Galvin's Gorge & Barnett River Station {Gibb River Road}

After two wonderful nights at Silent Grove we made our way to Barnett River Station, also the place of what turned out to be spectacular Manning Falls.

After loading up three cars, three campers and our mob of children we yet again where on the road. We decided that of all of the ‘stops’ that we could make along the way research showed the only one worth a look was Galvin’s Gorge and as luck would have it that was also the shortest walk to get to.  

Words can’t describe the way the scenery changes when driving along the Gibb.  It truly is breathe taking in some places the way that it continually changes.  There really is never a dull section {well that I have found yet}.  After winding roads, up & down hills, along with some road work we made it to Galvin’s Gorge. 

It was a short walk into this one and even though it wasn’t an overly warm day the pool at the bottom of the falls {which came down over a few levels} was too inviting to turn down.  Again we timed our arrival perfectly being the only ones there.  We took all of the children over to the other side to have a chance of sitting under the falls which most thought was fabulous.  That was until Cass spotted a snake trying to get it’s dinner a way up the rock face.  It was great to see nature in action, although I am sure that the snake was disappointed when in the end the tree frog won the fight {and even after fall down all that way it still managed to recover and hop away}.

 

Eventually it was time to remove ourselves from the water, with perfect timing again as the tourist bus arrived and off we went to our spot for the night.

We got to Barnett River about five minutes after leaving the gorge which meant we had plenty of time to set up camp and then head off to explore the falls.

After much decision someone decided that the walk would be fine to do in thongs and we would have plenty of time.  The first part of the walk involves a lovely boat ride over to the other side of the river {or the pool in the river} which has a lovely beach, a rock island and plenty of birdlife.

Well thongs might not have been the best idea and it was a very long & hard walk but we made it in the end with little carrying of Kyla {she really did very well given how tired she was}.  We made it to the end and it was certainly worth the walk.  We each had a child on our backs and swam up to get a better look of the falls, even if Kyla did try to climb up on my head by the end of the walk!

The men folk swam under the falls first and then we tagged teamed and it was the females turn.  I will admit that as much as I would have loved to have swum behind the falls I was too chicken of the dark space, not to mention the fast flowing water to actually follow through with it BUT it really was worth all of the effort involved to experience just being right there.

After a little swim for the smalls it was time to head back to camp before it got to dark.  In hindsight we should have stayed another night to spend more time there but to be honest I am fairly certainly I wouldn’t have been able to do the walk again the next day so we stuck with our original plan and after a night around the camp fire headed to bed ready for the next day.

We had a relaxing morning before we totally packed down with a spot of fishing, the smalls playing in the sand and exploring more spots around the pool. Perfect end to the night.

Next stop Drysdale Station