Day 33 - Sunday 5 August - On the edge of the Bungles

Day 33

Sunday

5 August

Leycester Rest Area – Bungle Bungles Caravan Park

With the light of the new day beckoning us with gold fingers of light through the slits in the window, it was impossible to stay asleep. Deciding not to fight it, we began reading at 6.45am, knowing we had ages before we need to head the 10km down the road. In the end, I managed to stay long enough to finish Island Home. I found this to be a fascinating read and quite pertinent for the trip we are undertaking. 

Once finished, we shifted out of bed and to the table for breakfast, no urgency in anything we did. We heard campers coming and going around us, but couldn’t be bothered opening windows to pry. In the end we left the van at 9 and went for a walk to kill some time. 

We wandered down to the dry river bed, but this time jumped off the old crossing and walked along the sand bottom, clambering over the large, smooth river boulders. A lone yellow flower was growing smack bang in the middle, like a lighthouse beacon for the small animals that may use this as their highway. 

There wasn’t much life to be spotted, numerous skeletons of frogs lay belly up, long forgotten by the receding water line. The only life we spied was that of a ghostly figure standing on the bank, well aware of us before I finally twigged we were being watched and jumped in the process, having the beejesus out of me. A lone, silver brahman wondering what on earth we were up to and then we spied a second on the opposite bank. A browns cow sitting in the shade of the trees. 

We walked as far as the new traffic bridge that crosses the Ord River and then made our way back, part way along the riverbed and part way staggering up the side bank and through the low scrub, ever watchful for bities that might take their opportunity while we wear thongs. 

We were back by 9.30am and satisfied we had used up enough time. We started up the van and travelled down the road. 15min later, we turned off the highway and onto the grounds of Mabel Station, followed the slightly corrugated track for 1km and entered the makeshift caravan park that I assume would have been just a station stay at one stage. 

We located the office, confirmed our site and the two tours, paid the $1500 and then set about taking the car off and manoeuvring into site 14. We were all done and dusted by 10.30am and settled into our home for the next 3 nights. 

There wasn’t a lot to do here, so I read a trashy magazine I had picked up this morning that someone had left behind. We then did a lap of the park; first stop was reception. We thought we were going to get lucky with an extra person for our flight, this would have given us $60 back and an extra 10min flying time, but then the person pulled the pin.

We continued our wander around the grounds, checking out the other sites and the spots for tour groups. We made our way to the helicopter bay, speaking to the NZ pilot for a while. What a job it would be. We had a nosy around the Glamping tents, they were like a hotel room with fancy linen queen beds and a luxury stone bathroom, all inside a canvas bag. 

Once back at the van, it was time for lunch and another sit down. I read the info sheet and realised there were laundry facilities, so we packed up the dirty wash and took it over to the machine. I returned to go through the photos and the blog, watching new campers arrive in a steady stream. 

We played cards to while away the time and at 5pm, as the sun was leaving for another day, we went for a walk along the road into the national park. It was red, dusty and highly corrugated and we were glad we weren’t taking our vehicle into it tomorrow. Two vehicles drove by, leaving us in a cloud of dust, the dirt so fine it clouds up around us. 

We passed plenty of cows grazing, not particularly happy for our presence. We watched the eastern skyline take on a rainbow effect, with yellow, orange, pink, purple and blue horizontal streaks. We walked for around 10 min, before turning back. Paul was straight off for a shower, while I rang home to chat. 

We started dinner and ate, before heading over to the communal fire pit and dining area, where we would enjoy a meal tomorrow evening. The warmth from the fire was comforting. I watched embers rise like little fireflies taking to the sky. I sat mesmerised, before I drinks dropped off the little side table attached to the chair and that was the end of that.

As tomorrow was an early one, we were happy to return to the van and prepare for the day ahead and get some much needed rest in.