What's Up Down Under Adventure: Day 11

 


Day 11 Blog

Location: Mt Barnet Station, WA


After an early wake-up and a quick breakfast, we pack up and leave the Gibb River to head to Mt Barnett Station! Lots of discussion in regard to fuel in the Chevys, but after checking the jerry cans, everyone is comfortable that we will make it. The Ford Ranger Campervan that I am travelling in has a 2-litre bi-turbo engine with a long-range fuel tank; it offers exceptional mileage and range, so no concerns for us. It's a perfect setup for long-range touring for two people. The going is slow, as usual, due to the road conditions. The cars all started off very clean but are now another colour due to the amount of dust on them. You really need to ensure all your windows, vents, etc., are closed; otherwise, they will be covered in dust. I know, as my swag sits open in the crew car when we travel, and it now takes me about 10 minutes to bang all the dust off!


Road conditions are still bad, and speeds are down to 50-60 km/h in some spots and 20-30 km/h in others. Cattle on the road are more frequent now, so you always need to remain alert. After around 3-4 hours of driving, we arrive at Mt Barnett Station, with a couple of cars nearly empty, but we made it. We all enjoy a range of food for lunch and also indulge in drinks and ice cream 😊 Once all the cars are full, we head off down the road to the Manning Gorge Caravan Park. The road is a narrow dirt track and only a few kilometres long, making it slow going. Once we find some good spots, it's a well-oiled team that gets the camp set up quickly. It's a very large park, and all the sites are unpowered.

After setup, I head off with Jude, Scotty, David, and Flash for a well-earned swim in the huge swimming hole, about 100 metres or so from our camp! The water is just beautiful and does the job in cooling us all down. Lots of rocky spots above the waterline, and in one corner we see a freshwater croc enjoying the sun. We enjoy the water for about an hour or so and then walk back to camp for a nice shower in the amenities block! Another great dinner, and tomorrow we have to get up early to hike to the gorge; it's about 2.5 km each way, and we have to swim through the swimming hole first, then hike to the gorge! Another beautiful night under the stars, and off to bed in my swag!


Check out more images below!

These are a range of images & videos from our trip to the Mt Barnet Station, WA!












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