We found a place to set up the tent & started doing that. It was very hot but we got through it & found the shade to be very helpful too. We had some lunch after setting up & then we got chatting to a family who had been on the gorge walk in the morning.
The sign as we entered Windjana Gorge.
Our camp all set up.
The view from our tent site.
In the later afternoon we decided to do the walk into the gorge. It was pretty amazing & although we couldn't swim here we had a super fun time spotting the 100's of Fresh Water Crocs just lazing in the sun on the sandy river bank & also in the water. Here are some of the pics:
See all the crocs in the background of this one! A fair few had swam into the water by the time I took the photo.
This was the tunnel we had to go through to get into the gorge. We took this one on the way back out!
Back at camp we got some dinner, cleaned up, had showers & then hit our sleeping bags!
Trent cooking dinner!
The next day we were up reasonably early, very light here in the Kimberley's from about 5am to be exact! We had some breaky, packed up our gear & had showers - quite hot by this stage too! In the car by around 8.30am.
Our plan was to bypass Bell Gorge & the Silent Grove camping area as we would do this on our return trip. We were headed for Manning River Gorge. The road along the was was corrigated & rough but nothing like we experienced in the cape 2 years ago! We had some spectacular views, a couple of creek crossings (not much water in them though) many 'buckin bulls' or cows to look at (Maurice calls them the buckin bulls). We stopped when we got to the Imintji Store. This store was a couple of shipping containers stuck together but it had EVERYTHING you could possibly need! The kids & Trent got ice creams & a drink, me just a drink! We ate under the trees at a table & chairs next to the store & then it was a quick toilet stop & we were on the road again.
It wasn't all that long before we reached the Mt. Barnett Roadhouse. It was here we had to pay our camping fee for Manning Gorge & the entrance to the camping area was about 7km's behind the roadhouse. We drove down the track to the gorge & then set up camp. It was very hot going but we managed. The kids were really good knowing that if they sat in the shade & let us get the set up done, lunch & a swim was in store for them. And that is exactly what we did. Lunch & then a swim in the river for the rest of the afternoon, it was delightful & very refreshing. Exactly what we were wanting! So so hot! It got to about 4.30pm & we finally got out of the water & back to our camp where we got our dinner cooked & eaten. We had to make sure we were eating at least by 5.15-5.30 as the sun sets around 5.30pm & it doesn't take long before there is no light left! We like to eat in the daylight & clean up, then we can shower over at the amenities block before the generator turns off at 7.30pm! We got the kids into bed by 6.45pm - world record!!! Trent & I sat up & had a cuppa & watched the stars before going to bed ourselves.
Next morning we were up by 5.30am & by 6.30am we were on the walking track to Manning Gorge. It was a rocky, bushy & sandy track that went for an adventurous 2 & a bit km's. We had to do a rope pulling boat to cross the river to start with to which was lots od fun. Trent towards the end of the track had to pit Flick on his shoulders as some of the rocks we had to get over were bigger than she was & the terrain was very steep up & down. It was all over in about an hour & 15minutes, we had made it! It was well worth it, these are the first few pics I took of us swimming but as we swam over to the next pool where the waterfalls are I didn't have the camera & I can't tell you enough how magical it was. The kids were jumping off the different rock ledges into the pool at the bottom of the falls. Maurice jumped from the highest one, so proud of him! They had a ball. The water was lovely & cool, you could see fish swimming all around. Like I said, it was well worth it. Everyone should experience this at least once in their lifetime if they can.
Trent pulling the boat back across the river to us!
So after an amazing time in te water we headed back to the first pool & where we had left all our stuff. We had some sandwiches & biscuits & a drink & then it was time for another quick dip to get cool. We got dressed & by 10am we were heading back out the track. It was really hard going, so lucky that the really hard bit was at the start, otherwise Trent might not have managed to get Flick out! We kept as hydrated as we could, drinking & watering ourselves down & taking shade & a rest where we could. It took us only an extra 10minutes on our way back than on our way there which was suprising but we made it!!!
This was a pic we took as we were heading back, the views are wonderful.
When we got back to camp we headed straight for the showers - cold ones too! Then we went in the car to the roadhouse where we promised the kids some ice cream for the HUGE effort that they had made! Very well deserved those ice creams were. We also found out that it was around the 39 degree mark, so no wonder we were as hot as we were!
Back at camp we again spent the afternoon in the river swimming to keep cool. Back to cook & eat dinner - quick & easy pasta it was! Cleaned up & time for bed, after yet another nice cold bottle of water! It was an eventful night, we could here heaps of noise, like people were packing up or snooping around the camp. It got the better of Trent & he got up around midnight to see. He called me up straight away. I got out of the tent & there was a bull & some cows cruising around the camp checking out everyones things! The cows then moved further on to a camp with a dog, it barked & the cows got an almighty fight running off like crazy! The sound of their hooves was awsome! After all that we both had to do a pee & then it was back to bed for a very restless kind of night. We thought we would have slept really well considering how tired we were. Anyway, the morning came & we made the decision to come back to the van. We knew the 2 other places we were going to visit, Mitchell Falls & Bell Gorge, the kids wouldn't have been able to do without help & Trent & I didn't have it in us. Plus temp was still high & we were starting to run low on water. Oh well, it now gives us an excuse to come back when the kids are a little older & at a time when it isn't so hot to finish what we started.
We packed up after breaky & had showers. We got on the road by about 9.30am. The road had been graded in time we had been there so it was really quite easy going on the way back & we made very good time. Here is just a pic of one of the views on the way back.
We also went past what is known as Queen Victoria's Head, see if you can make it out.
And one final thing we did before getting back to Fitzroy Crossing was visit Tunnel Creek. Here we walked through the tunnel with a river flowing through it. We needed our torches because it was so dark. It was here in the 1800's that an aboriginal man held out the police for a number of years before he was caught at the tunnels entrance. The kids had heaps of fun being adventurers! Here are a couple of pics we took.
We got back to town around 3.30pm. Got fuel, Unpacked the car, washed our gear, washed our clothes & got them hung out. Had a very slack dinner, spag on toast! Showers & bed!
Today we have had a very relaxing kind of day, a little bit of cleaning, Trent cleaned the car & Phe has almost caught up on her homework! Think we might also have a swim & another early night if we can before we head off tomorrow. Not exactly sure yet where to but I will of course let you know where.
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