Kununurra 2

Tuesday 19^th July

Sightseeing around Kununurra.

A lazy day checking out some of the sights around Kununurra.  Our first call was at Ivanhoe Crossing.  This is where the old main road between Kununurra and Wyndham crossed the Ord River on a concrete causeway.  It became basically redundant when the Diversion Dam for the Irrigation Scheme was built further up river and the main road diverted across the dam.

Normally the crossing is still used by local traffic, but due to the huge and prolonged wet season this year, far more water than usual is pouring down the river and over the crossing, making it impassable.  The photos clearly show why.

From there we went out to the Zebra Rock Art Gallery.  This gallery creates art pieces from Zebra Rock, so named for obvious reasons.  Apparently the rock is only found in one place in the world, and is formed due to a unique geological phenomenon. This place happens to be a small piece of land which now lies under Lake Argyle.  Access to the rock is only available for about 5 weeks each year when the lake is at its lowest level. 

Some of the patterns were quite fascinating and it would have been great to have been able to bring some home.  Unfortunately we would have had to sell the house to buy the rocks, so there would have been no point, would there?

The gallery was beside Lake Kununurra and they advertised fish feeding from their jetty.  We took some pieces of bread down and saw literally hundreds of catfish hanging around waiting to be fed.   What a frenzy when we chucked the bread in. 

There were also a couple of other kinds of fish there we couldn’t identify, but they may have been small fresh water barramundi.

Then it was back to camp for a refreshing dip in the swimming pool.  Afterwards we got talking to our neighbours who turned out to be a couple from Auckland who have been touring Aussie for about 2 years.

Later on another guy came up and made himself known to us.  He had seen our NZ Flag so came over to find out what part we were from.  He was also a Kiwi, from Warkworth.  He and his wife are living the ideal lifestyle.  They spend from about November to February in New Zealand, and then the rest of the year caravanning around Aussie.  Of course Christel’s first teaching job was in Warkworth so they had quite a bit to chat about.

The guys name was John Moore, and he mentioned that he used to be in the police.  Turns out he was a dog handler at Rotorua for most of his police career, which spanned the same time that I was in the Police.  We couldn’t come up with any names we both knew, but what a small world.

Wednesday  20^th July

I had just about run out of my prescription tablets, so we had made an appointment with a local Doctor to get some more. 

I rang the Doctor and made the appointment. I was told that Doctor Myra Brown could see me.  Then I asked the receptionist where they were.  “Oh, we are in the Medical Centre at 96 Coolibah Street.”  Well, that’s pretty straight forward isn’t it??  I knew where Coolibah Street was, so a Medical Centre at 96 shouldn’t be too hard to find, should it?

Luckily I left early.  I drove along Coolibah Street.  First problem, no street numbers.  Oh well, the Medical Centre should stand out fairly well, shouldn’t it?  After 2 trips of the entire street I still hadn’t seen it.  Finally I found a street number, number 10.  OK, the Medical Centre must be down the other end on that side of the road.  Turned around and soon spotted number 28.  Great, getting closer.  No more numbers and no Medical Centre and time was slipping buy.

OK, plan B. Ask someone.  Finally spotted the Council Offices.  They would know.  “Sure, it’s back down the street BEHIND the Dental Clinic.”  Silly me!!!  They even got a map out and showed me where.  Finally I found it, neatly hidden behind the Dental Clinic, and clearly labelled Medical Centre, but you could only see that after you had driven in behind the Dental Clinic.  Never mind I was there now, and just in time for my appointment.  Or was I?

I bowled up to the receptionist and very confidently gave my name, and the fact that I had an appointment with Dr Myra Brown.  I was met with a blank stare.  “We don’t have a doctor by that name here”.   “This is the Medical Centre on Coolibah Street isn’t it?”  I asked, suddenly not so confident any more.  “Oh yes, but we’re only attached to the Dental Clinic.  I think you should be at the Medical Centre at the Hospital across the road.”  “But I was told the Medical Centre at 96 Coolibah St, and the even numbers are on this side of the road”. “Well, sorry we can’t help you; I suggest you try the hospital”.

To cut a long story short I went to the Hospital, but there were no signs indicating a Medical Centre anywhere.   I eventually walked into the main reception area to ask where I could find the Medical Centre, and was told that I was in it, and yes they had a Doctor Myra Brown, and take a seat.  As easy as that.

I won’t bore you with the problems I had trying to get some more tablets of the same prescription.  They don’t have that particular kind in Aussie, but that’s another story.  Hey, but I did come out smiling.  The lovely Doctor, who by the way, broke her leg while tramping around Lake Waikaremoana a couple of years ago, told me I didn’t have to pay anything because New Zealand and Aussie have some sort of exchange agreement.  Pity they didn’t have the same sort of agreement when it comes to paying for the pills.

So there you are, after all that stress, I rushed home and took a double dose of my heart pills.

We filled in the rest of the afternoon with a swim in the campground pool, and then just before sunset went up a nearby lookout and watched the sun set.