Kununurra W.A.

Arrived in Kununurra On Wednesday, Just in time for Carols Birthday on the Thursday.
As we had no Veggies etc, Because of boarder issues it gave us time to shop. Not allot to choose from in Kununurra, But we have had worse.
We are staying at the Ivanhoe Caravan Park, as Emma ,Carol ,and Sandy's niece, is working her way around Oz And is living and working here.
When we arrived she was so excited to see us she was shaking, as she cuddled us all. God love her.
She has been amazing.
Thursday we cooked up a treat for Carols Birthday, We had  for breakfast  bacon and eggs, Lunch was normal, then chocolate cake for afternoon tea, Then cocktails a little latter on. And a  baked dinner of lamb and pork. plus Pavlova. with fresh fruit. No one could move..
The next day Emma had a day off so she took us up to Wyndham very small town but known for the town where the five rivers meet.
On the way we stopped a few times for photo shots, One was at the Grotto.
Had Lunch at the Five Rivers  Lookout, Then we did a short tour around the town at some of the tourist spots.
Near the big crock Tez met an old local  Mark, who come up for a chat. Tez said he had the saddest eyes.
We left the others at the mud flats as they wanted to hoon around on the mud flats so we headed for home.
Another lovely day, was had by all.
The next day we all did a 4wd full day tour of El Questro.
It started at 7am , we were all picked up out the front of Ivanhoe, By Larissa, Who was very nice.And very well informed. She took us to our first stop Emma Gorge. Tez stayed at the resort  while we went for a Med grade walk, to a waterfall, where some of the team had a swim.Then we walked back to Emma resort, where Tez was waiting patiently.We were then  given a lovely morning tea of, tea, Coffee, or juice, watermelon,Chocolate and caramel cake. Carol and Sandy were given a beautiful
almond and Jaffa cake. All set out on there veranda It was great.
We all then took off to Zebedee Springs which is 28-32 deg at all times.
After every one had had a soak, as a little small to swim, we then went to the Home Valley Station, for Lunch of Barra and Beef.
Then we were met by Amy, who took us in a 4wd truck all over the rest of the resort for another 3 hrs. Then we went up to Saddle back Ridge, for Sunset, Champagne and fruit Platter.
This place was so high up that we were in eye level with a helicopter, It  was A M A Z I N G . We then went back down to the Home Valley Station, Where Graham put us into a Troopy and took us back to the Caravan Park. Where we arrived at about 7pm. It was a huge day, we were all very tired, Tez pulled up pretty well. He was given top seating all day. It was Excellent.
For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to go on a postal flight. Taking me to the outback stations. As we have travelled I have missed out for one reason or another. Wrong time or something.
When I asked Emma about it she was onto it straight away, Bless her.
So on Tuesday I was on my flight.
I left at 8-30 on a Cessna Caravan holds about 13 passengers, even though there were only 4 of us and Josh the Pilot.
There was Amanda and her partner Garry, going to Theda Station. To meet her parents who had been working there while travelling Oz.
Then we had Wayne who was a professional  helicopter shooter for the dept of cattle control and conservation, in the Kimberley's.
We went to 6 Stations. Wyndham, El Questro, [Home  Valley Station] Elenbrea, Drysdale River Station,
Doongan Station, Theda Station, Then back to Wyndham, and Kununurra, altogether we were flying for 6hrs.
We stopped for 40mins at Drysdale River Station as that is where Josh had to re fuel. So we were able to go to the loo and eat our lunch , that we had to take with us .Also when the plane is stationary there is no air, so at 38deg you couldn't`t stay in there for too long.
It was so interesting talking to these people. You have to be a very special type of person to live out here.
The land is so vast there is no one for thousands of miles. As everyone of these properties is at least 1Million acres
 At this time of year it sits at 38deg every day, and they say that that is not hot. the humidity is kicking in and it is starting to get uncomfortable.
It was a shame that the control burning had caused so much smoke Haze. It made it very hard to take photos
also to  see the distance.
The rivers stood out like snakes winding through the bush, It is a beautiful Country and we are very lucky to live here.
I was still on a high the next day. I loved every minute.
Last Night Emma and her friend Martina, Took us to the Pump house for dinner, It is on the river, and it is an old pump house.
It was great, Tez, Sandy, had Barra. John and Stephen had Pasta. Emma and Martina had pork.Cas had beef. I had Duck. and we had the best Garlic bread we have ever eaten.
All around the jetty where you sit were hundreds of Cat fish. We couldn't`t believe how busy this place was on a Wednesday night it was incredible. The food was beautiful.
Today has been very hot, We were cleaning the cars and vans as we were leaving tomorrow for the Bungles.
Then Carol  hurt her back, pretty bad.
Stephen took her to the hospital, as she couldn't`t get into see a doctor for two weeks.
He gave her pain killers and anti inflammatory, well she has had a reaction to them we think as she has been vomiting all afternoon. So Stephen has taken her back to the hospital .We are waiting to hear what has happened.
11-15 pm Stephen has just come back, they kept Carol in as they were worried she would dehydrate.
After 7 injections she still was vomiting.
Threw up over Stephen 3 times, he reckons it was revenge,ha! ha!.
Hope she is o.k.
Cas had a few problems for a few days, she was lucky in one way , that she was where her niece was living and she was able to stay in her accommodation.
We stayed an extra 2 days with her, but she was starting to feel better so the rest of us moved on, toward Broome.
The heat is really starting to come in up there, up to 40 to 42 deg. The humidity is incredible.
It was starting to get to all of us but Tez is really feeling it. Also Sandy and John wanted to be in Cape Levitt
for their 25th Wedding anniversary. So the four of us left together.
So we will be in front of Carol and Stephen for about a week.

Lake Argyle.

As we left the boarder, the scenery changed dramatically, It was beautiful.
We stopped at a road stop for a cuppa, Sandy said this kicks Kakadus bum. And it did. It was beautiful.
As the kilometers went by it just got better.
Arriving at Lake Argyle Took our breath away, We just couldn't`t stop snapping pictures.
My new word for W.A. is SPECTACULAR. And this is that and more.
I said, AMAZINGLY SPECTACULAR.
The boys went down to the spillway to fish, they caught 5 catfish, Never had them before so we thought we would give them a go. So Tez filleted them and I cooked them in a very light batter as an entree. No one was fussed. So I don`t think We will be Keeping them anymore.
While down there at the spillway there was an illusive Barra hanging around, The boys tried everything for three days, Including Stephen throwing a rock at it.
Tez Estimated it as at least 30 kilo, it was huge, There were two but one was coming in closer than the other. But he still swims till another day, much to their sorrow.
Our caravan  Park was beautiful. The pool was something else but the water in it was freezing.
We all wanted so much to have a sicaworkinsix photo in the water, but it was too cold.
We went to the Durack Homestead, They owned 1 million acres all of  Lake Argyle. Before it was flooded.
They also owned another 4 stations of 1million acres each. Not a bad lot.
The night before we left we went on a Sunset cruise on Lake Argyle the best cruise ever, The people that were on it were so friendly. The boat was beautiful, comfortable. and the guide was incredible so knowledgeable.
All I can say is that Stephen was right ,everyone that lives in Australia should go and see Lake Argyle.
It is truly Beautiful.
The surrounds are so Majestic.

Timber Creek.

Hi Everyone,
We have just come through , the Victoria River Area of The Northern Territory. With a very big surprise for me.
Our stay this time was at a small town, called Timber creek, at a caravan park run by the Aboriginals.
It was very clean and well run. We had 3days of bad winds though.
Went out to see a Homestead, that was down a dirt road for 35 ks, with boabs everywhere just beautiful.
When we started reading about this homestead, Carol and I couldn't`t believe it. It was the Home of a family that I had searched out a book of, and we had happened at this place just by chance. I was so excited, as this was a station that I was hoping to fly over, on a mail run. Instead I ended up being able to walk all over it .
It just felt so unreal. It brought tears to my eyes.
Then after leaving, the homestead, we went 4WD over the area that these people had walked to come to this
Station.
It makes you feel so lucky to be in this day and age, with 4WD air con etc. None of which they had.
It took us 2 1/2 hrs to drive 20ks. Imagine how long it took them , to get here.
I just was in ore of this man. Mr. Charlie Schultz.
Then over the next couple of days the boys had a fish, to no avail.
also we went and did more sightseeing lookouts an old Police Station.
Then we headed off toward our net stop Lake Argyle.
On our way we had to go through Quarantine, as we were going into Western Australia.
The day before we left we were making sure we didn`t have anything that we shouldn't`t. ate all our fruit and veges. I kept saying to the girls, you sure we don`t have anything. No all is gone.
Off we go get to the boarder, They go through without a hitch.
This creep comes to Tez and I. We had a Broccoli box in our car, "You can`t take that in" , Why? "I have bleached and washed it out".
" Don`t think you are going to get on the soft side of me " he said.  [ I bet if I was 30 years younger it would have made a difference.]
So then I had to take the two from under the bed that I had other food stuffs packed in also.
I wouldn`t have cared if he had done his job properly, but he didn`t take the lid for the box out of the car.
didn`t check a 110 ltr box Tez had fishing gear in, that could have had honey veges anything in. I was so angry, as it took me all afternoon to re pack and clean the van. Not Happy Jan.
Not a good introduction to W.A.
The others new nothing of this as they had moved on and were waiting down the road.
Never mind another learning experience. Do not use Broccoli boxes to pack things in if you are going interstate, you can use fish boxes instead.
WE are all well and looking forward to the next part of our adventure.

Kakadu N.T.

Hi Everyone,
We hope you are enjoying our blog so  far. There is so much to see and do.
Well This is one of the more disappointing places that we have been to.
All of us feel the same way.
We went off to Kakadu with great expectations. Now I suppose you should not do that, just let it  all happen.
The weather as very hot 39deg. Heaps of Mossies, Midge's, March Flies, and ordinary flies.
It costs $25.00. per head to go into the park for your pass. Then $10.00 per person per night.
For That  there wasn`t even a light bulb in the toilets at night.
We were told it was Kaka Don't .
Although you do have to go and see it if you are here. But don`t just make a special trip.
The first stop was Merl, in the National park. We were supposed to be able to get big rigs in there,
Well with quite a bit of difficulty, and a few swear words, from  you know who, who also went into panic mode, we were in.Oh! and also we had to cut a part of a tree off to get in but we made it Yesssss!!!!!!
That night All had dinner everything seemed o.k.
Then Tez decided to go out for a smoke. [mossies don`t worry him] He come back in the van and he was covered, and I mean covered. Every one we squashed was full of blood so I had to wash the walls of the van as we had spots everywhere. The temperature was so hot. So only a one night stay here, Tez said I will pay $70 a night to stay in a park with a pool.
So the next night we booked into Aurara Kakau caravan park for a week and then we drove out to different sights.
I might say, we all gave there pool a great workout every day.
We went on a  Yellow waters sunset cruise. Flew over Kakadu and part of Arnhem land.
Went to Cahill crossing where the crocks were in abundance. We have never seen so many together in one spot. The ranger there said, the night before they went out spot lighting and saw 17 in 100 metres. Shows you how many there are.
We walked to Ubirr and did a sunset up on top the escarpment. Where we also saw Rock art.
All the way through Kakadu ,everything is being  controlled burned, because in the lead up to the wet season they have dry storms and they can have 1,000 lightning strikes a day, and the iron stone attracts the lightning and causes fire. even though they havn`t had rain yet, Everything is coming back very green already.
We Visited a few Culture centres, they were very well presented.
We went to Gunlon on our way out, It was nice.
But the road in was very rough 37ks of dirt ,rocks, and corrugation.
It was 39deg .  and at 2-30 pm Stephen and Carol climbed to the top, the rest of us stayed at the bottom.
and swam.
They said it was very nice, But it was to hot at that time of day for me.
We stayed at Mary River that night, Then on to Katherine, the next day.Where we had to replenish our stock of food.Wash cars, vans and clothes.
The good weather is still following us everywhere we go.