Tues, 20th Sept, 2022 Bush camp beside Running Waters waterhole in Davis River, east of Nullagine, WA

15.7 degrees, windy and clear sky. The other campers left early so we wobbled over more rocks and parked on one of the few flat spots available and set up by the water. The waterhole goes a far way down and there are lots of ropes in the trees so it is a very popular spot.

We wandered down to the end of the waterhole where you can see the water bubbling up from holes in the rocks. The little fish swim around in the bubbles.

There is a good school of little fish hanging around the edge of the tree roots and a few bigger ones underneath.

This is the ‘river’ but only because of the recent rain that it has water in it to flow into the waterhole.

More water flows down into it from a spring off to the side. When we were here in 2016 we could see it bubbling but this time we can’t see the bubbles but the spring is flowing well and you can hear the water fall into the water which is very relaxing.

I got my hammock out for the first time and tried it out.

I blew up my floatie and we laid the matting down on the edge of the mat of roots and over the submerged log to help with getting in and out - the log was very slippery. The water stays a constant 25 degrees or so which is lovely, though it feels cooler when you hang your feet down. We have the place to ourselves which Steve is enjoying! School holidays start next week so we are lucky to have it to ourselves.

Steve joined me for a dip and we floated about. The wind is still blowing which was quite cool over the water.

Steve did some ‘road maintenance’ on some of the sharper rocks for when we leave.

Nice afternoon relaxing in my hammock with my book listening to all the birds.

After lunch I put a stew in the Ecopot for dinner. Then we went for a walk down the other track which goes to a few camps further along. It was a bit overgrown for us to get into but there are a few nice camps. The track doesn’t continue along the waterhole but we think it goes for about 1km then the ‘river’ joins the Oakover River which is where Carawine Gorge is. Found a ‘snake’ on the tree - it did give me a start at first. Even has red eyes.

This is where we swam in Sept 2016 when we visited - it was full of campers that time. We visited again in August 2019 and parked the caravan at the top.

Walked back up the track to the open area where we left the van in 2019.

Steve wanted to photograph the wobbly track we took to get here - the photos don’t do it justice.

This is where we parked last night.

The other camps are down that track.

We walked back up the other end and found where others had driven around through the soft tree roots and mud to park on the other side. The river bed splits and covers a wide area and there were a few other wet spots but no more ‘springs’. As we walked back a vehicle drove in so we stopped for a chat. Jodie & Robert from Gippsland, Vic having fun trying to find all the ‘waterholes’. They drove down a rugged track to Eel Pool - further west on the Davis River and found a small waterhole which wasn’t deep. I was thinking of trying to get to it but after looking at her photos I don’t think we will bother. We chatted about others spots they are heading to that we have been to and gave them a few ideas of other spots to visit. We had a lovely time chatting over a cuppa then they headed back to Nullagine where they left their van.

After they left another couple wandered down. Steve chatted with them. They are camped in the top area and just came down for a swim. They are heading across the Gary Junction Highway - another one of Len Beadell’s ‘roads’ that we might do on our way back to Cairns next year.

The wind is still blowing up in the tops of the trees but it is good here. Steve went looking for firewood so I sat on the mat and soaked my legs and splashed myself as it was a bit cool to get back in for a swim. Steve didn’t think so so he jumped back in and got some exercise trying to lift himself up the ropes! Then some one arm pulls! The mat makes it much easier getting in and out as the side of the bank just drops away. A blue claw crawfish darted out from under the mat when Steve climbed on it.

Lit the fire and put lights in the tree to attract the bugs away from the camper. Lovely evening listening to the birds and frogs. Dinner outside as the temperature was perfect. Finished off the ice cream. Will make my scotch-finger based cheesecakes for dessert.

The breeze was cooling as we headed off to bed - glad I hadn’t packed the blankets away yet.