Dalingunaya Backpackers Fitzroy Crossing

Our next stop down the Great Northern Highway was Fitzroy Crossing. The town sits on the Fitzroy, one of the Kimberly rivers significant for pastoralists which flow mightily during the wet but are reduced to intermittent creeks and waterholes in the dry. Government surveyor Alexander Forrest effectively opened the area to pastoralists after exploring it in 1879. It was Forrest's ...

... We actually found that the days seemed to be quite long and we were going to bed earlier.  Everyone on the campsite seemed to get up pretty early and that was the best time for exercising – we played golf at 6.30 am and by 8.30 it was really getting hot!

As we started the trip we saw more 'wild' wildlife than we have in the past – lots of kangaroos and wallabies bopping around luckily not on the road.  There are a lot of wandering cows ...

... stations and a quite poor information centre. It is, however small an important staging post between Broome and Darwin, being one of the only places to cross the Fizroy River, Tth pld crossing was subject to flooding so the township has been moved about a kilometre down stream and a high level bridge has been built. very little is left of the old settlemeny apart from the old Post Office and the pub. There used to be a supermarket which was burned down earlier in the month ...

... in the water, which added a new dimension to them. We also saw a few lazy crocs again!
After the boat ride, we ambled down the river on a two hour hike, which was gorgeous because we saw a lot of the wildflowers that are in bloom now, and the walk winded through tall, shady trees and over sandy banks.
Other than Geikie Gorge, there's not much else to do in Fitzroy so we didn't stay long.

... we arrived. The town area is pretty drab and depressing with not much happening and the only movement being that of the Indigenous population just walking around. Having said that, Fitzroy Crossing is home to a number of aboriginal communities and is a great spot to base yourself in order to visit the famous surrounding gorges.

We awoke very early the next morning and drove around 20km out of town to the Geikie Gorge for an 8am river tour ...

Got up this morning and were farewelled by a beautiful take away breakfast courtesy of James (thanks!!) It was sustained us for the whole day (considering we had a bad sleep - i have developed a bad toothache) and so we didnt stop until we got to Fitzroy Crossing - our stop over for the night. On the way we saw 2 cars (a ford wagon and a holden ute) smashed beyond recognition by massive cows. The ...

We took 2 days to travel from Broome to Kununurra. At times slow when we encountered a head wind. The bus travelled beautifully. Great to be able to make lunch as we travel and as the kids watch movies. The days were a lovely temperature and the night nice and cool, with crisp mornings, probably not the same "crisp" that Perth is experiencing at the moment, but refreshing for us. One the way, we stopped and investigated this awesome Boab tree :)

... through the gorge. The flood markers in the rotunda were amazing, metres above our heads. It really is hard to believe! Anyway we took some photos for you to enjoy. Our next stop tomorrow is Kununurra ( a big day of 650 klms). I'm hoping for a nice big pink diamond from the Argyle Diamond Mine ( well, one can hope can't they!!!!!) C U, Krakatinny Travellers

... through Tunnel Creek and, fortunately, did not encounter the 2 fresh water crocodiles that live there. We did see some crocodiles at the other end of the tunnel, however.

Slept for the first time just under the stars in my swag. The stars looked amazing and a Swiss girl pointed out the Southern Cross and Scorpio.

... br>This was my first encounter with crocs in the wild and I was terrified! We didn't see any in Tunnel Creek but apparently they were there lurking in the dark. If I'd known there's no way I'd have been in there!

We did a boat trip to Geike Gorge too which was also great. More crocs!