16 June

Arrived in Derby early and booked in to the Kimberley Entrance caravan park.

Naturally, we had to take a drive out to see the famous Derby jetty, where the tide rises and falls by up to 11.8 metres. Derby is a small town, and its jetty is used for export of ore and cattle. We have enjoyed reading 'Raparapa' which is the personal stories of several Aboriginal drovers from the stations along the Fitzroy River. We have passed many of the stations on our way, most of which are now run by descendants of the original Aboriginal owners of the land.

The next day, we took off in the 4WD and tackled the western end of the Gibb River Road to get to Windjana Gorge. The gorge is in a small rocky range sticking up out of the flat plains. It looks like nothing much. You walk through a tight little slit between the rocky walls and enter – Eden!

This is the land of the Windjana – you may have seen the representations of this godly creature – a big round head with two big eyes and a nose (no mouth) and spiky lines sticking out of its head. This is the creator of all things, and it would be easy to imagine that when the people first entered this fissure in the rocks and came upon the beauty inside, they would have thought it was their very own Eden.

From here, we endured another 30 km of dust and corrugations to get to Tunnel Creek. Here, you clamber over very large rocks to reach the entrance to a cave with a creek running through it. The creek has formed a tunnel 750 metres long, and if you can endure wading in total darkness, lit only by torchlight, you can walk the length of it. In places, the roof has fallen in, allowing you to see the bats, birds, fish (and maybe even a freshie or two) which inhabit the cavern. We didn't go all the way through because it was late in the afternoon and we didn't fancy a possible injury and being all alone in there until someone came to find us the next day.

The way back didn't seem so arduous after all that amazing beauty, but we appreciated a hot shower and a defrosted pre-cooked dinner just the same.

The next two days were spent doing 'housework' (doesn't take long!), shopping, reading, fishing/crabbing off the wharf (no luck) and a visit to the doctor for me, with a perforated eardrum.

Now we are off to FINALLY see the ocean – Broome, here we come!

Entrance to Winjana Gorge

'Eden' through the tunnel

Freshie heaven

Tunnel Creek 

Inside the tunnel