Blogs from Geiki Gorge, Western Australia, Australia, Oceania

DAY TWELVE We farewelled the Bungle Bungles and travelled through Halls Creek to Fitzroy Crossing. We stopped for lunch near a camping area beside the river. While having lunch a willie willie was stirred up and the caravaners had to move very quickly to close the doors of their vans to save a dust wash. Then to Geikie Gorge National Park where we had a cruise on the Fitzroy river through the ancient limestone looking at the fossils embedded in the walls. The river has 20 tributaries, stretches over 700km from the East Kimberley to the coast at King Sound. It occupies an area of 93,289 kilometres within the Canning Basin and the Timor Sea drainage division. In flood it becomes one of the world's biggest rivers. During the dry season, much of the river stops ... read more

It was another early start to catch the three hour cruise of the Geikie Gorge. Unfortunately, our tour guide had double booked us (on the long tour) and a bus full of tourists (on the short tour). You can guess who won out. Luckily, Bill was very apologetic and arranged for us to get a free one hour cruise of the gorge on the Parks and Wildlife boat. The Fitroy River drains an area of 90,000 square kilometres (larger than the Ord) and, at peak flow, is capable of filling Perth's Canning Dam in less than twenty minutes. That would be something to see! The locals strongly resist any efforts for the Fitzroy to be dammed. The Geikie Gorge cuts through a fossilized tropical reef that once ran around the Kimberley area. Luckily for us, the ... read more

Maandag 13 november. Gisteren hadden we nagegaan of de tour door de Geikie Gorge wel doorging en waar deze zou vertrekken. Via het antwoordapparaat van de ranger van het park hadden we laten weten dat we zouden mee gaan. We stonden om 5 u op en waren ruim op tijd zodat we eerst nog een korte wandeling konden maken voor de tour vertrok. Het was nog niet te warm en zo kregen we tijdens de wandeling van nog geen half uur al een beetje een idee over de rotsformaties en de planten in het park. In totaal waren er 9 gegadigden die met de ranger van het park als gids in de Gorge een boottocht van ongeveer 75 minuten op Fitzroy River maakten. De ranger was constant aan het vertellen: over het ontstaan van de Gorge, ... read more