Derby, Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek 2018

We stayed at Derby at the Caravan Park for three nights, we have been here before but this was all new country for Jo and Dave. We checked out the old prison Boab tree and long water trough plus visited the jetty a couple of times to see the huge tides that occur up this way. A few locals and visitors were doing the same, some had crab nets in hoping to catch some mud crabs. We saw a few crawling on the muddy banks but they were safe as no one was venturing down there because of the big saltwater Crocs that frequent the area,














Leaving Derby we headed to the Gibb River Road with the plan on stopping at Windjana Gorge, but first Dave wanted to call in at the local 4wd shop in town. Here we got told we would have all sorts of problems taking our caravans up the Gibb River Road, never mind we have travelled it four times before, apparently the road was in terrible condition.

Getting to Windjana Gorge is mostly a bitumen road and it didn't take us long to arrive and set up camp. We had a chat with the volunteer camp host and then went for a walk down to the gorge. It is a very pretty place and no much different to when we were there last. The girls though found a new walk trail which took us along side the cliff and with sunset occurring it was a beautiful display of colours on the red rock.

The next day we drove to Tunnel Creek, the entrance to the Tunnel had changed since our last visit and there was many large rocks to clamber over before getting into it. Many years ago this place was the hide out for Jandamarra, a local Aboriginal leader who was wanted by the Police, he was known as Pigeon by the white settlers and was one of their trackers. He became a fugitive after he was forced to capture his own people, he evaded the Police for three years before eventually being tracked and killed at Tunnel Creek on the 1st April 1897 by another of his people.

The Tunnel is dark and torches are needed, plus there are sections that require wading through water, but its a relatively easy walk once you have got over the rocks at the entrance. We spent most of the morning just taking it all in, a very quiet place and easy to imagine what life must have been like back then.

We visited the ruins of the old Lillimooloora Police station, not a lot left standing except some corner walls,disappointingly someone has even stolen the plaque attached to the wall. How thoughtful of them.