Mitchell Falls 2-8-18

[Big Red]

It was a long dusty drive to Drysdale station where we Fuelled up and headed north another hundred Kms to the turn off out to Mitchell Falls.
The campground I used last time is now gone and we had to drive another 10 kms to the new Aboriginal run campground [Munurra Camp Ground] where we had to buy a entry pass and also a camping fee.
There were dozens of campers set up as they leave campers set up and drive in to the Falls
We made camp and cooked up some tucker before another fairly early night.

[Big Red]

Friday 3rd August
We decided to get up early to beat the rush but one bloke had the same idea so we left 20 to 30 mins after him to let the dust settle … problem was I caught him in about 40 kms but luckily got past him a short time later in the middle of some roadworks.
The road in was cruisy, about 70 most of the way but as soon as we turned left towards the falls the road was littered with large rock outcrops in the roadway that the grader could not remove.
Once at the Campground Jeff booked us a helicopter [thanks Jeff ] and we relaxed for an hour or so before we took the flight out to the Falls.

[Big Red]

On the flight in I noticed a grotto I had tried to get into previously had collapsed; so after the pics of the falls were done I managed to climb down into it for a look.

[Big Red]

We spent a fair bit of time taking in the spectacular views of Mitchell Falls before i climbed down into the gorge and scrambled around to the collapsed cave.
I was gobsmacked at the amount of rock that had been washed away after the cave in, there was virtually only one large slab of rock 10 metres square which had resisted the flow.
There is a large cavern almost underneath the helicopter landing area which was filled with logs and wood in every crevice [but no rocks].
The cave is big enough to fly a helicopter into and looks like it might collapse next wet season.

I scrambled back up and sat with Jeff for a while then went for a swim until it was time for his flight back.
I grabbed a couple of pics of him leaving in the chopper then pointed my boots at the carpark and hit the trail.

[Big Red]

Large Martens Falls looked pretty spectacular as the sun was reaching the bottom so after a few pics I jumped in the pool above to wet my shirt and shorts then hit the trail again.

[Big Red]

A slight detour to the Rock Art was the only respite from the blazing sun as the whole area has been burnt off and I had no shade until Little Mertens Falls.

[Big Red]

The Rock Art at Little Mertens Falls is numerous so after a heap of pics I carefully picked my way out to an extremely slippery rock slab that the waterfall was hitting and luxuriated in a nice shower/massage before making way up to the top of the falls for more pics then finished the rest of the walk back to Jeff at our Camp site.
Had a nice bit of steak for Dinner before heading to bed fairly early.

[Big Red]

[Big Red]

[Big Red]

Next Morning we hit the road again after a great day at one of the most spectacular places in the Kimberly.