We were ever so rudely awoken before the pealing of the alarm again today. This time by a savage knocking on the door, that had me scrambling to see what the problem was. At least it was at the semi-reasonable hour of 8:30AM.

As a result of the odd angles upon which we have had to park ‘The Beast’, in an effort to contain its fenders within our site, it has made it next to impossible for the neighbours to extract their van from their site, without causing damage to ‘The Beast’. I therefore rapidly set about finding somewhere else to park, thankfully finding the neighbours on the other side have set out for the day in their campervan, leaving the site free for us to use as a temporary car park.

Despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to get back to sleep after all of this, and Bec was now fully awake as well. Rather than wasting away the day, we got up and began getting ready for our day out. We’re heading off on a day trip to nearby Wyndham, about 100Km north of Kununurra.

It was already nearly 10:00AM, despite our best efforts to get underway somewhat earlier, by the time we departed the van park. Our first point of interest upon which we were calling was the local Zebra Rock Gallery. This place was somewhat more professionally run than the rock gallery we visited in Katherine, although you could say that the prices were also more professional. The rock itself, which lends its name to the gallery, is an oddity, the likes of which you don’t often get to see. It is mined nearby, in what is one of only a handful of mines dedicated to this brown and grey striped rock. In fact, the east Kimberleys region is the only known source of Zebra Rock in the world, and given that the mine spends nine months of the year underwater, the cost to purchase a sample is of no great surprise.

As well as housing a gallery of Zebra Rock artifacts and carvings, there was an artist in residence, who was happy to display her skills at carving the stone, a series of avian cages from which many a cockatoo was happy to greet us with a shrill “hello”, a café serving all kinds of country delicacies, none of which we tasted due to having not long ago had breakfast and an expansive green lawn leading down to the shores of a small lake. It was down by the lake, hanging out over the edge of a short jetty, where the most fun was to be had. Our gold coin donation that bought us entry into the gallery, also included a piece of stale bread each, which when broken up into tiny morsels, we threw into the lake. Each piece was attacked in a feverish frenzy of cat fish, dozens darting up towards the surface in a rush of foam and bubbles, piling up on top of one another in a mad show of determination to win the prize of a wadded up bit of bread. It kept us entertained for ages, as the scraps of bread we threw out grew ever smaller as we tried to extend our amusement.

Our entertainment had to draw to an end however, as we navigated further north, heading for Wyndham. We have heard varied reports of Wyndham, from “don’t bother”, to “it is a fantastic little town”. In any case, we had decided to go and find out for ourselves. Regardless of what our final assessment would be of the town, we found the scenery along the way to be worthy enough of making the drive. We were driving through scrub and bush, the ever present east Kimberley ranges seeming to be only a stones throw away, as they rose from the vegetation as great red and green hillocks.

Arriving at Wyndham, we decided that the best way to get an overview of the town, was to do exactly that, by ascending to the upper reaches of the Five Rivers Lookout. Perched high atop one of the soaring hillocks, it was reached by a narrow, twisty stretch of tar. With the windscreen full of nothing but sky at times, as we negotiated tight, blind switchbacks that tested to the extreme, the turning circle of ‘The Beast’ we finally made it to the upper car park. From the viewing platform, we were able to look out over the Wyndham Port, the sprawling salt flats and not least, the meeting of the five major rivers in the area as they flow out to meet the sea. The expansiveness of the scene is difficult to describe, and even to the eye it was challenging to comprehend, as cars took on the form of ants, scurrying along the thin line of brown that was the main road.

From atop the lookout.

It doesn’t look so high from down here.

Returning to sea level was an easier proposition, or so it felt, than escalating, and we were soon on our way to see the largest known Boab Tree in captivity. Well, that’s how the tourist brochures describe it. Nestled toward the back of the Wyndham Caravan Park, it is believed to be more than 2000 years old. We have seen plenty of Boab Trees along side the road while we have been travelling, but none could hold a candle to this example. In a word, it is ‘huge’.

The largest Boab Tree in captivity.

Walking back through the caravan park, we were followed by a clip, clopping noise that, as we turned around, we found to be a shaggy haired donkey, following us down the path. Bec stopped to pat it first, but shied away when it shook its head, baring its teeth menacingly. Scared that it was going to bite her, Bec thrust me towards it. I fearlessly went to give it a scratch on the cheek, only to nearly jump out of my skin as he threw his head around, slack jawed, ready to feast, I was sure, on my arm. So savagely did I withdraw my hand, I punched myself in the chest almost hard enough to knock the wind from me. The donkey turned out to be rather friendly, rather than ferocious though, when I found a spot just behind its ear that needed a scratch.

I’ve been adopted by a family of giants.

A drive about town then brought us to a small outdoor exhibition of antique rail engines and carriages, of the sort that has previously been used here on the wharf. An inexplicable family of oversized, copper aborigine effigies inhabits another park, while on the outskirts of town is the 20 metre long crocodile sculpture. That though, was the extent of what we could find of noteworthy merit in Wyndham, before we set ‘Shazza’ to point us back towards Kununurra and the van.

The big crocodile welcomes visitors to Wyndham.

We returned to the van for a couple of hours of much needed rest, before heading back out again. We managed to witness a second sun set from the lakefront, before heading back into town. We are heading off again tomorrow, heading into the wilds between here and Broome. Without knowing what to expect at the places we are hoping to visit, we haven’t made too many plans, so can only say that we will be staying in a roadside camp area for at least one night, but maybe as many as 3 or 4 as we make our way further west. Not only that, but depending on how we go with caravan parks allowing us to leave the dogs behind while we go off exploring, it might be up to a week before we finally reach the coast and roll into a town of any great size. Therefore, it was an absolute necessity that we stock up on groceries tonight.

Another beautiful sunset over the lake.

This also means that I can’t say for sure as to when the next installment of our adventures will hit the airwaves. Stay tuned though, because it will be out there as soon as our Internet coverage allows.

Until next time, stay safe, have fun and don’t forget to write.