The Bungle Bungles and a "short" trip to Kununurra

The Bungle Bungles

Now known as Purnululu  This has been on my wish list for years , especially when on my Gibb River Rosd trip 5 years ago, I was within 100km from it, but decided not to detour. Considering it is about 4000km from Melbourne it wasn't much of a detour. 

Anyway now that I am in the area again, this opportunity won't pass. 

Purnululu is a national park with some wonderful attractions. 

Firstly the amazing beehive like mountains created by the weathering of millions of years. 

Secondly are a number of attractions like Echidna Chasm. Viewing this wonder involved for me anyway, a fairly strenuous walk up and I mean up a rocky dried up river bed, and then winding through a very narrow rocky passage with only occasional glimpses of the sky way up in the distance. 

I will include a short video. Keep a watch for the amazing dragon flies. 

My latest detour is to Kununurra.  Probably a bit stupid as its extra travel, but the appeal of that huge Lake Argyle is drawing me. Plus Halls Creek camping ground is very ordinary. 

Did I mention the temperature is mid thirties 

Turns out I can't include a video using the iPhone Blogger app. I'll try and put it on you tube

The Tanami

The Tanami route has always been a right of passage for four wheel drivers. One of the highlights of the trip was to stop over at The Rabbit Flat Roadhouse. It's particular claim to fame was that it was the most remote roadhouse in Australia. The owner was also renown as notoriously grumpy person who only opened on certain random days of the week, usually Tuesday Wednesday and Friday from memory. If you rolled up needing fuel on the wrong day, you just had to wait till he opened up on the next right day. 

And there was no other option for fuel for 300 km in either direction. 

So you had to wait. Sadly he finally closed down about 5 years ago as he was probably sick of those pesky customers. Did I mention that he reputedly had this gorgeous French wife whom no one had ever met. 

I actually spoke to her on the phone once about five years ago when I last went through, and rang ahead to make sure I would be there on an open day. 

He also had the dearest fuel in Australia, but I guess no one could go elsewhere. 

What this now means for me and for that matter all others, is that drivers have to carry abot 150 litres of fuel. Fortunately no worries for me with the new, now working tank.

The road on the South Australian side of the border was not too bad, with signs of recent maintenance, but once over the West Australian border it was just woeful, with giant pot holes, wash aways, crevices big enough to loose a small car etc. and of course endless corrugations. This is what brought me undone on the last trip, but the new suspension seems to coping much better than the old one. I felt it was a good test for the actual CSR 

While driving along, battling with the poor quality of the road, and literally hundreds of kilometers from anywhere, I suddenly saw this apparition in form of a cyclist on a three wheeled tricycle pedalling furiously up the hill. I couldn't believe my eyes. In fact he was the only other person or vehicle I came across during that trip heading my way. 

The only other item to brighten my day was that I suddenly realised I had picked up a hitch hiker. In the corner of my eye I noticed something scurrying across the outside of the drivers window. Back at home it would have been a huntsman spider, but it was on my perifiral vision, and I decided to stop for an inspection. It turned out to be the cutest little lizard who could defy gravity by walking accross a moving car window while the car was shaking and crashing about on the corrugations. I pulled over and attempted to photograph this amazing athlete, but he or she was camera shy and proceeded to play hide and seek around the snorkel. I did get one peek a boo type shot. 

The tricycle and lizard definitely made the journey far more enjoyable and after another  three or four hours the camp ground for the night was in sight. 

I should add that this particular stretch is normally done in two days, but because I was travelling east to west, and crossed a state border,  I gained one and half hours in time difference, which meant I could still arive at a reasonable time. 

2016 The Canning Stock Route

On Sunday morning , not as early as I hoped, I finally got away. If it wasn't packed by now it was staying home. 

The travelling went well, and by nightfall I was in Mildura. 

One major task still to be done was to fill the 215 litre diesel tank with cheap fuel at the first opportunity. Mildura was very cheap and I called in to do the task. Well you wouldn't believe it. The filler cap would not unlock. 

This filler cap had been demonstrated to me at the tank maker and looked wonderful. I did have a test run before I left and unlocked the cap, put in 30 litres, and re locked the cap. 

However no matter what I did, I could not undo the lock. Phoning the tank maker wasn't possible as it was Sunday. 

After several cups of soothing tea, I came to the conclusion that I would have to turn around and return the 500km trip that night. 

To say I wasn't the happiest soul around was not an under statement. 

Next morning the tank engineer struggled with the cap and after much foul language got it loose. It obviously had a problem, and as I just wanted to get going, I took a replacement non locking cap, that really couldn't go wrong. 

They were very apologetic. 

So back on the road, this time via Melbourne in peak morning traffic. 

Much later that day, to cheer myself up I stopped at Ouyen on the way to Mildura, and bought the most famous treat that Ouyen was internationally known for.  The Best Vanilla Slice was awarded to Ouyen in a completion set up by Jeff Kennet back in the ninetys. It was delicious. I might have to stop on the way back. 

After a great sleep that night as I had had only a few hours sleep the previous night, I felt much better. 

I did fill up the tank with the aforementioned cheap diesel, and at last felt a bit happier. 

There were some interesting variations on fuel resellers , but I haven't come across too many portable service stations. 

Now for some serious driving to try and make up for lost time. Woomera was the planned destination, and I managed to get there by 5.00. 

I always like Woomera as a stopover, as I have fond memories of the place.  Last visit I spent quite some time looking at the old rockets and Len Beadell paraphernalia.  

Next morning on the road again, and the plan was get to the Northern Territory by nightfall, making three states in three days. I did make it , but the camp ground at Kulgera was only just over the border. 

The camp ground was a bit bare, but I found a shady spot under a tree at the edge of the property. I couldn't work out why all the other campers had ignored it. It might have been due to the hordes of ants that I finally noticed scurrying around at my feet after I had set up camp. None of them bit me, and I didn't find any in the van next morning. 

I am now writing this from Alice Springs. Kulgera never had mobile coverage, so I finally I am back in the big smoke. I paid Coles a visit, and bought some supplies for the trip. This is the last big town before I start the real adventure. 

Tomorrow will be an initial test, as I have traverse the Tanami Track. This is a very famous 1000 km track of danger filled moments, with road trains having right of way over all other vehicles. Google it for more info. 

The Tanami more or less ends at the infamous Wolfe Creek crater. I have been there before, and during the day it doesn't look that scary. 

Interesting people I met

In spite of travelling on my own, it was really easy to meet people, especially in the camp ground. 

Some were pretty ordinary, but most were really interesting. 

One of the strangest were two couples I was sandwiched in between in a really packed caravan park in Alice Springs. 

I joined them for a late afternoon chat but was gob smacked when all they spoke about was how much money they had accumulated in their working life. It was like that Monty Python sketch about living in a hole in the ground. Each was trying to outdo the other.  I kept my mouth shut. 

By far the most interesting was in a roadhouse park where 2 fairly eccentric fellows about my age set up a tent next to me. When I say two, one did ALL the work, and the other just watched. 

The tent was the the most ridiculous tent ever. It looked like it was bought in Kmart in the children's toy section. It was shiny red and yellow and looked big enough for two eight year olds. 

How they fitted in I don't know. 

I got talking to them because neither of their mobile phones worked and showed SOS only. They were pressing buttons randomly, and trying to send texts with no result. They were obviously totally  bamboozled by technology.  

After I got talking to them, it turned out they were both professors of Earth and Paleo Climate Science at ANU university in Canberra, and one of them, the one who stood around had discovered the worlds largest meteor impact site in Australia. 

I looked him up on Google, and he is actually quite famous. 

For some reason we got on quite well, and he was busy explaining the theory of meteor impact sites. 

They were on their way to Wolf Creek, and then the Pilbara. 

In fact he invited me to visit him next time I visited Canberra. 

The other interesting couple I met while whale watching, was this fellow who while sitting around the campfire, pulled out a selection of home brew including beers, gin, and whiskey. He had been an industrial chemist during his working life, and now usd his knowledge to make all the experimental drinks. 

In spite of not going to plan, it's been a great trip, and now it's homeward bound

Whale Pictures

Here are some of the whale pictures. Where there are 2 black shapes visible, that is the calf and the mother. It was a really spiritual experience.

Whale watching

I have been slowly heading west, with the great benefit of much better weather. In fact it has been blue skies for the past couple of days. The early mornings are still icy, but it doesn't take long to warm up. Here is a pic of the icy car at dawn. 

My destination has been the Head of the Bight, which is a famous whale watching spot. I can't believe that two years ago when I headed out this way, I didn't stop. 

It's a much over used word, but awesome is the only way to describe the experience. 

The public walk onto a viewing platform which overlooks a large stretch of the ocean.  

As I arrived, there was a mother and calf swimming just below. 

The mother was swimming sedately along, and the calf was playing up like crazy with heaps of duck diving, tail slaps and generally acting like it had far too much energy. 

The really exciting experience was the periodic deep and incredibly loud resonant call from the mother. It sounded loud even over the 60-100 metres distance. 

Needless to say I was taking heaps of photos but they are on the Canon, with the telephoto lens and have to be transferred via the laptop. Hopefully I will do this in the next few days. 

There were quite a few more whales around, but none as close and entertaining as this pair. 

I was able to count about 12 whales

Tomorrow I plan to call in for another session. Apparently it is pure luck if you see them close up. 

This arvo I crossed the border and briefly drove into West Australia, which means I have ventured into four states this trip including Soth Australia, Northern Territory, West Australia, and Victoria of course. 

Great spot for camping