First stop,the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu national park) –full of tiger-striped rocks and amazing chasms and gorges. Then it was time to put the trusty 21yr old 4Runner to the test –crossing the notorious Gibb River Road,which has a reputation for eating tyres for breakfast! The only problem we encountered was an oil leak –literally right on the door step of the only mechanic on this 850km gravel road –couldn’t ask for better if a breakdown has to happen in 12000km of outback driving! After that it was time for some relaxation in Broome –in the hostel’s pool (essential for cooling down in 36+C heat) and on Cable beach –home to the famous tourist camel rides along the beach at sunset (and lesser known,but they also run trips at sunrise).
Then I’d run out of places further west,so it was time to turn southwards. I carried on (alone now) to Karijini National Park,with some more awesome gorges,then headed back out to the coast via Marble Bar. Another place less visited by tourists,but it has the distinction of holding the title to Australia’s hottest place –by virtue of being the place with the longest consecutive number of days where the tempterature was above 40C! Exmouth and Coral Bay were next –for diving on the Ningaloo reef (the Navy Pier Dive at Exmouth is highly recommended,and I could well believe it’s one of the top 10 dive sites in the world!).
After that the Pinnacles nearer to Perth beckoned,and my three months was up. I had to leave the country before my visa expired,so it was necessary to fly back to Brisbane,and for a day trip to New Zealand so I could spend the final two weeks of my time in Australia with hubby in or near to Brisbane.
A slideshow of some images from this epic 12,000km trip around Australia runs below,or click on Australia gallery to see the images in my Photoshelter galleries.
Australia –Images by Chiz Dakin
