DAY 3
Following a sunrise cup of Milo over the camp fire, and after brushing the dried cow poo off our swags, we packed up camp and set off for El Questro Wilderness Park. Rattling along the dusty Gibb River Road, El Questro appears like a mirage; green surrounds and Boab trees mark the entrance. There’s good reason why El Questro is the most famous of the Kimberley stations. The property is 700,000 acres and contains everything the Kimberleys has to offer: from gorges and thermal springs to rainforests and waterfalls, you can find it all here.
Within the park, nestled at one end of the Cockburn ranges, known for their brilliantly red colour, is Emma Gorge. A moderately tricky 60 minute walk over creeks and rocky terrain, we reached Emma Gorge, dusty and ready for a swim. The gorge ends in a horseshoe, sheer walls rising up 65m with a waterfall spilling into the large clear pool below. Diving straight in, we swam out to the centre of the pool right under the falls, shocked at how cold the water was. But luckily Emma Gorge also has a small thermal spring which trickles down from the surrounding rocks. If I had a dollar for every waterfall I saw in the Kimberleys which I said was my favourite, I’d be a rich lady. But Emma Gorge was truly my favourite, it was so stunning and peaceful.
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| Emma Gorge |
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| Trickling Waterfall and green walls of Emma Gorge |
DAY 4
El Questro Gorge is also another stunning highlight. It
starts with a gentle walk along a spring-fed creek, surrounded by palm and fern
clad escarpments. About halfway along the track we reached a small swimming
hole with mini-waterfall. We decided to continue to try and reach the next pool
(1.5 hours of rock scrambling away). However we mis-judged the difficulty of
this trail, which became increasingly more difficult and since we were dressed
fairly inappropriately (barefoot, in bikinis) we decided to return back.
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| Making our way through the gorge |
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| Scrambling over the first pool |
After the failed barefoot rock climbing attempt, we decided
to have a more relaxing afternoon at “nature’s spa” and headed to the warm
waters of Zebedee Springs. This natural oasis is hidden among dense palms in a
series of rocky thermal pools. The water is incredibly crystal clear and we
spent a few hours soaking in the pools before heading back to camp.
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| Jungle Janes |
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| Crystal Clear water of Zebedee Springs |
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| Spa Time |
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