Yes, but what is the meaning/purpose behind these sculptures? Is there a dream time story or other historical meaning or are they just an attraction to get people off the Stuart to stop and refuel there? They are off the hwy a fair way.
14' Series Marv_Mart-Trip to the Kimberleys 2016
- Thread starter Marv_mart
- Start date
Yes, we discovered this as well but it needs people to put their prices in. Will do ours today. Need Internet access so need to look them up in advance eg in the major towns for points ahead on your route. Cheapest is not always the best choice though eg. Elliot, Barrow Ck
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Aint that the truth, best always to time it so you pass thru Elliot about midday then when you stop for the night your a good distance away.......we always have the emergency, emergency 20 lt jerry can for times when it's best to keep going. Though last time I drove up that way it was in a green semi and armed to the teeth.
Thanks @Marv_mart and @Drover that info helps a lot! I think I may have downloaded fuel map on the ipad so I will check it out again. @Marv_mart would like to see that spread sheet you made up so I will PM thanks!
Day 6: Rest day at the beautiful Boab CP just down the Victoria Hwy from the Main Street of Katherine. Definitely the best in town, booked in here for 2 days on our return trip, same site as it happens under the shade of a nice tree.
Even the ibis like feeding in the grassy patches.
Travelled 250km since last fill at the HiWay Inn, 43.55l @ 123.9¢/l using 15.2l/100km.
Used the Fuel Watch app from Wiki Camps to find the best price.
Nice pool here, quiet and easy to get in and out of the van sites.
Went to the Katherine Museum on the Gorge Rd, worth a visit. SWMBO reminded me that we had been here back in 2012 so saved a few sheckles and tried the Godinymayin Yijard Art & Culural Centre. Just our luck, closed on Sun & Mon, bugga!
Next was the Katherine hot springs just up the road from the CP.
Great! Same spring that feeds the Matarancka Hot springs, very relaxing.
Well back to camp and very tasty Hamburglars for dinner with cheese, bacon and the last of our greens, tomato, capsicum, lettuce etc.
Got to remember that you can't take any fruit or vegs across the border into WA and this should finish them all off.
Will have some fresh celery, apples, a carrot and the last of the Mandies from out tree at home to eat on our way west all to be eaten before Kununurra.
Well after dinner it will be in the van to watch the Power thrash Collingwood on the replay on the AFL app on the iPad! We were driving at the time of the game and couldn't see it live, just the Q by Q scores.
How sweet it is! Carn the pear!
Catch you all tomorrow assuming we have the Internet at Kununurra or it might have to wait until Fitzroy Crossing Or Broome in 6 days time.
PS: Don't need an alarm here in Katherine, the bats returning just before dawn will wake you up followed soon after by the local birds then the morning traffic. Bat noise lasts about 30 min until sun rises.
Cheers
Marv
Even the ibis like feeding in the grassy patches.
Travelled 250km since last fill at the HiWay Inn, 43.55l @ 123.9¢/l using 15.2l/100km.
Used the Fuel Watch app from Wiki Camps to find the best price.
Nice pool here, quiet and easy to get in and out of the van sites.
Went to the Katherine Museum on the Gorge Rd, worth a visit. SWMBO reminded me that we had been here back in 2012 so saved a few sheckles and tried the Godinymayin Yijard Art & Culural Centre. Just our luck, closed on Sun & Mon, bugga!
Next was the Katherine hot springs just up the road from the CP.
Great! Same spring that feeds the Matarancka Hot springs, very relaxing.
Well back to camp and very tasty Hamburglars for dinner with cheese, bacon and the last of our greens, tomato, capsicum, lettuce etc.
Got to remember that you can't take any fruit or vegs across the border into WA and this should finish them all off.
Will have some fresh celery, apples, a carrot and the last of the Mandies from out tree at home to eat on our way west all to be eaten before Kununurra.
Well after dinner it will be in the van to watch the Power thrash Collingwood on the replay on the AFL app on the iPad! We were driving at the time of the game and couldn't see it live, just the Q by Q scores.
How sweet it is! Carn the pear!
Catch you all tomorrow assuming we have the Internet at Kununurra or it might have to wait until Fitzroy Crossing Or Broome in 6 days time.
PS: Don't need an alarm here in Katherine, the bats returning just before dawn will wake you up followed soon after by the local birds then the morning traffic. Bat noise lasts about 30 min until sun rises.
Cheers
Marv
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Day 7: Katherine to Kununurra. DC= 531km Fuel: 79l, Timber Ck @ 148¢/l, Kununurra @ 136.9¢/l
FE: 15.7l/100km.
The Victoria Hwy through the Pinkerton Ranges and the Judbarra/Gregory NP passing over the Victoria River is quite a scenic drive. This river is huge even now at the start of the Dry season.
The Boab trees of course start to make regular appearance along the road. Some of these boys are HUGE with a circumference over 5m. Wanted to get a shot of one of the big ones but every time Ms M got the camera ready, they would jump back away from the road and hide behind the little skinny trees. No sooner than the camera was put down than out they would pop again waving their gangly arms! Oh well, will try to get some tomorrow.
At the border there is the obligatory road block to check for fruit or vegs. They checked every fridge and cupboard in the van but as we were well prepared, that didn't take all that long.
The guy in front of us though had a Coramel windup ( similar to a Jayco Swan), he had to undo everything and wind up the roof to get checked out. Took him ages to get it all locked down and ready to move on.
Just over the border is the turn off to Lake Argyle. Now this lake is Huge!!
Went for a look see and a break last time we were through here so gave it a miss this time but a must go to spectacle if you have never been up this way before.
Did manage to catch one of those sneaky fellas just as we came into town! Gotcha!
This is the Lake Kununurra Holiday Park we are staying at for 2 nights. Very shady thank goodness as the temp here for the next 3 days will be 36o during the day and 23o overnight.
Spoke to a few old hands while cooling off in the CP pool and decided on our plans for tomorrow.
GRR to Emma Gorge, Amelia Gorge & El Questro then onto Pentecost River crossing (~35 bitumen & 40km dirt)
Got good advice on tyre pressures for the dirt we are traveling on (28psi) and then back on the bitumen, re-inflate the tyres and possibly a visit to Wyndam, Five Rivers Lookout and the harbour, some huge mega $ boat is in and probably worth a look but will decide on the go. Many have said Wyndam is not worth it but........
Round trip of probably 380km all up so we will see how we go after getting back to the GRR turn off, 53km from Kununurra. Finally back to the CP for two more of those delicious steaks we got at Coles today.
They are worth a trip back into town! The CP is about 3km SW of the town centre.
Will let you all know how it goes with hopefully lots of nice piccies! Bungle Bungles for 2 days after that.
FE: 15.7l/100km.
The Victoria Hwy through the Pinkerton Ranges and the Judbarra/Gregory NP passing over the Victoria River is quite a scenic drive. This river is huge even now at the start of the Dry season.
The Boab trees of course start to make regular appearance along the road. Some of these boys are HUGE with a circumference over 5m. Wanted to get a shot of one of the big ones but every time Ms M got the camera ready, they would jump back away from the road and hide behind the little skinny trees. No sooner than the camera was put down than out they would pop again waving their gangly arms! Oh well, will try to get some tomorrow.
At the border there is the obligatory road block to check for fruit or vegs. They checked every fridge and cupboard in the van but as we were well prepared, that didn't take all that long.
The guy in front of us though had a Coramel windup ( similar to a Jayco Swan), he had to undo everything and wind up the roof to get checked out. Took him ages to get it all locked down and ready to move on.
Just over the border is the turn off to Lake Argyle. Now this lake is Huge!!
Went for a look see and a break last time we were through here so gave it a miss this time but a must go to spectacle if you have never been up this way before.
Did manage to catch one of those sneaky fellas just as we came into town! Gotcha!
This is the Lake Kununurra Holiday Park we are staying at for 2 nights. Very shady thank goodness as the temp here for the next 3 days will be 36o during the day and 23o overnight.
Spoke to a few old hands while cooling off in the CP pool and decided on our plans for tomorrow.
GRR to Emma Gorge, Amelia Gorge & El Questro then onto Pentecost River crossing (~35 bitumen & 40km dirt)
Got good advice on tyre pressures for the dirt we are traveling on (28psi) and then back on the bitumen, re-inflate the tyres and possibly a visit to Wyndam, Five Rivers Lookout and the harbour, some huge mega $ boat is in and probably worth a look but will decide on the go. Many have said Wyndam is not worth it but........
Round trip of probably 380km all up so we will see how we go after getting back to the GRR turn off, 53km from Kununurra. Finally back to the CP for two more of those delicious steaks we got at Coles today.
They are worth a trip back into town! The CP is about 3km SW of the town centre.
Will let you all know how it goes with hopefully lots of nice piccies! Bungle Bungles for 2 days after that.
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I'm a bit of a tragic for the east Kimberly. Wyndham. Wyndham Pictures Gardens,King River Rd to Prison Tree. Aboriginal art site just past dam floodway, Old Halls Creek Rd (Hand laid rock edges), crocodile hole, Diggers Rest Station (say gday to Rolly) Parry Creek Rd to Kununurra, Parry Creek Farm, Parry lagoons, old telegraph station near parrys lagoons, and and and. Bird life every where.
The bastion at sunset.
now I just wanna go back.....
Hopefully my various travel blogs entice some others to try these treks!
Have not been disappointed with any so far.
Burra-Wilpena, Apollo Bay, Darwin-Qld-NSW(The big half circle East 2014), Up the river to Swan hill and before I started blogging Katherine-Broome-Perth-Kalgoolie-GAB-Streaky Bay (The big half circle West 2012)
Have not been disappointed with any so far.
Burra-Wilpena, Apollo Bay, Darwin-Qld-NSW(The big half circle East 2014), Up the river to Swan hill and before I started blogging Katherine-Broome-Perth-Kalgoolie-GAB-Streaky Bay (The big half circle West 2012)
Great stuff very good pics and reports keep them comming when you can 5 stars
@Marv_mart , there's a nice big boab at the willare road house that loves to pose for pics, then there's an even bigger one on the left as you get closer to broome (that ones been fenced off to protect it).
I am loving your pics and write up as well as the fuel prices and distances, as we will be doing the drive to Katherine and beyond soon and no longer have the big tank.
And yes, i would also love to hear what the condition of the gibb is. (It wasn't too bad the last time we were on that bit, but that was 2012)
I am loving your pics and write up as well as the fuel prices and distances, as we will be doing the drive to Katherine and beyond soon and no longer have the big tank.
And yes, i would also love to hear what the condition of the gibb is. (It wasn't too bad the last time we were on that bit, but that was 2012)
We drove thru Elliott twice last year. Stopped both times for fuel. There are some fairly ordinary locals wandering around and the traders seem to be under seige.
No one bothered us. In fact they ignored us as if we did not exist. Still I felt happier when we drove out.
No one bothered us. In fact they ignored us as if we did not exist. Still I felt happier when we drove out.
The GRR is currently in very good nick. Let the tyres down to 30psi, was able to cruise over the corrugations that were there (sans Panda) at 60-80 slowing down of course when conditions got a bit bumpy. All River crossings up to the Pentacost were dry and concrete. Pentecost was about 10-20cm deep and very easy to cross in 4H at a steady rate. That was as far as we went as we were on a 'day trip' ex Kununurra. Ended up doing nearly 400km today, see the daily report posted below.
GRR upto the El Questro turn-off is bitumen, the grader has just been through from the road to El Questro and done the track into El Questro.
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Thanks
Thanks for the report, much appreciated.
We can't wait to get up there.
Happy travels.
Thanks for the report, much appreciated.
We can't wait to get up there.
Happy travels.
Day 8: 8/06/2016 'Day trip to GRR and Wyndham'
Dist: 400km, Fuel: 43.66l @ 136.9¢/l FE:10.9l/100km. Ah, so much better when not towing the Panda.
Sunrise at 5:45am here in WA so after breakfast and taking some of the heavy gear out of the back of the BeasT we set out at 7:00am for a trip I had estimated to be around 310+km.
Headed west then took the turn towards Wyndham to get to the GRR entrance a distance of about 53km from Kununurra. The GRR is bitumen for the first 33km. Some fantastic landscapes as you drive along!
These are views of the Cockburn Ranges to the north of the GRR as you drive along. These ranges are shaped very much like Wilpena pound when viewed from the air it seems.
First stop was Emma Gorge.
Permit first (2x $12), sunnies, sunscreen, water bottles and off we go on what will be about 2hr round trip.
Nearly half way to the top now passing the torquoise pool
before finally reaching the pool at the top of the gorge. Sure is some beautiful country up here!
There is a huge pool at the bottom of 30+m rock walls surrounding three sides. Most visitors enjoying a cooling swim to recover from the 36°c and very humid conditions.
Finally made it back to the BeasT after about 2 hours for a nice icy cold drink from the car fridge!
A short dilemma, Ms Marv thought she had dropped her phone along the track - panic stations - can't ring as there is no service - found it at the bottom of her knapsack - doh, we headed onto the Pentecost River crossing.
After the El Questro turn off, the road is gravel and corrogations so tyre pressure down to 30psi and off we head. All the crossings are concrete, the road itself is quite good with speeds from 50-80kph possible depending on conditions of course.
The Pentecost River crossing, water about 10-20cm at the moment so H4 and a steady speed will get you across over the rocky but firm bottom.
The river seems quite deep on either side and of course there are the crocs!
The road out also has some great views of course and the 2nd to last Boab stayed still long enough to take a pick!
North after exiting the GRR and towards Wyndham and The Grotto about 13km up the road. Need to look out though, the steps are very steep and there is no handrail!
Finally onto Wyndham and the 5 Rivers Lookout!
Spectacular! Not much else left in Wyndham after the abattoirs closed unfortunately!
Just out of Wyndham, about 6km, we took the turn onto the King River road towards the Moochalabra dam, the Boab Prison tree and the Diggers Rest, about 23 km along the track right next to the King River crossing that takes you to the GRR if you dare. Been told the rest of this track apart from the short detour to Digger's rest is 'take at your own risk', we didn't.
This is the last of my Boabs, I promise. The tree has a window cut in its side about 1m square and of course hollow inside, it was purportedly used to restrain unruly local aborigines on their way to Wyndham for trial in the 1890s. It was also known at one time as Hillgrove Lockup. It has a circumference of over 12m.
By the time we finished here and we're back on the main road it was approaching 3:45 so we would just make it back to Kununurra to refuel and get two of those delicious steaks from town.
A quick dip in the pool to cool off and what a day!
Bungle Bungle trip tomorrow, very little shade there so it seems it will be a hot day with the fridge struggling to keep our food cool! See you all tomorrow.
Marv
Dist: 400km, Fuel: 43.66l @ 136.9¢/l FE:10.9l/100km. Ah, so much better when not towing the Panda.
Sunrise at 5:45am here in WA so after breakfast and taking some of the heavy gear out of the back of the BeasT we set out at 7:00am for a trip I had estimated to be around 310+km.
Headed west then took the turn towards Wyndham to get to the GRR entrance a distance of about 53km from Kununurra. The GRR is bitumen for the first 33km. Some fantastic landscapes as you drive along!
These are views of the Cockburn Ranges to the north of the GRR as you drive along. These ranges are shaped very much like Wilpena pound when viewed from the air it seems.
First stop was Emma Gorge.
Permit first (2x $12), sunnies, sunscreen, water bottles and off we go on what will be about 2hr round trip.
Nearly half way to the top now passing the torquoise pool
before finally reaching the pool at the top of the gorge. Sure is some beautiful country up here!
There is a huge pool at the bottom of 30+m rock walls surrounding three sides. Most visitors enjoying a cooling swim to recover from the 36°c and very humid conditions.
Finally made it back to the BeasT after about 2 hours for a nice icy cold drink from the car fridge!
A short dilemma, Ms Marv thought she had dropped her phone along the track - panic stations - can't ring as there is no service - found it at the bottom of her knapsack - doh, we headed onto the Pentecost River crossing.
After the El Questro turn off, the road is gravel and corrogations so tyre pressure down to 30psi and off we head. All the crossings are concrete, the road itself is quite good with speeds from 50-80kph possible depending on conditions of course.
The Pentecost River crossing, water about 10-20cm at the moment so H4 and a steady speed will get you across over the rocky but firm bottom.
The river seems quite deep on either side and of course there are the crocs!
The road out also has some great views of course and the 2nd to last Boab stayed still long enough to take a pick!
North after exiting the GRR and towards Wyndham and The Grotto about 13km up the road. Need to look out though, the steps are very steep and there is no handrail!
Finally onto Wyndham and the 5 Rivers Lookout!
Spectacular! Not much else left in Wyndham after the abattoirs closed unfortunately!
Just out of Wyndham, about 6km, we took the turn onto the King River road towards the Moochalabra dam, the Boab Prison tree and the Diggers Rest, about 23 km along the track right next to the King River crossing that takes you to the GRR if you dare. Been told the rest of this track apart from the short detour to Digger's rest is 'take at your own risk', we didn't.
This is the last of my Boabs, I promise. The tree has a window cut in its side about 1m square and of course hollow inside, it was purportedly used to restrain unruly local aborigines on their way to Wyndham for trial in the 1890s. It was also known at one time as Hillgrove Lockup. It has a circumference of over 12m.
By the time we finished here and we're back on the main road it was approaching 3:45 so we would just make it back to Kununurra to refuel and get two of those delicious steaks from town.
A quick dip in the pool to cool off and what a day!
Bungle Bungle trip tomorrow, very little shade there so it seems it will be a hot day with the fridge struggling to keep our food cool! See you all tomorrow.
Marv
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Day 9: 9/06/2016. Kununurra to the Bungle Bungle (BB from now on) CP situated about 1km in of the Great Northern Hwy.
Dist: 254km, No other stats today until we are able to fill up at Hall's Ck (~108km further Sth) in two days time.
I did prep the BeasT for tomorrow, tyres back down to 30psi, extra 20l of diesel from one of my JCs.
Got here around 10:20am, 3 hrs from Kununurra.
Talking BeasTs, met a farmer from Bunbury at the 5 Rivers lookout yesterday with the same Colour BeasT as mine and we swapped a few stories. He has done nearly 340k km since he bought his for farm work in 2012 and had only a few minor hiccups. Hope mine does as well! 340,000km with barely a hiccup!
The drive here was still quite interesting so a few pics to keep your juices flowing.
Some serious roadworks fixing up the road edges is under way, will make it much safer when coming across the 54.5m road trains that come through here.
Only had ~1km where we had to slow down behind a water sprayer!
Several bridges along this part of the highway are very narrow and 1 lane wide!
No passing or overtaking!! Lol. The largest of these is about 200m crossing Bow River!
Yes, I am a Jimmy Barnes fan!
Saw 2 groups of Brumbies grazing right next to the road as well as several herds of the obligatory cattle.
Never know if and when these guys will bolt and run so a real slowdown required.
About 250km since we started, the entrance to 'Purnululu NP', BBs to the rest of us appears around the corner.
A short dirt road past the gates opens out to grassed Powered and un-Powered sites, bush tents and group camping sites. Facilities v good considering where we are, diesel power so limited to 10A power on our site but no need for the AC tonight unlike the previous 5.
Enjoying a quiet ale, having a giggle at some of the attempts by obvious newbies trying to back in their brand new, rarely camped before 50' long ( exaggerating just a little) mobile hotels into spaces three vans could fit in! Jackknifed 3 times, ran into rocks twice..... oh well, I was probably as bad (no I wasn't!!)
Temp today was surprisingly cool, ~27°C, very unlike the 36° we have had since Katherine!
Just catching up now with the world at large (3G Telstra ***) while we wait for the 6:00pm bush camp dinner we decided to book ourselves onto. By 3:00pm the CP is starting to fill up.
Quite a few campers bypass the CP and go straight through to the NP to tent it or use their camper trailers.
Most of us here have larger vans and will do the guided tour ($315pp!!) or self drive like us.
Tomorrow we will travel the further 53km inland to the Park Visitor Centre, register the BeasT and do some 4x4 driving on the well marked tracks to see the various 'walks' both Nth and Sth of the PVC.
You will have to wait till tomorrow to see how the Bush Camp Dinner went and for pics of the BBs.
See y'all Marv
Dist: 254km, No other stats today until we are able to fill up at Hall's Ck (~108km further Sth) in two days time.
I did prep the BeasT for tomorrow, tyres back down to 30psi, extra 20l of diesel from one of my JCs.
Got here around 10:20am, 3 hrs from Kununurra.
Talking BeasTs, met a farmer from Bunbury at the 5 Rivers lookout yesterday with the same Colour BeasT as mine and we swapped a few stories. He has done nearly 340k km since he bought his for farm work in 2012 and had only a few minor hiccups. Hope mine does as well! 340,000km with barely a hiccup!
The drive here was still quite interesting so a few pics to keep your juices flowing.
Some serious roadworks fixing up the road edges is under way, will make it much safer when coming across the 54.5m road trains that come through here.
Only had ~1km where we had to slow down behind a water sprayer!
Several bridges along this part of the highway are very narrow and 1 lane wide!
No passing or overtaking!! Lol. The largest of these is about 200m crossing Bow River!
Yes, I am a Jimmy Barnes fan!
Saw 2 groups of Brumbies grazing right next to the road as well as several herds of the obligatory cattle.
Never know if and when these guys will bolt and run so a real slowdown required.
About 250km since we started, the entrance to 'Purnululu NP', BBs to the rest of us appears around the corner.
A short dirt road past the gates opens out to grassed Powered and un-Powered sites, bush tents and group camping sites. Facilities v good considering where we are, diesel power so limited to 10A power on our site but no need for the AC tonight unlike the previous 5.
Enjoying a quiet ale, having a giggle at some of the attempts by obvious newbies trying to back in their brand new, rarely camped before 50' long ( exaggerating just a little) mobile hotels into spaces three vans could fit in! Jackknifed 3 times, ran into rocks twice..... oh well, I was probably as bad (no I wasn't!!)
Temp today was surprisingly cool, ~27°C, very unlike the 36° we have had since Katherine!
Just catching up now with the world at large (3G Telstra ***) while we wait for the 6:00pm bush camp dinner we decided to book ourselves onto. By 3:00pm the CP is starting to fill up.
Quite a few campers bypass the CP and go straight through to the NP to tent it or use their camper trailers.
Most of us here have larger vans and will do the guided tour ($315pp!!) or self drive like us.
Tomorrow we will travel the further 53km inland to the Park Visitor Centre, register the BeasT and do some 4x4 driving on the well marked tracks to see the various 'walks' both Nth and Sth of the PVC.
You will have to wait till tomorrow to see how the Bush Camp Dinner went and for pics of the BBs.
See y'all Marv
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Another great write-up and pics @Marv_mart ... Keep 'em coming and welcome back to "God's Country"