{"id":6917,"date":"2025-09-26T19:10:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T09:10:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cuppa500.com\/Blog\/?p=6917"},"modified":"2025-10-06T11:02:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:02:03","slug":"more-of-the-kimberley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cuppa500.com\/Blog\/more-of-the-kimberley\/","title":{"rendered":"More of the Kimberley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our last post closed with me keeping my fingers crossed, hoping that the two potentially show stopping \u2018mishaps\u2019 were not going to become a threesome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully either the crossed fingers worked \u2026. or perhaps I\u2019ve just paid a bit more attention to what I\u2019ve been doing \u2026 either way no third faux pas to report\u2026.. phew! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Not an image many would associate with the Kimberley – but it’s there!<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From \u2018Big Croc Waterhole\u2019  we returned the short distance to the main track, the Old Halls Creek Road & followed it to it\u2019s southern end bringing us out onto the main road to Wyndham. We couldn\u2019t have gone back the way we had come as bushfire was raging at the top end of the track – a separate fire from that we had been able to see from Big Croc Waterhole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An old bridge on the Old Halls Creek Road<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We headed northward to Wyndham passing the area still burning that we had been watching from our camp. It was a lot further from us than it had appeared & on the other side of the highway. It seems that we had been looking at it through a small gap in the hills, difficult to identify until we were passing flames high on our left. Only looking backwards to our right revealed the gap which we had been looking through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We only stopped briefly in Wyndham to get a few groceries at the small supermarket. We have spent longer there in the past on a couple of occasions, both times driving up to the not to be missed 5 Rivers lookout, but this time we were intent on getting out onto what for us was to be \u2018virgin ground\u2019.  The King River Road  & the Karunjie Track. Another 4wd adventure – a route often completed in 1 or two days by many was to take us 12 days, with mud maps to several local knowledge \u2019secret\u2019 campsites which had been shared with us on the basis that we keep them secret. These mud maps would help us not to get lost as many folk do in the remote country where road signs are non existent.  The maps helped a lot but we still had the \u2018geographically challenged experience\u2019 like others a couple of times, all good though, part of the adventure!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bit south of Wyndham we turned right onto the track taking us across the salty mud flats to the King River Road. The track itself is built up, but we could see vehicular wheel tracks off to the sides in numerous places, some with deep ruts. At 7 tonnes we are heavier than most 4wd cars & whilst tempting to divert from the track commonsense kept reminding me of the possibility of \u2018breaking through the crust\u2019 .  Years ago we rode motorcycles across here & found it exhilarating, but there were both dry & wet patches. It was at one of the wet patches we found crocodiles trying to survive in the wet mud. Not a hole to accidentally ride into! Sinking the OKA to it\u2019s axles on the flats, a long way from anything other than the dry mud was a risk not to be toyed with!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road across the Wyndham mud flats.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The King River Road is a rough corrugated track which not surprisingly follows the King River, a muddy red\/brown river renowned for a large population of crocs. When we had ridden to the beginning of the King River road on the bikes, we had seen plenty of \u2019slides\u2019 on the muddy banks left by basking crocs, but didn\u2019t actually see any crocs. This like many rivers up here in the north floods and changes every wet season, and things grow. I had thought we might recognise parts we had been to before, but apart from a small aboriginal rock art site off the main road, nothing activated our memory banks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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King River Road<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Directions to our first camp take the track on your right before a bit before you get to X.  Hmmm  should we find X & then turn around?  Somehow, in a feat of remarkable luck or judgement (or a bit of both), we found the track before reaching X. The narrow track took us to a high river bank, a lovely grassy spot surrounded by open woodland around us & a view to die for of Mt Cockburn North in the distance across the river. The noise of our truck arriving disturbed a large flock of Pelicans (we estimated at least 100) on the water below us, unexpectedly (to us) filling the sky around us with these large slow moving birds. It was a wonderful welcome to not only our first camp of this little adventure, but we think in hindsight the best camp spot too. It was very easy to remain there for three nights & is definitely a \u2018returner\u2019 should we pass this way again in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Loo with a view!<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Walking along the river in the opposite direction gave quite different views<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Blue-winged Kookaburra<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The flock of Pelicans dispersed a little along the river into groups of 10, 20, 30 & unlike Pelicans used to humans in many places, these were very easy \u2019spook\u2019. I spent a fair bit of time sneaking along small animal tracks by the river with camera in hand but they seemed to be aware of me every time, making getting a mass photo of them together on the water difficult. But I did get a few shots of these birds which remind me of feathered sea planes gracefully swirling around in the air.  We practiced laziness interspersed with some exploratory walks. Bushes we now know as \u2018Bellyache Bush\u2019 were thick in patches along the riverside. They are a pliable sort of bush which we later discovered leaves stains on vehicles which brush against them & which takes a significant amount of elbow grease to remove, especially if left to bake onto the paintwork in the hot sun. Not sure why they are called Bellyache Bush – treats? or gives? bellyache.  (If you know please let us know in the comments!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A stand of ‘Belly-ache Bush<\/strong>‘<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Pelicans<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Pelican<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We could have stayed longer, & perhaps should have, but the lure of the \u2018yet to be discovered\u2019 was tantalising us. We passed the Wyndham Prison Boab. A large & ancient boab tree with a hollow centre, used back in the day to hold aboriginal folk deemed to be in need of incarceration. Chained inside this dank holding cell whilst his or her compatriots were hunted down like animals to later be taken into town manacled in chains. For us the tree held far less terror. MrsTea however refused to try to enter it, on account of the physical difficulty in doing so. So unable to persuade her in for photographic purposes, there was nothing left other than to become the prisoner myself. What looked easy was in fact far more difficult than I had expected. What was a lot more difficult still was getting out \u2026. & I<\/strong> wasn\u2019t chained! MrsTea was tremendously amused & deliberately deaf to my instruction to render assistance. She filmed some of my increasing \u2018distress\u2019 which amused her further but did eventually relent & aided my escape. Had she not I might well still be there! A pertinent reminder that I am no longer as young & physically capable as I used to be , (as well as to take more notice of my lovely wife when she tells me something is too difficult!). The video below may amuse you if you are the type to find the ‘escape from a prison boab by a 68 year old fella who has over estimated his escape-abilities. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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