2011 Trip: Kununurra Part 1

July 18th to 25th.

Our week in Kununurra was enjoyable. We arrived early so had to go to the Showgrounds (the Overflow) because we couldn't get into the van park we had booked until the Wednesday. I have to say that we should have stayed at the Showgrounds. We had much more room, power and water and free washing machines for about the same money.

We had a good look around and things had changed since we were last here in 1994. Then there were plantations everywhere growing bananas, mangos and a whole lot of other produce. Now it is all sandalwood.

22nd July

We had a flight over the Bungles and a tour of Argyle diamond mine organised. This was done with Slingair. http://slingair.com.au/

The flight out was in an Airvan and the helicopter flight over the Bungles was in a Bell Jetranger (not a Robinson, thank goodness).

Argyle diamond mine is a huge hole in the ground. We landed there and had a meal at the village Mess. Very nice too.

Lake Argyle is so big it is classed as an inland sea. We were told that during the last Wet season, which was a biggy, enough water was let through the spillway into the ocean each day that could have supplied Perth's drinking water for a year.

The flight over the Bungles was good, but not as adventurous as back in 1994. Then we were in a formation of 2 Jetrangers and flew down into and through the canyons. Now it's a very placid flight over the top.