Kununurra... just.

It’s our closest call yet, but we manage to get a site – finally – in Kununurra, at the last of the six caravan parks we call. Unpowered, sure - but we’re just happy to have a place to stay. We swim, shower, launder, stock up on fresh produce at the farmers market, and after checking out the few local sites, are on our way.

The creek at the Bungle Bungle caravan park where we wile away a morning before hitting the road for Kununurra. Had we realised how idyllic it was, we'd have arranged to stay another day.

The original road crossing to Wyndham from Kununurra. Our next stop is Wyndham but we choose to take the highway...

At the Diversion Dam in Kununurra, over which the main highway passes, and which provides water to the farming area by gravity fed irrigation channels. We are impressed to learn that as much water as fills Sydney harbour is released through the dam each day. But after a long hot day in the car, none of us are impressed enough to jump out for a photo so we take it from the passenger seat.

Birthday Bungle Bungles Part II

It takes us more than an hour to navigate our way by 4WD between the two hikes in the Bungle Bungles. Wouldn't have been an issue had we eaten lunch at the end of the first, instead of bundling the kids into the car and promising them we'd eat at the start of the second... "just a few minutes up the road". Who was to know the road would be so trecherous. Fortunately both hikes are so completely different, so incredibly spectacular, so totally engaging... that all is forgiven.


Giant pebbles paving the way into the Echidna Chasm are no obstacle for us Biharys.

Budge "Indiana Jones" Bihary peers up  and out of the Chasm. Quite impossible to capture with our little digital camera the immensity of sight and feeling as we edged our way through.

We are heading back to the car from Echidna Chasm and Benji does what he does best.. and frequently... and without any qualms whatsoever. Sitting down. Refusing to move an inch further. Happy to watch us disappear in the distance. Willing to wait until someone, anyone, anyone - please!! comes back to pick him up and carry him the rest of the way.

Crossing YET another river in the Parnululu National Park. We stop counting after 26... The continuation of the road is just visible far ahead on the other side.

Birthday Bungle Bungles Part I

The Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park - could there be a better place on the planet to celebrate a birthday? Amongst the black and orange beehive domes (a one-of-a-kind natural wonder), the Biharys celebrate Sam’s 39th birthday in true Sam-style – with a full day of hiking: Cathedral Gorge in the morning and Echidna Chasm in the afternoon.

Koala mum Sam with her baby koala bear. There is no denying that Benji has gotten ALOT heavier since we left Melbourne, so the days of piggybacking are numbered. Time to relish every single opportunity.

Biharys and the Bungle Bungle Beehives. We all feel spunky in our BiharysOnTour t-shirts too: Bushbasher Budge Snakespotter Sam - Jumbuck Jack - Redneck Rikki - Billabong Benji. That is, until some old bloke comments on the fact that Sam's nickname must've been chosen by "her old man". Dirty bugger! 

Leaping the length of the Cathedral Gorge river bed.

Benji belts out his own version of "Happy Birthday" in Cathedral Gorge.

Wolfe Creek meteorite is aw'right!

It’s a long, slow, bumpy drive south of Halls Creek down the Tanami Track (135km and corrugated most of the way) to get to the Wolfe Creek meteorite crater. But as the second largest crater in the world at an enormous 850 metre diameter, the journey to see it with our own eyes is worth every bit of effort.

At the base of the crater. It's a short climb from here to the top.

Almost getting blown away standing up on the crater'e edge. There is a path snaking its way down the side and into the heart of the crater, but with sandals and crocs on our feet instead of our hiking boots, we reluctantly have to opt out. 

Salvaging our very own bit of meteorite rock.

Corssing the Kimberley

From Derby we start weaving our way through the West Kimberley region, taking in any and all sites of interest. Our overnighter stays at Fitzroy Crossing and then Halls Creek let us visit Old Fitzroy Crossing, the Quartz Wall, Wolfe Creek Crater... and the freezer section at the local supermarket (photo below speaks for itself).

Yes, there are crocs in these waters, but you wouldn't guess it from looking at our barefeet boys here on the banks of the Old Fitzroy Crossing.

The China Wall of natural quartz protuding up to 6 metres high. 

Frozen Kangaroo tails. Hair included. On Special. Today Only. At the Halls Creek IGA.

Tunnel Creek tops the caves!

We’ve done caves that have lighting. We’ve done caves that are pitch black. Now, at Tunnel Creek, we do something new: a cave, in total darkness, filled with water! Hands down, it is the best cave so far, bar none. Clutching torches and wearing togs, we splash our way down its 750 metre length. For grown ups, the water comes up to the knees and sometimes thighs… which means Benji is chest deep at times and, not surprisingly, opts to be carried on the return walk back. Jack and Rikki, meanwhile, are in their absolute element as they discover that this is one hike that they can doggy paddle their way through.

In daylight outside the entrance...

In darkness, as we start our walk through...

A joyful Jack at the halfway mark where the cave walls part to let in some light.

Cuddles in the puddles back at the start. (It takes skill, but we do finally manage to coax the kids back to the car with the promise of real live Crab Races scheduled for that night in Derby. We burn rubber driving back, only to find the Race date had been a misprint and the much anticipated event was not happening for another fortnight.)

Windjana - WOW!!

In Windjana Gorge we see – for the first time – real crocs in the wild. Tucked in the splendour of the Napier Range, Windjana is an ancient limestone reef that snakes through a jungle that would do Tarzan proud, alongside a sandy shore where the freshwater crocodiles bake themselves in the sun. As we hike the Gorge we view the crocodiles from afar, we view them up close (amongst crowds of tourists, finding courage in numbers), and then – when we get to a bit of beach where we can count five of them grouped together … well, then we concur that we have hiked far enough, and turn around to tiptoe our way back.

Group shot before entering the Gorge. Everyone under strict instruction to NOT pat the crocodiles.

View from in the Gorge. Looking dead ahead.

Edging as near as we dare to two little crocs on the beach. All the crocodiles in the Gorge are freshwater, which is the "safe" kind... but still, when cornered, a croc is a croc is a croc.

View from in the Gorge, looking up.

Discovering Derby

Derby captivates us – unexpectedly – and our overnight stop morphs into a three day stay. We visit the Pioneer Cemetery and Boab Prison Tree, spend an afternoon at the local swimming pool (with another awesome water playground), stumble upon a cultural arts festival in the marshlands at twilight, and visit the jetty at high and low tide to prove to ourselves that Derby does indeed have the highest tidal range in Australia (and second highest in the Southern Hemisphere). Derby is also the base-camp for our day trip down the Gibb River Road to take in the stunning Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek.

Budge and the ole ball n' chain at Derby's Prison Tree.

At the aptly named Long Trough outside the Pioneer Cemetery. Not sure if its the longest in the world but it's gotta come close. 

9.30am. Jetty at low tide.

3.30pm. Jetty at high tide.

Jack's Room Rules

Interesting what five months on the road, in cramped quarters, with very little personal space and even less privacy, can do to a boy. This sign appears one morning on the wall of his bunk bed. No further explanation needed. Gotta love it!

 

Shadow play in Broome

Mum and the kids at Point Gantheaume at sunset. 

On Cable Beach for a walk on our last morning in Broome.

Camels and Nudists

Sam and Rikki rode Horis. Budge and Benji rode Indy. Jack rode Zara (and was nuzzled by Oli from behind). The train of camels walked for 20 minutes, then turned around at the nude man with the suntanned bottom (for whatever reason, the camel walks happen along Broome's nudist beach). A great, great, GREAT time was had by all. Except maybe mister bare bum.

Beautiful Broome

After a full days driving (as we escape Port Hedland) – almost seven hours in total and our longest haul ever – we secure a week’s accommodation in a Broome caravan park, in peak school holiday season, after they receive a cancellation RIGHT BEFORE we phone to ask about any vacancies. We drive into town like heroes and it only gets better and better as we shift, effortlessly, into holiday mode.
• Our caravan site abuts a mini golf course. The gate is always open. The course is always unsupervised. Enough said.
• The city centre houses a charming China Town district oozing history and retail treasures.
• The local supermarkets sell everything, including kangaroo tails, frozen, with hair. If only our shopping basket hadn’t been full already…
• The streets and gardens are crowded with frangipani (Budge’s all time favourite tree), boab (Sam’s new favourite tree) and coconut palm (everyone’s favourite tree).
• The local playground boasts an awesome water play area.
• We get to ride camels!
• Jack finds his first fossil on the beach.
• Sam finds her first snake on a walk.
• Budge finds his first frog (after a bog) in the toilet.
Our six day stay flies by in a blur of beach walks, pool swims and sunsets. We have trained ourselves to never refer to our caravan journey as a “holiday” but rather, as an “adventure” – but none of us mind when Broome distinguishes itself as the glorious exception to the rule.

Quote of the trip: Benji, on peering under a basin in a public toilet and asked about what he can see, comments “Just… spiders… I can see mummy long legs and daddy long legs AND baby long legs…”. Almost as good as his previous request to pass him a “red lady apple”. That’s “pink lady”, Benj.

Father and son relax watching the footy on the wall mounted telly in mum n' dad's "bedroom" in the caravan. Just another day in paradise...

Sunset on Cable Beach.

Strolling Roebuck Bay beach where we find two starfish that are alive... and one that appears to have been fossilised in a small stone. 

Scanning the horizon at Point Gantheaume, where dinosaur footprints can be seen in low tide. Disappointingly, the tide is not low enough on the day of our visit. Dinosaurs remain extinct.

In, and out, of Port Hedland

We arrive in the red-iron-ore-dust-coated town of Port Hedland in the late afternoon. Just enough daylight left to see the massive rail effort in place to move iron ore into town for export, witness a loaded supertanker heading out to sea (with eight more queued up behind it), and visit the infamous detention centre. In Port Hedland we truly feel the heartbeat of the Australian economy pulsing.
Yet, back at our caravan park it is stinking hot, overcrowded with transient workers (accomodation shortage being a major issue) and the toilet block is made up of port-a-loos. We leave the next morning. Early. Without even eating breakfast.

Outside the Port Hedland detention centre. Sorry, that's EX-detention centre. Outside the newly branded Port Hedland Beachfront Village. Unbelievable!

Railway crossing at Port Hedland. We count every one of the 116 (!!!) carriages loaded with 260 tonnes of iron ore.

More Karratha moments

Thank you again Nana and Grandpa for four days of fun!

Benji sharing a joke over a beer.

Sorting through seeds and shells after a beach picnic.

"Come in nana - Over!" After an animated conversation with nana, travelling in the car behind us, Rikki passes the walkie talkie to Benji, who promptly puts it up to his ear and then can't understand why he can't get a reply. Rikki soon sets him straight.

Family Fun in Karratha

Budge’s folks join us in Karratha and after four days together, we still can’t agree on who enjoyed the visit the most – the kids, the parents or the grandparents. What we can agree on, with absolute certainty, is that we milked every moment.
* Mealtime smorgaboards – eating in, eating out and eating on the road.
* Walkie-talkie conversations as we drove in convoy.
* Totem tennis, bocce and card game contests – including a very special round of UNO with Jack and the grown ups late one night after his siblings fall asleep in the car at 5pm on the drive home from a long day of sightseeing and transfer to their beds to sleep through until morning (henceforth known as the great 14 hour sleep-a-thon).
* A spot of fishing at Karratha Backbeach and a spot of shopping at Karratha Centro (no points for guessing where the kids land the bigger catch).
* Bedtime stories, shell collecting and string puppetry with nana... AND a nana movie night.
* All local tourist sites explored… Cossack, Point Samson, Roebourne, and the enormous North West Shelf gas plant and nearby salt mine.
Nana Jenny and Grandpa Emmery leave us laden with gifts, messages from home, and a rather spiffy set of personalised tee-shirts. It is hard to say goodbye and the time comes all too soon.

The kids are captivated as Nana Jenny unpacks the goodie bag sent by Auntie Loo, Uncle Pin and cousins Jemima, Marcus and Elliot. Hard to feel more loved than we do!

All smiles as we share another meal together in the caravan annexe. A fine spread indeed.

Locking up the rascals in a prison cell at the historical town of Cossack. Not that their behaviour warranted it, what with nana and grandpa in town!

Rikki fishing with Grandpa. The conditions and location are less than optimal, but there is no way that we are going to let Grandpa leave without giving it a red hot go!

Exmouth

We stay in Exmouth for three days. We see a shipwreck, a lighthouse, a turtle discovery centre... we notch up some walks and playground fun... Sam makes it to a yoga class but is stood up by the instructor... and we opt for an ensuite site that lets us scrub every bit of Ningaloo sand and dust from our bodies and hair. Luxury!!

Impromptu "Tag" around the lighthouse at Exmouth.

A picture.. a thousand words.

Rikki's drawing of OUR car (with box on the roof) towing OUR caravan. Drawn on our last day at Ningaloo Station. In dry mud. With a stick. We love it.