The Kimberleys and Cape Leveque

ONE BAD DAY

Just over two weeks ago, we left Katherine and headed 520kms west, bound for Kununarra (just over the border of WA). What started off as an uneventful, pretty mindless day, quickly turned to be a bad day in the history of travel, especially for poor Geoff... 

Although quite dry and arid, the landscape was captivating with ridges and our first glimpses of Boab trees... 

With around 100kms to go, we started to get a strong wof of a terrible, plastic-burning type smell. Overwhelmed by the smell we quickly pulled over and to our horror discovered smoke pouring out from under the bonnet. I ran to get the fire extinguisher while Geoff opened the bonnet. Thankfully there was no fire, just smoke. Having NO idea what part of the car was smoking, Geoff pulled out the Landcruiser Engine manuel and diagnosed it as the air-conditioning unit, but wasn't 100% sure. Not too long later, a grey nomad who had been servicing his own cars all his life, confirmed Geoff's diagnosis. So in the sweltering heat, in the middle of nowhere we pushed on with windows down, glad we were still able to continue...

Stupidly, without thinking, we had stocked up on fresh fruit/veg in Katherine before we left, knowing we would be in some even more remote areas for quite awhile. We didn't realise there is a fruit/veg quarantine station you have to pass through to enter WA. They seized 8.5kg of fruit/veg and 750g of a new pot of honey! Shattered. We also didn't realise there is a fine if they sieze more than 5kg. Thankfully, the lady had compassion on us and waved the fine. Before we devastatingly handed over all our goodies, inspired by similar events to Mark & Sarah, we gorged ourselves on fruit/veg - 3 oranges, watermelon, rockmelon, 1 tomato and dates... yes, we both went to bed later that night with regrettable gas pains!

When we arrrived in Kununurra, we drove straight to Toyota and Geoff asked if they could just confirm that it was definitely the air con. They basically told him to bugger off, and wouldn't even come outside just to do a quick check. Deveated, we drove straight to the van park and as we were setting up, a bird pooed on Geoff's head... When he turned around to show me, I just had to laugh. It was all down the back of his head, down his neck and on his shirt. Not a good day for poor Geoffrey!

KUNUNURRA

The next morning, Geoff found a willing mechanic who confirmed the diagnosis. We arranged for the air con to be fixed in Broome, two weeks away!! Not cool. 

You'll find Kununarra among the scenic hills and ranges of the far north-east Kimberley region. It has an abundance of fresh water, due to the Ord River Irrigation scheme. This makes it an ideal farming area with warmth, sunshine, good soil and endless water. The aboriginals seem to be there in large numbers too, mostly wandering (nah staggering) through town.

Whilst there, we visited the Zebra Rock Mine showroom and it was FASCINATING! I'm not naturally awe-inspired by rocks as Geoff is, but this stuff was incredible. It's hard to believe its natural. It looks just like someone has painted the rocks. The price tag's was just as impressive, but we managed to buy a few small, unpolished rocks. Once again, a testiment to the creative ability of our God. 

This big guy hung around our camp for a couple of days. You can imagine how horrified I was when I was watching him one day blissfully hop across the ground, when a bird swooped down and grabbed him and proceeded to whack him into the dirt over and over...

GIBB RIVER ROAD across the KIMBERLEYS

After a few days regrouping and resting in the heat of Kununurra, we began the infamous 700km stretch of rough, rocky, dirt road across the Kimberleys, known as the Gibb River Road. Hilariously, we found ourselves smack bang in the middle of a NSW Variety Car Rally Bash! Was so funny to watch their crazy decorated, old vintage cars tackle the rough track, then only to find them down the road broken down. And they were going a cracking pace too, overtaking us in our big offroad rig!! No wonder, they were dropping off like flies... 

The down side of travelling with them was all the dust! Having no air con, our electric windows definitely got a workout.

Yes, I too was disturbed by the man wearing a strange dress... eventually worked out his car was inspired by the Flinstones.

The highlight of they day was definitely the famous Pentecost River Crossing and seeing these vintage cars stagger across. Some better than others.

 One of them got bogged in the middle right in front of us. We tried to help tow them through but there was nowhere on the back of our camper to connect to...

Proudly trying to show off my new little baby bump...

We camped the night at a place called Home Valley Station (somewhere down in the valley of the next photo). As we were setting up camp, out of nowhere the wind picked up and a huge Willy Willy ripped through, right through a camp over the road from us. All their stuff, including their table ended up in the air and their tent surprising bent to unrealistic angles! I let out a small scream as it then headed towards us, but thankfully it passed over the bonnet of the car not our camper. Was scary but great to see. 

When we thought of the Kimberleys we envisioned Malcom Douglas exploring numerous, unchartered, deadly yet stunning waterways. It was surprising then, to find mostly arid, dry landscapes with gorges sprinkled throughout, and a severe lack of wildlife. (We later found the Kimberley area we were envisioning is known as the Buccaneer Archepegilo area). To see all of the gorges you had to walk in, usually 2-3kms in 30+ degree heat. This is something I knew would be a challenge for me, but we had heard Manning Gorge was worth the walk, so we took it on... 

It was a relief (for me) when we finally made it to the stunning gorge with its clear, cool water... It was the most refreshing, most needed, most enjoyable, swim of the whole trip (once again speaking for myself here)...

The best thing about the gorge was all the natural graduating platforms that you could jump off. Geoff, after some deliberating, proudly took on the highest jump (maybe 8m?). Was also really special to watch all the kids there work up their courage to jump from higher and higher platforms...

The one saving grace about doing the hike into this gorge was at the start and finish there was another waterhole. You simply packed all your stuff in an esky and swam across... 

Some more photos of the waterhole we swam across with eskies early one morning.

Another gorge called Galvins Gorge that was only a 15min walk. 

At the gorge there was a tour guide explaining the symbolism behind this sacred traditional Aboriginal Rock art... I would like to question the validity of the artwork...

It was HOT, dusty, rough, and HOT driving across the top of WA with no air con on the Gibb River Road. We ended up thinking "stuff it" lets just keep going and get out of here. So we high-tailed it to a town called Derby for the night. Here is a few photos along the rest of the way...

A prison boab tree. Very cool but with a sad history. Before Derby was established in 1883, Aboriginal people were kidnapped from the West Kimberley. The kidnappers, known as blackbirders, were settlers who were connected with the pearling industry. They wanted divers and workers for the pearling boats. They rounded people up, put them in chains and marched them to the coast. It is believed that some may have held their captives inside the Boab tree while they waited for a boat.

CAPE LEVEQUE

About 2.5hours north of Broome is a peninsula owned by the Aboriginals called Cape Leveque. We were keen to just hang in one spot and heard it was nice, so we booked in for a week at Middle Lagoon, (and we had some time to kill before staying in Broome). The road in was again dirt and pretty rough going...

Our camp for the next week.

We didn't realise when we had booked that there were sites that overlooked the beautiful Indian Ocean (for no extra cost). They had the BEST views!! especially with lots of whales swimming past.

I wet myself laughing when Geoff got his beloved hat stuck on something while setting up...

                              

The tides up here are HUGE. It looked like a different beach at low tide with all the rocks exposed.

If anyone can enlighten us as to what this thing is... It was determined to get us, to the point where we had to each take a thong off and like preparing to smash a cricket ball we would knock it from here to kingdom come... yet it still kept coming back!

Hot, but lovely. (low to mid 30's every day).

Of course, one of the perks of middle lagoon was fishing. Was super keen to see what we could find.

I caught a massive shovel nose ray...

This is a classic photo that just makes me laugh. As you can see in the background, there are heaps of birds that were all feeding behind us. Lots of birds = lots of fish. Meanwhile, in the foreground, Geoff is stuffing his face, totally unconcerned with the perfect fishing conditions going on behind him...

It was something else to see these birds dive into the ocean like fighter planes...

Geoff did come up with the goods though, landing this nice Queenfish that provided some fresh fish'n'chips for lunch. 

I had been trying to catch livebait with my jig for days without success. On our last day fishing, a boat near us pulled up and within minutes had heaps of livebait using a cast net (they are illegal in NSW). I longingly, enviously watched and silently prayed they might share some with us. Lo and behold, God heard my little prayer and they promptly pulled up beside us and gave us some! However, before long I realised they must have just passed on their near-dead ones as they ALL died before I could use one. Then the weirdest thing happened. I put a stiff, mouth-stuck-wide-open, now very dead bait on my hook and threw it out thinking its better than nothing. A few minutes passed and suddenly I felt some action on my line. To my complete surprise and shock, I pulled in a very lively bait. We have NO idea how he came back to life and with such vigour, after being so incredibly dead. I praised God for this little miracle and sent my fish out again with high hopes it was bound for greatness. And greatness it was, I landed my biggest mackeral ever!!! (Forgot to weigh him before we released him tho).

THE BEST DAY

The day we travelled to the tip of Cape Leveque is one of the best days we have had on the road in the last 15 months of travelling. The day started off at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. It was the first Australian pearl farm and is owned and run by a family now in their 4th generation. We did a tour with a top bloke called Stu, and it turned out it was just us and him. We both found it totally fascinating. It takes two years for a pearl to grow. All round pearls are formed by artificially inserting a round ball made of mother of pearl (the inside shiny layer found in all oysters) into the gonad (guts) region of the giant oyster. The oyster than naturally coats the ball in mother of pearl, but it is rare for it to be perfectly round, hence their price. Every 30 days their 200,000 pearl producing oysters, needs to be cleaned from barnacles etc. so they can open and close easily. A cleaning boat of 2-3 workers are expected to clean 2800 shells a day using a high pressure rinse and a hand-held chisel! The waters up here are perfect conditions for growing pearls due to the warm water that is full of nutrients. Well, that some of the interesting facts we learnt about pearls..

A lookout at the Pearl farm overlooking Cygnet Bay.

After the tour, Stu showed off their most expensive pearl pieces including this $100,000 necklace! I felt a bit like the queen with such expensive pearls around my neck!

After our tour, we treated ourselves to a cafe lunch overlooking the ocean before we explored some of the stunning scenery (even though it was VERY hot)...

Yes, once again attempting to show off my bump...

NB. Whale jumping in background..

At 2.30 we headed back to the Pearl farm for a sunset dinner cruise on a catamaran. I don't know if you have seen these boats that have wheels to drive on land... it was a surreal experience to drive down the road in a boat, then straight out into the water without stopping. Very cool. 

Hello. 

The thousands of oyster pearl buoys...

Yep it was idealic. Stunning aqua water, a comfortable, luxurious boat, only 3 other couples (strangely enough from Newcastle), a skipper and a cook all for a bargin price. And would you believe we saw 3 sharks, and one of them was HUGE! Guessing around 9 foot - a hammerhead. It swam right past the boat on the side Geoff and I were sitting. Glorious, I couldn't be happier.

What a perfect day it was. It was only slightly marred by the fact that when we arrived back at camp at 8.30pm, we had to endure the cold showers. I prayed that just like God turned water into wine, he would miraculously turn my cold shower into warm. Alas, he did not. 

With happy memories, we headed south towards Broome and on the way stopped to see a beautiful Church altar built using mother of pearl at Beagel Bay. It was worth the look, so gorgeous.

We arrived in Broome on Thursday night, and Praise God had the air-conditioning fixed yesterday (Friday). We are in Broome until Tues morn. but I shall fill you in on Broome in another blog. Here's a sneak peak of Cable Beach...