Sunday, May 11, 2003 at 18:58
Have visited the
Kimberley in September/October last year. We travelled up the Tanami visiting the Bungles and
Cape Leveque. One thing we have noticed is that there is a lot of 24 hour stop over spots around the
Kimberley - free (probably everywhere else in Mainland Australia but not here in Tasmania). We stayed at one opposite the Bungle Bungle turn off which is located on a creek. A lot of people drop off their caravans and trailers here to travel the 53kms into the Bungles. The journey in takes 2.15 hours to drive in but we found it was quicker coming back out because we knew what to expect (1 hr 50 mins).
Camp fees were $9.00 per person per night plus $9 per person Park fee. We stayed only one night walking all the gorges except Picanninie
Gorge, so 2 nights should be plenty. There are plenty of other
places to
camp free in the
Kimberley (i.e many
places along the
Gibb River Road, on the
King River near the Wyndam Prison Tree and the list goes on). If you stay in any of the National Parks there is a
camp fee payable.
Windjana Gorge was $7.50 per person per night.
El Questro is a beautiful place to stay but can be quite expensive once you add up Park fees,
camp fees and the fees to do/visit some
places of interest within El Q. $12.50 per person Park fees, $12.50 per person per night to
camp, hire of a tinny with electric motor $150.00 per day or $75.00 for half day and I think it was about $50.00 to tour Chambelain
Gorge on the ferry boat. You can charter guides to take you to different
places but at a cost.
As to
Cape Leveque, this is a 210kms drive north of
Broome. We camped at a place called
Quondong Point for the 1st night - free. This is on a turn of west from the main road north to Cape L. For your stay at Cape L. you will need to book your stay (we did it from
Broome Visitor Centre) and the cost was $64.00 for two nights for two people. The
camp ground was very small but the area was
well worth the visit. The sunsets were unbeleivable, swimming great and fish to be caught even off the beach. I would go back there anytime. We were not that impressed with One Arm Point though, not after our 2 night stay at the tip of
Cape Leveque. At the time we were there the main road to Cape L. was quite corrugated through the centre with very leanie sides. We found it easier to drive on the leanie bits and just swap sides when we go sick of leaning one way. The
Shell decorated church at
Beagle Bay (on way to Cape L.) was very impressive and if you go through
Halls Creek then you simply must
check out the high tech.
public toilets which has just opened up opposite the BP Service Station. I have never seen anything like them. They were the
toilets from the future.
Good luck with your trip.
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