We have continued our journey in the Kimberley's. You could spend such a long time touring the Kimberley's...... We were fortunate enough to arrive in Kununurra for the Kimberley Moon Festival so we booked into Kimberleyland Caravan Park (like Disneyland; but in the Kimberley's) for four nights and also bought tickets for a few events. On the Friday I did a tour of the Pink Argyle Diamond Mine combining my two loves of diamonds and mining. The Pink Argyle Diamond Mine is the second biggest producer of pink diamonds. It's a huge operation but still only produces about a 3/4 full champagne glass of pink diamonds each year. With a pink diamond costing up to 12million dollars (per diamond). It was no surprise that security was intense. While on site; if I dropped anything such as a tissue, fingernail or even fluff - I was not allowed to pick it up but rather call security to do so. The employees were allowed to bring in their lunch but not allowed to take anything home (no leftovers; not even a lunch box). The staff that sorted through the diamonds had a security guard with them at all times with the security guards rotated every couple of days (so they were not able to build a relationship....)
The other interesting element was the relationship with the company and the indigenous landowners. Our guide explained that when the initial agreement was made with a couple of the male elders it was agreed to pay the indigenous owners around $60k per year in lease payments. They were paid in cash and reading through the lines; it didn't go well. However when the contract needed to be renewed in 2001 the female elders of the communities negotiated the new deal and now the owners get $2m paid each finanical year. 50% is invested into future generations and the other 50% is invested into new businesses, education and support services. The tourist guide for example, owns the business that operates the visitor tours. He loaned $50k off the community (but he had to pay it back) to build his business. He said the community learnt the lesson (the hard way) that it doesn't work if people are given cash. I know that I just explained it in simple terms and it is likely to be a bit more complicated but I am not suprised that it was the women that made the effective deal!!
Looking for pink diamonds....
We also went to a Corroboree which was great. It included dinner that consisted of some type of meat (apparently beef; I think it was buffalo) that was cooked underground and damper. It was entertaining watching the kids try to gnaw into the meat (to no avail). It would've been difficult to chew through it with a chainsaw let only Tom's jaw with limited teeth.... Unfortunately none of us succeeded. The dogs meandering through the crowd left with full stomachs that night.
The following night we went to an open-air concert with a list of singers included Troy Casser-Daly and Bernard Fanning. It was such a great night - best concert I have been to under a full moon.
So we loved Kununurra - not sure if there was much to see if wasn't for the festival. Once again alcohol restrictions were imposed and every purchaser needed proof of ID (that was scanned) for purchase. We were also told by a local to get our alcohol on the Friday as the police were considering closing all bottle shops the following day due to an indigenous funeral.
On the last night we went to a local football match. The boys loved it (and so did I) with the atmosphere electric. Nick got approached from a local girl to "go out with him".... Very cute.
We left Kununnura for Lake Argyle which was about 150km away...
The infinity pool at Lake Argyle and yes he had his hand on my ar*e!
Lake Argyle is a massive body of water and Austalia's largest freshwater lake. Lake Argyle has a service area of 1000 square kilometres and a shoreline stretching 9000kilometres.
Live entertainment each night at the caravan park - a perfect backdrop.
The infinity pool at Lake Argyle won an award as being one of the "most sexiest" pools. Not really sure what makes a pool sexy and more so whether I would promote that (wouldn't it just encourage misbehaviour in the pool??). But god damn it was good (not really sexy but we did have four children and it was full of grey nomads)
Trying to look sexy at the sexist pool in Australia.
The following night we did the Sunset Cruise on Lake Argyle. It was super (8/10) and the tour guides were fantastic. So relaxed with the kids. Very informative and at the completion of the night they allowed us to swim with 30,000 freshwater crocodiles while they threw us beers...... And I'm sorry to brag but my husband was the first to jump off the top of the boat and 'mark' his can of beer...As a back man I thought he might have punched it away!!! They then preceded to send out a floating platter of nibbles while we watched the sun set for another day.
Beer, nibbles and 30,000 crocodiles.
So how did they build Lake Argyle? When I heard it was man-made I imagined hundreds of people digging with shovels. And while a dam engineer will most likely scoff at my explanation I think all they did was build 300metre really strong dam wall that keeps all the water in.
Our last night in WA
The following day, after seven or so weeks we left Western Australia - it was so bloody good to us and we were a little sad to leave it... West Australia is the most amazing space of land; not only in size (it is friggen huge....) but what it has to offer. I had a friend that moved to WA for 12months and is still there 15 years later. I can see why. It is a real tourist, holiday state. It felt right that we crossed the border with our new friends and travelling companions - the Neagles...
Bye bye Western Australia #ilovewa. Please note: Matt's in NT and I'm in WA.
So watch out Northern Territory... Here we come!
Happy travelling
The Stevens'
#making memories