Birds, Bait and Bungles

Kununurra 

Western Australia

October 5 to 10, 2016

Our best camp site thus far has been on the shores of Lake Kununurra. Myrtle is parked among trees about two metres from the water's edge. There is no-one nearby and the wildlife is amazing. Garry and I sit for hours watching the birds, freshwater crocs and fish. 

Ahhhh. Happy Myrtle  

Sunrise across Lake Kununurra

Sunset across Lake Kununurra

Birds aplenty: Mrs E GRET

Mr and Mrs I BIS with Mr C ORMANT in the background

Mistress DUSKY MOORHEN

Where's Wally? Doing his favourite thing - washing Pedro.

Guess who's coming for dinner?

The freshies are very active, particularly when they can smell barramundi cooking. Four came calling one night as we attempted to eat our fish dinner. 

This big fella didn't get out of the lake but eyeballed us from the water's edge.

However, this determined youngster did ... and kept coming back.

Can you you see his eyes - two small dots - between the table legs?

Garry had to move him and others on several times and they weren't too happy about it. Snap, snap.

Crocs: Our preferred footwear when the real deal is around. Mine are the less hairy legs.

The Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park

The Bungle Bungles proved to be a road too far. Many people, including friends Mally and Ian who visited in August, warned us about the poor state of the road. Also the heat is intense and there is little or no shade. Soooo .... we decided to splash out and fly down to see these incredible 360 million year old rock formations. The day began with a 6am flight south over Lake Argyle, followed by a tramp past the beehive sandstone domes, included a helicopter fly over, before heading home over the Argyle Diamond Mine. It was a fabulous day. I took hundreds of photos. Here are a few.

Garry scored the front seat going down. As always, he's watching intently, listening and learning.

 

Sun rising over  irrigated farm land.

Fertile country thanks to the Ord Irrigation Scheme

Massive Lake Argyle from the air.

I see crocs everywhere, even in the shapes of the islands.

Arriving at the Bungle Bungles

On the ground. The domes are breathtaking. 

Two elephants lurking in the scrub. 

Piccaninny Creek

One of the locations where the "I Still Call Australia Home" Qantas ad was filmed.

Cathedral Gorge 

The helicopter had no doors which was very unnerving at first but then I accepted it,  hung on with one hand and clicked like crazy with the other. 

Phew. Back on terra firma. 

My turn in the front seat going home.

The Ord River diversion dam at Kununurra, downstream from Lake Argyle.The water above this dam is diverted to the fertile plans north and south of Kununurra. Stage two of the Ord Irrigation Scheme is now underway .... thanks to a huge investment by a Chinese company. Sugar cane is their preferred crop. Look out Queensland.

Garry demonstrating how the irrigation syphons work. You'll never forget these will you father Frank?

Fishing at Ivanhoe Crossing.
Garry says he caught a barra but it was too small so he returned it to the river. Hmmmm.

 The Pumphouse restaurant came highly recommended so we dollied up and sallied forth for our last night in Kununurra. The food was ordinary but the restored pumphouse and sunset were wonderful.