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| Allan crossing the creek after fighting the bush fire. |
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Boab Tree - Sunset at Fitzroy Crossing
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| Boab Tree |
Fitzroy Crossing 20th June
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| Fitzroy River Ended up spending the day here in Fitzroy Crossing. Jo has been concerned about the fact that the batteries did not seem to be holding the charge so got an auto electrician to come out and see if he could locate the problem. After phone calls to the maker of the camper, the auto-electrician was able to locate the problem which was a fuse in the major fuse box but it was very difficult to see. |
It was after 10 AM before it was sorted so we thought it was a bit late to then pack up and head off so we stayed the day. Then Allan discovered that he had blown a fuse in a similar manner so both are not sorted.
We were going for a walk so I went to put my boots on but decided to clean them. To my surprise, I found that the soles on both shoes had disintegrated and were separating from the boot. Glued them up with araldite. Fortunately there was a clothing and shoe place and I was able to buy a new pair of boots.
Everywhere you look , there are dozens of Whistling Kites soaring across the skies here.
Tomorrow, we are off towards the Gibb.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Sawpit Gorge- Fitzroy
Crossing Tuesday June 19
Had an early start this
morning and were back in Halls Creek by 9.30. Pat & I were delegated to do
the shopping for provisions while Allan and Jo filled the cars with fuel,
filled the gerry cans and checked the tyre pressure. Apparently there was a big
line up of cars/caravans waiting to fill and they expected to run out of diesel
before the morning was out and the next supplies were not due until Wednesday.
Headed west towards
Fitzroy Crossing and it was a bitumen road!!! What a luxury. As we drove the
country changed from flat plains to hills and some of the strata of the hills
was really interesting. The Kimberley certainly has some interesting geological
features. Wish I knew more about me as there seems to be such diversity.
I was surprised by Halls
Creek and Fitzroy Crossing. They seem to be much cleaner and more orderly than
my visit in the mid-eighties. Both towns seem to be moving ahead.
Tomorrow we are going to Tunnel Creek then onto Windjana Gorge before starting on the Gibb River Road.
Halls Creek - Sawpit Gorge Monday 18 June
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| China Wall |
After a mini break at the Best Western Motel, we set out today to travel to Sawpit Gorge – a journey of 52kms. Sawpit Gorge is the most easily accessible and secluded spot near Halls Creek. It is surrounded by towering rock walls that were formed when the Black Elvire River forced its way through the rock ridge.
On the way, we drove to China Wall which is a sub vertical quartz vein protruding up to 6 metres from the surrounding surface. It can be seen from the air in several places en-route to the Bungle Bungles.
Our next stop was Caroline Pool, a pretty spot with waterholes, shady trees and a wide bank.
At the turnoff to Sawpit is a fresh water spring surrounded by palms called Palm Springs but it was very busy so we gave it a miss.
Just past Palm Springs we saw a bushfire. We had only set up camp about an hour when we looked up and could see the flames advancing through the trees. There are 3 other campers here and they were not concerned as they thought it would not jump the creek. Allan was concerned because he thought the fire could jump the road further up and then come up the other side of the creek. He stayed and put out any flames that crossed the road. Bit scary when you saw how quickly it advanced!!!
Sunday, 17 June 2012
End of the Tanami
We are about to turn off the Tanami and onto the bitumen that leads to Halls Creek.
Native Hibiscus
All along the road from the Wolfe Creek Turnoff, there were lots of there hibiscus plants.
Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater enroute to Halls Creek 16 June
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| Pat, Jo, Allan at the Crater rim. |
After leaving Lake Stretch, we went into Billiluna for fuel before re-joining the Tanami and on to Halls Creek. Excitement as we reached the end of the 1000km Tanami and rejoined the bitumen. We did a detour to the Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater. Now we are having a couple of days in Halls Creek in a motel before heading to Sawpit Gorge, the up to the Gibb. Will probably be out of contact for over 10 days.
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Lake Stretch Friday 15 June
Friday 15th June Lake Stretch
Lake Stretch is in the Paruku Indigenous
Protected Area and is a unique environment of more or less permanent water. It
is one of the significant sites of inland wetlands. The Paruku Lakes system
support at least 73 species of waterbirds and provide a stopover for migrant
shorebirds. It supports the largest breeding colony of little black cormorants
in Australia. Lots of them here at the moment. The latest archaeological data,
the lakes have supported the indigenous people for over 21 000 years. Lake
Stretch (Nyarna) is a regular swimming hole for the children at Billiiluna and
a number of children were swimming here yesterday.
It is a bird watcher’s paradise. Many Kites flying
overhead and nested in the trees. I thought they were black shouldered kites,
but the Letterwing Kite resides here. This morning, Gail, a lady from
Newcastle, who is travelling the same way and I went off with our cameras and
found a Sacred Kingfisher.
Quite cloudy and we have had a few drops of
rain. Marvelous what a few hundred kilometers does to the temperature!!! 31
degrees yesterday. Out with the flannos and on with the summer clothes.
Made another damper today and this time it
was a success!!Yeah!!!
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