Camping with Gummy
We spent three nights in Kununurra to rejuvenate, refuel, and restock the food provisions. We lucked out with a stunning campsite right by the lake. Steve chilled in the hammock, reassured by the fact that "Gummy," the resident 60-year-old toothless freshwater crocodile, had never bitten anyone. But in the dead of night, we were startled by the sound of aggressive splashing just a few metres away. It seemed Gummy had secured his midnight feast - gnashers or no gnashers!
Look at the reeds to see how close we were to Gummy 😲
The Gibb - Let's Go
The Gibb River Road, stretching 660km, is an epic dirt track linking Kununurra and Derby in Northwestern Australia. Known as "The Gibb," it's an iconic Australian journey that Steve has dreamed of tacking for many years. If you love exploring hidden swimming holes, beautiful waterfalls, off-road scenic drives, and dramatic gorges, "Doing the Gibb" is an absolute must.
El Questro – The Boojie Part of the Gibb
We were somewhat spoilt with our first stop on the Gibb. With its cocktails bar and steak house, El Questro is a bit fancy, and generally, not our typical camp. However, it is renowned for having some of the most breathtaking gorges on the Gibb, so we decided to indulge and stayed for a few nights.
Emma Gorge
The hike began smoothly with effortless branch swinging and rock hopping, but as the path became tougher, I found myself scrambling over the rocks on all fours, as with as much grace as a turtle on turps. However, the reward was worth it – a delicious turquoise plunge pool awaited, setting the stage for a magnificent swim beneath the 65-meter waterfall's cascade.
Hot Springs and Hotter Sunsets
Tucked under the shady pandanus trees and livistona palms, lies the lush Zebedee Springs, a serene oasis featuring a series of thermal pools, petite waterfalls, and warm springs. With water temperatures consistently ranging from 28 to 32 degrees, it is the perfect setting for an early morning soak.
After finding a secluded piece of paradise here I briefly feared that some cheeky kids might be taking the p*&$ by taking a pee on the alcove above us causing a warm flow over me. Thankfully not. The gushing warm waterfall was a natural phenomenon of the best kind.
After our early dip in the thermal spring, it was time to take on El Questro Gorge. The trail led us along a slender creek lined with palms and ferns, up to a secluded swimming hole with water as clear as glass. While soaking up the beauty of the rainforest, we considered tackling the second leg of the hike, which ramps up from Grade 4 to Grade 5. That silly idea lasted only a few seconds, and we headed back to our boojie camp.
In the evening, we took a 4WD trail with some winding steep sections to Pigeon Hole Lookout to watch the sunset over the surrounding ranges.
Don’t Feed the Donkey at Ellen….bray!
After El Questro, we moved on to Ellenbrae Station. Upon checking in we were given a strict warning. “Do not feed the donkey, as it might explode”. My mind conjured up an image of a distressed Eeyore suffering from a serious gastro ailment. However, it turns out, “the Donkey” was a huge wood-fired boiler providing hot water for the shower. The caretaker liked to take care of the fire himself, without help from interfering pyromaniac campers.
Mitchell Falls – Quite Literally!
Through our travels, we’ve come to learn that the absolute best destinations are the ones that are really hard to reach, which is why Mitchell Falls was a must-see. Most people avoid the hike in and/or out by opting take a helicopter ride. As we now class ourselves as seasoned hikers 😜, we gave the chopper, the chop, and embarked on the 9 km walk into the wilderness.
The falls, along with the mountain and the surrounding state park, bear the name of Elisha Mitchell, a professor who tragically fell to his death from a rocky ledge above the falls on June 27, 1857, while verifying his measurements of the mountain. I'm not sure if it's a genuine tribute – or Aussie humour that resulted in the place being called “Mitchell Falls” 😲. It was certainly a precarious location, so we were very careful of our footing.
Wolfe Creek Flashbacks
En route to Mitchell Falls, we were alarmed to see a single, new and expensive hiking boot, with sock, discarded in the bush. Were we camping with Mick Taylor or Ivan Milat, I wondered. However, after reading the poster on the dunny wall we were relieved to see that the likely culprit was not a pyscho serial killer, but a dingo with a shoe fetish!
Critter of the Week - Brahman Cow
After a quick overnight stop at Drysdale, we settled into Mount Elizabeth for 3 nights. Mount Elizabeth is a working cattle station that covers approximately half a million acres and runs over 6,000 cattle for the family business, The Burton Beef Company. Meals are at a set price of $40 for 2 courses, and the daily menu offers a single option: beef! The choice of dish is up to the chef's daily inspiration. We struck gold once more with a sensational roast beef dinner and apple crumble.
Needless to say, new friendships were forged over the hearty communal feast, toasty campfire, and the best "goon-bag red" 😁 (Cask wine travels better than bottled on the corrugations ... and we're on a budget).
Nothing Defies the Defender
At Mount Elizabeth's expansive private grounds, we challenged ourselves with a 12km 4WD track, dubbed for the "fearless or foolish." I found the ride a bit nerve shattering, and it was most certainly the most challenging track we've travelled on our whole trip so far, but Steve was rapped to be pressing buttons he'd never pressed before. Needless to say, we had Wunnamurra Gorge all to ourselves that day. Steve congratulated himself with a celebratory dive.
Word of the Week: EEEWW
Rest assured, this journey is not all waterfalls and rainbows. There are other natural surprises to be had. Yelling "eeeww" has become a reflex when at some of the bush ablutions along The Gibb. The shower and toilets are usually open to the elements at the bottom and top and just separated by a thin piece of corrugated tin. Getting used to the symphony of sounds and scents from someone taking their "daily constitutional" while I try to enjoy a shower is seriously gross 😣.
The ordeal is made worse by the fact that when you have walked the short distance from the "facilities" to the camper, your thonged tootsies are just as filthy as they were to begin with. The struggle is real, my friends.
Meanwhile Back at Camp
Whilst I'll never come to love bush bathrooms, one thing I do love about camp life is the time it takes to do the housework. Just 10 minutes to tidy the lounge, kitchen and bedroom. Grueling work 😏.
Stay away from all crocodiles with or without teeth please you seem to be having a great time stay safe love you both GMG
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