Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 38 - El Questro to Bungle Bungles

Contrary to some of the rumours, El Questro is still a working cattle station, there are something like 4,000 cattle here which need to be tended and managed, and this they need to do in order to maintain the conditions of their lease of the land.

This morning at 7.30 (and we are just starting to get adjusted to the time difference) not only had the helicopter and the plane taken off for sunrise tours, a chainsaw was in full swing and heavy implements had been past the vans. This added to the wind buffeting the awning, curtailed what had become the luxury of a sleep in. My leg after the trials and tribulations of the boat incident seems to have recovered from its discomfort, perhaps the internal medicinal alcohol last night helped. Its still tender to touch but there is no pain in walking, a shower might be a different thing though.

Today we were hoping to visit a school near where we enter the national park at the Bungle Bungles. Our daughter Kirsten was recently on the ABC Q&A program with a number of eminent scientists, and a group of students from Purnululu School asked a question about the Milky Way and its changes during the seasons. We thought it would be nice if we were able to get a photo with the children and set up an internet link with Kirsten and the students for a quick talk. I had sent the principal an email suggesting we were in the area today and would like to facilitate the meeting but as yet I have had no reply. We might just “drop in” anyway.

Along highway #1 there are lots of Telstra towers making checking for responses to our emails to Purnululu frustratingly easy, there is no response. The topography changes again, and this time not because of the lack of water. Here we pass more irrigation of Sandalwood trees and large mobs of cattle. The dry season is still upon us but grass, albeit very dry, appears in abundance. And again there are amazing vistas to photograph, one in particular of a rock, perched high on a mound of others, that seemingly will fall at any time, which will probably still be there the next time we pass.

We pass what we think is the Purnululu School, not far from our destination, a free camp at Spring Creek at the opening to the National Park in which the Bungle Bungles are situated. We are tempted but continue on the last little bit to our camping spot. The site happens to be in the middle of a large section of road works, meaning that during the day there will be more noise than just traffic passing. The camp itself is nestled off the road and beside a dry creek bed.

Forbsy has been having trouble with his water pumps in his van and no they are not working at all. We find a couple in the park that were adjacent to us at El Questro and he happens to be an auto electrician and suggests he will have a look at it and see if there is anything he can do. He checks the wiring and that seems all good, it appears the corrugations may have finally caused irreparable damage inside the units and they will have to be replaced. The van itself is only three years old and a call to the builder suggests this is not uncommon. For the price you pay for a van you would have thought a more sturdy and longer lasting water pump might be in order.

I wander through the creek bed and around the camp, there are lots of animal dung, particularly wallaby, Shaun the Ranger at El Questro suggested we do not have kangaroos in the Kimberly, just wallabies.

As the sunsets I find a vantage point as high as possible to snap shots of the sun receding through the trees. Whilst I am wandering, I find camels, not the feral variety called by Forbsy ex Katherine, but two painted on the back of a van. I chuckle to myself as I snap the shot of them that will be the centre of a ribbing at dinner.

The sunset through the trees is as red as any I have tried to take with an escarpment background in earlier days. Playing with the lighting on the camera phone, I get many variations. At one stage I am near a tree in which is perched a large falcon. I snap a shot, move closer for another but he is soon on the wing. I try and capture the bird and the sunset together without luck. At times the falcon allows itself to flow over me, I suspect checking out if I am prey or predator.

There is much evidence of campfires here, but the wind is blowing right up until dinner, then drops. Its not cold and dinner is presently consumed at the Silver Leader Beer Garden, but not before the ribbing Forbsy was in for has the whole place in raptures. Whilst I like to drive, Silver Leader loves to cook, especially on the barbeque. Dinner is completed and distributed.

We retire early as we are wanting to hit the Bungle Bungles early – 6.00am – so we need our rest.