western australia : lake argyle

Lake Argyle is one of those places that is raved about by visitors but not a place I need to return to. It wasn't unpleasant but there are just so many other beautiful spots in the world. Perhaps we just don't see the charm in large dams. 

J, however, did enjoy his kayak on the Ord River along with freshies, whistling kites and a white-breasted sea eagle whom was very interested in the lone kayaker. 

The steps down to the lake from the resort are poorly maintained and very wobbly. The rest of the family jumped in from the aging pontoon though and assured me it was considerably warmer than the infinity pool of which the resort is famous for. 

western australia : purnululu

Purnululu (commonly known as the Bungle Bungles) has a number of great walks some of which are suitable for walking with children. 

Access to the walks is a 1.5-2 hour drive from the highway on a rough dirt road. I decided to take the older kids (4yo and 6yo) while Mummy and Little A stayed behind at the Bungle Bungle Caravan Park.

The big kids were really keen to go bush walking and were very excited to be camping in a tent. Our daughter was up and ready to go first thing!

The kids and I drove in early in the day to allow enough time to walk to the impressive Cathedral Gorge and The Domes. 

The walk was quite achievable for the kids although the heat of the day got to them as we walked in the creek bed towards Cathedral Gorge. A lovely couple from The Channon (Northern NSW) encouraged and distracted the kids for the final stretch! The cavernous gorge was impressive and the coolness offered by its shade and still pool most welcome. I marvelled at its grandeur while the kids settled into building a dam in the sand by the pool.

On the return walk along the rocky creek bed the kids played in a deep rock hole full of stones (& two dried cane toad carcasses). 

The rock hole became the main scene of the evening bedtime story where the kids met a new character, 'Knotty' the Numbat, who led them to a secret door in Cathedral Gorge and a mysterious world underground!

We had erected our tent at the Kurrajong Campground adjacent to some other families. Alas being school holidays they were on a short trip and we wouldn't cross paths again unfortunately!

A few minutes star gazing through the tent ceiling was all the kids could manage before dozing off into a slumber that only a bush walk and a tent can provide.

The morning light streamed through the tent walls and soon I had two very energetic kids jumping on me! After a breakfast of muesli with warm milk and banana, school journal writing for B, and a play with several kids who gathered at our camp, we set course for Echidna Chasm.

The walk through the stony creek bed up towards Echidna Chasm was a little challenging for little feet although they've conquered far worse of course. A couple of hundred metres into this first walk of the day P was convinced that she was teetering on the edge of exhaustion but they soon thought up some games and before we entered the cool, dark labyrinth P had collected four long sticks to carry on her merry way! We weaved our way through the mighty fracture, two sheer rock walls towering either side above us and although P's sticks frequently jammed between the narrow sides of the gorge and despite my gentle persuasions that we could always pick them up on our way back out she insisted that she really must continue to persevere to the very end, around boulders, past other walkers, up the ladders. Upon reaching the final cavern and while B attempted to scale the sheer rock walls, P dropped her bundle of sticks as though it were common house dirt and began inventing another game. 

We shared a couple of oranges before evacuating ourselves from the tortuous intestines of the Echidna. It was a magnificent finale to our Purnululu adventures and although I had no idea what to expect and didn't plan it that way I feel it was a wise decision to do the southern end of the park first and leaving the impressive Echidna as our last stop.

We didn't muck around getting on our way back to 'our roaming home'. We know very well where the best cook, cooking and catering is in this vast brown land and we were famished!!

Although it didn't stop us taking a break from the rough 50km road about half way for a cup of tea and a spot of cow shit cricket! Oh and two separate trips off piste to dig a hole for number twos that didn't exist five minutes before when I had asked!!!!

western australia: windjana gorge to fitzroy crossing via tunnel creek

It's a short drive from Windjana Gorge to Lillimooloora Station, the site where Jandamarra shot his friend, the policeman Richardson in order to free his people and from where he fled in to the Gorge at the onset of the three year battle which claimed many of the Banuba people and finally Jandamarra himself. 

The police outpost is now in ruins. Just standing at the station gives you a sense of the distances Jandamarra travelled. 

We love the boab trees right across the Kimberley and the red red dirt. 

Tunnel Creek is a thirty minute drive on the dirt and is where Jandamarra hid from police during the resistance. Sadly this is the place where the black tracker, Mickey, tracked and finally shot Jandamarra. 

In places you wade through knee deep water in the tunnel in the dark. To add to the adventure a few freshies inhabit the waters, which I was not aware of until J pointed out the bronze eyes staring at us! 

They stared. I might have squealed. And then they disappeared under the very water I had to wade back through! Did I mention it was pitch black?

Ironically we happened upon the huge muster of Brahman on the Leopold Down Station which is situated between Tunnel Creek and the highway. It was an impressive sight to see the cattle thundering around the rocks and boabs followed by a man on a motorbike while a helicopter hovered about jerking in one direction and then the next. 

Can you spot J, all of six foot three in this huge boab? We lept from the car (leaving the kids to ponder our excitement) when we saw this great specimen. We could only wonder how long it's been there!

western australia: windjana gorge

We "did the Gibb" about seven years ago when I was pregnant with our first born. I remember the corrugated road up to Mitchell Plateau and having difficulty having a conversation in the car. The road conditions vary depending on when the grader has gone through and how much traffic the road has endured. We decided that, despite the caravan being an off-roader, we'd leave it in Derby if we were to do the Gibb and that its just too special to miss Mitchell if we were to start the journey. It became evident, as we headed up the coast towards Derby, that we wouldn't do the trip this time and we'd wait until the kids are older. Two to three hours driving a day is best for our family with a break around the two hour mark. There are usually toilet stops in that first two hours too so it's slow going. 

We returned to Windjana Gorge though. The few kilometres from the turn off to Windjana was the toughest but it's so worth it. The tracks are well trodden by the thousands of visitors who, either privately or on tour, enter the National Park each year and whilst more people are visiting, the area has not lost its intrgue.The gorge is impressive and it's an equally beautiful place to go to sleep as it is to wake up in! 

The campground has had the addition of showers and toilets since we first visited and it cost us $24 per night.

Windjana Gorge is the setting of a three year campaign of Indigenous resistance to white settlement by the Banuba people, lead by Jandamarra. The establishment of this area for pastoral purposes came at a great cost to the local Aboriginal people whose sophisticated societal structure was decimated by those who were forging economic growth in Western Australia and the nation. Ironically that economic growth was dependent on free Aboriginal labour on those pastoral stations. 

Jandamarra's journey from being rejected by his family after an internal dispute to working for the constabulary and then fighting for his people is detailed in two books, Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance by Pedersen and Woorunmurra. A children's book, Jandamarra, has been written by Mark Greenwood. Our children engaged with this history and staying at Windjana Gorge took on a deeper meaning for them. Of course there were many questions asked and the discussions were sophisticated as they processed what had occurred here and across Australia. We could have told our kids stories like this one (and we will continue to) but it's experiences like this which will etch their understanding in to their beings. I am grateful to be able to both experience this (as a person, a mum as a teacher) and give my kids these experiences too. 

western australia: derby, mowanjum

Derby (pronounced der-bi not dar-bi)

The prison boab tree which was used by police as a lock-up during the transportation of Aboriginal prisoners. It is also considered a site of spiritual significance for the people who lived around Derby. 

It was one of those serendipitous days that had us watching traditional Warroora dances by a billabong just out of Derby. 

We'd arranged to meet our friend Donny in Mowanjum after lunch but the day didn't quite turn out as planned. 

Realising we'd be too early J drove us down to the Derby jetty with our packed lunch. The kids were intrigued knowing that salties linger in the mangroves just by the jetty. We ate our lunch under a shelter where other tourists gathered. All of us were avoiding the humid heat of the day. As often happens, we each shared where we were from and whether we were going "over the top" or "around the bottom" of the country. 

It wasn't long before I established that fellow traveller, Anne, was from Canberra. It wouldn't have been surprised me if we had some friends in common given that a significant number of family friends live there. We spoke about travel and grandkids until my husband came over and in order to introduce Anne I asked her name, introduced my husband and offered my own name. 

I do have an unusual name and Anne remarked "I've only ever known one other person with that name" and she used my first and maiden names. "That's me!" I said, stunned. "That's me." Well, Anne said, "I knew you as a baby." 

This, and the following half hour conversation by the Derby wharf, was the reason we were late in meeting Donny in Mowanjum. When we arrived he'd already left to watch the rehearsals for the festival. Performances for the festival were to include a song by Donny's father. 

After asking around someone told us to just go out and see Donny. We followed the mud map he drew us until we found ourselves by the edge of a lily covered billabong. Kids (of all ages) and adults were singing and practising their dances - which told the stories of the people of Mowanjum - spanning across country and time. 

There is much written about the people who now call Mowanjum home and their journey from the north. While Mowanjum is a temporary home they often speak of returning to country. 

I sat there, on the bank of that waterhole, the dirt being kicked up by feet in the last shards of sunlight, knowing that there'd never be a moment like it. What a privilege. 

western australia: cape leveque

When people think of Cape Leveque they will probably think of the eco resort, Kooljman. A number of communities call Cape Leveque home. Tourists are advised to 'check in' with the community office before visiting the communities. There's plenty to see up there including the Cygnet Bay Pearls, Beagle Bay Church (decorated with pearl shells), One Arm Point and Whale Song Cafe. 

Kooljman looks like a neat place to stay. If we hadn't taken the van up there we'd have booked a shelter on the beach and erected the tents. What a magic place to wake up! Kooljman has a restaurant so we treated ourselves to a delicious lunch.  

The beach at Cape Leveque was one of the most beautiful I've seen. Though the photos don't do it justice the red cliffs edged on to the white sands and out in to the turquoise ocean. The water was warm and we had a great time mucking around in the current with the kids. Baby A and I returned back to our towels and clothes just as they were floating away on a rising tide so it was a scramble to collect our bits and pieces but it didn't take long for everything to dry!

We'd hope to visit Lombadina and Beagle Bay after Kooljman but we'd cut it fine and pulled in to Middle Lagoon in time for dinner. In retrospect, if it fit the budget, the best way to see the Cape would be by air and then car. You can fly in to Kooljman. The seal we'd road will open it up to tourists though and make the trip more bearable. For better and for worse. 

western australia: Middle lagoon, cape leveque

Middle Lagoon is a bush camp on the Dampier Peninsula about 130km from Broome. It is only one of two places you can take a caravan. From the stories we'd heard about the place we had prepared ourselves for the rugged road and booked ahead. 

The drive took us a little over 4 hours with no stops. We lowered the type pressure to about 20/25 and took the corrugated sections really slow. Our kids did great. They listened to their audiobooks and snacked constantly but they didn't whinge. Thankfully!

We'd been told that there was 70km of dirt but there was more like 110km in total. Those last 30km from the turn off into Middle Lagoon were almost unbearable (in that we just wanted to be there!) 

We arrived to find people on our site. They hadn't let the office know they were staying on so we had to drive around to find another site where our van wasn't going to take out low branches and where we'd have plenty of shade. In the end we had site 45 which was shaded by the most beautiful gums that were also ideal for a hammock and slack line. 

We had six nights up at Cape Levecke and our friends, the Nelson's-Hauers, (ourfamilygapyear.com) were with us for five. The kids had a ball. The Wrights (wrightroundoz.blogspot.com) and their family of four girls joined us later in the week and surrogate grandies, Gail and Terry, whom we met at Warroora Station were up there too!

We also met another family from Victoria, author Kate, Roo and their four kids (tothekimberleyandbeyond2015.blogspot.com). 

As it turned out we had quite a gathering up at Middle Lagoon. It was good fun!

There are two beaches to choose from at Middle Lagoon, toilets and showers. At $50/night for our family we utilised the facilities. 

If you plan to stay you do need to take your rubbish with you when you leave. It's a bit ordinary but locals reckon the road will be sealed within two years which will make it easier to get services up there. Bitumen has been approved and local industry have been campaigning. 

There are plenty of things to see on day trips from Middle Lagoon including Kooljman, the pearl shell decorated Beagle Bay Church and Whale Song Cafe (which is only 5km away). 

J also got out on his kayak. It was the same day that L (the Nelson-Hauers) went spear fishing. Jo and I had the kids and while we were sitting there another camper generously dropped off a bunch of excess fish they'd caught. The boys came home with nothing but we shared with them! It was a huge feast that night!

Playing in the red dirt after ringing Ma for her birthday. 

Love this dirt!

This is pretty much how the camp looked. A playground!

western australia: karijini, kermits gorge

The Kermit's Gorge walk was an unforgettable trek along narrow, slippery ledges and through cold pools, and waterfalls with towering cliff faces of that orange red rock. 

We, six parents, attempted and finished the gorge walk with seven kids under seven years. I hope the kids look back on the walk with a sense of pride of their achievement. It wasn't always easy. We had to work closely to ensure the kids took each step carefully, aware of their plan ahead on the narrow paths. In the narrowest sections we could reach both sides of the gorge. 

Some of us braved a swim at the end of the gorge walk but it was chilly! 

Thanks to our friend, and photographer, Jo for these shots which capture the light, the challenges and the achievement of making it through the gorge and back with our mob of kids!

Photos courtesy of Vivid Imaging. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vivid-Imaging/151857428215142

western australia: karijini national park, fortescue falls, fern pool

A few walks in Karijini National Park are achievable with kids. A few others are achievable but I would also describe them as a challenge. The kids staying at Karijini were all good bush walkers and accepted some great challenges for their ages and abilities. It turned out to be a week for teamwork all around - for the parents and the children.

The walk down to Fortescue Falls and then on to Fern Pool was the easiest of walks as well as picturesque. A swim in Fern Pool was refreshing. Tiny fish were attracted to the dead skin on our feet which was amusing and ticklish! The pool must have been special place for locals for thousands of years.

Photos courtesy of Vivid Imaging. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vivid-Imaging/151857428215142

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western australia: karijini national park, dales gorge

Karijini National Park is north east of Paraburdoo and south of Port Hedland. The predominant industry in the area is the mining of iron ore but the National Park attracts thousands of visitors each year and it's not hard to see why. This part of the country is overwhelmingly beautiful. The landscape is dotted with huge termite mounds and rocky outcrops change from black to orange to red throughout the day depending on the sunlight. We spotted a couple of dingos during our stay.

Thanks Jo for the photo of our girls! 

A bunch of travelling families happened to all be staying in the same campsite area (Warlu Way)at Karijini. We met New Yorkers Miranda, Jay and their twin boys at the Bay of Fires in Tassie and then Carnarvon. Luke and Jo are travelling with their two children from Newcastle. We met new friends, Ben and Saskia, from Belgium with their two children too. It was inevitable that the kids would play and they had a ball wielding sticks, creating hideouts and generally getting bronzed by the red Pilbara dust.

Meanwhile we prepared up a huge combined feast for brekky - bacon, eggs, pancakes and fruit salad. It turned out that none of us can live without coffee, so we compared coffee grinding and brewing techniques in caravans, campers and camping trailers. There can be some in-depth conversations on the road!

The days at Karijini went like this - wake, breakfast, kids play, Baby A's sleep, school work for all the kids, lunch and a gorge walk before dinner and then happy hour, ukulele and a drink under the Karijini stars once the children had gone to sleep. What a great week!

J had to drive to the car park to let Jay and Miranda know that we wouldn't be joining them on the first day for a gorge walk. He recognised Robert Irwin from a book B has been reading, Dinosaur Hunter, and which we'd only bought a few days prior in Exmouth! B was so envious that his dad met the Irwins but they kindly gifted an edition of Australia Zoo magazine. It turned out J's friend, Paul de Gelder is featured in the mag too! It's a small world!! We hope we'll get to Australia Zoo in Queensland and B is desperately hoping Robert will be home!

western australia: bullara to paraburdoo

western australia: exmouth to bullara

Getting away in the mornings requires everyone to 'pitch in.' In other words the kids have to limit their craft, J & I work flat-out packing away each thing in the van (other caravanners and those with camping trailers know how it is!) and Baby A has to amuse himself which usually mean she crawls around the caravan inspecting everything. 

It seems Baby A enjoyed the week at Osprey Bay, Cape Range National Park too. 

We left Osprey Bay, dropped in at Exmouth to refuel, do laundry, fill the fridge & the water tanks. We pulled in for a night at Bullara Station which has a good set-up. There are showers, toilets and washing machines. I should have waited to do the washing there. 

Happy Hour, around the fire pit, is at 5 o'clock and camp host, John, cooks a damper to share. Coincidentally John is far from his home near Goolwa, South Australia, a stones throw from the Seaview Grove Olive Oil olive grove where we stayed with Andrew and Emily on our way through! 

If you're lucky you might stay on a night when John cooks a sourdough damper from his two year old starter!

John was kind enough to use the coals to hear the bbq plate so we could cook the hamburgers I bought from the Exmouth Butchery. We stocked up with meat from these guys and it's been very good. I served these on fresh rolls with fresh beetroot, carrot, lettuce, homemade relish and my sauerkraut!