2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Fri, 22nd July, 2022 Ngumpan Cliff Rest Area, Great Northern Highway to Boab Rest Area, Great Northern Highway, WA (Geikie Gorge & Fitzroy Crossing)

Warmer night. 6am 19 degrees - winter is over!

Headed off early to explore Geikie Gorge. I love all these hills with their colours and shapes.

Into an outcrop of black ironstone rocks. Spotted a few brolgas wandering by the roadside.

Over the single lane bridges then across the Fitzroy River single lane bridge. It is one of the longest rivers in Australia with an estimated catchment area of 93,228 km2. It is 733 km in length from the King Leopold and Mueller Ranges into the King Sound just south of Derby. In the wet season the river’s swirling waters can rise up to 26 metres above sea level and has an estimated flow rate of 23,000 cubic metres per second - this volume has water has the ability to fill Sydney Harbour in 6 hours.

Into town then 18km north to Geikie Gorge, still on bitumen. The road runs parellel to the low Geikie Range of limestone rocks.

Checked out the Sandbar area first. No maintenance happening here in regard to clearing the path or fixing the steps down to the river.

Looking across to where the Margaret River (dry) meets the Fitzroy.

Around to the main car park area where the boat cruises leave from. Had a cuppa and checked out the info in the shelter.

All the flood levels are marked but we aren’t far from the river so no wonder it goes under.

A NPWS ranger was there as the 9.30am cruise ($50 each) was just leaving. Some people arrived just after and were disappointed to hear that the next cruise doesn’t go till 2.30pm! The Cultural cruise (run by the ‘locals’) isn’t running at the moment!

We headed off on the 4.4km walk. It is a very wide gorge so we are walking up the left hand side beside the limestone rocks. Looked for fossils in the smooth limestone. You would think there would be heaps since this was all full of sea creatures back ‘then’.

Looking back.

Headed down onto the river sand. Reached the end at the ‘West Wall’.

View across the river then we went down to the river edge.

Decided to walk back beside the river. Certainly has warmed up today, especially out here in the full sun but it doesn’t worry us. Up on the high sandy bank. Got to the ‘East Wall’ and we could hear water lapping. Even though the river was calm the water must lap in the caves and it echoed out. I whistled and the echo came back too.

Old Man Rock - story was on the info board.

Continued along by the river. Didn’t see any crocodiles.

Back to the track as the edge of the river has too many trees. Walked down to the very steep boat ramp. Another ranger was zooming up and down in a boat - obviously working on it as there is a speed limit here!

Back to the hut then around to a big concrete area which led down to a path with lights and information that leads down to a flash ramp for the cultural tours.

Further along was more info boards.

Headed off at 11.30am to check out the old low level crossing over the Fitzroy River. Needs a bit of work at the entrance and exit otherwise the crossing was pretty good. This was the only road in and out of town back then and in the wet they used a flying fox to get supplies across the river.

On the same track was a plaque about the Inland Mission Hospital.

Fitzroy Crossing ‘township’ was settled in the 1880s and officially gazetted in 1975. The old township was closer to the river at the old low level crossing - the booklet said there was an old post office, police station and housing quarters but we couldn’t find any signs about them.

Back along the track to the turn off to the Crossing Inn and van park. We followed a track past it to try and find the river. Found a foot bridge over a running creek instead. It flows down to the Fitzroy which we can just see.

It was nice and shady here so had lunch then went back to the Crossing Inn. This is the oldest pub in the Kimberley region - opened by Joseph Blyth in 1897 though the original building has been replaced now. Lots of ‘locals’ were milling about and the music was blasting away so we just took a few photos of the old bits, ‘art’ and river. Reception was closed but I saw some photos of flood time through the window.

Back into town. Nice mural on the wall of the IGA.

Around to the 24hr card servo to top up with diesel ($2.499). A road train was parked in the car section so we had to wait a long while till he moved.

A car stopped and said the other servo had run out of fuel. We had heard that one had bad fuel and a heap of cars had problems so the tow trucks had been busy!

Continued westward to the next rest area at Ellendale for a cuppa. Spotted three brolgas wandering in the bush.