Friday 30th June
El Questro W.A.
![Chamberlain Gorge - ELQ]()
Chamberlain Gorge - ELQ
I hate starting the day with a hangover. We had to be up at 5:45 a.m. to be showered and ready for our breakfast cruise on the
Chamberlain Gorge. We duly arrived there at the appointed time of 6.45 a.m. feeling more than a little seedy. Amanda was the only
bright spark but even she was feeling a bit wilted. At least breakfast was provided and much needed.
Ranger Meg loved a chat so she explained the history of the property and the resort as we cruised leisurely along. At the far end of
the gorge we alighted and took a short walk to see several
rock art sites containing
![Lunch on the hop - Rock wallaby at Chamberlain Gorge]()
Lunch on the hop - Rock wallaby at Chamberlain Gorge
both Wanjana and Bradshaw figures.
Ranger Meg provided a lot of good information about both epochs. The Bradshaw’s were fascinating being totally different in style, content and quality compared with the more child like Wanjana. I also learnt that Wanjana are painted with no mouth as they are associated with the
![ELQ Art of the last 5000 years]()
ELQ Art of the last 5000 years
wet season and if they had a mouth and opened it, all the water would pour out flooding the land. That is also why Wanjana are always found near or overlooking water. At the back of the boat, tossed bread bought in the archerfish and some catfish. This profusion of fish also bought in the king of the
rock hole, a
Barramundi. A good sized fish of 45 cm that put a bit of fear into the scavenging archerfish. (The archers were made to work for their bread which they had to shoot out of your fingers with a
well aimed jet of water.
![Bradshaw art at better than 17,000 years old!]()
Bradshaw art at better than 17,000 years old!
Unfortunately all I could really think of was my bed waiting for me back at
camp and I gladly fell into it on our return. I didn’t emerge until after noon for a spot of lunch. The afternoon was spent exploring a few gorges and 4x4 tracks to Explosion Hole, Branco’s
pool and
lookout and
Pigeon Hole. The tracks were often
![The view from Brancos Lookout]()
The view from Brancos Lookout
rugged and steep but we just cautiously plodded on. The last 500 metres into Explosion was very interesting picking your way down the scree slopes of
the gorge and then across big round river boulders. Some great scenery was had and a few photos’s taken.
![Sage advice - Explosion Pool!]()
Sage advice - Explosion Pool!
![Our camp at ELQ]()
Our camp at ELQ