At this time of the year Kununurra (KN for short from now on) is a hive of traveller activity. Grey nomads, back packers and others just escaping the chill of the southern winter for a few weeks, can be found everywhere. We had realised over the past few days that our direction of travel was very much 'against the tide'. Caravans were still streaming west through this part of the State en route to the three month 'wintering grounds' destinations on the upper WA coast...80 Mile Beach, Broome etc.
It is just as well there are six caravan parks in the town. From what we saw they were all doing a brisk trade. Whilst those on the edge of Lake KN were tempting, most did not take pets (particularly at this peak time of the year). The Hidden Valley park, a mere one and a half kms from the CBD, was our choice.
Now that we had crossed the Diversion dam, all that remained was to find it. Under instruction from our every trusty (usually) electronic navigator, we made our way along past this impressive motel complex
fronted by a row of boab trees (how odd for the Kimberley!).
To our right we could see the blue waters of what is the northern tip of Lake KN, a pretty pool of water known as Lilly Creek Lagoon.
One of the lakeside caravan parks reaches down to the edge of the lagoon. We could just we a few vans dotted along the water's edge. In our pre-arrival planning, this park had featured high on our list, but fortunately we later discovered that the water front sites were at a real premium and the remainder of the park was much less appealing.
So we chugged on further along Victoria Highway,
past the junction of Messmate Way, the divided road into the main KN CBD,
and left into Weber Plain Road. We were nearly there.
The Hidden Valley Caravan Park is nestled at the foot of the bluffs and valleys of the Mirima National Park with its entrance fronting onto Weber Plain Road.
From here it was down the entrance driveway, where unfortunately the bitumen soon gave way to dirt,
to the park office. We were already impressed by the delightful trees and gardens, but we soon to learn a real lesson about this park.
Liz checked us in as usual and we were allocated our site. We had specifically asked for grass. No problems. "Follow me", was the direction from one of the park managers on his quad bike.
This seemed to be a good start. It would appear we are going to be put on site. So off we dutifully went behind the sputtering quad. A very sharp right hand turn then took us down this narrow dirt track between some permanents....I was becoming a little nervous....this was very tight indeed.
A roadway of more permanent sites ran off to the left
as we continued further into this end of the park where a left hand turn took us onto our site roadway and, seen here, our site (we did not have the place to ourselves like this for long).
And then the fun began. I had been concerned to learn that the managers of this park were fairly new to the job, and now this showed. I was directed past our site and told that this would be the best way to get on. One quick glance around was enough to convince me that this was highly unlikely....there were trees and shrubs all over the place. But, dutifully, as our host scampered off, leaving us to our own devices, we had a crack.
Indeed your scribe did know best. After one attempt I knew that our advice had been utterly wrong. So off up the roadway, a U turn and a second try, this time from the opposite direction. Even from this approach, our mooring was a challenge, and I was very grateful for the depth of parking experience we now have under out belts.
As it was we entertained the neighbours royally for a few minutes and I later learnt that a couple of them were quietly betting we would not be able to do it....more fools them! But it had been touch and go. And it was about now we learnt that here at Hidden Valley clients enjoy either grass or shade, but not both together.
Given the daily temperatures in the mid to high 30's, our air conditioner did get a very good workout here. Poor old Max would never have coped otherwise. As it was he spent many hours each day prostrate on his rug.
But whilst we may not have had any shade, we did have views, towards the rocky bulk of Kelly's Knob (from the top of which we later took in some wonderful views of KN)
and in the other direction along our site roadway past the convenient conveniences, some of the quite spectacular jagged peaks of the Mirima Park (we shall have a closer look at this later...the park not the heads!)
But speaking of the ablutions, these were a block of self-contained en suite rooms, of an interesting design. There was no specific shower cubicle. The water just poured out from the shower head onto the floor. At first glance I could not believe that the sink and toilet bowl would not become saturated by the splashing, but it all worked surprisingly well. Mind you, it was just as well each room was large.
Hidden Valley is a big park. This is one of three ablution blocks. Just beyond it is the first of three camp kitchen dotted here and there. These were pretty basic, and during our stay, had become the almost exclusive domain of the many Asian backpackers who were in KN for the picking season. We were not unhappy that we had no need to use this facility.
In the broad expanses of this end of the park tents were dotted all over the place.
Some were clustered in tight groups under the shade trees.
Others preferred a more isolated lifestyle.
For those of us in caravans, as I mentioned earlier, this park is in two distinct parts. We were on the grass. Others, including one of our mates from Spring Creek, chose the more shaded option. It did look inviting.
The leafy avenues of this end of the park were popular,
with transients and more permanent residents alike,
but here the price to be paid came in the form of dust......not a blade of grass survives in the gloom of this leafy canopy. Rarely are the choices so stark.
We had heard prior to our arrival, from somewhat disgruntled previous visitors to Hidden Valley we had met at Fitzroy Crossing, that the park was over-run by permanent residents to the detriment of those using it as a temporary home. I was glad I had not been too concerned about their views.
There is no doubt that many do make this place their full time home,
and that some of their domiciles leave a bit to be desired in the neatness stakes,
and exhibit a rather warped sense of reality (!),
but they are confined to specific areas and in our entire stay we were never either bothered or concerned by any of them.
And some have gone to a great deal of effort. This rather grand park edifice stood adjacent to the park pool.
Here Hidden Valley shines. The pool and its surrounds are magnificent.
Not only is there a well set up area under the trees at one end for those wishing to lounge comfortably in the shade,
the pool itself is large, much larger than the usual pocket handkerchief ponds of most parks.
I'll leave you all to imagine just how peeved I was that the state of my healing toe still rendered this aquatic delight out of bounds.
So, despite the lack of shade, we did settle in quite comfortably in Hidden Valley. One of our new found friends had set up just behind us, whilst the other couple had opted for a site in the shaded area as I previously noted.
Their stay was brief, only three nights, but we did manage to pack in some serious socialising, including a Chinese meal at the rather prosaically named 'Kimberley Asian Cuisine'.
Whilst the name may have lacked originality, the food was magnificent. I have to say it did seem a little odd to be eating Chinese food cooked and served by folk who had immigrated from New Delhi and were very Indian. A restaurant which specialised in both Chinese and curry was a first for us, but it remains one we would happily recommend to any who visit KN.
We did pack a lot in during our stay here. Adventures along the Ord River, visits to a very odd distillery, the market gardens and sandalwood plantations of the Ord River scheme, a general wander about and a visit to old mates were all on our busy itinerary. I'm slowly catching up!
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