Chinchilla – Barcaldine – Shandonvale Station – Winton – Mt Isa – Barkly Wayside Inn – Dunmarra – Kununurra – Elquestro

It was 10th May 2023. The next day we were setting off on our Kimberley trip. 4600nm in 21 days. 4 years in the planning. Two aborted attempts due to Covid restrictions. Finally it looked like we were on our way. Blue skies were on the forecast.

David and Rita had arrived after driving up from Stawell in their 4WD camper. That would stay in Mike’s hangar along with the Boxster while MSF was out and about. David and Rita accompanied me to Redcliffe to check out the hangar and so that I could prepare the aircraft. Our maximum fuel would be 220L with all our bags so I needed a way to check how much we had. At Drysdale River we’d have to fill from a drum without any calibrated flowmeter. A dipstick was required. So we made one. There and then. Using the bowser at Redcliffe to measure the amount we were adding to the tanks.

The next morning dawned clear with blue skies. Rita and Sigi drove out to Redcliffe in the Boxster while David and I took the 4WD. We pulled MSF out and parked the cars. David erected the roof top tent so that it’d air while we were away.

MSF was loaded, we climbed in and off we went, heading west, first stop Chinchilla.

The bowser at Chinchilla gave us a bit of grief at first but after a quick call to the aero club president we had it sorted and were winging our way to Barcaldine, via the Carnarvon Gorge. It was a bit cloudy and turbulent over the gorge area but we soon arrived in Barcaldine for refuelling and our first lunch stop. There was a QantasLink Dash8 on the apron so a few locals were around dropping people off or picking them up. Two of them offered us a lift into town and one even gave us a lift back one hour later.

We checked out the Tree of Knowledge and then found a bakery to buy some lunch.

It turned out our friendly husband and wife drivers, Bevan and Allison Doyle, had both been pilots and were keen to know what we were up to and where we were going. Bevan drove us back out to the airport and checked out MSF as he hadn’t seen a Cirrus before.

Then we were off again. This time a 20 minute hop to our first overnight stop. Shandonvale sheep station. It would be Sigi and my second stay here after we visited with Anne and Harpur in 2021. David and Rita were in for a nice surprise however.

The owners Deon and Lane were away in Townsville so we were looked after by Deon’s parents Alan and Laurel. Deon had supplied the food for us however so we were well catered for. Alan was waiting for us at the airstrip with the 4WD vehicle we could use during our stay to get around. Driving over to reception we enjoyed a cool beer then headed over to the Shearers Quarters where we would be staying.

We had to unpack but first things first. The sun was going down already so it was off to Aramac Creek to check out the jetty and go for a champagne laced dip in the spa water tank at sunset.

After a good night’s sleep in the luxurious shearer’s quarters we were ready for breakfast of camel sausages and home cured bacon from Deon and Lane’s own production.

Alan had asked us to be over at the homestead by 9am so we could start our day exploring and relaxing at Shandonvale. He took us on a 2 hour tour of the property after which we were free to explore further on our own.

The day ended with a roast pork dinner supplied by Deon and masterfully slow cooked by Rita and a few yarns around the fire pit.

After another good night’s sleep it was time to continue on our journey. We were going to the Kimberley after all. We headed off for Barkly Wayside Inn via fuel stops at Winton and Mt Isa. On the way to Winton we passed over Muttaburra, home to the Muttaburrasaurus.

They have a great little terminal building at Winton, the town of many firsts.

But we couldn’t stop there this time. We were off to Mt Isa where the terminal was exactly that – terminal. Shuttered and devoid of life. Not even a toilet open. Luckily the BP guy kindly let us use their toilet. Hopeless that Glencore can’t even organise a dunny for the passing traveller. Am I surprised? Not really.

We met up with Luc and Louise at Barkly Wayside Inn. They’d had a couple of days at Roma and Winton on the way while we’d been slumming it at Shandonvale. Meanwhile Barkly Wayside Inn was undergoing a major refurbishment so the aircraft parking area was doubling as a laydown area for the builders. It was a great gravel strip but the taxiway was blocked by a grader at first, then a cement mixer. Finally after the cement mixer was towed away we taxied to the bowser that was surrounded by numerous trip hazards.

The pool was very refreshing and the rooms were great and the new pub looked like it would be great too when it’s complete. They told us that it should be working by the time we returned in 3 weeks. Meanwhile though they were working out of a container as takeaway only.

The next day we flew from Barkly Wayside Inn to ElQuestro via Dunmarra and Kununurra. Heading northwest from Barkly we flew over Rockhampton Downs Station. There was so much water lying around from the recent rains and the country was much greener than expected.

Dunmarra was interesting. They weren’t sure whether the bowser would work so we first did an overfly of Hayfield to check out their strip. They were our Plan B for refuelling. Great strip. Five miles away we landed at Dunmarra where the strip was a bit overgrown but still ok.

Gary Frost the owner needed about half an hour to get the bowser working but finally with the help of two mates plus David he succeeded. Then shouted us a coffee. He is setting up a microbrewery that should be amazing.

Flying on to Kununurra we passed over Victoria River area with some really spectacular country with gorges and escarpments and rivers. And we met up with the Victoria Highway that connects Darwin with Kununurra.

At Kununurra we refuelled again then hopped over to ElQuestro where we were to stay for four nights. Finally after three years we had made it to the Kimberley.

The story continues under “Destinations – Kimberley Flying Safari Week 1”