Lake Argyle Resort

We had to leave Kununurra at 6.30am to drive the 71kms to Lake Argyle Resort arriving just after 7.00am so we could line up to get a caravan site. We finally got allocated a site at 11.00am, so we waited for 4 hours before we could start to setup.

This is because Lake Argyle Resort has a "No-Bookings" policy for 90% of their caravan sites - the only premium caravan park in Australia that does this.

We find it hard to understand why they force the travelling public this absolute inconvenience as it also makes it harder for them. They need several parking attendants to control the vans lined up every morning, and they also have to deal with frustrated and angry campers waiting in the queue. A lot of travellers just don't bother to go there as it's a 40km drive from the highway to the resort. Imagine waiting 4 hours and not getting allocated a spot.

We got the last powered site they had that day, so the poor guys behind us just missed out.

If it wasn't such a special place they couldn't get away with this.

And special it is!

They are famous for their infinity pool, supposedly the second best resort pool in the world!

However the water is freezing all year round, so we didn't venture into it this year.

Most afternoons they have free entertainment over the view to the lake

There are many different things to do there, including Float Plane flights

We drove up a 4WD track to this small viewing point, looking out across the lake

We hiked up to the viewing point where we could see the Ord River, and the dam

We also hiked up to the Bluff. Now that's a hike! But well worth it

What a view!

An aerial view of Lake Argyle

Top Springs and Buchanan Highway

Heading west from Lake Argyle towards Timber Creek, we left Western Australia, never to return, as WA is still closed to the rest of Australia due to Covid. By the time Covid is over they would have successfully built their moat and we won't be able to get back there anyhow! :)

The drive west across the border was very lonely, with hardly any traffic on a usually very busy road. Not this year!

Turning south at Timber Creek we got onto the Buchanan Highway. All 400 kms of the Buchanan Highway is dirt.

Passing the Heytesbury Cattle Company owned Victoria River Downs Station was impressive. We saw 4 helicopters just sitting there in the front of the station house.

You can see the helicopters there

We crossed the Victoria River Ford at Dashwood Crossing and had morning tea.

We camped in this site last time we went through here

Old Cattle Yard

Just an old cattle yard that's used as a free camp on the Stuart Highway, but it turned on a fantastic sunset for us!

Ti-Tree

Ti-Tree is a small Northern Territory town, population around 70 people. It has a roadhouse and caravan park. We rang at midday to book a site as things are just crazy around these parts with caravans this year, just so many! We were told a booking wasn't necessary as they aren't that busy today.

When we got here, they told us the van park was full and they didn't have a spot for us. We politely told the lady that we rang and were told a booking wasn't necessary. She said ok, go find a spot. Which we easily did as well as a few people behind us!

They lock the gate to the park at night, and when we left the pub after dinner, the barmaid was chaining up the bar fridge doors, with a really heavy chain and a large padlock.

We asked about the expensive bottles of red wine sitting on the rack, she said they don't go for them, it's the beer and chilled wine and other alcohol.

Tomorrow we head into Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary for 3 nights then onto Alice Springs.

When we were walking back to the pub with our jumpers on we commented how cold it was. It was a freezing 17°C. My goodness, how are we going to survive Sydney?

Seeing that Covid has taken hold in Sydney and its been locked down for another week already, we're not sure we'll head home for the 31st July. If Sydney doesn't open and we can't go skiing in August we'll stay in the Tropics, thanks!

We're very used to having flexible plans for this trip!

Overview so far