Wyndham is a small, fading town that was once the port of entry for gold diggers, then later the site of a large meatworks. Nowadays, the port still exports a little, mostly iron ore and cattle.
Downtown has the Big Croc, the Picture Theatre, and a steep climb to the magnificent
Five Rivers Lookout.
We camped at the Wyndham Caravan Park which has the 'oldest captive boab', 2000 years ago and birds galore.
Outside town, we took the King River Road to a magic, shady billabong where flycatchers, honeyeaters and babblers fluttered.
The King River road starts with a scenic saltpan, then passes an ancient boab that used to be used as a jail.
Close to the billabong are red cliffs with Aboriginal art many thousands of years old.
Further past the billabong on the track to the Wyndham town dam, is an amazing dry riverbed.
A local birder, Bushy, kindly took us to his rustic hide where we spotted mixed flocks of gouldian finches, star finches, long-tailed finches and even a varied sittella. Surprisingly, his dog, Bundy, didn't scare the birds, but was quite neurotic, stealing hats, waterbottles and sticks for a good chew.
An early morning start took us to Marlgu Billabong full of whistling ducks, dabchicks, jacanas, and terns.
Marlgu Billabong is reached via a very rugged road leading to Telegraph Hill and its ruins of the old Telegraph station.
Leaving Wyndham, we popped in to see the impressive Grotto, a huge natural rockhole reached by 140 steps. The deep pool is freezing cold, full of curious fish, and lined with roots like tentacles on the walls.
In the nearby carpark, someone had brought all his toys.
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Wyndham, Marlgu Billabong, Gouldian Finch, Gouldian Finches, The Grotto, Kununurra, WA, Western Australia
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