Day 158. Kununurra

An early morning hike

We were up bright and early this morning, trying to beat the heat. We were keen to go and explore the Mirima National Park, also know as Hidden Valley, which is located at the back door to the caravan park. It has been likened to a mini version of the Bungle Bungles, with towering red cliffs that change colour with the early morning light.

There is a back entrance to the national park from our caravan park, so we hit the trail from here at about 7:30am. During our walk, we saw so many birds, Scarlett even managed to get right up close to a Butcher Bird. We also saw a heap of Double Bar Finches, and numerous Whistling Kites too. It took a good 20min to hike in from the back of the caravan park to the car park; where the official start of all the trails begin.

We started with "The Derbde-Gerring Banan" or "Lookout Walk", which took us up to the top of the range and gave a spectacular views out over the Ord Valley and surrounding sandstone ranges. This 800m return walk was a Class 4, which everyone enjoyed and seemed to manage OK.

Next was the "Looking at Plants" walk; a 400m return loop where we walked with trail side signage that helped us get to know some of the local plants and their Traditional uses. The flowers are all starting to come out in bloom here, and they are beautiful.
 

 
Last was the "Demboong Banan" trail which is a 500m return, that rewarded us with a spectacular view of Kununurra through a gap in the eroded sandstone. Demboong means gap and Banan means trail in the local Miriuwung language. It was so interesting looking out over the whole of Kununurra, and seeing the vast plantations that stretched out over the horizon.

It was on this last walk that we could see the caravan park below us, and Shane came up with the great idea to go bush and short cut it across to the caravan park instead of going all the way back around. There seemed to have been others with the same idea, as there was a rough trail to follow. We were back in about 5min, and after our very long morning we were very grateful to sit down in the air conditioner and have nice a cup of tea.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing; we did duck into town to grab a couple of things from the shops, including a new pair of earrings as Scarlett has lost one. We also baked chocolate cup cakes, and had heaps of fun decorating them.

This evening when Shane and Scarlett got back from watching the outdoor movie we tried to put Scarlett's new earring's in, Oh my goodness what a drama; after 2 hours of begging, threatening, bribing and crying! She is now know known as pirate Scarlett. There is only one earring in, and that it seems is now the way it's going to stay. Not only will she not let us put in the new one, but she wont let us take out the old one.....