DAY 34 - TUNNEL CREEK – 23/05/16

We are up early in readiness for our visit to Tunnel Creek, with Tony’s agreed leaving time of between 8:00 – 8:30am as we are in no hurry.  At 6:50am we have a knock on the van door…it is Tony …..are you ready to go??    Just as well that we know Tony by now and have our day pack ready and have had our breakfast.  It is much cooler this morning and walking early is ideal.
It is a comfortable easy drive, which takes about 45 minutes for the 30 klm drive.  There is only one car in the Tunnel Creek car park.  it was ideal timing, as when we returned to the carpark after our walk, there  were 3 large 4WD Tourist Buses, as well as numerous smaller tour operators and individual groups.
Tunnel Creek is part of a 350 million year old Devonian period reef rising above the plains.  Tunnel Creek is actually a 750 metre cave running through the Napier Range.  Tony and Jennifer have been here before and Tony is embellishing the adventure ahead….many fresh water crocs, waist deep water and very dark and slippery rocks.
The entrance to the cave is tricky and narrow, needing to clamber over and between large rocks, and then once in the mouth of the cave a torch is essential along with solid walking shoes as at times we are walking through running water.  The water depth ranges from ankle to just above the knee.  The cave ceiling in places has large stalactites and shawls and midway where there has been a roof collapse feeder root system are through the roof down into the cave’s sandy floor.  We get to the end and sit and have a drink, then turn-around and head back to the entrance.
During our walk, Tony only sees one croc’s set of red eyes but as we pass on coming visitors Tony warns them of the “many big crocs” they will need to walk around in the water. I try to contradict him, but he shouts me down….some see he is joking, but others are quite apprehensive!!!
By the time we return to the narrow entrance there is a queue with up to 3 large tour groups coming in.
In the car-park, a couple of local aborigines are selling carved Baob nuts.   Tony goes over and lets them know we met an aborigine named Roy in Derby, who does nut carving.   The lass says that Roy is her brother.
As we head back in the car, 4 large Bustards {Bush Turkeys] fly across the road in the car.   Michael turns the car around to take photos, but they have moved off too far for good sharp shots.
On arrival back at Windjana Gorge, Tony is explaining to Michael, as they head to the only 2 WCs in our section, about a large snake that he saw crossing the road.  He turned the car around to go back and photo.    He was indicating the snake’s size and length of about 6+ feet, outside the toilet, which was occupied by a woman……she was having kittens thinking the snake was directly outside the toilet….and she finally yelled out “where is the snake???”  Tony set here at ease wit the fact that the snake was not outside the toilet.
After lunch back at Windjana Gorge, we go for a walk on a track through the tall grass in front of the range…..we are keeping a close eye on the track and the edges, whilst trying to ensure the millions of ants were not crawling on our feet or legs.   Following Michael, at one stage I spy to my left on top of the grass a yellowish thin snake up to 5 feet long.  Michael hadn’t seen it and when he stepped back to look the snake, slithered off very quickly.  A ranger later that evening indicated it could have been a mulla mulla or a gwardei. 
Not very far up the track we heard noises in the hip high grass……it turned out to be a reddish-brown wallaby that we had disturbed.  We finished our walk by re-entering the gorge and strolling by the water’s edge……no crocs to be seen.
Back to the campground and we catch up with Dale and Janelle.     Michael and Tony met Dale in the Derby Caravan Park.  The afternoon has been reasonably cool and we actually need to put jumpers on before the evening is upon us…..this will be good for sleeping tonight.