So on the morning of Friday the 27th of June we headed for the Bungle Bungle Ranges. The turn off to the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu NP) is only 100Km up the road from Halls Creek, so about 1.5 hours at our leisurely pace. However the road into the park itself is another 57Km. Although not that bad a road in itself with a fair number of corrugated sections, it is a very twisted, undulating path through numerous creek crossings and jump ups. Everyone warns that it is a bad road but from our perspective, while it is slow, it is not that difficult. Mind you we did take 2 hours to compete the 57km drive.
We stayed at Purnululu (Bungle Bungles) for 3 nights. We had previously visited this park in 2008 and were impressed then despite the heat of late September. This years visit was during a much milder part of the year with daytime temperatures around 26°C but overnight temperatures getting down to 7°C. Perfect bush-walking weather.
Our Camp at Purnululu
The camping grounds at Purnululu are very well organised and we had a wonderful camp site and so were very content.
While photos just don’t seem to do justice to this amazing world heritage site here is my attempt.
We rose early on the morning of the 30th of June and headed for Kununurra to refresh supplies, and do some laundry. But most importantly we need to catch up with our friends Harold and Di who will join us for most of July to tour the Kimberleys and Mitchell Plateau. They have hired a Britz 4WD camper in Darwin and we are due to meet them in Kununurra on the 2nd July.
While expecting to replenish diminishing wine stocks in Kununurra we find that we cannot buy casks of wine at all – against the law. Why you might ask, damn good question, suggest you research it on google. However Kununurra is a much nicer town now than it was in 2008 so perhaps the stringent alcohol regime has had the desired effect. So what’s wrong with bottles you might ask. Well firstly, bottles do not take kindly to corrugations. Corrugations that leave your cans of VB a shiny aluminium colour with all the paint removed, certainly are not going to be very kind to bottles. I have even experienced the continual flexing of wine bladders over corrugations to create a hole in the bladder. Secondly, it is generally the tourists responsibility to take his rubbish with him/her. Wine bottles take up enormous amounts of room in the rubbish it becomes very difficult to store.
The plan is to head up to Parry’s Creek Farm (near Wyndham) then head across the Gibb River Road (GRR) including the Mitchell Plateau (Mitchell Falls). We have pre booked 5 nights at EL Questro. While we have done this area before we are looking forward to once again experiencing this wonderful and amazing part of Australia.
Now to other matters:-
WARNING – RANT AHEAD.
Women accompanied by tissues should not be allowed into the outback or any national park. It should be a requirement of access to the outback to give up their addiction to these terrible squares of white intrusion onto the landscape.
We are sick to death of cleaning up the most remote camp spots of these hideous pieces of litter. Walking trails, camp spots, lunch stops. No matter where you go these disgusting white scrunches of tissue are a blight on the scene. Its almost like large squares of confetti spread across the landscape.
Please ladies, if you are headed into the outback please, please, learn to do one of the following.
- Learn to drip dry.
- Wear absorbent underwear.
- If you must use tissues, take a box of matches and burn the tissue. At least 95% of the tissue will burn and disappear.
- And for those cretins (including males) who don’t use a shovel for the more serious bodily functions, stay home, we don’t need you fouling up our wonderful country and having the authorities ban access to areas because of your inconsiderate actions.
And ladies, please, don’t give me that “you are a male, you don’t understand” crap. I am fed up to the back teeth with having to collect and burn these disgusting bits of white tissue.
Rant Complete
There are a couple of other rants that I have brewing but they are minor compared to the above.
My next post may be some way off as it is likely that we will not have access to the Internet for about 3 to 4 weeks. But in the meantime please follow our travels and current whereabouts here, http://blog.picsaustralia.net/wp/?page_id=6652
Very beautiful part of the world. Well I’d never given much thought to those tissues. I guess normal responsible burial does not work where it is so dry for so much of the year. Perhaps they should ban them – like the casks of wine.
Would an amateur like me get in okay?
Hi Geoff
Yep
There were Jayco’s in there so you won’t have any problems.
Any trailer/caravan must be single axle.
And there is water available so Gaell can have long showers.
It is untreated bore water but crystal clear.
You can rant all you like Graham – it’s your blog. And your right – at any stop just walk behind a bush close by and there they are.
I’m super jealous of you being up there. The Grays are in Katherine tonight. It’s a bugger sitting down here and watching all you guys move around in that fabulous part of the world whilst it’s 2and3 degrees.
The station you go through to get on the GRR is Diggers Rest. It might pay to discuss that with Terry. Don’t forget to go up the Bastion in Wyndam. Also the old telegraph station at sunset and if you drive down to the ord from Terry’s place there’s always some crocks and in the trees along the creek lines you’ll find Couckal Pheasants. Plenty of Brolgas and every different type of finch including the Gouldians if your lucky. And of coarse the bee eaters. Man I wish I could be there…
Just checked your progress over the last couple of days. I see you went up the Bastion and over to diggers rest. What were you doing out on the King River mudflats – trying to get bogged? Looks like you were having fun anyway – would be nice if I could get up there – maybe in four weeks or so I could slip away for R&R….
Hi Graham & Chris, 100% support your “rant” re the tissues left by morons anywhere in our wonderful country. We have just returned from 5 fabulous weeks in the Kimberley & surrounds & were continually horrified & disgusted at the tissues left by people who just don’t care. We constantly asked the question why do the likes of people who will foul a beautiful area (ie Kings Canyon) bother to put in the effort to walk it then leave their mess for other people to see & yes like you we picked it up. This was the only down side of our wonderful trip & can’t wait to be on the road again. Safe travels, Meralyn & Tony