53. Showground, Kununurra, WA

Place: Showground, Kununurra, WA
Month: August
Weather: 32 degrees, feels like 25!
Days Stayed: 4
We decided to spurge and stay in our first paid campground, at the showground so that we could do a couple of tours. The rest area was just too far out of town. Cheaper to stay in town.

Oh my Goodness:
'Sardine-ville':
Whilst lovely to have electricity we are cramped in like sardines!!!

The neighbours:
Neighbour on one side of the van, decided to have a 'loud' conversation with the maties in the other side of the van very early in the morning! Really???

Highlights:
Bungle Bungle Ranges:
Wow! Wow! Wow!!! Driving through was amazing! Unfortunately the photo doesn't do it any justice!

Ord River Tour:
We went by bus to the dam to be picked up down the bottom by boat. The scenery was absolutely stunning! Again the photos don't do justice. We stopped at this little alcove on the river and had afternoon tea- tea/coffee and sticky date cake/scones and jam. Yummy!

Dam:
Made out of mud and rock. Apparently much more durable than concrete. Looked as if those rocks would 'avalanche' down the slope! They have hydro electricity, apparently so much that they don't know what to do with it! Water is also abundant and heaps more than they need!

Animals and Bird life:
There were many different species of birds, chicks, rock possums with amazing views and fresh water crocodiles!
Fresh water crocodiles: Apparently we saw the biggest fresh water crocodile in Australia due to the pristine Eco- system of the river.
The rock possums: They sat way up high in these little rock caves facing the river. One just say there watching the world go by- not bad real estate!!!
The bird life was also prolific- We even saw mother and baby chicks 1/2 metre from the boat in the reeds- very cute!!!
Sunset: We saw the sun set over the Kimberleys whilst on board!- Stunning!!!

Museum:
Apparently the first pioneer -'Patrick Durack, for this area. He rebuilt this when his wife died out of mud bricks. The homestead site is now under water in the lake, however, was rebuilt in a new area using the original bricks.

Bungle Bungle Tour:
Lake Argyle:
We flew over the Argyle Lake, with hundreds of islands- even one shaped like a crocodile! Very appropriate, I thought!
Bungle Bungles:
Then we flew onto the Bungle, Bungles. The rounded shapes were formed by the southerly winds and have distinctive striped beehive domes, formed by cyanobacteria, winding horizontally around the domes, contrast with the lighter orange sandstone.
Diamond Mine:
Next we flew over the Diamond Mine. Apparently this had the largest diamond 'pipe' in the world. It is an alluvial diamond mine, mining 99% of the worlds pink diamonds.
Farmlands:
Lastly, we flew back over to the Ivanhoe farm lands. The views were just amazing and the photos just don't do it justice.

Mirima National Park:
This was the towns backdrop, just outside the township. We drove in and the road snaked in and around these huge rock formations. It was like being in a hidden world! It looked like mini Bungle Bungles to me. So.... we've walked through the mini Bungle Bungles!!!

Sandalwood Factory:
They have sandalwood farms as water is freely available and easily irrigated to the farms as the water is gravity fed. It is the world's largest distiller of sandalwood oil. They have a distinctive range of health, beauty & well-being products.

Zebra Rock Factory:
The rocks are only found along a small area of the Argyle Lake. It is a natural forming rock that Geologists have investigated for the past 40 years without producing any valid explanation for its origin. Again one of God's amazing creativity!

Farmlands:
Some of the corps include: Sandalwood, cotton, corn, pumpkin, zucchini, sunflowers, chi, mangoes, bananas, and many more.