off is beyond the t/o to Grevillea/Dillie, before you get to Donkey Pool. I haven't seen Junction Gorge myself, because this track remains boggy until later in the dry. (If you are here early in the season, check access to the other gorges too.) Update: Charnley River Station changed hands again in 2011. Luckily it seems that not much will change for visitors. The plan is to continue the tourism operation as before. Charnley River will also continue to operate as a cattle station. Only a small part of the land

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will be managed as a wildlife sanctuary by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. (The AWC has an arrangement with the owner, it is not the owner of Charnley River.) 2012 Update: Accommodation –with or without meals--will only be avaliable in the "Guest House" (the renovated old bunk house). And dogs are NOT allowed any more. A new website is online. See it for more information. 2014 Update: No accommodation and meals will be available this season! Charnley River Station, 9191 4646 Self contained guesthouse $165 for 2, additional guests $45 pp, children $25. Breakfasts ($20), cut lunches ($15), two course dinner ($45). Children's prices depend on age. Camping ($35 for 2, children $5), occasional get together sausage sizzles at communal BBQ and campfire. Book accommodation ahead to make sure they have room for you and let them know ahead if you want meals. Charnley River Station is one of the places where it's handy to have cash. (Though in a pinch you can pay with credit card over their computer.) No dogs any more! If you drive into Charnley River Station keep an eye out for a creek crossing, 6.7 km from the Gibb River Road turn off. 100 metres past the crossing look for a huge boab tree on your right. It has the letters "FH" emblazoned on its trunk. "FH" stands for Frank Hann, the explorer. Those letters have adorned that boab trunk since 1898... There are more FH boabs in this part of the Kimberley, but none as close to a major road. Update: The road has been rerouted in that area and the tree is now a short way up the old road which branches off to the south (left) when heading in.

272/387 Adcock Gorge This is another gorgeous little place that most tourists bypass. Adcock Gorge is about 5 km off the Gibb River Road, along a very rocky 4WD track. The walk is very short, but you'll have to climb over a few boulders as you make your way along and across a pretty and shady lily pond. At the end you find a beautiful deep green pool with a small waterfall, ferns and grassy edges. There shouldn't be too many other people here. In fact, we didn't see any. I imagine Adcock Gorge would be particularly beautiful in the afternoon (we were there in the morning), when the sun lights up the red rocks surrounding it. Unfortunately camping is most definitely not allowed here any more! It's one of those cases where some idiots have ruined things for everybody else. Like most places along the Gibb River Road, Adcock Gorge is privately owned. The owners were fed up with the mess, rubbish and destruction that campers left behind. They closed it altogether, then decided to make it accessible again as a day use area. As long as everybody treats the place with respect it will hopefully remain open. On a positive note, Adcock Gorge is one of the places where you can take your dog for a swim.

276/483 Over the Range Tyre & Mechanical Repairs Formerly located at Imintji, Neville has been helping people “survive” the Gibb River Road since 1999. Neville is the only licensed mechanic west of Home Valley Station, he'll sort out your tyres, sell you whatever parts or fluids you need (of course he doesn't stock everything but he does have a pretty good range) and he can also do a range of other mechanical and welding jobs. He even offers a mobile service, helping you wherever you are. 186 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Nothing wrong with your car? Call in and say hello anyway because Neville and Leonie like meeting people and showing off their impressive wet season photos :-). Over the Range Tyre & Mechanical Repairs, 9191 7887 or 0147 150 638 Tyre repairs and replacements, minor mechanical and welding repairs, mobile service. No towing.

291/368 Galvans Gorge To get to Galvans Gorge you leave your vehicle in the car park right at the side of the main road and walk the last kilometre. It's the most easily accessible gorge on the Gibb River Road, so it's always busy. This is a smaller gorge, similar in size to Adcock Gorge, but the pool is more than big and deep enough to swim a few laps. There is also a rope in one of the trees to swing on and jump and the falls are big enough to sit on the rocks underneath and get a back massage. While they are flowing, that is. And that's only early in the season. All in all Galvans Gorge is very pleasant spot. Day use only, no camping but dogs are fine.

305/354 Mt Barnett Roadhouse and Manning Gorge Manning Gorge is only accessible via Mt Barnett Roadhouse and there is an entry fee. The $20 access fee includes your camping fee, so it's not unreasonable, as long as you camp here.

Mt Barnett Roadhouse Mt Barnett Station and the roadhouse is owned and worked by the Kupungarri Aboriginal Community. The roadhouse is really well equipped, well set up and offers good service. You can get all fuels here, oils and repairs, groceries, even fruit and vegetables, hot foods, cold foods and the (second?) biggest ice blocks in the whole Kimberley. (You need a big esky to fit them in, but if you have one of those you will appreciate the ice you can buy here!) There is a central rubbish disposal trailer, toilets, showers and laundry facilities. The roadhouse is open seven days a week during tourist season, from 7 am to 5 pm. (Restricted opening hours during the off season). Ok, let's finally get to Manning Gorge.

Manning Gorge and Campground When you pay your fee you are handed a mud map that shows how the camping area is laid out and how you get to the gorge. The camping area is 7 km from the roadhouse and is very spacious and shady with lots of big boab trees. Unfortunately there is no separate generator area, so you have to put up with the noise. Facilities include a few drop toilets, a few flushing toilets, a couple of showers, a big central water tank (not for drinking) and fire places. You have to supply your own fire wood from the outside. Dogs are ok. 187 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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The walk to Manning Gorge and the Manning Gorge Falls is about 2 km and starts from the campground. I think it's a great walk and thoroughly enjoyed it, but others complain it's hot and long. Well, the beginning certainly isn't hot, because to start with you have to cross the Manning River. In the old days you had to swim across the pool and float your stuff across in the little provided styrofoam boxes. Or you walked around to wade across further upstream, criss-crossing the deep creek several times, of course on slippery rocks, treacherous logs, mud etc. It was good fun to watch others do it. These days there is a little dinghy and an endless rope so you can pull yourself across and stay dry. Easy. After that the walk is fairly easy. It is open and sunny, but the scenery is beautiful. You can't get lost, because the track is so well marked with hundreds of rock cairns and red disks and arrows and beer cans and all sorts of other markers strung into the trees. Looks like someone was having fun. The gorge itself is huge and you can easily spend a couple of hours exploring it. It has several pools to swim through and rocks to climb up and over. You can also climb to the top of the waterfall. If you want to see the waterfall cascading over the full width of the rocks, as it's shown in most pictures of Manning Gorge, then you need to be there real early in the season. It dries up fast. But the pools are deep and swimming is possible all year round. There are several different spots to choose from to spread out your towel and picnic hamper, so it should still be ok even when it gets busy. Mt Barnett Roadhouse and Manning Gorge, 9191 7007 $20 access fee for Manning Gorge includes camping. Well equipped roadhouse offering just about everything: all fuels except LPG, oils and repairs, groceries, even fruit and vegetables (though they may run out of fresh food before you get there), hot foods, cold foods, ice, drinking water, central rubbish disposal trailer, toilets, showers and laundry facilities. Eftpos facilities available and major credit cards accepted.

334/325 Barnett River Gorges Also on the northern side, this used to be the only official free bushcamping site along the Gibb River Road. As of 2008 camping is not allowed any more. This was a good place to spend a night before or after visiting Manning Gorge. You can still use it as a picnic area during the day time. (Though if nobody camps there any more there may not be any cleared areas.) The 3 km track in is a bit rough and the gorges themselves are not considered that spectacular as far as gorges go. But it's still a lovely place for a swim. To get to the Barnett River Gorges take the track to the right at every fork (the others lead to the previous camp sites) until you get to the river. It's best to park there and walk the last few hundred metres as the last part of the track is extremely rough. The 500 metre easy walk at the end of the track is marked by rock cairns and takes you to the mouth of the gorge, a very deep pool and a waterfall. You can access the deep, wide river in two different spots (if you can spot all the markers, that is) and even from the car park area you can get to some small rapids and pools if you follow the rock slabs. You can also climb across the top of the cliffs to access the pools at the top of the waterfall.

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

344/315 Mt Elizabeth Station Mt Elizabeth Station, 29 km off the Gibb River Road, offers homestead accommodation with a three course dinner (BYO alcohol), bed and breakfast at a fair price. The rooms are simple twin share rooms. There is also a spacious camping area (unpowered) with hot showers, flushing toilets and BBQs for cooking. Dinner at the homestead can be arranged for campers if you let them know ahead. You can explore their land by 4WD (self guided), there are a couple of beautiful gorges, hiking, swimming and fishing, and there are also several exceptional rock art sites that can be visited via an Aboriginal guided tour in a station vehicle. What I really like about Mt. Elizabeth is that it is still 100% a working Kimberley cattle station. There is no missing that you are on a station, no hint of tourist resort. Also, the tracks and gorges here are definitely for the more adventurous visitors! Wunnumurra Gorge is a spectacular place, and the track out there is spectacular, too, in its own way. Allow about 45 min for the very rough and rocky drive, in low range second gear nearly all the way, with several sections to climb up or down in first gear. The last drop, just 1 km before the end of the track, is one that less experienced people may decide to skip. One kilometre is not that far to walk. The hike from the parking area to the river is marked with blue ribbons and you reach the picturesque, paperbark and pandanus lined river upstream from the falls. To get to the gorge turn left and follow the edge until you get to the drop. If the climb down looks too scary, grab the extension ladder that's lying somewhere on the rock ledge to your left. The pool at the bottom is huge, the cliff face spectacular, the waterfall has a nice rock bench underneath so you can grab a back massage, there is the prettiest white beach you could wish for, shade from paperbark trees... And if you make your way downstream to the second bluff on the left side (about 500 m), you even find some very well preserved Wandjinas. You need to allow at least half a day for Wunnamurra, leaving the homestead no later than lunch time, but a full day would be better. It's a great place. Warla Gorge on the Hann River is a much more relaxed and peaceful place. The 9.5 km track turns off of the Mt. Elizabeth main access road, about 9 km from the homestead. It's a bit rough as well and the drive takes about 35 min. Again, if insecure you may want to skip the last drop and the deep sand at the end. It's only a few steps from here to the river. This is not really a gorge, just a bit of a cliff face along the opposite side of the river and a white beach on the side you're on. It's a place for relaxing, reading and a picnic (barbecue facilities are provided). You can also go on their tour or tag-along (with commentary over 2-way) to get some insight into the operating of a cattle station, view Bradshaw and Wandjina rock art and enjoy lunch and a swim at one of the swimming holes. Mount Elizabeth Station, 9191 4644, www.mountelizabethstation.com, Homestead accommodation in simple twin share rooms (shared facilities) with three course dinner (BYO alcohol), bed and breakfast at a fair price. Spacious unpowered camping area with hot showers, flushing toilets and BBQs for cooking. Dinner at the homestead can be arranged. Please book ahead for accommodation and meals. Campers can just rock up. Guided 4WD and Aboriginal art tours available.

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Walcott Inlet One of the access tracks to the Walcott Inlet starts from Mt Elizabeth Station. There is another track that crosses Charnley River Station, but the one from Mt Elizabeth Station is the “easier” one and is actually maintained by the station and Bachsten Camp. The two tracks join east of Bachsten Camp. This is extremely remote and wild country and a very challenging drive that takes two days each way. You need to get permission from Mt Elizabeth Station to drive to Bachsten Camp and a permit from Bushtrack Safaris (the owners of Bachsten Camp) to continue to Walcott Inlet. (You can usually pay both fees to one of them.) Bushtrack Safaris also operate 4WD tagalong tours to this area. Unless you are a seasoned 4WDriver you are well advised to go with someone who knows this track. In any case you should only make this trip with at least two vehicles. You can get all the information you need from Mt. Elizabeth and Bushtrack. Bushtrack Safaris, 9191 1547, www.bushtracksafaris.com.au

415/244 T/o to Drysdale River Homestead, Mitchell Plateau (Mitchell Falls) and Kalumburu This detour along the Kalumburu Road and Mitchell Plateau Track is covered in a separate chapter further below.

485/174 Ellenbrae Station Ellenbrae Station is situated 5 km north of the Gibb River Road. The small, family run place offers great camping facilities (with a nice swimming hole) and accommodation in basic stockmen's cabins. They also offer dinners and breakfast for accommodated guests and snacks for all other visitors (toasted sandwiches, scones, cream&jam, coffee, soft drinks, 8am-4pm). Please ring ahead if you’d like to stay here. There are no gorges or walks on Ellenbrae, and no sightseeing other than seeing the place itself, which is definitely worth a look! Every building and every structure here is built by hand from bush materials, with ingenuity and creativity. The facilities are basic and unusual, like the boab bathroom (an outdoor bathroom attached to a massive boab tree) or the donkey water heater at the campground (stick in 2 or 3 bits of the provided fire wood and voila, hot shower water in 15 minutes). The gardens are lovely and so is the veranda with the well visited bird feeders where you enjoy your scones. If you can't or don't want to spend a night, Ellenbrae is in the perfect location for morning tea if coming from Home Valley Station, or afternoon tea if coming from Mt. Barnett. Ellenbrae Station, 9161 4325, www.ellenbraestation.com.au Bush accommodation with shared facilities, camp kitchen and bbq/fire pit (wood supplied). Great campground. Dinner and beakfast for accommodated guests, snacks available during the day to all visitors. Book ahead for accommodation and meals. Also does tyre repairs.

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

506/153 Durack River Crossing This one can be exciting at the beginning of the season. (Or stop you from going any further!) The crossing has permanent water and is supposed to be crocodile free. (No guarantees. Saltwater crocodiles are extending their range every wet season. I'd say sooner or later we'll see one here.) There are also several bush camping sites on the Kununurra side of the river, accessible via very soft and sandy tracks.

534/125 Jack's Waterhole, Durack River Station The tourist facilities at Jack's Waterhole fell victim to the 2002 wet season floods. The homestead has not been rebuilt and the station is abandoned. No public access. Like Home Valley Station (see below), Jack's Waterhole is owned by the Indigenous Land Corporation. Home Valley Station offers fishing tours to Jack's Waterhole and guests of the station can visit Jack's Waterhole on a self guided day tour. (You need a key to the gate). Contact Home Valley Station for more information.

591/68 Lookout If you pull up at the sunset lookout you'll see not only magnificent views over the Pentecost River and the Cockburn Ranges, but also a sign from Home Valley Station (you're already on their land): "No camping, No fires, No passing the homestead without stopping for a beer!"

593/66 Home Valley Station The 700,000 acre Home Valley Station was owned by the Indigenous Land Corporation and is now part of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. It offers programs for indigenous students and trainees from many Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley, teaching practical skills like fencing, welding or concreting, horsemanship and stock handling. However, that training/teaching side of Home Valley Station is not immediately obvious to the traveller. The main focus here is clearly upmarket tourism. When Home Valley Station opened for tourism a few years ago it was a very rustic, down to earth place, still a real Kimberley station. Then they closed again for stage two of the upgrades, and when they reopened in July 2008 you didn't recognise the place. Now as you arrive you feel like you pull up in a major holiday resort. The campground near the homestead has manicured lawns and immaculate flower beds, a massive and bright green plastic children's play structure thingy (reminiscent of those at McDonalds but bigger), a big pool with banana lounges and water fountain feature... The facilities are excellent and most people seem to love this style. Located just a couple of kilometres off the Gibb River Road, Home Valley is just above the Pentecost River Crossing and stretches alongside the picturesque Bindoola Creek. Three major rivers run on the property: the Salmond, the Durack and the Pentecost River. With all the creeks, waterfalls, gorges, springs, lagoons, escarpments, 191 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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salt flats and beaches the station offers pretty much everything you could ask for in the Kimberley. But unless you join the offered tours, the area is impossible to access. I was told the plan is to put in some four wheel drive tracks for visitors, but no word yet regarding when that may happen. There are some walking trails, but walking only gets you so far. At this point the only available self guided excursion is a trip to the Bindaloo gorge and pools, which are located 15.5 kilometres from the homestead, along the Gibb River Road, and of course a trip to the sunset lookout (see previous page). Accommodation at HVS is available in stylish "Grass Castles" (a play on the title of Mary Durack's book about the Kimberley's pioneering days: "Kings in Grass Castles"), luxurious, individual bungalows with a private deck overlooking Bindoola Creek. Or take something in between, like the tented cabins (“Sand Castles”) in a nearby bush setting or the twin or double guesthouse rooms near the homestead. In addition to the already mentioned campground near the homestead there is also a fantastic and very spacious bush campground, right on the bank of the Pentecost River. (The 8 km drive is referred to as a 4WD track, but I can't imagine where you would want to use 4WD here.) To call the camp a bush camp is a bit misleading as the facilities are excellent: an ablution block with big bathrooms with hot showers, flushing toilets, sinks and mirrors, chairs and clothes hooks... bigger than my own bathroom at home! There are big shelters with concrete floors and picnic tables, fires are allowed and so are generators. The views over the Cockburn Range at sunset are stunning. You can also launch boats and the fishing is excellent. So even if like me you are not into big tourism developments at all, the Bindaloo Bush Camp makes HVS worth a visit! The food at the “Dusty Bar & Grill” is also absolutely fabulous and the servings are generous. The licensed Bar & Grill is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner (with evening entertainment) and snacks and there is also a small store at the reception where you can buy some groceries and snacks, ice, bait and cool drinks. Home Valley Station offers a range of tours and activities: fishing tours, 4WD or tag along tours, canoeing, bird watching tours, horse riding, cattle mustering experiences, indigenous guided culture tours... Contact them or see their website for details. Home Valley Station, 9161 4322, www.homevalley.com.au $17 pp for unpowered camping (child $5), $20 surcharge for powered sites. Guesthouse rooms $245 per room, sand castles (now called eco tents) $140 for up to four people, grass castles $345. All accommodation prices include buffet breakfast. Eftpos is available, also some mechanical repairs, fuel isn't.

602/57 Pentecost River Crossing, Karunjie Road This is the most famous river crossing on the Gibb River Road and by far the most photographed location along the whole road. The beautiful photos of the crossing with the Cockburn Ranges in the background are taken from the Home Valley Station side of the river. (For the next 50 or so kilometres the red, sheer cliffs of the ranges dominate the views, a stunning sight in the evening light!) The crossing can be a major obstacle to an early season Gibb River Road trip. If you arrive in the Kimberley in April/early May get detailed information on the water level here and the condition of the crossing. The problem with the crossing is that you can't walk through to check it out because the river is full of saltwater crocodiles. 192 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Having said all that, this crossing is only an issue in the first few weeks after the road has been opened. The water level drops fast and the road underneath consists of firmly packed rocks. Depending how big the wet season was you may drive across in early May and wonder what the fuss is all about. This river section is tidal. There is freshwater upstream and saltwater downstream. Fishing is excellent downstream and it's a very popular place for locals from Kununurra and Wyndham who come down here to fish and camp along the Pentecost and King rivers on weekends. Turning left just on the other side of the crossing (Kununurra side) takes you down the old Karunjie Road. The track follows the Pentecost River north, then swings east to join the King River Road at the Boab Prison Tree, crosses the King River and eventually takes you past the Moochalabra Dam to Wyndham. The Karunjie is nothing like the Gibb River Road. This is a rough track, in fact, very rough in sections, especially earlier in the year. You want to please be careful, especially on the mudflats out here. Make sure they really are dry and it's not just a thin surface crust. None of my readers ever had any problems (despite being 4WD virgins), all loved the drive, but all were a bit surprised by just how adventuresome the drive is. One described the Gibb River Road as “silky smooth” in comparison. So: a great track for the adventurous! On the way you will pass Digger’s Rest Station, which offers accommodation, camping, great horse trekking tours and a range of other activities. Great drive, great place! See the Wyndham chapter for more details on the Wyndham end of the road (i.e. the King River Road). Digger’s Rest Station , 9161 1029, www.diggersreststation.com.au Camping, bush huts and air-conditioned bunk house. Cook your own meals on the barbecue or go for one of the home cooked meals at the homestead (breakfast $18, lunch $15, dinner $28 and snacks). Bush camping $10, with facilities $15 pp, bunk house unit $130 for two, extra person $35, homestead bush hut $110 for two.

626/33 T/o to El Questro Wilderness Park (Station Homestead and Township, Zebedee Springs, El Questro Gorge...) While the one million acre El Questro is still a working cattle station, it is mostly known as a high end tourism destination. El Questro is by far the biggest and best known tourist venture in the Kimberley. Their slick marketing machine is so efficient that people overseas get the impression El Questro is the Kimberley and the Kimberley is El Questro. El Questro used to be owned by Voyages, the same mega corporation that also owns Yulara Resort at Uluru/Ayers Rock. (Voyages sold EQ in 2010 to fellow giant Delaware Parks and Resorts). And like Yulara it receives mixed feedback. Many people complain that El Questro is too touristy. It is also perceived as overpriced. Others love the good facilities and professional service. I guess, as usual, it all depends what you expect. Despite that initial impression, El Questro does cater for every budget and style including bush campers. It is in fact a great destination for adventurous campers and 193 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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4WDers with enough time, and the country is absolutely stunning. There are no words to describe it adequately. It is, however, huge. Ideally you should bring a few days to see it. Most people do not have enough time to fully appreciate what El Questro has to offer, hence the sometimes negative remarks from self drive travellers. The centre of operations is the El Questro township. Yes, township. Gives you an idea of the size of the operation. It is located some 16 km south of the Gibb River Road. The road is usually good, but early in the season you may come across a few deeper river and creek crossings. The township is your first stop unless you already own a permit. To access anything on El Questro you need to purchase an El Questro Wilderness Park Permit. This pass is valid for seven days and allows you to use the roads and hiking trails inside the park. Passes can be purchased at the station township, at Emma Gorge (see next chapter) and from the reservations office in Kununurra (next door to the Visitor Centre). The price is $20 per person (children under 12 free). If you aren't staying over night you can purchase a day pass for $12. The easiest places to visit from the township are El Questro Gorge and the Zebedee Hot Springs. The lovely, shady walk through El Questro Gorge leads along the cool, palm studded gorge floor, between fern covered walls, and involves a swim across a pool half way, ending at a little waterfall where you can have another swim. If you can, visit Zebedee Springs really early in the morning, like 6 -7 am. From 8 am onwards the tour busses are arriving, significantly reducing the appeal of the place. Definitely get there well before lunch time, because at lunch time everybody gets kicked out to make room for the more illustrious clientele! Also popular are the boat cruises on Chamberlain Gorge. (Emma Gorge, the other attraction that most El Questro visitors stop at, is in a totally different location, on the other side of the Gibb River Road. See below.) If all you have is one day then this is all you'll be able to fit in and it's a very tight fit, too. Many self drivers leave it at that. And that means they have barely scratched the surface of the place. As I already mentioned, the park is huge and driving around will take up a fair bit of your time. To explore the park further you need to stay over night. If you do bring enough time (several nights) then there is a lot to explore here! El Questro also offers a huge variety of tours in the park. Boating, fishing, horse riding, 4WD tours, scenic flights, guided bush walks... Check out the activities section of their website www.elquestro.com.au to get an idea just how much there is to see and do.

Accommodation The most exclusive accommodation is at El Questro Homestead. It has always been very flashy, and in 2008 it received another 1.6 million dollar design upgrade. The homestead is for those looking for ultra luxury. (Prices start from just under two thousand dollars a night.) However, there is accommodation for us mere mortals, too. At the station township you can rent air conditioned bungalows (for 1-6 people) on the banks of the Pentecost River. Then there are of course the tented cabins at Emma Gorge Resort, covered below.

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

If you are on a budget you can choose from two campgrounds. Black Cockatoo is a large and centrally located area, close to bathrooms, laundry and the store. If you prefer peace and privacy ask for one of the riverside campsites. The 25 individual and secluded sites are a ten minute drive from the station, on the river, and have no facilities. But you have access to the central facilities at the township. El Questro Station, 1300 233 243, 03 9426 7540, 9169 1777 (local booking office) or 9161 4318 (station office), www.elquestro.com.au 7 day Wilderness Park permit $20, day permit $12, children under 12 free. Homestead accommodation from $1969 a night. Station township bungalows from $329. Black Cockatoo camping $20 and riverside camping $28 per night. Steakhouse Restaurant (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and Swinging Arm Bar (live entertainment), store (fuel, gas, road supplies, maps...) Eftpos is available and credit cards are accepted. Dogs permitted in camping grounds and car parks only.

636/23 Emma Gorge Resort Emma Gorge, though also part of El Questro, is on the other side of the Gibb River Road. Access is via a 2 km track and the entry fee is covered by your El Questro Wilderness Park Pass. The 1.6 km walk up the gorge to the pool and waterfall at the end used to be lovely and shaded, until the 2005 wet season came along and changed things a bit. It was then very open and sunny for a while, but now things have grown back a bit again. The trail is rocky and involves some clambering at the end. But as you'll see, it's well worth the effort! Accommodation in the resort is in tented cabins with private bathrooms. There is also a pool, a restaurant with a fully licensed bar and a small store. Camping is not available. If you don't want to buy a 7 day park pass for El Questro and just want to go for a quick stroll to the waterfall and have a swim, the day pass is $12 per nose. Emma Gorge Resort/El Questro, 9169 1777, www.elquestro.com.au/El-Questro-EmmaGorge.aspx Safari style tented cabins with private bathrooms $289. Pool, restaurant, bar, laundry facilities, small store, no camping.

643/16 King River Crossing Normally dry. And if not then watch out for saltwater crocs.

659/0 Victoria Highway Intersection You Made It! Yay. Being back on the bitumen (which these days already starts at the ELQ turn off!) comes as something of a relief after days and days of rattling. Once you reach the highway you have half an hour left to get used to the idea of civilization again. (Not easy!) Wyndham is to your left (48 km) and Kununurra is to your right (53 km). 195 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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KALUMBURU ROAD AND MITCHELL PLATEAU This trip into the northern Kimberley is for people with a sense of adventure (and sufficient time!). The Kalumburu Road is a detour that you can access from the Gibb River Road. The turn off is 407 km from Derby, or 240 km from the Wyndham/Kununurra highway intersection. There are two main reasons people drive up here. One is the Mitchell River National Park. The Mitchell Falls inside the park are one of the most photographed attractions of the Kimberley. However, no photo could ever do this area justice. It's not just the Mitchell Falls that make it special, there is a lot more to discover and do here. The Mitchell Plateau is one of my favourite places in the Kimberley. Part of the reason is, as so often, that it is not the easiest to access. It is a big detour and the last part of the trip is not a gazetted road. That means many hire car companies do not insure you if you to take their vehicles up there (ask them for specific information on this). That and the rough access track keep the visitor numbers down. The second attraction is on the coast, at the end of the Kalumburu Road: the Aboriginal community Kalumburu is one of the top destinations for our local mad keen fishermen. It's one of the most welcoming communities in the Kimberley and has some spectacular beaches, great camping spots and a rich history to discover. Allow about five hours for the drive from the Gibb River Road turn off to the Mitchell Plateau or Kalumburu. You may even want to camp an extra night on the way. There sure are a few places worth stopping at!

DRYSDALE RIVER STATION “2014 will be our 28th year here, making our family by far the longest resident leaseholder since this land was first released. As we have no intention of departing we hope you get to visit us and the wonderful North Kimberley one day.”

This family run business is a working cattle station, running 8000 head of cattle on a million acres. Drysdale River Station is located 60 km from the Gibb River Road. It is the last civilization outpost for people visiting the Mitchell Plateau! Drysdale Homestead is a friendly place where you can get fuel (diesel and unleaded), get a tyre repaired, get ice, basic supplies, and also accommodation and meals (more details below). It's also the last place where you can get any of the above. After here you need to be totally self sufficient until you get to Kalumburu or until you get back to Drysdale. If you are early in the season and need accurate and up to date information about the state of the roads and rivers, ask here. The bar and beer garden is great, too. Try to make it here for lunch (available 11am – 2 pm). Their burgers are legendary. 196 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Accommodation and Facilities Welcoming and well maintained! The twin, double or family rooms are simple but have everything you need, including some with ensuites and air conditioning. The accommodation building has a full kitchen and BBQ area if you want to cook your own dinner and there is a washing machine. The use of canoes on the river is included in the price. Campers have two campgrounds to choose from. The Homestead Camp has all the usual facilities, including some powered sites. Miners Pool is a bush camping site 5 km further down the road on the banks of the Drysdale River (pit toilets). Access to the river is easy and day visitors are free to stop by for a picnic and swim (No advance booking of campsites.) If you don't want to drive any further you can take a scenic flight over the Mitchell Falls and the surrounding region from Drysdale. www.drysdaleriver.com.au/scenic_flights.htm If you do want to drive but have a trailer or van that you don't want to take you can leave it here. (And that's a free service!) Drysdale River Station, 9161 4326, www.drysdaleriver.com.au Accommodation prices start from $150 per room. Evening meals should be booked ahead. Camping is $15 pp, children $5, under five years free. Bushcamping $10/children free. No advance bookings. Eftpos facilities available, credit cards are accepted. Check out their website. It's friendly, very useful and has good information. Just like the real thing!

Here are a couple of quotes that I like (from their history page): “The story goes that when the current homestead was built in 1967, the trucks arrived with building materials which were unloaded at the chosen position at the top of the river bank. Thankfully someone happened to look up and notice flood debris a very long way up, in the tree tops. The homestead was then positioned 1.5 km back from the river. In the floods of 1986 and 1997 the river level rose to within 200 m of the house and 5 meters of the staff quarters. All I can say is I am glad they did not build it on the first choice!”

“We purchased the lease in the wet of 85 / 86. With 3 4WD vehicles and a truck we set off from Derby only to be caught in the floods from cyclone Hector and have to do a dash back to town. We barely made it, crossing the last river when it was 2 feet over the bridge. After waiting two weeks for the floods to drop we tried again, it took one day to do the first 300 km and 4 more to do the next 180 km. At one point we were stuck between two rivers and one of our children suddenly became very ill, not an experience I would like to repeat. Luckily she got better, the river dropped and we finally arrived.” “At that time there was no telephone service to the area at all, the only means of communication was by the Royal Flying Doctor radio service.” “This experience taught me the futility (and looking back stupidity) of attempting to travel these roads when very wet. I now have the greatest admiration for early settlers to the area. Back then, even in a time of dire need it was just not possible to radio or phone for help. Now, we are pretty spoilt in the knowledge that even if a plane can't get to you, then a helicopter probably can.”

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Once you leave Drysdale you cross the Drysdale River and then it's another nearly 100 kilometres to the turn-off for the Mitchell Plateau Track, or 200 km to Kalumburu. 45 km north of Drysdale Station is the Marunbadidi Safari Camp, one of the chain of luxury tented camps that APT Kimberley Wilderness Adventures, part of the mega corporation APT, operates across the Kimberley. For more information see www.kimberleywilderness.com.au and the camping info for the Bungles in Part III.

MITCHELL PLATEAU (MITCHELL FALLS) The Mitchell Plateau (Ngauwudu by its Aboriginal name) is one of the first places I mention whenever people ask me what they should see in the Kimberley. It may be a bit difficult to get to, but it is such a unique and amazing area, it's worth the effort. The much photographed Mitchell Falls (Punaami Unpuu) are of course spectacular. But don't restrict yourself to a quick scenic flight and photo stop. Because you would miss Little Mertens Falls, the natural spa pools above it and the cave and rock art underneath it. You wouldn't be able to swim at Mertens Creek beneath a huge gallery of the elegant Bradshaw rock paintings. And you would miss out on the walk across the Mitchell Plateau to the Mitchell Falls, a fantastic full day return hike (can be done faster), through an ever changing but always grand landscape. Clear streams and pools, shady pockets of rainforest, majestic cliffs and waterfalls, imposing views... An experience you'll never forget. The Mitchell River National Park The 115,300 hectare park hasn't been a national park for all that long. Between 1965 and 1985 mining was the main activity in the area and there were many exploration, evaluation and processing camps, trying to figure out how lucrative the bauxite deposits here might be. Thank god mining turned out to be not viable at all, but the decision to manage the area for recreation and conservation purposes wasn't made until 1998. In 2000 the Mitchell Plateau was finally made a national park. Phew. Important update: mining is back on the books and the Mitchell Plateau is facing the very real threat of total destruction. For more information see the end of the chapter Ecological Threats in Part I. The Mitchell Plateau is of immense cultural and biological significance. The area is rich in the well known Wandjina and Bradshaw art. The quality of the art sites here is amazing. The area is very important culturally and spiritually to the Wunambal people who have lived here for thousands of years. Their name for the Mitchell Plateau area is Ngauwuduu and the Mitchell Falls are called Punamii-unpuu. While visitors are welcome you are also asked to show respect, approach the area quietly and to stop for a moment to think about where you are. (Information material about the Wunambal and their relation to this country is available at the campground.)

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

The biological significance of the Mitchell River National Park is due to the variety of unique habitats these highlands provide and the resulting rich diversity of flora and wildlife. The landscapes around the plateau feature mangroves and swamps, the margins are protected from fire and have allowed small patches of rainforest to grow. There are woodlands, escarpments and deep gorges, pandanus lined creeks and lily ponds... But the most conspicuous feature are the Livistona palms. Those fan palms can be found throughout the Kimberley along streams and waterfalls, but here on the Mitchell Plateau they totally dominate the landscape. You will be driving through large forests of them on your way up here. The palms can grow up to 18 metres tall and some of these trees are thought to be up to 300 years old! (Again, the information materials and leaflets at the campsite are really excellent and have a lot of information and comprehensive species lists.)

Getting There The Mitchell Plateau Track is not a gazetted road and not regularly maintained. (Hence it's called a track). Sometimes it's in decent condition, sometimes it's plain atrocious. Especially after the wet season there can be bad holes and wash outs, so take great care. If you are in a hire vehicle keep in mind that you may not have insurance cover on this road. Off road trailers are ok, but anything else you are towing is best be left at Drysdale River Station. (They offer a free care taking service). Many people also leave their trailers or off-road vans at the excellent King Edward River campsite at the start of the Mitchell Plateau Track. Some people do take even off-road caravans all the way up to the falls. It can be done, it just doesn't do the van or the track much good. (And it is certain to aggravate those who get stuck driving behind such a rig.) The turn off to the Mitchell Plateau Track is 162 km from the Gibb River Road, along the Kalumburu Road. From here it is another 85 km to the Mitchell Falls camping area and you should allow at least two hours for that last part. (Three hours and even more just after the wet season or any time the track is in bad condition.) Only a few kilometres after the turn-off you will come across the biggest obstacle of an early season trip: the King Edward River crossing. The Mitchell Plateau Track is one of the last roads in the Kimberley to be reopened after the wet season (many weeks after the Gibb River Road opens!). Even once the Mitchell Plateau Track is open the King Edward River may still be too deep for some vehicles to cross. Make sure you know how deep the water is and how much your vehicle can handle. (Call in at Drysdale River Station to get the latest updates about the water level and road condition or ring the rangers on the plateau.) Early in the season it's also a good idea to walk the crossing first. It's deeper than it looks and there maybe holes and submerged boulders. Don't worry, there are no crocodiles here. But be careful as the rocks are slippery and the current still strong. Once the water level has dropped the crossing should not present any problems. By June you should be fine. (By the way, the cover photo of this book shows a hired campervan crossing the King Edward River, two weeks after the road was opened in May 2006.) Update: last season the shire dumped a lot of rock into the dug out riverbed, apparently it is now a lot shallower. I have not seen it since, I also don't know what 199 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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material was used and how it will hold up over the wet. But it could be that the crossing is a lot easier than what I just described. You are now on Wunambal land, the land of the traditional owners of the area. King Edward River Campsites - Munura There are several inofficial small clearings and sites along the river, before and after the crossing, that are suitable for bush campers. About 3 km after the river crossing you find the official and very popular King Edward River campsites on your right (now renamed Munurru). There are two main campgrounds. One site is now called Wulumara and the other Warninmarri. Those are basic bush campsites along the river and the only facilities here are bush toilets. Fires are allowed. The river has large permanent pools and small waterfalls, offers good fishing and is safe for swimming. If you have the time and inclination go for a hike downstream. It takes about three hours to get to a fairly big set of falls and it is an interesting and varied walk. These campsites used to be very spacious and free. But the pressure from more and more people stopping over lead to the DPaW upgrading the facilities, setting aside an area for tour buses (which reduces the area available for everyone else), installing a care taker who looks after things during the main season and now charging a fee of $7.50pp.

Aboriginal Art Sites Near the King Edward River crossing and campsites are two sites featuring exceptional Aboriginal art. One is along a track to your left, 200m after the river crossing. The other sites can be found along a track to your right, 6.3 km from the river crossing. The first site is a large area of sandstone boulders. The Wandjinas that you see featured on so many Kimberley brochures can be found on a group of those boulders. You can also find other art styles in this area: the intricate Bradshaw stick figures (the more correct but less used name is Gwion-Gwion figures). The Bradshaws are so old that there is no paint left, only the stains, which makes it somewhat difficult to date them. They are estimated to be 17,000 years old. There are also some even older paintings of plants and animals. They belong to an era known as the “Naturalistic Animal Period”. The smaller art sites on the track to the right hand side also feature both Wandjinas and Bradshaws. These are exceptionally precious art sites, among the best you can find in the Kimberley and still inhabited by powerful spirits. Please treat them with great respect, keep an adequate distance and obviously don't touch them! It is wonderful that sites as precious as these are so freely accessible. But if that freedom is abused and the sites damaged in any way, the traditional owners will totally close the sites to the public. By the way, if you stay at the campsites for a while you can also go for a bushwalk, following the river downstream. They aren't easy to find and not right on the river banks, but there are many more small art sites in this area.

Once you continue your drive you will soon notice the landscape change. You are now climbing up onto the plateau, the air is cooler and the open scrubland gives way 200 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

to a Livistona palm forest, a landscape so ancient you wouldn't be surprised to see dinosaurs. The road has some steep sections here as you climb through some big valleys (this is where you are most likely to encounter bad wash outs) and every now and then you get close enough to the edge of the plateau to enjoy some amazing views. It's an awesome drive, but don't get too distracted by the views. The road requires your attention. About 30 km into the plateau there is an area that is suitable for stopping. Look for clear space to your right to pull over. The place is called Miyarli or Lawley Valley Lookout. When driving always be particularly careful if you encounter a good patch of road. It's such a relief that you are tempted to make the most of it. Trust me, just behind the next crest, where you can't see it until the last moment, is a big, gaping hole! (Also, you never know what the other drivers on this road are tempted to do.) Once you get closer to the Mitchell Falls area there are several track junctions. First you pass the access track (or, for you, “no access” track) to the Kandiwal community on your left. This is where the Ngauwudu people live, the traditional owners of the Mitchell Falls area who have been here, looking after the country, for tens of thousands of years. You may meet some of the members who work as tour guides in the national park. The turn off also leads to the upmarket Ungolan Safari Camp. Ungolan Safari Camp is one of a chain of luxury tented camps that APT Kimberley Wilderness Adventures (part of the mega corporation APT) operates across the Kimberley. For more information see www.kimberleywilderness.com.au and the camping information for the Bungles in Part III.

You'll also see the turn off to the airstrip to your right. It's all well sign posted. Eventually, 71 km from the King Edward River crossing, you get to the equally well sign posted turn off to the Mitchell Falls camping area to your left. Important: you need to collect firewood before you get to the Mitchell Falls camping area, but not just anywhere. There is a designated and well sign posted firewood collection area outside the national park, just before you get to the camping area. (Don't shoot me if it is somewhere else now. Every few years the firewood collection area gets moved. But it is always well signposted, so stick to it please.) Proceeding straight ahead at that last intersection would take you to Surveyor’s Pool. The turn off is another 20 km beyond the Mitchell Falls intersection. If you want to head out there, check with the rangers first about the state of the road. Access has been improved, but it's still a very boggy track until late into the season. From the car park it's a short walk to the main pool. There is no swimming in the main pool, but you can sit in the creek and smaller pools further upstream or downstream. If you pass the Surveyor's pool turn off and continue straight ahead you will get to Port Warrender. Maybe. The first 15 minutes or so of that track are ok and take you to a good lookout over 201 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Port Warrender. If you have the time, the views are worth it. Getting down there is a different story... The last part to Port Warrender is a very challenging track, for experienced drivers only. If you think you are up to it, allow at least one hour for those last 10 km. There are some campsites down there and great fishing and lots of big saltwater crocodiles and sandflies! (The crocs are easier to avoid than the sandflies.) Obviously no swimming. Be very careful near the water. Access to Crystal Creek—also along this track—has been closed after the area was handed back to the Aboriginal owners. (The Nagauwudu are considering establishig tourist facilities there in the future, but for now the area remains closed to visitors.)

The Mitchell Falls Camping Area This DPaW managed camping area on the Mitchell Plateau is huge. It is separated into a generator and a quiet area. The sites are well spaced out and every site has a big fireplace. There are toilets but no showers. Water is available from Mertens Creek. A drinking water collection point is located upstream, complete with steps and a bucket on a chain. Downstream, at the other end of the camping area, you can use the creek for swimming and bathing. Obviously no soap, please. DPaW Rangers are based up here between May and October (9161 4172). They can help you with any questions you have. Camping costs $7.50 pp, $2.20 for children.

Scenic Flights The helicopter pad (and the booking office) is at the edge of the camping area, so you have to put up with a bit of noise. You can arrange your flight when you get up here. I said previously that you shouldn't restrict yourself to just a scenic flight. But you could use the helicopter for one way. You can walk to the Mitchell Falls and spend plenty of time exploring the Mitchell Plateau on the way. In the afternoon you can meet your pilot atop the Mitchell Falls and enjoy the exhilarating flight back to camp. Perfect. Heliwork, Mitchell Falls Camp, 9161 4512 (Apr – Nov) Heliwork, Kununurra, 9166 9300 (Dec – Mar), www.slingair.com.au Taxi flight to the falls (6 min) $130 pp, longer coastal scenic flights also available.

The Hike to the Mitchell Falls The whole return walk usually takes about 4 to 6 hours (not including any stops). It's rough country and there are many sidetracks to explore on the way. If you just stick to the main track without looking left and right you can get to the Mitchell Falls scenic lookout in less than two hours. My description of the walk includes all the sidetracks and continues to the bottom of the falls. My recommendation is to take your time and make it a full day. The walk starts at the Mitchell Falls campsite. It is well marked with arrows or red dots on the rocks, rock cairns, and even some signs. At the beginning of the walk is a stand with many leaflets with info about the diverse plant and animal life, even species lists for the serious nature buff and bird lover. There is also info about the 202 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Aboriginal owners of the area and about the rock art that you will see on the way. And last but not least there is a route description with trek notes. Your hike begins with the crossing of the pretty Mertens Creek (thewhere you flop into the water for a relaxing soak in the evening.) From here it's 15 minutes to get to Little Mertens Falls. (It has now been renamed to Mertens Falls and the former Big Mertens Falls is now called Mertens Gorge. We'll get there later.) Little Mertens Falls isn't little at all! It drops quite a way, so be careful near the edge. You can walk across the top to the other side. There are many rock ledges, pools and rapids, shady spots to sit down and just listen to the water, natural spas to cool down in... It's a great place to hang out for an hour or two. (Maybe on your walk back?) However, the most intriguing feature of Mertens Falls can be found underneath. If you stay on the right side of it and just follow the main track you will, soon after climbing down a small rock face, see a path to your left. Follow it and it will take you to a cave underneath the falls. On the cliff face you can find some ancient Bradshaw paintings. Further inside the walls are covered with delicate rock ferns. The dripping moisture has given the rocks are lovely pattern. And all the while the falls are thundering from above. It's easy to see why this place was of spiritual significance to the creators of the rock art. Once you leave Mertens Falls behind and continue your way towards Mitchell Falls the path leads you through a shady patch of rainforest. When it opens up again you hear the creek to your left as there are more rapids. If you leave the path and climb over the rock slabs down to the creek you find another irresistible swimming pool. And if you look up you see another big rock slab covered in Bradshaws. On a hot day I'd stop here for a swim on the way in and back. It's a lovely spot, so peaceful. The next stop is the Big Mertens Falls, or Mertens Gorge as it's now called. Now these falls are big, (though not as big as the Mitchell Falls). If you walk along the top of the falls to the far right you get the best view of them. But be extremely careful here, it's a looong way down. The gorge below is narrow and dramatic and impossible to capture in a good photo (at least for me it is). Not much light enters the bottom, but at the top of the falls the sun is blazing. Make your way across the top of Mertens Gorge and continue on the other side. The walk gets more difficult now: very rocky terrain, big boulders to climb over, clumps of spiky spinifex, loose gravel... The Mitchell Falls are just around the corner. You approach them from the top. The first thing you see is an amazing view along the Mitchell River and you hear a thundering noise. If you climb up on the big rock slabs on the right you stand right above the top tier of the falls and for the first time you realise how big those falls really are. Early in the season you can feel the spray drift and looking at the raging forces below you is spell binding. Tear yourself away, because the path continues on the other end. You cross the Mitchell River not far from the top of the falls. Early in the season the crossing is an adventure in itself. It's wide, it's deep, and the current is quite something... On the other side you may get got lost a bit. Last time I went, there were no arrows or rock cairns anywhere, but it doesn't really matter. Just make your way over the top of the rocks and you can't miss the helipad. On the other side of the helicopter landing area you will pick up some arrows again. 203 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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From here the path is much better marked, because all the non bush walkers that use the helicopter to get here need to be able to find their way to the official photo lookout. You may even have to stand in line a bit to take your photos. The lookout is not big. (Take care and don't slip of the edge!) But there is more to come yet. Before you get to the photo lookout there is a path branching off to your left. If you have some energy left follow it. It takes you to the bottom of the falls. It's not easy to get down there. Well, it is easier later in the season, but early in the season you have to fight your way through a wet season's worth of growth. And in our climate that is a lot of growth! Thank god there are many rock cairns. It is easy to find the way and it's not that far either because it goes straight down. (Another way of saying it's rather steep...) Once you reach the bottom just follow the river upstream until you get to the bottom of the Mitchell Falls. If you are tempted to go for a swim here I have to disappoint you. This a sacred place, inhabited by powerful serpents (no, not seas snakes, the creative serpents of the dreamtime) Swimming is not allowed. Please treat the area with respect. It's also saltwater crocodile country and I wouldn't take any chances with those. Anywhere above the Mitchell Falls is safe for swimming, and the big pool just above the crossing is perfect. You may even want to follow it further upstream to get to more rapids if you have the time. It took us about three hours to reach the bottom of the falls, but we didn't stop for any swims on the way. We sure did on the way back, though! The return trip was done at a more leisurely pace, since now we knew we had all the time we needed. If you feel the whole return trip would be a bit much you can always walk just one way and use the helicopter for the way back. Just don't restrict yourself to only the helicopter flight and the photo lookout. That would be a crime.

KALUMBURU The Aboriginal community Kalumburu is located on the northern coast, not far from the mouth of the King Edward River, near King Edward River Gorge. It is the most northerly point in Western Australia that is accessible by road (well, kind of accessible). The former Catholic mission is home to about 400 people of mostly the Wunambal, Walmbi and Kwini language groups who administer the community themselves. It’s one of the most welcoming Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley. Few overseas or interstate travellers and adventurers make the long way, but the place is quite popular with our local fishermen. Kalumburu has a rich history to explore, tours in the region can be arranged and there is great camping and fishing on the beaches in the area. 204 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Part IV: The Gibb River Road

History The Kalumburu Catholic Mission was first established in 1908 under the name Drysdale River Mission, some 20 km north east of its present site, by Fathers of the New Norcia Benedictine Monastery who arrived by boat. In the early days the mission endured several attacks by Aborigines who speared the Fathers, but gradually the aggressions subsided. In 1922 the Fathers’ explorations led them up the King Edward River where they camped at a marvellous pool – “Kalumburu” – and in 1927 preparations began to move the mission from Pago (where the wells were failing). Searches for the Southern Cross (gone missing in 1929) were conducted from Kalumburu and the German aviators Bertram and Klausmann of the Atlantis, who went missing in 1932, were also found by four Kalumburu mission boys. Kalumburu became a mission station the same year and by 1936 the last people had moved from Pago. Even the church moved, it was simply dismantled and rebuilt. But not until 1951 was the original name – Drysdale River Mission – replaced with Kalumburu. During WWII the air force utilised the Kalumburu airfield, which became a major staging post, with the result that the mission was bombed by the Japanese on September 27, 1943. One of the Fathers, a woman and four children were killed. Much of the mission was destroyed and the monks moved out and pitched their tents a few km away. They returned in May 1945 to begin reconstruction. In June 1945 the military moved out of Kalumburu and used Truscott during the final stages of the war. Remains of an airplane that crashed at Truscott in May 45 and leftovers from old trucks, buildings etc. can still be visited today. After 1950 the mission started to experiment with different crops and animals, cattle being the most successful. The first route from Gibb River Station to Kalumburu was surveyed and graded in 1954 and was the basis for today’s road. The first qualified school teacher arrived in 1962 to take over from the mission Sisters and the school saw a large upgrade in 2004. The police station was added in 2005. Today the community is run by the people themselves. The main economic operations are cattle and tourism. The Catholic church still owns the church grounds, runs the school and operates the campground and store.

Permits and Regulations You need two permits to access Kalumburu community. The entry permit from the Aboriginal Land Trust needs to be organized in advance. It’s free and should only take a day or two to process online: www.daa.wa.gov.au/en/Entry-Permits/ You can also ring the permits officer: 9235 8000 or 1300 651 077 You also need a Kalumburu Recreation Entry Permit which costs $35 per vehicle and is valid for 7 days. You can try to prearrange the permit with the Derby or Kununurra Visitor Centre, but they may just tell you to buy it at the office, store or mission when you arrive in Kalumburu. No alcohol is allowed on the reserve. You are not allowed to leave the roads. Only use provided tracks and only camp at the authorised camping areas. Please don’t take photos or video within the community without prior permission. 205 © May 2015, Birgit Bradtke, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Getting There • • • • •

678 km from Derby 568 km from Kununurra 263 from the Kalumburu Road turn off on the Gibb River Road 204 km from Drysdale River Station 188 km from the Mitchell Falls campground

The road is rough and can be very rough early in the season. You also need to cross a couple of creeks (the McDonald Creek, 3 km after the Mitchell Falls turn off, likely being the deepest) and the Carson River. If you are towing a van you can leave that at Drysdale. Theda Station is located 34 km north of the Mitchell Falls turn off. The station is closed to tourists. Bush camping is possible at several creek and river crossings along the way, but beware of crocs, especially at the Carson River. 20 km before you reach Kalumburu itself there is a turn off to Carson River Station and Drysdale National Park. That access road has also been closed to the public. When you enter Kalumburu community you find the mission on the left and the store and office to your right.

Things to See and Do Fishing is the main attraction for most people. You can launch a boat off the ramp at Marra Garra beach (or anywhere off the beaches at the camp grounds), arrange fishing charters, or make your way down to the King Edward River. Fishing tours start from as little as $50 for half a day, but you do need to supply all your own gear, including bait! By the way, the locals use 200 lb line, so take something decent and take enough of it. You can arrange other tours in the area, for example to view some nearby Bradshaw art. The mission museum is also well worth a visit. ( Access $10, guided tours usually Mon/Wed/Sat at 10am, self guided tours possible on Tue/Thu/Fri, 8.30am – 10.30am.)

Another half day tour on the Anjo peninsula takes in the Truscott airfield as well as some Wandjina and Bradshaw art. Nothing is set in stone, so you best contact the Mission (9161 4333) and the Kalumburu office (9161 4300) just before or when you get here.

Accommodation and Facilities The mission campground is a lovely grassy area, quite pretty with the old coconut palms and mango trees surrounding the mission. The mission also offers air conditioned self-contained motel units. Kalumburu Mission, 9161 4333, www.kalumburumission.org.au/main/accommodation.html Camping $20 pp, $45 per family, $12 extra for power, single room $125, twin share $145. No mobile phone reception at community.

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

The other campgrounds are at McGowan Island, Honeymoon Bay and Pago. Facilities are basic, especially at Pago. In the past you booked those at the Kalumburu office (Ph: 9161 4300). These days you just go to your chosen campground and organise the details with the owners. (Please let me know if that changes again.) McGowan Island: (Maraltadj family: 9161 4386) In the past not the best campground and hardly any shade but has received rave reviews since the 2008 and 2009 seasons. This seems to be the current no. 1 pick with travellers. The real attraction though is in the water. You can arrange fishing charters from here or try your luck from the nearby rocks. Honeymoon Bay: (French family: 9161 4378) Reasonable facilities about half an hour from Kalumburu, in a pleasant setting. You can camp on the hill overlooking the beach, or on the beach proper. You can also arrange a variety of tours from here. This used to be the most popular camp site. There have been some complaints in 2008 and in 2009 (overall neglected site, rubbish everywhere...) but I received just as many notes saying those complaints are not justified. There have been neither complaints nor positive mentions in 2010 and 2011 and it's been quiet ever since. Guess you'll have to check it yourself! Note: the sandflies may also eat you. Pago: (Wain family: 9161 4394) 27 km from Kalumburu, near the old Pago Mission. Basic facilities but you can launch a boat from here. Other facilities at Kalumburu include diesel and unleaded fuel, a garage, a general store and a Takeaway where you can also dine in or buy ice and general fishing supplies. Eftpos is available and major credit cards accepted. There is no mobile phone reception.

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SERVICES ALONG THE ROUTES All the information that follows is also in the longer descriptions above. This is just a summary to make it easier to find those important facts, like, where can you top up your tank. (A separate summary for accommodation and camping options is below.)

Distances between Services: • • • • • • • • • • •

Derby – Imintji Store (now closed): 227 km Imintji Store (now closed)– Mt Barnett Roadhouse: 78 km Mt Barnett Roadhouse – Drysdale River Station: 169 km Drysdale River Station – Kalumburu: 204 km Drysdale River Station – Kalumburu via Mitchell Plateau: 374 km Drysdale River Station – Mitchell Plateau return: 374 km Mt Barnett Roadhouse – El Questro Township: 345 km Drysdale River Station – El Questro Township: 294 km Mt Barnett Roadhouse – Kununurra or Wyndham: 415 or 410 km Drysdale River Station – Kununurra or Wyndham: 364 or 359 km El Questro Township – Kununurra or Wyndham: 102 or 97 km

For detours off the Gibb (return distances): • • • • • • • • • •

Tunnel Creek/Windjana Gorge: add 110 km Mt Hart Station homestead: add 98 km, allow extra for exploring Bell Gorge: add 58 km Lennard Gorge: add 15 km Mornington Wilderness Camp: add 164 km, allow extra to see gorges Charnley River Station homestead: add 84 km, allow extra for exploring Adcock Gorge: add 10 km Barnett River Gorge: add 6 km Mt. Elizabeth Station homestead: add 58 km, allow extra for exploring Ellenbrae Station: add 10 km

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Details of Services Location – A / B (C): Available services A: Distance of initial turn off from Derby. B: Distance of initial turn off from Kununurra (it’s 5 km less from Wyndham). C: Additional driving distance on side road. All places have EFTPOS facilities. (Except for the rubbish disposal cage, duh.) Windjana Road – 123/536 (50 metres): Rubbish disposal. Imintji Store – 227/432 (0): Cheapest diesel, ice, drinking water, groceries, take away food. This store closed its doors in April 2015!! Mornington Wilderness Camp – 252/ 407 (90): No fuel but can do basic tyre and mechanical repairs, drinking water, meals. Over the Range Tyre & Mechanical Repairs – 276/483: Tyre repairs and replacements, minor mechanical and welding repairs, mobile service. No towing. Mt Barnett Roadhouse – 305/354 (0): Diesel, unleaded, oils, tyre repairs, huge ice blocks (and smaller ones), drinking water, groceries, take away food, rubbish disposal, showers & laundry. Drysdale River Station – 415/244 (60; 186 to Mitchell Pl.): Diesel, unleaded, tyre and mechanical repairs, stocks tyres and some spares, ice, drinking water, groceries, meals. Update: there was no mechanic at Drysdale in the 2013 season! Kalumburu – 415/244 (263; 188 from Mitchell Pl.): Diesel, unleaded, tyre and mechanical repairs, ice, drinking water, groceries, meals, public internet. Home Valley Station – 593/66 (2): No fuel, does tyre and mechanical repairs, ice, drinking water, groceries, meals. El Questro – 626/33 (16): Diesel, unleaded, bottle gas refills, tyre and mechanical repairs, ice, drinking water, groceries, meals.

Accommodation and Camping Location – A / B (C): Available accommodation, contact details A: Distance of initial turn off from Derby. B: Distance of initial turn off from Kununurra (it’s 5 km less from Wyndham). C: Additional driving distance on side road. Birdwood Downs – 16/643 (1): “Savannah Huts” with shared bathroom facilities, choice between dinner, b&b or only accommodation, camping. Ph: 9191 1275, www.birdwooddowns.com

Windjana Gorge – 123/536 (20): DPaW campground with basic facilities. Mt Hart Wilderness Lodge – 189/470 (50): Accommodation with full board, restaurant and licensed bar. Ph: 9191 4645, www.mthart.com.au

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Bell Gorge/Silent Grove – 219/440 (19): DPaW campground with basic facilities. Imintj Store – 227/432 (0): If necessary you could camp here. Ph: 9191 7471

Mornington Wilderness Camp – 252/407 (90): Safari style luxury tents with ensuite or normal campground, restaurant and licensed bar. Ph: 9191 7046, http://www.australianwildlife.org/...

Charnley River Station – 256/403 (42): Accommodation is self contained or with meals, camping. Ph: 9191 4646

Manning Gorge – 305/354 (7): Campground with basic facilities. Ph: 9191 7007

Barnett River Gorges – 334/325 (3): No more camping here!! Mt Elizabeth Station – 344/315 (29): Homestead accommodation with dinner (BYO), b&b, camping. Ph: 9191 4644, www.mountelizabethstation.com

Drysdale River Station – 415/244 (60): Self contained rooms, campground with facilities or bush camping, restaurant and licensed bar. Ph: 9161 4326, www.drysdaleriver.com.au

King Edward River – 415/244 (168): Basic bush campground. Mitchell Falls Campground – 415/244 (246): DPaW managed campground. Kalumburu – 415/244 (263): Self contained motel units and camping, takeaway and meals, no alcohol. Ellenbrae Station – 485/174 (5): basic eco-bungalows, camping and meals. Home Valley Station – 593/66 (2): Range of accommodation, camping and bush camping, restaurant and licensed bar. Ph: 9161 4322, www.homevalley.com.au

Digger’s Rest via old Karunjie Road – 602/57 (50): Air conditioned bunk house, bush huts or camping. Home cooked meals. Ph: 9161 1029, www.diggersreststation.com.au

El Questro Station Township – 626/33 (16): Bungalows, camping and bush camping, restaurant and licensed bar.

Ph: 9169 1777 (booking office) or 08 9161 4318 (station office), www.elquestro.com.au

Emma Gorge Resort – 636/23 (2): Tented cabins with private bathroom or shared facilities, restaurant and licensed bar. No camping. Ph: 08 9169 1777, www.elquestro.com.au/emma-gorge-resort/

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Part IV: The Gibb River Road

Appendix: USEFUL CONTACTS Road Conditions Main Roads Department – 1800 013 314, 138 138, www.mainroads.wa.gov.au Kimberley Road Report – www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/... www.exploroz.com/WA/Kimberley/Roads.aspx Regional Main Roads Departments Derby – 9158 4333 or 9158 4321 Kununurra – 9168 4777 Shire Offices Shire of Broome – 9191 3456 Shire of Derby/West Kimberley – 9191 0999 Shire of Halls Creek – 9168 6007 Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley – 9168 4100 Police Broome – 9194 0200 Derby – 9191 1444 Fitzroy Crossing – 9163 9555 Halls Creek – 9168 9777 Kununurra – 9166 4530 Wyndham – 9161 0400 Kalumburu – 9161 4777

Weather Forecasts and Warnings – http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/wa/forecasts.shtml Radar Images – http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/radar/ WA Regional Office – 9263 2222 Broome Meteorological Office – 9192 1211

Roadhouses on the Gibb River Road Imintji Store – 9191 7471 Mt Barnett Roadhouse – 9191 7007 Drysdale River Station – 9161 4326 Kalumburu Mission Garage – 9161 4333 El Questro Township – 9161 4318

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National Parks DPaW Offices (Department of Parks and Wildlife, formerly DEC, Department or Environment and Conservation, formerly CALM, Department of Conservation and Land Management. Anyone want to guess what the next name will be?) Online information about park, trail and road closures: www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/parks/alerts-and-updates/parks-trails-and-road-closures You can also download the DPaW Alerts app from iTunes or the Google Play store. Kimberley Regional Office, Kununurra – 9168 4200 West Kimberley District Office, Broome – 9195 5500, East Kimberley District Office, Kununurra – 9168 4200 Derby – 9193 1411 Fitzroy Crossing – 9191 5121 Geikie Gorge National Park – 9191 5112 Windjana Gorge & Tunnel Creek National Parks – 9191 7076 King Leopold Ranges Conservation Park – 9191 7058 Mitchell Plateau National Park – 9161 4172 (May – Sep) Purnululu National Park – 9168 7300 (April – Dec)

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