7^th July: Kununurra

Today was all about visiting El Questro, a much hyped Wilderness Park on the Gibb River road. It was originally a pastoral lease taken out in 1903 but proved difficult to run cattle on as it is rugged, dry, inhospitable country. It changed hands numerous times until, finally, it was developed as a tourism venture in 2005 as it is spectacular country. After being onsold several, it was purchased by an American company Delaware North (a large tourism and hospitaliy company) ikn 2010. It now runs cattle in the northern half of the property and tourism in the southern half.

It is extremely beautiful but rugged country including the Cockburn Ranges, rows of steep scree slopes under towering red block ridges with deep and dark rocky gorges. This is where the tourism opportunities exist. There are three resorts: Emma Gorge which has Safari Tents, Station Township which has a caravan and camping facility and the Homestead which has cabins and provides a cattle experience. (Home Valley Station, further on and not part of El Questro I believe, is a working cattle property with accommodation.)

We called into Emma Gorge to buy our Wilderness Park passes. Compulsory (or so they say) and $12 a person – supposedly to maintain facilities and provide “an enjoyable experience for all visitors”. We saw little of that. A dusty space to park cars, the sign at the entrance and markers on the trail were the services we noticed. Toilets only at the resorts and of course restaurants, souvenirs, ladies to take your money. You could pay for guided tours but they were expensive.

We visited Zebedee Springs where Gail and I thought we might go swimming. It was a lovely place,thermal springs feeding waterfalls tumbling and trickling into small pools all the way down the creek winding through Livistonia Palms and Pandanus in the cool, dimness of the gorge. Very beautiful! However, the pools were full of bodies crammed into every space. It was packed with children and grey nomads, all enjoying the warm water. A young guy came up and said to his mate in disgust:”It's full of grey heads and kids!” and as I don't fancy sharing my bath water with so many people, we didn't swim. There was so little space, it was not appealing!

Driving carefully through two very rocky water crossings,one on the Pentecost River rather deep -up to the door sills- we arrived at Station Homestead. The number of large vans there stunned us – and not off-road vans! No way would I take my van through those crossing! After Emma Gorge turn-off, the roads are all 4WD only – corrugated, rocky with deep dips etc! But we did notice that the cowboys were out in force! Driving a large 4WD, even if hired, means, to some, tearing about the country with no concern for others. We met a few and very dangerous and foolhardy they were too! Coming back over the Pentecost Crossing, we hit two large rocks very hard. Go the bash plates!! But we have flattened a little of a minor sub-frame as well as dented the muffler pipe! But the biggest worry was the persistent intermittent electronic buzz. No warning lights were evident but Glen was worried! Until we finally found the on-button on the electric drill he uses to wind down the caravan legs and which is carried in the back of the X-trail, was being pushed in regularly as we bounced along the road! We must charge it up again before we leave our powered site!

All walking tracks were rated, correctly, as difficult to very difficult. We decided to return to Emma Gorge and try to get to the waterfall at the end of this truly spectacular Gorge. 3.4 km return taking 2 hours was a warning. It was very difficult, over rocks and boulders, scrambling, climbing and bottom-shuffling etc. Once again I couldn't make it: my leg was burning and my lack of balance is a very real impediment. I managed ¾ way up and then climbed down into a pool near a little waterfall. I took my shoes off and sat on a rock to dangle my feet in the water while the other two scrambled on. Half an hour later, I thought I'd better make tracks. I had taken ¾ hr to get here and so I'd need ¾ hr to get back. The others came back with photos of a beautiful place but I can only do what I can do!!

Back at the carpark where there had been 50 – 60 large 4WDs, our little X-trail sat forlornly almost alone. So we solved the buzzing problem, pumped the tyress up again as it was sealed road from the turn off and headed home where we immediately went to the showers. The car is so dusty inside now but you get that as you jump in and out! Glen will park it over a ditch and do some repairs to bent bits!