THE KIMBERLEY – GIBB RIVER ROAD – Part 2 – Manning Gorge to
Windjana
Touring with the De-Ross Fields
Early start again as it was going to be a long drive from
King Edward River to Manning Gorge.
However we didn’t get out as early as we wanted as there was some
caravan maintenance that needed to be attended to. One of the roof clips had worked its way loose
on the corrugations. Brad was glad he
had packed a comprehensive toolkit.
After a relatively uneventful drive (ie nothing broke or
came loose), we got to Manning Gorge around 2pm and were happy to see our
friends had also arrived at Manning Gorge on the same day. After set up we headed the river for a much
needed swim. Strung across the river was a little dingi with a rope pulley
system to get you across the river without swimming in order to hike to the
gorge. The 5 girls has a great time
playing with the other kids in the water going back and forth on the boat.
Camping next to us in tiny 1man tents were “the crazy Germans”. They were a father and son cycling across the
Gibb River Road together (hence the crazy part). Ralph (the father) was excited to see Brad’s
toolbox and the men in the nearby camps all huddled around the bike and
“helped” Ralph with some bike maintenance. They sat up with us and were very appreciative
of the offer of a few cold beers. From then on, each time we saw them on the road, we would stop and give them a cold can of coke. They were very grateful. 
The waterfall was very impressive. All the kids were jumping off the rocks into
the water and loving it! Brad and Darryl
were inspired by a younger fitter (hotter) guy doing bigger dives from the
higher rocks. So up they went for a
go. It was funny watching them both puff
out their chests and dive from the higher cliff.
After we cooked up some hot dogs at the swimming hole
(thanks Raelene) we headed back to the campsite. It was so hot on the walk back so everyone
swam back across the river at the campsite and Darryl, Brad and I took all the
stuff across on the boat.
That night the 5 girls all practiced dance routines and
giggled. They were all a bit tired after
the long hot walk and went to bed early. But not until Brad cooked up some more
“Glamper Damper” Nutella and Marshmallows for the kids, and vegemite and butter
for the grown ups.
BELL GORGE – SILENT GROVE CAMPSITE
Early morning start again to head to Bell Gorge. It was not going to be a long drive but we
wanted to stop off at Galvan’s Gorge on the way. Only the kids (and 1 big kid, Darryl) jumped
in here. There was a swing rope which
the kids loved jumping from. Paige had
no fear and was the first to jump (after Darryl had checked the water
depth). It took Sarah a number of
attempts before she worked up the courage to jump in, then there was no
stopping her.
Once we were set up camp (again) we headed out to Bell
Gorge. Glad it wasn’t a long walk as it
was getting very hot. As with all the
gorges we have seen it was also beautiful. Brad has been practicing his artistic
photography.
That night the boys cooked up a lovely campfire roast pork
& roast chicken with vegies. It was
so good to have a roast dinner. Topped
off with apple sauce whipped up by Raelene (I washed the dishes lol).
WINDJANA GORGE & TUNNEL CREEK
It was only a one night stay at Bell Gorge and the next
morning was another early one to get to Windjana. We had heard that there was no swimming at
Windjana Gorge due to the large number of freshwater crocodiles. You were able to go to the gorge but not
enter the water, I was nervous just walking on the path along the gorge. Brad made the girls pose in front of a large
croc. To say there were lots of crocs
was un understatement. They were
everywhere!
We drove out to Tunnel Creek which was very dark tunnel with
a creek running through it. We all put
on our headlamps and reef shoes for the walk all the way to the end. Some sections had were sandy but others were
just water right across the tunnel, sometimes to knee depth.
When we got to the end a couple asked if we saw the crocs in
there, thankfully we hadn’t. But of
course, then we had to walk all the way back again. The couple were just in front of us on the
way back and shone their light to the side where there was 2 orange spots,
which were croc eyes! From there to the
end I was pretty much attached to Brad and we moved fairly quickly back to the
start.
That night we sat outside and watch Mama Mia with the
De-Ross Fields. The girls (including the
mums) got up for a dance at the end.
GETTING OFF THE GIBB RIVER ROAD
The next morning we were heading to Broome and off the Gibb River Road. While Brad enjoyed the
experience of the Gibb (with the added satisfaction of no flat tyres), he was
looking forward to getting off. We were
almost onto the gravel road when Brad made me drive! I didn’t want to. Could you imagine if in the last 200 meters
we got a flat tyre when I was driving!?!
But he talked me into it anyway, but I didn’t do it for very long. My first time towing the van was on the Gibb
River Road!!
When we got off the gravel road we both pulled over and
Raelene popped open a celebratory piccolo of Moet which we enjoyed while Brad
and Darryl pumped up the tyres to asphalt road pressures.
Well, we thought that was the end of the gravel, in another couple of kms, the gravel road seemed to be back lol. However that was not to the standard to the rest of the gravel roads. It was much better.
We continued our drive to Broome …..
NOTE FROM BRAD:
I was absolutely wrapped with the way the Ranger performed. For a completely stock car straight off the
showroom floor, it took everything the Kimberleys threw at it in its
stride. There were cars of all makes
with various problems or breakages, but not a thing wrong with the Ranger. Even the Highway Terrain tyres (that I was
worried about) came through with flying colours.
Well done Ford! (and Bridgestone)
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