It was an early start for the girls with Helena heading out at 6:30am ...
... while a few of the boys worked on preparing today's lunch ...
It was another beautiful day for running ...
... and the scenery is just getting more and more incredible here in the spectacular Kimberley ...
... the rugged tree-clad sandstone mountain ranges have a uniquely Australian feeling and give us all an energy boost as we take to the road ...
... some interesting things we learned today about the Kimberley – in ancient days some of these mountain ranges were underwater, forming a reef system similar to the Great Barrier Reef. We could see the evidence in the pieces of shell still lining the roadside, and further into the national parks there are many fossils of ancient sea creatures ...
... after our days of long straight roads we are just loving the variety of the terrain, flora and fauna ...
Relay changeover ...
At places along the route today small fires were burning through the long dry grasses. Fire is a natural part of the grassland and forest ecology and we think this was a controlled technique called ‘back burning’, which is used to control the build-up of dead fuel matter and reduce the hazard of a serious bushfire. It was rather exciting to pass through!
We met a mob of brumbies along the roadside ...
Today's boab tree gallery ...
... and the amazing fruit of this extraordinary tree ...
A spectacular look-out point ...
The rare blue-frilled lizard makes its appearance ...
... though these runners are focussed on other matters ...
... we met with Rob and Elise, travellers from Sydney ...
... coming into town ...
After arriving in Kununurra ...
... we gathered in the local park ...
... where we were greeted by Shire President John Moulden ...
... and councillor Don Learbuch ...
... it was so great to meet you both and hear a little about the beautiful town of Kununurra – and to get some local knowledge of where to go to spot some crocodiles! John received a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley ...
... and a letter of welcome from ACT Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher, on behalf of the Centenary of Canberra ...
... more boab trees in the park ...
Lee, the proprietor of Kimerleyland Holiday Park, was most gracious in welcoming us to the Park and providing us with a lovely grassy area to pitch our tents, with access to all amenities ...
... we voted this a 5-star camping ground ...
Lilly Creek Lagoon, which we are camping next to, is only 50km downstream from Lake Argyle, a dam-formed lake which is the largest expanse of freshwater in Australia. It has a thriving ecosystem which includes over 35,000 freshwater crocodiles!
... OK, we didn't see any of the crocs but we did see lots of water birds ... the region also produces one-third of the world’s diamonds, with the Argyle Diamond Mine the most famous of the diamond mines, being the largest diamond producer in the world by volume. Though we didn’t see any diamonds around, we did find a few flecks of gold in the sandy verges ...
Good news for Peace Runners – Saranyu is cooking tonight!
