Broome or Bust – Wolfe Creek

We left early the next morning to avoid the heat (poor Melburnians) with no destination in mind.  First stop was Halls Creek to pick up some fuel, ice and a few essentials.  The bush internet has Halls Creek as a “problem”, so we spent the night  at Caroline Spring, a few clicks out of town.  Again it’s worth reminding, that in the dry season, many springs are reduced to murky remnants, remnants that are cramped quarters for any number of crocs.  I wandered down to Carol Spring with a sort of vague idea about a swim, but the bubbles rising to the surface quickly caused a re-think.   Of course in the wet season, plenty of water, and still the crocs.  So for those thinking they can swim their way through the top-end and the Kimberleys (like we did), it ain’t gonna’ happen without a lot of planning.

Mary Pool is one of many overnight campgrounds along the highway and, after our big drive the day before, we decided to treat ourselves to an easy run.  Besides, I had Wolfe Creek Crater on my bucket list and the turnoff was already 100klms back.

Now for some people, the opportunity to stand on the rim of the second largest meteor crater in the world and marvel at the hugeness and spectacle of such an impact, would be a special moment in their lives.  For other people, it’s just a big hole in the ground.  So, I had to leave “other people” with the van and set off for an overnight stay at Wolfe Creek.  Wolfe Creek is not handy.  Its 100klm’s down the Tanami Road and then 20klm’s through private property.  Tamami is a good dirt road with wrecked cars every so often to remind you not to be too cavalier with the conditions.  The odd 4WD coming in the other direction would leave a train of red dust for a couple of hundred metres. 

The turnoff is well sign posted, but the closed gate confused me.  Second guessed a couple of times then went back to trusting the road sign.  

The road in seemed a lot better than had been reported, but after the second gate, it was back down to 19klm and verge hugging for the last four kilometres.  I sure it’s some kind of local humour – the old ‘lull them into a false sense of security’ gag. Something Mick would find hilarious.

Oh yeah, met this nice guy Mick. Said he was a local and seemed keen to show me around. Said I could stay at his place but some other people showed up and he sort of disappeared. Happy to pose for a photo but.

It’s hard to believe that this crater wasn’t discovered till 1947, but from the outside of the rim you can also see why it wasn’t. It looks like a small ridge, and because it’s so big it, looks like a straight line from any angle.  It’s only when you climb to the top does it all make sense. 

To give you some perspective, at 850 metres across, you could fit the entire MCG complex inside and not touch the sides or reach the top.  They estimate that, after the impact, the crater would have been 120 metres deep below the surface, but over the last 300,000 years it has been partially filled in by dust to be now only 20 meters below the surrounding landscape.

A stunning sunset, followed by sleeping rough and then up before dawn to walk the rim. Another fellow explorer, Tom wisely counselled, ‘You don’t drive all this way to look at it once”. 

The rim took over an hour, plus stops to take pics.  It really was a unique experience. 

Back on the Tanami by 8am then, a quick diversion back to Halls Creek for the usual suspects, and back to Tamika by noon.  Our next destination was the Mimbi Caves.