Day Five: Sunday, 9th May 2021

While waiting for the bus to take us to Lake Kununurra, a co-operative Black Kite posed for photos in the driveway.

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

Black kites are scavenging birds that usually forage in flocks, or perch together in trees to seek respite from the heat. Dozens of these birds can be seen following fires through savanna grasslands, circling and dropping through the smoke in search of a meal.

Black kites build a platform of sticks up to 30-metres above ground, on which they lay two or three eggs which are incubated by the female. During nesting, the male obtains most of the food, but doesn't directly feed the young.

Also in the driveway was this specimen of plant.

A Triple J Tours bus collected us for the short drive to Lake Kununurra where we embarked on Australia's longest continuous river cruise (55 kilometres) aboard the boat "Peregrine" under the leadership of Grant, the Captain and Guide. The first item of interest was the Diversion Dam, an iconic landmark in Kununurra, but I didn't take a photograph!!

Lake Kununurra, view north towards the Diversion Dam

The Diversion Dam was built to control the flow of water from the Ord River and the Lake Argyle water storage, into the Ord Irrigation area. The dam contains twenty radial gates mounted in a concrete framework and spillway structure, through which the water is gravity fed into channels to service the area north of the town, and is pumped into the Packsaddle Plains area to the south.

Lake Kununurra, view to the south

The cruise continued in a southerly direction to and along the Ord River, where we were treated to clear reflections, aquatic birdlife and flora, insects, reptiles, and fauna - a fascinating ecological system. It was a beautiful and relaxing, but exciting morning.

Ord River Reflections

Narrow-leafed Cumbungi (Typha domingensis)

Cumbungi (also known as bulrush) is a perennial herbaceous plant found throughout temperate and tropical regions worldwide. A broad-leafed variety (Typha orientalis) is also found in Australia.

Wavy Marshwort (Nymphoides indica)

Wavy Marshwort grows in freshwater lagoons, lakes pools and streams up to 150 cm deep, rooting in the muddy bottom. The flowers are held above the water, lasting less than a day, finally bending over and submerging for fruiting. This white-flowered variety is also known as Water Snowflake, and Fringed Waterlily. It is widely distributed across northern Australia.

White-breasted Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Also known as the White-bellied Sea-eagle, these wonderful raptors can be seen on high vantage points near water, where they swoop on fish or other prey with their powerful wings uplifted. In the Kimberley, sea-eagles can sometimes be seen near colonies of fruit-bats, on which it preys.

White-breasted Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Sea-eagles build enormous nests, up to four metres high. Breeding occurs between May and October when two eggs are laid several days apart. However the first-born monopolises the food, and the younger chick normally dies. The female spends most time sitting on the eggs and brooding, only being relieved for short periods by her mate.

White-breasted Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Further upstream we sighted a second sea-eagle by her nest. She probably hasn't yet laid eggs because she is not brooding. Note the apparent difference in colour - presumably caused by how the light is reflected.

Riverside landscape, the Ord River

Short-eared Rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis)

The short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) is a species of rock-wallaby found in northern Australia. It is a gregarious vegetarian, that prefers rocky hills and gorges. It is variable in its appearance, but is generally grey-brown, with white areas around its face and legs. It is not considered threatened.

Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedea)

The Intermediate Egret, also known as the Median, Smaller, or Yellow-billed Egret, is actually a medium sized heron which is a resident breeder with a range from east Africa and the Indian sub-continent, to Southeast Asia and Australia. The intermediate egret stalks its prey methodically in shallow coastal or fresh water, including flooded fields, eating fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects. It often nests in colonies with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Two to five eggs are laid, the clutch size varying with region.

A male Jabiru (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus)

The black-necked stork - or Jabiru, as it is commonly called in Australia - is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia.

Blue Water Lily (Nymphacea violacea)

This floating perennial herb with magnificent blue-violet blooms is native to northern Australia, growing in billabongs and rivers. The blue lily is a staple food for First Nations people in northern Australia - most parts of the plant are eaten.

A male Jabiru (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) with lunch

The black-necked stork is a large white bird with black bands across the wings. If you get close enough you will notice that its neck is actually a beautiful iridescent purple-green. They have extremely strong beaks, which they use to hunt snakes, frogs, turtles, eels, and fish in wetland marshes.

Ord River landscape

Every bend in the Ord river brought a new wonder, a different beauty, as it winds through a variety of landscapes!

A chasm in the rockface.

A common local species on a Sunday outing!

Magnificent reflections!

Coolamon Creek - feeding into the Ord

A Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni or Crocodylus johnsoni)

The freshwater crocodile, also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnstone's crocodile, or colloquially, as freshie, is a species of crocodile endemic to the northern regions of Australia. It is a relatively small crocodilian. Males can grow to 2.3 - 3 metres long, while females reach a maximum size of 2.1 metres. Males commonly weigh around 70 kg, with large specimens up to 100 kg or more, against the female weight of 40 kg. In areas such as Lake Argyle and Katherine Gorge there exist a handful of confirmed 4 metre-long individuals. 

Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes Haematodes)

The Scarlet Percher, is a spectacular species of dragonfly that occurs throughout mainland Australia, Timor, New Guinea, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. It is locally common in habitats with hot sunny exposed sites at or near rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. It often prefers to settle on hot rocks rather than twigs or leaves, and is quite wary. Although small in size (wingspan 60mm, length 35mm), the male is brilliant red, the female yellow-ochre. 

Blue Catfish (Neoarius graeffei)

The Blue Catfish is a stout dusky grey catfish, often with a bluish tinge, and occasionally irregular blotches. It has a rounded to slightly truncate snout, and a relatively small eye. They have venomous serrated fin spines that may inflict a very painful wound.

Blue Catfish (Neoarius graeffei)

Blue Catfish may be found in the northern half of Australia (across from the Ashburton River and the Houtman Abrolhos islands in Western Australia, to the Hunter River, New South Wales). The species is also found along the southern coast of New Guinea. Blue Catfish occur in a variety of habitats from swiftly to slow-flowing clear or turbid freshwaters, estuaries, and inshore coastal marine environments. Upon inquiry, we were informed that this fish was commonly called a Sooty Grunter, but that is incorrect. 

Sevenspot Archerfish (Toxotes chatareus)

The Sevenspot Archerfish (also known as the Common Archerfish, or Spotted Archerfish) feeds primarily on swimming and floating insects. The archerfishes are well known for their ability to shoot down resting insects by spitting a jet of water. Their body shape, in combination with the location of the dorsal fin well back on the body, allows the fish to swim very close to the surface and look upwards without creating surface disturbance. This is an advantage when hunting insects which rest on overhead vegetation.

Lunch on the bank of the Ord River near Carlton Gorge

For the cruise up the Ord River to the Top Dam, we were joined by members of another tour group.

The Ord River, heading towards Carlton Gorge

Keyhole rock by the Ord riverbank

Black Flying Fox (Pteropus alecto)

Black Flying Foxes (also known as Black Fruit Bats) are native to northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. During the day, individuals reside in large colonies consisting of hundreds to tens of thousands of individuals in mangroves, paperbark swamps, patches of rainforest, and bamboo forests, and very rarely, in caves or underneath overhangs. They eat pollen and nectar from native eucalyptus, lilypillies, paperbark, and turpentine trees. This species had been known to travel up to 50 km a night in search of food.

A Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni)

The freshwater crocodile is shy, and has a more slender snout, and slightly smaller teeth than the dangerous saltwater crocodile. The body colour is light brown with darker bands on the body and tail - these tend to be broken up near the neck.

More reflections on the Ord River

The Top Ord River Dam wall

Mertens' Water Monitor (Varanus Mertensi)

Mertens' Water Monitor is a species of lizard that is endemic to northern Australia, and is a wide-ranging, actively foraging, opportunistic predator of aquatic and riparian (the interface between land and a stream) habitats that may grow to a total length (including tail) of about 1.0 metre). It is found in coastal and inland waters across much of northern Australia and is a strong swimmer, and is seldom far from water. It is often seen basking on midstream rocks and logs, and on branches overhanging swamps, lagoons and waterways throughout its range. When disturbed, it drops into the water, where it can stay submerged for long periods. Mertens' water monitor feeds both on land and in the water, mainly on fish, frogs, and carrion, but also take terrestrial vertebrates and insects when available. It has a good sense of smell and may dig up prey when foraging, including the eggs of freshwater turtles.

River cruise vessel "Peregrine"

The river cruise was a one-way trip from Kununurra to the base of the Ord River Top Dam The return leg was by coach via the Argyle Homestead Museum.

The sign says: Faith in a pile of stones!

Construction of the Ord River Dam was completed in 1971it was officially opened the following year. The dam wall is 335 metres long, and 98 metres high. The earth-fill only dam wall at Lake Argyle is the most efficient dam in Australia in terms of the ratio of the size of the dam wall to the amount of water stored. The lake was named after the property it partly submerged, Argyle Downs. In 1996, the spillway wall was raised by 6 metres, which doubled the dam's capacity.

The Ord River and Carlton Gorge

Carlton Gorge can be seen in the background, as our cruise vessel makes the return journey down the Ord River with a new complement of tourers. In the right foreground can be seen the outlets from the hydro electric power station.

Lake Argyle

Lake Argyle normally has a surface area of about 1,000 square kilometres. The storage capacity, to the top of the spillway, is 10,763 gigalitres, however the usual storage volume is 5,797 gigalitres making it the largest reservoir in Australia. The combined Lake Gordon/Lake Pedder system in Tasmania is larger, but is two dams connected by a canal. Higher areas have become permanent islands within the lake's area. There are currently some 150 square kilometres of farmland under irrigation in the East Kimberly region. The original plan was for dam water to irrigate rice crops for export to China. However, these plans were scuttled as waterfowl, particularly magpie geese ate rice shoots quicker than they could be planted. Other crops are now grown, but Lake Argyle still remains Australia's most under-utilised lake.

Kimberley Heath (Calytrix exstipulata)

Massed, star-like flowers make the Kimberley Heath (also known as Turkey Bush, or Kimberley Heather) one of the most attractive of the Kimberley plants. The flowers may vary in colour from off-white to pale pink, to quite reddish. They appear mainly in the dry season. This specimen was sighted at the entry to the Historic Argyle Homestead Museum.

The homestead was originally built in 1895 by the Durack family on Argyle Downs Station (now mostly submerged by the lake). Constructed of handcrafted limestone blocks with crushed termite mounds used as mortar, it was a magnificent building for its time.

The re-constructed Durack Homestead

During the early 1970’s it was decided to remove the homestead before Lake Argyle began to fill and it was dismantled stone by stone with every stone coded in such a way so as to be able to rebuild with every stone back in its original position. 

Rock construction of the homestead

A doll of its time!

Homestead artifact

Homestead artifact

Durack country

Durack country

Having re-boarded our coach at about 3:30 pm, the group headed back to Kununurra through Durack country, for the next leg of the day's adventure, which was far from over.

Motor vessel "Jabiru"

The vessel glided from the dock through Lily Creek, and out to the open water of Lake Kununurra which was millpond-calm. The photos in this section are not in any order, and most are uncaptioned - they speak for themselves!!

Lake Kununurra Sunset Dinner Cruise

Green Pygmy Goose (Nettapus pulchellus)

The green pygmy goose is a small perching duck which breeds in southern New Guinea and northern Australia. Its preferred habitat is well-vegetated lowland lagoons and other permanent fresh waters, where it nests in tree hollows and lays eight to twelve eggs.

Brett, skipper of the "Jabiru"

Unfortunately, I failed to take of photo of Brett's partner, the delightful Jade. We hope to see her in Tassie one day!

View of "Sleeping Buddha" and Lake Kununurra

Pier, Julie, Colleen, Karen

Carr Boyd Range from Lake Kununurra

Dinner in Packsaddle Lagoon

Returning to Kununurra from Packsaddle Lagoon

Highway lamps across the Diversion Dam at Kununurra

Final photo of the day!

As if the day had not held enough excitement, wonder, and awe at the beauty of the Kununurra region, especially the lakes and river, we were treated to these reflections illuminated by the lights at the Kununurra Cruises base.

Go to Day Six