Around the West in 90-Odd Days: Days 23-26 (26-29 July) El Questro

After nearly two weeks of "going dark" across the Gibb River Road, we are back in range! Lots of blogs to post, we'll drip feed them to you over the next little while to prevent reading overload...

Days 23-26 (26-29 July) El Questro

We spent four nights in El Questro, basically a large holiday ranch complete with many organised tours, bar and restaurant, live music each night, scenic flights, fishing and horse riding. We did the majority of walks, which are, of course, all up into various gorges.

Walking the main El Questro Gorge, there is a somewhat tricky section where it is necessary to wade across the river while holding anything you want to keep dry above your head and then clamber up a crevice and over a large boulder (Dave gave me a hand up). On our return journey, Dave had just removed his boots, socks and shirt ready for the descent when he went to the aid of a young family coming the other way. The family’s 3 children were clinging to a rock ledge half-way up the crevice, and the father was standing chest-deep in the water helping his wife up onto the same ledge.

Once a shirt-less Dave appeared at the top of the boulder, the sight of his broad muscular shoulders, rippling biceps and manly six-pack must have caused this poor woman to go weak at the knees and she fell screaming back down the crevice twisting her knee. There was some conjecture that she was simply startled by the stark whiteness of the sun-starved upper torso of the untanned Canberran, but we really don’t need that sort of negativity.

Thankfully the father was able to catch his wife as she fell, but the fall was sufficient to unsettle the children, the eldest of whom was now consoling the tearful younger 2, while the father, still holding his wife, attempted to console the whole family. Fellow walkers came to their aid and we got them all safely back to dry land; their assault on the gorge now aborted.

With the aid of a donated bandage and painkillers, borrowed walking pole and support from her husband, the lady was able to slowly hobble her way out of the gorge (1.3km on a rocky creek bed!) and back to the car, but the event will no doubt be etched in their memories as an unforgettable family holiday, for all the wrong reasons.

Up the top of El Questro gorge (where, by the way, there is a beautiful waterfall and swimming lagoon), I discovered a drenched Akubra [for our overseas friends: think Mick Dundee’s hat] sitting on a rock, all by itself. Knowing that no Aussie male would ever willingly abandon his Akubra, and would be pining its loss, I stored it on top of my own Akubra and wore it back to camp. My suspicions were correct – the owner, on becoming cognisant of it being missing, had left his camp site location with other hikers down the gorge, hoping for its eventual return. Legend has it this hat is so lucky that the owner can even catch fish while wearing it in the bathtub.

El Questro provides a helpful ‘Trail Fact Sheet’ for each of their walks, which provides an outline of the walk as well as a map and track notes. We thought the track notes tended to over-state things a bit, so Dave has provided the Australian interpretation of some of the common track notes, in case you were planning a visit. The walks themselves are not difficult, however, finding the track markers sometimes requires a degree in archaeology.

El Questro track notes	Australian interpretation
This section of the track requires clambering over boulders.	This section has stepping stones.
This is an arduous walk, requiring at least 4L of water.	This walk wouldn’t be half as arduous if you weren’t carrying that extra 3L of water you won’t use.
From here the track rises steeply upwards.	If you have a calibrated laser level, you may be able to discern the grade here is not quite level.
This track is for experienced walkers only.	Can you stand on your own and make forward progress by putting one foot in front of the other? You have the required experience.
The gorge is quite open and less shady.	There isn’t a tree for at least 100 miles.
From here the vegetation gets thicker.	Hey look! There’s a tree.
The falls look spectacular in the wet season.	Nothing to see here but rocks.
The cliffs to the left are covered with Lygodium and Nephrolepis.	Hmm, green stuff.
The creek crossing is rocky, we recommend you engage low-range, 1^st gear and slowly make your way over the rocks.	Put your 4WD in low-1^st and find something strong to hang on to. You’re about to go for a ride in a paint shaker.
Swim here at your own risk.	Crocodiles only eat once a week; take a chance, live dangerously.