Tag Archives: waterhole

WINDJANA GORGE

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www.johnlovett.com

windjana map

At the southern end of the Gibb River Road is the Napier Range. It is a big chunk of eroded limestone  left over from a, once submerged, coral Reef.

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Napier Range at Windjana Gorge

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The limestone walls in the gorge have eroded into unusual shaped caves and caverns. There are fossils of ancient marine creatures embedded in many of the limestone walls.

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A permanent water course cuts through the Napier Range to form Windjana Gorge. Large drifts of sand, thick vegetation and sheer sided walls make an early morning walk through the gorge pretty spectacular.

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Late afternoon is a good time to spot crocodiles. The waterholes are full of reasonably timid fresh water crocs. Occasionally a salty will find it way there after the wet, so swimming is not a good idea.

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This old croc lost part of his top jaw in a fight. A common disability with fresh water crocs. We saw the croc below in Kununurra. He has a large piece of his lower jaw missing.

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Helpful, informative sign – Windjana National Park.

GIBB RIVER ROAD

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The drive from Kununurra to Derby can be done via a thousand kilometre stretch of sealed road through Turkey Creek, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing. The other option is the Gibb River Road –  seven hundred kilometres of dust and corrugations that link the bulk of the Kimberley cattle stations. This road also gives access to some incredibly beautiful gorges and waterholes and cuts through some of the most spectacular mountain ranges imaginable.

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The spectacular Cockburn Range skirts the northern end of the Gibb River Road.

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Catching the late afternoon sun in this area is something  special.

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The Pentecost River is the major river crossing along the Gibb River Road and the last to open after the wet. What appears to be a large white rock on the downstream side of the crossing is the roof of one of Home Valley’s Landcruisers.

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View towards the coast across the floodplains of the Pentecost River.

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Gibb River grader – no wonder the road is so rough!

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The Durack River is another of the many river crossings. At the end of the dry season it is reduced to a string of picturesque waterholes.

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Another victim of the corrugations. Heavy impact fractured the sidewall plies. Fortunately we spotted it before the tyre blew.

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Half way along the Gibb River Road is Mt. Barnett Roadhouse. From here a track leads in to Manning Gorge. A great spot to camp, swim and walk.

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Accessing the main Gorge requires swimming across the Manning Creek. White foam boxes are provided to transport clothes, cameras etc.

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Manning Gorge is a large clear pool fed by a waterfall and surrounded by tall sandstone cliffs.

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Galvans Gorge is another beautiful, clear waterhole surrounded by sandstone walls. Clean water and no crocodiles make it great place to dive in and cool off.

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Wandjina paintings can be seen on the walls of the gorge.

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Further down the Gibb River Road is the turn off to Adcock Gorge. We camped there 27 years ago and the area was strewn with rubbish. No surprise, the station owners have stopped people camping there now.

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Deep, clear water – Adcock Gorge

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We found this old blue tongue trying to disguise himself as a rock on the road.

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Towards the Southern end of the Gibb River Road is the King Leopold Ranges Conservation Park. There is good camping at Silent Grove and, further up the track, Bell Gorge.

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The main pool and falls at Bell Gorge are reached by climbing over the escarpment and following markers down into the gorge.

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Bell Gorge was one of the few gorges to still have a fair flow of water over the falls this late (September) in the dry.

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The southern end of the Gibb River Road crosses the King Leopold Ranges before cutting through the Napier Range. Beyond the Napier Range is sealed road through to Derby, or turning left leads to Windjana Gorge

LEICHHARDT LAGOON

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LEICHHARDT LAGOON
Leichhardt Lagoon is a series of waterholes on the Leichhardt river near Normanton. There were plenty of crocodiles in the nearby Leichhardt River, great sunsets and lots of interesting birdlife so we stayed for three days. Did some painting, lots of walking and cycled along some rough old sandy tracks spotting crocs.
Great camp site, right beside the water.
The sunsets across the wetlands were mighty.
Stilts fed in the shallows around our camp
These two cool looking ducks waddled past us one morning
Young Stilt trying to figure out how all these legs work?
Large Egret showing off elaborate plumage.
Attractive looking Egret making herself more attractive.
Important looking Egret walking importantly
Pied Heron circling.
Pied Heron – cruising.
Pair of Curlews – the way they behave is as weird as their mournful cry. They stand dead still and stare at you, then walk a short distance, freeze, and stare again – very strange!
Mobile studio – right on the edge of Leichhardt lagoon.
Cobalt Blue and Permanent Rose are normally used as soft, transparent washes. In this painting, as well as using the colours as transparent washes, I mixed them with white gouache to make the random opaque purple shapes that interrupt the detail.
Surprisingly few insects at night meant we could cook and eat outside and enjoy the view across the wetland.
By now you might be thinking this place is pretty close to perfect, and it was except for this guy…
He owns the station the wetlands are situated on, and thought it a good idea to blast away with a shotgun every once in a while to frighten off all the birds?

Leichhardt Lagoon is a series of waterholes on the Leichhardt river near Normanton. There were plenty of crocodiles in the nearby Leichhardt River, great sunsets and lots of interesting birdlife so we stayed for three days. Did some painting, lots of walking and cycled along some rough old sandy tracks spotting crocs.

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Great camp site, right beside the water.

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The sunsets across the wetlands were mighty.

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Stilts fed in the shallows around our camp

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These two cool looking ducks waddled past us one morning

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Young Stilt trying to figure out how all these legs work?

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Large Egret showing off elaborate plumage.

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Attractive looking Egret making herself more attractive.

egret

Important looking Egret walking importantly

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Pied Heron circling.

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Pied Heron – cruising.

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Pair of Curlews – the way they behave is as weird as their mournful cry. They stand dead still and stare at you, then walk a short distance, freeze, and stare again – very strange!

painting at leichhardt lagoon

Mobile studio – right on the edge of Leichhardt lagoon.

wetland painting

Cobalt Blue and Permanent Rose are normally used as soft, transparent washes. In this painting, as well as using the colours as transparent washes, I mixed them with white gouache to make the random opaque purple shapes that interrupt the detail.

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Surprisingly few insects at night meant we could cook and eat outside and enjoy the view across the wetland.

By now you might be thinking this place is pretty close to perfect, and it was except for this guy…

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He owns the station the wetlands are situated on, and thought it a good idea to blast away with a shotgun every once in a while to frighten off all the birds?