Day 47 Wednesday (July 22nd) - Up at a reasonable time we packed up and hit
the road heading for Fitzroy Crossing.
As we were nearing town we pulled into the Fitzroy River Lodge to book a
site for the next couple of days. After we were set up we decided to go into
town for a look. Pulling in to the Tourist Info centre we tried to get in but
found they were closed for lunch so we hit the local IGA instead to grab just a
few supplies, Ange found a few clothes that she liked on the way in so she
grabbed those and we then bought a few essentials to stock up the cupboards. By
this time the Tourist Info was open so we had a look at what the area has to
offer. They had a couple of bucket hats
on special so we grabbed those because Ange doesn’t have a hat and I only have
the Durags. Back at camp we settled in and went for a walk to the pool for a
dip. After the pool we sat around and had a drink and organised some steak for
tea. After tea we sat around for a while
before heading to bed.
Day 48 Thursday (July 23rd) - We got up about 8.00 and organised some lunch
etc as we were heading to do the Geikie Gorge Cruise. Arriving early we had a
quick look around and booked our tickets. The cruise started at 10.00 and once
again this country has provided us with some amazing scenery, the river was
like glass (as you will see in the pictures of the amazing reflections). As we
have travelled we have taken notice of the ever changing environment from Flora
to Fauna to Birds to Geological patterns. Once again the rock formations and
the flora are different from the previous 500 k’s The walls of the Gorge are a
sandstone unlike the ranges from around the Gibb River Road and Kununurra that
were more Iron Ore type. Our boat skipper was a Kiwi named Jay and he provided
us with some great info about the Gorge and its formations and inhabitants. As
you will see by the below pictures the cruise was another one of those pretty
amazing places that we have experienced so far. Once the cruise had finished
Ange, the boys and I walked down to the sandbar for a swim and just as we got
there Ange got a hell of a scare as she nearly stood on a snake! It was only a
small one but it looked like a pretty dangerous kind. (upon further research it
turns out that it was a Olive Python which is mildly venomous) Not to be
deterred we still had a swim in the refreshing water as the boys wrestled each
other in the shallows. After the swim we
sat down to have our lunch and found that we had left our cutlery back in the
van along with the Tuna so we ate a few chips and had another swim. Drying off we headed back to camp via the old
Fitzroy crossing bridge where we got a different view of the Fitzroy river, we
then had some lunch and a swim in the pool.
After the swim we settled in the van and listened to the radio as one of
Mitch’s friends Bryan Start (Hello Bryan) was up here doing some work from his
business course at Swinburne Uni which entailed a 2 hour co host segment on the
local radio station. We listened intently as we had requested a hello over the
radio! After his segment we got changed and went up to the bar here at the
Lodge and had tea with him and a catch up. We then dropped him off at the
Crossing Pub to join his Uni friends and drove back to camp. Just as we were
about to pull up at our van Mitch got a text from Bryan asking him to come and
have a drink with him back at the Pub so we turned around and drove him back
out there. Back at the van we watched the footy show then went off to sleep.
Day 49 Friday (July 24th) - Today we have decide to have a sleep in and
spend another day here at the X-ing. Mitch had gotten up early and went for a
walk with Bryan and a few of his school mates before coming back for breakfast.
Today is going to be a lazy day with a couple of swims in the pool, fuel up for
departure tomorrow as well as getting some supplies from the supermarket for
the next few days at a free camp. As the day went on I was looking forward to
watching the footy but to my dismay the channel 7 service in Fitzroy X-ing was
down!!!!! I managed to hook my phone up to the TV via the HDMI cable and watch
the match via that. During a break I headed to the toilet and heard a man
mention the Grampians and the other guy said “I know that area I used to live
in Ararat” So I butted in and said “Hey I am from Ararat” and once we exchanged
names etc he mentioned that he was in Ararat about a month ago and played Golf
with my brother Pete, Small world! Back to the footy to watch the Mighty Hawks
absolutely flog Carlton before having tea and heading to bed.
Day 50 Saturday (July
25th) – Arising early we packed up and hit the road, we headed to a
free camp recommended by “The Lynch’s” called Ellendale Lake. Arriving about
lunch time we started to set up and had a visitor called Daisy the cow, she is
the resident friendly cow who likes to shade under your awning and try and eat
anything you may have. Josie found this out the hard way when Daisy chased her
around trying to eat her Yoghurt ice creams. Ange, the boys and I went for a
swim in the “Lake” (more like a Dam) and floated around cooling off in the 35
degree temperatures, the noodle chairs came in handy yet again. That night we
had 5’s as the sun set and then we had a BBQ for tea before a game of Family
Feud to finish of a quiet day.
Day 51 Sunday (July 26th) – a bit of a sleep in
to start the day, deciding that another day here would be relaxing so we all
agreed to kick back for the day and just potter around. A few dips in the lake,
lazy lunch, wander around the area and relax with a few beers filled in the day
before kicking back for 5’s, tea and yet another game of Family Feud before
bed. Ya know, life is tough doin this shit!!!! (NOT)
Day 52 Monday (July 27th) – As much as it would
be so easy to kick back here for at least a week we have to move on so we pack
up and hit the road for Derby. We decide to give a new camp site a go as it has
pretty good reviews on Wikicamps, it is 20 odd Ks out of Derby but it is only
$15 a site per night. As we were booking in Thomas came running over and said
“I think you have a puncture!” and after some investigation it appears that I
have run over something sharp and it has pierced the back tyre on the van. We
then set up and I changed the tyre with Thomas’s help. I then rang an old work
mate Marcus “Gordo” Ramsay who had moved up here 3 years ago and is working at
the Derby prison to see what he was up to. He was at the pub having a drink so
we headed in and had a beer with him, he invited us all to his place for tea
that night so after finding out where he lived we went shopping and had a look
around at the pier etc, we then headed back out to camp and got organised for
tea at Gordo’s. Arriving at Gordo’s about 5.30 we sat down and had a drink and
chatted away while Gordo and Hailiee cooked Pizza’s in his Pizza Oven. Beautiful
tea, great company and a few drinks later we bid them goodbye and headed back
to camp.
Day 53 Tuesday (July 28th) – Hitting the road
early we headed out to Windjana Gorge, the first 90 K’s were bitumen but then
the road turned to that horrible red dust and corrugations for the next 50 odd
K’s here we went for a walk and looked at the Gorge as well as all the
freshwater Crocs. I have never seen such a collection of crocs in the one area
they were everywhere and you could walk right up to them. From Windjana we then
travelled further down the corrugations to Tunnel Creek, this place was
magnificent, you wade through the water in the tunnel / cavern where the creek
runs through and need a torch to see where you are going, It is about 900
metres long and has a break in the tunnel about half way through that opens up
to the sun outside. Yet another highlight of the trip. After returning via the tunnel to the car
park we sat and had lunch. By this time it was mid afternoon and as we had a
game of Volleyball with Gordo to play that night we headed back to camp to
freshen up. About 5.30 we headed into town for mixed Volleyball and met Gordo
at the courts. The team was short of 2 women and Ange was not interested in
playing as she was sure that she would be crap at it because she hadn’t played
for so long, I convinced her to at least play until Hailee got there as she was
running late. The quote was “As soon as Hailee gets here I am coming off” 2
minutes into the game and she had blown out the cobwebs and was diving around
like she was 18 again. Needless to say when Hailee turned up she stayed on and
wasn’t interested in coming off. At the end of the game you couldn’t wipe the smile
off her face – She loved it! Back to camp, showers a quick feed of sausages and
off to bed.
Day 54 Wednesday (July 29th)- packing up we left
the camp and headed into the Derby caravan park that we had booked a while ago
so that we didn’t miss out on a site when we went to Horizontal Falls. Setting
up I had a shower and rang Gordo as he had arranged a tour through the Derby
prison for me, he picked me up and off we went. The prison surprised me as it
is very modern, its only 3 years old and has very good security, he showed
round both the male and female sections as well as the maximum security
section, I met a few of his work mates who all asked if I was looking for a
job! I tell ya, with the weather and the other benefits they get up here it is
tempting ha ha. After the tour we all went to the pub for lunch and a last
goodbye to Gordo. We then went back to the van and got ready for the trip to
Horizontal falls tomorrow.
Day 55 Thursday (July 30th) Today we are heading
to Horizontal falls so we got up early and did some last minute shopping before
having lunch and waiting for the bus to pick us to fly out. We got the boys
organised as they were Van sitting for us while we were gone and ensured they
knew what they could and couldn’t do they then took off for the pool.
