Zebra Rocks

Wednesday 8th July 2009
Our first night at Kununurra was cold but the daytime temperature still climbed to 30°C. We had a good rest last night and caught up on some badly needed sleep. Kununurra is so close to the NT border that the sun sets just after 5pm and it's pitch dark by 5:30pm. Less than 100km to the east is the border where the clocks are adjusted back by 1.5hrs which means the sun sets at 6:30pm, a much more reasonable time.
In the morning Ilse did a bit of washing and I washed the caravan and did some general maintenance before we took off to the Mirima National Park just outside Kununurra. Valleys and outcrops made of ancient rocks which have been uncovered by erosion and wind over the last 250 million years make for a spectacular sight. For much of this time rainforest covered the continent and dinosaurs roamed the place when it was Gondwana land.
Sometime between 40,000 and 100,000 years ago Aboriginal people came to Northern Australia and they explain many features of the landscape in dreaming stories. The prominent rock formations in this National Park are part of the 'head lice dreaming' of the local Miriwoong people.
After Miriwa we took a short drive out of town to the Zebra Rock Gallery where all sorts of pretty objects were formed out of the unique Zebra Rock found in this area. On the way out to the gallery we passed a huge Mango Plantation and other fabulous looking agricultural land which is part of the Ord River irrigation scheme.
We had to get a few more items from the shops before returning back to the caravan for a late lunch. Our afternoon trip took us to a place called the Ivanhoe Crossing, a crossing of the Ord River which is only passable by vehicles which have sufficient ground clearance to keep the water out. We admired the fisherman seeking the illusive Barra in waters which are well know for its Saltwater Crocs.
We missed the sunrise this morning as it happened a bit too early for us but our tour to the Bungle Bungles tomorrow leaves at 5:30am so we will probably see a sunrise.