The Gibb River Rd after we leave El Questro. Once again a rocky bottom crossing & not too deep but still flowing fairly quickly. The cars at the bottom are pulled up replacing the second tyre in 40kms.
The scenery around here is pretty boring, I think we have been spoiled over the last two weeks with country that has been really picturesque.
A number of properties have opened their gates to cash in on the large numbers of tourist flocking to the area. There are off road campers, tenters, caravans & outback four wheel drive tour buses. People of all ages & nationalities, especially retired Europeans in hired four wheel drive campers We even passed a young couple from Perth on push bikes, they were down on water, as we had plenty & would have access to water later in the day we were happy to pour some into their "camels". Not a good place to be without water but luckily their are plenty of people on the road.
Arriving at Drysdale Station we set up the tent again - it does get a bit tedious when it is only a night stopover. But once it's up we are comfortable & it only takes us about 3/4 hour to have the billy on. Thinking about enjoying a roast at the camp kitchen we were put off by the $45.00 price tag & instead opted for a precooked curry & rice.
We weren't prepared for the cold night, not thinking we had slowly been climbing higher up the escarpments. Finally using our beach towels as a top layer we made it through the night. By 9am the temps were up in the mid twenties. Single blow up mattresses in a tent aren't made for cuddling to keep warm!
Next day we were off up the Kulumburu Rd heading for the Mitchell Falls. The road has just opened for the season because of late rains making the crossings unpassable.
We also heard the community at Kulumburu had had some problems. Normally a "dry" (no alcohol) community, some grog had been smuggled in & the locals were acting up.
This photo shows some of the rocks in the road surface which mixed with fairly substantial corrugations makes the going pretty rough with flashbacks to last years trip up to Cape York. We took it slow but there were a lot of drivers who subscribe to the theory if you drive fast enough you stay on top of the corrugations. We passed one Toyota Landcruiser heading south, full of indigenous folk who were speeding along, all windows open with the driver nonchalantly resting his arm on the window ledge steering one handed. I guess this is a highway they are used to.
The drive into Mitchell Falls was scenic with literally millions & millions of Palm trees amongst the schlerophyll bush on the escarpment. The ground beneath emerald green as the new growth grasses & seedlings spike through the earth burnt black from the seasonsal burn offs.
We took it easy pulling over & letting the fast drivers pass.
All was going well until we were 16 km from the camp site & the nice hum of the tyres on gravel changed to an ominous "gallump". Sure enough we had an un repairable flat, with a good hole in the side probably from a sharp rock in the creek we had just driven through. So despite plenty of careful driving with good tyres, luck wasn't on our side.
After replacing the tyre the car temp was 41deg so by the time camp was set up a swim in the rock pool was a welcome relief.
It had taken us 2 hours driving to do 100 kms from Drysdale Station & another 5 hours driving to get to the camp 88 kms from the turn off, allowing 1 hour for tyre change - we did have to read the instruction book, not having had to change a tyre on this car before. As a matter fact, Tone asnt changed a tyre for many a year! While we stopped for repairs we were passed by 8 cars, all stopped but one with an old guy in it, the rest were all young folk more than willing to lend a hand.
A nice evening relaxing under the stars & we turned in at 7.30pm.
These waterfalls better be bloody good tomorrow!
My attempt at photographing the stars above - good photo???? You will just have to believe me that there were more stars than I have ever seen. Oh well, must get out the instruction book on how to photograph stars for next time.
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