Friday 19th July 2013 – Parry Creek Farm

First stop this morning on the way to Marlgu Billabong was the ruins on Telegraph Hill.  There was a telegraph station here during the First World War which played a part in the sinking of the German Battleship, the Emden.

Telegraph Hill

Marlgu Billabong is a bird haven and is well set up with walkways and a hide.  Lots of water birds including various duck species, herons, ibis, egrets, geese as well as Jabiru and Brolgas.

Marlgu Billabong

While M & K headed off to have their tyre attended to in Wyndham,  Jill and I took the 4WD track that went around the Bastian Range to the north of Wyndham.  Lots of this area had been burnt out.  In fact much of the area around Kununurra and Wyndham has been burnt out.  Between the pastoralists and the indigenous inhabitants it happens every year apparently.  Along the track we came across a dam with lots of bird life (galahs, zebra finch and rainbow bee eaters in particular).  There are also lots of boabs along this track and to the north, huge salt lakes.  Initially the track was fairly sandy but to the north became very rocky and was washed out in places.  Even had to engage four wheel drive.

Finally we found a Kapok pod that had burst

The track came in past the port.  At one point there was a conveyer belt for the loading of iron ore.  The next jetty was for the live beef trade and there was a huge ship berthed loading cattle.

The town of Wyndham itself is a bit further south.  In the main street you can’t miss the Big Crocodile.  At 20 metres long he’s a bit bigger than any live ones in the area.  There into big things in Wyndham.  In the park there are some ‘larger than life’ sculptures of some aborigines as well as a kangaroo, goanna etc.

The mudflats near the port

The Big Crocodile

The Big Aborigines

and the Big Boad

Back to the wharf area where we met up with Mark and Karen to have lunch at the pub followed by a mango smoothie at the Rusty Shed Café across the road. 

On the way to the 5 Rivers Lookout we called into the caravan park to see the largest boab tree in captivity (so it’s promoted).  Think it is bigger that the boab in Roma.  There is a tremendous view from the 5 Rivers Lookout.  As well as the five rivers (King, Ord, Durack, Forrest and Pentecost) that flow into the Cambridge Gulf there is an amazing 360 degree view of the area.  Cambridge Gulf certainly is a well protected harbour.  While we were there the cattle transport ship set sail, presumably for Indonesia.

Views from the Five Rivers Lookout

Back at camp Jill did some washing, we then used the barbecue in the camper’s kitchen – steak and salad for dinner.