ALL AROUND AUSTRALIA: DAYS 118-125 : KUNUNURRA

25 July 2010. The highlighted green line shows our journey from home to Broome. The orange line shows our return trip across The Kimberley to Kununurra just west of the WA-NT border. See our first trip to Kununurra - Days 28 - 32.

IVANHOE CROSSING

Ivanhoe Crossing is a causeway across the Ord River and was the original roadway north to Wyndham. Bollards indicate the water level and a gate closes off the thoroughfare if either the river depth is too hazardous for vehicles to cross or the roadway further on is impassable. Here is Wolfgang near the northern side.... the causeway crosses over the island in the middle of the river and then continues over a wider expanse of water to meet the other side.....

The rocks on the river bank have been worn away by swirling water to form unusual shapes....

Wolfgang driving across....

Reaching the other side.... cars are either waiting to cross or tourists come out the 12 kms from town to photograph the famous crossing.... the tree overhanging the road is the White Dragon Tree....

or Dragon Flower Tree. It has clusters of spectacular flowers and is the largest of the native peas, the creamy white petals being about 10-15 cms long (this tree is fast growing and has been exported to places like western Africa to revegetate areas devastated by overgrazing

More wildflowers on the riverside...........

LILLY POND LAGOON

Lilly Lagoon with Elephant Rock or The Sleeping Buddha in the background.........

The large water lillies were dormant but in amongst the pads were a species of smaller lillies......

Compare the size of the flower to the fly on the lilypad......

Comb-Crested Jacana have overly large feet which enable them to "walk on water" with the support of lilypads and aquatic plants..........

A darter watches the goings on of the lagoon from his island of reeds....

A Merton's Water Monitor explores the reeds for birds' eggsand prey.....

On the side of the lagoon is a public park called Celebrity Tree Park... there are trees planted by celebrities such as Peter Brock, Ernie Dingo, etc. Under the bush on the rise in the centre of the picture is a Bower Bird's bower....

Wolfgang was extremely fortunate to capture the male bird dancing his courtship display........

A Sacred Kingfisher...

Glossy Ibis....

Yellow-Tinted Honeyeater.....

A male and female pair of Crimson Finches in the safety of barbed Pandanas leaves........

BUTTON CROSSING - ORD RIVER

8 kms further on from the Ivanhoe Crossing is Button's Crossing where we came in search of the rare and endangered Star Finch.....

We set our chairs up here on a quiet edge of the river away from the main current..... the finches are so small they are difficult to notice when they suddenly appear.... here are two

In the small tree overhanging the water is a tree full of Double-Barred Finches waiting to see who will have the courage to be the first one to swoop down to the waters edge..... all the others then quickly follow.....

We don't have to wait long and there are Double-Barred Finches as well as a Yellow-Tinted Honeyeater and

Yellow-Rumped Mannikin.....

A baby Mannikin...... Look Mum! I can swim!!

Chestnut-Breasted Mannikin join the group.....

At last, a juvenile Star Finch joins the group (red beak but not yet vibrantly coloured)....

Three Yellow-Rumped Mannikins.........

The Yellow-Tinted Honeyeater is the King of the Castle while the three Double-Bar's take a quiet dip.....

Cool reflections.........

Two finch friends..........

The Star Finch makes his "star" appearance!!

A White-Gaped Honeyeater checks out the action.............

We stopped on the Ivanhoe Crossing on the way back to give the car a much needed wash.............

LAKE KUNUNURRA


early morning

The Ski Club on Lake Kununurra had a beautiful tropical tree in its grounds............

A family of White-Breasted Woodswallows perch on wires to get a high vantage point to see the insects they catch "on the wing".....

Kapok flowers...... these trees grow prolifically across The Kimberley and at this time of year the leafless trees display the bright yellow flowers

The Pheasant Coucal (also called the Cane Pheasant or Swamp Pheasant) is a long-tailed, short-legged skulking, pheasant-like bird. I saw a breeding pair flying awkwardly into the trees late in the day. They made loud scolding noises and sounds like liquid glugging from a bottle. They were huge birds, at least a metre long. Because of the distance and the poor light the photographs are not good quality......