Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Katherine to Kununurra

I am imagining a strawbale main house, (it's good to dream I say!)
I am imagining a Strawbale Studio with Mezzanine floor and high ceilings (it's good to dream I say!)

After leaving Litchfield National Park, we headed to Katherine and camped at the the Springvale Homestead.Where I found my design for a straw bale house and studio. I really love the earthy beauty, A framed roof, the cute patio, the handmade bricks the rough edges. I'd surround the buildings with rambling roses that climbed all over the buildings. Oh! such a romantic. Rod would soon snap me out of that, his only concern would be roots taking over the guttering, and burrowing into all nooks and crannies. (It's good to dream I say!) We plugged into power, regrouped and decided what to do next. Either head home back to Queensland or make our way to the Kimberley.


Ah Oh! we decided to head to the Kimberley. Half an hour out of Katherine, bang we had a blow out. This is the second blow out we have had. Rod puts it down to, too much weight. Must be the rock collection Rhody started in Tasmania, my goodness we have bags of rubble. And if anyone thinks that I could sneakily get rid of some. I tried and it was on. Mummy where is that rock I got from the Murray River (3 months ago) I put it in  my cupboard Rhody says. I wasn't going to tell him the truth. I don't know I said. Well it has to be in here somewhere. His lip drops. Not to worry I say here is the bag from the Snowy mountains. A quick tyre change from the hand dandy Daddy and off we go.




We got as far as Timber Creek and camped at the Gregory National Park, where we saw our first Boab Tree. The rangers came and gave a presentation in the evening about things to see and do. I am impressed at the efforts the ranges go to in some of these National parks, with power point presentations, projector screens all the while trying to deal with the wind. Wangi falls at Litchfield was the same, ranges came out and gave a talk in the evenings. Gregory National Park has a Devils Claw festival which is a volunteer environmental project aimed at eradicating the noxious and vicious two-metre high Devil’s Claw weed that is threatening to take over the Gregory National Park. You can go for a week or two and help make a real difference to the environment and help save the park and native animals. Gregory National Park is home to flora and fauna species of the arid inland and tropical north, making it an ecologically important region.

Volunteers should be physically fit and enjoy spending time in the bush. Food and transport around the park will be provided. To find out more information about this please click here
We headed off to Kununurra Western Australia and camped at the base of the Mini bungle bungles. Kununurra is a lovely little town. I spent a lovely hour walking around and sitting in the Lovell Gallery, reading artists, books on poetry and art and flipping through Australian art magazines. It was such bliss.The galleries mascot is a Boab Tree outside the front of the gallery dressed up with a large pink ribbon. Inside there was baskets of Boab nuts. What made this visit even more interesting was the amount of effort that was gone too to display the connecting stories to all of the exhibited displays, from the pink ribboned Boab Tree to where and how the boab nuts were sourced. Personal stories of travels and meeting people. 


You can never see too many flowers. These are some lovely wildflowers we saw on a walk around the mini Bungle Bungles

                                                                                                                                              all photography by Candice Herne and Rodney Nash

4 comments:

xxx said...

right now in this moment in time i would like to trade places with you.

i love what you are sharing here.

best wishes for safe travels
Robyn

The Words Crafter said...

The house is wonderful! I've learned so much more about your country than I ever have from tv. I'm glad you're traveling on, be safe and have fun. Looking forward to more of your wonderful photos!

Candice Herne said...

Hi Robyn lovely to hear from you. Thanks for your wishes. Candyxx

Hi WC I'm thrilled that you are learning about Australia. It is such a diverse and wonderful country. We are on the home stretch now. And I am looking forward to spending quality time with my washing machine my bed where I can get out on both sides. a bit of extra space. Long hot showers, a large fridge where I can store lots of fresh fruit and veg, a permenet oven where I can bake yummy meals,the luxury of indoor airconditioning and heating.And spending some alone time by myself in the studio, with my friends and family. And just a bit of free time to do as I please. More photo's to come. Candyxx

Sophie Munns said...

I love the post... the fun of the road.. the blow outs... the child that lugs half of australia around in the van and wont let you forget for one minute it is his.... maybe a geologist in the family?
Great to come on the tour to this part of OZ with you... have always wanted to visit the bungle bungles... just the name conjures up so much!
have fun!