We were very excited about heading into what they call up here the West Kimberley. The East Kimberley had been interesting but we had really come to see the gorges and landscape further west and it is all it says it is and more. What an amazing place but first a few shots in and around Derby. This boab tree was used as a prison tree for aborigines when they couldn't be taken to Derby in a day. The picture shows the prisoners chained up walking in the hot sun. It is a sad indictment on the early white settlers. The trees are over 1000 years old.
The mud flats and mangroves of Derby weren't quite a match for the beautiful beaches we had seen on the west coast but the wharf was very interesting. You can drive a car around the semicircular shape and see the old conveyor belt and sheds that are no longer in use. There were a few fishermen trying their luck though.
An old style cement mixer but still in use!!
One of the lovely old houses in Derby - now a museum but originally used by one of the meat works managers.
Windjana Gorge - our first of many Kimberley gorges - all spectacular and all different.
Our camp site with the beautiful red seed pods making a clourful display
Into the gorge
A fossilised ammonite on the limestone walls of the gorge
Lookìng up from the floor of the gorge - such great light
Our first sight of the >50 fresh water crocs in the gorge
After Windjana we went to Tunnel Creek - I haven't taken any photos as we were wading through quite deep water to see this limestone tunnel shaped over millions of years by the water. We saw stalagtites and stalagmites and it is also home to many bats so they made their presence felt through noise and smell as well.
Look closely to see who we saw on the road to the east
Yes Queen Victoria herself!
Almost around every corner there are spectacular mountain ranges
We spent the next night at Silent Grove National Park and walked a very steep trail into Bell Gorge - you will see it wasn't worth the effort!!
Someone's got to swim in the gorge - have to wait till the end to see:)
There were goannas living in this gorge. One was swimming near us and then climbed out and went straight up the sheer wall. Another was sunning himself on a rock.
The steep climb in and out
This was the next gorge - Manning Gorge - a good hour's walk into this gorge and again well worth all the effort
Ali spreading out - nearly the whole place to ourselves
Another enormous boab back at the camp site
What more can I say about the scenery?
Drving the Gibb River Road - hot, dusty but we toughed it out
Road works - they are sealing the road from the west so it won't be a wild adventure for too much longer
Lunch under a boab
Who was swimming - us of course all to ourselves
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More of the Kimberley coming up in next blog
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