West & North June - July 2016 : Day 14 - Monday 11 July - Wyndham to Kununurra

Another dawn watch from our swags, breakfast and a couple of hours in Wyndham before driving on to Kununurra.

A beautifully peaceful ramble around the old port area.

A couple of shots of quirky interest.

Some interesting cemeteries (Why not?)

Magnificent views from the "Five Rivers Lookout" where one can see the meeting of the five rivers of the area - Forrest, Durack, Pentecost, King and Lower Ord.

Kununurra - founded only in 1960 to service the Ord River Irrigation Scheme - very different from old Wyndham.

The Kununurra weir and Lake Kununurra.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 13 - Sunday 10 July - Purnululu to Wyndham

Sleeping under the stars includes waking with the dawn (usually before, actually, and watching dawn arrive over the eastern horison  - a very special start to the day). An early start saw us visiting most of the places at Purnululu we wanted to by early afternoon. Returning to our campsite, we found it too hot and dusty to enjoy, so made the snap decision to break camp and move on to Wyndham for the night. What we experienced at Purniululu was all that we had anticipated and more. We found ourselves almost breathless at a beauty way beyond what can be captured with any number of images.
What we found along the road to Wyndham left us breathless, yet again. we had no idea that the Kimberleys were so extensive and beautiful.

Dawn at Kurrajong Campground, Purnululu

The southern end of the range.

The northern end of the range - the Bloodwoods and Echidna Chasm.

 

North through continuingly mountainous country right into Wyndham ,..

 ... where we camped by a 2,000 year old boab tree.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 12 - Saturday 09 July - Fitzroy Crossing to Purnululu

Breakfast overlooking the Fitzroy River (well riverbed anyway) then north to Halls Creek and on out over perhaps the most demanding road we have ever driven to the Purnululu National Park. The road would "break a snake's back" both laterally and vertically - twists and turns over rocky ridges, through creek beds and more - 50 kms of constantly changing among 2nd to 4th gears - for almost two hours.

 Halls Creek Independent Grocer

 There is always someone riding a bicycle across or around Australia.

At Purnululu, just time to make camp and take in the sunset before dinner in the dark - no candles.

 

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 11 - Friday 08 July - Derby to Fitzroy Crossing

Into the real Kimberleys - Fitzroy Crossing via Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. What a joy.

The road

Windjana

 

Tunnel Creek

Geiki Gorge 

Day's end for a birthday girl

 

Beth at Windjana Gorge - Getting great shots is another of her many achievements.

We had thought of going out to dinner tonight but the peace of our Fitzroy Crossing accommodation, overlooking the river (mostly sand, but still beautiful) was too much of a lure. Drinks on our balcony, then a spa-bath, then dinner on the balcony again. The fish should have been Fitzroy River Baramundi but ended up being Salmon imported from Norway and bought at the local super-market. What a wonderful world we live in.