Derby

We spent 4 days in Derby, and played golf for 3 of them. This is probably more a reflection of the alternative attractions on offer here than of the quality of the golf course, although having said that the course was quite nice. Named 'The Boabs' for obvious reasons (a magnificent specimen shown at left - and not a bad tree either), although only a nine-holer (well ten holes actually, they had a different par 3 for the 12th than for the third) it is well grassed and in pretty good condition.

On the other day, we went up the Gibb River Road to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. Windjana Gorge was a bit of a disappointment, apart from seeing heaps of fresh water crocs (and we're a bit over crocs at this stage), a longish, fairly dull and very dusty walk up the gorge was about all there was to do there. Tunnel Creek, however, was really good. As the name suggests, it is a creek that has bored itself down into the limestone and formed a tunnel, which you get to walk through. The tunnel is about 750 metres long, but the roof has collapsed about half way through so in fact you don't walk in full darkness for very long. A good torch and an old pair of runners are essential - you can't get more than a third of the way in if you aren't prepared to

wade. The water is surprisingly cold, and at its deepest just under knee high (although I guess this depends on how tall you are). You cross the creek 4 or 5 times, with the widest crossing maybe 5 metres. The roof is mostly quite high, although at one stage it comes down to only a couple of metres above your head, but the tunnel is at least 12 metres wide so you don't feel too enclosed. It was really fun, lots of stalactites and stalagmites, and a colony of bats that don't appreciate the constant disturbance of intruders. Luckily it is nice and hot here in Derby, it took us 2 days to dry our runners out afterwards!

The 120 km or so of the Gibb River Rd we did to get to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek weren't quite 'one of the last great 4wd adventures' that the tourist info had lead us to expect. In fact, we were surprised to find that it was sealed for most of the way to the turnoff, but the extra 60km or so to the gorge and on to Tunnel Creek were a little rough. I guess the other 600km of the Gibb River Road through to Wyndham must be the adventurous bit!