EXPERIENCES / KIMBERLEY
Mitchell Plateau No. 3
Overview
- Waterfalls, waterfalls and more waterfalls, some of which people who are not on overnight walks will never see.
- An incredible wealth of Aboriginal rock art.
- Two separate walks, a short one to allow you to acclimatise and a longer one to show you more of the country.
No one else will show you as much of the area as we will on this trip.
KIMBERLEY
August 7-20 2022
We begin with the long drive from Kununurra to the end of the Surveyors Pool track on the Mitchell Plateau. Most people do this as a day trip. We show you more. A relatively short walk brings us to our campsite on one of the creeks above the pool. We should have this to ourselves. A day walk without packs allows us to acclimatise while seeing places the day trippers can't even imagine.
From Surveyors, it is a relatively short walk back to the car, a drive to the main camping area, then another relatively short walk to the Mitchell River. Along the way we pass Little Mertens and Big Mertens Falls. Depending on when we arrive, we may camp some distance above the falls or some distance below.
There is so much to see that the seven kilometre walk down river to the lower falls (less known but just as spectacular as the main falls) normally takes us at least two days. From there we plan to do a day walk through the lower gorge to the tidal rapids formed where a rock bar blocks the river. At very low tides you could walk across with dry feet. When the tide changes, the water swirls back up the river with a rush and the bar disappears.
From the lower falls, we move west to a deep, narrow gorge which we follow to its head. The vegetation here is much thicker than that along the Mitchell so the going is slower. Sometimes we walk along the bottom of the gorge, sometimes we go up and around. We normally camp at the falls at the top of the gorge.
From the top of the gorge, we walk back to the Mitchell River upstream of the falls. If time permits, we spend a day there, exploring the rock formations, looking at the Aboriginal art sites and enjoying the pools.
Details
DATES
August 7-20
PRICES
Full price: A$3695
*discounts available
GROUP SIZE
4 - 12 guests
CAMP SITE
Mix of sand and rock ledges. Most sites are good to excellent, You are unlikely to see anyone else anywhere along the route.
ART
This is one of the richest areas for Aboriginal art in the Kimberley. We visit many sites in a number of different styles.
SWIMMING
Good pools at every campsite. Many opportunities for swimming each day.
WILDLIFE
You see a variety of birds along the river and have a good chance of spotting freshwater crocodiles. You may see large estuarine crocs below the tidal rapids.
CLIMATE
Average daytime max 33-34ºC, average nighttime min 15-17ºC. It has been known to drop below 10ºC. Generally low humidity. Rain unlikely but possible.
COOKING
We should be able to have campfires every night.
WALK RATING - HARD
Terrain
Although most of the walking is relatively easy, the trip does include substantial amounts of rock hopping as well as some steep climbs. Some short sections will be quite rugged.
There is more of the easy walking than of the difficult, but you must be prepared for it all. People without bushwalking experience are likely to find it more difficult than those who have had such experience.
Vegetation
Distance
4-6 hours per day
Pack Weight
You need to carry 10 days of food.
Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change
