Week 10 – Kununurra



We arrived at Kununurra at the Kimberleyland Waterfront caravan park to find a lovely park with lake frontage. The park is very close to the main centre of town. We set up then went into Kununurra to stock up on supplies at the supermarket. In the afternoon we visited the Mirima National Park which is known as the mini bungle bungles. The hidden valley is formed between spurs of layered sandstone which has been weathered over the past 350 million years to form awesome shapes. We went on a walk through the park and climbed up to a lookout with views over Kununurra and the Ord River farms.




The next morning we were getting ready to visit some waterfalls when Pa had an attack of vertigo. The whole world was spinning making him very sick. So sick that Nanna called an ambulance and he was taken to hospital. It wasn’t very pleasant as they stuck needles in Pa but he came a bit better after a while. However, because of the vertigo Pa can’t drive, swim or go in a plane for a while. That afternoon we had a quiet one and Nanna went to extend our stay at the caravan park. Lucky this happened at a major town rather than out in the bush.
The next morning we had to move the van to a new site. Luckily, Pa was feeling a bit better and we moved with no hassle. That took most of the morning, so, after lunch, we went for a drive (Nanna was driving) to Ivanhoe crossing. We watched some cars cross and there were people fishing near the crossing. There are crocs around here so no swimming.


In the afternoon we have been entertained by a country singer who won a golden guitar at Tamworth in 2013. Graham Rodger sang some good songs next to the lake during happy hour – tough to take.
There was a freshwater croc on the bank sunning himself so Pa went to give him a tickle.



The next day Pa was feeling bad again so we had a quiet one. In the afternoon we went for a drive to the pumphouse which pumps irrigation water from the lake into the channels which serve the farms downstream. The pumphouse is next to the golf course so Pa got his fishing rod out on the first tee and had a fish.


Nanna got to hug a boab tree. She felt an affinity with it - rough on the top and wide around the middle.

The next day we had a flat battery because we left the TomTom on so, after we jumped the battery we went for another drive to Ivanhoe crossing. We watched a 4WD club cross followed by two caravans – crazy!
On the way back we visited the zebra rock factory where they make ornaments, jewellery and stone slabs from this unique, striped rock. Nanna did some damage with pressies. 

Nanna didn't buy this slab - even though she wanted too! Would make a perfect house number slab.

We then drove to the sandalwood factory to have a look. A lot of the farms in the Ord Scheme have had a variety of crops but the most  successful and profitable has been the sandalwood tree. This tree is a parasite so they grow them next to other trees in rows. The sandalwood is mainly shipped overseas to process the oil from the wood which is used in many ways, perfume, cosmetics, medicine etc.
After nearly a week Pa was feeling a little better so we headed off for Mary Pool. Nanna drove the van over 250km and did a great job. Pa took over after lunch and we arrived at the free camp around 4pm just in time for happy hour. Tomorrow we head for Fitzroy Crossing.




 

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