It was time to leave Broome and make the big journey to Kununarra over the next two days were we planned to sort the car out for the Gibb River Road, store the van and turn around and head back to the Derby end to start the Gibb. I know, big drives and a lot of back tracking but you have to do it one way or the other and we got the idea off the Woods that returning to the caravan would be more pleasant.
We had decided to not do the big farewell thing with the 'HardFirms' as we were either in denial and couldn't think of us all actually being apart finally, or that we would be catching up along the way in the near future. Either way, we gave hugs and goodbyes without tears (this time)... We thanked Kris for his hospitality, such a great bloke. Couldn't really look at him the same way though after the other day hearing him have an argument with his Asian lady friend and me hearing her say to him "I'm not your wife". Now this mightn't sound funny, but picture this and then the scene from the movie "Priscilla" of the ping pong woman saying the same thing.... Now can you see how hilarious it is...
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| On the road again.... |
Anyway, as we were driving out the day wasn't looking too good with Marty chucking a mental at Meg even before we had gotten out of the place. Then only ten minutes out the road we felt a loss in power and when l questioned Marty about it, he hadn't done anything. We pulled over to find that one of the tyres on his side on the van had totally shredded off. Now he was freaking out and cursing, his mood definitely not improving. Hadn't seen him this cross for a long time. I suppose it didn't help that as he was trying to change the tyre l was taking pics on the phone.....but l had to capture memories for the blog you see! It also made matters worse when he finally got the spare on, having had to dig down a bit and manoeuvre the tyre, that when he let the jack down he noticed the tyre wasn't pumped enough. Now that would have been fine if only the air compressor tubing could have reached the bloody tyre, but no.... So the poor bastard had to take the tyre off again and pump it up before putting it back on. Marty was totally paranoid now about another tyre perforating so after ringing Broome and finding out they had no tyres l eventually tried Derby. Hallelujah, they had one in stock and would hold it for us and fit it today when we got there. Marty's mood slightly improved with this news thank god!!
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| Bugger! |
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| New look for the spare.... |
The drive to Derby, although Marty constantly checking the rear view mirrors to make sure the tyres were ok, was spectacular. The scenery felt like we were back in the NT with all the amazing ranges on the horizon. I just loved looking at all the different boab trees, which has become my new favourite tree, being totally fascinated in them. They all have their own personalities and characteristics, no two looking the same. We needed to stop off at the Welare Bridge Roadhouse to get some of the fabulous Yeeba meat we have been hearing about so much. We brought burgers, snags, and mince and it was all so reasonable in price. I tried to sweeten everyone up with the purchase of icecreams which did put Marty in a slightly better mood. The Welare Bridge Roadhouse didn't disappoint with the place having humorous wacky outback humour that decorated the place.
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| Which way should we go Boo??? |
We finally arrived in Derby, after the girls had done a fantastic day of school in the car for once, the first stop being at the tyre joint. We were greeted by some lovely aboriginal blokes who had the tyre taken off and refitted with 10 minutes. They were so nice. The girls were totally fascinated in their tyre machines, concentrating real hard to see the process. Nice to see some local blokes working too for a change instead of sitting under a tree with a bottle covered with a brown paper bag. We filled up with fuel and headed out to check out the old jetty, which the tide was out so all we saw was mud and brown water!!! Derby has one of the biggest tides in the world with 10m tides coming in and out all day, apparently its an amazing sight to see it come in. The jetty was built in 1894 and linked to the town by a horse drawn tramway. It was used to load wool, live cattle and pearl shells for export.
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| Boab trees that line the street... |
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| Lovely looking water....tides out obviously too. |
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| Derby Jetty.... |
We then headed out of town to the Prison Boab Tree and Water Trough. The Prison Boab tree has become pretty famous in these parts and it has an eary feeling about the place. Such a sad tale from the past that they used this Boab tree back in the 1890s to lock up indigenous prisoners on their way to Derby for sentencing. To think they were all crammed in to this small area inside the Boab tree is just horrible, it would have been so hot. As we were all trying to read the info about the tree and take in the site, Meg decided to chuck a tanty and scream, lucky no one was around. Wish we could have locked her in the bloody boab tree, pity there was a fence prohibiting anyone from being near it!!!! After we settled her we strolled up to the 'Water Trough' which is also famous in these parts as being the longest cattle water trough in the Southern Hemisphere being able to handle at least 500 bullocks at one time, being 120m in length. Marty got us to pose pretending to drink from the trough for a photo, kindly putting it on facebook with the comment of "Look an old cow and two heifers having a drink"!!!! So love my husband!!!!
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Pretty eary place and after reading the stories behind the site, we could
understand why.... |
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| Derby Prison Boab Tree |
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There were heaps of carvings in the tree...
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| The cattle trough.....largest in the Southern Hemisphere! |
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| Can see the length of the trough when the van is parked near it!!! |
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| Off we go again.... |
We set off on the road again, calling into the Boab Rest area for a look at an even bigger Boab Tree which the girls refused to get in. Maybe due to us threatening to leave them there didn't help the situation!!! The long drive on the road was taking its toll, we ended up driving a total of 340km on top of messing around with a flat tyre. It had been a long day. We pulled into Ellendale Rest Stop for the night which was packed with grey nomads and generators, which is Marty's pet hate!!!!
Next morning we got up early to set off and make the 9am Geike Gorge cruise at Geike Gorge NP just west of Fitzroy Crossing. We made it with half an hour to spare and were greeted with a really cool and enthusiastic ranger who had a great chat to the girls. The cruise was $64 for an hour up the gorge, for a family its not too pricey l reckon. We took note of the flood markers around the pavilion, cant believe the amount of water that goes thru this area. We boarded the boat and had a great hour with ranger who was both entertaining and informative about the indigenous significance of the area and geological make up of the gorge. The amazing gorge is lined with an ancient limestone barrier reef and the gorge is 30m deep. We saw so many freshies out sun baking and were informed that we could very well see the reptiles deplete rapidly over the next 4 years due to the invasion of the cane toads. So disturbing to think what devastation these pests are creating over the country, first QLD, the NT now migrating to WA!!!! Apparently you cant kill them with golf clubs anymore, instead you have to dispose of them humanly with ice!! Anyway, we were entranced in the cruise and had a ball. After getting back, where the kind volunteers helped everyone off the boat, we had a quick bite to eat for lunch then headed to top up with fuel at Fitzroy Crossing. It was a really tidy town and looked well managed.
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| Awoke to some neighbours! |
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Some of the past flood heights in the Geike
Gorge pavilion...there was even a flood level marked on the roof! |
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| Aboard the Geike Gorge Cruse! |
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| Not far in to we see our first lot of "freshies sunbaking"... |
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| Loved the rock formations.... |
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| Another croc warming up... |
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| Even seeing crocs in the cliffs above!! Lol |
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| The tour guide made the cruise so worthwhile! |
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| President Nixon???? |
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| Now he looks relaxed... |
It was yet another long day in the car with driving just shigh of 500km, ending up at Spring Creek rest stop which is just at the intersection of the Bungle Bungle turn off. We couldn't get a park in the bitumen car park up the top or down near the creek due to all the nomads having set up camp with their generators!!! So we pulled onto the side of the entrance road for the night, watched an amazing sunset and a few beers! Took a stroll down near the creek and was glad we couldn't get a spot down there as it looked like a mozzie breeding ground. The girls and l made some yarn bracelets before turning in for the night, such a mammoth day. Tomorrow we were bound for Kununarra...
Bell Xxx
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