Wednesday 16 July 2014 (Day 21)
We are staying at Derby
Up early we are off to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. We drove out to Tunnel Creek first which is an active or living water worn tunnel beneath limestone and part of the 350 000 000 year old Devonian Reef System.
An entertaining walk climbing up and over boulders, walking though sand and wading through water in the dark. It is a popular tourist spot with many organised tour groups guided through. There is aboriginal rock art within the tunnel but unless you are part of the tour group it is very difficult to find them as much as I looked, we did not. The limestone stalactites vary in structures but are very beautiful. Tunnel Creek holds a story of an aboriginal man torn between the 2 cultures of his heritage and white civilisation.
We headed back along the red corrugated road to Windjana Gorge. The road wasn't actually that bad, we think we'd been on Queensland Highways that are in worse shape. It was about 1pm and it was getting quite hot but we began the 7km return walk, the first 500metres was the highlight and we wished we'd known that before hand. It offered a pretty waterhole filled with fresh water crocodiles but that's where its popularity starts and finishes. The remaining trail was more or less a bush walk. Nathan's music helped us get back in record time. We only saw 3 other people walking this far and we didn't have the heart to tell them there was little bang for their buck, perhaps they will enjoy it. I took a few photos and hope they turn out. I love the boab trees, a source of material, food and shelter and they come in so many different shapes and sizes.
After today I am sure we will all sleep incredibly well.
Photos
Napier Range
Cute Bull ?
Tunnel Creek is enormous
Windjana Gorge
Fossils
The real crocs
