HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT

All images ©2005 Laurie & Kairen Wilson 
Index  Home   

Highlights - 1 ] 1 ] 2 ] 3 ] 4 ] 5 ] 6 ] 7 ] 8 ] [ 9 ] 10 ] 11 ] 12 ] 13 ] 14 ] 15 ] 16 ] 17 ] 18 ] 19 ] 20 ] 21 ] 22 ] 23 ] 24 ] 25 ] 26 ] 27 ] 28 ] Pictures of the day ]

 

El Questro

The El Questro Wilderness Park is considered to be one of the world's most unique destinations.  About a million acres in size, the park was developed in 1991, buried in a region, most of which has never been explored and certainly never settled.

Deep in the Kimberley region in NW Australia it is one of the world's last unspoilt frontiers.

Rugged ranges, broad tidal flats, rainforest pockets, gorges and waterfalls make the place unforgettable.

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00346.JPG

As we could see coming the day before, our 'trusty steed' was no longer trusty, in fact it was knackered!  We luckily managed to take it back to Avis and said "don't want this one...it's broke...I want that one!!"

So 1BXG went to the great garage in the sky, well down the road and 1CAH (wonka!) took up the burden of all the tackle we seem to have acquired

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00347.JPG

The Gibb River Road is infamous in Australian outback travelling.  A car buster, a tyre shredder, a "make sure you take days of water and food" road.  With the impeding rains we plan to tackle each end and leave the middle bit to the brave (nutters!).

The tyre on bottom right is an example of Gibb River Road fever that attacks tyres!

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00349.JPG

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00348.JPG 2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00350.JPG

now that's scary!

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00351.JPG 2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00352.JPG
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0633.jpg

This is real wilderness

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00353.JPG
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00355.JPG

It's too hot to get out!

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0635.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0636.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0638.jpg

more tyre problems...

..a couple we met later described how their wheel 'just exploded' and the tyre imploded.  Another couple claimed the record with five ruined tyres from Derby

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0639.jpg

"is it warm out there?"

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0642.jpg
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00356.JPG

We had booked to stay in tents in the Emma Gorge.  Unfortunately (or as it turns out fortunately) the site had been washed away in Cyclone Ingrid in February when 485mm (half a metre!) of rain fell in just 14 hours.

El Questro had kindly upgraded us to a township bungalow free of charge woo hoo!  This is a big woo hoo because this place is mega $$$$

Given the heat, we doubt our ability to have survived a tent.

 
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00357.JPG

not just crocodiles to look out for, the wild dogs too!

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0644.jpg

a river crossing

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0646.jpg

and another

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0648.jpg 2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00359.JPG

we are here!

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00362.JPG

Laurie checks out 'downtown'

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0651.jpg

our room name (not Kairen's)

2005-10-24_G6_CRW_9860.jpg

well this will just have to do if you've no tents left!  tee hee!

2005-10-24_G6_CRW_9855.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0652-1.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0654.jpg

this is amazing given that it really is in the middle of a total wilderness

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0656-1.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0657.jpg
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00375.JPG

enjoying our balcony....

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00374.JPG
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00376.JPG

Bronwyn showing us all about the Boab tree
The fruit contains 16 times more vitamin C than an orange, but it does taste quite dry.

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0661.jpg

It's difficult to age a boab because they don't have rings like a conventional tree.  It's estimated that when the branches start to drop towards the ground, as this one has, then they are around 1,000 years old.  This one had an initial inscribed by one of the first European settlers.

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0662.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0666.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0665.jpg 2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00377.JPG

A bower bird nest.  Made by the male to attract the female, who then goes and lays her eggs somewhere else.  They are renown for decorating the nest with anything shiny, like coins, knives, forks etc...

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00381.JPG

Explosion Gorge. (note the sign)

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0668.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0671.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0674.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0679.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0683.jpg

cormorants

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00395.JPG 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0712.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0718.jpg 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0719.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0726.jpg

the debris shows the height that the river rises (about 10m higher than present) in the wet season

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0728.jpg
2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0736.jpg 2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00399.JPG

Sunset at Branco Lookout

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0741.jpg 2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00400.JPG
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00403.JPG

Oh no...Kairen's got the champagne!

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0745.jpg
2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00406.JPG 2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0747.jpg

Cockburn Mountain Range in the setting sun

2005-10-24_SP200_DSC00407.JPG

Jim Downes, who went to the same school as Laurie!  (it's a small World...swapping stories)

2005-10-24_1DS1_C2FW0758.jpg

A perfect end to a great day


We would love to receive your comments....to email us click here..

Index  Home Back ] Next ]

Highlights - 1 ] 1 ] 2 ] 3 ] 4 ] 5 ] 6 ] 7 ] 8 ] [ 9 ] 10 ] 11 ] 12 ] 13 ] 14 ] 15 ] 16 ] 17 ] 18 ] 19 ] 20 ] 21 ] 22 ] 23 ] 24 ] 25 ] 26 ] 27 ] 28 ] Pictures of the day ]

 
     TOP | HOME  | CONTACT

                   © Copyright 2005 KEBLAWBEN - Laurie & Kairen Wilson. All rights reserved

Many of the images on this page are  copyright Laurie Wilson/Alamy

Stock photography by Laurie Wilson at Alamy
This page was last updated on 19-10-2005.