KALBARRI to CARNARVON

NERREN NERREN REST AREA

Friday, 26th June.

The rain bucketed down at 4am but only lasted for a short time, another light shower at about 8am and from then on we had sunshine.

After leaving Kalbarri, our first stop was at Galena Bridge.  We had thought of staying there overnight but as it was only 11am, decided it was too early to stop, so after a walk across the river and around the rest area, we pushed on.  

Just as we were about to leave, a German cyclist rode by with his dog trotting alongside.  He was very well set up, with a basket in the front which we assumed was reserved for the dog when he tired of walking.

The next rest area was at Nerren Nerren and as it was lunch time by then, we stopped, made sandwiches and sat eating them in the sunshine.  Because we'd been battling a head wind and we found it so relaxing at the rest area, we agreed that we should stay the night here so have spent an extremely pleasant afternoon reading and snoozing.

                              A self portrait?

A family with two caravans arrived late in the afternoon and has parked opposite us - a young couple with three children aged 9, almost 7 and 4, and with grandparents in the second caravan, are all travelling north for a few weeks' holiday.  The almost 7 year old is a bundle of energy and seems to be the ringleader of the trio, at least she has the loudest voice but all good kids and we've had some fun with them.

WOORAMEL STATION 

Saturday, 27th June.

Several overnighters arrived later in the afternoon yesterday and although there had been a lot of traffic noise during the day, once the sun had set and the stars came out, there was virtually none so a quiet night was had.

This morning, our 3 young friends appeared at our window, waving madly at us and pleading with us to come out and play.  We did so, but as they had a long journey ahead they left quite early.  We were among the last to leave, were travelling along quite nicely when after 15kms, the tyre monitor began to beep loudly.  Luckily, we were on a section of the road where we were able to pull over to check out the problem, which happened to be a leaky valve.  This required a wheel change, which took Mike very little time but the unloading and later reloading of the caravan boot and the car to retrieve and then return the spare wheel and the appropriate tools took much longer than the wheel change.  

That done, we headed down the road to the very busy Billabong Roadhouse where we refuelled for $1.10 per litre (the cheapest since Perth and probably cheaper than most in Perth!) and were informed that they couldn't fix the tyre with nowhere else to get it done until we reached Carnarvon. 

It was ridiculously busy there so we went on to the Overlander Roadhouse parking area to make and eat lunch, then drove to Wooramel Station via a scenic lookout along the road,

from where we could glimpse the ocean, and crossed the 26th parallel so are now officially in the North-West.  

We're currently camped by the dry, sandy Wooramel River for the night.  

Being further from the highway than we were last night, there is no traffic noise at all so another quiet night is expected.

CARNARVON

Sunday, 28th June.

There was steady rain through the night but we woke this morning to a fine day. After our ablutions at the unique faclity

we emptied the toilet

Driving the 2kms off the highway yesterday to the station stay was along a corrugated, dusty road which this morning was damp, boggy in places with a few large puddles which we were able to bypass.  It was slow going until we reached the main road and were surprised to see so much water which had accumulated overnight so it's not surprising that the road is subject to flooding. In fact in one place  there was running water over the road which we hit just a bit too fast and covered the car in red muddy water.

We stopped briefly at a rest area to check that nothing had shaken loose on the bumpy road and continued on to Carnarvon, checked in to a caravan park, threw a load of washing into a washing machine, made and ate lunch, watched an NRL game on television (Mike) and read (me), and later did a drive through town, will stay a couple of days and will have the caravan tyre fixed before we leave.

It has been warm today with just a hint of a breeze, long may it continue!

  

KALBARRI

KALBARRI

Thursday, 25th June.

Another sunny day today, perfect for sightseeing along the coastal cliffs of the National Park.  We started off with coffee, from the "Bean Drifting" coffee van parked in the parking area along the tourist drive,

which we drank while watching a surfer struggle against the waves which kept pushing him towards the rocks.  A few of us watched and wondered if we should call for help and were relieved when he finally managed to win the battle.  What seemed like a long time probably was only a few minutes but he must have been exhausted.

We carried on with atour of the local sites and walks.

 Red Bluff Beach

Red Bluff Beach

Mushroom Rock 

  Red Bluff Lookout 

Blue Holes Beach

                                               Pot Alley

                                                              It was an easy day which ended with dinks and dinner at the tavern with a couple of Mike's bowling mates and their wives who are also caravanning, have been in Kalbarri for a few days and are moving on tomorrow.  A very pleasant and enjoyable evening.

PERTH TO KALBARRI June 2020

SUNDAY 21st to WEDNESDAY 24th  of June

SANDY CAPE. Sunday, 21st JUNE.

Like so many others worldwide, we had our travel plans disrupted a few months ago by a nasty little virus, but due to lockdowns, self isolation and social distancing etc. we have remained safe and well so that now that all regions of our state are open to travellers, we have escaped the wintry weather and are heading north in search of warmer weather.  As not all state borders are open, we can't travel yet to the east  as was originally planned but are looking forward to spending time in the north of W.A.

Though we left home in bright sunshine this morning, the temperature was just 13 degrees owing to a cool breeze blowing but it had managed to reach 15 by the time we'd run out of freeway and turned onto the Indian Ocean Drive.  We stopped in a rest area and boiled the billy for elevenses and back on the road shortly after,  were forced to slow down as one of a group of about twenty motor cyclists  had obviously been injured in an accident and was lying on the side of the road.  We didn't stop as four or five of his friends were tending to him and two others were directing each way traffic....they didn't need us getting in their way.  

On reaching Jurien Bay we stopped for fuel and just 12kms further on, we turned off onto the road to the Sandy Cape Recreation area.  It was bitumen most of the way, just the last km being gravel.  We chose our site, parked up and sat in the sunshine (now 25 degrees), went walking along the beach before watching the sun sink slowly over the horizon.

Although signs on the beach clearly state that vehicles are prohibited on the beach, some 4WDrivers apparently can't read!

LINGA LONGA FARM STAY, LYNTON STATION

Monday, 22nd June.

Pink clouds this morning promised another sunny day but unfortunately didn't deliver.  

The sun made a brief appearance, then hid for most of the day.

Shortly after leaving the camp, we were back on the much maligned Indian Ocean Drive....a road we have travelled several times and found to be a good road, so can only conclude that accidents that have occurred were caused by people and were not due to any fault in the road.

We bypassed Green Head and Leeman as we've visited both a couple of times and nearing Dongara, were lured by signs advertising the Starfish Cafe on South Beach and decided to call in for coffee. 

Alas, the cafe is only open from Thursday to Sunday so we took a photo of it, and the beach

 and continued on, hoping to find another, which we did but it was close to town and nowhere to park with the caravan.  

We continued on to Geraldton, did a drive through the town which has grown considerably since our last visit, stopped at Bunnings (our second home) to exchange our gas bottle and refuelled the car a little further on before heading towards Northampton, stopping at a rest area a few kms south for 'smoko' in the caravan.  

Turning off the NW Coastal Highway at Northampton, we drove through  picturesque farmlands 

to the farm stay, which is on the Lynton Heritage Site just out of Gregory, and booked in for two nights.  

Our new dunny, yet to be installed!

Not long after we arrived, the rain came bucketing down accompanied by strong wind which rocked the caravan....I was about to leave the old barn where I'd been exploring the vast collection of relics housed there and was forced to hang around till it eased enough for me to get back to the van without getting drenched. 

It was too wet to barbecue as planned and too wild and windy to put the awning out so we microwaved a couple of home made dinners from the freezer.  As we encountered strong headwinds on the drive today, we're having a day off tomorrow and will explore here and in Port Gregory, where we hope to find wifi. 

LINGA LONGA

Tuesday, 23rd June.

Today was an easy day, sunny with a cool breeze early becoming warm in the afternoon.  In the morning we drove the 5kms into Port Gregory for a look-see, 

stopped at the Pink Lake and were glad it wasn't a busy day there, about a dozen vehicles in the car park and not much room for any more.  

Back at Lynton Station, we explored the Convict Hiring Depot buildings which were built in the 1850s by the convicts and have been partly restored in recent years.  

Lynton Homestead was also built in the 1850s and was positioned so that from the verandah, whales could be seen as they swam by the mouth of the Hutt River.  

A limestone cottage, a mill and large stables also built by convicts, were nearby. 

We lunched in the sunshine, had to move into the shade when it became too warm and spent a few pleasant hours reading until dinner time.  A splendid day.

KALBARRI

Wednesday, 24th June.

It was overcast this morning and there was a light shower but by the time we set off for the 60 or so km drive to Kalbarri, the sun was shining brightly and we had changed out of long 'uns into shorts.  We caught glimpses of the lake as we drove along and it seemed to be quite a lot pinker that it was yesterday but unfortunately we weren't able to pull over to have a closer look.  After we'd booked into the caravan park in Kalbarri, we decided that as it was such a lovely day and who knows what the weather will be tomorrow, we should go out to the National Park to see the recently opened Skywalk and other attractions in the park.  The ranger at the entrance of the park told Mike that on one morning last week, 400 cars had visited the park but luckily for us, there were nowhere near that many there today. We went to the Skywalk first, a magnificent world class structure jutting out over the gorge, affording stunning views of the Murchison River and gorge

then on to the 'Natures Window' 

Nature's Window Walk

and lastly to the 'Z Bend'.  

Another splendid day, a few aching muscles but well worth the effort.