A slower start after two massive days, mummy requesting a bit of schoolwork before we left to explore the two smaller gorges around here. First up was Adcock Gorge, with a last 500m of ridiculously rocky track. Bit of a goat track into the gorge too but a beautiful big deep dark green pool at the bottom of the gorge. Quite chilly to swim as mostly in the shade but kids could climb a bit up the side and explore the small pools above the main falls. Back in the car and past the sensible ones who walked the last 500m in (or the pea hearts if you ask Matty). Galvan Gorge was an easy 1 km walk in - ‘that’s nothing’ according to our littlest trekker. Some lunch then swimming in another deep pool. We could sit under the falls on a ledge this time and there was the coolest bottle tree at the top of the falls. A water monitor was stationed staring at the falls a few metres away from us, if he slid in, I was getting straight out! I can’t understand why these gorges don’t seem to be sacred aboriginal sites and tourists are allowed to trek all over and swim in them-they must have offered much sustenance and refuge in the past. Either there were very efficient clean outs by the earliest pastoralists of the communities in the area or WA national parks just locks everything up and doesn’t share very well. We are paying vehicle access permits everywhere so I’m assuming portions of that do go back into the communities around here. Walking out of Galvan at 2:30 I was starting to hear early evening insect noises and afternoon light softening already, I could listen to bubbling streams all day and never get tired of it.
I’m currently sitting on the bank of the campsite river at sunset while kids have one last swim, Manning Gorge we have loved you!