Wyndham (gazetted in 1886)

First stop today was the Grotto on the way to Wyndham. About 140 steps to the bottom!

Wyndham is geographically the Top Town of the West. Today it very much resembles a ghost town with so many empty buildings, very much run down and some of the businesses still left are up for sale. I would suggest after the closure of the meat works in 1988 the town pretty much died and its main employment these days appears to be at the port. It does have large signs in town for cyclone warnings – I would not want to be in town if they were anywhere close.

When you first arrive you get welcomed by the 20 metre long crocodile statute. There was a residence built for the magistrate in 1888, but it was never occupied due to its remoteness and hostile aboriginals in the area.

The Residence - well not much left like the rest of the town!

A great view of the town, port and Kimberly Ranges is from the Five Rivers Lookout (where 5 rivers flow into the Cambridge Gulf – King, Ord, Durack, Forrest & Pentacost).

Time to get off road again as we head 25km on a dirt road to the Boab Prison Tree (used to chain up prisoners), some cave paintings and the Moochalabra Dam which supplies the township of Wyndham. It was an interesting drive following salt lakes and the King River. Very bumpy & corrugated – felt like the car was about to fall apart. Amy & Hayley wanted to see the prison tree, so I can blame them.

Can you spot Amy chained to the tree?

King River - great spot for Crocs & Barrumundi

Moochalabra Dam

Another hot day in WA and I hear it's raining in Melbourne! Hayley would be on her school camp now at Phillip Island, but I am sure she would rather be on this adventure of a lifetime! It's now off to Fitzroy Crossing.