El Questro

I remember years ago watching a travel show on the tv that showed a very expensive holiday on an outback station in the Kimberleys and never ever dreamed that I would ever get to visit that location – but that was on the agenda for today. We passengers eagerly clambered out of the coach to take a photograph of the road sign that marked the start of the Gibb River Road. This road is now sealed but was for many years a rough bush road along which drovers would move cattle from cattle yards to the sale yards. It is still used for moving cattle but these days the cattle travel at 100 kph in huge cattle trucks. We too were to travel at that speed in our trusty little coach. So my photograph was of the start of the Gibb River Road, not of the sign!

As we drove along we followed along the ridge that was the Cockburn Range. We learned how to pronounce the name of the range correctly “co-burn” instead of “cock-burn”! It should be spelled the way it sounds!

It was a welcome stop when we turned into Emma Gorge – which is the part of the El Questro tourist park (thousands of acres of cattle station) that is affordable to the majority of outback travellers.

We chose to try have either a cold drink or ice cream before I wandered off alone to explore the walk along the Emma Gorge. After the dryness of the open cattle country this was a real oasis. I certainly did not expect to find corkscrew pandanas here! Although it was really hot in the sun it was quite pleasant walking along the winding and very rough track. I found that I had to watch my feet rather than look out at the scenery I was walking through. I nearly tripped over a couple of times!

The track followed along a little creek that showed itself briefly through the long grass, not having much luck with taking photographs of the creek I turned my attention to the ridge towering above the treetops. I had better luck there.

We were to go on yet another boat cruise but on the way we drove along a real bush track, there was great excitement when we came to a shallow water crossing and even more exciting when we came across another that looked considerably deeper. Everyone stood up to look through the front window of the coach when we stopped to watch as a four wheel drive came through it. This was adventure with a capital “A”! Then WE did it! Good fun!

The Chamberlain Gorge cruise was quiet and leisurely and our guide gave us lots of information about the history of El Questro and about the geology of the gorge. The slow moving punt pulled onto a sand bank where most of the group drank “bubbly” (not me! I do not drink at all - makes me a bit of an outcast I have found.) and we all had fun dropping chicken feed pellets into the water to feed the fish. Some of the fish were very funny, they squirted a jet of water high into the air when one held a hand out from the boat! I enjoyed that!

The scenery in the Chamberlain Gorge was a rich colour that improved as the light changed during the afternoon. Here the sandstone was like building blocks, quite rectangular but all sorts of different sizes.

On our way back along the bush track we used on the way in, our coach picked up a stone between the dual back wheels so we had to stop at Emma Gorge again while Firie, our guide, removed the whels and removed the stone. The day had been so hot that while the coach had been sitting waiting for us to return from our cruise, the front windscreen had cracked! Apparently there had been a repaired crack in the window when we picked up the coach but the heat of the day caused it to explode.

It was a wonderful day (again) and I have a camera full of memories of my experiences. Each day seems to be as brilliant at the one before. So far I cannot say which has been my favourite – they have all be a favourite!.

AJ