North of Derby in The Kimberley, King Sound to be precise, there are amazing mudflats only visible from the air. A small taste:
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Great Central Road – Australia’s longest shortcut
The Doc is now in Alice Springs for 2 days preparing to go to AWC’s Newhaven Sanctuary on the Tanami Track north of Alice.
This trip started with a visit to AWC’s Bowra Sanctuary and will finish with AWC’s Newhaven Sanctuary. The 2 big AWC sanctuaries for birders. The Doc would love to get some good shots of Princess Parrots at Newhaven, time will tell.
Then The Doc will make his way home after 4 months on the road. The most likely route will be the Plenty Highway (starts just north of Alice Springs) to Boulia in Queensland then back to the bitumen through Longreach and Outback Queensland to Ballina for a week, then Sydney.
Using the Great Central Road saved 1,500kms and 2 long days driving and he hopes the Plenty Highway will give a similar saving. This trip has roughly another 4,000kms to go, bringing the grand total a bit under 30,000kms over the 4 months. It has been a long trip on rough roads and the body is beginning to say enough.
A few photos from Laverton in the West until Uluru in the East along the Great Central Road.
ODO Update #3
With the return trip under way from Western Australia quite a few kilometres have been travelled in the last 5 days. New milestones include:
- AWC’s Newhaven Sanctuary, Northern Territory, 77,000kms;
- Erldunda, which is the turn off from the Stuart Highway out to the Olgas and Uluru (Ayers Rock), Northern Territory, 76,0000kms. (Erldunda is 200km south of Alice Springs and you still have a further 245km to drive to Uluru. It is a myth that Uluru is close to Alice Springs, think 425km away!)
- Middle of Nowhere (technical term), Great Central Road, WA, 75,000kms
- Kalbarri National Park, West Coast of WA, 74,000kms
A few snaps from this time.
Milstream Chichester National Park – The Pilbara
A view looking up at Cliff Lookout. Click on photo to see full size.
ODO Update #2
Quite a few kilometres since the last ODO Update, and what a collection of places visited:
- Francois Peron National Park, Shark Bay World Heritage Area, WA, 73,000 kms
- Gascoyne Junction, near Kennedy Range National Park, WA, 72,000 kms
- Millstream-Chichester National Park, The Pilbara, WA, 71,000 kms
- Karajini National Park, The Pilbara, WA, 70,000 kms
Currently located at Kalbarri on the WA coast north of Geraldton. The Patrol will get a minor service next week. The Doc will then make his way to Laverton and travel across the Great Central Road arriving at The Olgas, the most famous part being Uluru, aka Ayers Rock.
Murchinson River, Kalbarri National Park
Gascoyne River
Qoubba blow holes
Leper Colony
One of the places to visit at Derby is the old Bungarun Leprosarium. It is no longer called leprosy but Hansen’s disease to avoid the stigma of associated with “leprosy”. The Doc bets the title caught people’s attention.
The Bungarun Leprosarium closed in the 1980s and the ruins are still in good order. It had an A class hospital, living quarters, morgue, gaol and cemetery. The cemetery is well maintained by the inmates from the nearby regional prison.
For many years the Leprosarium was run by the Sisters of St John of God. Surprisingly it was only closed 30 years ago. More surprising was the suggestion that isolated cases still occur around the West Australian and Northern Territory border to this day.
It was an eerie place to visit. A few photos from The Doc’s short visit.
ODO Update
A complete list for the trip up to now (over 15,000 kilometres so far):
- Roebuck Plains, WA 69,000kms
- Silent Grove/Bell Gorge, WA 68,000kms
- Cape Leveque, WA 67,000kms
- Broome, WA 66,000kms
- Derby, WA 65,000kms
- Mitchell Falls, WA 64,000kms
- Mornington, WA 63,000kms
- Manning Gorge, WA 62,000kms
- Lake Argyle, WA 61,000kms
- Bungle Bungle Range, WA 60,000kms
- Katherine, NT 59,000kms
- Barkly Highway, NT 58,000kms
- Barcaldine, Qld, 57,000kms
- Nebine, Qld, 56,000kms
- Grafton, NSW 55,000kms
Expensive Broome
Caravan Parks in Broome sure know how to charge. $37 a night for a small unpowered site next to a noisy road, a total of $111 for 3 days.
The Doc decided to stay 20km out of town at Broome’s Gateway Caravan Park. It was $15 a night for a large site and far less noise. For a few dollars more than $111 he got 3 nights accommodation, a 2 course meal and drinks at The Roey (Roebuck Bay Hotel) and watched the new Mad Max movie at the Sun Picture theatre, the oldest Picture Garden in the world, 99 years young.
They are not the only ones who make you pay top dollar, Autopro charged $11 for a small packet of split pins. The Doc sourced over 200 for $16.50 delivered on eBay.
The Doc’s likes Broome, but it will be a shorter stay when prices are so high.
Next stop Cape Leveque tomorrow.
ODO Update
The odometer update for recent milestones include:
- Cape Leveque 67,000kms
- Broome 66,000kms
- Derby 65,000kms
- Mitchell Falls 64,000kms
- Mornington 63,000kms
- Manning Gorge 62,000kms
- Lake Argyle 61,000kms
- Bungle Bungle Range 60,000kms
Artesian Range-Charnley River flight path
The flight path for the second day on the helicopter. What a spectacular part of the Kimberley.
This area is rarely seen, you must fly in. It is also different landscape to most other parts of The Kimberley. Flying down a gorge with 80m high sides was something to behold.
Sorry pictures will come later.
A nice mud flat on the way.
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