4^th July: Kununurra

Wyndham is about 100 kms from Kununurra and is still a port exporting various goods. On the Gulf of Cambridge and surrounded by huge mud flats, it experiences enormous tides. It was established in 1885 as a result of the Hall's Creek goldrush and has since and now exported cattle and minerals. We made the trip up today and found a small, dusty community still separated into 2 “towns” because the terrain, a mountainous outcrop surrrounded by extensive mud flats limitsthe amount of habitable land. The port is at the northern end and here the main wharf, closed to the unauthorised, (and where we walked with the children) exports nickle from around the Ord, sugar from the Kununurra mill, and live cattle. The Chinese have a facility further to the north loading iron ore onto large dredges and transporting it to a mother ship, a bulk container, anchored in deeper water further out in the gulf. These products are all brought in by roadtrains. The other part of the town has a maze of streets that are designed to confuse I'm sure.

We went up to the Five Rivers Lookout which was a steep road up to a great picnic area overviewing the whole region. There are 5 rivers entering the gulf here. Hence the mud flats. Then we saw the statues of an aboriginal family and native animals in a park dedicated to the original people. They are huge and very good. The 20 m crocodile,constructed by students in 1987 and painted black, yellow and green was also on a large scale!

On the way to Wyndham, we called into the Grotto – a chasm with a waterhole at the bottom of seasonal waterfalls. 140 steps down and so we didn't walk down and the water did not look inviting. No falls going in and no stream going out! Kids who walked down liked it! This chasm was a deep split in the flat bedrock which was fissured in squares. It was a slash in the earth's surface which couldn't be seen until you got there. Amazing!

We drove 40 kms down a corrugated dirt “road” to reach the Prison Tree that both Glen and Gail wanted to see only to realise that the one we visited last time was in Derby and more easily accessible. My mistake! But the landscape is covered in Baobs or all shapes, sizes and ages, from skinny to huge fat ones. We saw one in Wyndham “in captivity” in the Caravan Park that was estimated to be 2000 yrs old and had a circumference of 25 metres. But there are others in the bush just as big. This prison tree was very large, hollow inside, had an entrance carved in the side and apparently it, like others, was used as an overnight holding cell as prisoners were walked to the nearest police station.

Our next adventure was driving in over the dry mud flats to Marlgu Billabong which was in the Parry Creek Nature Reserve. It was great as there were heaps of birds there even though we arrived mid afternoon. The other two are keen bird spotters and even I was happy to see 2 broglas and a pair of the beautiful Rainbow Bee-eaters. The flock of pelicans were amusing. It was like watching a ballet: they all moved as one and suddenly they would all be tail up and head down, fishing. After a while, discord broke out and they flew off with loud honking! Magpie geese, all 3 types of egrets, whistling ducks in flocks, ordinary ducks, cormorants and kites were all there. Lots of waterlillies but we didnt see a Jacana which also lives here. I still want to see a spoonbill but they are not to be found yet! But a great waterhole and a beautiful place!

We drove out on a rather dodgy 4WD track over dry watercourses and found the highway to come home. Glen seemed to enjoy the 110 km drive back to Kununurra after corrugations, rocky crossings and large ruts and holes in the track!