I suppose some people know something about the film “Wolf Creek”. I don't. We visited the Wolf Creek Meteorite Crater which somehow features I gather. It's the second largest in the world apparently, 850m in diameter. Quite awesome to stand on the rim – in the blazing heat. It was a “mad dogs and Englishmen” interlude!
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Looking across Wolf Creek crater, from rim to rim
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| Looking back from the rim - wide brown land |
The Bungle Bungles, nowadays called Purnululu, were something else. For starters, I got a breathtaking overview – by helicopter, my first ever such flight. I was too scared to say it was exciting but not so scared that I felt ill. I was proud of my achievement on that score! Then back on solid ground, before lunch we walked into Cathedral Gorge. In the Cathedral space, a few joined in singing “I am Australian” which sent tingles up your spine.
I have three 'interesting' souvenirs from that hike. Black, purple and brown bruises. Photographers!! “I've got a big camera so I have to take forever setting up my shots and block the pathways and too bad a bout you.” Well, too bad about me alright. I went to go around one such but it wasn't muddy ground, it was a mud-covered rock. Sliiiip!!! Down I went. Thankfully, in spite of the spectacular colours, it doesn't hurt. Then in the afternoon we walked into Echidna Gorge. A fascinating narrow space. You wonder what made people go exploring in there in the first place. The rocky creek bed which formed the start of the pathway was hard work but good practice for hikes to come.
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| Purnululu (The Bungle Bungles) from the helicopter |
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| Piccaninny Gorge |
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Cathedral Gorge walk
Tour Director Les in light blue shirt
The Cathedral
My photos don't do it justice,
but neither does anything I've seen on Google Images |
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| Some domes |
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| About the stripes |
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Echidna Chasm walk.
Not the smoothest of paths!! |
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| Into the chasm - breathe in, diet time! |
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| Rough going |
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| And out again! |
I suppose there are quite a few China Walls dotted about the globe. Australia has one not far out of Halls Creek. The geological history of Australia is amazing, going back goodness knows how many millions of years. Mind you, it's so amazing that anything beyond a beginner's guide is over my head!
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| China Wall |
Kapok trees, which we started seeing in this area, are stunning plants. The bright yellow flowers make such a contrast to the red rocks.
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| Yellow-flowered kapok trees |
A one hour cruise on the river at Geikie Gorge was the first of five cruises. I love being on water like this! First sighting here of crocodiles. Not terribly big and basically dozy, although one took exception to us and slid into the water. One part of this hour could have gone on for considerably longer: the boat's engine was cut and people actually did as they were told – the place had that effect – quiet! To me it had a spirituality about it. Those not of that bent still found it to be a special few minutes of awareness.
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| Geikie Gorge |
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| First crocodile sighting! |
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| Second crocodile sighting!! |
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| Ancient rock walls |
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| Cormorant (I think!) |
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| Nixon Rock |
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| Geikie Gorge |
