Cape Leveque..Kooljaman

Monday 27^th – Wednesday 29^th June

This was a most beautiful place – our Safari tent was situated so that it overlooked the Eastern Beach, and the decking was our ‘living room.’  

down the side

The view from the deck

Although the days are hot, the tent is cool as it is all open, and shady in the heat of the day. I was rather worried that there would be insects inside, as its not insect proof - gaps at the joining of zips, and the floor is decking.  But there haven’t been any problems at all, and it is lovely and cool at night, and you can hear the sea.

We watch the sunrise and have a cuppa,

then go for a walk in the cool of the early morning

Th soil is such a bright red, pindan, the same as at Roebuck Bay, and the rocks are crumbly and look like rubble, in parts.

We would read for a while then walk over for a coffee at the cafe – very civilised, but $4.50 per cup –the record! Then maybe have a swim..... a tough life!

The tides are really big – must be several metres and at low tide you find oyster shells and other creatures on rocks that are about 2 m high.

These chitons looked unusual, with lots of spiky hairs on them.

For the first time, R was sorry he wasn’t equipped to fish – might be able to catch some good ones here!

It was surprisingly busy despite being so remote. The camp sites were very close together, and groups came through from plane trips or indigenous cultural tours  or fishing tours.

We really enjoyed the break – no driving, lots of walking and reading, and surrounded by the most beautiful beaches. The water is crystal clear and warm enough to stay in for a while, and we had swims every day.

Sunset from the deck

Bird highlights: White-throated Gerygone also called the bush canary because it is so yellow, and Mistletoe birds – lots around here, in mistletoe that’s growing in the wattles.

Flower highlight: Bird flower – Crotalaria (I think)

and a vine that grows in the sand.

The habitat is called Coastal Vine Thicket.

Reading at night on the decking, moths and other insects fly around the light. We noticed this beautiful one!

Broome

Saturday 25^th & Sunday 26^th June

We were horrified at the caravan park here initially – it was all concrete, lots of permanent cabins  and quite hideous. However it was fine, because we spent most of the day doing necessary shopping, looking around Broome or walking or having a swim on Cable Beach, which is divine.

We bought lovely fresh fish for dinner and sushi or ate out for lunch so that was a treat.

We stayed to watch the sunset at Cable Beach

Broome is not like an outback town at all, but is more like a seaside resort town. It is rather spread out, but has lots of shops, galleries and cafes, and has a nice feel about it.

We went to Pt Gantheaume where there is an Osprey's nest, with chicks.

Can you see the huge stick nest on the platform of the lighthouse tower?

The Ospreys came in to feed their young

I don’t think we’ll have phone/internet cover at Cape Leveque – we will be there until Thursday.

Broome Bird Observatory - BBO - at Roebuck Bay

Thursday 23^rd  & Friday 24^th June

On the road from Fitzroy Crossing to Broome, we saw a goanna cross the road – the only one we have seen. We have seen hardly any reptiles at all in the N.T and W.A ... a few skinks, two little dragons, a few dead snakes on the road, no dead lizards. One of the rangers at Kakadu said she had only seen two goannas in the last 18 months.

The cause of the reduced number of reptiles is thought to be the cane toad. They are poisonous, so anything that eats them, dies. You see lots of dead cane toads on roads and at Mamarkala wetlands in Kakadu, we saw dozens of what we thought were baby ones hopping across the pathway – like tiny little black frogs, that would be  abundant food for the smaller reptiles.

The campground at BBO is really pretty, bushy, small and basic with the emphasis on birds of course, and we are sorry that we are not staying here instead of going on to the caravan park in Broome. But it is about 26km out of Broome, and the road going in is rather rough and corrugated, so it would have been hard to do shopping, washing etc.  There is no power, but there are solar heated showers.

Each evening at 6pm there is a ‘bird log’. The Ranger reads through a list of birds that are seen there, and sightings for that day from all the people present, are recorded. There are atwo areas set up with bird baths and a hide, and a viewing platform overlooking the beach, for observation of the waders.

They also run several tours, just in a 4WD, to see the birds of different habitats, but we didn’t go on any as we were quite happy just walking through the trails or along the beach

 – it is actually a mangrove with extraordinarily extensive mudflats when the tide is out, but sand and really pretty rocks higher up the beach. 

There is good information about the plants and the habitat in general, which makes it all the more interesting.  

Plants..  the vegetation is like mallee...red soil and stunted trees and shrubs. All the plants look unfamiliar, except for the wattles and a few others.

This was an interesting tree that has leaves that face each other like a butterfly.

The corkwood ( a Hakea) was in flower

It is a RAMSAR site, because it is a take-off point for migratory waders that arrive in Australia every spring to escape the northern winter, then leave in autumn, to return to breed in the far northern hemisphere, Siberia etc.

Roebuck Bay is a stunningly beautiful bay with red cliffs and turquoise water.

R’s bird highlights: Yellow Whiteye, Little Bronze Cuckoo, and Eastern Reef Heron

Fitzroy Crossing

We decided to go through to Fitzroy Crossing as Hall's Creek is not very nice or interesting and we would be there too early, having left Bungles at 6.45. We were allocated the last powered site, at 3.15!! and we were beside the army! About 20 big green tents, and a couple of mess huts/tents etc. They werenot a problem with noise etc, and seemed terrific people.

Apparently they werehere to do work in the indigenous community, building some housing, a health clinic, sewerage and water supply, small engine repairs and health and fitness training. There were engineers, doctors, dentists etc and they do this work as an on-going project.

We were awake early - I made a cuppa at 5.30!! Lots of action around the campground, with tour buses and lots of people leaving to go to the Bungles or Kununurra etc.

We went to Geikie Gorge this morning, and walked the River walk. The rocks are beautiful, sculptured grey limestone which is bleached white at the base, from the water during floods..

The Fitzroy River, as all the rivers up here, must be absolutely enormous when it floods.

We were rather disappointed in the walk as it was not pretty, and gave no views of the river and there were so many weeds! (we have been so pleasantly surprised elsewhere at the lack of weed infestations). I think we have been spoilt by so many wonderful walks that are spectacular all the way!

R took a photo of the Lesser Wanderer butterfly - they have been the most common ones since we left Victoria.

We made a coffe when we were back at the camp, then had a read and chilled out.

Bungle Bungle

Sat 18^th – Mon 20^th June

The Bungles are absolutely spectacular! I am going to run out of ways to describe them, and photos don’t do them justice because of the massive size of the ranges, and the height of the chasms and gorges.

We left Kununurra early so that we would get to our camp at the Bungles in good time, because once you reach the entrance, it is then about 2 ½ hours to drive the 53km to the park, through a station, Mabel Downs.  The scenery is stunning, all the way in.

At the entrance to the station, there was a gate and a person waves you through if your vehicle is suitable.  Then it’s time to attend to tyres, and there were several cars either blowing them up before leaving, or letting them down to about 28 prior to going on,  to reduce the risk of tyre damage.

The road is not bad, some corrugations, rather narrow and winding in parts, and with numerous creek crossings...40! some looked quite dramatic...steep or muddy... but were ok, and there was no problem at all – even with the passenger! 

Going through a creek on the way to one of the walks.

The visitor centre and the camp ‘hosts,’ are all volunteers.  Rangers are based at Kununurra because of the difficulty with being so remote. It is all really well done, and the camp ground is very nice, (just drop toilets and bore water) shady and not too crowded, depending on how many come in and leave each day...the turnover is fast!

There are quite a few small tour buses, and wherever you go to walk, there are always at least 10 – 20 cars there. The people are a different mix – 4WD enthusiasts, as well as some families and some familiar faces from other camps.

The park has several gorges to walk to, or walk through... the ranges are 200m tall, so the walls of the gorges are awesome.

We were late going to Echidna Gorge on the first day, so the photos are no good of the gorge itself. On the way to the gorge

The famous domes are at the southern end of the park, and they are so beautiful and so much more extensive than I realised. The scenery is stunning and photos just can’t give the impression of its grand scale

Cathedral Gorge...can you spot R??

We have managed the walks quite well, so that has been good. There is quite a lot of scrambling over big boulders, between big boulders,

along pebbly creek beds,

and sandy paths.



Birds are noticeably few and far between, which is surprising. The highlight was seeing a Bustard on the road from Kununurra, a Sandstone Shrike-thrush and a Square-tailed Kite.

But there have been some beautiful flowers, and Grevilleas are the highlight. They are common and a real picture.

The Tall Mulla Mulla is the only Ptilotus in flower,

but it is really pretty and in large patches, giving a mauve hue to the scenes.

And a Wonga Vine, which look just like the one in Gippsland, growing out of a rock in the Mini Pams Gorge!

Also some butterflies...this is the Blue Argus

Catching up on jobs!

R did the washing

I cut R’s hair

I washed my hair

So did R

And I did the blog write up .

Peaceful Doves are around the camp all the time

On the way out of the Bungles,

there was quite a gathering when we reached the end of the road where you adjust tyre pressures

And a final treat for us was a really good view of a pair of Bustards, along the roadside on the way out.