Monday 06 May - We hit the road early, not a lot to see in Halls Creek. Not before we stopped at a local cafe for coffee though. I tried to order decaf, no decaf. Mocha? No mocha, only milo hot chocolate. So two lattes later, we were out of there.
Our next stop was Doon Doon Roadhouse. There were a few untethered horses just grazing out the front on a grassy patch. There was also a box attached to the fence, with a sign that read “Live toad disposal point”. Scary to think that cane toads have made it all the way across the country, infiltrating the top corner of WA. We got our drinks, then headed off up the highway.
As time was on our side, we decided to visit Wyndham. It’s about 50 kms from the turnoff to Kununurra. Along the way, we passed the Gibb River Road, where our intrepid business partners Don and Cath are embarking on the infamous fat tyre bike ride in a couple of weeks, raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We applaud them. We dont envy them.
Once in Wyndham, we drove up to Five Rivers Lookout. The view of the harbour was stunning. It was quite hot and the flies were extremely friendly, as always. We didn’t stay long in Wyndham.
We arrived in Kununurra about 3pm and headed for Freshwater Resort. We waited patiently while the young lady checked for our reservation. There was none. Ok. It was about now I decided to check our booking. Sure enough, it wasn’t Freshwater Resort, it was Discovery Park, slightly out of town. So off we went, much to the young lady’s relief I’m sure.
Discovery Park, as we discovered, was set in the most picturesque surroundings. Situated on the banks of Lake Kununurra, cabins and caravans were dotted amongst the many trees, affording a lot of shade for the inhabitants of the park. They also provided homes for a variety of bird life, and as it turned out, bats, which winged their way onto the sky stage at dusk each night.
Our cabin was nestled in a corner of the park, with a deck overlooking the lake. It was relaxing to sit out there and read our books in the afternoon sun. We had been to the supermarket in town to get some meat and salad. Later, Michael fired up the barbecue which was adjacent to our cabin and cooked steak and sausages for our dinner. A couple of glasses of red complemented the meal very nicely.
The next morning we had the luxury of another sleep in, then went for a long walk along the edge of Lake Kununurra. We passed the Pumphouse Restaurant and checked out the menu billboard. It had been recommended as the place to go for dinner. Then on past the Kununurra Golf Course and eventually came to Swim Beach which appeared to be the boat ramp for excursions to Lake Argyle. As we headed back, we saw what was to be our only encounter with a live kangaroo, hopping leisurely across the path. We did see plenty of dead bats along the trail, as well as squashed cane toads.
After a shower, we headed into town for coffee and a bacon and egg roll at the Wild Mango Café- delicious! We had toyed with the idea of taking a cruise on Lake Argyle but the length of the cruise was about 5 hours. As we were leaving early the next day, it sounded slightly exhausting and there was laundry to catch up on. So we just jumped in the car and headed out for our own tour. To describe it as immense is an understatement. It’s vastness is incredible. Having learned about the Ord River Dam many years ago at Primary School, it seemed almost surreal to finally witness it.
We spent about an hour gazing at this amazing expanse of water from different vantage points. Then back to our abode, to wash and dry clothes, start to pack and then phone the Pumphouse to make a reservation for dinner, just in case it was so popular. Which turned out to be the case! Dinner hours were from 5.30 to 7.30pm. We thought we would eat early but Michael was told we could only book from 7pm and there was no guarantee of a table inside.
So we duly arrived at 7pm, armed with insect repellent. The girl greeted us politely enough but then turned to me with a stony stare and said what have you got there? This is not BYO here. Two other staff appeared out of nowhere, all three eyeballing me. Oh, you mean this? My insect spray? Instantly the tension left the room and they all laughed. Me, not so much. They kept saying that you can’t be too careful etc. Possibly to compensate for their youthful exuberance (tending towards outright aggression), we were seated inside, upstairs on the mezzanine floor. They looked after us very well, my margarita was superb, the cajun tuna steak was delicious as was Michael’s pork dish.
After a shaky start, it was a top night. And if you need insect repellent, take a bigger handbag and hide it in there. Just to avoid any misunderstanding.
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