Locations: Manning Girge, Galway Horge, Imintji, Bell Gorge, Derby

Region: Kimberley WA

Dates: Wednesday 7 August – Friday 9 August 2024.

Temperatures 17 – 34 degrees Wunamiin Miliwundi Ranges (prev King Leopold Ranges)

Total trip kilometres: 5058

Wednesday 7 August 2024

Manning Gorge to Imintji 80km’s

We had a very nice evening yesterday chatting with Greg and Tracey from Bundaberg area whom we met on the Gorge trail yesterday. We sharing stories, wine and two very nice cheese platters. A lovely evening with lovely people.

This morning we are moving onto our next camp at Imintji Community Camp where we will stay for two nights and visit Bell Gorge tomorrow.

On the way to Imintji Community Camp and just at the start of the Phillips Ranges is Galvans Gorge. We stop for a walk and a swim.

The track in is about 1km, mostly sand with a few rocks.

The Gorge when we arrive is beautiful and shady. A cool oasis on this hot day.

We both head in for a dip and visit the waterfall on the other side before I swim back and take some photos.

I see three white cockatoo’s head to the top of the fall. It’s very likely there’s a pool up there and it is obviously a favourite spot for them to drink and bathe and stepping back I see a beautiful boab tree right at the very top of the Gorge.

It is such a an awesomely lovely place, cool, peaceful and serene.

I’m reluctant to leave.

But continue on we do. Back to the car and off we head, up and then over the Phillip Ranges now heading South West and towards the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges.

As we drive, we see hills starting to appear at our sides and ranges in the distance and we have bitumen for about 20km’s, a nice change from the gravel.

Before long we see Bell Gorge camp, then Imintji Community Store and then the campground. We check in at the store and on the way to the camp see a Brahman on the side of the road and then two more big beautiful Brahman bulls sauntering down the road.

We make camp with a big golden escarpment as our backdrop and later as the sun sets I take a few snaps of the dusky, dusty wilderness.

Thursday 8 August 2024

Temperature: 19 – 34

Today we are hiking Bells Gorge which is about 45km’s from here.

We planned to set off nice and early and spend most of the hot part of the day there 9am – 3pm but were delayed by a couple seeking help around 7:30am. They had a problem with their van and needed to contact the manufacturer so we turned the Starlink on and then waited until they got a message through and then a reply back with a short term solution to keep them going so we set off about 9:00am and arrived at the Gorge around 10:00am

As we get ready to leave the car the sole of my left boot peels off so I swap to my Merry People boots.

It’s a short fairly easy walk to the Gorge with sand and then a rocky creek bed and two creek crossings.

The walk is pleasant but rocky. We make it to the gorge in about 20mins.

The second part of the track around to the falls (in red on the map) is a level 5 walk so I opt to stay at the top and take pictures of Rob swimming below, up to the falls.

The Gorge is quite long and there are already a lot of people here including an APT Kimberley tour group, swimming as I take pictures of Rob setting off for his walk.

I walk up the Gorge beside the falls and take pictures of Rob as he comes down on the other side and has his swim. The water looks deep and I can see rocks below the surface. These places are absolutely amazing.

The falls are so awesome and the sound is refreshing and clear in this oasis setting.

I take a picture of the Gorge in both directions before hopping in for a swim in one of the top pools.

The picture above shows a fellow with a white cap and black trunks on. As I was getting in to swim he eases himself over the top ledge of the falls and sits in crevasse with the water flowing around him. The rocks here all have either black or green algae on them which makes them very slippery. My nerves ratchet up as I think of how the day could be ruined for everyone present if he slipped and fell. The foolishness of people in these places never ceases to amaze me. I see the tour guide shaking his head and people in his group start to call him back, saying he’s making them anxious so it’s not only me that feels this way.

I swim up to the edge of the falls, stand about two metre’s back on a sandy patch and wave at Rob and he takes a picture of me at the top of the falls. I’m in the pink shirt!

We enjoy a great day at Bell Gorge, swimming, lounging in the rocks and chatting to people from all over the country, some international people too. We explore the rocks and spend ages watching a Mertens Monitor alternately sunning himself on the rocks and then diving into the water for a dip and repeating this over and over again. It’s beautiful with pale yellow spots on its dark brown skin.

We enjoy snacks; some muesli bars I made yesterday and apples, while enjoying the cool shade from the rocks, Rob even dozing for a bit. A really lovely day… until we head back at about 2:30pm.

We walk back to the car park and visit the toilets and as I exit and head down the steps I badly roll my right ankle on an exposed rock underneath the last step. Oh no!

The pain is really bad and I can barely stand. Thankfully Rob heard my yelp and he’s there to steady me.

The pain is so bad I’m fearful I’ve done something bad, it’s all around my ankle and it can’t bear my weight.

Rob moves the car closer and with his help and my walking poles I make it to the car. The 7km drive back to Bell Gorge campground is rough and I’m in agony so when we arrive Rob rearranges the gear in the back seat and moves me there so my right foot is elevated. Then it’s another 45 odd km of rough road back to Imintji community and Rob stops at the store to get ice and then back to camp and before long my foot is in a bucket of ice water… I won’t tell you about getting the boot off!

After that it’s a compression bandage, elevation and more ice. Known as the R.I.C.E first aid technique.

We have to change our plans now so decide to skip Winjana Gorge and the Tunnel Creek hike and head straight to Derby tomorrow. I’m sad about this as I know Rob was really looking forward to the walk – it involves a swim in a cave across 25metre’s with your gear in a dry bag and you need headlamps. So we will reschedule this if we can. It’s about 120km’s from the turn off to Winjana to Derby on the Gibb-Derby road. There also our trip to horizontal falls next week to consider but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Friday 9 August 2024

Temperature: 18 – 34 degrees

Imintji to Derby 193km’s.

Total trip kilometres: 5220

We awake at dawn and Rob makes coffee. Thankfully after a night of elevation and an ice bag rotating around my ankle, it doesn’t look too bad, swollen but not grotesquely so and the pain is reasonable so I’m hopeful it’s just a bad sprain. Still not weight bearing but I can put it down on the ground this morning.

My lack of mobility means Rob has to do all the jobs which we normally share.

What a trooper he is. Setting the van to travel inside and out including all the extra jobs inside to accommodate the rough road and helping me too. He’s always my hero but especially today. I’m so thankful we share our life together. Thank you handsome.

We set off around 9am and after about 30km we move into another range with steep hills either side. There’s a lookout with spectacular views which we pause to enjoy.

The road is rough and the next section of road is very uncomfortable for me with my leg elevated across the back seat. I do my best to distract myself with the scenery and trying to take pictures but it feels like it’s going to be a long day.

We pass into Hart Mountain range and the rocks show basalt and we start to see trees “scribbly pine” I think. They are small oddly twisted shaped trees.

We pass Queen Victoria Head, which oddly does look like her profile, particularly from afar and then over the Lennard River and around the bend is the Winjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek turnoff and this marks the end of the gravel! Thank goodness.

Rob pulls off and reinflated all the tyres and we continue on to Derby arriving about 1pm.

We visit the emergency department which is quiet and I’m seen shortly after by a young doctor who examines my foot and thinks it’s just sprained but wants to x-ray to be sure. The x-ray confirms his diagnosis and I’m much relieved. A sprain is manageable enough living in the van and with crutches in hand we continue on.

Stay safe, be kind to one another and love to all.

Maryann and Rob xx