August 9 ...Kununurra

Today is our last day here and our visit has been great. This site and park have been the nicest we have been in all trip. We actually tried to extend but they are fully booked so we are "down grading" to Lake Argyle tomorrow for a couple of nights.
It was so nice having Morgan with us and we enjoyed using the 4WD to get to places that are usually off limits for us.

"Our" 4WD

 On Saturday morning we went to the Kununurra markets and then did a bit of shopping. There is an excellent store here that just has EVERYTHING ... it's a really old-fashion concept. We spent ages there and Morgan ended up with just a purple hat after trying on quite a bit of the stock ! and I got a pair of shorts.

After lunch we headed out to Lake Argyle as Morgan had not been out that way. We called at the Durack Homestead which was relocated when the Durack land was flooded by the lake; before stopping at Spillway Creek where the water was raging.

The Durack Homestead

Spillway Creek

The Lake itself was quite full and very serene. We stopped at the resort there to have an ice cream and admire the views from a shady tree.

Lake Argyle

After the ice cream!

Then we went off to look at the dam wall and the spillway below it. There is also a nice park and picnic area below the wall and the boabs looked lovely silhouetted against the rocks with the sun on them.

The dam wall

Lake Argyle

It was pretty late when we got back to the park and we were all a bit tired so after a yummy dinner and a shower we all decided on a relatively early night. Fortunately the nights usually cool down a bit, to around 19 degrees which is perfect for sleeping.

On Sunday Morgan took us out to breakfast at The Pump House, which really is an old pump house on the edge of the Ord River. The pancakes were great and the setting was very relaxing. As this part of the river is above the "crossing" weir, there are only freshwater crocs which are apparently quite visible in the river of a night. Anyway, they were all sleeping in on Sunday morning!

The verandah of the Pump House

On one of the back roads between Wyndham and Kununurra is Parry Creek Farm and it sounded lovely ... a water lily lagoon with paddocks of boabs and a nice restaurant ...so off we went. It was a fairly rough gravel road but the scenery was picturesque.

Parry Creek Road

On route we stopped at Ivanhoe Crossing, Black Rock Falls and Mambi Island before arriving at Parry's. The falls were not "falling" but you could see how this pool was a favourite place for the aborigines and drovers in times gone by. It was like a natural refrigerator and the water was very cool.

Pool at Black Rock Falls

Black Rock Falls

We even had to forge the odd creek crossing which was exciting stuff! Some of the tracks were also very sandy and rutted so we really felt we were 4 WDing. I'm just glad we didn't get a puncture as earlier, it had taken us ages to find the petrol cap release!

We got to Parry Creek Farm in plenty of time to go for a look around and a short walk before having lunch there. It was a nice lagoon and just below it is a creek that you can walk along for up to 4kms. There were plenty of birds and boabs everywhere. The restaurant was good with delicious food and refreshing mango smoothies.

Parry Creek

Lots of boabs!

Walking at Parry Creek Farm

The farm itself has a caravan park, and cabins set up in the treetops. There was an iron walkway that went around the lagoon and it was very relaxing and cool. I am sure the bugs love the place too around 5pm but in the middle of the day it was a real oasis.

The lagoon

"Tree cabin" and walkway visible through boabs

Lagoon walkway

 By now it was mid afternoon and Morgan was keen to drive to Pentecost Crossing, but this was a further 80kms up the Gibb River Road which was VERY rough and would have been quite slow, so we convinced her to call it a day and drive home. As it was, we only got back to the park at 5pm and Morgan had to do hours of work on her department budget in preparation for a meeting at 8am the next day ... so I think that was a pretty good call.

On Monday we were all up early and we got a lift into town with Morgan. We did some shopping and had a look around before walking home. The rest of the day we spent washing, swimming in the pool and reading the SUNDAY paper which we had only come in at 10am that morning! Morgan joined us for dinner but she slept at a friend's place because she had to be up very early this morning to fly to Perth and then Sydney. We had a good night together and we were sorry to say goodbye to her as we are unsure when we will see her next ... hopefully in not too many months.

This morning, Tuesday, we had a lovely surprise when the Jacksons turned up at the park. They are stopping here for a few days. Again today we did some washing and had a few swims in the pool. Again the day has flown by and we will be sorry to have to move on tomorrow.