I was up early so I went across the road from the accommodation to look at the lagoon and Celebrity Tree Park. I was keen to see bird life, and while I didn’t see as much as I’d hoped, I still saw a lot. 

Cormorants, a type of parrot, birds of prey, a wren, straw-necked ibis, honeyeaters and a bee-eater! I was well chuffed. No freshwater crocodiles unfortunately. 

Glen and I then went for coffee and breakfast, packed, and went off with Narelle to Mirima National Park. 

Mirima National Park is a small national park very close to Kununurra which is billed as a mini Bungle Bungles. 

There were three trails, all less than a 20-minute walk. We did them all, one of them getting up to a good height over the national park, the back of Kelly’s Knob, and what looks like a car wreckers. 

On the walk up I spotted a very small dragon on the rock, who didn’t seem fazed at all by us standing over them or getting super close. I got some very up close photos. It was great. 

On the return journey we heard a lot of noise just off the path, coming from a couple of birds. I then noticed the large nest they’d built on the ground and realised we were looking at a bower! 

The bower was incredibly intricate and well designed with sticks. It was incredibly architectural. And out the front were a lot of white objects, mostly rocks from what I could see. I don’t know if there were any chicks in there but there were two birds so they were getting ready for something. Such a highlight to see them!

Glen and I then did the last longer walk and Narelle picked us up at the end. We went to Coles next, picked up supplies for our two nights at Lake Argyle, collected our luggage, and set off for Lake Argyle. 

We checked out the wall and the outlet flow, went up to the lookout, and then down to the absolutely rammed Lake Argyle Resort and Caravan Park. So. Many. People. 

It took a bit of a while to check in but we were eventually taken over to our chalet which has a beautiful view over the lake. The accommodation is quite cozy too. 

Glen and Narelle relaxed on the deck reading for a while but I went down Jesse’s Trail, a short steep walk from the top to the lake. There was a platform there and a couple of families with kids. 

I hadn’t prepared to swim, so didn’t have a towel, but I was wearing my shorts that double as bathers, so once the kids got out, I got down to my shorts and dove in. The water was wonderful, not too cold, and I had a swim around for a bit, watching the darkening clouds roll in. I wasn’t in long but I enjoyed the swim and the spontaneity. 

In the evening we’d booked in for a camp oven dinner experience. Eleven or twelve of us got collected at 4:30 then driven out to the top of a lookout where there were a table, chairs, chandeliers, an outdoor toilet, and a camp oven set up. 

We were given a Matso’s ginger beer and watched the part of the sunset that was visible, there being an unseasonably high amount of cloud in the sky and a lot of wind. We were very glad to have brought our jackets. 

Dinner was three courses and delicious, usually native and local ingredients. The first dish was a barramundi, the second pork belly (though Narelle and I had a Brie pizza), and the third a rum and chocolate cake. Yum!

We chatted to the other travellers, including the young geologist next to us who’s also a sheep farmer in Orange. We were all done and home by 7:30, early enough to catch a spot of the news and head to bed.

 

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