Stopovers

Not the promised food bowl

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We've spent the past week in and around Kununurra, and we've been interested to view first hand the land that as a child I was told would be the winter 'food bowl of Australia'.

As you can see from this Crikey blog post and even Govt info, the Ord River irrigation project has been and continues to be doubtful in its success and controversial with looming Chinese projects likely....
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/02/13/good-money-after-bad-the-nt-government-and-the-ord-river-irrigation-scheme/
and
http://slwa.wa.gov.au/wepon/land/html/ord_river.html

Crops such as cotton and sugarcane have come and gone. I'm astonished that cotton was ever viable given the humidity of the wet season! Where vegetable crops do exist they are very healthy looking. I've never seen sunflowers and corn growing as green and healthy as we have here, and cyclones appear to largely bypass the area. However market changes, distances and economics have paid their price.

CC FlickR image by Pete Hill - https://www.flickr.com/photos/blundershot/3365590516/

CC FlickR image by Pete Hill - https://www.flickr.com/photos/blundershot/3365590516/

Over 60% of production now is Sandalwood plantation (we are hearing rumours that it is not producing oil) and locals have commented to us how the much the community has changed as a result. I imagine that in the earlier years of the scheme many young people gained harvesting work that now does not exist.

Despite all this the town feels like it's thriving. There's a healthy community of young families, alternate types,  a good market, galleries and cafés. We're off to make good use of the market again tomorrow before heading south. The market gardens continue and where monoculture has failed, healthy, sustainable, mixed farming will thrive.

 

Small pleasures

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I'm sitting in a queue in the stone bath house (ablutions block is far too crude a term here) at Ellenbrae Station campground. People are sitting around the huge donkey wood fired hot water system waiting their turn.

My pores are filled with dust, fingernails are black, feet and shoes a testament to the sooty land and dusty tracks I've covered today. My denim shorts are brown and my hair tied back; 3 days since my last shower. We gather at this place as strangers and sit sharing the same old snippets; the information of travelers ... one young couple from western NSW have only 6 weeks and clearly are trying to travel too far in the time they have. Another couple from Balmain are returning after 20 yrs to fill in some gaps including Mitchell Falls in a hired Apollo that is not insured on that road. Is it worth going to El Questro given the holiday season? And there are questions to me about the Munja Track - is it as bad as they say?

We all look in awe and comment on how clean peoples feet are as they finish their shower. True, the facilities are inadequate for the 20 or so people in the campground but we wait patiently.

Then it's my turn.
For just a few minutes I luxuriate under the low pressure but deliciously hot shower and do my turn reappearing to the awaiting audience. My feet are clean, at least for the next 5 minutes as I stroll back through the dust to our campsite by the ghost gums.

No excuses

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We left the Millstream-Chichester N.P. today and headed west to the coast again. The Millstream end of the park is an oasis of clear springs and flowing water from the artesian basin that waters the surrounding Pilbara towns including Dampier, Karratha and Roebourne.

Its a fragile place. Just recently a popular camping spot and swimming hole has been permanently closed following cyclonic rains that eroded the river bed leaving trees with exposed roots ready to fall.

The wetlands are also said to be one of the most culturally significant indigenous sites in WA. Swimming is not permitted in the crystal clear waters of Jirndawurrunha pool.

Despite the fragility and preciousness of this area it felt strangely unloved. I can forgive the yellowing signage in the old Millstream homestead visitors centre, made harder to read due to lack of lighting (the could easily set up some solar powered lighting Steph so rightly pointed out), and the displays that were dusty and poorly kept. However within coo-ee of the rangers station, there was evidence of cattle (probably from the adjoining station) trampling the recently wet ground amongst the melaleuca forest and small seasonal creek beds. Hard hoofed heavy animals and fragile ground simply do not mix.

It was a stark reminder of the consequences of a Govt proposing to allow cattle back into our precious national parks.

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What's it worth?

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We're here in the Denham Seaside Caravan Park, cars circle a roundabout not too far away heading out of town, our near neighbour is strumming a uke (not too badly), there's an occasional loud call from a child just up the hill, laughs from a group of men in the distance networking over some beers, and rain drops are pattering on the canvas and dripping off the edge into buckets. Weathered women who clearly have put down roots in their dusty caravan plot, grey nomads plugged into the grid with TVs running, and young explorers living out of small rented motor homes abound. It's only the 2nd time we've made use of a caravan park in a month but not the last I suspect.

I'm contemplating the pros and cons of the places we've camped.

This caravan park is costing us $33 a night. It like the last one we stayed at, provides free wifi (albeit slow at times esp when the backpackers are connecting with family and friends from home), a laundry, hot showers, and close proximity to shops and services ... Or at least those are the things that make the noise and lack of privacy worthwhile in my opinion.

Most national parks are $15-$20 per night and typically provide good drop toilets, level bays, beautiful quiet environs, nearby walks etc. They do however often require a bit of a trek to reach them, and a quick trip into town for supplies is just possible.

As Steph has already posted, we've also stayed in quite a few roadside stops. They are free, convenient (we can keep driving until late afternoon), enable fires, and if chosen carefully, reasonable quiet and private. They also have no services, and would require caution as a single woman.

It depends on your needs and priorities I guess. For us, we came seeking starry nights and exposure to the remote Australian bush. 'Happy hour' in a Big4 caravan park holds no appeal. But when we've been without a proper shower for days, our clothes are grimy, and the weather is unkind plentiful hot water is mighty attractive!

 

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Leaning Marri campsite

Paying our respects

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The Walls of China, Lake Mungo

The Walls of China, Lake Mungo

It's appropriate perhaps, as we head off on our journey, that the first major stopover is Mungo National Park where the oldest known skeletal remains in Australia and oldest cremated remains in the world (both dated around 42,000 yrs ago) were found. A chance to connect to our ancient history and clear the metropolis from our souls.

Its ironic perhaps that they have been found as a result of European mismanagement of the fragile land; erosion caused by land clearing uncovering the past.

With rain clouds looming we drove the 70km Mungo loop track and the following day packed up a sodden camp and slid our way through the mud to Mildura, the last campers out before the road closed and even heavier rain fell on this desert landscape.