Kunnunurra
Our arrival in Kunnunurra gave us
two nights to get ready for our week at Home Valley Station and El
Questro. After securing about four cubic
metres of food and sorting our things out we were ready for a week in the
Kimberley.
Home Valley Station
HV8
After an early rise we dropped
off our van and picked up the hire
camper for the week . We managed to squeeze everything in, amazingly, and soon we were on our way on the Gibb River Road. The road will soon be sealed all the way to El Questro . The 50km of road
from El Questro to Home Valley
Station could well be described as
‘very, very, average’ in patches. The
Pentecost River Crossing was soon upon us and it looked a long way across..... all went well with the water only 30cm deep, but the bottom pretty bumpy with large rocks.
Crossing the Pentecost
On arrival we were keen for some
guided fishing and horse riding but was not to be.... the guide had broken his ankle and THE Muster was on, which meant many tours and activities were unavailable
- much to our disappointment. Despite the fact that the locals all think
it’s too cold for Barra, we did get some lure fishing in at the Pentecost without any luck. There was however always plenty of wildlife
and almost always a croc in view. I had a go with a throw net to gather some
livebait but the Popeye Mullet saw me
get the net out of the car I’m sure, and my netting skills were ‘very, very,
average’.
The Cockburn Ranges and the Pentecost at Sunset
Low tide at the Pentecost with a big lizard on the far bank.
The resident croc at the meeting of Bindoola Creek and the Pentecost
More sunset drinks at the Cockburn Ranges lookout
Home Valley was a good spot for a
few days. The Cockburn Ranges are simply stunning at any time of day and the
pool was also a welcome sight. We attended the Horsemanship Show hosted by ‘JR’
and spent an amazing 2 hours with an incredibly gifted man who gave us all a
lesson on horses and life, and his horse
skills were simply amazing. Will became his buddy and he made the boys the
focus of his show and we all were captivated. Unfortunately Kurt overheated a little and fainted. The HV8
staff were amazing, getting him to their RFDS room to recover.
After a Gatorade or two, a Cornetto and lots of TLC, he was fine and the HV8
manager Ben insisted on booking us into $600 worth of air conditioned rooms for
the night. We were very grateful for this gesture and the care and
consideration of Ben, Alex and Will’s best buddy JR.
JR giving Will a few pointers on hat care.
JR putting a fairly flighty brumby through his paces.
Every drover needs a good hat and a whip!
Will put his birthday money into his hat, It wasn't cheap but he loves it.
Our final day at HV8 saw us chill
out by the pool whilst Kurt and I had another crack at the barra at the Pentecost. We didn’t
feel so bad when a seasoned local couldn’t get any mullet either.
Out for dinner at the Dusty bar and Grill
The Dusty Bar at HV8
El Questro ELQ
El Questro is a cattle Station
come Wilderness Park which is geared up for tourists and lots of them. The whole place is well signed, the roads
well maintained and everything is ready
to go – they’re eager to take your hard earned from you. The camp ground is
shady and well grassed and alongside the Pentecost River - without those snapping crocs. We
quickly settled in and headed for El Questro Gorge. We negotiated the two simple water crossings
on the way before confronting a slightly bigger, murkier one not far from the
gorge. The sign said ‘high clearance vehicles only’.
Chrissy’s offer to walk it first was declined....the big CROC question
mark??? Plan B - off to Zebedee Springs
for a soak! That was a good call. 30 degree crystal clear thermal spring water –
the kids were in heaven.
Soaking at Zebedee Springs
Jordy enjoying a waterfall
Kurt at Zebedee Springs
Later in the afternoon we found
the rapids at ELQ campground – in front of the restaurant. We all loved sitting in the cool water, making
dam walls – re aligning the Pentecost River.... etc, very relaxing.
Chill out time in the rapids.
Rocks and water, boy heaven.
Day two saw us off to Emma Gorge,
some 25km away. A 1.6km walk up the gorge took about 40 min and the scenery got
better the further we went. Finally we reached a beautiful pool with a
cascading 40 meter waterfall as well as a droplet fall. The water was cold with
tiny warm patches. It was just wonderful
being there. It was breathtaking
swimming across the icey water to be beneath the waterfall. The
kids found a thermal warm bathtub and
planted themselves in that, as we spent
an hour relaxing by the pool. The walk
back was a bit hotter and we finished off our day with a bit of time at both
Zebedee Springs and the rapids. A
stunning day at El Questro.
On the way to Emma Gorge
The droplet fall and pool at Emma Gorge
Crystal clear water but a little cool.
The boys find the thermal spring at Emma Gorge
Day three saw El Questro Gorge in
our sights again and that water
crossing! After chatting with Rangers and various
tourists, giving conflicting views
- I walked part of it (now aware that there were no
crocs,) watched another Prado tackle it
and then it was time. Low range first gear, off we go. It was about 60cm at its
deepest with a solid bottom, a few wheel
ruts and the odd rock thrown in but we made it easily. Smally would have been proud of us!
That Water crossing.
El Questro Gorge is a 4 hour epic
but, much to Jordy’s horror, we only
went to the Halfway Pool. Most of the Gorge is under a canopy of palm trees and
the kids loved rock hopping across the many creek crossings on the trail. It is a beautiful gorge and the colours of the
rocks, palms and pools are all as good as the postcards. Jordy was very keen to push on to the end but
with Kurt very quiet (cause for concern,) and a bit pale we headed back and off
to Zebedee again. Once again taking on the big water crossing .
Halfway Pool at El Questro Gorge
Later in the day we went for a
drive to Chamberlain Gorge and saw the Homestead where the rich and famous hang
out. It looked ok but I liked the
campground better in a way..... I know
the kids would like the campground more anyway with the rapids and other things
going on. The forces of nature were on
display at Chamberlain Gorge with lots of huge dead trees littering the walls
of the Gorge some 10-12 metres above the current water mark. All this occurred two years ago in a big wet and
lots of the gorge resembled a war zone.
We all loved ELQ, from the cows
on the loose at night in the campground, to the campfires and the beauty of the gorges
as well as the simplicity of the rapids, it is a wonderful place for a family
holiday.
Crossing the Pentecost at El Questro
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