I do not know what is it about Liz and me, but we seem to just love some of our small, way outback towns towns about which fellow travellers invariably comment, "Why would you want to go there?" Normanton and Onslow have now been joined by Wyndham.
The words 'small' and 'outback' certainly apply to Wyndham. With a population of less than 1,000, many of whom are indigenous, and very little now by way of industry, Wyndham is the most northerly town in the Kimberley, approximately 80 kilometres north-west of Kununurra.
We had read that any visit to this region must include the Five Rivers Lookout at Wyndham and a feed at the Rusty Shed cafe. So, bright and early we joined the traffic heading out of Kununurra on the Victoria Highway,
but this time, instead of turning left onto the Great Northern Highway at the Cockburn junction, we continued along it to the north-west.
Just as had been the case on our journey into Kununurra, this was a drive which rewarded us with wonderful East Kimberley scenery.
For much of our trip we drove through and past rocky bluff and mountain ranges. We had decided to include a visit to two local tourist spots, The Grotto and Molly Springs, but saved this for the return journey.
Despite the fact that Wyndham is so remote, the highway by which it is reached is very good. We were on the outskirts in no time.
We made our way immediately up the steep and winding roadway which took us to the top of the Bastian range, and the Five Rivers Lookout.
It was there that we discovered that Wyndham is a town of two distinct and separate parts.....The Old Port and The Three Mile. Let's look at a bit of its history. The port of Wyndham lies on the shore of the Cambridge Gulf. This was the original settlement, established in 1886 by that redoubtable WA explorer John Forrest.
Gold had been discovered that year at Halls Creek and diggers flocking to the area did so by sea, landing in Wyndham. These were heady times. By mid 1886 the town boasted six pubs and at least 6,000 hopefuls had come ashore before making their way overland to Halls Creek, some 400 kms to the south. It is reported that at one stage there were 16 ships lying in the Cambridge Gulf roads.
Like everywhere else in Australia, the excitement and industry of the gold rush was soon over. By 1888 Wyndham fell into steep and rapid decline. There was just no need for a town and a port here anymore. To boost the local economy the WA Government built a meat works in Wyndham which did operate successfully between 1919 and 1985, when economic pressure, live exports and more efficient competitors forced its closure.
The town came into its own again as the base for the construction of the Ord River Diversion dam and the township of Kununurra, but once they were completed, again there was little Wyndham had to offer. A revival or sorts occurred with the development of an iron ore export facility at the port, but this has also had a chequered career. The shallow gulf meant that the ore had to be trans-shipped by lighter to the waiting carriers. This meant that each tonne of export had to be handled three times, an inefficient and eventually fatally expensive method.
Let me fill in any gaps by posting these two information signs
we found at the lookout. Isn't it sad that idiot tourists feel compelled to add their own insignificant and defacing scrawl to public amenities such as these.
This is a serious lookout, although my preconceived idea that from here the five rivers which empty into the Cambridge Gulf, the Durack, the Pentecost, the Forrest, the King and the Ord, would all appear before us in one frame was dashed.
This was but a minor disappointment as we gazed southwards over the port area and the narrow strip of the gulf. The Three Mile area is just off to the left of this shot. The dark strip almost to the top of the photo to the left of the gulf is the course of the King River. The Durack and the Pentecost Rivers empty into this arm of the gulf at the very top of the photo
Panning right, we could see the old port facilities. If you peer closely you will just be able to make out a small white speck at the water's edge....that is the bridge of the small coastal freighter loading at the dock.
Further to the right again and we are now looking out along the waters of Cambridge Gulf where old ore barges still lie at anchor beyond the loading conveyor belt which traverses the salt flats. The mouth of the Forrest River lies at the small curve in the coast middle left.
And on the other side of the 360 metre high lookout, way off in the haze
the mighty Ord meanders down to the sea. So there we have it, the five rivers.
This lookout has been well set up for visitors. Sunset BBQ's are very much in vogue.
Before leaving, I took a stroll down the rocky path on the southern slope of the lookout,
and from here was able to see the Three Mile (or modern) section of Wyndham against the backdrop of the Cockburn Range, hazy in the increasing morning heat.
This had been a great start to our day. It was time to descend from the mountain and see what this twin town was all about. We just wandered about, so there is no particular logic or sequence to these photos and comments.
Amongst other things we found the Memorial Hall
and St Joseph's Primary school, one of two schools and a TAFE in Wyndham.
The Wyndham Shire office building is another, like the school, where the otherwise dry and drab surrounds of much of the town have been 'greened'.
And then we came to the 'entertainment precinct' where the facilities are first class. This large covered basketball stadium
stands between, at one end, the local skate park,
and at the other, the town swimming pool under the very sensible shade sails.
And across the road, the outdoor cinema. Here my attention was first attracted to the front fence. This has been wonderfully decorated by local school kids
who have been appropriately recognised for their work.
Each picture has been done in the form of a frame of old film, and at the end it is quite clear that this is a work in progress.
What a marvellous initiative this is. An old galvanised iron fence has been transformed. Talk about initiating ownership and local pride. I was just delighted to see this.
The 'business end' of the cinema was more of what I had expected, where the bare frames of the patrons' seats indicated that this is a BYO cushion establishment!
Beyond the cinema, pool and so on, this Wyndham Street does give a good indication that this is a dry and dusty town which, typically, has pockets of amenities with 'not a lot' in between.
Not too far from here we came across a very smart building,
one which unfortunately provided some social commentary. Looking at the 'Shelter Hours' it is evident that Wyndham does kick off at night during the week...but what happens on the weekends???? I guessed that those who are found in various states of drunken disrepair on Saturday and Sunday become guests of WAPOL.
The Wyndham Tourist Information Centre is unpretentious to say the least. This is practical stuff....he fills up with fuel whilst she sees what is on offer for the tourist.
And what's a town without a tame donkey to greet guests? There was no doubt that we were a very long way from Perth! (and just about everywhere else for that matter)
Whilst here, we were keen to check out the local caravan park, one for future reference, and two, to see the purportedly huge boab tree in its grounds. What a gem we stumbled upon.
Immediately inside the entrance gate is this sign.....I was impressed already, not only by the message, but the quality of the sign itself, which proved indicative of all the amenities in this lovely little park.
The front office and cafe are quaint and rustic, and ideally suited to the venue. I had a brief chat to the owner (partly to compliment her for the speed limit sign) and found her to be utterly charming and very 'with it'.
The camp kitchen is more than adequate
and the ablution block and nearby small pool seemed entirely fit for purpose.
The sites are large, grassed and shady.
All this was actually incidental to our visit. We had come here to gaze on another huge and venerable Kimberley boab which is a feature of this park. There it was, at the end of the road. Even from here it looked massive.
This impression did not alter when we were closer. Just look how small Liz looks by comparison.
And it did not get any smaller looking from the other side. With its circumference of 25 metres, this gigantic tree is believed to be at least 2,000 years old. What stories it could tell!
As we left this delightful park with plans to stay here for a few days in future, the local tourist ambassador was on hand to applaud our decision and bid us safe travels. And, although Liz rarely casts an eye over these missives, I have declined to make any further comment about this shot for my own future personal well being!
Quite close to the park is a block of units which are clearly up-market by Wyndham standards,
where much of what we saw of the local housing could best be described as average.
The occupants of this particular dwelling were apparently at least making an effort in the diet department.
We did come across a few genuine old 'outbackers' but they were in the minority.
After the very pleasant surprise which is the Wyndham Caravan Park, we were off the 'other Wyndhman', the old port area where the access road across the salt and mud flats took us below the rim of the Bastian Range and the Five Rivers lookout.
As we approached the beginning of the short 'main street' of 'Wyndham Port' I knew that this is what I had come to see, and much more of what I had expected to find.
Before entering the main section of this part of town we turned left to make our way down to the water. Here was the first evidence that this is still a working port, albeit one which is not too busy these days. This flat bottomed barge we presumed plies its trade between the local islands and other landings on the Cambridge Gulf.
Recreational fishing is big in Wyndham. Very few houses, in particular out here, did not boast a boat it he front yard or nearby. And this is where they can put to sea.
Further evidence of the importance of recreational fishing (and the tourism it can attract) can be found in this large and very new purpose built recreational fishing jetty quite close to the boat ramp. This was only opened in 2012 and is heavily promoted in the tourist blurb. I did not have the time to wet a line on this particular visit....hopefully next time.
But I did take a quick gallop out along the jetty from where I could look back south over the very muddy waters and the mangrove lined shore of the Gulf to the boat ramp,
and in the other direction, to the main working wharf where a local freighter was loading. Like Derby, the waters of this area are constantly discoloured by the massive amounts of silt being continually deposited by the five river systems. And although the tides here are not as outrageously large as those of Derby, this is still an area in which the safe operation of any vessel demands knowledge of, and planning for, the fluctuations.
From here we toddled back along this short street from the waterfront to 'museum corner' where a left turn took us out past the main port area to a local ruin of some significance, a testament to a local administrative blunder.
Here, under the beetling brow of the lookout
stands what is left of 'The Residency'. Let me now quote the text on a nearby plaque.
"Built originally for the resident Magistrate in 1888 inferior caustic mortar used in the construction has made the walls crumble and fall over time. It was never occupied due to its remote location and fear of the hostile aboriginals [sic] in the area."
I really don't think there is much to add, other than to suggest it should have been renamed the 'Wyndham White Elephant'!
We did not bother to go further on to the closed and fenced defunct premises of the iron ore stockpile and shipping yards, but turned around to go back to the main street of Port Wyndham. In many places this area looks a bit like many old farming properties where the obsolete machinery is virtually dumped where it died. But here, of course, it is old shipping.
Despite the ramshackle appearance of the port area, the loading freighter and arriving road trains left no doubt that this is still a working port, albeit a shadow of its former self in the late 1800's.
Across the salt flats under the towering Bastians, we could see that folk still call this part of town home.
In fact there are houses dotted all around the edge of what I assume becomes a shallow lake during the wet.
This is rustic living to say the least.
We could see reminders of days gone by lining the other side of the road as we made our way back to the opposite end of the main street of Port Wyndham to that we had entered,
where we did get a real surprise. I had commented previously when wandering around The Three Mile that we had not come across the local Police Station.
There was a very good reason for that.....the Wyndham Court House
and quite large police buildings are here in Port Wyndham. What struck me as a little odd was the fact that these clearly 'modern' buildings were out here rather than in the population centre. This is something to be solved next time we visit.
Looking further down the street from this hub of law and order we could see the old tin roofed buildings on 'museum corner'.
Again, with time against us, we did not browse more closely through the town's history as displayed here. We had made the quite conscious decision that in any return visit to the West (possibly in 2017) a few days here would be firmly on our agenda.
Opposite the museum is another reminder of better days in Wyndham.
Mitchy does not want to leave anyone in doubt that the Barra Bar is no longer open for business!
We can only assume that the Wyndham old grocery store (seen here looking back towards the museum)
and the Wyndham Hotel opposite are faring better commercially.
Looking further down the street we could see the brightly painted building which is now the local video store
and beyond that we could have been in a 'pioneer village'. Lee Jong's 'general outfitters' store is a definite original
as is its near neighbour, the (very well known) Rusty Shed cafe. Its most unprepossessing exterior belies the quality of meals served indoors. The proprietors of this old tin shed bear an envied reputation as purveyors of fine food.
Just this side of the Rusty Shed along this quaint main street is the RSL Memorial Park
whilst opposite is a memorial a quite another kind. This rather heavy looking street bench is dedicated to all the drovers who prodded and pushed cattle from all over the East Kimberley to the abattoir and port of Wyndham.
The original post office is now a private residence, of which there are a few along main street.
Some are far more modern
than others.
And so that about brings us to the end of this wonderful old street in Port Wyndham and our jaunt through this part of the town.
It was time for lunch. With the Rusty Shed not being an option, we headed back across the mud flats into the Three Mile. We had heard of another fine cafe here in Wyndham, the Five Rivers.
As we came back into that part of town this time we passed the local footy oval, where visitors face the formidable talents of the Wyndham Crocodiles.
I thought the notice on the oval gate another rather sad reflection on the social state of affairs here in Wyndham, not so much the ban on alcohol, but the potential need to search vehicles for contraband liquor.
And here, as I was gazing around, I spotted yet another example of the complete individuality of the boab......this youngster had decided to spend its life in the embrace of a mate.
"Stop staring at bloody trees.....it's time for lunch", said she. returning from a 'comfort stop'. She was right, the worms were definitely biting, so off along the Three Mile main street we drove
until we reached the famed Five Rivers cafe
where the opening hours are proclaimed in a most unusual and colourful way
and the lunch hour rush was on. And I am here to say, the reputation acquired by the Five Rivers for excellent food, in large serves at utterly moderate prices, is well deserved. Add impeccable counter service, a heap of local flavour (half the town seemed to be eating here or wandering in for take-away) and this is a noshery we can fully endorse.
The Wyndham supermarket did not look quite as impressive or inviting, but we had no need to shop and cannot comment further.
We made one last stop as we left town, at the park at the far end of the street where this huge crocodile statue bares its teeth at all arriving in town.
Here too, we found the Wyndham Post Office, a liquor store and the Op Shop. What an odd little collection that is, but that's Wyndham for you, a town with a past and a present, but what future? Hopefully tourists like us, the port operations and the remaining grazing industry will keep things afloat here.
On our return trip to Kununurra we decided to pop into another caravan park near Wyndham, Parry Creek. Suffice to say it did not suit us and I didn't bother with photos, but on the rather crappy road in and out I did spy another boab which just demanded a shot.
How about this for a 'vase of flowers'?
The Grotto, a deep pool at the base of a natural amphitheatre in the rocks, fed (usually) by a waterfall, was next on this day's busy agenda.
As we peered down into the overgrown chasm
and contemplated the descent down the steep flight of uneven rocky steps, we were a little relieved that we had already been told that the waterfall was not flowing. Our visit today was merely a recce. This is another 'spot for next time'.
And then, as we drove out along the Grotto access road, a find! I was, by now, a much more informed observer of the local East Kimberley flora. This rangy looking shrub demanded my attention. Could it be what I suspected?
A closer look confirmed our find. There was one remaining flower of this season clinging stubbornly to a small, dry branch.....a Kimberley rose no less!
We rejoined the Great Northern Highway in a buoyant mood. (I know, Marshie getting excited about a flower...it was as much the thrill of the discovery as the outcome...these are really rare) We passed the eastern end of the Gibb River Road (remember we had seen the other end just out of Derby) and the sign to El Questro which is probably the most well known of all the tourist destinations in this part of the world, and was not too far away (50 kms or so), but we had neither the time nor the real inclination to visit.
We had but one final stop to make, the tiny glade which is Molly Spring, a few kilometres west of Kununurra. "You must have a swim at Molly Spring", was the constant advice we had received from many.
Fortunately we had also been warned about the condition of the road in. The initial red dirt stage wasn't too bad,
but this soon turned to rock, and from here on in we could only manage 15 kph without being shaken to death. Fortunately it was not too far.
From the car park it is but a short, but very interesting walk to the spring, a path defined initially by these entrance cairns
and from there, by the track itself, over rocky rivulets in spots,
and along wider, still rocky, sections through the reeds, eucalypts and pandanus.
Finally, a short stretch through the thick grass heralded our approach to the spring..
It was all well worth the effort. The tiny waterfall which constantly feeds the pool with crystal clear water was trickling its dry season feed into the far end of the pond.
There was only one thing to be done. And here we have a signature moment. I know, you had all by now forgotten about my injured toe.....but we hadn't! On this hot, dry afternoon The Matron gave me permission for the first time in fifty days to get it wet.
I suspect this delightful grotto had not hosted a land whale (my enforced lack of exercise was beginning to show) in speedos for a very long time, and I have to report that clambering in gingerly over the bed rocks and slippery tree roots took some real concentration, but at last I was wallowing around in what is described as the 'refreshing' waters of the pool.....for that read bloody chilly!
This is not the place for a training swim....it's not much bigger than a park pool, but oh, what a 'pool surround'. And, yes, dear readers, I was certainly refreshed.
What a marvellous way this had been to end this day's adventure. And what a day it had been. A most interesting, isolated and historical town, the most northerly in WA, a real find of a caravan park, a great lunch, a Kimberley rose and a refreshing dip in idyllic surroundings.
And just to top it all off, at the dreadful risk of lowering the otherwise impeccable tone of the MobileMarshies' blog, a spot of boab erotica.....an 'X' Rated tree...I told you they have character!!
An early morning ramble through the Mirima National Park at the back of our caravan park will be our last remaining Kununurra experience before we head off to the Lake Argyle resort and a few days of travelling R & R.
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