Day fourteen marked a milestone back home – End of Financial Year! Although we'd spent months preparing to take our businesses on the road, today certainly tested those plans.
With plenty of preparation before leaving – including Starlink, a laptop upgrade, IT support and many contingency plans – we were confident we'd be able to continue operating much as we would from home. Unfortunately, far north Western Australia had other ideas. Internet connections were patchy throughout the day, and we found ourselves battling login issues with our work server. Needless to say, the next eight weeks are looking particularly busy!
Fortunately, we had based ourselves at Kimberleyland Waterfront Holiday Park, a beautiful campground overlooking Lake Kununurra. Between tackling work issues, we were able to take in the surroundings and enjoy the unreal café on site, which certainly helped lift our spirits.
Although it wasn't the relaxing travel day we'd imagined, we were pleased with everything we managed to accomplish. To celebrate making it through the day, we treated ourselves to dinner at The PumpHouse, a unique restaurant set inside a restored historic pumphouse overlooking the Ord River.
I guess there really isn't such a thing as a bad day in Kununurra.
After yesterday's work commitments, day fifteen was time to properly explore Kununurra.
Our first stop was Ivanhoe Crossing, an iconic causeway spanning the Ord River. Originally built in 1954 to provide access for local pastoralists and travellers, it remains an impressive feat of engineering. Although the crossing was closed due to the amount of flowing water, it was still well worth the visit.
Back in town, we spent time wandering through a couple local Aboriginal art galleries, Waringarri Aboriginal Arts and Artlandish Aboriginal Art Gallery. Each gallery showcased an amazing collection of Indigenous artworks, with every piece telling its own unique story through beautiful colours and symbolism. It was another reminder of the rich culture and artistic talent born in this part of Australia.
Later in the afternoon, we made our way up to Kelly's Knob Lookout, known traditionally as Thegoowiyeng. The views over Kununurra, Lake Kununurra and the surrounding Kimberley landscape were panoramic and spectacular. The contrast between the red sandstone hills, lush greenery and expansive waterways is unlike anywhere else we've visited on the trip so far.
Then we stocked up on supplies in preparation for the Gibb River Road tomorrow and afterwards visited the Hoochery Distillery for a gin tasting. It’s a locally owned distillery that proved to be a perfect spot to unwind while trying some locally crafted spirits.
We called it a day afterwards; with the car packed, supplies replenished and excitement building, we're ready to begin one of Australia's most iconic outback drives. Next stop – the Gibb River Road.