Broome 2016 Continues.

Beautiful Broome.

Our Cable Beach.

After all the buzz and excitement of the Gibb River Road, we were busying ourselves with lots of washing and tidying up. The car was covered in red dust, and badly in need of some TLC, and when I took it to the local self car wash and applied the high pressure hose, it was like a huge hemorrhage, as the red rivers flowed out of every nook and cranny!! The more I washed the more it bled, but after an exhausting couple of hours I had finally triumphed! We restocked the larder, and when all the chores were done headed for Cable Beach to rest and relax on the pure white sands and in the sparkling turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

Coffee at Million Stars Café.

Welcome to Broome Robyn.

It is still busy around town, and the beach is crowded every day. With our old favourite cafe, The Cool Spot, now operating under a new name and new owners, we have been exploring the options! We have become quite friendly with Stan, the owner of Town Beach Cafe, where the service is excellent, the coffee and the food very good, and the views across Roebuck Bay are to die for. You could probably say that this is our favourite spot. However, Zanders overlooking Cable Beach still beckons us after our morning walk, and a new one called Zookeepers, down the end of the road from our caravan park, is also very good, in fact it is so busy, it is sometimes hard to get into. Bloody tourists!! After some searching, we also found the Million Stars Cafe at the Hovercraft Base. It is a wonderful location, but they really are focused on the Hovercraft business, and don't promote the cafe, which is a shame as the cakes are to die for, but the coffee was just OK, and the service very slow. Still, we aren't ever in a hurry and the views across the Port and Roebuck Bay are quite special. We have also tried The Lock Up, which is one of these shipping container pop up cafes a little off the beaten track. It is OK, but just lacks some zing, and the popular Dragonfly Cafe in the centre of town is busy and so noisy!!

Robyn relaxing at The Pearle.

Outdoor lounge area.

We have also been putting some ideas together, as we only have a week until our friend Robyn flies in for a two week holiday with us. She regularly joins us on our travels, when we are in an area she hasn't been, and we really look forward to welcoming her. We were at the airport for her arrival. Poor Robyn, was exhausted, having missed her connection in Perth due to strong winds and bad weather, so instead of arriving for lunch, she arrived for dinner!! We whisked her out to her accommodation at The Pearle Resort, which is right alongside our caravan park. Her bad day immediately took a huge turn for the better, when they told her they had upgraded her to the Honeymoon Suite for her two week stay!! She couldn't wait to get to the room to see who they had chosen as her surprise hubby, but alas it was a room upgrade only!!! The Pearle's accommodation is apartment style, all built along a tropical, Balinese theme, very open plan, with lush gardens. Many have their own pool, and the honeymoon suite is one of those. It was just lovely, with outdoor lounges and dining spots, a hammock, outdoor bath and shower, and even three TV's, including one outdoors!! Things must have changed a lot in the honeymoon business. We didn't need one TV!!!!!

Entry to Robyn's room.

Carol fitting right in!

Wednesday morning we oriented Robyn with a tour of the sites of Broome. Of course she got to try all our morning coffee spots! First one was the Million Stars Café at the Hovercraft Base, because if Robyn had an interest in a sunset tour, we needed to get her booked in early, as they only operate on a certain number of days a month, as the tides allow, which was here and now! We were in luck, as there were only a couple of spots left on Sunday's trip. We had planned Robyn's trip around dates that would allow her to see the best of the best that Broome has to offer!! It was going to be a pretty full couple of weeks!! Any down time would be spent lounging around that beautiful pool of hers!!

Staircase to the Moon.

Crowds waiting for the Staircase.

The Staircase to the Moon is a unique Broome experience, which only occurs a number of times a year, and Friday night was one of those nights. The best place in Broome to see it is The Mangrove Hotel, so we got there early for ringside seat! It only occurs on a full moon, and a very low tide, when the sun has set in the west, and the full moon rises in the east, casting a golden glow across the exposed sands of Roebuck Bay, creating the image of a stairway from the earth to the moon. As the magical time nears, a didgeridoo started playing and there was an eerie silence all around the crowded hotel lawns. It really is an incredible sight, and Carolyn & I have been fortunate to witness it before, but this time at the Mangrove Hotel with the sounds of the didgeridoo playing, it was something else. After around 45 minutes, the moon has risen so high that there is too much light, and the show is over. With a huge crowd in attendance, we decided to go elsewhere to eat. We had been loving a little Thai restaurant called Som Thai, and decided to go there for dinner. The last time we went, the service was slow and the food  was not up to the usual standard, and this time it was worse. The service was appallingly slow, and the food was poor. We won't be going back! There are too many other good choices in town!!

At Broome Markets.

On Cable Beach.

Saturday we did the Broome Markets and lazed around the pool in the afternoon. We had dinner in, with Carolyn doing the honours, and after dinner we were off to the movies. The Sun Picture Theatre is a Broome must do. It is the oldest, continuously running outdoor theatre in the world. People arrive with blankets and pillows, as the evenings can get cool, and those deck chairs were not built with comfort in mind, and as the movie starts the occasional bat flies across the screen ,and the sound track struggles with a plane coming in to land, but it is a great experience. We saw the latest Bourne Movie which was full of action, and they still sell Choc Tops!!!

At The Mangrove Hotel.

At Gantheaume Point.

Sunday morning we headed down to The Zookeepers for brekkie to try the legendary pancakes with caramelised walnuts and mascarpone cream. They were good! We had a call from Moira & Geoff, who were on their way back from Darwin, and had decided to stop back in Broome for a few days. Our caravan park was booked out, but they got in down the road at the Cable Beach Caravan Park, so we planned to get together Monday evening, for Happy Hour! The rest of the day for us was quiet, but for Robyn she was off for her Hovercraft Sunset experience. She had a ball, and recounted her adventures over dinner upon her return. It really is an excellent trip, and very unique. Not many days out, when you can say you stood in Dinosaur footprints, then wandered the sandy flats with sea turtles!!

Chilling out at Robyn's place.

More chilling out!

Monday, Robyn was off for the day for her fantastic Horizontal Waterfalls experience. She was picked up bright and early, 5.15am, and taken out to the airport for her incredible adventure, flying up to the falls, being raced through the falls by high speed boat, being fed and pampered, then flown back to One Arm Point for more sightseeing, and then the exciting 4WD trip back down the Dampier Peninsula and back to Broome. What a day it is!! While this was happening, Robyn had left us the keys to the Honeymoon Suite, and we were making the most of it!! We had decided to have our Happy Hour at Robyn's, and make the most of the facilities. What a lovely night it was, with friends old and new. It wasn't a late night, as Robyn had had a huge but exciting day!!

Moira Carol & Robyn with camels!

Sunset ride is the best!

Tuesday morning, Robyn and Carolyn met up with Pam, a midwife friend of Robyn's who now works at Broome Hospital, having moved here a few years ago. They had a lovely time, getting in some dog walking on the beach with Pam and her dog Lily, as well as breakfast at a new spot in town, that we hadn't found, called the Good Cartel. It is tucked away behind McDonalds, run by a whole bunch of young people who certainly haven't splurged on the décor! It was great and we all went back again. Tuesday was also camel ride day on Cable Beach. Robyn, Moira and Carolyn all wanted to experience this icon of Cable Beach. Me, I'm not into animal cruelty! Besides, they usually take one look at my bulk and run and hide!! The girls chose Red Sun Camels, there are three companies providing the ride!! Carolyn reckoned they were the nicest looking camels!! Now there's a contest!! Anyway, we got them to the beach on time, and off they went, Carolyn & Moira on one camel and Robyn all alone on another who was getting on a bit in years, and only allowed to carry one little person!! Of course we chose the sunset ride, so away they plodded into the sunset to a cacophony of shutter clicks!! Geoff and I cracked a couple of stubbies, settled in on the tailgate, and waited for their return. Needless to say we have lots of photos!! The girls had a ball!!

Happy Hour with Robyn, Geoff & Moira.

Lunch at Matso's.

The next few days were devoted to things culinary. A breakfast at The Aarli, where the Panko Crumbed eggs are famous and just delicious. A lunch at Matso's Brewery, which these days isn't really a brewery anymore, just a great place to eat and knock back some of their outstanding beverages. It is all brewed down in Perth these days, such is the demand, and most of it is pretty good. Some of it is a bit gimmicky, with Mango Beer, Chile Beer and Lychee Beer, which are simply awful, but the true ales, The Ginger Beer and the Mango Cider are all excellent. My favourite is the Pearler's Pale Ale, and the Ginger Beer is fantastic. Ginger Beer Spiders!! To die for!! I can still taste those Ginger Beer Spiders we had out on the Gibb River Road with Moira & Geoff!! God it was tough!! The food at Matso's is also pretty good, and whether you are sitting up on the veranda gazing out over the turquoise waters of Roebuck Bay, or settles under a shady Mango Tree in the sprawling gardens, it is a Broome experience not to be forgotten.

Dinner at Café dÁmour.

Café dÁmour Pizza. Ymmo!!

For Moira and Geoff's last night, we were back at Café d'Amour, which is so good, and Robyn had to experience its uniqueness. So we called up Ragu, the maxi taxi guy, and off we went. Moira and Geoff's friend Jenny, joined us for a lovely night. The margarita's got flowing and the cold beers were good and as usual, the food was excellent. Those wood fired pizzas are excellent, and my grilled sardines were right up there. The night flew by too quickly, and with Ragu on call, we were whisked back to our respective destinations, in no time, with Ragu's big smile telling us to call him any time!! We said our farewell's to Moira & Geoff, until our paths cross again, and wished them safe travels as they head back to Perth.

On Cable Beach.

Cable Beach Sunset.

There was lots of time for relaxing around Robyn's pool, and visiting Cable Beach with the car and the shade awning. It has to be the best possible way to go to the beach!! There was shopping to do and markets to revisit. On the Monday before Robyn departed for home, we had a really unique experience. It rained!! And I mean rained!!! It came down in torrents, flooding the streets and turning the streets to rivers. The red earth became red mud, and as quick as it came it was gone, leaving a refreshed landscape and lots of huge puddles!! It was the heaviest August rain on record, and the first August rain for 30 years!!

The Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park.

Hello!!!

Sunday we visited the Crocodile Farm. In our previous visits to Broome we have never visited this place, believing we have seen enough crocodiles!! But it gave us a chance to let Robyn see first hand, these nasty prehistoric beasts. The park was set up by famed Aussie adventurer turned conservationist, Malcolm Douglas, and following his death a few years back it was sold to the current owners who run it as a commercial crocodile farm. The tourist side helps with the cash flow!! We were there for the croc feeding show which happens at 3.00pm every day. Our guide was a big guy, full of passion for the job he does. He just loves it, and it showed. We all even got to hold a not too happy little guy! The first thing you notice at a crocodile farm, is just how many of them there are all in together. In the wild, they are very territorial, with one male having a number of females in his section of the river or swamp. But in a farm, they are kept together from birth, so can cohabit, but that isn't to say they don't fight!!

Our size of crocodile.

Not happy!!

In addition to the farm operations, the park is home to a number of nasty crocodiles that have been trapped because of a particular problem, usually at an Aboriginal community, or rural property. A large crocodile has no problem bringing down a fully grown steer or horse or human. The show that was put on, leaves you in no doubt just how fast and ferocious these predators are. At one point, the guide threw a huge inflated rubber buoy into a murky pool that appeared empty. No sooner had that buoy hit the water, and the water erupted, and I mean erupted, as the buoy was snatched and rolled and dragged under the water. The speed & power of a 4 metre, 600kg crocodile, stunned us all!! It was an excellent afternoon, and the show was worth every cent!

Finches.

Gouldian Finch, now threatened!

Tuesday, under partly cloudy skies we headed out to 12 Mile to visit the Mango Place and take Robyn to the Bird Park. We love the Bird Park, with its wonderful array of colourful parrots and native birds. We followed the paths passed the talkative cockatoos and galahs. The place was deserted, so we had all the time in the world to wander. Parrots sound like the happiest creatures on earth with the constant chatter, the raunchy squawking, and all that talking!! It must be a lovely place to work.

Willie Creek Pearl Farm.

I'll get my own!!

Next day was Robyn's last day, and we were taking her out to the Willie Creek Pearl Farm, for her to do the tour. It is an excellent insight into the industry that made Broome famous. First we checked that the road was open, as the downpour had closed most of the dirt roads in the region. Cape Leveque Road was still closed, but  past the Willie Creek turnoff. The road was open to 4WD only, and when we reached the farm turnoff, we found out why. The normal access road was still flooded, but the emergency sandy track was open. It was just two wheel tracks, and when you met someone coming the other way, it was a game of bluff to see who was going bush to let the other pass! Thankfully we didn't meet too many cars. We got Robyn to her tour on time, and she enjoyed it immensely, learning about the pearl industry from go to woe, including a boat ride out onto Willie Creek to see the actual process at work. While all this was happening, Carolyn & I enjoyed a lovely lazy lunch on the deck, overlooking the creek. We all browsed the shop, and ogled at the strings of pearls with price tags like phone numbers! Robyn got to try on one string worth thousands, but politely declined to buy this time!!

Saving Willie Creek.

So much pearling history.

On the way back down the track, we encountered the Willie Creek mini bus. The very polite bus driver took the bus into the bush to let us pass, which proved a major mistake!! He waved us past, but as I looked in the rear view mirror all I could see was sand flying and the bus was going nowhere!! So, we backed up, and found him red faced and very thankful that we had our snatch strap on board. We hooked him up, and pulled him out in no time!! A guy in a hired Toyota Rav4 pulled up and videoed the whole operation! Said he owned the Toyota Dealership at Mandurah and was going to put the footage on his website. A Toyota Landcruiser pulling a Toyota Bus out of the sand Pit!!! When we got back on the main road, I decided to head out a little further to Barred Creek and Quandong, which is a popular fishing and camping spots. In fact, many caravanners camp out at Quandong for lengthy stays. We found it, albeit down a wet and partly submerged road, which was mostly just a two wheel track. There were a few campers out there, but it is for off road stuff only. Some lovely scenery though, up and down the coast.

At The Pearl Luggers Centre.

The Little red &

black crabs.

Last day for Robyn started with a sad farewell to that sensational room at The Pearle, followed by a long lazy brekkie at The Aarli. We wandered around the town one last time, calling in at the Pearl Lugger's Centre, and a number of the galleries and up market pearl stores, that adorn Dampier Terrace. We walked to the end of Streeters Jetty, which was the main jetty serving the pearling fleet back in the heyday. Hard to imaging that the overgrown mangrove area along the jetty was once cleared sandy beach, home to 100 or more pearling luggers. On the sand under the jetty were hundreds of the brightest red and black little crabs! It was the worst camouflage job I've ever seen!! We had Robyn out to the airport on time for our farewell, and reflected on how fast the time had gone, and on how much we had fitted into her two week holiday. We know, that we have converted another person to the magic that is Broome

Gibb River Road.

The Route.

All open!

Ask any caravanner to list their top 3 dream trips, and the Gibb River Road will be right at the top!! Why??? Well, it runs through some of the most rugged and beautiful country in Australia, it seems a remote & unattainable destination, and it is one of the last big adventures, off the bitumen!! We have always dreamed of doing it, me more so than Carolyn, but with our caravan being totally unsuitable for the journey, we had resigned ourselves to just dreaming. But a few months ago, that all changed, when our friends from Perth said they were coming up to Broome to meet up with us, and that they planned to do the Gibb River Road, both couples having serious off road caravans. We were not going to miss such an opportunity! We started to look at options to hire an off road camper trailer, and successfully found Travelabout Camper Hire, so the trip was on!!! We were going for one week, which we know will never be enough time to visit every gorge and station along the road, but will give us a great sample of the major sites. 

Lots to see.

Ready to go.

Unfortunately, Graham & Di had to cancel their caravan trip for health reasons, and as you have already seen, flew up to Broome for ten wonderful days. So the day after we said farewell to Graham & Di, we picked up the camper trailer and headed for Derby with Moira & Geoff, to start our incredible trip. Derby is just a short 280km drive away, and we were there in time for morning tea! After a coffee and an early lunch, we refueled, added some last minute supplies, and headed back down the road a few kilometres to the Gibb River Road turnoff. The journey begins!!

Road Train on The Gibb River Rd.

Reminder of whose land we

are visiting.

The Gibb River Road was built in the 1960's to allow easier access for trucks to get to the various cattle stations that call the Kimberley home, and move cattle to the abattoirs in either Derby (West end), or Wyndham (East end). Today both abattoirs are closed, but the cattle are still moved, for live export from Broome. The thought of meeting a cattle road train on the narrow gravel road is daunting!! All those wheels to throw rocks at you!! Places to buy food and fuel are scarce along the route, and being mostly Aboriginal land, alcohol restrictions apply, and there is nowhere to buy grog. So planning for all those happy hours is essential!! Oh, and of course we don't want to run out of food or water! So, fully provisioned, off we headed. The first 110 kilometres is mostly sealed road, just to get you into a false sense of security!! They were doing quite a bit of roadwork along this stretch of road.

Windjana Gorge

Freshwater crocs at Windjana Gorge.

At the 110km point the bitumen stopped and the dirt and dust began. First job was to stop and drop our tyre pressures right down. With the road literally covered in corrugations and sharp loose rocks, it is essential to have low pressure, pliable tyres. It is a risky game knowing the exact right pressure, as too high means a sharp rock can pierce the tread, whilst too low, can expose the vulnerable side walls to those sharp rocks! It is just a matter of luck!! Not far down the road is the turnoff to our first stop, Windjana Gorge, where we will camp for the night. There is a self registration point, where we paid our entrance fee. The Windjana Gorge camp ground was very good, with flushing toilets and fresh water on tap! We hadn't expected that!! We found a nice shady spot and set up camp. Just as we were settling in, Henry the Ranger arrived to check our registrations, and tell us about what was happening at the park. Happy Hour was most welcome after a dusty day. Tonight's dinner was courtesy of Moira, who did her delicious mini pizzas, washed down with some good reds!! Cool nights made for good sleeping conditions!

Moira & Geoff at Tunnel Creek.

Us at Tunnel Creek.

Winjana Gorge is lovely. The cliffs that climb up to 100 metres above the river and gorge floor, are limestone, and the remains of a huge coral reef that wound its way through the Kimberley some 300 million years ago. They stretch for miles, all the way down towards Fitzroy Crossing. The river is now a series of large pools, and there are lots of freshwater crocodiles, estimated at between 70 and 100. There is also a large fruit bat colony, and every afternoon there is an incredible wildlife show. Sadly, we had arrived too late the day before, and would be miles along the road tonight, so missed the show!! Bugger!! Around 4 to 4.30pm, the bats wake up to start their nightly forage for food. First thing after a hot day hanging in the trees, is a drink and a cool dip in the large pools. It is here that the crocodiles wait below the surface snapping at any bat that comes near!! They say the snapping of jaws is constant, as this fight for survival goes on each day. On our walk, we did see crocodiles sitting in the river or on the banks, with bats firmly clamped in their jaws!!

Geoff crossing Bell River.

Set up at Silent Grove Campground.

From Winjana it was 35kms down the road without the van & trailer, to Tunnel Creek. Carol & I have been here before, but it is a real treat. It was a first time for Moira & Geoff. It is a very cool and pleasant walk through the tunnel, that is just over 1km long. Just past half way, the roof has collapsed and  another bat colony has set up camp in both the trees outside, and the roof of the tunnel. You have to cross the creek a few times, and sometimes the water gets above your knees, which is waist deep for Moira!! You need to carry a good torch as it gets pitch black. It is quite eerie, shining the torch into dark corners across the water, and picking out the red eyes of the couple of freshwater crocodiles that call Tunnel Creek home!! This is a fun, and very unique place to visit. We headed back to the campground to collect our camper and van, and setoff for our next stop.

Roast Lamb coming right up!

Bell Gorge from the top.

The road was proving to be pretty good. It is a real pot luck story. The road is constantly graded, and it is just a matter of where the graders have been working. They smooth out the corrugations but expose lots more sharp and lethal rocks! The scenery constantly changes. We start to climb through the King Leopold Ranges. On many of the steep climbs, bitumen has thankfully replaced dirt, as it is the hilly bits that get most corrugations. Whilst it isn't busy on the road, we regularly pass cars headed the opposite direction, showering us in dust, that just hangs in the air. Our destination for tonight is Silent Grove Campground, the gateway to Bell Gorge. The campground is 29kms off the Gibb River Road, and just 10kms before Bell Gorge. There are two water crossings, the first quite wide and flat, the second short and quite a bit steeper. It was another very well maintained campground with new hot & cold showers, and flushing toilets!! We found a quiet spot in a corner and set up camp. Again it was self registration, but here instead of a ranger there was a resident volunteer camp host, who works for part of the season in return for free camping.

Bell Gorge Falls.

Swimming at Bell Gorge.

Tonight we got the Weber out, and decided on Roast Lamb, which drove everyone in the campground crazy. Most people are roughing it. We are doing it with style!! I think a highlight has been when Geoff gets out the generator so Moira can get the Nespresso machine working!! After dinner, there was some real excitement in the campground! All of a sudden there was a huge flash and a scream, and a fireball was rolling across the campground! A German tourist had somehow ignited a gas cylinder!I How it didn't explode was a mystery, but some cool guy just walked over with a fire extinguisher, and put the fireball out! After all the excitement we finished off some more great reds, stargazed for a while, then it was nice hot showers and into bed, after another busy day. The next day started with bacon & egg rolls to get us ready for our walk into Bell Gorge. It was a 10km drive up to the Bell Gorge carpark, from which it was a walk of about 1km each way to the gorge. The walk included some quite challenging, rocky climbs both up and down, but overall it was manageable.

Pool at the top of Bell Gorge.

Refuelling at Mt. Barnett Roadhouse.

The reward at the end of the walk was worth it. Bell Gorge is widely regarded as the prettiest gorge along the Gibb River Road. It is breathtaking enough when you arrive at the river at the top of the waterfall, where there are large cool pools. But it is when you walk to the edge of the gorge and look down over the waterfall into the large deep pool below, that the true beauty is revealed. Magnificent red cliffs cut out by the raging river in flood. There is always water here, and the waterfall was running pretty well. To get to the base of the falls and enjoy the cool waters of that inviting pool, is a most challenging walk. We had to climb up and over a steep trail and clamber back down the other side. We were carrying quite a bit of gear, including lunch, water and all our swimming gear!! But boy was it worth it!! The water was freezing, but we all quickly acclimatized. It was just magnificent, and we had timed our arrival just right, as an APT tour group was leaving as we arrived, and another group arrived as we readied for departure!! We shared the gorge with only a few, for around 4 hours.

Welcome sign.

Not your average school bus!

Back at camp, we were straight into the showers and settled into Happy Hour, talking about the wonderful day we had experienced. Tonight, the Weber got another workout, this time cooking up some Teriyaki Chicken to go with a delicious salad the girls had prepared. It was after dinner and over some more of that good wine, that we realized we had not had contact with the outside world for 48 hours, but no one cared!! There is no coverage along the Gibb River Road. We took a quiet walk around the campground, and stopped beside the glowing embers of a campfire. Carolyn said wouldn't it be great if we had some marshmallows, and Moira replied, "Oh I've got marshmallows", and moments later returned with a bag full and four long skewers!! Is there nothing that girl is not prepared for??? In the morning we were up early, and on the road. We are slowly getting used to the camper trailer! It looked so easy to put up and down parked on Colin's driveway!! We are so thankful to be travelling with Moira and Geoff. Moira seems to have everything in that caravan! We are just using the camper as a bedroom!!

The river near Manning Gorge

Campground.

Pulley boat across the Manning River.

Back across the Bell River, and turning left towards our third stop at Mt. Barnett Roadhouse, gateway to Manning River Gorge. We wanted to be early here, as we need to get on the trail to Manning Gorge as quickly as possible, to avoid getting back in the dark! The Roadhouse is an opportunity to top up fuel, at a not too bad $1.80 per litre, and get some late brekkie!! Manning Gorge Campground is privately owned, run by the roadhouse, and situated 7kms behind the roadhouse. The track in was OK, and the campground is huge! Situated right on the Manning River, it is popular with day visitors who don't want to trek into the gorge. We found a couple of good sites side by side, and decided not to set up until we got back from the gorge. So a quick change into the swimmers, loaded up with water and off we went!!

Manning Gorge.

Relaxing at Manning Gorge.

The river near the campground is just lovely, with sandy banks and clear water. No wonder the day trippers love it. The first challenge is getting across the river without getting wet! They have set up an ingenious pulley system that allows you to pull yourself across the river in a tinny!! Once across the river it is a slow climb and challenging walk of 2.4kms each way. The last kilometer is very tough, as you wind your way down and up out of two gullies! The time estimate was 1.5 hours each way, which we were just under. Looking down at that large pool, once we made it to the top of the second gully, spurred us on!! It was 34 degrees and we just wanted to be in that water!! We made it down to the pool, and plunged into the icy water! After getting used to the temperature, we swam across this huge pool, walked over some smooth rock shelves, and found the main deep pool under the waterfall, and plunged in again! Whilst not a high waterfall, and with only a trickle of water, the setting was just so beautiful. It is such a reward to find these wonderful places hiding in the wilderness. Again there were only a few hardy souls who had made the trek in. We settled in for a couple of idyllic hours, watching the birds swoop in for drinks and just soaking up the amazing scenery.

Mavving Gorge.

More Manning Gorge.

By the time we had made it back to the river and the pulley boat, I had decided I needed a Manning Gorge swim, so I helped Geoff pull the boat across to our side. It was hard going, and when it arrived we understood why. The kids had been playing with the boat and filled it with water and sand!! Little buggers!! So Geoff and I bailed it out, and he got the girls moving, as I took to the water! We were pretty stuffed when we got back to camp, and now I had to put up the camper. Thankfully, my experience was starting to kick in and it wasn't long until Happy Hour was in full swing. Boy did we deserve a cold beer!! The girls had the nibblies out, and tonight whilst the smell of tinned curry and baked beans wafted around the campground, out came the Weber for another round of tantalizing smells!! Tonight was steak night, and I swear the guy across from us was attempting to inhale our steaks from 50 metres!!! Bad luck buddy, only enough for four!!!

Maybe next time?

Entrance to Ellenbrae Station.

We decided on an early start, so we were back at the Roadhouse as the doors opened, having decided their cooked brekkie would be quick and tastier than our cereal!! Today we were doing 180 kms, a quick 1.5 hours down a freeway, but a likely 4 hours on the dirt. On this part of the road it was a mixture of flat plains and sharp "jump ups". But all in all, the road was still pretty good, and nothing like the horror stories we had been fed!! At this stage we were convinced that there is a huge amount of ego in the descriptions of the road conditions people give. It is as if "Önly I can do It!". We stopped at the main intersection along the road. This is the Kulumburu Road, which takes in Drysdale River Station, then forks to go to the Mitchell Plateau and Kulumburu Aboriginal Community. It has been widely reported as the worst road in the Kimberley! It is unfortunate that our schedule doesn't allow a visit to Drysdale Station, which is an icon of the Kimberley. We came across a young couple, travelling with their 8 & 10 year old kids, and on their way to Drysdale Station. They had taken the kids out of school, and were self schooling for a year, to take the kids around Australia. What an education for these lucky kids!! What an introduction to this wonderful country. The kids were confident and full of stories of their adventures.

Brolgas.

Crane on the Cambridge R. Crossing.

There are so many side trips along the Gibb River Road that you can do. Most of them involve a Cattle Station on a property that has its own wonderful gorges and scenery. The best know of these are, Mt. Hart Wilderness Lodge, Charnley River Station, Mornington Wilderness Camp and  Mt. Elizabeth Station. They are all 30 to 90 kms off the road, and we just don't have the time to do them. There are also a number of other gorges, which we have researched and found that many are dry. The only one we were disappointed to miss was Galvans Gorge, which even though there was no waterfall, the pool at the base was still stunning. 

Famous scones at Ellenbrae Station.

Very Rustic at Ellenbrae!!

We pulled into Ellenbrae Station, a working cattle property of around 1,000,000 acres!! They supplement their earnings with tourism during the dry season, and have created a niche as being renowned for their home made scones with cream & jam!! The Homestead is like a green oasis, with tables under shady trees, and some very rustic facilities!! The toilet wasn't the flushing kind. You just threw a ladle full of lime powder onto the festering mess!! I warned Carolyn & Moira not to have a second cuppa!! The scones were excellent. In the gardens, were the remnants of a huge Boab Tree, that blew over in a bad storm last May. It was estimated to be over 1,000 years old! We paid for our camp sites and headed off to find the campground. It was soooo dusty!! Couldn't find a blade of grass !! The best corner in the campground had been completely commandeered by a greedy couple, who had parked and set up in such a way that no one else could get in!!  We found a spot and set up, and headed down to the swimming hole. The water was beyond freezing!! Coldest we have found. I went fully in, the girls waded and Geoff sat on the sidelines!! The amenities were very rustic indeed. It had an old Donkey hot water system, that you had to stoke the fire to get hot water! The shower and the toilet were side by side and unisex to boot, and to make it all more cosy, the partitioning walls were only shoulder high!! Very quick visits with a guard!! Moira was in the kitchen tonight, and cooked up a delicious Green Thai Curry. God it is tough in the wilderness!!

Dusty camping at Ellenbrae.

When ya gotta go!!!

Next morning we had a very unique breakfast. The sign at the station had said toasted sandwiches and snacks, so we decided to have a quick toastie for Brekkie. Turned out the menu consisted of scones, scones or scones. If you didn't like scones you could have no scones!! What the heck!! Scones with cream and jam for brekkie!! We were now on our way to Home Valley Station, our final stopping point for our last two nights. This is a world renowned resort on the Kimberley, with accommodation for all levels from 1 to 5 star. The property is huge, and runs along the banks of the Pentecost River. You can camp on the banks of the Pentecost River, but we decided we needed powered sites and real showers, so checked into the caravan park right at the Homestead. The section of road heading up to the Home Valley turnoff, was the worst we had encountered, corrugated and thousands of sharp rocks, and so much dust!! The dust is incessant! It comes in red, white and every colour in between, and is the consistency of talcum powder. It gets in everywhere and everything you touch is coated. I have visions of "Pig Pen" from the Peanuts cartoon, all the time!! Just before the turnoff to Home Valley, we arrived at a magnificent lookout, and the Phone pinged. We quickly realized, that everyone at the Lookout was on the phone!! That magnificent view of the Cockburn Ranges was going to waste!! 

The Cockburn Ranges near

Home Valley Station.

A signal at last!!!

We checked in at Home Valley Station. The Reception area, the shop, and the dining area/bar, were such a contrast from where we have been. Manicured girls in crisp, starched uniforms, and no dust!! We booked into Dusty's Bar & Grill for dinner, to give the girls a break, after all their amazing culinary efforts, and headed off to set up the camper for one last time. In the afternoon, we headed for the pool, for some quiet, relaxation time. Even the water in the pool was cold!! We watched as a constant flow of people arrived to check in, some in tents, some in campers or caravans, and a few tour buses. We couldn't help but notice that the tour groups look decidedly weary!! They go at a cracking pace from 6.00am, and are often first at the gorges to beat the heat. We expected it to get busy around the pool, but in the end most of the tour groups must have collapsed in their 5 star rooms!!

Entrance to Home Valley.

Happy hour by the Pentecost River.

For Happy Hour we headed the 4 kms down to the Pentecost River, to watch the sunset over the river and nearby Cockburn Ranges. The river campground was dry and dusty, and we found a nice spot right on the river bank. At this point, the Pentecost is tidal, and not safe for swimming, as there are saltwater crocodiles. We didn't see any, but the campers told us they had seen plenty. Kimberley sunsets are simply stunning! This was a unique sunset, as we were facing away from it, focused on the mountain ranges. The changes in colours as the sun goes down, are incredible. Red gives way to yellow and orange and purple. A real privilege to see such beauty in this vast wilderness. Up here, there is no twilight!! Darkness falls with a flurry!! Within 20 minutes of sunset it is dark!!

At Pigeon Hole Lookout.

Just 30 kms away, is the even more famous El Questro Station. Almost everyone knows of this amazing 5 Star Resort, but few realise that the place is a complete Wilderness Destination. The privacy of the pampered guests at the Homestead is rigorously guarded, but people of all budgets can enjoy the facilities, which include budget accommodation in cabins and tents, powered and unpowered caravan sites, and private camping sites along the Pentecost River. There are also some wonderful gorges and lookouts that can be reached by either guided tours or self drive in your own 4WD. We are going to spend the day exploring El Questro. The Gibb River Road between these two places is by far the worst we've experienced, corrugated and so many rocks! Not far from Home Valley Station, the road crosses the Pentecost River. Depending on tides and the amount of water flowing down river, it can present some real challenges. For us though, it was a piece of cake, with just a puddle of water!! It was quite wide, but just lots of smooth river stones.

Crossing the Pentecost into El Questro.

The famous, exclusive Homestead.

The 16km drive into El Questro was a good road, and in fact we came across the grader at work! There are two water crossings, the last, the Pentecost River, being long, and about 400mm deep. It is a lot of fun! First stop was the El Questro Shop, as we had to buy a Day Pass to be on the property. We had a good look around the shop. The café looked good, so after buying our passes, we started the day with coffee and cake!! Back across the river, our first destination was the unique Zebedee Hot Springs. They are situated in a beautiful Livistonia Palm Grove, and the water is a warm 33 degrees. It is only a short walk from the carpark, which has a great sign that says "If the Carpark is Full so are the Springs. Come back later!" Luckily we found space!! The springs are only open to the public from 7.00am until midday. After that it is closed for exclusive use of the "special guests"! It is pretty rocky and very natural, so you just have to squeeze into any water hole you can find! Still, it was nice change from all those icy pools!

Zebedee Hot Springs.

Relaxing at Zebedee.

From Zebedee we went 4WDriving, first up to Saddleback Ridge and Lookout. The drive was posted as challenging, and it was, very steep, very rocky and quite a heart in the mouth drive! The big Toyota's were doing what they are made to do, and doing it with ease!  At the top, the views out over El Questro were stunning. After Saddleback Ridge, the next lookout we headed for was Pigeon Hole Lookout, an equally challenging climb for the two Toyota's, but with unbelievable views of the Pentecost River. The scenery is just stunning, with the river cutting through the ranges. It is very high above the river, and we could make out movement of objects in the river. The binoculars revealed we were looking at some large saltwater crocodiles! They also revealed that the white thing we could see in the water, was a cow carcass, being jealously guarded by a huge crocodile!! As another smaller croc headed for the carcass, the big guy just launched himself at it, and there was a very fast retreat!! Spectacular to witness.

View from Pigeon Hole Lookout.

At Branko's Lookout.

Down we went and onto the last of our lookouts, and probably the most famous, Branko's Lookout. The drive to get there is unbelievable in itself. We had to cross the Cambridge River, at the point where it meets the Pentecost. The crossing, which is about 200m wide, takes 15 to 20 minutes, as we bounced over the smooth river stones of every shape and size. The crossing starts at the Durack Boab Tree, a point where the famous family came with their cattle drives. As we crossed, we found a young couple fishing!! On their way across they had seen three big Barramundi swimming right up to the edge! They obviously weren't successful, as we saw the same three fish on our way back!! From the crossing, you get a great view of the famous Homestead perched on the cliffs above the Cambridge River. The climb up to Branko's Lookout is short but very steep! In fact, at one point we thought we'd reached the lookout, only to find it was a turning point for a sharp left turn!! We were greeted by more absolutely stunning views and more huge crocodiles slowly meandering up and down the river. What a unique property El Questro is. Such diverse scenery and attractions. We have had a very special day, and were most pleased that we had decided against another gorge walk, in favour of the sightseeing.

A big Saltwater Crocodile.

One Shredded tyre!

We headed back out to the Gibb River Road, and on our trip back to Home Valley Station, our good luck with the tyres ran out with a bang! One, $400.00  Cooper Tyre, literally shredded!! Geoff was such a huge help. We had the wheel changed in no time. No calling the NRMA or no quick visit down the road to get a new tyre! Out here, we were faced with a trip home without a spare! Thankfully the Gods were with us, and we got back to Home Valley, and in fact all the way back to Broome, without a spare! We were too late to get down to the river for a final Pentecost River sunset, so we hit the showers, and headed up to the restaurant for our last dinner on the Gibb River Road.

Ernie Dingo was a real good sport!

Margaritaville!

Our last night was fantastic. The food in the restaurant was very good.The previous night there had been no entertainment, so we had a quiet dinner. This night ,we had a guy called Chris Matthews doing some good Country Music. There was also a good, fun crowd in, including Ernie Dingo, who was staying with his TV crew, doing a show called Low Range, a Lifestyle show about travels in the outback. You know how when you see someone famous in person, you almost feel as if they are your friend?? Well, as Ernie walked past, I just said, "Hey Ernie, what are you doing here?" to which he responded "I'm just lost"! Next thing I was asking if he'd mind doing a photo with the girls, to which he said it would cost a Corona or 4, so I bought Corona's and the night just got bigger and bigger!! The Bus tour groups had all gone to bed, but those of us left had a ball!! Moira finished up on stage as a back up singer, a couple of Ernie's crew did some very acrobatic and entertaining dancing, the Corona's were flowing and Ernie finished up buying the girls more Maragarita's. Talk about an incredible last night!! Eventually, the manager called last drinks, and poor old Chris Matthews left the stage an hour after his scheduled finishing time!!

Colours of the Kimberley.

Parked beside the Durack Boab.

We were all up very early (5.00am), the next morning, as we both faced long days of travel in opposite directions. Carolyn & I were driving 1,000km back to Broome, whilst Moira and Geoff were aiming to get as close to Darwin as possible in one day. Our week on the Gibb River Road had been all and more than we had hoped. Moira & Geoff had been such wonderful travelling companions, and we are sure to be travelling together again in the future. They are very special people to us, and we have only known them for 3 short years, yet it is as if we have always known each other. It was sad to say goodbye, but we know it will only be for a short time.

Here's to a wonderful trip.

A Home Valley local!

So, with the shredded tyre strapped on the front of the camper, we headed out to the Gibb River Road for the last time. We breathed a huge sigh of relief when we reached the bitumen at the El Questro turnoff, where we got out the compressor and pumped the tyres back to normal road pressures, for the trip back to Broome. With a camper and not a caravan on the back, we were able to make much better time. First stop was Doon Doon Roadhouse for a great Outback breakfast, then we did a refuel at Hall's Creek, a couple of roadside stops for snacks and drinks, and the miles and time just flew by. We were glad to be back home. Carolyn kissed the walls of the caravan as she entered!! We both just wanted a nice shower and our own bed!! The camper had done a good job for us, but we were very glad to return it to Colin!!

Pentecost River at El Qhestro.

Our Gibb River Road adventure was over. What a fantastic experience it has been. So many sights, and so many memories. It was a wonderful time, made all the more special by the companionship of Geoff & Moira. Our dream had been fulfilled, and we will be left wondering, will we ever get back to do the things we missed on this journey? The Kimberley is such an incredible part of Australia. I can understand why people come here, and stay. Even if we don't get back, we have done what so many others dream about. We drove the Gibb River Road from end to end!!