Day 5 - Sunday 24th July - Fortescue Falls/Fern Pool

So today we get to hit the gorges.  The children are already terrified, before we even get there, as we have given them a big lecture on how dangerous the gorges are and how careful you have to be.  Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool are in walking distance from camp and only a grade 3 climb so we figure it is a good place to start.  Some hand rails and some fencing but beyond that a sheer drop to the bottom.  Certainly not good for the Mother's nerves and I make a mental note that this will not become an annual relaxing holiday destination.  The kids are just great, they take it easy and they are just in awe of the beauty of the gorge walls. We head on straight through to Fern Pool for a swim.  By now Cody has a pocket full of ''skimming rocks" which he proceeds to fire off!!  Shannae, our mermaid, is immediately into the cold waters and Dad and Tori soon follow.  Cody and I like to assess the situation a little longer while the girls and Glen are straight over to the water fall.  Before Dad returns to make sure we don't miss out on our bath for the day!!!  "Cold"  is probably not the right word to use for Fern Pool, however, we soon learn that this is the "warm" pool!!

Fern Pool

We sit and have lunch over looking Fortescue Falls and defrost in the sun before walking along the bottom of Dale's gorge towards Circular Pool for about 1km.  The climb out is less stressful than on the way down, much to my relief.

We head back to camp with the footy derby on our minds and decide to tackle the satellite and see if we can remember how to get the tv going, however, we have no joy, so decide that the Eco Retreat 33km away must have a big screen tv that is showing the footy and besides, its only 33 km!!!!  Well...............yes...............but on gravel..............and not the gravel we are used to!!!  We hit a maximum speed of 60 km and pass various car parts, hubcaps, mudflaps and exhaust pieces!!!  by the time we reach the Eco Retreat I feel like I have just gotten off one of those "Shake your Fat Off" machines!!!  We do have a nice surprise....flushing toilets!!!!.... however, no big screen tv, not even a little screen tv.......we buy a "gold plated" round of drinks and don't find out who won the footy for a couple of days!!!!  The only down side to being out of touch with the world!!!  We decide to have a "movie night" with the kids on our bed....mmm ......a king size bed could have been good!!