Sanantone back on the road in Kimberleys. WA.

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After leaving Cairns we hit the Savannah Highway heading eventually for Broome. First night stayed at van park in Mt Surprise, very small town with usual pub and store. Nice park Was surprised how dry the Atherton Tablelands were, usually very green but now the grass is yellow and crunchy. . Next day Croydon which is a very interesting place but as we'd been there before we just stayed overnight. Passed through Normanton also worth a visit from previous trips and then spent 3 days in Mt Isa catching up with friends. Headed out along the Barkly Highway and overnighted at Barkly Homestead bit of an oasis along the dry and dusty Barkly Tablelands. As the temperature climbed towards 40C we were glad to stay at Dunmara Wayside Inn on the Stuart Highway, just a roadhouse but very green and lovely pool. Stayed 3 nights. Called into pub at Daly Waters and Pink Pub at Larimah, nothing much else at Larimah though the van parks at both places looked ok though no pool to cool down in. Got to Mataranka thermal springs, fantastic in the 40C heat. Springs are 32C and minerals keep it beautiful.Stayed 3 nights, so nice. Went to Elsey Cemetery and saw memorial to Anaeus and Jeannie Gunn, she wrote We of the Never Never. Amazing how she survived that life in the very early 1900's. Stopped at Katherine to fuel up and headed for Kununurra and the Victoria River region is quite spectacular. Tony would have loved to throw a line in the Victoria River as it looks like barra country. The Victoria River Inn looked like a good spot to stay a while for a fishing trip.!!! Here in Kununurra for a week. Been in Kununurra a week tomorrow and if our mail catches up with us we'll head for Halls Creek to overnight then Fitzroy Crossing, Derby and Broome. If no mail will have to stay another day. Told it takes 8-10 working days from Gladstone Qld where our mail comes from. We visited Wyndham and saw 5 rivers lookout where the Durack, Pentecost, Forrest, King and Ord rivers converge and flow into Cambridge Gulf. Wyndham had its heyday at the end of 1800's when gold was discovered near Halls Creek but not much going on now except for tourists, fishing and some zinc mines in the area exporting to Korea from the port. Kununurra was built in 1961 when the Ord River was dammed and Lake Argyle formed. Nice town, good facilities and the people are very friendly. Our caravan park, Kimberleyland is on Lake Kununurra and has many boab trees which have a lot of character. Had to wait till 11.30am for the post office in Kunurra to sort the incoming mail, yay our mail had arrived!!!! Headed for Halls Creek, scenery very spectacular as we go past Bungle Bungles national park, too hot to stop, 42C outside and we've seen a similar formation called Hidden City in Nathan River in Northern Territory. Almost dark when we arrived at Halls Creek but park was ok, had a pool and clean amenities.Off to Fitzroy Crossing next day, scenery ok but still 42C outside, hanging out for a nice swim at Fitzroy Crossing Lodge van park, disappointed to find out that pool was closed for maintenence, the only pool in town!!!! River looked nice but worried about crocs!!!! Thank god for air conditioning, the van's a/c has been well used!!! Next day arrived at Derby on King Sound which boasts 11 metre tides. Nice town, good prices in the local Woolworths and was warned its a lot cheaper than our next stop, Broome. The van park, West Kimberley Caravan Park has a lovely aboveground pool which we had all to ourselves. Went to prison boab tree just outside town its around 1500 years old and is believed to be the meeting place for aborigines who were kidnapped from all over the Kimberley before being sold to slave traders. Bit cooler here, about 36C with a sea breeze. On to Broome where we're at Cable Beach Caravan Park. Big park with 32 metre pool. Town is a mix of old pearling buildings and new modern supposedly cyclone proof ones. It's very spread out though but flat countryside and there are quite a few cyclists about. Couple of big shopping centres with Woolworths and Coles and Coles servo. Wanted to ride a camel along Cable Beach at sunset but camels gone as tourist season is over although its not quite November yet. Many of the attractions have closed for the wet seadon including the horizontal falls, much to the disappointment of the american tourists next to us. We move on towards Karratha tomorrow, first stop Pardoo Roadhouse. Will start new blog there.

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