8/7/21- Manning Gorge

We agreed on a start time of 8:15 for starting the walk in to Manning Gorge. The walk starts with a swim across the swimming hole, so it was a chilly start, but there was already a bit of warmth in the sun by then, and none of us wanted to be making the walk back in the main heat of the mid afternoon.

Trev and I watched birds while we waited for the others

Sure enough, it was a bit of a shock to plunge in quite so early, but not too bad. We were lucky to grab a half barrel for our backpacks and shoes along with the Colwells. Al and Zita had to wait for one to swim back from the other side and we waited on the far shore of the swimming hole until we were once again reunited.

Then the 3 km walk to the falls and gorge. Sometimes the track was sandy, sometimes rocky and there were a number of sections with quite large rocks to get over. The most challenge was right towards the end, when we needed to manage some large drops from rocks as we came down into the gorge.

The gorge is certainly impressive. Craggy sandstone cliff faces with the lovely warm rusty colour that makes them so beautiful and still pool of water beneath them until you walk the rock ledge around the corner and see the waterfall pool. Here a fall crashes onto a wide, deep pool and there must have been about 200 people all laughing and chatting and swimming while the falls crashed down. Noisy place. There were a number of rocks to the side of the falls of varying heights where people were jumping from. It was fun to watch them get up there and some try and then fail to raise the nerve to jump.

It certainly was a relief to dive into the cool water and didn’t take long for the body temperature to drop. There is a sandy section in one spot where you can stand and have your head above water rather than having to work to stay up in the fresh water all the time.

We had a bit of a catch up with our neighbours from the first night in Purnululu here before heading to the rocks on the other side where the sun was shining. There we warmed up for a while before Trevor went scaling the rocky wall to see what the pools above the falls looked like. Erica opted for a chat with Zita in the sun before swimming in close up where the waterfall was falling and then back over to where we had dropped off our pack. There were a variety of fish sharing the pool with the humans-some quite a reasonable size that would possibly we ok to catch and eat. No idea what sort.

We ate our lunch early, hungry from the water exercise and decided to head back along the path. We had watched Craig and Ev scaling the rocks to go above the falls so knew they would be a while yet. We met Al and Zita who also seemed to be ready to go, but then they dropped off behind somewhere. Maybe they just found a new and different spot to sit. We climbed back up the rocks and were quite tired by the time we had made that first steep climb out of the gorge. Luckily we had a good amount of water with us for the 3 km walk back in what was now very warm sun and had had some food too. We picked up energy as we went along. We deviated in to see another of the Kimberley rose trees ( sticky kurrajong) with pretty red flowers still in bloom.

It wasn’t too long before we reached the swimming hole again. I took a photo of the small fringed water lilies that grow on the edge of the hole

and we quickly hopped out of shoes and put the camera and keys into the wet sack before sharing a swim with barrel back to the other side with some more new friends. that saved a swim over and back to get a half barrel.

We headed back to our van feeling weary but neither of us actually managed to get to sleep. It was pretty warm in the van with the sun beating down on it and better outside in the shade with some breeze.

We enjoyed a quiet cuppa and Erica did a bit of catch up with the blog until the others returned.

A little later we had time do Erica went on a bit of a bird walk finishing at the waterhole. Trev went down there later and saw more birds in less time!!

We only have the one burner working on the stove st present so tea was a one pan affair of stir fried beef, the capsicum which badly needed eating, onion and noodles all with teriyaki sauce. It was pretty good. We followed this with fruit and jelly as we chatted with the others. For the first time we left the dishes until the morning. Probably a bad move but a lovely lazy thing to do in the moment. Both weary, we dropped into bed early, leaving the others to their chatter.

Manning madness

Halfway across the GRR there stands a simple store
It sells the bare necessities  , some fuel and plenty more
If you’re coming past along the Gibb you need to stop in here
It’s very very popular it seems this time of year

The rigs are queued behind the pumps to get their precious fuel
The  grandparents beside the phone to make their precious call
The cooks are buying produce that they need to stock their vans
Frozen meat and bread  and all those tasty baked bean cans

The Manning Gorge, just down the road is beckoning from here
Once you’ve filled with fuel and paid for access( fairly dear)
You come along a sandy track and wind amongst the trees and find yourself a spot just anywhere you please. 

The swimming hole is beautiful with birds among the trees
Clear water and imposing cliffs all brushed by balmy breeze
Tiny little fishes ( and some tiny snakes) swim by
You can use a half a barrel to keep your backpack dry

And in the busy campground all the happy children play
The people off the buses chat about their busy day
As gentle chatter wafts along and campfires slowly die
We settle down to sleep again
Beneath the starry sky.