Graham and Chris on tour 2014 – Update #8 – Kununurra to Diggers Rest

Well we have now traversed the Gibb River Road and are once again able to access the Internet so I am writing this update in Derby WA. We are here for a while as the corrugations of the SA roads to Innamincka, the Plenty Hwy, The Tanami and the Gibb River Road have disintegrated our brakes on the Quantum and so we are waiting for parts so we can once again be on our way. Other than that the Qyantum has performed faultlessly. The only other problem has been that sharp rocks have shredded the mud flaps below the stone deflector. Oh, and our lovely white GME UHF aerial exploded into pieces on some Mitchell Plateau corrugations. Must have been just the right resonance.

This update takes us from Kununurra to Diggers Rest:-

After joining up with our friends, Harold and Di on the afternoon of the 2^nd of July in Kununurra, we proceeded to restock our depleting supplies and then on Thursday the 3^rd of July we headed for Parry Creek Farm near Wyndham. Harold and Di had hired a Britz Camper in Darwin and were looking for us to be their “Tour Guides” for 3.5 weeks in the Kimberley’s. They were very eager to experience what we had previously experienced in 2008.

We had been given an introduction to Terry and Anne White of Parry Creek Farm buy our good mate Nicko who is a very close friend of theirs.

Camped at Parry Creek

After setting up camp at Parry Creek Farm we had lunch then set off for a look around the Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve. The view in the afternoon from Telegraph Hill is a “MUST DO” and an excellent spot for nibbles and drinks as the sun sinks in the West. The Parry Creek Lagoon has an excellent bird hide and sitting quietly for a half hour or so reveals an astonishing variety of birds. Many people by-pass Parry Creek and stay in Wyndham or simply head across the Gibb River Road without realising what they have missed out on with a couple of nights stay at the Farm. Wyndham is a place I personally have no wish to stay at, and while interesting, is not a very attractive town.

Parry Lagoon

After returning to camp by a back track from Parry Lagoon across the flood plains, we showered and had dinner in the Parry Farm Restaurant; Barramundi all round (YUM!).

We decided to stay 2 nights at Parry Creek and so the next morning headed out the “Old Halls Creek Road” from the farm to visit “The Grotto”. The “Old Halls Creek Road” is now a 4WD track but was originally a hand paved all weather road dating back to the early 20^th Century. Quite remarkable to see the remains of this track paved with local rocks all hand placed.

Our plan for the day was a round trip to “The Grotto” then onto Wyndham and lunch at the Five Rivers Lookout then back to camp at Parry’s Creek. Terry and Anne had invited us to join them for nibbles and drinks on Telegraph Hill in the evening before dinner to watch the sunset and have a chat. What a fabulous evening it was.

The Grotto

Sunset – Telegraph Hill – Parry Lagoon

 A selection of Photos from Parry Lagoon

The next morning we packed up and said our goodbye’s to Terry and Anne. We had chatted to Terry about getting to ElQuestro via the Karunjie Track and he was not sure if we could make it through without heart ache with the camper in tow. The Karunjie Track is an old stock route and is not maintained or gazetted. It joins the Wyndam Road to the Gibb River Road, by tracking around the northern perimeter of the Cockburn Ranges. His suggestion was to head out and camp at Diggers Rest Station and ask his mate Roderick if he thought we would be able to get through. We thought that sounded like a good plan. An added benefit was that we could take some fresh fruit and veg supplies to Diggers Rest from the fabulous vege garden at Parry’s Creek. This would also help with our introduction to the crew at Diggers Rest.

Start of the Karunjie Track

Roderick strongly discouraged us from taking the camper across the Karunjie Track and so we decided on a 2 night stay on a water hole on the station and drive the Karunjie Track for a days outing the following morning. The track is only 52km but would take at least 2.5 hours each way.

Diggers Rest Station was the setting for the Baz Lurman film “Australia” with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Roderick is still apparently owed a considerably amount of money by the film company which it appears he will never get paid.

The station specializes in horse riding tours into the outback and around the Cockburn Ranges. They had just returned from a 2 week horse riding trip the day before we arrived.

When we asked about an appropriate camp spot, one of the station guys (Steve) said, “c’mon Graham, lets check out the camp spots”. With that we jump in a very tired Toyota and headed off. My crew had not realised I had gone and what was to be a 15 minute trip ended up being about 1.5 hours. Firstly we did a number of detours, talked to some other campers about how to catch Barra, and then within sight of the homestead we got a flat tyre and had to walk the remainder of the way back to the homestead. Chris, Harold and Di were a little perplexed about my absence without notice but the fabulous camp spot that I was then able to take them to I think mollified their ire a little, thankfully.

Images from Diggers Rest Road, Diggers Rest and Karunjie Track

The following morning we packed our lunch and headed across the Karunjie Track which joins the Gibb River Road at the Pentacost River crossing. We had a great day except for a dodgy arrow sign causing us to get a little lost (we were not the only ones). Had lunch on the banks of the Pentacost river then drove back to Diggers Rest Station.

The morning of the 7^th July we headed back out to the main Wyndham Road, Restocked at Wyndham then headed south to the Gibb River Road and onto ELQuestro.

Next Update, ElQuestro to Ellenbrae