Travellers Tales – Northern Territory – Kununurra To Darwin
ByHugh McInnes
Travel and Leisure RSS Feed
Many moons ago I met a couple from Kununurra who promised to show me the best of the area if I ever made it that way, possibly doubting I would, but true to their word they ensured that our Kununurra experience was one of the highlights of our trip so far.
We spent our first day out in a tinnie fishing for "Barra" on the lower Ord River. Barra is Barramundi by the way, not Barracuda. I caught two 50cm 'babies', which were released, and a slightly bigger legal one which we took home. Apparently one isn't supposed to crow about a catch unless it's nearer 80cm+ and you certainly don't mention all the cat fish we caught if you're to retain any credibility as a fisherman, so I won't.
We then experienced the famous Bungle Bungles in style with a full day tour by fixed wing flight, 4 wheel drive, and helicopter! It's the only official tour I've been on since coming to Australia, because usually you can DIY, but the Bungles are so inaccessible they only became renowned in the 1980's when a Channel 9 cameraman went on a heli-joyride with a musterer. A 4WD campervan could have made the journey but ours wasn’t up to the task. We flew over Lake Argyle (technically an inland sea) and the Argyle Diamond Mine (largest in the world by production volume apparently). A truly memorable couple of days!
We then headed west along the tail end of the Gibb River Road to El Questro, where we enjoyed hot springs, and Emma Gorge, where we also swam, this time accompanied by a waterfall. We ended the day in Wyndham where I caught up with an old friend from London and enjoyed yet more Aussie hospitality.
Heading east again we camped at Victoria River Roadhouse before reaching Katherine and its Gorge. We had 3 options here; walk, canoe or cruise the gorge. Goodness knows why I didn't do the latter but instead we hired a couple of canoes, two in each. We paddled up river until the rapids where we dragged the canoe over rocks before more paddling. Not having seen any crocs (again) we enjoyed a swim at the next set of rapids before heading back downstream. My canoe rode the rapids first, fending off the rocks with our paddles while steering the best course we could, no worries. Then came our mates; on the first section of rapids they grounded the boat so we belly laughed while taking photos. They then decided that their paddles were surplus to requirements and threw them overboard. The rapids then released them, minus paddles for steering, only for them to hit the very next boulder and roll the boat. The timing of it all couldn't have been any better for the dozens of cruise takers who all seemed to have video cameras, so watch out for the girls on You've Been Framed or the like.
A most enjoyable day was then spent in Litchfield National Park where we visited three more gorges and their waterfalls, all spectacular in their own way, before arriving in Darwin. Here we rest and recuperate before beginning the prep work for the trip south to Alice Springs.
Click here for information on campervan rental in Brisbane or motorhome hire in Melbourne.
Related Articles, Information, Products And Links
Related Articles on Travel and Leisure
- What to start with at the Big Apple
- Cable Cars of San Francisco. A living history
- Why choose Zakopane for your winter holidays?
- St.-Petersburg, Russia in brief
- Green Hotels
- Holiday Apartments Sunshine Coast
- Sunshine Coast Apartments
- Sunshine Coast Accommodation
- Sunshine Coast Holiday Apartments
- Sunshine Coast Accommodations
- Components of environmentally friendly hotels
- Green Hotel Certification
- Aviation History - Looking Back at One of Man’s Greatest Accomplishments
- Shuttle Service in London Luton Airport Renders an Economical Option
- Ease Your Journey through Booking Online for Minicab in London
- Chauffeur Driven Cars in London Claim Safe and Tireless Journey
- Chocked Tentacle in Alghero, Sardinia
- Where There Is A Luxurious Wheel, There Is A Way
- Volvo Ocean Race Galway – Hotels In Galway
- Enjoy The Real Luxury In Luxuryhotels
- Cheap Hotels In Chorley
- Online The Best Place To Find Cheap Hotels In Dubai
- Green Hotel Products
- Short Term Rentals For Accommodations Are Very Popular In Dubai
- 10 Most Favorite Tourist Attractions In California
- Find The Right Wedding Limousine Rental Company
- Hidden Treasures Of Florida
- Visit Mount Abu- The Fascinating Hill Station Of Rajasthan
- London Dungeon
- Delhi Hotels - Book Online Deluxe And Luxury Hotels In New Delhi With Affordable Prices
Latest Articles on Travel and Leisure
-
Rothay Garden Wins Gold For Its Team Approach In Cumbria Tourism Awards
The winners of the 2009 Cumbria Tourism Awards were revealed at a special ceremony in Kendal this month – and Rothay Garden was the proud winner of one of the most important awards of the year – the Lady Inglewood Award for Innovative People Management.... -
Thailand Beach Resort
Thailand has one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. For those that have traveled there they know that the beauty of this untouched place makes for some of the best vacations in the world. This is coupled with the vast amount of historical culture that abounds the countryside and there is never a shortage of things to do in this country.... -
The Worsley Arms Hotel; Touring From Hotels Near York
Location, location, location goes the mantra and where better than to have a short break in North Yorkshire than a traditional hotel in the North York Moors. The Worsley Arms Hotel is situated in the wonderful village of Hovingham, near to Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering and is one of the finest hotels near York.... -
Enjoy International Tours
International tours about places on world to travel with their attraction, culture, living styles, food varieties. International tours can stay in your life as wonderful moments.There are many places like Australia, India, Bali, China, Dubai, Egypt, Europe, Maldives, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Mauritiu.... -
Kerala - The Best Place For Vacation
We all know Kerala is known as Green Paradise on Earth, has some of the immaculate hill stations in India, with the entire Western Ghats dotted with attractive grasslands, stretches of refreshing smell of tea and coffee agricultural estates. It is al.... -
Rawcliffe House Farm Cottages In Pickering
Pickering is in the most ideal location for exploring the wonderful North York Moors, the North Yorkshire coast, York, the Yorkshire Wolds and even the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Sitting centrally between Thirsk, Whitby, Scarborough, and York and with the North York Moors National Park on its back yard, you’d be hard pressed to find a more perfect location for exploring the North Yorkshir... -
Irish Wolfhounds
Irish Wolfhounds are noble animals; gentle giants, whose basic nature is that of your typical "couch potato". They love their comfort as much as you do. They make perfect "nannies" for your children and have the patience of a saint. Nevertheless, ownership of such a large dog brings plenty of responsibilities, as well as immense pleasures - as we were soon to find out.... -
Kovalam Beach Will Bewitch You
For the epicureans the place is a delght. All cuisine one finds in four corners of the world are available, but the pure, ethnic dishes, especially Kerala’s very own mashed tapioca and fish curry, is something even the most fastiditious must give a try. Though spicy, the dish is held in high esteem for its wholesomeness. It is known to spur digestion and help clear bowl motion in the morn.... -
Some Ways To Move Around Madagascar
Many people around the world connect to Madagascar to see the wildlife of the island. The green side of Madagascar is becoming more and more popular worldwide. A simple search on the Internet will return you lots of results concerning the island of Madagascar.... -
Parks Of Madagascar- Something Worth Your Discovery
Madagascar is one of the biggest islands in the world. Found in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar has the sweet tropical temperature and the sun is sometimes harder than the other tropical islands like Mauritius or Seychelles. This might be because of its placement in the ocean....
