LEYCESTERS REST via KUNUNURRA WA

  Welcome to WA. Leycesters rest is around 420 kms from the subject of my last post, Saddle Creek in NT. As you would expect we did not travel all that way in one day, instead making a stop at Kununurra for a look, some shopping and refuelling and then an overnight at the very basic and windswept Cockburn Rest Area, situated at the junction of the Victoria and Great Northern Hwy, 45 kms out of town.
  I didn't like Kununurra much as it was busy on a Saturday morning and was difficult to get around. To add to my disappointment, there was no gas to be found anywhere, so the fridge will have to remain off until I can find some. Others say that it they enjoyed their visit, so to be fair, I think that I may warm to the place if I gave it a bit more time.
  Kununurra is an Aboriginal name meaning "Big Waters" probably so because the Ord River and the huge Lake Argyle are nearby. The town, located in the east Kimberley district was only developed in 1960 ( Gazetted in 1961)  to service the Ord River Development Scheme. The Ord was dammed in 1971 to form the storage reservoir for the ambitious Ord River Irrigation Scheme. The biggest inland lake in Australia, lake Argyle was thus formed when "Argyle Downs", a one million acre cattle station was flooded. Kununurra itself is on Lake Kununurra fed also by the Ord River, has a population of 7500 and is one of the youngest towns in WA.
  Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about Leycesters Rest, a free camping area beside the Great Northern Hwy that passes through the huge "Mabel Downs" Cattle Station and not far from the Aboriginal community of Warmun (Turkey Creek), the home of the Gija Ochre Painters.

  The Leycesters Rest Area is quite big and very popular, filling up by mid to late afternoon. It lies a short walk from the Ord River, without water this time, as it is the dry season.  As as sign erected at the site stated it was built in honour of a 13 year old Halls Creek boy called Leycester who was killed in a single vehicle road accident. His favourite saying was "no act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted". We all thought that this was a good place to stay for a couple of nights especially since phone and internet reception was available and surprisingly good, maybe because we are not far from the Mabel Downs Homestead.
(click on a Photo to enlarge)