Birdwood Downs (Derby) 14th - 16th August

We left Broome bound for Derby and planned to stay at Birdwood Downs, a working horse and cattle station about 20km along the Gibb River Road. Approaching Derby the landscape was scattered with many boab trees of many shapes and sizes. Many of them looked like characters from a stage play. We stopped at the prison boab tree, a huge boab tree that is hollow on the inside in which was once used to imprison aboriginals. After a quick stop in Derby to replenish supplies and look at the jetty where the tide varies by some 11 metres we headed to Birdwood Downs. On arriving we found a small campground where we were one of two campers for the first night. After unpacking and setting up our tent we decided to explore the station. What a lovely place to camp. It has a very relaxed feeling with about eight cabins, a small papaya and banana plantation, a bird house for both chickens and peacocks and a rustic "school of horsemanship". We rose early the following morning to attack more of the Gibb River Road, mostly bitumen, then the dirt road to Windjana Gorge and further on to Tunnel Creek. We were prepared to turn back if the going was too rough for the tarago as we had received varied opinions of the condition of the road. Lucky for us, most of the 80km of the unsealed section had been recently graded and despite putting the tarago through a bit of a beating we made it to both.
The walls of Windjana Gorge rise abruptly on both sides of a wide alluvial floodplain, reaching about 100 metres high. It is a 3.5km-long gorge and after parking the car we started walking in. We walked for about a kilometre into the gorge. At times we were walking between rock faces and under huge overhangs. At times we were walking on the banks of the river within 5 metres of many freshwater crocodiles that were basking in the sun and swimming in the shallows. Imogen ventured too close to one that awakened with a start and launched itself, luckily in the opposite direction, into the water. Imogen launched herself back up the bank.
After our time in Windjana Gorge we drove a further 35km to Tunnel Creek. The road for this section was ungraded, heavily rutted and littered with loose stones and rocks.
On our walk to the entrance of Tunnel Creek Imogen saw a snake. Lisa confirmed the presence of snakes by seeing another one on our return. we walked several hundred metres into the cave that is about 15 metres wide and varies from 3 metres high to 20 metres high. We walked over sandy banks, jagged limestone and through knee deep water. Archie took control of the torch in his usual noisy way. His desire to direct it in a helpful direction was lacking and it became very challenging when all natural light deserted us as we ventured further in. The tunnel opened into a large cavern where the roof was high and home to a colony of bats.
After our walk into Tunnel Creek we drove back to Birdwood Downs for a second night. 
We had organised for Imogen to go horseriding at 8am the next morning before our departure. This was incentive for us to be up early. Breakfast was eaten, tent was packed and trailer was loaded by 8. Imogen had an hour on a horse guided by an experienced horseman, Bud, who was a great instructor and helped build her confidence. At the end of her ride Bud got Jasper and then Archie into the saddle and gave each of them a ride. A brilliant opportunity that eliminated the boys ability to cry "unfair" that Imogen got to ride on a horse but they didn't.
We then got into the car and headed for Fitzroy Crossing.