Cape Leveque ( Dampier Peninsula )

Hello all
I headed up the rutted drain (because it does not deserve to called a road) towards Cape Leveque.
Now, I have travelled some pretty ordinary roads but this one is rubbish. Driving down a drain with 15% side angle, throw in corrugations, throw in loose sandy surface and throw in narrow in many places, I wonder why there aren't more accidents here.

King Sound from Gumbanan Bush Camp

Being only a day or so after the full moon the tides were massive, probably in the 8 metre range. It was interesting to watch the rush of water from King Sound.

King Sound

 The road., as I mentioned was shocking, and about half way along the 110km unpaved section the Engine Malfunction light came on. It was so much fun trying to drive this road in Limp Home Mode. 60kph flat out 3rd gear.......................
I tried the old trick of disconnecting the battery for a while but the light wouldn't clear.
Fortunately overnight it cleared itself and hasn't reoccurred.

Gumbanan Bush Camp

 Waking up the next morning was like somebody had pulled the plug on King Sound.

low tide Gumbanan

Next stop was Gnylmarung Retreat, what a gem of a place, even the strong winds didn't detract from the place.

only one other person on the beach Gnylmarung

After a couple of days here relaxing I headed for a short drive to Middle Lagoon.

Middle Lagoon

the wind was still howling and since last year, Middle Lagoon has been discovered, with lots of people there.

Middle Lagoon

 Next was James Price Point, where the Western Australian Government want to build a massive Liquefied Natural Gas Plant.

James Price Point

 This has been met with massive public backlash.

James Price Point

James Price Point

Tomorrow I head back into Broome to do a few chores and decide what is next.

James Price Point

Odly enough, there are showers and possible thunderstorms forecast for the next couple of days.
Hopefully it doesn't start until I get off the red dirt...............dust is one thing, mud is another.

Bye for now........................

Home Valley to Broome via Wolfe Creek Crater

Hello all
I left Kununurra after restocking and headed south. It was a good thing I had a good look around The bungles last year, as it was evacuated and has been closed for the last few days due to fires.

Wolfe Creek Metiorite Crater

It was  a long dusty drive out to Wolfe Creek but the road was pretty good.

 The crater averages about 875 metres in diameter, 60 metres from rim to present crater floor and it is estimated that the meteorite that formed it had a mass of about 50,000 tonnes, while the age is estimated to be less than 300,000 year.

Wolfe Creek Crater

 The spectacular thing I thought was the location. Few trees and fairly flat countryside on the edge of the Tanami Desert. If it had been in hilly terrain the visual effect would have been a lot less dramatic.

Wolfe Creek Crater

the road in

Back in Halls Creek, I headed out to Palm Springs with the thought of camping the night. Upon arriving I discovered a freshly dead Kangaroo adjacent to the small campsite and with the temperature hovering around 36-37c I decided to keep moving and avoid the smell as the day progressed.

Palm Springs

Sawpit Gorge

Luckily i decided to head back to halls Creek, a small fire I saw several ridges away had grown to a considerable bushfire and was now burning alongside the road for about a kilometre. The fire grew very quickly and makes me wonder if this is the same fire which closed the Bungles and the Great Northern Highway.

China Wall

Sitting in the airconditioned ute waiting for a tour Group to leave at China Wall, I realised the driver and host looked familiar..............yep across the road neighbours from Alice Springs and now based in Broome. It is such a small world.

China Wall

After stopping in Fitzroy Crossing and Derby I am now in Broome chilling out for a week or so.

In the next few days I plan to head up to Cape Levique for a week, maybe two 

Bye for now......

Timber Creek to Home Valley

Hello all
Leaving Timber creek I headed further west.

Victoria River Timber Creek

 A trip up onto the escarpment was on the agenda before leaving.

Timber Creek

 I love this drive through here, the escarpment country is truly stunning.
Next stop was Keep River National Park.

Keep river National Park

 After Keep River I headed through the Quarantine checkpoint and on to Lake Argyle and a swim in  the coldest pool in Australia.

Horizon Pool Lake Argyle

After Argyle I headed to Kununurra for a few days to restock.

Now let me diversify for a bit.........

I have worked out a way to get Australia out of financial trouble.
YES INTRODUCE A STUPIDITY TAX......I am astounded by the stupidity I witness every day multiple times every day in fact.
Some of the things I see makes me wonder why these people are allowed outdoors without adult supervision, let alone travel the country towing a inner city apartment behind their inadequate vehicle at speeds well beyond anywhere near there own ability.
As you may have guessed I had a bad day the other day.
Here in Kununurra, being close to the Northern Territory Border, yet running Perth time, it gets light about 6am.

To the IMBASILE at Lakeside Caravan Park in Kununurra that doesn't mean it's OK to wind the stabiliser legs on your caravan up with a rattle gun at 6 FUCKING AM

Then later that day camped up at the Pentecost River Camp at Home Valley Station I was sitting admiring the magnificent veiw of the Cockburn Range when some MELON decided to park his Landcruiser and 21foot caravan attached lengthwise straight across in front of me effectively blocking over 10 metres of my view.
Instead of watching the sun set on the Cockburn Range I witnessed the sunset on Landcruiser and caravan.

sunset on landcruiser and caravan

Another inconsiderate arsehole who thinks of no one but himself, I might add he was parked in a no camping area too. 
These inconsiderate arseholes are ruining the enjoyment of this wonderful country, but do they care?......no........do they even realise?.......no.

The sooner a test is introduced for towing the better.
It is totally wrong for someone with no towing experience and no four wheel drive experience can get their Superannuation payout and buy a caravan that big that it need it's own postcode,then tow it at dangerous speeds down every dirt road and track in Australia totally out of control, and sadly not knowing they are a danger to themselves and other road users.

 Backpackers cop a lot of flack by travellers, but give me a backpacker slaming the door of his wizzbang any day over a rude selfish inconsiderate caravaner who thinks that because he spent all his Super on his "hamburger with the lot"  he has the right to camp wherever he wants and do whatever he wants and to hell with everyone else. It's so sad that at the age of most of these MELONS that backpackers have more manners, consideration and brains!
 

Lake Argyle

OK I've had my say for this update, so moving on.................

Lake Argyle

 After Argyle I moved on to Kununurra to restock. They recently reopened Ivanhoe Crossing, after being closed for several years.
 

Ivanhoe Crossing

They have also cut back a lot of bushes which were overgrown across the causeway.

Ivanhoe Crossing

 Moving on I decided to spend a couple of nights out at Home Valley. I am glad I have travelled the Gibb several times before, as after a couple of very poor wet seasons thing were very dry.

Pentecost Crossing August 2016

 I had been hearing stories of the dry conditions from fellow travellers.

Pentecost Crossing june 2015

 Subsequently I am glad I am not doing it this year. i was a little disappointed last year after seeing it in 2012 after a good wet season.

Cockburn Range

Cockburn Range over the Pentecost River

After that I headed back to Wyndham, with the hope there would still be some water in Marlgu Billabong.

Five Rivers Lookout

A couple of not very friendly locals

A pack of Pelicans at Marlgu

I did a quick run back to Kununurra to restock and tomorrow I am heading towards Wolf Creek Crater.

Unfortunately I missed the Williams clan, who I kept bumping into last year. They have been at Derby, broome and Cape Levique but I will miss them by a week or so.
Bye for now.......... 

Pine Creek - Darwin - Litchfield - Timber Creek

Hello All
I'm still around........I was just having a couple of lazy weeks in Darwin not doing too much at all.
I am currently in Timber creek heading across to the West.
The North is experiencing an unusual Hot humid dry season, and it has only started to become a little bit normal now I am approaching the WA border.
Wangi Falls in Litchfield for example was 37c down to 21c at night, usually you get nice cool nights, and 32c days up here during the dry season.

Wangi falls Litchfield National Park

 Unfortunately there was a wildfire in the area, and apart from the terrible smoke problem Tolmer Falls and Lost City were closed.

 Photography was subsequently pretty poor due to the thick smoke.

Wangi Falls

Camp sites were at a premium and even if you got in early and got a large site, you were sharing it with a couple of other camp by evening.

Blythe Outstation

I did get in to Blythe Outstation which I believe was also closed due to the wildfire later that day.

Blythe Outstation

 While there a vehicle arrived transporting the last remaining (of 14) children, the 89 year old daughter of the original settlers. This was a special experience to be there and meet her.

The last Of the Sargent Children

 From there it was onward towards WA.

Now......I am perplexed with the stupidity I witness every day...........................yesterdays example deserves a special mention.
Camped up at Victoria River Roadhouse, in comes a Prado and Coromel Caravan about 2.30pm..............so far so good.
After 3 laps of the campground a site is chosen.............out comes the step and get set up

OH NO the shade up here moves!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 Times that poor bloke was made to move the caravan by his wife chasing the shade.
note - they were on a powered site and had airconditioning I might add

FFS you are not choosing where to spend the rest of your life Luvvy just an overnight camp

They finally settled on a place nicely sideways, taking up 2 powered sites, then out came the satellite dish which the guy struggled to tune for over an hour and a half!!!!!!!!!!!!

5.30pm came and he was finished.................................

Really......................stay home and let the people who want to be here enjoy it.

NEWSFLASH  the Outback is hot has flies, water is scarce and there is dust  HELLO

Ok I have had my whinge for this posting. I am heading into Keep River and Lake Argyle before hitting Kununurra, where I hope to head out to a special spot off the beaten track to try to escape the throng of caravans the size of inner city apartments jamming up every carpark, campsite and rest area all over the North
Bye for now

Boroloola to Pine Creek

Hello all
Leaving Boroloola it was back on the dirt after a short stretch on tar.
Two years ago, when I did this same road, these was only one other camp at Butterfly Springs, this time these was 25 other camps.

Butterfly Springs

 I skipped Lorella Springs this time, as they have priced themselves out of the market for the budget traveller..
 

Butterfly Springs

Next stop was Towns River crossing which was a lot rougher two years ago. A new concrete causeway has been built.

Towns River

 It was here i saw a fairly scrawny Dingo wandering around the camp area in the middle of the day.

Towns River

 Overnighting at Tomato Island I made the discovery, I was getting critically low on vital supplies (chocolate).
 

Roper Bar

So after a stop at Roper Bar it was off to Matarranka for a soak in the hot springs.

Roper Bar

 If you are one of the 1200 people per month currently viewing my website, and contemplating a trip up North......................don't.................stay home................it's full !!!!!!!!

 Yesterday in Katherine, I have never seen it so busy......I have been through Katherine at least a dozen times.
There were no sites available at all...........powered or unpowered and there must have been 70 vans, campers etc in the carpark opposite Woolworths stocking up and hoping to stay.
I have heard stories of people queuing at 9am to try to get a site at Edith Falls, and heard of people having to camp in the carparks at Litchfield as the campgrounds are full to overflowing.
It must be a dream commute to work in Melbourne and Sydney at the moment as everyone is up here.
 I am heading to Darwin for a week, then have bay number 39 booked in the carpark at Litchfield before heading over towards Kununurra.
Bye for now