WA - a great place - Lake Argyle, El Questro and Kununurra

Preparing to cross the border into WA today and through the quarantine inspection.  Dylan was unaccountably concerned about this process and spent much of his morning asking questions about what, when, how long and coming up with combat manoeuvres to be unleashed on quarantine staff who overstepped their mandate.  Stopped on the NT side of the border for a photo and to eat stuff!  There we were chomping on carrots and other random vegetables and fruit.  Obviously we are not the first to do this, there were loads of fruit stickers decorating the place.

Quarantine inspection all went well, though Kel was sorry to see the sweet potato taken into custody (the website says they are ok!).  It could have gone to a good home – Kel delivered a bag of assorted vegies and other contraband to some locals at Timber Creek as we left.  The quarantine guy wasn't very talkative, but who can blame him in this heat.  We did confirm that sadly Cane Toads waltzed their way across several months ago. 

Safely through the border and feeling a little guilty – all parents out there will know that there are always sultanas stowed in car seats, floor mats etc.  Continued on to Argyle Lake, which was an awesome drive through a rugged landscape and to a caravan park renowned for its infinity pool overlooking the lake. It didn’t disappoint and we enjoyed simultaneously swimming and taking in the view. We agreed that when we’re rich and/or famous and have a mansion with a view – then it’s an infinity pool for us.  We canvassed the idea of an infinity pool overlooking our rock lined stormwater drain and decided to pass on that.

Rich did a quick 75km round trip into Kununurra for a new tyre to replace the one punctured in Katherine, and on the way back visited a ‘secret’ 4wd lookout just in time for sunset.

Next day we put all the camping gear in the car and headed off relatively early to drop the van in Kununurra before heading out to El Questro for the beginning of our trimmed down Gibb River Road adventure. The drive was very scenic with the mighty ranges following the road all the way to the El Questro turnoff.

Once at El Questro we realised the place was a bit pricey and the "wilderness park" perhaps a money making scheme (does El Questro really mean ‘The Expensive Place’?).  We were just booking in when we bumped into some friends, the Bremmers,  that we had previously met in Alice Springs.  They were staying up the road at a cheaper place with a pool - ripped off!  We ended up setting up the tent and spending the rest of the arvo with them (they were kind of stranded – having just popped two tyres at the same time). Kel found a sad substitute for a pool...

and then we had a meal at the steakhouse, after which we headed back to camp to listen to the French tourists a few spots away get wasted.

Next morning, we woke up early.  The French tourists were lying baking like croissants in their sleeping bags where ever they had fallen down – and were probably regretting their decision to camp near a couple of hyperactive, early rising kids. We packed up the tent and then headed up a 4WD track to a good lookout of the Pentecost River threading its way through the local gorges.

We then drove to the beautiful Zebedee Springs for a long dip in its warms springs, spending a couple of hours here.  It was gorgeous, straight out of a Norsca ad we reckon.  The kids turned tadpole hunters and spent the majority of their time underwater. 

 

We then headed on to Home Valley Station some 40 kms up the road for lunch - crossing the not-so-mighty Pentecost River.  Rich's 4wd fantasies came crashing down :(.

What he hoped for...

What he got...

We arrived just in time to watch the kick off to the AFL grand final and bumped into the Bremmers again, so decided to stick around. The kids played with Kai and Morgan, Kel chatted to Bec in the pool, and Rich and John watched the footy downing a few beers and packets of chips along the way.

After a full day, we said our goodbyes and headed back along the Gibb River Road back to Kununurra where the van was stashed – the result was good – it was still there, and the kids were completely exhausted and ready for bed.