Kununurra Contribution

We made a significant contribution to the Kununurra economic recovery today. We must have left nearly $1000 in town, between the caravan park, tyre repair, service, diesel and groceries for the Gibb River Road.

The tyre was a sad story. It was leaking a bit after the patch so I really had no option but to get it properly repaired, given where we are headed. When they took it off the rim, there was a good half cupful of chipped rubber inside. As I suspected, I had been running flat on it for quite some time. The inner liner was badly chopped about where the rim had been running on it, and that is the primary seal. Perhaps a tube might have helped, and if we had been the other side of the Gibb, I might have gone that path. After being told by one guy that nobody in town had the gear to repair the dings, this guy said that there was no way they would cause me a problem, but then promptly took to it with a big hammer, so I guess it is now officially fixed.

Perhaps I’m lucky, perhaps I’m a sucker, but he had one replacement, so on it went and I am back in business.

The oil change was another problem. I found Kununurra Diesel, so tried them first. No chance before next week. Then I found the Mitsubishi dealer (who is also the Toyota, Holden and various other bits and pieces dealer). They had a chart on the wall proudly proclaiming that I could get a service in August. The Tyrepower recommended by the caravan park had been shutdown by the EPA, and the Repco mixed up with the local auto accessories shop told me next week as well. I finally found a guy that was busy this morning, but if I came back at lunchtime he’d see then. Finally I went across the road from the tyre place, where I had tried earlier, but they couldn’t give me an answer because the foreman was out, he said come back at 9:30 and we’d squeeze me in. That’s better than lunchtime, so back to pack up camp (in 10 minutes), then throw the others out at the internet cafe and post office, and went back to wait. All done by 11am, and $200 lighter, even after I had provided them with the filter. Probably no worse than Brisbane prices though.

Then off to Wyndham and the Five Rivers Lookout for lunch (late), then down the King River road, heading for El-Questro, but instead lobbing in at Digger’s Rest Station. On the way we came across an Aboriginal Art site and a Boab Prison Tree. This tree was actually quite roomy inside, and had a little hole for a chimney, so could have been quite cosy in the right circumstances. I don’t think that was its purpose though.

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