El Questro

---

Day 109 Tuesday 18 July 2006 - Thursday 20 July 2006
Kununurra to El Questro
We had to get up early today because we wanted to get a private campsite on the river in El Questro. We left about 7.30am. El Questro is a beautiful spot. The road is rough getting in but not as bad as the Bungle Bungles. We chose a private riverside campsite called “Kookaburra”. It is pretty expensive to camp here - $30 just for entrance and $30 a night to camp here. No amenities here so it is dig your own hole. This campsite was right on the river and was quite loud at night time to get to sleep. We set up our tent, searched for firewood and then in the afternoon we went for a drive back to the station store to do some little walks.
Wednesday morning we went to the Zebedee Springs which is a permanent thermal spring surrounded by livistona palms. The water temperature is a constant 28 - 32 degrees. They are only opened between 6am - 12 noon. In the afternoon it is only opened to the private guests that stay at the really expensive homestead. It was very squashy as the rock pools are very small. We found a rock pool with a waterfall to all sit it. It was nice in but cold when you got out. In the afternoon we went on the Chamberlain gorge cruise. This is a boat that goes down the Chamberlain river. Another beautiful cruise. Half way you stop and feed the fish and get off the boat to get shown all these aboriginal paintings on the rocks. On the way back you get served champagne and a fruit platter. Tonight we went to happy hour at the bar.
Thursday was our last day so we decided to do a walk in the morning - the El Questro Gorge. This walk passes along a deep and norrow gorge flanked by sheer cliffs and ends up at a small crystal clear pool which the kids and Graeme had a swim. In the afternoon we did some 4WD tracks in the Patrol. Explosion Gorge is a 4WD track that leads you through a long river crossing that you cannot see the end. The rocks are huge in the river and the Patrol felt like it was walking as the car was swaying from side to side. Once through the water we visited Branco’s Lookout which is a steep ascent up to a lookout that you can see a spectacular view over the Chamberlain Gorge, the Cockburn Range and the Homestead. We then did the Pigeon hole 4WD track which drives you into a remote area of a pleasant waterhole and good fishing. This was a nice afternoon with Graeme and the kids fishing whilst I got stuck into my book. I would recommend El Questro to anyone. It was fantastic for walks and 4WDing.

---

Photos

Chamberlain Gorge
The cruise.

Zebedee springs
This was so nice.

Emma gorge walk
A walk named after "Emma Turner". The kids were thinking of you whilst we walked.