If you are a regular to my blog, you will know that my eldest daughter has spent the last week on an epic adventure in the far North of our state, in the town of Kununurra, in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Along with 7 other girls and two teachers, they have had an incredible time - it exceeded their every expectation and Bel has returned home with a greater understanding of the Aboriginal people; more compassion for the struggles they endure in our society and huge respect for teachers!! Working in the primary school 6 hours a day, for 5 straight days, with 20 eight year olds (she was placed in year 3) was really fun, but hard work...some of them were very naughty!!! Not this little one though...how cute is she?
School started at 7.45am each morning but finished at 2pm, so the girls had plenty of time for sightseeing in the afternoons and evenings. Their teachers (a husband and wife team) made sure the girls got to see Kununurra and the surrounding country as tourists too, hiring two 4WD's to take them to see as much as possible.
Bel loved it...the red dirt,
The Boab trees, which are native to the Kimberley region, and stores water in its trunk, giving the tree a swollen, bottle like appearance.
The incredible landscape with its flat plains and magnificent red rocks. This is Kelly's Knob, the highest point in the area and offers a spectacular view of Kununurra and the Mirima National Park.
They took a 1.5 hour drive to Wyndham, which is renowned as Western Australia's most northern town and has one of the hottest annual average temperatures in Australia.
Here they visited Five Rivers Lookout...This is my favourite photo that Bel took - Stunning!!
Kununurra is a year round water playground, in fact, the word Kununurra means "Big Water" in the language of the aboriginal locals. So they visited alot of waterspots. This billabong teems with bird life
and crocodiles!
They took a boat cruise on Lake Argyle, Australia's largest artificial lake and which is now established as a thriving eco-system.
It is home to an estimated 35,000 freshwater crocodiles
...and the girl's were allowed to swim off the boat!! Yikes! Swimming at sunset in croc infested waters? Even if the Freshwater crocs are more docile... No thank you - but glad Bel did!! Awesome photo opportunity!
Sunset is the perfect photography time in the Kimberley...the colours are electrified.
and with a lack of breeze in the hot air, the reflections on the water are incredible.
Bel was thrilled to visit the border of Western Australia and The Northern Territory...and like any kid would...loved standing in both states at the same time!!
She loved being warm after the cool of a Perth winter...it was 35 degrees celsius most days whilst it has been 15 degrees and wet in Perth. They swam most days...always in a spot that was safe to do so from the crocs!
I think this photo sums up her week! It was a wonderful, happy, busy adventure. One she will always remember. I am so thrilled she took so many photos (650 in total) and that they capture her week in such a story telling way.
I am so happy to have her home again. We heard from her just twice in the whole week...she was either busy at school, out of range or asleep from an exhausting day. We understood...but its not easy having no communication for days on end. It made us appreciate how easy we have it now with mobile technology and that our own parents would often go for weeks and months not hearing from us when we were travelling. Sorry Mum and Dad!
Anyway...that's Bel's week in a nutshell. She came home not very well, having pushed through a fever and feelings of illness during the week, and has a head cold which caused intense pain in her ears upon landing. Ouch big time. Some major TLC from Mum, some painkillers and 14 hours sleep (!!) has helped her to settle back into home life...
She has done some growing up.
She cooked us dinner tonight.
Thank you Kununurra.
I wonder what the next adventure will be?
Mia x
If you are a regular to my blog, you will know that my eldest daughter has spent the last week on an epic adventure in the far North of our state, in the town of Kununurra, in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Along with 7 other girls and two teachers, they have had an incredible time - it exceeded their every expectation and Bel has returned home with a greater understanding of the Aboriginal people; more compassion for the struggles they endure in our society and huge respect for teachers!! Working in the primary school 6 hours a day, for 5 straight days, with 20 eight year olds (she was placed in year 3) was really fun, but hard work...some of them were very naughty!!! Not this little one though...how cute is she?
School started at 7.45am each morning but finished at 2pm, so the girls had plenty of time for sightseeing in the afternoons and evenings. Their teachers (a husband and wife team) made sure the girls got to see Kununurra and the surrounding country as tourists too, hiring two 4WD's to take them to see as much as possible.
Bel loved it...the red dirt,
The Boab trees, which are native to the Kimberley region, and stores water in its trunk, giving the tree a swollen, bottle like appearance.
The incredible landscape with its flat plains and magnificent red rocks. This is Kelly's Knob, the highest point in the area and offers a spectacular view of Kununurra and the Mirima National Park.
They took a 1.5 hour drive to Wyndham, which is renowned as Western Australia's most northern town and has one of the hottest annual average temperatures in Australia.
Here they visited Five Rivers Lookout...This is my favourite photo that Bel took - Stunning!!
Kununurra is a year round water playground, in fact, the word Kununurra means "Big Water" in the language of the aboriginal locals. So they visited alot of waterspots. This billabong teems with bird life
and crocodiles!
They took a boat cruise on Lake Argyle, Australia's largest artificial lake and which is now established as a thriving eco-system. 
It is home to an estimated 35,000 freshwater crocodiles
...and the girl's were allowed to swim off the boat!! Yikes! Swimming at sunset in croc infested waters? Even if the Freshwater crocs are more docile... No thank you - but glad Bel did!! Awesome photo opportunity!
Sunset is the perfect photography time in the Kimberley...the colours are electrified.
and with a lack of breeze in the hot air, the reflections on the water are incredible.
Bel was thrilled to visit the border of Western Australia and The Northern Territory...and like any kid would...loved standing in both states at the same time!!
She loved being warm after the cool of a Perth winter...it was 35 degrees celsius most days whilst it has been 15 degrees and wet in Perth. They swam most days...always in a spot that was safe to do so from the crocs! 
I think this photo sums up her week! It was a wonderful, happy, busy adventure. One she will always remember. I am so thrilled she took so many photos (650 in total) and that they capture her week in such a story telling way. 
I am so happy to have her home again. We heard from her just twice in the whole week...she was either busy at school, out of range or asleep from an exhausting day. We understood...but its not easy having no communication for days on end. It made us appreciate how easy we have it now with mobile technology and that our own parents would often go for weeks and months not hearing from us when we were travelling. Sorry Mum and Dad!
Anyway...that's Bel's week in a nutshell. She came home not very well, having pushed through a fever and feelings of illness during the week, and has a head cold which caused intense pain in her ears upon landing. Ouch big time. Some major TLC from Mum, some painkillers and 14 hours sleep (!!) has helped her to settle back into home life...
She has done some growing up.
She cooked us dinner tonight.
Thank you Kununurra.
I wonder what the next adventure will be?
Mia x
