Sunday, 6 July 2014                                                                                                    128.4kms

We were up before 6.30am sort of with the sun. It was a beautiful morning in our camp. We had another look around the place, me too this time. There is another section a bit further up the track that is a large grassy area with big boab trees. A very nice place to camp. There were cows walking around the place and we saw 3 kangaroos too.

We left camp at 9.35am, which was later than we had planned, but really we are in no rush. It is a great feeling to be able to potter around. We headed south to Tunnel Creek. Tunnel Creek once flowed across a ravine in the top of the range. Water seepage over time enlarged fractures in the limestone so the creek adopted an underground course. The tunnel is 750m long and carved out of limestone by flowing water and is part of the Napier Range – an extensive fossilized barrier reef from the Devonian period, 360 million years ago. It can be up to 12m high and 15m wide and has permanent fresh water pools.

By the time we arrived, there were plenty of other people there. The temperature was warm and the sun shone brightly. Armed with our new dolphin torch, a dodgy headlight and our crocs on our feet, we walked through tunnel creek to the other side.

We walked along the bank a bit further up but then turned around as we were all hungry and headed back into the tunnel. Our photo at the entrance shows the sheer size of the opening. Half way through, at the roof open section, Elokin and Hendrix showed me where they and Nath had found a tiny cave with sparkly textured surface. The three of them then climbed up and found a large tunnel that runs into the top of the main tunnel. I stood at the bottom and they shone their light through to me. They were a long way up. On the way back out we saw our first animal life form… cherabin. No freshwater crocodile or bats for us this time around. On the last water crossing, Hendrix slipped over and got all wet. It was probably the coolest pool too, so he wasn’t a happy chappy! Lucky we bought a waterproof dolphin torch as it went under too.

We ate lunch back in the car park before heading off back the way we had come. We passed Mark and Kellie on the road and pulled over for a chat. We will hopefully see them again tomorrow.

Our next stop was at Lillimooloora Police Station Ruins.

From here we were back on the Gibb River Rd after passing Windjana Gorge turn off again. We drove over the Lennard River Bridge, but turned around to go back to the west side as there was a camping area with only one van in it. The Lennard River had a bit of water in it, so we were hoping to get a nice spot. The only place that was on the river bank we attempted to fit into, but it didn’t work. A roof top tent would be perfect!

We decided to continue east and see what else we could find. We stopped for a photo with Queen Victoria’s Head in the Napier Range. Nath decided he wanted to pick her massive nose.

From here we continued on to Inglis Gap which has a small stopping area for a photo over the valley and range.

The sun was starting to get low, but the temperature was still warm. We started to look for a place to stop for the night. We checked out a couple of maintained tracks and found what was probably once a camp for the road workers or similar and a quarry where they get the gravel for the road. Speaking of, so far the Gibb has been fantastic. It was graded not that long ago. We saw a track a couple of kms past the Mt Hart turnoff on the north side of the road, but missed it, so we crossed an unnamed creek, turned around and went back. This is where we have camped tonight. The creek is right near our camp and we have quite a scenic outlook. Elokin and Hendrix did their travel experiences scrapbooks, while I made dinner. After we ate, we took the kids down to the creek with our torch to look for red crocodile eyes and collect water to wash up. There were no crocs that we saw, but lots of small fish came to the light.

This is probably the first time that we have no planned destinations, and can just plod along and look at all the side tracks and take our time. Even though the road was like a super highway, we were cruising at like 60kms/hr, which is so not Nathan’s normal style. It is a pleasant change and one I hope we will continue to have. So my advice, if you get the chance, just wing it and see where it takes you.

 

Until next time…. Happy and Safe Travels.