Lake Argyle by bus and return by boat

April 24th To Lake Argyle by bus and return by boat on the river

Picked up at the hotel for transportation to Lake Argyle Resort, the camp that was built for the workers who built the pond for Lake Argyle and then rebuilt as a campsite. On the way we made a stop at the Lake Argyle Homestead Museum. A home from the 19th century where a family started a farm. The family moved with livestock and everything from Queensland about 480 miles and expected that it would take 6 months. It took 2.5 years!

_{Cecilia at the sign for the Argyle Homestead.
Cecilia & Raoul at the infinity pool at Lake Argyle.}

When the dam was built, the house was torn down stone by stone and the stones were carefully numbered and placed in barrels. When ten years later they could afford to put it back up, most of the marks had disappeared. The house is very nice and nicely planned with a hall in the middle of the house that goes from front to back. You can open doors from both sides. On both sides of the hall there are the rooms which also have their own exits to the porch that extends around the house. This allows air to flow through the heat. Lines on the floors highlighted furniture and what the room was used for.

_{The boat on Lake Argyle.
View from boat at Lake Argyle.}

On to a boat that took us out on Lake Argyle. It is a freshwater lake/dam. There is a lot to look at in terms of scenery and wildlife. Birds, fish, small wallabies and cobwebs that are said to be incredibly strong. We moored to an island for lunch where it is also possible to have a swim in the 30 degree water. Lovely! Lunch consists of grilled fish that the guides cooked on board the boat. Add various salads, chicken and fruit, it becomes very yummy. Lake Argyle can serve as a reservoir over several years. Without rain it will take 7 years to empty the pond. At the same time as heavy rain can cause the water level to rise 1 meter, in one day.

Return to the starting point, above the dam and then transport to the river below the dam. Given the temperature, it was nice to take a bus even though it was less than 1 km. The height difference was significant first up the dam then down the other side. We board a new boat that will take us 55 kilometres back to Kununurra on the Ord river.

_{Bats at rest during the day.
White bellied Sea-Eagle.}

_{Beautiful bird.- name not known.
Kingfisher.}

It is truly a spectacular road with vegetation down into the water and amazingly beautiful. The guide who runs the boat is really knowledgeable and constantly shows different things. We see some small crocodiles. He shows areas where the crocodile females lay their eggs. 99% of eggs are never fully grown, as there are always dangers that lurk, such as birds eating eggs and adult males eating baby crocodiles. We made detours into the tributaries too to see more birds. Some parts of the journey took place at high speed and other parts slowly. It was an amazing experience to get to go on the river!

The lower part of the river was also a pond that holds water for agriculture in Kununurra and also a power plant. The water is used for irrigation of 35,000 ha of land and electric power for both Kununurra, the diamond mine and Wyndham.

_{A crocodile at rest.
A tributary to the Ord River.}

We were served Afternoon Tea in an area with ceilings and benches. It did not appear from the river, but it was like corridor into the vegetation. We got pumpkin scones and a nice cake for the tea. At half- past six we were back in Kununurra and was transferred by bus to the hotels.

After a shower Cecilia and Raoul went down to Neil and David and then heated our pizza pieces from yesterday in their micro. Just enough for dinner today after a good lunch and Afternoon Tea.