We wanted to stay longer in Karinjini for the beautiful hikes, but it was really too cold, so we headed up North in search of somewhere warm and calm to start a new chapter. No more holidays…. It was time to get started on a routine and schooling the kids!
After a few failed attempts, we finally settled in Embalgun, Middle Lagoon in the Dampier Peninsular. Embalgun is about 200km North of Broome. Most of it along unsealed dirt road. It is pretty close to paradise though; Deserted beaches, pristine waters, fish galore, whales, dolphins, turtles… Will Smyth started welcoming visitors to Embalgun a few weeks ago, so there isn't very much of a set-up yet, but the place is full of potential. Will is a "half-caste" from the stolen generation. He was taken away from his mother when he was 4 months old and brought up by Irish nuns and German priests. Will, his wife, Colleen, their 9 children and 29 grandchildren are the Embalgun community. They are warm, hospitable and tell the most amazing stories.
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We spent an amazing first 3 weeks. The camping we did was probably a little too hardcore for our visitors, but they did really well; Dug their own shit holes, drove in mud, corrugated roads for kilometers on end, set-up in rainstorms, suffered extremely cold temperatures, 6 days without a shower, no running water, electricity or internet…. I think we put them off camping for good. We did get to see some pretty amazing places though! Wagoa Bay, KalbarriNotes : a. Wagoa Beach Campsite (***) : Great views, Dune walks, Hot showers, Camp Kitchen $35/night. b. Finlay's Fish & Barbecue (****) : Genuine Food for Genuine People. Must try the Thai Curry Fish Wings. Bush Bay, CarnavonNotes : a. Bush Bay Campsite (***) : Difficult access road, 4WD mud, sand & corrugated road. No Facilities, bring water, dig own toilets. $5.50/adult & $3/child. Quiet secluded. Not a good swimming beach, but wild and beautiful. Kilos of cockles to be picked in the sand. (When cooking, remember to rinse and soak in fresh water overnight. We didn't and had very very salty & sandy vongole!) b. Gary’s Refrigeration in Carnavon (*****) : Nicest refrigerator repairman I have ever met. The fridge broke down again 1 day later, but he gave us enough crabs & fish to feed the whole family so it was well worth it! NingalooNotes : a. Ningaloo Station (*****) : Difficult corrugated access road. No Facilities, bring water, chemical toilet required, rent a firebox, bring own firewood, (neighbor snitched on us when we picked up twigs from the beach!!). Amazing beach & marine life, well spaced out sites– request to stay at South LeFroy Beach. Many rules, but well worth it. Lobster permit required. Great walks around the station with hundreds of kangaroos and goats. Beware of snakes in the bushland. Look for Mudpools in the station and treat yourself to a natural mudbath. $35 per week per adult & half price for children. We could have spent a month here! KarinjiniNotes : a. Dale’s Campground (****) : Nice grounds but you will need to arrive early in the day to get a spot. (If not, you can camp in a temporary site until the next day.) Camp compost toilet, water 10km away. Beautiful hiking & swimming in the pools. Very very cold nights (4degrees!). No fires allowed. $10/adult & $2.50/child. b. Karinjini Eco Retreat (-) : $20 per person per night. A bit of a scam in my opinion. This is supposed to be owned by the local indigenous community but there were no aboriginals working at the retreat. It cost Rio Tinto & the Aussie government $9million to build this place, and one wonders where all that money went….. Someone needed some fancy CSR project to put in the Financial Statements?? c. Use the red soil & yellow stone to make natural paints. d. If driving from Exmouth to Karinjini, remember to stop for gas @ Nuantarra Gas Station. We still had more than half a tank, didn’t pay much attention and ran out of fuel 120km south of Tom Price!! THANK YOU K-PA, K-MA, NANA, MAT & KIT for being so patient with us on the first part of our journey. We miss you!!!!
28th June 2016, Tuesday
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