A Tale of Ten Cities

Just off the great Northern Highway, we let down our tyres for the second time in one day and rumbled down the track beside the dusky Cockburn Ranges. We took the side track to El Questro, shaking Southwards according to the signs. Emerging from the stony Pentecost River crossing on the property, we rounded a bend and came upon the Station Township.

El Questro is a cattle station on a million acres of land. Currently only 2000 cattle run on the property to maintain the conditions of the pastoral lease. Incredible natural beauty, falls, springs and sweeping vistas led a young English Aristocrat to buy it in 1991 and spend millions, turning it into a place where travellers like us can come to enjoy the splendour of the Kimberley.

In the morning we woke at 5:30am – not because we were very keen for an early start but because it was completely light and every other family was having breakfast already. There is absolutely no excuse for random time zones that bear no relation to when the sun rises!

Using our low range gears (Sam – I even know what those are now) we crossed the Pentecost and headed for the track to El Questro Gorge. When we got there, the river crossing to the track was murky and appeared deep. The sign said “High Clearance Vehicles only” So in the spirit of adventure, we chickened out and headed back up the road to Emma Gorge.

Up to Emma Gorge

The walk was about 1.7km of rock hopping and rainforest walking. Along the way we spotted birds, tiny frogs and an impossibly blue “Turquoise Pool”.

Tiny Frog of Emma Gorge

The Turquoise Pool

Taking a hidden high road (but well marked on our map!) we happened upon the breathtaking waterfall pool of Emma Gorge. Our reward was a crisp sparkling swim at the falls. The pool was clear and fresh, and even had rock overhangs that you could swim under like you were in a cave. Wonderful!

Beneath the falls

Under the overhanging rock - just like a cave!

It was hot on the way down, but the water was running clean and cool.

We took a sunset 4WD together up Saddleback Hill and it was definitely the steepest track we have been on. There were hairpin bends and as soon as the sun had popped over the horizon, we high-tailed it into the car so we wouldn’t have to do the drive back down in the dark!

As far as the eye can see - the vast landscape of El Questro

Our trip to Zebedee Springs the next day was enjoyable – we lazed in the warm water holes (kind of a warm mini Buley Rockhole) and tried to enjoy it in between the coachloads.

Zebedee Springs - a tropical oasis - 5 mtrs wide

axo1000 in the warm Zebedee Springs

We met lots of other families at the swimming hole near the campsite. Many were doing a big trip like ours and we exchanged our share of road and travel information in return for some of theirs. Those just at the end of the Gibb River Road were great resources for those of us just at the beginning. Fellow Jayco owners told us exactly how many days our gas bottle for the fridge would last without power and we realized that ours would run out tomorrow!!!! Yes they do fill gas bottles at El Questro.

Engineers damming the Pentecost.

A real highlight was the campfire. Due to many and varied circumstances, it was our first (personal) campfire of the trip. BloggiE, Axo1000, Spike and Tom collected wood in the afternoon and we had guitar, didgereedoo and tapping sticks as well as good conversation and marshmallows.

Campfire pose everyone!

In the end we couldn’t let it go, and like a dog with a bone, we turned up to El Questro Gorge on the last morning determined to cross that river. (Collective wisdom in the campsite had seen even a standard Pajero cross it the day before!) So over we went as a new set of uncertain potential-river-crossers stood watching us nervously. It was the deepest yet – well up my door, and there was a sandy bottom, but we made it. We hiked our way through the rocky gorge – much more tropical than Emma – and swam in the pool. We saw our first snake in the wild – a black whipsnake we think – and some Sooty Grunters (fish) in the water.

El Questro Gorge

BloggiE and axo1000 have done really well on all our walks. They have developed a standard set of questions when the word “gorge” is mentioned now. Provided the ratio of swimming to walking remains high and the walk severity index remains low, complaints can be managed on a case by case basis. Naturally once the cost benefit analysis has been done, there are occasions where the whingeometer has been known to reach extreme and even catastrophic occasionally. Bribery helps.

Complaints reduction scheme - a swim at halfway pool

All in all, we’ve had a marvelous time at El Questro. The wild beauty and the vast scenic mountains were the backdrop to some fantastic family adventures. The river crossings, conversations about road conditions and dusty everything, gave us that cattle station and wilderness feeling. And after making it through El Questro Gorge after all, we were ready to drive back out to tackle the Gibb River Road.

Saw our first serious road accident on the Kakadu Highway.

Wicked crash!

2 German tourists rolled a Wicked Camper. We were the first on the scene with a sat. phone and Spike called 000. (You can spot him in the pic) Aussies are good in a crisis. Guys were already directing traffic when we arrived, minutes after the incident. The Germans were then attended by an off duty ambo and a nurse holidaying in Kakadu. They had cuts, bruises and one had a fairly deep gash to the head. Eventually, with help on the way, we drove on and passed the police and rescue vehicles only 10 mins down the road. Great to know how swiftly services can arrive.

In Katherine, we did an afternoon of Aboriginal Painting at Top Didj. Spike & BloggiE did dot paintings and ax01000 and I did Rarrk (cross hatching) ones.

axo1000 consulting on his Yam masterpiece

Finished product - Dalabon Yams

BloggiE dotting her own story.

We spent 2 nights in Nitmiluk (Katherine) National Park. After the resident campground animal being shoe-eating-dingos for so long, it was a nice change to have kangaroos hopping around the site. It was so hot, that we were glad to be canoeing on the gorge.

Just a breeze - enough to take a break and do a little floating.

And at the end, there was a creek with a fabulous current for a little floating without the boat!

Ahhhhhhhh.....

And finally, it was time to clean out the fridge and drive to the border – Katherine to Kununurra – where we were inspected by quarantine and sent on our way west, with an extra hour and a half up our sleeve.

September in W.A.

Gurrung – from August to October is the hot dry season in Kakadu. Happily for us it is also the season of the Stone Country Festival in Gunbalyana (formerly known as Oenpelli).

Once a year, the locals open their home to the not-so-locals who can drive across Cahill’s Crossing without a permit, into Arnhem Land for the occasion. It was a unique opportunity for our family to experience the indigenous culture of the Gunbalanya Community in the spectacular setting of the escarpment and floodplains of Western Arnhem Land.

We drove Tug across Cahill's crossing - this is a picture of the car in front. We saw crocs here yesterday and I was not getting out to film this time. That fishing guy is crazy!!!!

Floodplains #1 - The drive in was not sealed. We passed through the escarpment and the amazing flood plains that we had spotted from Ubirr at sunset.

We parked next to the Gunbalanya oval. It was 37 degrees and 2pm. We navigated our way through town to the art centre “Injalak.” Local artists paint and exhibit their work there. There were canvases, designs on paper, didgeredoos, weaving and the only air conditioning unit in town. Afterwards Eleanor and I headed for the trees outside where, if you sat down near the women, they would teach you to weave pandanus. We both made a little progress on some baskets begun by others. It was clearly a community weaving project, as it takes a long time to do. I am happy to report that it involved mainly blanket stitch!.

A little weaving - using pandanus and needles. A sharpened wallaby bone was used before they had needles.

Floodplains #2 - Behind the township, lay the floodplains with Egrets, Jabiru and crocodiles.

We made our way back through the heat haze to the oval, and watched the end of the AFL final that was being played there. St John’s College Darwin defeated the others – not sure who was playing in the Blue and White. Slowly the players and their supporters made their way back to the Gunbalanya Primary School for the presentation and I was very keen to have a little peek into a very different school environment. It was well resourced, with a huge COLA and plenty of heat defeating strategies, though it was hard to see into the rooms as a result.

BloggiE made a new acquaintance at Gunbalanya Primary.

Mosaic on the verandah of the Kindy classroom.

Later, on the specially prepared sandy stage, a dancing festival was held. We sat under camouflage netting and Axo1000 and BloggiE saw their first Aboriginal dancing. And what a setting! The escarpment and floodplains was the backdrop for the dancers and the band played under thatched huts. It was hard to go past it.

The Musos

The dancers

For many there was camping on the oval, where indigenous bands were playing till midnight. But we drove home along the floodplains and stopped for one last look.

Floodplains #3

Floodplains #4

Tom & Axo1000 look over Arnhem Land