Graham and Chris in tour 2014 – Update #9 – El Questro – Mitchell Falls – Drysdale

The drive from Diggers Rest was 32 km of dirt road back to the Great Northern Highway then bitumen to the Gibb River Road (48km) followed by bitumen to the El Questro Road turn off, The El Questro road was an additional 16km of dirt road. The procession of vehicles and caravans along the sealed part of the Gibb River Road to El Questro was a warning of what was to come.

Arriving at El Questro at around midday we were gobsmacked by the sheer numbers of people/camps/caravans in the camp ground. They were packed in like sardines and had it not been for the fact that we had previously booked a private remote camp site we would probably have moved on. As it was, we were booked in to a fabulous private site for 5 nights with our closest neighbours about 350 metres away. While we could just see them through the abundant trees it was virtually as if we were bush camped but with the convenience of being able to drive to the shower block around 3 km away. That of course presented another issue and that was the fact that there was usually a waiting line for the showers no matter the time of day. We did have the option of providing our own shower facilities but on most days chose to head into the station showers.

Our fabulous private camp site at EL Questro

While I concede that El Questro only have 3-4 months each year to make enough income to support the huge infrastructure for 12 months, they really should increase the size/number of ablutions. Bloody disappointing.

In the evening of our day of arrival our only adventure was a drive up a very steep 4WD track to Saddle-back Ridge Lookout. The next day we headed out to Amelia Gorge a 3.4 km walk with some rock climbing involved . El Questro has many activities and if bush-walking is your thing then it is extremely well catered for. Also there are various 4WD self drive tracks and lookouts to visit.

During our 5 day visit we walked Amelia, El Questro and Emma Gorges. El Questro being the most challenging particularly if you wanted to do the full walk. At about half way there is a fabulous swimming hole that many people do not proceed beyond. To proceed further requires some rather difficult rock scaling, but boy, is it worth it.

We also visited Zebedee Springs which is a fabulous warm artesian spring with many swimming holes.

Our previous visit to El Questro was in September and we did not have to endure the hoards of people so this was a new experiencde for us.

On our last night we took part in a fabulous meal in the open air restaurant to cap of a wonderful few days at El Questro despite the crowds of people.

Leaving El Questro on the morning of the 12 July we headed for Ellenbrae but stopping into Home Valley for lunch en route. What a surprise that was – the best Calamari any of us ever experienced. After a leisurely lunch we headed onto Ellenbrae which is simply a station to camp on with some facilities (Donkey Boiler Shower) well positioned between Kimberley attractions. We were on our way to the Mitchell Plateau and it was a little too much of a stretch to get to Drysdale Station on the Kulumburu road. The Gibb River Road had now deteriorated to mostly corrugations so progress was fairly slow. I had already suffered from broken bolts in the bull bar mounting that were patched up with Harold’s expertise and the help of the workshop at El Questro. Three of the bolts had sheared off and with some careful work we managed to get 6 bolts tightened where there are normally eight. Constant checking now required.

So leaving Ellenbrae on the 13^th we arrived at Drysdale River Station in time for lunch and filled up with diesel. Arriving at King Edward River (Munurru) mid afternoon. The Kulumburu road is a shocker with severe corrugations most of the way from Drysdale River Station to the Mitchell Falls turn off. From previous experience we decided to camp at King Edward River leaving the camper and driving into Mitchell Falls in the one car the following morning.

We arrived at the falls and booked an 11am helicopter ride up to the falls leaving us with a walk back to the car park at our leisure. The last time we had visited the Falls in 2008 we walked to the falls and caught a helicopter home. Deciding to catch the heli. up to the falls and walk back was a great alternative as there was no time pressure to meet a helicopter for the lift back to the car park.

We arrived back at our King Edward River Camp at around sunset.

The following morning we visited a significant rock art site before heading back to the Gibb River Road via Drysdale River Station. The Rock art site seems to be a combination of Bradshaw figures and some more basic Aboriginal Rock art. Astonishing.

About 50k’s short of Drysdale Harold and Di got a flat tyre. BUGGER. Got the tyre changed and blow me down if the bloody Britz Camper would not start.

My guess was a bad battery but the terminals were also an issue. With some help from some very kind fellow travellers we got the vehicle going again.

At Drysdale we got the puncture repaired and some assistance in cleaning up the battery terminals. We mistakenly thought that the battery problems were now behind us.

With the delay we decided to camp at Drysdale River Station for the night and took part in some outback tucker in the “Restaurant”. Menu consisted of a Kimberley Burger or a smorgasbord for $45. We opted for the burger. The added benefit of the meal at a licensed premises was the fact that we could stretch out our dwindling booze supplies. Unfortunately take away booze was not allowed. It is very hard to get reasonable quantities of alcohol in the northern parts of Australia. Draconian alcohol laws admittedly have had a positive effect on life for many indigenous families but is a pain in the arse for the traveller. We simply could not buy or store enough alcohol to get us from Kununurra to Derby along the Gibb River Road. Christine’s persistence on me having some AFD’s was looking like becoming a reality.

Next stops Barnett River Gorge, Mt Barnett and Manning Gorge, Galvin Gorge and the completion of the Gibb River Road.