Windjana Gorge & Tunnel Creek

Saturday 2^nd and Sunday 3^rd July

The Gibb River Road is bitumen until just before the turn-off to Windjana Gorge, and is not very interesting, but we were pleased to see a goanna when we were on the dirt road,

and some pretty flowers.

The campground is pretty, though a bit crowded by the end of the day, with the backdrop of the jagged grey limestone range. 

We thought it would be better to stay a 2^nd night, and cut out Charnley station, so that we could take our time to do the walk and write up bird lists and blog notes etc! (I sprayed myself with water and put on the fan to keep cool-ish (your clue, G!)

 It was hot when we arrived at the campground, so we decided to go to Tunnel Creek, 35 km further down the road, where you walk, or rather wade through a creek which has tunnelled through the limestone range. It was an absolutely fantastic experience!

We had to strip off our shorts as we didn’t wear our bathers, and at times were in water up to our waist.

The water wasn’t cold, but it was totally dark for most of the way – about 400m, and stupidly we only had one torch, so it was slow progress. I decided to bale before the end, but Rob S continued on, and came back and said we must go through to the end – and it was worth it! The prettiest little tree-lined creek looked like a painting as we came to the end of the dark tunnel.

The limestone tunnel was massive, with interesting caves and formations.  The rocks were really pretty - lots of it looked like marble, shiny grey or rusty colour, with white streaks. There was a Peregrine falcon perched on a dead branch of a tree high up on the rocks outside..a great view.

The walk along Lennard Creek in Windjana Gorge is absolutely beautiful. We set off at about 7.15, as it gets too hot to do much by 11 or 12 o’clock, even though the track goes along beside the river and is quite shaded.

We saw lots of freshwater crocodiles, some really close – they are not dangerous.

Lots of good birds, and Rob S was pleased because he added several new ones to his list eg White-fronted Cuckoo-shrike, Sandstone Shrike-thrush, Paperbark Flycatcher.