Mt King

On Saturday, the kids and I got up early and decided that we would climb Mt King! It is the highest point on Bedford.... Although I'm not sure exactly how high it is...
Sterling dropped us at the bottom in the chopper and then left us to it. It took us just under two hours to climb and the view was pretty amazing! We had to watch out for snakes and what not but we made it! Sterling had dropped our smoko at the top on his way back so we had more water and food there waiting for us.
After about 40 minutes, Sterling then came back and picked us up! Here are some pics...

This is Kanta at the top looking out at the view

Kanta and me.

The Kimberley's

We have made it to Bedford Downs and it is beautiful! Here are a few pics... Completely different to Alroy!

On the road to Bedford

On Monday we left Alroy Downs in the NT to start the long drive to Bedford Downs in WA in the Kimberlys. We have 7 horses, 5 poddy calves, 3 dogs, 6 ringers, the 3 kids, the Govie (me!) and Rachel! 

Currently we are in Kununurra with one more days drive to go! Here are some pics from the trip so far...

Day one on route to Katherine...

Just about to leave Katherine...

Day four- Katherine to Kununurra 

The Buntine Highway is named for Noel Buntine who is Sterlings father.

Hunter and Jollie

A Boab tree- these are common in the Kimberlys 

I have made it back to Alroy!

Following my awesome few weeks catching up with friends and family, I am back in the outback. Term 3 for school has started and the heat is still here! Everybody on the station is getting ready to move over to the west shortly... There are only a couple more mobs of cattle in the yards to work and then we all pack up and move to one of the three stations in the Kimberly's in Western Australia. As the kids go to Bedford, that's also where I will be. If I was worried about the heat here, apparently its nothing compared to what waits for me out west!


Here are a few pics I've taken lately of Alroy...

Pukeko? Purple Swamphen...

As I was walking outside the kitchen today I came across these Pukeko's! Over here they are called Purple Swamphens. Was very strange to see a bird that is always representing NZ in gift shops etc just casually walking around in the outback in Australia! I learnt something new today! Is it just me? Or is that common knowledge....

Another bush fire...

Heading back to Alroy and we stop at a gas station and a bush fire is raging across the road...

I forgot about the heat too... Mid 30s today with extreme humidity... I'm back in the NT!

NT - Not today, not tomorrow, not Tuesday and not Thursday!

I am currently on school holidays so that means I'm in Melbourne - with internet!

Life in the NT is definitely laid back. Since being at Alroy I have noticed that while things do get done, there is never really a sense of urgency about getting things done RIGHT NOW!

I thought the weather was cooling down but no - it was still hitting the high 30s last week before I left. All of the workers have arrived now so it went from four of us on the station to about 24!

I have seen heaps of dingo's around the place. They are really bad as they attack the cattle - mainly the calves. I am still going out on the station every weekend, and the mustering is about to start so all the horses have been rounded up and getting saddles put on them.

To get to Melbourne for this week I had to catch an 8 1/2 hour bus trip to Alice Springs where I stayed for two nights. As it was Easter, there was nothing open! I couldn't really see many touristy things which was a shame. It then took me two flights to get to Melbourne from Alice so I can see why people just don't leave the stations for a while!

Here are a few more pictures from the station...

The store truck arrives every second Thursday to deliver all the food and mail and anything else that needs to be delivered to Alroy.

We have just killed another snake outside the kitchen - here it is being examined to figure out how poisonous it is!

They are slowly starting to install solar panels to power the water pumps now as the windmills can't keep up.

A goanna! Not sure if you can see it very well... He's a big one!

Galah's hanging out...