Mitchell River National Park - Mitchell Falls Campground

 21 – 25 August 2022

A visit to Punamii-Uunpuu (Mitchell Falls) was the main reason for driving the Gibb River Road so after a night at Munurru we were finally very close. Many people leave their caravans or camper trailers at Munurru and day trip in, but the 80 kilometres was rough going and took us about 1 ¾ hours. We were very glad we had planned to stay a few days and also that our off-road camper trailer was up to the task. Even though the road was rough, the drive was magnificent. At times, you are driving along the ridgeline with some great views, and at other times you are driving through forests of endemic livistona palms.

We arrived at the campground before lunch time and paid for three nights. Unlike most Western Australia National Parks campgrounds you cannot book and pay online so it is essential to carry some cash to pay for camping. There weren’t too many people there as it was quite late in the season and we were able to get a nice spot with some shade but where we would also be able to get the solar panels into the sun. There were toilets nearby and non-potable water there as well. Some sites also have fire pits. The down side of this campground is the proximity to the helipad with its constant traffic taking people to and from the falls. 

There is a good swimming spot at Little Mertens Falls about 1 kilometre along the track from the campground so we set off in the afternoon to try it out. Unfortunately it’s not signposted and the information boards are a bit misleading. The quoted distance is to the top of the falls, but you have to keep walking and turn off the track to do some rock scrambling in order to get to the bottom of the falls. It was a bit of an effort but so worthwhile to be able to have a dip in such a lovely spot. With temperatures in the mid 30’s forecast, we figured we’d come down here more than once.

Our main purpose for visiting Mitchell Falls was so Mick could photograph the rare Black Grasswren. He had been given some information that would help him locate one, and had done his homework regarding habitat, call and behaviour. The likely spots were along the walk to the falls so we set off just after 7:00am full of hope. We had difficulty with the GPS co-ordinates we had been given, but a location description proved to be correct and he found the bird. Of course this lead to a very long session trying to get the perfect shot but the bird did not oblige.

We eventually continued the walk which is about 9 kilometres return and a Grade 5. The walk varies from an easy stroll along well made paths, to scrambling up and down over rocks. I found it hard going at times but was determined to get all the way to the falls. We made it to the end and were rewarded with views of this stunning set of waterfalls. This is such a popular spot, we counted 6 helicopters in the air or just landed when we first arrived. We had a swim near the top of the falls at a spot suggested by one of the tour guides as the easiest place to get in and out. After our swim and a snack we set off for the return journey. Most people helicopter one or both ways but we had to walk so we could keep an eye and ear out for the Black Grasswren. We had thought we might have a swim at Little Mertens Falls on the way back but it was almost 11:00 am and even though we were hot we were so exhausted we couldn’t contemplate the extra distance. We made it back to camp and spent the rest of the day resting.

We decided to add an extra night so over the next couple of days Mick returned to the spot where he had first spotted the Grasswren about 2 kilometres from camp, and also walked the Riverview track. He also spent some time near the day use area as they had been sighted there as well. Unfortunately none of this paid off with any better photographs. We also managed to fit in another swim at Little Mertens Falls where we also found the art sites, and also had a swim close to camp in the creek.

Mick did take lots of photos of other birds while we were there too. There were some very friendly Partridge Pigeons, some of whom came quite close to our camp and also a Boobook roosting in the hollow of the tree beside our camp. We watched him leave each night and Mick saw him return one morning,

Getting to Mitchell Falls is quite an effort – the road condition can vary considerably but by all reports it is nearly always pretty awful, but it certainly worthwhile. We love camping in National Parks and going for walks – although not usually as long and as difficult as this one! We think is it definitely better to camp there rather than day trip in as you have more time to enjoy all that there is to see and do – and then to rest afterwards.

After four nights we finally left Mitchell Falls and headed back the way we had come. We made our first stop at the art site closest to the Munurru Campground. We had heard about the artwork there and were very keen to see it. This site is known as the Warnmarri (Brolga) Complex and is well signposted, just off the main road. We set off along the track and were astounded at the number and quality of images to be found. There is no interpretive information but a book available at Drysdale River Station contains comprehensive information about this and the other nearby site. I had looked at the book while at Mitchell Falls thanks to a generous fellow camper so we had some idea about what we were seeing.

After a good look around the site we continued on to the Munurru day use area. We had lunch at one of the picnic tables and were contemplating a swim when a tour bus arrived. We decided to give it a miss and continue on to the next art site – The Wandjina Complex - which was a few kilometres down the road.  This one is also well signposted and is just before the river crossing. Once again we were amazed at the fabulous images, especially the mythical Wandjina after whom this site is named, and the Gwion (Bradshaw) figures. We spent another half hour wandering around this site.

We set off again and rejoined the Kalumburu Road on the way back to Drysdale River Station where we would stop for an overnighter.