From Little Things Big Grow (Purnululu National Park to Kununurra, the Ord River and Lake Argyle)

Today we were facing another 6 hours in the bus plus the regular stops. Another long day, dear reader, that would land us at Kununurra Country Club by 5pm. This is to be our base for the next two nights.

After a morning tea stop that was eminently forgettable, we ended up back at Doon Doon Roadhouse for lunch. This time, however, we made use of the campground kitchen area, next door to the roadhouse, where the toilets were actually clean.

Frangipani flowers.

At some stage on the trip, one of our group noticed that our published itinerary was different to what we were doing. It was put down to computer error. In reality, it was computer operator error - they were obviously doing a cut and paste from the circular Broome to Broome trip into our tour and omitted to delete some of the activities from the other trip. It was with some disappointment that we discovered we would not be visiting the Kununurra distillery.

The Hoochery

Our guides had other ideas and, as we had been very prompt and punctual during the day, without notice, we found our tour vehicle pulling into a car park to allow us to visit the Hoochery as the distillery is named. They make various spirits such as a corn based whiskey, gin and rum. The painting behind the bar was reminiscent of a 1950s or 60s public bar from any early opening hotel in Australia. All class.

I'm not sure how this relates to the alcohol on sale.

Zebra Stone

After a few of the group sampled the wares and purchases were made, we decamped to the Kimberley Ornamental Stone Craft shop. Zebra stone is unique to the Kimberley and is used in jewellery, sculpture and some household wares such as cheese knives. It is quite an unusual stone and a high level of skill is required to work with it successfully. The most unusual carving was a massive crocodile about 1 metre in length. It had already been sold. The most twee item was a zebra carved in zebra stone. I see what they did there.

Ivanhoe Crossing

The final stop before the Country Club was the Ivanhoe Crossing on the Ord River. For reasons beyond my understanding this is a tourist spot. Perhaps because crocodiles frequent the area. Having been warned not to go near the water's edge, we managed the obligatory photos and returned to the bus safely to discover the carcass of a lengthy black snake behind the bus. It was probably a whip snake as the black snakes we get on the east coast are not endemic to WA.

The croc lives in this pool.

The Ivanhoe Crossing.

The Country Club

The Country Club is located next door to the Kununurra outdoor cinema. This proved to be a surprise as we left for dinner. I could hear the soundtrack to the movie but had no idea where the noise was coming from, until I stepped outside and could see the screen beyond the fence, between the trees.

No idea, but pretty.

We had pre-ordered dinner and the efficiency of the staff was such that the meals were arriving at the table prior to the guests and the appointed time for serving. Some members of our party came to the table to find their entrées already going cold. This was a curious piece of efficiency which they could have applied to the organisation of the bar. One person operated the till where all drinks had to be ordered, to then be served by another person, standing next to them behind the bar. Meals also had to be ordered with the same person. Consequently there was a queue out the door.

The main meals were enormous. I ordered a squid ink linguine and there was enough pasta and seafood on the plate to easily feed two or three people. Oversized serves really are a waste, but then again, this is WA, everything is oversized.

The Country Club appeared to be striving to be something that it is not and as a result just falls short of the mark. The extra large meals, the poor bar organisation, the rooms over crowded with furniture. In our case there was table and two chairs in our room. If we both sat at it, it was not possible to open the door or access the bed. Clearly there were issues with the level of the flor or the table legs and our table had been thoughtfully chocked for us.

Stylish and classy.

Coffee and Cockatoos

The following morning, during some rare free time, we went in search of coffee. Proper coffee. I eschewed the café recommended by our guides, as I had been burnt more than once by their perspective of 'good coffee'. We settled on the Wild Mango Café and I enjoyed a more than reasonable coffee. Finally.

Shortly after, I received a call from Kylie telling me of a flock of Red-tailed black cockatoos, not far from where we were. A quick trip back to the Country Club to grab my camera and I was off in search of these beautiful birds. Again, success. An excellent start to the day.

Flashing his red tail.

Not sure he wanted me around.

The Durack Museum, Lake Argyle and The Ord River Scheme

Later that morning, we were collected at the country club to go on a day trip. We had actually experienced this activity in 2019 as a part of the Ponant cruise. The only difference this time was that commenced in Kununurra rather than at the dam wall, so we travelled the river in reverse.

Never smile at a crocodile.

The Durack Museum, the re-built homestead salvaged from the rising waters as the lake formed behind the dam wall, was as uninspiring as I remembered it. It is a memorial to all things Durack. I noted in a previous post that "Australia's white history has a black past" well, that doesn't apply to the Kimberley. It's history is white as the driven snow. It commences with a Durack and concludes with a Durack and there are only white fellas in between. Aside from the occasional black stockman or stories of Vincent Lingiari. Who'd have thought this land had been continuously inhabited by the oldest living continual culture for over 60,000 years?

Today's title comes from the work of Vincent Lingiari and a collaboration between Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly, From Little Things Big Things Grow. You'll know when you hear it, but listen to the lyrics if you haven't before.

I'm batman.

The Lake Argyle is impressive and, as I have said before, the scheme appears to be one of the few positive things that white man has done for this country. It has worked better than the introduction of rabbits, foxes, cane toads, blackbirds, sparrows, lantana, black thorn, Patterson's Curse ... I could go on, but I think you get the point.

Australasian Darter.

The Ord itself is now an established waterway and wetlands, year round. Without the boom/bust cycles of the wet and dry seasons, local flora and fauna thrive. Birds, fish, freshwater crocodiles, wallabies, all are secure in their numbers.

Nankeen Night Heron.

The only criticism of the JJJ Tour was the same one guests made back in 2019. There was next to no recognition of indigenous association with the area. Last time there were complaints made and I was expecting, no, hoping, this would be rectified. Sadly not. The guide was very knowledgeable, although not from the area, and acknowledgement of the original inhabitants was restricted to two mentions. This is Durack country.

Azure Kingfisher.

The previous tour commenced on the water in the morning, today we finished at Kununurra with another overrated Kimberley sunset. There was much more bird life on the morning tour and if I had the choice, that would be my option. That said, I still enjoyed the cruise down the Ord.

Rock Wallaby.

An estuarine (salty) crocodile trap.

An Intermediate Egret on the wing.

Tonight is our last night in WA; tomorrow we cross into the Northern Territory.

Sunset on the river.

Until next time.

Bow River (Kununarra - the Ord River)

From one iconic Australian rock band to another dear reader. This time it is Cold Chisel and their 1982 classic Bow River. The title came easily after reading a map of the area at the Durack Homestead where Bow river was listed in large font.

At some stage we were informed that this is not a cruise but an expedition. As such, early mornings and long days were to be expected. A cruise is a holiday where you sit around all day. So joining the  a 7:20 am queue for the bus should not be considered out of the ordinary. 

Our driver was Kevin, a blow-in from Cairns who lives in Kununarra and works for Triple J Tours during the dry season. In the wet he returns to Cairns where the summer temperatures and humidity make the Kimberley wet season look like some form of punishment inflicted on those who cannot escape. The drive took us through Wyndham - at least three versions of it. Total population less than 1000. Everything that operated here at some point has closed. We noted there was land for sale at New Wyndham, no price listed. There were some large bronze statues that were positioned off the main road and a replica crocodile (on the main road) and that was pretty much it. No road side cafés or any infrastructure to support tourism or the local population for that matter. In fact the main building worthy of commentary, apart from the now closed pub that was to have been renovated but they ran out of money, was the  police station!

A random snap of the river to break up the text

The drive to Kununarra absorbed about an hour of the day. The road was excellent and virtually brand new. Kevin provided background chatter, sorry, information, about the area. We covered the incessant burning of the area by different groups and the negative impact it was having on the environment. He talked of the Ord River scheme and the benefits it has brought to WA, if not the residents of Wyndham. The Duracks, the 'original' pioneering family were mentioned all the way down to Kimberley Durack, the man credited with the concept and the political agitation for the Ord River dam. 

The only mention of the indigenous population was the high % of inhabitants at Wyndham and the first Patrick Durack's faithful servant, Pumpkin, who had accompanied him from Queensland. Apparently the Duracks treated the indigenous population better than most because Patrick left Pumpkin his gold watch when he died.

Warning: political statement. He left him his gold watch! The only concern I had about the day and all we heard was the lack or original, authentic indigenous voice. Once again Australia seems to create some apologist perspective or a cleansing of history by referencing the first inhabitants through kind treatment when the inverse was true in the vast majority of situations. Ethnic cleansing might have been a better term and WA continued some seriously dubious policies under the guise of protecting the original inhabitants well into last century. Australians seem to be embarrassed by the continued existence of Aborigines and will probably continue so to do until we actually own the real history of this country which may involve a story of pioneering bravery but also needs to acknowledge the almost complete dispossession and destruction of the indigenous culture.

The diversion dam wall at Kununarra

Kununarra is unremarkable. It has everything you would expect of a country town that is trying to develop itself into something bigger and better. The Ord River scheme, in striking contradiction,  is remarkable. It is a significant story of achievement and given government was involved, it makes the story even more remarkable. By way of contrast, look at the Murray-Darling Basin and the incompetent management and exploitation of that area. 

The Ord scheme created two dams which have sustained the life of the river through the dry season, ensured constant water flow and supported agricultural development resulting in the continued growth of industry in the area. The hydro electric plant at the base of the dam wall at Lake Argyle delivers 85% of the areas' power and delivered the closure of the diesel power generator - an environmental and economic win. Beyond this is a haven it has created for wildlife from fresh water crocodiles (the harmless ones) to an abundance of bird life and around 26 species of fish- all native to Australia! What no carp???

The boat trip up the river to the dam wall at Lake Argyle was magical. But I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Little Corellas

A darter drying its wings

A freshie basking in the sun

A rock wallaby watching us float past

Little fruit bats

The dam wall at Lake Argyle

Lake Argyle

The bus ride back to Wyndham was much the same as the trip down. Dylan our driver (he was also our captain on the river with an amazing encyclopedic knowledge of the system, its flora and fauna) provided further information. We stopped at the Durack Homestead, a building removed from the floor of the dam, before flooding, and eventually rebuilt well above the water line. It was unremarkable in all aspects - what it was, what it represented and as a museum it didn't do the job either. The only mention of the indigenous population came with a couple of photos of a wedding and the headstone of Pumpkin. Let's keep pretending black history is unimportant. I was not the only traveller to make that point.

Back home, we dined on Deck 4 with Ken and Moya. Dinner is a tad more formal on Deck 4. It is 5 courses with wine and all the usual trappings. It was another early night. I had to be up at 5:30 in the morning to climb King George Twin Falls.

Until next time.