Digger’s to El Questro

It is pretty apparent that El Questro is frequented by trophy campers and 4WD junkies. By trophy campers I mean those that go there to say they’ve been there, but in reality one grassy paddock and a bar is the same as any other. 4WD junkies get their fix on a number of tracks that disappear up escarpments. After being abused by a drunken camper while we were looking for a site, then having to share a platform lookout with a bunch of people intent on throwing a football around while others are trying to watch a sunset, El Questro was not off to a good start. I for one was very happy when the football finally disappeared over the side, never to be seen again.

The day started in fine style at Digger’s Rest Station, with the locals preparing to ride out to brand and castrate some cattle. Two chooks not unlike our Late Pearl and Georgia were patrolling the campfire area, the dogs were friendly as ever (just ask Elliot what a blue heeler kiss is like), and the pet emus were in with the horses as they were being saddled. If ever you thought chooks were herbivores, you should see the chooks sharing some big beef bones with the dogs. Worm and Squirm, the kids (baby goats) kept the boys entertained, before tomato picking.

Armed with the advice from the locals that the Kurunjie Track beyond the station down to the Gibb River Road was worth it, despite some bull dust in the last 15km, we proceeded that way. Both sentiments turned out to be understatements. The road goes through some beautiful country around the Cockburn Range, and along the floodplain of the Pentecost River. As you approach the Gibb River Road, the bulldust did get feral, with wheel ruts deep enough to floss the underside of the car, and slippery enough to give me a light show on the dash. No dramas though, but we now have dust in everywhere, rather than just most places.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the road gave some good views when high enough, some great expanses down on the flats, and some oases with birds. We saw brolgas, jabiru, kites, corellas, cockatoos and pelicans, among lots of other unidentified.

The road comes out to the Gibb River Road at Pentecost Crossing, which appears to be wide and shallow from our watching. We’ll find out ourselves tomorrow when we head back there. The road itself is, as described by a German couple we met in Purnululu, no problem, so far as we have seen. It is wide and flat, save for the corrugations, which come and go, but more come than go. There is the odd patch of bitumen, but I expect that not to be common.

On arrival at the El Questro turnoff, we elected to carry on further back to Emma Gorge. A good call. An El Questro outpost, they fleeced us for our entry fee there before we could have lunch and walk into Emma Gorge proper. A rough and dusty track terminated in a beautiful pool, which would have been too cold to swim, save for a warm spring coming in on one side. Louis and Elliot found some girlfriends – lucky they were too young to notice. The walk back was completed in half the time because Elliot, dragging the chain because he didn’t want to walk on the way up, was refreshed by the swim and motivated by his bowels on the way back. Just shows what a powerful force a state of mind is.

Back to El Questro township proper, setup camp then drove up to Saddleback lookout nearby, missed sunset by about five minutes, but still saw some late colour. By the time we arrived back at camp, all were tired and hungry. Early night all round.

p.s. Took a chance to repack this morning. We have our largest food and water load on at the moment, and it still all fits. Yay!