FRIDAY 16 SEPT KUNUNURRA W.A.

Well we have made it into W.A. and met up with Carol & Sandra's niece, Emma, who got & gave us lots of hugs, kisses and a couple of tears. She is looking so good and enjoys her work and has met so many friends & now she has some family around her for a week or so, anyway this is what has happened since our last post. SUNDAY.......We headed off from Timber Creek passing the Bradshaw Bridge, its a hugh road bridge across the Victoria River, but you not allowed to cross it as it is owned by the army!! Anyway we continued on, seeing a number of nice overnight camp spots. We stopped for morning tea, looking over some scenic mountains and saw so many Boab trees, some absolutely huge ones included. We then came to the border of W.A. and each of our cars/vans were inspected. Ransleys & Bewells got through OK with not much of a search, plus of course we have such honest faces!!!!  but Di & Terry had broccoli boxes (for packing) (which she had bleached/washed in NSW) and they had to hand them over and then they had everything in their van checked !!! ( maybe not so honest faces ??? ) boy did she have the >>ITS. (especially with all the mess they left )

We then took the turn off to Lake Argyle and slowly we came across these mountains with huge escarpments and then we came to a bridge across a river (it turned out to be the spillway for Lake Argyle) the water was flowing so quick with rapids it reminded us & the Bewells so much of Canada, we then went through the mtns until we came to the caravan park. This park overlooks Lake Argyle which is an inland sea (22 times the size of Sydney Harbour), with its magnificent mtns surrounding the lake and with the swimming pool looking over one of the ravines, oh boy it doesn't get much better, this is the best place so far for us personally, and if anyone gets the chance come and visit.

There is no mobile phone service here. Rans had a quick nap in the arvo, then we boys went back to the spillway for some fishing, John got one sooty grunter, a tough fish to fillet and so it got thrown back. We then headed back and Caz and I went and saw the sunset over the Mtns, then an early nite. MONDAY.......We are up by 5.30am as its daylight so Caz & I go for a walk up to one of the lookouts which has nice views of the Lake & Dam. Back for some breakie then us 2  go for another walk up the Ord track, which takes you to a ridge where you can see the Lake from both sides, the Ord River, as well as the far end of the Lake, it is by far the best view standing on the rock ledge with Rans panicking, we then drove down to the picnic area at the Ord River, then went back to the Spillway where the boys were fishing, by now they have caught 5 catfish, after fishing for about an hour and seeing many long tom,then I see this huge barra, then another big one, so for the next hr we try and catch them but they wouldn't take anything.

 Anyway we pack up, go back & the boys jump in the pool very quickly (only for a photo shoot) as it the coldest water Rans has been in EVER  he reckons !!.

 We then go back for arvo drinks, the others try the catfish but I think they didn't overly like it as there was one piece left and no one grabbed it, anyway at least they gave it a go.We then had tea and Caz & I went for a walk around the park and saw the full moon over the water as well as different coloured lights in the pool which looked awesome. TUESDAY.... Up early after another windy nite, this time we both walked down and across the dam wall, here we met up with neighbours who were staying on the level below us, who came from Revesby & Illawong, one of them had a cousin that lives in Woy Woy who I know, a small world ! anyway it was a steep walk back but enjoyed the talk. After breakie the boys went and tried fishing at the Spillway again, whilst the girls went to Durack Homestead. That bloody barra came back, I caught one catfish but threw it back and John one Long Tom, bu these barras pushed their luck, we tried everything and by the end I even tried a huge rock as it was swimming just 2ft from me, still no luck. Anyway back to site where we cleaned the van & car, whilst Sand,John & Di got some info off our new friends from Revesby about where to stay in WA.

 We then went on a sunset cruise (3pm) on Lake Argyle, taking a couple of beers and wines, with our guide Graham, who was fantastic, very informative, seeing fresh crocs, birds, small roos, and a magnificent water way and mtns, I LOVE THE PLACE, The last wet season was their wettest for a long time and the lake rose by 13m from where it is today but it dispersed within 13 days through the spillways which are mainly creeks that open up during the flood, the main one which we went over and fished near was at the time dispersing 1.25mill litres of water per second !! . It was letting enough water out per day to keep Perth going for a year. When totally full the Lakes capacity is 88 Sydney Harbours. TO ME ITS A WASTE OF WATER THAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS & SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.(Graham said the government think the cost of pumping the water is way too expensive but the bloke who made the spillway believes it can be done with minimal cost by sending through a series of dams which are in existence now.) We saw the sunset it was so great and then made our way back in the dark, it was such a great cruise.  A MUST DO.!!   WEDNESDAY...... Up early again, can't get use to this early daylight, pack up and head off stopping for another photo shoot at the Spillway, then continue on to Kununurra and going straight to the Ivanhoe Park and seeing Emma. We set up, its a  nice park and a bit a washing then had a few drinks in arvo with Emma telling us about all her adventures, she has done so well.

 An early nite so tired. THURSDAY......   HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL XXXX  We are up early and go for a walk up to to Kelly's Knob Lookout which overlooks Kununurra. There is also a plague up there for 3girls who along with the pilot died in a heli crash back on 14/9/08 (it was the one owned by Grant Kenny), we then made our way back being around 7am and some of the locals were already out in force, yelling, drinking etc, oh boy!!   We got back and made Caz a big breakie, then Emma turned up and we sat around talking etc, a nice morning. Sandy made a nice choc cake for morn tea, later we went to the info centre and booked a day visit to El Questro for Saturday, we then went for a drive out to Ivanhoe Crossing, normally at this time of the year, you can cross this with your vehicle but at present there is so much water flowing ( still from last wet season ) you have no chance to cross

 There were a group of locals playing in the water..nearly getting washed over the wall, they were having so much fun. We then headed back and started tea, a delicious baked dinner for caz b'day, with pavlova for desert. Caz loved it & had had a nice day. FRIDAY.... We are up early again and walking by 6am into town through the industrial area to Lake Kununurra. We passed a Police road block around the Police Stn, don't know what has happened but will find out soon enough. We headed to Wyndham today with Emma, approx 90km Nth, it is one of the oldest towns in WA and most northern and has a population of approx 800 which we think were all still in bed !!

It is a very small, rundown town with not much going for it, due to the wet season, plus cyclones, but we did go to the lookout which shows 5 rivers coming into one just before heading out into the Timor Sea, although it was hazy it is still a magnificent sight, it was also a great area to have our lunch. We then went to see a huge (one of the biggest we have seen) boab tree, which is over 2000yrs old, yes 2000yrs !!! We then saw some sculptures of locals, then John drove out onto  these huge mud flats, which look like a huge waterway but its only a mirage, well did he have some fun doing donuts, wheelies etc, the boys Brett,Thomas, David & Scott would have had a ball in there 4 wheel drives.

We then made our way back stopping at the Diversion Dam in Kununurra, where they can allow or stop the water flow of the Ord River. Later Carol & I went down to the local tavern with Emma & Matina and watched the footy live (Tigers v Warriors) and met some of their friends, it was a great nite. Well we have had a great time so far in W.A. looking forward to the next part, great to see Emma, she has fitted in well here and has great friends so until next time bye bye love The Ransley's