Powells Travels: PowellyFamily 2016 AUS TRIP

Litchfield to Broome

We loved Litchfield. So many amazing swimming holes. Camped at Wangi falls and
explored nearby Buleys rockpools, Fitzroy falls and The Cascades.

A Rock hole at Wangi, fed by the falls and warmed by the sun, a natural spa.


Joel Behind the curtain at Wangi Falls.

Wangi Falls - so picturesque

Buleys Rockholes

A Popular Place

After Litchfield, we made our way to Katherine for a couple of nights. We cruised
along the first 3 gorges in Nitmuluk National Park (Katherine Gorge). Saw a fresh
water croc basking on a rock in the sun and awed by the surrounding awesome sandstone
cliff faces. Swam in the croc infested waters (only freshies). We later learn't that
they had caught a 4.5m salty last year in the traps during the wet season.

Heading west now, our next stop was Timber Creek, just an overnighter but really nice
spot behind the roadhouse with croc feeding in the afternoon at the nearby creek.
Missed the photo opportunity but clearly the local freshie was very well fed, we reckon
at least 3m. Freshies supposedly harmless but certainly wouldn't want to share the
water with this guy.

Crossing into WA, Joel not happy about something. They actually searched the car and van for fruit/veg etc at the border.

Next stop Lake Argyle with its amazing infinity pool. Enjoyed a couple of nights here.
Explored the lake on kayaks, saw more fresh water crocs, plentiful bird life and boys
found some jump rocks.

Lake Argyle's infinity pool, very photogenic but freezing. Didn't stop the boys but.

Only photos of Lake Argyle Kayak trip after camera went in the water with mum.

From Lake Argyle, we drove to a great free camp at the turnoff to Bungle Bungle ranges
(Purnululu National Park). Last minute decision to check out the chopper flights at
nearby caravan park and next thing we know we are airborne! Just awesome and boys
absolutely loved it.

Ready for takeoff.

The Bungles from the air.

The next day we drove in to The Bungles to check it all out from ground level. You know its a bumpy and windy drive in when Joel says he feels sick and has to stop playing his iPad. Visited The Grand Cathedral and Echidna Chasm. It was a hot day and much to the boys horror, no swimming at these gorges.

Restocked overnight in Kununurra before heading for 10 nights onto the notoriously corrugated Gibb
River Road. First stop El Questro, easy trip in but still claimed a flat for a fellow
traveller - older man on his own so we stopped to help him out as he was struggling to
release his spare. El Questro, whilst quite touristy was a lot of fun. Amazing
gorges, swimming holes and affordable meals under the stars whilst being entertained by
local guitar legend. Could have easily spent more time here.

The Gibb River Rd. Plenty of this

Emma Gorge, water temp was a bit fresh.

But a thermal spring fed into the side, the boys found this nice warm crack to have a warm shower.


Road into El Questro, across the Pentecost River.

El Questro Gorge mid way pool, we didnt have enough daylight to make it all the way, next time.


Zeebeedee Thermal Springs, it made it hard to swim back in the other gorges after these bath like pools.

Next stop Home Valley Station, a bit of a let down after El Questro but boys enjoyed
the swimming pool, winning chess and a horse ride.

Onto Ellenbrae station, we swam at their private gorge and scones and fresh cream
seemed like a luxury. Next stop Mt Elizabeth Station, Cody had fun chasing the chooks
and watching the pigs but really not much else going for this stopover, although the
very tame wallaby with bub in its pouch was pretty cool.


With the 30+ Temperatures and no power for AC the boys took to sleeping out in the tent mesh.

Next stop Manning gorge, half way along the Gibb (our favourite). Boys had an absolute
ball here in the swimming hole right next to the campground. Lots of families
travelling along here - more than we have seen anywhere else so boys occupied for hours
on rope swing and boat with pull rope used to cross the river. Manning Falls walk
probably one of the longest for us but so worth it - waterfall and swimming hole an
oasis.

Onto Bell Gorge, boys starting to get "gorged out" but was fun sliding over the mossy
rocks and through the cascades exploring the area. And of course, they did find
another awesome jump rock. Cody feeling a little too confident jumped from about 8m
and landed awkwardly on the water slapping his leg - might not be joining Joel in the
"epic" jumps in future.

After 9 days on the Gibb and our supplies running very low, we stopped for one more
night at Windjana Gorge. Walked through Tunnel Creek Caves during the day which was
pretty awesome with all its resident bats, then in the evening watched as the 70 or so
crocs in Windjana Gorge eagerly awaited the bat fly over as they often swooped into the
waterway for a drink. We had heard that the crocs often catch and feast on the bats
but we didn't see this on the night that we were there much to Joel's disappointment
and Cody's delight.

Dusty and dirty, we were relieved to arrive back to civilisation in Derby, home to the
highest tides in the Southern Hemisphere and second highest in the world (Nova Scotia
has the highest). We'd booked a Horizontal Seaplane overnight trip months before and
had been looking forward to this tour for weeks. It didn't disappoint!!! After being
picked up from the caravan park we flew on a 12 seater seaplane out to Talbot Bay in
the Buccaneer Archipelago where our houseboat was waiting for us. After swimming in
the shark cages next to the resident tawny nurse sharks and fish life, we had the ride
of our lives over the horizontal falls in a speedboat. Horizontal falls are created by
the changing tide trying to escape through s small opening in the McLarty ranges.
Dinner at sunset was just magic and was so nice to be out of the van for a night. We
had another boat ride over the falls the next morning before heading back to Derby on
the seaplane. What an adventure - something we will never forget.

Leaving the red dust behind, after nearly 2 months on the road we finally arrived back
to the coast, Broome. Of course the first thing we did was have a swim in the Indian
Ocean.