Mary Poole Rest Area to Kununurra - 479km

Sunday 7th July.  Mary Poole Rest Area to Leycesters Rest  -  209km

After camping by the Mary River on Saturday night I had a very windy drive on Sunday to Leycesters Rest which is on the Ord River.  I had a break at Halls Creek before continuing on.  With a gusty wind for most of the way it was a struggle to steer straight, but thankfully by late afternoon the winds had eased and it was lovely sitting in the shade as night began to fall.

I love to lay back and look at the stars at night.   They are so beautiful out here in the outback – so bright and so many of them, you feel as if you could reach out and touch them.

Monday 8th July.   Leycesters Rest to Dunham River  -  180km

I enjoyed the drive to Dunham River.  Gum trees are now a part of the landscape as I head East and the highway is flanked on either side by magnificent rocky mountains as I head towards Kununurra.  

Tuesday 9th July.  Dunham River to Kununurra  -  90km 

It was a short drive to Kununurra today and after a look around the town I decided to take a break from driving and book into a caravan park for a few days.  The hot weather was starting to wear me down a bit and luckily I managed to get one of the last powered sites available in Kununurra.  It is so busy here.  The local show opens this coming weekend so people are arriving from miles around.  The local shows are always huge events in the outback.   After sitting in the shade for most of the afternoon I am now sitting in the van enjoying the luxury of air conditioning.  It was 34 degrees today and is expected to be in mid thirties for the rest of the week, so I will take advantage of the air conditioning while I can.

Monument to "Russian Jack" in main street of Halls Creek - a famous figure who in 1885 wheeled his sick friend in a wheelbarrow for 300km looking for help.

Main Street of Halls Creek.

 Ord River at Leycester's Rest - most of the rivers up here are dry apart from a few puddles.

Brahman bull wandering along river bed at Leycester's rest.  They come quite close which can be a bit daunting, especially when sitting in the shade reading and suddenly looking up to see one standing just a couple of meters away.

Parked under a nice shady tree for the next few days in Kununurra.