Outback icon
delivers in spades
I’d booked a mini-bus from
Wynyard Buslines to cart us from
Katherine Airport out to Nitmiluk
National Park, the gateway to the
gorge, and about a 40 minute ride.
Our accommodation was in their
self-contained cabins in the caravan
park, around $180 twin share a
night, and perfectly comfortable.
The bonus was the very welcome
tropical pool and cafe next door,
which served one of the most
beautiful meals we had on our whole
trip. If 5-star is your thing, you
can stay next door at Cicada Lodge
for around four times the cost, but
frankly I was unimpressed with
their attitude when we called in
to see it, and was very glad we’d
chosen the cabins.
On offer at Nitmiluk are gorge
cruises, canoeing, heli scenic flights
and bush walking. We walked, we
swam, we sang and danced with
the staff band after dinner, and
we loved it all. Our second night,
however, was bucket-list stuff. We
joined the two-gorge sunset cruise
and dinner. You are taken upstream
through the first gorge, then need to
alight and walk a short distance to
board another boat which takes you
through the second gorge.The ancient landscape delivers
drop-dead stunning views at every
turn as you weave your way between
the giant gorge walls, and all the
while your guide is explaining the
history, geography and culture of
the area and its traditional owners,
the Jawoyn people. By the time
you are back at the top of the
first gorge, your boat has been
transformed into a beautiful
floating restaurant and for the
next two hours over a magnificent
dinner, the beauty and ruggedness
of this majestic Australian
waterway is your backdrop. Huge
bouquets for this cruise – it was
everyone’s highlight of the trip.Back in the saddle
Leaving Tindal, we had to peer
through lots of bushfire smoke
f lying across to Kununurra to
refuel, then the group split. Half
of us went on to El Questro
Township for two nights then
Kooljaman at Cape Leveque
for three nights. The other half
spent five nights at the stunning
Kimberley Coastal Camp. With
plenty of tales to share, we all
met up again at Halls Creek for
an overnight stay before hitting
the desert for the leg down to
Curtin Springs. We stayed two
nights here so we could explore
the station and Mt Conner. From
here, a night each at Birdsville,
Milparinka and Bindara Station
kept spirits on a permanent high
as we headed home.
Landing back at Camden, the
clock read 37 hours – 37 hours
of unforgettable f lying. As I
handed that wonderfully reliable,
beautiful C182 back to Curtis
Aviation, she was gleaming in
the sunshine. The day before,
detecting a serious layer of the
outback ’s famous red coating
her from nose to tail, Rossy and
I had given her a well earned
wash. Now, onto planning for
the next safari. This year, we’re
hitting the southern half of
WA ... bring it on.More photos from this safari
are on Shelley’s website
http://www.flyingtheoutback.com.auAUSTRALIAN FLYING March – April 201526 Destinations australianflying.com.au
TOP TO BOTTOM: Kununurra serves as an easy and
reliable stopover for food and fuel. We even picked up
our wine order here, to take to Cape Leveque.
The rigs come rolling into town as Windorah battens
down the hatches for the annual Yabby Races.
Looks like a thoroughbred to me. Where’s that TAB?