Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 32 - Lake Argyle to Kununurra

I would hasten to suggest there is such a thing as “perception pollution”. We have had a good dose of it in just the morning of this day. Overnight we were treated to horror stories of Kununurra and of the perception it’s a rough and ready town. There were stories of marauding groups looking to steal everything in sight, rattling doors and prying at windows to snatch and grab whatever they could. It had us at unease so much we had even looked at diverting around it and heading straight for El Questro.

The drive out of Lake Argyle is as pretty as the drive in. More shots are taken as those vistas unable to be seen, hidden by the van as we went past are now open for capture. The remnants of bush fires at various points allow us to see into the bush beyond the tall grasses, see rocky outcrops, see monoliths poking through the trees which would not be seen if the undergrowth were there, but still no camels.

It doesn’t take long for the camel call to haunt Forbsy. He suggests they are out there; they are simply camel-flarged. He even goes onto suggest they have rubbed themselves up against burnt trees, so they have even more ocular protection in the burnt-out areas. Good one Forbsy. Silver Leader suggests there might be some at Broome but I pipe in he can’t claim having seen a camel unless its feral and not bridled or impounded, that wasn’t the call at Katherine when first he predicted a sighting.

As we enter into Kununurra, Silver Leader, who has been Google Earthing the town for parking spots to allow us to shop, suggests there is nothing like that available and we will have to suffer a night in a caravan park. The “pollution” would suggest this is an error of judgement, AND, we could have parked at the truck stop just shy of the van park, but we intrepid travellers risk a night. First impressions of the park, pollution affect or not, is that it is on par with anything we have stayed at previously. Reception staff are most helpful and the park manager who directs us to our spots is very chatty and respectful of our vans, and ensures we are all parked, shown the water, electricity and the grey water outlets (also suggesting that if the hose wouldn’t fit to simply “water a tree”).

Situated right on the lake, this place will serve a purpose, although we may need to be careful with security, but for now the perception does not agree with the reality. The full stay may give us cause to check our reality but as Forbsy suggested there are probably 4 or more van parks, not to mention free camping sites around the town, it would be nothing to expect there might be a small element close to one of them to give grief to the Silver Schoolies etc.

Robyn and Rosalie go in search of beverages, particularly mango smoothies and return with stories of diamond shops, where you can try on $250,000 rings and have your picture taken and the shop will email the shot to you. Talk about reel you in. Robyn’s excitement ensures we will be finding this shop when we go out to stock up on provisions. Her return is accompanied with a small brochure on the fishing rules for the area. Small token to the he-man part of the van. Unlike Lake Argyle where we were under trees, here we are exposed to the sun, no worries it just means the air-conditioning will cop a hiding. It was 28 degrees at 9.30am when we left Lake Argyle, it is well over the 33 degree mark by noon here in Kununurra. All of a sudden, the humidity has risen with the temperature.

Lunch has become a trial, we shopped first, having ventured into the Kununurra town central roper – all of 3 minutes away, and hit the local Coles shop. We settle for lovely fresh rolls and turkey with tomato for lunch, a luxury of fresh bread. We Cryovac the meat and freeze it, leaving out some chicken kebabs for dinner. The oppressive heat keeps us indoors, the others hit the pool, Robyn and I some work.

Mid afternoon I venture out to find Silver Leader and Forbsy getting fishing gear ready. I thought they were only jesting that we would hit a riverbank for a fish this afternoon, but evidently not. Given we will take my Cruiser wandering I need only get out the 8kg rod as a backup for the telescopic rod I want to try with the large capacity line of the bigger reels. The 8kg rod for some reason just did not have the distance when casting on the fishing trip in Darwin, perhaps the telescopic rod with its much more flexible tip will alleviate that issue.

Silver Leader has enquired of the receptionist of a spot we might try. Its Ivanhoe Crossing just out of town. The directions suggest we ford the crossing, turn right and follow the river down until we find a suitable spot, then fish the higher rock platforms to ensure we are not taken by crocs. Sounds fair to us, if not the women folk. So its 3.30pm, sounds like a good time to go, with the setting sun there might be a fish or two to catch.

The drive out is easy. One turn to the right and keep going. Along the way we pass irrigated crops of corn and what looks like Sandalwood. The irrigation process is ingenious, simply using a syphon method to take water from the main channels to the crops.

Robyn has conniptions at the water crossing, having memories of the last time I drove a vehicle into a river situation, where we almost do not return. I am ordered to back up from the water to read the sign thoroughly event though there appears to be only around 100mm of water over the causeway. The sign’s information consumed I am allowed to proceed, and yes the power of the water going over the causeway is felt by the Cruiser. There is not one body of water to traverse but two.

The instructions were to ford the causeway, turn right and then drive until you find a suitable spot. We assume this is the track just after the second body of rushing water and head along the river. Its not difficult driving as long as you take it slow and we disturb lots of wildlife including a number of wallabies and kangaroos which are all caught on camera. The abundance of wildlife suggest humans may have not been here in a while increasing our potential in catching a fish.

Out of the bush we find a spot well back from the river for our croc spotting women folk to view from and the hunter and gatherers load up and start to fish with lures and poppers. Its an idyllic spot until you make your first cast and the lures are retrieved with significant amounts of weed attached. This will be the issue, being able to get the lure at least some way before the weed stops its progress.

We split up. Silver Leader goes up stream, Forbsy goes down and I stay put. Nothing happening though so I head towards Forbsy as Silver Leader has walked though some water to get where he is fishing. Forbsy has found a high platform of rock to cast from and his popper reached the other side with ease to entice whatever might be lurking under the snags to devour it.

Its not long before Silver Leader joins us, he is using the same lure as I have aboard, and like Forbsy is able to propel it across the river to the other side, unlike me who struggles to get my lure more than ¾ the way to the selected spot. All of a sudden Silver Leader is on and a Barramundi is jumping for life across the river. The fish is landed and almost manages to jump back into the water, it has dislodged itself from the lure, but has fallen into a rock crevice. Silver Leader retrieves it. Our first Barramundi on tour. The girls are called to come with the cameras for the photo opportunity. Taking shots of Silver Leader, they enquire whether Forbsy and I want a picture with the fish – we decline, its almost an insult.

Unfortunately, our first barra is under size, its supposed to be 55cm but even without a tape measure we give it the “two hand span” measure and it doesn’t come up to spec.  Silver Leader goes to float the fish back into the water and I notice a log that was adjacent to where he caught the fish no longer is there. That’s enough for him to give the fish the dive treatment rather than the swim method, and the fish swims away happily to fight another day.

We pull the plug while the sun is still shining and start the trek back. This time we video the track and the kangaroos and wallabies, then the fording of the causeway for prosperity. We hit the caravan park just on sunset. Robyn has received more work and is worried about the internet coverage at El Questro so she jumps into it as soon as we return. The rest of us hit the Silver Leader Beer Garden for a libation and nibbles.

I check on Robyn from time to time but she is well engrossed in the work, wanting to not let is get behind and in a position where internet is intermittent at best. Admirable, but we do have a satellite for just such instances.

During the evening I attempt some stars photos of the dark emu, unfortunately the light pollution from the moon and the surrounds is too much and I only get a reasonable (according to my astrophysicist daughter) shot of the Southern Cross. At least I got more than simply a black screen and I am confident of better shots once the light pollution reduces.

Today we went past 6,000km on the trip clock as well as 22,222 on the overall odometer of the Cruiser, both significant milestones for the trip, if only for the Richie Benaud call of the overall odometer. We are approaching the end of our fourth week, one third of the designated tour time. The original plan was 16,000 odd kilometres but we will do a few more than that because I like to do the investigatory driving, I am a really bad passenger.

This place is OK, we have not seen any of the issues which were aimed at polluting our perception of this place. We wold though like to note the loud Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson playing of the van adjacent to us during the evening, but even that was not an issue. There was the numerous red wyes in the lake we spotted with the high powered torch at one stage but we are happy they were freshies well back from the bank.

We have decided to give Kununurra an extra day, there are lots of things to see, more fish to annoy at Mary Ponds, pictures to be taken with ridiculously priced diamond jewellery and a Rum Distillery to check out, probably in the afternoon with one of the girls being the designated driver I suspect.

The breeze has kept the insects at bay outside but with the lights on, some have managed to sneak their way in. Mortein does for them very quickly to ensure a decent night’s sleep.