The Gibb River Road, Derby

Tuesday the 20th of November, Richard and I woke and went for an early morning walk around Derby. We arrived back an hour later almost dying from the heat. At 6:30 it was already around 35 degrees. 

The rest of the day was catching up..... The kids had to catch up on their diaries, Richard had to catch up on some work and I had to catch up on the washing.

By lunchtime, all the catch ups had been done so Richard donned his overalls and played mechanic for a while, trying to fix a whistling sound on the car....

Richard the mechanic

The kids went for a walk around the caravan park and ran back excited wanting the  camera to take a photo of an albino peacock in the camp kitchen, it was a magnificent looking specimen...

An albino peacock

I spent the afternoon writing christmas cards and by late afternoon, with writers cramp, I gave the card writing a rest and we went for a drive to look at the Derby wharf in low tide. We couldn't believe how different the wharf looked from the day before in high tide....

Low tide at the Derby Wharf

We then went to look at a local aboriginal art gallery before heading back to the van where Richard  and Jack went back to the wharf for a fish, while I continued to write Xmas cards.

The boys arrived back in time for us to head back to the celebrity Boab for  another sunset. Again, beautiful...

Boabs and sunsets

By early evening the Xmas card writing was done so Richard and I sat outside with a drink while the kids readied themselves for the X-Factor. A quick dinner and we all watched as a West Aussie girl became the toast of the nation 

Wednesday the 21st of November, we set off  for the famous Gibb River Road to explore Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. 

The Derby locals had told us that both destinations were a must see. 150 kilometers down the Gibb River Rd, which was in much better conditions that we  were expecting and then 30 kilometers inland and we were at Windjana Gorge.
The scenery on the way in was beautiful, with massive rock faces appearing out of nowhere....

Gorge country

We learnt that Windjana Gorge was once the reef of an inland sea that stretches two kilometers below the surface. The scenery blew me away and would be any artists or photographers dream location...

The kids messing around in front of the gorge

The walkway, through a cave to the gorge

Inside the gorge

Although dry in some parts at the end of the dry season, the kids still managed to spot 11 fresh water crocs....

A freshwater croc says hello

And another

There were also bats everywhere, clinging to their piece of branch....

Trees full of bats

In full flight

The gorge is dry in parts at the end of the dry season

Richard and the kids standing in the middle of the gorge

Jack, Harry & Nina

After an hour or so of walking the gorge, we contined on to Tunnel Creek.
Again, the scenery along the way was mind blowing and again the Boabs entertained us. The  mind boggles as to how they can grow on rocks....

One of many Boabs growing in rock

Tunnel creek seemed like a good idea, that was until we got there.  It's a one kilometre long tunnel with a creek running through it 

Walking into the tunnel

Richard and the kids

In we go

Still time to make a run for it

It was dry in parts but a significant part was underwater. Combine that with complete darkness (we did have torches) and the orange eyes of freshwater crocs in the distance and that was enough to send me into a panic. Richard tried to calm me, NOT! The boys were no help at all either and it was  up to Nina and I to protect each other from the unseen orange eyed beasts which lurked beneath. I tried really hard to take in the amazingness (is that a word?) of it all,  but I honestly struggled. 

These croc tracks on the side of the creek beds didn't help me much either...

Croc tracks everywhere

I only breathed again when I saw daylight and we weren't even half way yet. 

Ok deep breaths..... look at the scenery ... Mmmm, lovely in the dark!

A white coral ledge 

We finally made it to the other end and although whiter than a ghost,  I felt happy to have gotten to the other side.

Show me the daylight

Out alive... on the other side. 

"Great, now where's the walking path back?" Richard laughed. Holy shite, we had to walk back through the tunnel. "Geez, not again!"

We trekked off back towards the tunnel, orange eyes shining in the darkness. Am I really a scaredy cat? Would anyone of you who reads this have been scared? Please send me feedback if you get a chance. 

The kilometre back couldn't come fast enough for both Nina and I. 

By the time we reached the car my legs were jelly.  I made lunch for everyone while Richard made me a gin and tonic to calm my nerves... It worked, eventually!

Skulling a G&T and eating lunch

The trip home was longer than expected. We took a wrong turn and ended up coming out on the Great Northern Highway, rather than the Gibb River Road.

So a 180 kilometer trip home turned into 280 kilometers.

It suited Nina and I. The stressful adventure (plus the gin and tonic no doubt for me)had left us exhausted. 

By the time we arrived back at the caravan park it was late afternoon. Richard began chatting to the next door neighbour and before long we had a group sitting outside the caravan for an afternoon  drink.  One of the couples came from Yarloop, the next town north of Harvey, again, its such a small world.

Jack, Harry and Nina cooked dinner, sausages and salad.