Kununurra and Keep River National Park

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It is prohibited to bring in any fruit, vegetables, fresh nuts, honey etc across the Western Australian border to try to prevent bringing in the fruitfly. Quarantine officers went through our van and the canopy very thoroughly as I guess people try to hide things. We made sure we had nothing but you feel like you have no secrets when someone goes through all your cupboards.

After we arrived in Kununurra we needed to do some shopping so we parked in the car park in between other cars and walked off to the shop. When we came back we nearly fell over laughing when we saw the ute. There is was, sitting proudly in line with the other cars, only they all had ‘FOR SALE’ signs on them … oops. Well nobody told US it was a used car parking lot. I wonder if anyone was interested in buying it?

At 5.30am we went on an interesting guided walk of Mirima National Park which is a very small park right next door to Kununurra in WA. Our guide was very passionate about the flora, which to us all looked the same (dry, stunted, straggly or pale) but some of her enthusiasm must have rubbed off as this afternoon while on another walk, we kept pointing out different shrubs to each other and having highly intelligent and informed discussions about native flora!

We went back over the border to visit Keep River National Park. It was so peaceful and beautiful at Cockatoo Lagoon with water lilies and birds. We went on a long, hot hike that didn’t look like it was going to be too exciting at first but it was stunning. We took just under a hundred photos as there were so many beautiful sights but of course in the photos everything looks like the native flora does - pale - not the rich red and black and honeycomb colours that they really are.

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Photos

Ivanhoe River Crossing
That's not us - it's some brave (and silly) young men fishing in the crocodile infested river near Kununurra

Mirima National Park NT
This area is sometimes called the mini Bungle Bungles. The guide took us through here at a cracking pace but I managed not to fall off any cliffs

Mirima National Park NT
Some Aboriginal art. Trees can grow in the most difficult places. I wish it was as easy at home

Mirima National Park NT
No rock wall looks the same

Keep River National Park
Cockatoo Lagoon was so still and quiet except for the birds

Keep River National Park
Water has eroded the sandstone underneath the huge cliffs

Keep River National Park
This is in a cave under the cliff. It's a honeycomb colour in real life

Keep River National Park
Lunch in the park after a tough morning of trekking

Comments

[Sandrea]

Relax
Dad looks very chilled out after lunch. Hope the guys on the crossing caught some fish for their trouble!