Day 352 – Fitzroy Crossing, WA (31 August)

Tunnel Creek National Park
Had a unique day today visited a gorge called tunnel creek.  It is 115kms north west of Fitzroy via 83kms of unsealed road which was badly corrugated in parts.  Took us 1.25 hours to drive there each way but it was so worth it! “Tunnel Creek flows through a water worn tunnel beneath the limestone of the Napier Range, part of the 375 to 350 million-year-old Devonian Reef system. You can walk 750 metres through the tunnel to the other side of Napier Range, wading through several permanent pools and watching for bats and the stalactites that descend from the roof in many places. Some parts are up to 15m wide or 12m high.  The tunnel is the most ancient cave system in WA.At least five species of bat live in the cave, including ghost bats and fruit bats, and stalactites descend from the roof in many places. Freshwater crocodiles are occasionally found in the pools.”  The history of the cave revolves around an Aboriginal leader known as Jandamarra.  He evaded Police and others for three years hiding in the cave He was killed outside its entrance in 1897. Equipped with a torch each and our crocs (shoes) we firstly had to climb over some boulders at the entrance to the tunnel and then pretty much straight into water that was knee deep and cold.  Shortly after we needed to turn on the torches so we could see.  It was fantastic wading through the water shining our torches up at the roof sides and in the water where we saw a marron and little fish that looked like catfish.  There were many stalactites, waterfalls and curtain formations formed from the water seeping through the rock depositing calcium on top of itself.  Due to the sand on the bottom of the tunnel there were no stalagmites.  At one stage a stalactite was dropping droplets of water from its end onto the floor below, we stood there trying to catch the drops in our mouths!   About 2/3rds of the way though part of the roof had collapsed opening the tunnel to the sky.  There were heaps of bats on the nearby trees and it was strange but in groups of 3 or 4 they circled the gap and flew into the tunnel to roost.  They are very noisy creatures sounds like they are telling the newcomers to get of their space.   Eventually we come to the end of the tunnel which continues on as a creek and we turn around to experience it all again.  It was a truly unique experience and we thoroughly enjoyed it.