Onwards and Upwards

After bypassing Emma Gorge and El Questro, we crossed the Pentacost River and decided it made sense to stay for a night at Home Valley.  We took full advantage of the pool and playground, with the kids running wild at both.  Glenn and Matt did their usual check-overs of the cars, and then we downed a few stubbies before dinner. All of which had to be done. 

Not as much water in the Pentacost later in the season

Last trip, a major highlight was when we had sat up on a lookout 5 minutes up the road from Home Valley to cook dinner and watch the sunset on the Cockburn Ranges.  We wanted to do this again, so we headed off just before sunset.  Because of our extended drinks with Matt and Deb, we missed the actual sunset, but still enjoyed the changing colours, and the view.  Dinner scenery was something a little different that night!

Big rock lizards at the lookout near Home Valley

The next morning we headed further along the Gibb, getting to the Kalumburu turnoff just after lunch.  The road was in much better condition than we had expected, and we made good time.  All that smooth running stopped once we started north on the Kalumburu road.  This road is notoriously rough, with continual stories of cars and trailers breaking (in major ways).  It definitely lived up to expectations with the fillings getting rattled out of our heads.  You are on a constant state of alert, trying to listen, amongst all the rattle and shake, for any unusual or different noises that might signal a problem.

We made for Drysdale Station, and parked up for the night in their bush camp, called Miners Pool.  After the routine check-overs of the cars, the tally of the rough roads for us was having to tighten the slightly loose bull bar, losing a d-shackel from the trailer chains, and a mounting screw from one of the driving lights.  A little annoying, but nothing disastrous.  Matt had a reversing work light finally shake itself to bits, something he wasn’t too surprised about.

Croc free?  We hope so...

Slim with one less driving light ... oh well

After the car maintenance, there was some well appreciated swimming in their croc free (apparently) Drysdale River waterhole, and our regular cuppa’s.  It was becoming a nice little routine we’d sorted out with these guys!