More photos of Lake Argyle - WA

Border Control - I'm sooooooo excited

The Ord River

Our sunset cruise boat on Lake Argyle

Lake Argyle

Houseboats on Ord River/Lake Argyle

Lake Argyle as seen from the caravan park - what does this remind you of??

Magnificent rocks around the Lake

Evening shadows

Sorry another sunset

Charlie doing what he does best

On our way back

Sun finally gone

Just a few more photos which hopefully will give you an insight of this beautiful place.  Got loads more but that's enough!!  Adieu from the Wandering 2s.

Lake Argyle - Western Australia

Finally - The Kimberleys Western Australia

Spillway Creek - lots of fish which didn't want to get caught

Charlie happy to be in WA

Its a hard life - the wonderful pool overlooking Lake Argyle

Dead Horse Springs

Durack Homestead

Lake Argyle

Lake Argyle

Us swimming in Lake Argyle just before sunset on our cruise

The sun is going down and casting great shadows

Water as far as you can see

Clarrie was given good and water from our neighbours while we were on the JJJ cruise

Well what can I say - Why didn't we do this years ago!!!  So far what we have seen of the Kimberley Region of WA is spectacular.  We drove from Katherine to Lake Argyle and had a couple of stops in free camps along the way until we came to the oasis which was Lake Argyle. As we were nearing the border of NT/WA the landscape changed into majestic mountain ranges and boab trees.  After clearing border control at WA we were finally here - I got very excited to cross the border as I've never been here so am really looking forward to exploring the whole of the coastline of this beautiful state. 

Lake Argyle is magnificent - its classed as an inland sea covering over 1000 square kilometres.  It is contained within the spectacular Carr Boyd Ranges and was formed by damming the Ord River in 1971.  It is Australia's largest body of fresh water.  We had 3 nights at the spectacular Lake Argyle Tourist Resort and it was totally relaxing.  From there we did a sunset cruise of Lake Argyle which was one of the best tours we've done so far on our trip.  It is hard to appreciate just how big this lake is.  We were taken to one spot where all we could see was water and the horizon and we really did feel as though we were at sea.  We had a wonderful swim in Lake Argyle even though we had been croc spotting only an hour or so before and Lake Argyle is home to a huge amount of freshwater crocs but we were assured they wouldn't hurt us but what the heck, we were here and we just had to do it!! 

The tour was great, very informative with lots of lovely cheese, bikkies and pates plus champers watching the sunset.  I can't get enough photos on the one blog so will put some more on a separate blog of Lake Argyle - its truly somewhere you must all see!!

Met some lovely people there who "minded" Clarrie while we were away and made sure he had food and waterj - they're as mad as we are!!  Sadly all good things must come to an end and we left there this morning and headed into Kununurra to explore some more of the region.  Have booked a flight over the Bungle Bungles for Saturday (it was on the bucket list) so we are looking forward to that.  Anyway that will be the subject of another blog so until then

Adieu from the Wandering 2s.

PS If you are thinking of doing this - DO IT!!!!!

Kakadu National Park - Endless Dreamtime

The Iconic Kakadu National Park

Our bush camp in Kakadu

David, Ann, Charlie and Jane

Cahill Crossing into Arnhem Land

Aboriginal rock art at Ubirr

View of wetlands from Ubirr

Charlie and David waiting for sunset at Ubirr

Lots of other people waiting for sunset

Finally the sun sets

Yellow Waters wetlands

Jim Jim Falls

Water crossing to Twin Falls

Well........ Kakadu National Park - what can I say.  We were told by so many people that its Kakadont but we felt we had to see it for ourselves.  I'm glad I've seen it but wouldn't bother again.  Much preferred Litchfield but here are some photos for you.

We were quite disappointed driving into Kakadu (and we had to pay $25 per person fee - what a rip off!!) as there was a lot of burnt off vegetation, we were surprised that there wasn't a lot of wildlife to be seen but were told that was because of the big wet - mmm maybe!!.  There was quite a variation in vegetation, from savannah to pandanus lined roadways and then the typical national park vegetation, wetlands and stone country. We set up camp for a couple of nights at Merl campground which was great except for the B52 bomber mozzies there!!  From there we explored the East Alligator River area which is in the shadow of the magnificent Arnhem Land and the Cahills crossing which leads into Arnhem land but you have to have a permit to go into there.  If you get to Cahills crossing at high tide you can see crocs waiting for the barra to cross the crossing and they then pounce.  We saw a few big ones when we were there and Charlie and David actually saw a croc with a dead croc hanging out of its mouth taking it downstream belly up by the head but it got chased by the resident big croc by the crossing.  He came back and told me but did he take a photo - NO - I'm sorry but its just so hard to get good help these days.

We had a look at the Info centre which was great.  Very informative with great displays but I can't understand why more indigenous people aren't employed, either in the Visitor info centre or as Rangers.  We hear all the time about how the aboriginals want us to learn about their land - what better way to tell us?    We learnt all about the Rainbow Serpent which is linked to water and places where she travelled across country leaving behind the features in the landscape such as the gorges.

We also went and had a look at the Ubirr rock art which apparently dates back 25,000 years.  It was amazing and the best rock art I've seen.  We then hiked up to the escarpment and yes once again watched a spectacular sunset.

We then moved on to the Mardagul campground which was on the South Alligator river - this was another great bush camp but there was a lovely resort at Cooinda just 2 km round the corner and Charlie and I used to sneak in every afternoon and have a swim in the pool there - Sssssh don't tell anyone!!  However we had a Crown lager and a coffee one afternoon and it cost us $14 so we figure we paid for the swims anyway!!  We always had to be aware of crocs and were told by the Ranger that if we wanted to go fishing in the river we had to be careful of the crocs - how do you be careful of the crocs??????  I practiced my zig zag running but that's about all I did!!

We had a day trip out to Jim Jim Falls which is a majestic waterfall set in the red ochre of the Arnhem Land escarpent.  There are white sandy beaches there and crystal clear water where you can have a lovely swim.  However, it is quite challenging to get there as we had to scramble over some quite large boulders for about a kilometre.  However it was worth it in the end.

We only spent 4 days in Kakadu but that was enough - been there, done that, got the T-shirt but it was worth it.  We left Kakadu and headed south towards Katherine and then turned west to start our next adventure in Western Australia.  I'm very excited because I've never been to WA before so that's all for now.

Adieu from the Wandering 2s.  Next blog will be from WA.

Sunset and Sunrise over Corroboree Billabong, Mary River

Sunset over Corroboree Billabong, Mary River

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Purple shadows of sunset

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

Fireball

Fireball

Sunrise

Just thought I would share these maginificent sunrise and sunset photos with you.

Off to explore Kakadu National Park tomorrow.

Adieu from The Wandering 2s.

Mary River Houseboat

Our houseboat Ullinda

Skipper Lyn and her motley crew

Skipper Lyn

The fishermen

Never smile at a crocodile - this is why you don 't get off the boat!!

Mary River

Lily pads along the Mary River

A tree in the early morning light

The fisherman turned into a catcherman!!!

Flood plains along the Mary River

Beautiful sea eagles

A jabiru

Well Skipper Lyn and her motley crew decided to hire a houseboat on the Mary River for 3 days and 2 nights and what an experience that was.  We all had our jobs to do - Lyn was the skipper, Charlie and Graeme the fishermen who would hopefully catch dinner (however the girls went to Woolies first and stocked the fridge just in case) and Jane was the "Princess Drinks Bitch"!!

We actually cruised the Corroborree Billabong which is part of the Mary River system and it was just magical.  The birdlife was prolific and we saw lots of sea eagles, kites, kingfishers, jabirus to name but a few.  We also saw lots of crocodiles and you certainly wouldn't want to fall off in these croc infested waters.  So very different from hiring a houseboat on the River Murray where every night we got off and had a fire on the banks of the river!!

On the first day we motored along taking in all the sights - there are lots of floodplains along the river and it would be a wonderful sight in the wet as the billabong would be endless.  The vegetation is quite diverse as well, with lilypads, big clumps of pandanus trees, and paperbark trees all side by side.  Skipper Lyn drove the boat effortlessly, Princess Drinks Bitch made sure that everyone had a stubbie in their hands and the fishermen did what they do best (which is fish, not catch!!).  On that first morning Graeme caught a barra but unfortunately as he was reeling it in, it spat the lure out so that was a great disappointment.  The weather was perfect.  We then had chicken kiev on the bbq for dinner along with a few glasses of beer, wine, Jim Beam etc and went to bed.  Our bedroom was upstairs and was accessed from the back deck up a ladder - As I was climbing it I kept thinking of all those crocs I'd seen in the daytime!!

Next morning, we had a visit from the owner of the Mary River Houseboats who brought us freshly baked scones, jam and cream and also the morning paper.  What service.!!  Another day of drinking, eating, fishing, cruising and then another yummy bbq for dinner along with a few glasses of beer, wine, Jim Beam etc. - this could get monotonous!!  Who am I kidding - I'm in heaven. 

We anchored that night and just watched the sunset which was magical but during the evening our anchor slipped so it was fun and games trying to manouever and anchor again in the dark!!  Charlie was anchor boy, Lyn was driving and I was out on the back deck with the spotlight making sure we didn't hit anything.  It was very eerie seeing all the red eyes of the crocs in the water!!  Anyway all's well that ends well and we re-anchored and spent an uneventful night waking to the most brilliant sunrise.  Another paper delivery and we set off for more of the same.  A few fish were caught but at the end of the day we had a brilliant time and such a great way to enjoy the Corroborree Billabong!!

Thanks Lyn and Graeme for your great company and I'm sure we will be meeting up again some time soon over in the West.

For now Adieu from The Wandering 2s.

Charlie and the BIG BARRA!!

Look its BIG!!

I'm so COOL!!

Well I thought this deserved a special blog all of its own - FINALLY Charlie caught a big barra!!!  76 cms long and weighing 6 kg.  He was like a little boy when he was reeling it in and it certainly didn't want to be reeled in, jumping and fighting all the way.  Anyway had some for dinner that night and it was yummy and the rest of it is nicely filleted and sitting in the freezer to have later and then WOHOOO WE CAN RELIVE THE CATCH OVER AND OVER (Joy!!).

Adieu from The Wandering 2s.