Headed off today towards Kununurra and the start of the infamous Gibb River Road - over 700kms of rough unsealed corrugated road plus numerous side trips to explore the many fascinating gorges. This is why we have travelled for 7 days - to get to the starting point of Kununurra!
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Passing through spectacular country still in
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A Tribute to the Pioneers of this remote country area
A replica Bronco Panel
The innovative pioneers developed these bronco panels in order to restrain cattle while they worked with them - branding etc.
Our Rig
Kununurra - a Carpark full of 4x4s
I have never seen so many 4x4s in one carpark. Kununurra is the last centre where travellers can stock up before heading into The Kimberleys. Customers were buying bottled water as fast as supermarket staff could restock. Batteries for lights etc were in short supply. The camping shop was also very busy. We topped up our supplies and fuel and then moved on towards our main objective - the start of The Gibb River Road.
All roads are open as one would expect at this time of year - Winter. It is impossible to travel this route in the Wet Season (summer) with roads closed due to extreme flooding sometimes for many weeks.
The Last Frontier - The Kimberley, Western Australia - crocodile country
We are excited to at last arrive at the start of the Gibb River Road. Over 700kms of unsealed gravel road lies ahead plus side trips to the numerous gorges. It has taken us 7 days of driving to get here from Cooroy. Our destination for tonight is El Questro Station. The road as far as the turn-off to El Questro is bitumin - we then turn onto the unsealed gravel road and the first of the river crossings - (through the water - not over it!)
A river crossing on the road into El Questro
The entrance to El Questro
El Questro Reception, Shop and Cafe
The shop is well-stocked but the prices reflect the remoteness of this area. The facilities at El Questro are good but it is a busy place and I can imagine that in the high season there would be queues for showers etc.
Our campsite beside the river (centre)
The river beside the campsite provides
a relaxing place for a cooling dip
Resident Donkeys at El Questro
We have booked into El Questro for 2 nights so the next morning we venture back through the river and head to Zebedee Hot Springs which is close to El Questro. Just a short walk from the carpark and we arrive at the beautiful tropical forest which surrounds the hot springs. The water was warm and relaxing. It is a lovely spot. We had a long chat to some English backpackers. They had just teamed up and with only a 2wd hire car had just decided to travel along the Gibb River Road. We wondered if they realised what lay ahead of them. They appeared to be totally unprepared. We often wonder how they went.
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Tezza at Zebedee Hot Springs |
Zebedee Hot Springs - Tezza enjoying a dip in the hot springs
In the afternoon we decided to drive the 4x4 track up to Saddleback Ridge. It was pretty a rough track and not for the inexperienced. But it was worth the drive, with fantastic views from the top.
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Saddleback Ridge 4x4 track |
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