Mitchell Falls and the best day yet! (The Kimberley)

23^rd July – 25^th July

From this point for the next few days we were on a mission. When we were last on long service leave in 2001 doing a similar big trip to this one, we attempted three times to get to see the Mitchell Falls within Ngauwudu - Mitchell River National Park (115,300 ha) and three times we were thwarted by mechanical issues with the car and never made it past Miners Pool. This time we were determined to make this dream become a reality. The road however is notoriously rough with terrible corrugations so we were a bit paranoid that it might beat us and the car again.

We drove a further 100km north on the Kalumburu Rd and then turned off onto the road to the Mitchell Plateau. The 85km to the Mitchell Falls (Purnamii-unpuu) camping ground took about 2 ½ hours to drive and while there were some beautiful lookouts on the edge of the escarpment and a lot of the track took us through thick forests of Livistona Palms and past some spectacular Aboriginal art sites (mainly Wandjina figures who were the original creators of all the features of the land in Aboriginal legend but also some Bradshaw figures), it certainly lived up to its reputation as extremely rough and ready and the corrugations were really bone shaking. But we took it slowly and made it – the first part of the mission complete! We set up camp and did a short walk to Little Merten’s Falls and had a refreshing swim in the pool below avoiding the nude man sunning himself on a rock.

Next day – best day yet!!!! We started with a helicopter flight which took us over three different falls and almost out to the coast and back to Mitchell Falls. We both had huge grins on our faces the whole time – such amazing scenery and it is soooooo cool in a helicopter. The view of Mitchell Falls from the air was just like in the all the pictures we had seen with the falls cascading from the upper pool into the two larger pools below and finally into the gorge. The helicopter then set down on the rocks just near the top of the falls and let us off as we planned to explore the falls and then walk back to camp (about 3km).

From the top of the falls we wandered around the cliff face and were rewarded with more spectacular views of the tiered falls. It was just great to sit and soak this view up for a while. It was then time for a swim in the lovely rock pools that dotted the area. We discovered that you could swim from the pool we were in for about 800m and end up right at the pool at the very top of the falls (obviously stopping before you went over the falls!). The swim took in some lovely lilies and a water monitor on the way which added to the magic.  More ogling at the different view of the falls and then we swam back and just sat in the shade reading and dozing and generally feeling excellent.

We finally dragged ourselves away from this surreal place and embarked on the walk back to camp which skirted the cliff top taking in more views of Mitchell Falls and then Big Merten’s Falls then took us past a lily covered billabong and into the shade of the palm forests. Another swim on the way and we were back at our tent marvelling at this wonderful experience we had been part of.

A bottle of Henschke with dinner (carefully wrapped and brought all the way from Sydney for this very occasion) helped us to celebrate – mission accomplished! Now to get out of this place…….

Surprisingly the drive out the next day didn’t seem quite so bad as on the way in but maybe we were still on a high from the best day yet. We stopped at some more excellent aboriginal art on the way back and had a swim at King Edward River campsite just before returning to the Kalumburu Rd and south towards the GRR. Another night at Miners Pool – more swimming and a movie night in the outdoor cinema viewing The Kingsman - ah the benefits of having a nerd for a partner. Who else travels with a mini data projector and a sheet screen which attaches to the side of the car for an under the stars movie experience?

 Wandjina figures

Mitchel Falls

When I grow up I want to be a chopper pilot

Native Heather

Swimming with the locals

Time to celebrate

Bradshaw figures

The Miners pool