Category Archives: WA

Be flexible on the road

Australia, Kimberley, WA

One of the lessons of the Excellent Adventure is to have a general overall plan and be flexible. It probably started out as have detailed plans and cover all your targets.

Another lesson: knowing how big Australia is, is not the same as travelling the vast areas. You often get a sensation of only scratching the surface, although the occasional flight helps address that. The Doc never got that sensation on the 4 day helicopter trip around Cape York.

The Purnululu (Bungle Bungle Range) trip was originally to be 4 nights but The Doc changed that after finding out about Mitchell Falls. If The Doc left 1 day earlier and returned to Kununurra to refuel and resupply The Doc could visit El Questro and Mitchell Falls along the Gibb River Road and still make it to Mornington, AWC’s Wilderness Camp by 4 May.

It was not to be. While at Purnululu The Doc felt moisture on his forehead, where the skin cancer had been removed. So he placed a bandage on the area, as it has been slow in healing. When returning to Kununurra it became clear it was infected. A quick fix on the road (having a good first aid kit is an essential), then to Kununurra Hospital to have it looked at and treated. The heat and humidity are not helping. The wound was opening in 2 places, so it was cleaned again, butterfly strips used to close the wound, re-bandaged and The Doc given anti-biotics. The Doc hired an air conditioned room at Lake Argyle for 3 nights to help the healing. It would be foolish to enter the remote Gibb River Road until the infection is clearing up.

A change of plans again, visit El Questro, then Mornington and head back to Mitchell Falls afterwards. The roadhouse where The Doc was refuelling is between Mornington and the Mitchell Falls turnoff. So only little back tracking is involved.

Next report Katherine to Kununurra.

Mornington Magic

Australia, AWC, Broome, Kimberley, plains, river/creeks, WA, WA, Wildlife

The Doc’s visit into the Central Kimberley was to visit AWC’s Mornington Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is the home of WildlifeLink Research Centre, AWC main research centre across The Kimberley, covering Mornington-Marions Downs,  the Artisan Range, Tablelands and other properties. It is from where EcoFire is managed across much of the Central Kimberley.

AWC describes Mornington and Marion Downs as “almost 6,000 square kilometres of the iconic Kimberley region. Bounded to the south by the rugged King Leopold Range, the properties contain some of Australia’s most spectacular scenery.  Massive mesas and dramatic sandstone escarpments overlook vast savanna woodlands, while a network of tropical rivers, including the Fitzroy River, carve deep gorges through the ancient landscape. “

What a magical place. Report is here.

Back on the road

Australia, AWC, desert, marsupials, NSW, SA, sand dunes, sunrise, sunset, WA, Wildlife

The next road trip starts tomorrow. Sorry I could not finish the Kangaroo Island reports. At least 2 maybe 3 more reports to come.

Next stop the Central Coast, then the Warrumbungles, then across to Broken Hill, via Dubbo and the Western Plains Zoo. Then down to AWC’s Scotia Sanctuary in Outback NSW.

Back to Broken Hill and then a 2 week Simpson Desert crossing finishing at White Cliffs.

Then to Sydney by some long route, then on a plane to Broome. Next stop AWC’s Mornington Sanctuary in the Central Kimberly’s. Back to Sydney then out to Deniliquin for some bird photography. A bit over 2 months in total.

Track me in near real time here.