Staying at the Station

Hello Family and Friends,

Today, Sunday 21^st July, we are having a quiet, rest day, although I have just done a small load of hand washing (no rest for the wicked!!). We are currently at Charnley River Station which is approximately 258kms from Derby (west coast) and 508kms from Kununurra, which is 52kms away from the start of the Gibb River Road (GRR). The distance from Derby to Kununurra is 712kms and of that, 654kms is the GRR which is 100% dirt with bull dust, rocks, water crossings and truly spectacular scenery and places to see along the way.

Nine years ago when we were up here last, we did not stop and see half as much as we are seeing on this trip. It makes such a difference when you have time up your sleeve and no real fixed agenda. On arriving at Charnley we had 4 “spare days” up our sleeve. This was mainly due to the fact that we didn’t stop at Barnett River Gorge, which was our next stop after Mt Elizabeth Station. We were a bit undecided about staying there but thought we would for 2 nights. When we pulled out of Mt Elizabeth Station, we did not realize that we had pulled out in between 3 NSW couples driving in convoy. We had the pleasure of listening to the 3 couples “twoddle on about nothing” on the CB radio (we always leave ours on scan while we are travelling). One good thing they did say was that Barnett River Gorge was not that impressive and not to pull in. The problem was that the first driver of the 3 had turned in and had stopped to wait for his friends. We were driving behind the first couple, so we just kept on going towards Mt Barnett Roadhouse, and were finally rid of driving behind his bull dust!!!

Nothing up here is small, including the boab trees!!

Any way, the last place I mentioned on my previous blog was Mt Elizabeth Homestead. The drive from Drysdale Station to Mt Elizabeth Station was a good one and it was not until the 2^nd day at Mt Eliz that I noticed that we had 100% lost one of our spot lights off the front of the 4WD. Nothing was left but the cable and the bracket that holds the light and the globe! Then Anthony noticed we had smashed off one of the light covers on the camper and we had lost one of the screws that keeps our bigger side mirrors attached to the Prado. Our biggest day of things breaking yet!!

Mt Elizabeth Station was a lovely place and we did both the 4WD tracks available. The first one was the more difficult, which Anthony loved, and the second was just a bush track but had a gorgeous river swimming spot at the end. And, you guessed it, we were the only ones there yet again. I’m thinking we might have BO or something!!!

All 3 photos: Mt Elizabeth Station- gorge at end of difficult 4WD track

Mt Elizabeth Station- easy to get to gorge

We stayed here for 3 nights and on the second day Anthony did some maintenance on the car. He checked that the wheel nuts were tight on the car and camper, got under the car to remove the bash plate, hit the dings out of it then put it back on- just a few medial tasks like that!!. This was after we had done the more difficult 4WD track, but some of the knocks would have happened earlier in the trip. That night we went to the Homestead for a 3 course dinner ($45 ea) which was just lovely. We had vegetable soup, then a buffet of beef pie, mashed potato, pineapple rissoles (yum!), pumpkin bake and beans. Dessert was either Chocolate self-saucing pudding or pineapple sponge cake (and I had the yummy pineapple sponge folks, because they ran out of choc s/s pud!!). We also sat with a coupe from Qld, Shane and Lisa, and a Doctor, Heinrich (radiologist specialist who works at the Alfred) from Amsterdam (I kept calling it Amstersmash (from my 1987 Contiki trip) and he thought that was hilarious!!) who were just lovely people. It was a superb night with mixed conversation, good food and plenty of laughs!!

Julie and Heinrich with a wallaby joey

After Mt Elizabeth (and driving straight past Barnett River Gorge) we arrived at Mt Barnett Roadhouse. This is an aboriginal owned Roadhouse that has quite a good range of grocery items and fruit and veg, be it very expensive. While we were here (we stayed 2 nights) the supply truck made it’s weekly delivery so I was able to buy some F&V as we were leaving. Ok, are you ready for this- $4.90 for 4 mandarines, $5.50 for 4 apples AND $9.00 for 2 capsicum!!! But I must admit that the mandys and apples are delicious!

Part of Mt Barnett Roadhouse is the camping area and water hole called Manning Gorge. This was just lovely with a water hole (Manning River) right next to the camping area and a brilliant gorge (Upper Manning Gorge and Manning Falls) which is across the river (you cross in a boat) and a 3km hike over rocky ground. But the waterhole is just brilliant and well worth the trek. We swam across the waterhole to the waterfall and stood on a ledge on the other side of the water fall- just spectacular.

Above & below: Manning Gorge

After 2 days at Manning Gorge we headed off to Charnley River Station, where we are now. On the way we stopped and had a look at 2 more gorges- Galvins Gorge and Adcock Gorge. Both were nice but we didn’t swim in either: just walked in (over rocks!!) and took some photos.

Charley River Station is just lovely. Their driveway is 43kms long and we think this must put a lot of people off as there really aren’t a lot of people here. We originally booked in here for 2 nights, but have extended it to 3 as we are enjoying it a lot and we have “spare days” to use up!! Yesterday we drove out and checked out 2 of the 4 gorges on offer at this property, but after the second one- Grevillea Gorge, where we did have a swim and some lunch, I said to Anthony that I am a bit “gorge-and-rock-climbing-out”, hence the quiet day today.

Charnley River Stn: Grevillea Gorge

Last night we had dinner at the Homestead which was lovely. $20 each for a porterhouse steak, salad and chips (I was salivating when I saw chips on the menu!!). Then they came out and said for $5 each we could have some apricot pudding and cream. Well, everyone’s’ hands shot up in the air faster than you could blink!! It was another really nice night as the staff all move around to talk to everyone at each of the tables. These people are so remote from everything and everyone that they have some brilliant stories to tell. Although they were all very surprised when I mentioned that we had passed a grader on our way in who was grading their 43km drive. This is something the local shire maintain and not the station themselves, so they never know when it will be done. Well, not until the grader stops at the Homestead and has a cuppa with them, which he did this morning!! I was at the Homestead paying for dessert and again thanked the grader driver for his good work. He just wished people would slow down when they passed him on the road as some whiz past doing 90-100 kms. I was so shocked and said that we like to go past slowly so I can wave to the driver. I swear I saw him rolling his eyes!!

Well tomorrow we head off to Mornington Wilderness Camp, which is a part of the Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary and is owned and operated by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. This place is 95kms off the GRR so we are hoping it might also be a quieter place to stay. Well, we will find out tomorrow, I suppose.

Stay warm everyone, and enjoy the snow in Adelaide (what the!!!). We’ll be in touch soon.

Love and kisses from Jules and Anthony. xxoo