Day 54 - 57, Windjana, Tunnel Creek, Giekie Gorge, and Fitzroy Crossing (19th Aug–22nd Aug)

Windjana

Headed back out the Gibb river road this morning, the turn off onto Fairfield Leopold Downs road which takes you to Fitzroy Crossing via Windjana was only 124 kilometers down the road so it was a pretty quick and easy drive to there.
Once on that road its only 20 kilometers to Windjana, that 20 kilometers was pretty rough and corrugated, but not as bad as we have seen.

Windjana Gorge Camp Ground

The camp ground at Windjana was nice, we were there early so had a good choice of spots and were lucky enough to find one with good shade, and a pretty good view.

The camp ground was pretty quiet on our arrival but people started to pour in soon after lunch and by mid afternoon it was pretty crowded, or should I say it was crowded around us, I don't really get why in a huge camp ground people have to pull in right next to you to set up camp.

Bower Bird Nest

This bloke decided to squeeze his camper between us and another group so close that he nearly hit his car door on the other groups camper, oh, and to top it off he ran his V8 motor for 45 min while he set up,
Anyway it didn't worry us too much, and its always entertaining watching others set up camp while relaxing and planning our day.

For the bird photographers there was a lot of bird life around the camp ground, we found an amazing Bower bird nest very close to the amenities, in fact while we were at Windjana another Bower Bird started building a nest at the base of the tree right nest to our camp site.

Kingfisher

Hawk ?

The Gorge Walk

Windjana Gorge Walk

The walk to the Gorge start right in the camp site, it is made up of two walks, a short grassland walk and the main Gorge walk.

After a walk through the tall grasses you enter the actual Gorge walk via a very narrow tunnel, it was no problem, but on the way back out a Brown snake was spotted resting in the tunnel wall.

Narrow Tunnel On Gorge Walk 

Windjana Crocs

The gorge walk was probably the easiest of the walks we have done so far, its mainly flat and on a formed track that is more often than not hard sand, it winds its was into the Gorge and then follows the river which was pretty low at this time of the year.
Once we reached the river it wasn't too  far before we saw our first Fresh Water Croc, and soon after that many more, in fact I don't think I have ever seen so many in one place, at one hole I counted 61 crocs.
The crocs seemed oblivious to our presence allowing you to get very close if you were game.

Windjana Croc Close Up

Windjana Crocs

Tunnel Creek

Tunnel Creek

Tunnel creek is only 30 kilometers down the road towards Fitzroy Crossing so we drove there for a look without the camper, the road was to say the least awful, which was a shame because we would have to do it again the next day with the trailer.

At the entrance to the tunnel there is an information station where you can read about the natural and historical aspects of the Tunnel Creek, its quite an interesting story about the aboriginal escapee Jandamarra who hid out in the tunnel.

The tunnel follows the creek approximately 400 meters through the Napier Range, there are sections that you have no choice but to walk through water, which on our visit was only 300 mm deep in most places, I believe at times it can be quite a bit deeper.
It was nice in the tunnel, very cool and easy walking, if you had a decent torch there were quite a few bats to be seen roosting on the ceiling of the tunnel.

For the most part its very dark in the tunnel and a torch is required, about half way along a section of the roof has caved in and you can see clearly without the torch.

Tunnel Creek Croc

On our way in saw no crocs, on the way on the other hand a man in front of us who had decided to walk in a deeper section of water rather than the sand bank next to it nearly stood on a 1.5 mt croc that was just lying on the bottom, I think he will need a change of pants back at camp.





Tunnel Creek is well worth a visit, don't forget the torch and keep an eye out for the big fresh water croc that lives in there.

Giekie Gorge

Giekie Gorge is only 20 kilometers out of Fitzroy Crossing so we decided to do the boat cruise that was on offer there, the cruise is great value at only $70.00 per family.

The boats they use there are large open boats so you get a great view of the Gorge as you cruise along, but make sure you wear a hat and have sunscreen, its hot out there and there is no shade.
As we cruised along the guide talked about the many features of the Gorge, pointing out various species of  Flora and Fauna, including the odd fresh water croc, it was a great way to see the Gorge rather than walking and it was good to see it from a different perspective.

Giekie Gorge

When you are there at the information centre have a look at the high water marks, they are on the posts of the building but the highest one is marked at a fair way above the top of the roof, I cant remember exactly but its a pretty impressive high water mark.

Giekie Gorge

Giekie Gorge was great and is probably the easiest of the Gorges to see, especially if you do the boat cruise.

Fitzroy Crossing

We stayed at Fitzroy Crossing in the Fitzroy Crossing Lodge and Caravan Park for a couple of nights, its a really nice caravan park with a great restaurant, bar, and swimming pool which the boys really enjoyed.

The sites are grass and shady and the amenities are great, there is only one other caravan park in town and after looking at that I am very glad we stayed where we did.

The Crossing Inn at Fitzroy Crossing

While in town we went out and looked at  the Old Fitzroy Crossing Inn which is the oldest  Kimberley Hotel still in its original site, it was interesting, but I am not sure I would like to drink there but it was interesting to see.

There at the Inn there is also an art gallery which was small but had some interesting art to see or buy if you wanted to.

Fitzroy Crossing was really only a stop over on the way to Broome so apart from a look around the town, some grocery shopping done and get fuel which was cheap there, we didn't really do much there.