Back on the Gibb

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Day 26 - Wednesday 25^th July – Mitchell Falls National Park to Manning Gorge

After a sparse breakfast due to dwindling supplies, we hit the road at about 8.30am. Mark has navigated his way through the rough patches of the unsealed road very successfully so far. Before we turned back onto the Kalumburu-Drysdale Road we checked out two sites with “outstanding examples of ancient aboriginal art” that we had driven past on the way up. The two short walks revealed examples of Wandjinas (ghost-like heads), Gwion art (stick people) and even a burial site where you could still see the skulls and bones. We met an archaeologist at the second site who was investigating the degree of degradation of the rock art due to increased tourism and environmental factors. She has been checking rock art sites all over the Kimberley and will be making recommendations on how best to protect this ancient artwork, some of which is 18,000 years old!

After a 3 hour drive we stopped for a lunch picnic at Drysdale Station before we rejoined the Gibb River Road and continued on our westward journey. By 3.45 we had finally arrived at Mount Barnett Roadhouse and decided we would stop for the night at Manning Gorge campsite. We were hoping to maybe do the 4km return walk to Manning Gorge before sunset but were told that there was no chance we would get back before dark, and anyway it is a great swimming spot and you should give yourself time to enjoy it. So we drove the 7kms into the campsite, which was quite busy, and found ourselves a spot to pitch the tent. All along the Gibb River Road the daytime temperatures have hit 28 – 32 degrees from 10am and there has not been a cloud in the sky. It stays hot until the sun disappears, then evenings quickly get cool and you have to put long trousers and jumpers on to keep warm. As the sun was still shining it was still warm enough for us to explore the Manning Creek at the campsite. You have to cross this creek to start the walk to the gorge, and the owners have set up a tinny boat in which you can pull yourself to the other side of the creek if you don’t want to swim or get your camera wet. We had lots of fun cooling down in the creek and playing with the boat, before it was time to get out and get our warm clothes on for the evening. Tomorrow morning we will do the walk to the gorge but now, at 8.30pm, it’s time for bed!

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