DAY 89 - GIBB RIVER ROAD - GALVANS GORGE – ADCOCK GORGE – IMINTJI - CHARNLEY RIVER STATION

27 May 2008

DAY 89 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

GIBB RIVER ROAD

GALVANS GORGE – ADCOCK GORGE – IMINTJI - CHARNLEY RIVER STATION

Woke up this morning feeling somewhat stiff but I knew there were two gorges to face today. Hubby was a bit down over the car, particularly the temporary shackle bolt fix as he was concerned it would not hold.

We left early and headed for the Barnett Roadhouse to get the puncture fixed from several days ago as the person was having a day off yesterday. When we got there they told us they were too busy restocking so the tyre could not be done. They had already told us yesterday that they were getting stock in tomorrow ie today so knew what their staff requirements were. They have the attitude take or it leave and as if they are doing you a favour – no customer focus here.

So we headed for Galvans Gorge. You can’t drive into it as parking is now just about on the Gibb River Road. It is a 1.3 km easy walk in. It is a beautiful small gorge. Waterlilies greet you at the gorge.

Hubby swam up to the falls whilst I clambered over rocks to see if I could find the aboriginal paintings that are on the rocks surrounding the water. No luck – I couldn’t see them.

We then continued on to Adcock’s gorge and I could see my hubby getting tenser as we drove the 4.5 km track that is rough and rocky. He needed to carefully considered wheel placement again as we went along. Not a happy chappie. Well the walk to the gorge is not easy - scrambling over boulders is more like it. We got to the gorge as far as we could go as you had to walk over some rocks in water before trying to find a way to scramble over a huge boulder that was nearly vertical out of the water towards the end. The falls were spectacular from where we were with three levels of falls. However, I felt the write up for the spot exaggerated it somewhat.

There was a cluster of beautiful boabs near the car parking area. Those boabs are just so full of character.

We agreed to go to Imintji next and then to backtrack the twenty or so kilometres. At Imintji hubby got the puncture fixed on the wheel. We had split our tube in quite a few places.

So a new tube was put in. He also got a shackle bolt that was not quite the Oka one but one that was the correct size. The mechanic checked what he had done and said the current bolt most likely would get us all the way back home. So someone is now very relieved. Diesel was cheaper here than at Barnett Roadhouse as were groceries. The people here were friendly.

We backtracked to the Charnley River Station turn off and drove the 43 km to the station. On the way we saw a helicopter mustering cattle. For the stations here in the Kimberley this time of the year is extremely busy as it is muster time and tourist time and both require great effort and resources.

As we were driving I thought what a paradox out here - remote but not remote. No mobile phone, no radio, no news, minimum services, no shops – how isolated. Yet cars galore travelling the road so there are lots of people around.

The road into Charnley River Station is the best road we have been on here in the Kimberley. There were several water crossings on the way. The station is just beautiful. There are only two other groups of campers – a family and a young people. Nothing like the crowd at Manning Gorge.