2026/07 Kimberley Part 2

2026 July

Kimberley Part 2

Echidna Chasm, Durack, Lake Kununurra, Lake Argyle, Ord River Scheme, Ivonhoe Crossing, Ord River Diversion Dam, Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve, Wyndham, Zebedee Springs, Durack River, Drysdale Station, Mitchell Falls

Tuesday, 14 July

After check-out from Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge, we hiked along the Livistona palm-fringed trail into Echidna Chasm, a spectacular rock cliff that reaches 200 m high but is only 1 m wide at certain points.

Echidna Chasm was formed by a weakness in the sandstone called a fracture or joint. These fractures were caused by the release of pressure once overlay rock was removed due to erosion. Over millions of years, torrential floodwaters followed these lines of weakness, cutting deep incisions into the range.

Some boulders at Echidna Chasm show scratches and grooves typical of ice erosion, as they were eroded from glacial rocks exposed in the Osmond Range and redeposited a few kilometres further south.

The walls of Echidna Chasm are over 180 m high and as narrow as 1 m in some sections. Highlighted by the sun passing overhead, the oxidised iron in the standstone walls radiate an electrifying orange colour creating a magnificent glow. The contrast between the green Bungle Bungle Range fan palms and the orange sandstone makes the landscape like few others in the world.

Wow, that is truly awesome ...

Hiking is not without danger - Trail Risk Area

One of the many crossings over the river

observed on land by 2 kangaroos

and in the air by a black cockatoo

Kimberley humour...in Durack

Please leave your ID or CREDIT CARD at the shop counter and advise the cashier the Pump Number. Thank you. Due to an increase in Drive-offs we not longer accept wives as Security.

How about accepting husbands?

We checked into The Cambridge at Kununurra for 2 nights - including husband.

Wednesday, 15 July

We left Kununurra for a spectacular wildlife cruise on the mighty Ord River, on a modern shaded vessel traversing a 55 km stretch of river through the East Kimberley. The ecological system developed from the ambitious damming of the Ord River at 2 locations to create an area rich in wildlife, flora and undeniable beauty.

Lake Kununurra

Watching its young ... keeping an eye on us

Kununurra, the Ord Dam, Lake Argyle ... all explained

hiding in the rock crevices

The mysteries of Lake Argyle ...

who is under the sun umbrella? .... who is hiding their boats under the trees?

a white cow? a horse? a ghost?

Ord River Scheme

water jutting out on the left ... and on the right

An engineering feat designed to prevent seasonal flooding and to store water for irrigating large areas subject to drought.

Argyle Homestead Museum, East Kimberley

Darram Conservation Park and Lake

Thursday, 16 July

We checked out of The Cambridge and departed from Kununurra

Ivanhoe Crossing

... lone pelican

Darram

Ord River Diversion Dam

The Ord River Diversion Dam regulates the flow of the mighty Ord River. This incredible structure provides over 758 billion litres of water (the equivalent of over 303,000 Olympic swimming pools) to around 21,000 hectares of primary agricultural land, used for horticulture, cropping, forestry, animal industries and grazing. The dam consists of 21 radial gates mounted within a concrete framework and spillway structure. Hoisting equipment mounted at deck level lifts and lowers each radial gate.

Only in the Kimberley can you see 4 trailers

Parry Lagoon Nature Reserve

Abundance of wildlife and flora

and the odd Boab ...

Wyndham Wharf

In 1918-19, an L-shaped timber jetty was built to service the new Wyndham Freezing Works. In 1979, the wharf was concreted, and tractors replaced trains. The Port exports live cattle, minerals, crude oil, and agricultural products.

View from Five Rivers Lookout

Cambridge Gulf

Wyndham Community Jetty

Balanggarra Native Title Determination 1998

Wyndham Historical Society Inc. Museum

Wyndham came to be when Halls Creek struck gold in the 1840s and was officially gazetted in 1846. In the early 1900s, the growing pastoral industry, led by the Durack family, who owned nearby Argyle Downs (now Lake Argyle), successfully lobbied the State to build the Meatworks at the Wyndham port to process and ship Kimberley cattle from the town.

The Big Croc by Andrew Hickson and TAFE and Westrek

(5.5 km steel rod, 50 kg welding rods, 10 rolls bird mesh, 6 sq m of concrete covering 150 sq m - lots of skill & hard work)

Boab love trees

We checked into El Questro Emma Gorge Resort for 2 nights in a tented cabin.

El Questro Emma Gorge

Our tented cabin, entrance and rear

El Questro Emma Gorge Resort

Friday, 17 July

Zebedee Springs

A permanent natural thermal spring tucked away in a secluded pocket of rainforest.

Moon and stars over El Questro

Saturday, 18 July

Crossing Durack River

River Congestion under the bird's watchful eyes

Creek crossing

Drysdale Station

Oh, no, flat tyre ... no wonder, with so many river crossings

We checked into Mitchell Falls Wilderness Lodge for 2 nights in a Permanent Tent.

Mitchell Falls Wilderness Lodge

Sunday, 19 July

Walking towards Mitchell Falls Airstrip

Getting ready for take-off

Up, up, and away ...

The white little strip in the distance ?

Yes, it is ...

Mitchell Falls

Landing..

... on the rocks

Punamii-Uunpuu Trail

Mitchell Falls

Magnificent four-tiered Mitchell Falls. The Mitchell River flows northwards, carving gorges and waterfalls into the sandstone and along the margins of Mitchell Plateau. The Falls are the most spectacular result of this erosion, with deep gorges downstream.