KUNUNURRA

We have spent a week here having a leisurely look around.
The Sandalwood Factory is set in the heart of Kununurra's sandalwood plantations on the Ord Irrigation systems.  It offers one a unique glimpse into the soil to oil processing at one of the world's most prized fragrant timers, grown right here in West Australia. Not only do they make the mosquito coils but also offer a large range of sandalwood beauty, skincare and lifestyle products.  The facilities include a free video theatre, a world-class showroom and a gourmet cafe.

We met Dan, Jen and family for breakfast at The Pumphouse Restaurant on the shores of Lake Kununurra.  The pumphouse still has the old turbines inside with a large deck to relax and enjoy the ambience of the lake.

Jen, Finn, Sidney, Dan Wayne and Rhondda

Wyndham is a port township to the north-west where five rivers join and flow on out to the Cambridge Gulf.  A very busy port in earlier days and now only a few ships call here. The Bastion offers 360 degrees views showing all rivers and salt-flats.  Truly breath-taking.  Unfortunately there are plenty of burn-offs happening throughout the Kimberleys currently so the smoke haze did not lend for clear photos.  Were told of the Rusty Shed Cafe for coffee, lunch or any meal so had to have our lunch there before continuing on the The Grotto and El Questro Emma Falls Resort.

From the top of The Bastion the view looking towards  the Pentecost and the Durack rivers merging.

Overawed at the beauty of this Kimberley country

The Grotto.  140 plus steps down then had to come back up.  Not feeling so fit today with cold coming on!!!!

El Questro Wilderness Park.  We first travelled to Zebedee Springs to soak in the 31 degrees thermal pools that are just a short walk along a trail that leads you through dense Livistona Palms to a natural oasis set at the base of sheer cliffs.  Pure bliss.

Wayne found a little pool just for us to fit into together to have a blissful soak.

We adventured on a little further up the road over one water crossing only to find a deeper, larger one stopping us from reaching The Station Store so retraced our steps back onto the Gibb River Road to Emma Gorge where we had a burger lunch at the resort before we doned our sneakers and took to the track up to the gorge.  Only a Grade 4 - 3.2kms walk up into the gorge with some pools along the way.  At the top one is rewarded with a delightful pool surrounded by sheer cliffs, waterfalls and a thermal waters trickle from the rocks on the right-hand side of the gorge.  Oh my!  My fitbit tells me I have walked 20,000 steps at the end of this day and we both are feeling our bodies this night.

Burger for lunch at Emmas at the Resort before our walk

Having a rest part way up at one of the many picturesque pools on the way.

Rich coloured walls of the gorge.

Not far now!

What a beautiful pool at the top.  It was cold and we didn't bring our togs even though there is a warm spring coming from the right hand rocks apparently.

Ivanhoe Crossing is the original route up to Wyndham in ealier days but once the Ord Irrigation System has been in place it is now governed by the water volume needed to be pumped from up stream to all the farms down in the basin area of Kununurra's cropping area.  Currently occupying around 14,000 hectares, the OIRIA lies north and south of Kununurra with the doninant cros being melons, mangoes, pumpkins, sandalwood, chia and seed crops. The ORIA is the realisatin of a dream held by Kimberley Durack, grandson of the famous Durack pioneers.  He believed the rich soils of the river flats along the Ord would be ideal for an extensive irrigatin scheme and was insturmental in establishing the first experimental plots in 1941.  This led to the development of the Kimberley Research Station in Ivanhoe Plains in 1946.

The Crossing was closed as irrigation water was flowing swiftly downstream.

Twilight with the new moon from our campsite night before we left to head over towards the West Kimberleys.