Photos of Bell Gorge

Lower falls

 

the three amigos at Bells campsite

thirsty work

Bells Falls

Lower Falls

Rob checking out the scene

 

Photos - Windjana and Tunnel Creek

Windjana - early lunch

Windjana Walk

Windjana Walk evening

the three amigos

Tunnel Creek entry (note the crowd)

Tunnel Creek

Mt Barnett and Manning Gorge

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Mt Barnett/Manning Gorge

Slept in until 6am at Silent Grove with a good sleep had by all. No issues with sustained snoring although Paul is the one who is the loudest by far. We just start speaking and that seems to shut up the offender. Nobody has moved out or even threatened to, so that says something. A very hot night although it did cool off by midnight. We had a light breakfast and packed up. We had another issue with the earth wire from the trailer as no charge was being received from the vehicle. Paul being his usual creative self rigged up a temporary earth wire using the Honda 12v charge wires. It did the trick!

We then filled up the water tank in the trailer given that the water on site was excellent in taste and was fed from a spring. We departed at 9am with only a short 27km trip to Imintji Roadhouse. We filled up the Nissan with 54 litres of fuel at $2.29 litre for $123.65. Paul and Rob went into the roadhouse while I filled up the vehicle. They purchased 4xmince packs, bread rolls, bread, fruit and 3 made-up lunch rolls for a total of $75. Rob purchased a $20 Telstra phonecard & phoned Lee from the public phone on the store verandah.

We departed Imintji and headed for the turnoff to Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary a distance of only 25km. Just past the turnoff we found a radio hut where we were required to call through to check on vacancies in the campground. The distance in was around 90km on a pretty rough track so it was a good move – we were informed that the camp ground was full and invited to come back on Thursday morning when they expected vacancies. We declined and drove back to the intersection where we found a windmill and some vacant space to pull over and have a cup of tea and decide what to do next. We had planned to stay at Mornington for 2 nights and had not expected it to be full.

We decided to drive onto Mt Barnett roadhouse which was only 70 km down the road. We found that they had vacancies at the Manning Gorge campground. It was located 7km off the Gibb and we paid $20pp ($60 total) for one night. The campsite was more basic that the DEC campsites we had stayed at. It had limited showers and toilets, no drinking water and very limited times to run the generator.  Times were 6.30am to 10am and again from 4pm to 7pm. We set up camp including the annex for the first time as we liked what we saw and decided to stay for a couple more nights. The annex went up very quickly with 3 of us – Rob and I were familiar with the set up and Paul picked it up quickly as it was the first time he had seen it being erected.

We relaxed in the afternoon and decided to go for a swim later in the day in the Manning River which adjoined the campground. It was very hot with no breeze and temps in the mid 30s. The river was too deep to walk across so somebody had set up a rope and pulley system with a small tinnie so that you could pull yourself across without getting wet. You needed to cross the river to reach Manning Gorge. Quite a few of the campers were swimming so we took advantage of this and found it to be very refreshing. No freshwater crocs.

We decided to have steak for dinner – both the boys had been fretting about the cryo pack and were concerned that the meat would be tainted given that our power supply to the fridge had been unreliable. Anyway their concerns proved fruitless – Rob did the honors of slicing the meat into fillets and he cooked up the lot. That night we dined on steak, mashed potatoes, tomatoes and peas. We were pretty much in bed very early given that we could not run the generator past 7pm.

Bell Gorge - Day 2

Monday 8 July 2013

Bell Gorge

Good nights sleep had by all – woke up at 6am. Breakfast of cereal and toast. Finished off last of the bread. Early morning spent relaxing and sharing stories. Late morning we drove to Bell Gorge and walked down to the lower falls for a swim. The water was very cold but invigorating once in. Lots of good photo opportunities. The waterfall was quite spectacular from the base looking up. Lunch was oranges and fruit cake. After a long swim and relax, Rob and I decided to trail a path and walk downstream to see what was there. We found another waterfall about 700metres further down and quite stunning in outlook.

We returned to camp early afternoon. Decided to have a shower but found water pressure very low and no hot water. Also tried to use phone card at Telstra box to call home but phone would not take Telstra card which we found to be very odd. Paul’s card would also not work. Got a headache today and think it a touch of dehydration as temps in the mid 30s. Decided to increase my water intake and ensure that I am drinking 4 glasses during early morning around breakfast. Went for a walk around the campsite that afternoon and what an array of tents, camper trailers and offroad caravans. It has been a good opportunity to see what is out there and of course to make the obvious comparisons with my own trailer. Heated up Lucy’s curry and rice for dinner – again all eaten and no complaints from the boys. DEC rules required all generator to be turned off by 8pm so we went to bed.

Recovered from headache so stayed up and wrote diary. Also reduced tyre pressure on Nissan and trailer – front tyres to 30psi, rear tyres to 35psi and trailer tyres 35psi.

Bell Gorge

Sunday 7 July 2013

Bell Gorge

Up early at Windjana Gorge – first light around 5.30am. Walked to Gorge as Lindsay keen to take photos of gorge in early morning light using his tripod. Great opportunity for photos although evening photos probably the most dramatic. Paul and Rob took heaps of photos as well. Back at camp by 7am – Rob cooked up poached eggs and beans and toast. Took our time relaxed and then cleaned up. Departed camp at 10am. We decided to remove the arm of the spare trailer tyre as well as the spare tyre and attach it to the top of the trailer camper with the spare trailer wheel. We moved the spare Nissan tyre to the front of the trailer.

The road to Bell Gorge was in good condition and it only took us two hours. We drove through the King Leopold ranges on the way to Bells – the scenery was absolutely stunning and Lindsay took heaps of photos from the car as Robert was driving. We set up camp at the DEC campground at Silent Grove. We arrived midday – the camp was nearly full – and we set up the trailer as we will be here for two nights. I must say that we are getting better with the set up and faster. This time we erected the annex which proved a good move as it gave more shade from the hot sun.

The campground is managed by DEC and so we had the same as Windjana with showers, flushing toilets and tap water. The water tasted very nice and we found out that it was from a local spring. Costs were $8 pp as per the previous site. Volunteers were at the ground overseeing who and where people camped as well as ensuring that people paid their fees. We did not have to pay entry fee for national park entry as Lindsay had purchased a 12 month sticker for $80 from DEC. Seniors rate of course!

We had a light lunch of fruit, cheese, crackers and tea. We then drove to Bell Gorge at 3.30pm – in the cooler part of the day – a distance of 10km from the campground. We then walked into the gorge and found a beautiful waterfall suitable for swimming. Most people were leaving when we walked in and we took some great photos of the top of the waterfall. We decided to come back tomorrow and swim in the lower falls. Dinner for the night was spaghetti bolognaise, cheese and parsley. Thanks again Lucy – it was delicious and again nothing left over as everybody had worked up an appetite. We were able to run the generator until 8pm and to charge the trailer battery. Once the generator was off it appeared that was time to go to bed – it appears that will be the norm for the trip – up early 5.30 – 6am but in bed around 8pm or 9pm if we are lucky enough to have a movie being shown.

Temperature today was 33 degrees from around 11am to 4pm. Rainfall nil.

Photos Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek

not letting me post photos so will reduce in size today and post later.

Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek

Saturday 6 July 2013

Windjana Gorge/Tunnel Creek

Up at 6am at Derby Caravan park campsite talthough movement in the camp from 4.30am. Lindsay up and washed at 5.30am – could not sleep as well due to noise of indigenous locals until 5.30am. Yelling, arguing, drunken state – they were not in the camp but the noise was from the town. As we have found noise travels further in the night time when all is quiet. We decided to have breakfast in the park before departure from Derby. Cereal and coffee. Departed 8am after problems with tying off tyres with restraining straps and also tying of the broken riveted latch base for the spare wheel arm. Robert identified using a hose clamp to stop it popping out. We have decided to remove the arm off the rear of the trailer and to strap onto the front of the trailer attached to its spare wheel. We finally got away from town after visiting the local Mitre 10 shop to purchase the hose clamp and multigrips for the job. We were successful with this idea.

Drove to Windjana Gorge which was 144km from the Derby Road turnoff. It took us about 2 and half hours. We had bitumen over several sections and the road was corrugated and very rough. It was a good intro for what we would be in later on in the trip as Paul stated. We decided to uncouple the trailer at Windjana Gorge camp ground and left it locked up. We had morning tea then decided to have an early lunch of tuna, salad and bread. We drove to Tunnel Creek some 35km distance (70km return). The road was very rough and it was good to drive without the trailer attached. The tunnel creek carpark was packed and it was like a coles carpark. We had a heap of people in front of us and had to wait for some time to start our walk. The walk itself was for a distance of 750m underground through water and sand and low overhanging limestone rock. It could have been a surreal experience in the dark but with all the torches from all of the people they looked like glowworms.

We pulled off the road to check out an abandoned building and it took some time to get back onto the Tunnel Creek road – 12 cars drove past each with a dust trail for several hundred metres so you can imagine how long we had to wait. School holidays are on in both WA and NT and most living locally are taking advantage of the cooler weather. That is if you can call 31-34 degrees cool.

We drove back to Windjana and set up our camp. In the cooler evening we decided to walk to the gorge and take some photos. The light was fantastic and the evening sun lit up the gorge and the colours in the rock walls. We all got some great photos including the freshwater crocs. The walk into the gorge was short only being about 500m although there was a walking track that went in several kms. That evening we had Apricot Chicken for dinner – thank you Lucy – nothing left as everybody was hungry. We topped off with beer and red wine. The DEC campground for which we paid $8 each per night had hot showers, flushing toilets and solar. The camp was full and works on a first come first serve basis.

A bonus for all of us was being able to ring through to home via mobiles on Optus but not Telstra. This was an accidental discovery by Paul as he and I have Optus but Robert has Telstra. Paul phoned home first, then I did – we felt sorry for Robert so I gave him my mobile to call home. We later found out from the local ranger that a nearby diamond mine had Optus facilities.