Life in a Humpback

Day 55: Ellendale Rest Area to Roebuck

Today we drove the rest of the way to Broome. As we arrived a day earlier then planned we had to call around to find a place to stay. In the end we could only find a campsite at the Broome's Gateway Caravan park in Roebuck (about ~20km from town).

Once at camp we all had our first showers in a few days, then headed into Broome to catch the Staircase to the Moon and market. Three days after the full moon in Broome (in the dry season) when the moon rises it reflects across the mudflats to create "steps" of light. We arrived early to wander through the market and grab dinner from the food trucks. As it got dark we set up on the grassy area with a few hundred other tourists to wait for the moon to rise. Sadly when it did there was a lot of cloud on the horizon so there was not much "staircase" but it was still beautiful to watch the moon rise.

Day 54: Purnululu National Park to Ellendale Rest Area

Today we started our drive to Broome passing through Halls Creek & Fitzroy Crossing before pulling into Ellendale Rest Stop for the night. We also stopped at Mary's Pools Rest Stop for lunch.

Along the way we saw:

• a large burn off
• a large flock of cockatoos that from a distance looked like a wispy cloud
• lots of kites and wedge tail eagles
• brumbies (wild horses)
• lots and lots of cows
• and a gorgeous sunset to finish off the day

Day 53: Purnululu National Park

I was pretty excited about today. I've wanted to visit the Bungle Bungle Range since I was an undergrad geology student and read about the beehive formations. It has only taken me 35+ years to get here!

The road into the park is known for being a pretty rough track with lots of corrugations, river crossings, and steep road dips. It is 53km from the highway to the visitors centre which can take between 1.5-3 hours. As we knew this was going to be a big day, we were up early and into the park as soon as we could. It was rough, and yes there were a few river crossings, but it was not as bad as we thought it was going to be...that said it did take us 2 hours to get to the visitors centre. On the way into the park we ticked over 10,000km since we left Hobart - a big milestone!

From there we headed south to the Piccaninny trail head at the Bungle Bungle Range (45 min & 27km later). We started on The Domes loop and then continued into Cathedral Gorge. It was amazing to walk between some of the beehive domes along the sandy creek beds. Theo stopped at every sandy section of the trail to make little sand hill men.

The walk into Cathedral Gorge was also along a dry creek bed but here it was bedrock rock rather than sand. When we got to the end of Cathedral Gorge we got to listen to one of the local indigenous woman singing and playing clapsticks for her tour group. The acoustics were so beautiful and the song amazing. After hearing that we all walked around the small lake at the end of the gorge speaking in whispers as anything louder seemed out of place.

While exploring the end of the gorge we found a really cool little puddle, that turned from green to clear depending on the angle that you looked at it from. I assume it was to do with how algae in the water reflected the light(?). We could also hear a frog hanging out near the canyon walls but could not work out where it was hiding.

Back at the car we had a quick lunch then drove to Echidna Chasm carpark at the northern end of the park (1 hour, 15 min & 45km later). It was getting late in the day so we quickly headed into the Chasm. The rocks in the northern park of the park are very different - being conglomerates rather than sandstone. There were a few Livistona Palms near the beginning of the track before the Chasm got too narrow for any vegetation. Eventually we could touch each side of the wall while walking through the middle. We missed being here in the middle of the day when the sun lights up the walls but there was still a few glowing red rocks for us to see. On the way back to the car we ran up to Osmand Lookout for one last look of the northern range before heading back to Spring Creek Camp.

It was a very full day and with the sun setting at 5:15pm we ended up getting back to camp after dark. But we did get a great view of the full moon rising while driving back to the highway.

Day 52: El Questro to Purnululu National Park

Today we packed up, crossed a few more rivers with the caravan, and headed south towards Purnululu National Park. We were not allowed to bring our dual axle caravan into the park because of the 53km of dirt road and steep river beds. Instead we opted to camp at Spring Creek Rest Area just across the road from the junction into the park.

We got into camp early and had a quiet afternoon - planning our walks in the park, sorting out some bookings for later in the trip, and watching two cockatoos coming and going from their nest hallow in the tree next to our campsite.

Day 51: El Questro (Day 2)

Today we headed out for another gorge walk and swim, this time to Emma Gorge. This walk started in a wide meadow, so was very open and therefore rather warm. Once into the gorge itself it cooled down a bit. Similar to El Questro Gorge this track had us crossing back and forth across the river, but the Emma Gorge track was better maintained so we did not get our feet as wet and muddy.

We stopped for a quick look at the lower pool before heading up to the Emma Gorge pool for a swim. This swimming hole was larger with a 35m waterfall (in the wet season). There wasn't much of a waterfall when we were there but there was lots of water dripping off the walls into the pool making it look like it was raining in sections. The water was also much cooler, almost take your breath away cold when you first get in. But there were some smaller pools to one side that were warmer. After lunch at the top pool we headed back to the lower pool.

The lower pool was much smaller but has a nicer temperature to just hang out in. It also had some good jumping rocks. We stayed at this pool much longer than the upper one.

Once back at the trail head we treated ourselves to hot chips and cold drinks at the Emma Gorge Resort before the drive back to camp at El Questro Station.

Day 50: El Questro (Day 1)

Today we got up early and drove out to El Questro Gorge trail head. The water level in the river on the way in was less than 80cm so was open to non-snorkel fitted 4WDs like ours. So we thought we'd take the chance to get out there. In the end there were four river sections to cross. One rather long deep one and the others much shorter and shallower.

Once at the trail head we started the walk into the gorge. The first part of the walk was more open as we followed the stream that runs through the gorge, often by walking back and forth across it. This lower part of the gorge was filled with Livistona Palms. As it started to narrow the sandstone walls where filled with ferns. We made it to the Halfway Pool and changed into our swimmers to wade out into the pool and climb the rocks to continue further into the gorge.

After the Halfway Pool the gorge walls continued to narrow and we had to traverse lots of large boulders and even scramble up a bit of a rock wall and some steep steps to eventually make it to Mac Miking Gorge Pool at the end of the walk. There weren't very many people at the pool and we even got a few minutes of being in the water with just the four of us. After a refreshing swim we headed back down the gorge to the car. Stopping at the lower pool for a longer swim this time.

Then it was back to camp. Late in the afternoon we headed over to the bar and grassy area near reception for the kids to set up a cricket game and the adults could have a cold drink. By the time the sun set the kids had 10 players on the pitch.

Day 49: NT/WA Border to El Questro

This morning we got up early and headed for the NT/WA border. We passed our quarantine check - only having to leave a piece of fire wood that still had bark on it. Then we rolled into Kununara around 8.30am (as we gained another 1.5 hours crossing the border). We stopped long enough for a quick restock of fresh fruit and veggies, and to head to Ivanhoe Cafe for breakfast before continuing west to El Questro.

The road was paved until the turn off to El Questro Station. It was then 16km of dirt road. Most of it was pretty good driving, just a few small corrugations, as a section of it was being graded as we drove in. But there were three river crossings to negotiate as well. I had heard there were at least two possible river crossing but apparently John did not remember being told that, and he was the one driving. The first one was not very deep but the other two were ~60cm deep. The last one was the longest as well. John did a great job negotiating these on the fly for his first ever river crossing, never mind that he was also towing the caravan! The car and caravan both survived the drive in, although we did get some water on the inside step of the caravan that came through the vents at the bottom of the door.

Once we checked in and found our campsite we hung out for the afternoon. Olivia and Theo played cricket in the heat of the afternoon. Then we all headed over to the creek for the kids to have a swim. Olivia then scouted out a few places for her bracelet stall.

Day 48: Katherine to NT/WA Border

Today we started to head west towards the West Australia (WA) border. Along the way we passed through Judbarra (Gregory) National Park - stopping for lunch at the Victoria River Escarpment Trail car park. We then we continued along the Victoria Highway until we were 16km east of the NT/WA border. We stayed the night at the Alex Kellet Rest Area with half a dozen other caravans. We had some lovely campsite neighbours who were very helpful in regards to the quarantine requirements for the boarder crossing in the morning, and Olivia even manged another sale of her bracelets.

Tonight we also had our first outside movie night, with a showing of Wild Robot - Theo's choice.

Day 46: Katherine (Day 1)

Today we headed back north of Katherine to Edith Falls. The kids and John jumped into the bottom pool while I went for a walk up to Bemang Lookout to see the middle and upper pools. When I got back to the bottom pool everyone was out. Olivia was cold so had gone to change but the boys were standing on the edge of the pool looking into a tree. It turned out when they were swimming a few minutes earlier a green tree snake had "swum" across from the far shore straight towards John. Once John realised what it was he moved to the side to let it pass before it slithered out of the water and up a nearby tree. It hung around for a bit so we all got to have a look at it. Not long after we saw another one moving across the water a bit further out.

After all that excitement I headed into the pool for a swim, while John headed out to the waterfall at the other end of the pool. The kids had set themselves up a picnic in the sun to warm up again. When John got back he went up to Bemang Lookout as well before we all headed back to camp for the 3:30pm animal feeding at the farm stay.

The previous night we saw a few of the animals on the farm we are staying at but today we got to find out how many different types there are. We started the feeding tour with the cows, followed by the goats, horse and donkeys. We also got to pet the very cute 3 week old baby goats. Next stop was the emus, where the owner put the pellets into his mouth and let the emus eat out of his mouth. No one else was game to give that a go so opted to keep the pellets in our hands instead. From here we went over to the water buffaloes, pigs (including piglets) and a saltwater crocodile. Then we got to see all of the smaller animals they have, including, sugar gliders, frill neck lizards, several other lizards, snakes, a fresh water crocodile, rabbits and ducks. At the very end of the tour the kids could line up to hold a snake. Olivia jumped into line whereas Theo was happy to watch.

Theo finished off his evening with another game of cricket while Olivia started making lots of friendship bracelets as she is keen to start up a store at our next caravan park.

Day 45: Kakadu National Park to Katherine

Last night it rained on our camp for the first time since we left Adelaide. We had forgotten how loud it sounds on the roof when it is raining heavily, which resulted in everyone sleeping in the next morning. Our first stop was 2 km down the road at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre. This was a great way to wrap up our time in the park. There were several displays on the various stories that we read about at Ubirr and Burrungkuy art sites, and a lot of information on the culture both old and new of the local indigenous groups.

Next we headed back south to the Stuart Highway and had lunch at Pine Creek on our way to Katherine. We rolled into Katherine Farmstay late in the afternoon. We have a great spot next to the pool and playground. Once camp was set up, we had a wander around looking at some of the animals, including emus, turkeys, ostriches, peacocks, water buffalo and goats. After, Theo and Olivia found a few kids to play cricket with before dinner.

The evenings are cooler in Katherine which is a nice change from the Top End. I think we have realised as a family that we don't love the hot nights!