Carnarvon to home

July 25th
Moved further down the coast today.  Stopped in at Overlander Roadhouse and then Geraldton for a late lunch before driving on to Port Denison (Dongara).  Port Denison is a really pretty spot and after setting up the KK on the beach at one of the caravan parks, we drove around and had a look at the Irwin River (named after Major Frederick Irwin of course). 

Irwin River

Sunset at Port Denison

Last camp

After cooking and eating dinner we took our 'cuppas' with us and walked along the beach and down around the marina and the Live Lobster Facility.  A beautiful evening, not cold at all.

July 26th
Well all good things must come to an end and it started with the weather.  We knew a storm was forecast and were hoping it would arrive later rather than sooner, but no!  At 1 o'clock in the morning Mike gets up and tells me we need to pack up. (Really???  So I was sent outside to assess the situation and give a second opinion).  Decided the weather probably sounded worse than it really was since we were having to listen to a thundering ocean on our doorstep, but agreed it was better to be on the safe side and also keep the canvas dry.  So, pack up we did and slept in the car.  By the morning the storm was in full force, blowing a howling gale and the showers were getting heavier and heavier.  Our decision to pack up had been a good one!!

Climbed out of the Hilux in the morning and it was freezing!

After going to Dongara Bakery for breakfast we drove to Dandaragan to catch up with our friends Sue and Gordon, that we don't see often enough.  Spent a few hours talking and also eating Sue's yummy homemade wares before heading home through the blustery weather to pull into Halls Head at 5.30 pm. GOOD TO BE HOME!

Home again

A bit of a summary to wind up:

117 days
24 000 km
7 500 photos
1 blown tyre
1 repairable puncture
2 hairdressing disasters
1 argument and a couple of heated discussions
Still married (but we think we have passed the compatibility test)

Thank you for reading the blog.  It means a great deal to know we have had so many followers.  What started out originally as a way to let everyone know where we were and what we were doing, became a great way to keep a diary of our travels.  We look forward to our next adventure.

Karratha to Carnarvon

July 20^th

After waving farewell to the Giles’ and Flynn’s we packed up and spent an hour and a half looking around Dampier and the Burrup Peninsula. 

Dampier

Very, very windy!  Drove down to Hearson’s Cove and it was fairly unpleasant.  Good for those wind loving sports enthusiasts though, and a few dedicated folk were there sailboarding and kite surfing.  Drove on to Exmouth with a lunch stop on the side of the road on the way and booked into a caravan park.  In bed by 8.45 pm.  Getting more like our caravan park neighbours every day!

July 21^st

Wandered around Exmouth town centre this morning before going back to the park to book a third night.  Had to move sites however, (much muttering about the inefficiencies of caravan parks and the 'stuck in a rut' syndrome of its occupants), so shifted the camper before heading towards Yardie Creek.  Never got to Yardie Creek as too much to do on the way.  Stopped in at Bundegi Beach, Vlamingh Head lighthouse, T-bone bay, Turquoise Bay and the Oyster Stacks. Got distracted beachcombing and stalking crabs in the rock pools.  The water was an amazing colour blue!!

 

Turquoise Bay

  

Beach combing

There were a few emus and lots and lots of wallabies and kangaroos with no road sense whatsoever, so made sure we were back in Exmouth by dusk.  Had dinner at Pinocchio Restaurant (the restaurant at the caravan park), which gets a 4.5 star rating from us.  Very, very good!

July 22^nd

Did the glass bottom boat and snorkeling tour on Ningaloo today.  Picked up by bus at 9.30 am and taken to see the Mildura shipwreck and Harold Holt Naval Communications Station (a fascinating array of antennae, using low frequency so the submarines don’t need to come to the surface) and then onto the boat for coral viewing and snorkeling. 

Harold Holt Naval Communications

One third of the group snorkeled in about 3 m of water, including Mike and I and it was fantastic fun!  Our guide told us about the 5 m tiger shark that they had seen there 7 days prior when we got back into the boat.  Hhmmmm!! 

Coral through the bottom of the boat. (lots of reflections, but you get the idea)

 

At the Lighthouse lookout

We were then taken to see the Turtle Centre and Lighthouse before getting back into town by 2 pm. Went down town to get some lunch and bumped into Maddi Nichol (ex Frederick Irwin 2012) so had a chat.  After dinner tonight we dropped into Pinocchio again for some takeaway gelato!!

July 23^rd

Left Exmouth and off to Coral Bay, (just for a quick peek).  Absolutely beautiful, 27ºC today.  The tide was in and the water looked amazing.  There was a bit of a flurry on the beach however, as some fellow had passed out on the sand.  We left as the ambulance arrived.  Once in Carnarvon we set up the camper and then drove around town.  Ended up at One Mile Jetty and walked around the Heritage Precinct.  Went up to the top of the water tank and wandered through the Train museum and the Shearing Hall of Fame (which was particularly interesting) and sat at the lookout in the mangroves to take some photos of the sunset. 

One Mile Jetty from the Water tank

Carnarvon sunset

Still a wonderful 20ºC at 8 pm tonight.  We are hanging on to every warm moment we can get before coming home!!

July 24^th

North to Point Quobba and the Blowholes this morning. 

Blowholes

Point Quobba

The blowholes were good but the exhibition put on by a whale and her calf was even better.  Watching the breaching, blowing and the calf leaping like a porpoise out of the water only about 100 metres off shore was really special.  We also stopped in at the HMAS Sydney II memorial on the cliff just south of Quobba Station. 

Sydney Memorial

On the way back had some fun trying to get photos of some of the goats and cattle on the side of the road. 

Billy Goat Gruff! (I had fun stalking him)

Once back in Carnarvon we went to the OTC Space and Technology Museum.  Really interesting and the last thing I expected to be doing in Carnarvon.  It is a great collection which opened in 2012 and is set up in the old Carnarvon Satellite Tracking Station.  A must see for anyone passing through. 

Satellite Tracking dish at the Space and Technology Museum

Then banana smoothies and River burgers at the River Gum Café on the bank of the Gascoyne, before stopping in to take a look at Chinaman’s Pool and driving out to take the train ride to the end of the One Mile Jetty.  On the way back to the camper we drove along the HMAS Sydney Memorial Drive where they have an avenue of palms and plaques, each dedicated to a member of the crew.

Would not be Carnarvon without Bananas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Broome to Karratha

July 17^th

Left Broome this morning after fuelling up and driving up to the Golf Course for the best view in town!  Took us a while to leave however, because getting through the road works just outside town was slow.  Big day today!!! Drove an incredible 130 km before pulling into Barn Hill (where we discovered a large population of grey nomads hanging out for up to 4 months).  The annual Barn Hill lawn bowls championships were in progress and there was a great deal of seriousness and excitement in the air.  The Flynn’s caught us up at this point and we all set up camp.  Most of us went for a swim and then all enjoyed the sunset on the beach with a few drinks. 

Barn Hill sunset

Rock formations at Barn Hill

 

Keith checking out the rock formations

Lots of bities (sandflies and mozzies) and fairly windy later in the evening, with people getting up to do a bit of canvas tweaking during the night.

Camp at Barn Hill

July 18^th

Made a much bigger move down the road today.  Stopped in at the De Grey River for lunch and then after a look at the Port Hedland harbour we went to the Esplanade Hotel.  We were all laughing at Flynny’s fashion sense and discussing whether he would be allowed in.  (Unfortunately we didn’t get a photo so you need to visualize, 'Harry high pants' yellow and grey checked board shorts, blue and black flannelette shirt, black socks pulled half way up his calves and sneakers.  On special occasions Greg also tucks the shirt into the board shorts!!)   Interestingly, he was the only one who met the dress code requirements as he had ‘real’ shoes on. 

The convoy in Port Hedland

After beers and coffee we drove on to find a bush camp, but had to wait for the two locos pulling 125 wagons of iron ore at the rail crossing.  Maximum temperature today was 22ºC which was a huge shock after the 35ºC we have been enjoying.

July 19^th
Off to Mike’s old stomping ground today.  Drove through Roebourne, down to Point Samson and then back into Wickham.  The Point Samson jetty is a mere fragment of its past glory!  In Wickham we drove around Acacia Place (where Mike had lived, not that he had any idea which house), then up to the water tank lookout overlooking the open-air cinema (which has had a 9.3 mil upgrade to become digital) and out to the Port Walcott Yacht Club.


Wickham Open-air Cinema

Bay at Port Walcott

Port Walcott Yacht Club

This was when Mike had a few ‘oh my lord’ moments, because the dusty dirt track down to the beach  and yacht club had been replaced by a bitumen highway, inclusive of major bridges, and now runs smack bang through the Rio Tinto Cape Lambert expansion mine site.  A little weird and we kept wondering if we should be there, but all the signage was insisting it was public access.  Needless to say the Yacht Club at the end of the road had not changed much at all!!



Cape Lambert Mine site

While we toured Wickham, Sue and Keith were catching up with a friend, so we finally met back up with them at the ‘Pilbara Perk’ coffee shop.  Next stop was Cossack where many of the buildings in the historic town have been beautifully restored. 


Cossack Courthouse



Cossack

From here we went to the Reader Head lookout and Cossack cemetery before driving on to Karratha to find some lunch at the shopping centre and set up at the caravan  park.  The same caravan  park where Keith and Sue lived for 6 months 31 years ago!!  Last night camped together as we are going separate ways tomorrow.

In Karratha

 

Kununurra to Broome

12/7
Left Kununurra and off to the Bungle Bungles today.  Amused at the coffee van sitting all alone (in what seems to be the middle of nowhere) at the gate into the Bungles, but he obviously has a niche market!!  Dumped our fire wood behind a tree at the entry to the World Heritage region and started the trek in.  50 km, four creek crossings, one puddle, corrugations, twisting, turning, steep crests and dips which took us 1.5 hours. Interesting drive!  Set up the campers at Kurrajong campground and then drove to and did the walks through the Domes and into Cathedral Gorge at sunset.  Absolutely awesome! 

The Domes

The Cathedral at the end of Cathedral Gorge

Issues today?  Giles' still nursing the leaking fuel tank (corrugations not helping), cotter pin came out of our trailer brakes, but amazingly still sitting on the trailer draw bar when we arrived at the Bungles and a second bottle of beer spilled throughout the fridge, (lids keep dislodging with the corrugations).

13/7
Up, quick brekky and off to Echida Chasm by 6.30 am.  Wandered through the amazing rock formations, Chasm and up to Osmond Lookout.  Everyone should have the Bungles on their bucket list.

In the depths of Echida Chasm

Echidna Chasm

Back to camp, packed up and driving back to the highway by 9 am.  Reloaded the fire wood then to Fitzroy Crossing where we did the Geikie Gorge walk.  Hot and a deep sandy track.
 

Geikie Gorge

Decision time then as to whether we go back into the southern end of the Gibb or stick to the highway.  After consulting with one of the 'Outback Spirit' tour drivers we took his advice, "to get as far away from Fitzroy Crossing as we could" before we camped, and opted to stay on the bitumen (with the leaky fuel tank).  The Giles' lead car spotted a great bush camp (in the dark) about 200 km out of Derby.  Must have been near a creek as lots of insects.  All had a moonlight shower!!

14/7
The fast working termites had started encasing our shower mats over night and turning them into a termite mound. 

Morning shave

 

Morning shave

Team also suffering a little tyre paranoia.  Every time we stopped, we leapt out and checked the tyres!  Passed a horse (most likely hit by a truck) along the stretch of road into Derby which wasn't a pretty sight.  Visited the Prison Boab Tree and jetty in Derby before having a coffee, then drove on to Broome. 

Derby Jetty (up to 11.8 m tides here)

Countryside all so amazingly green.  Broome full of holiday makers.  Managed to jag two sites (in the storage area) at Broome Caravan Park, but set up both camper trailers on one.  All had a swim in the fantastic swimming pool at the park before going to Matso's Brewery for beers and dinner.

15/7
Sue and Keith had a morning swim, Johnno called around to check out the camper trailers and we went down to wander around Chinatown and meet two of Sue's nieces.  Had a look at the Pearl Luggers, a beer at the Roebuck Hotel and a visit to the historic Japanese cemetery.  Then out to have a look at Cable Beach and a coffee at Zanders cafe before going back to the park to run the generator, do some laundry and swim in the pool.  Finally we went down to Gantheaume Bay for a lovely sundowner on the beach with Johno, Carole's sister Michelle, their kids and friend Martin to watch the sunset.



Set up on the beach

Sunset at Gantheaume Bay

 

Trike Limo going past

16/7
Morning swim in the pool before going out to Willie Creek Pearl Farm and Gantheaume Point to see the cast of the dinosaur footprints and Anastasia's Pool.  Took a drive down Cable Beach, averting our eyes when we got to the nudie sunbathers, then back to Matso's to finish the important job of beer tasting that the boys started the other day and for lunch.

Lunch at Matso's Brewery

Dropped in to the Woolworths complex for some quick shopping before going back to the park for another dip in the pool and heading out for a BBQ tea at Johno's.

 

Kununurra to Kununurra (now that's confusing)

July 7th
Today we were a convoy of three (Giles, Vermeulen and Flynn) and were off to Wyndham.  On the way stopped at 'The Grotto' and walked to the bottom of the gorge.
 


The Grotto

Once in Wyndham we drove through town and up to the Five Rivers Lookout.  Great vista, but about all Wyndham has to offer other than the Big Croc of course. 

 



View from Five Rivers Lookout

 

The Big Croc



On the way back out we also stopped in at Parry Creek Farm for lunch.  Now this is a great oasis in the middle of nowhere. No swimming however, beware the crocs!  Then on to the Gibb River Road and to Emma Gorge for a 3.6 km return hike over rocky terrain, but had a beautiful swim in the deep cold pool at the end.



Swimming at Emma Gorge (water was a bit chilly)

 Broke the 30 degree barrier today.  Next destination El Questro with two river crossings along the way.  Very dusty!  Headlights on so we could be seen.

Giles' followed by Flynn's crossing the Penticost River

Jumped out to take a photo at the first crossing and realized we had a puncture.  Got ourselves to El Questro quickly to book in before it went down and did a tyre repair.

July 8th
First stop Zebedee thermal springs this morning.  Very busy little spot, but getting muddy and hassling with the crowds to get into 32 degree water (on what was already a fairly warm day) did not appeal.  After having a quick look we continued on to El Questro Gorge which involved a few more river crossings. 

The Flynn's at another river crossing

Very rocky walk to halfway pool and then more extreme from then on.  I bowed out of the challenge at this point while the others continued on.  Mike didn't get far before he came back, as he had changed his shoes to swim through the middle section and had not taken his walking shoes with him.  The rest of our party conquered the rocks and boulders though!  Mike and I swam at halfway pool while the others had a swim at the end of the trail.

El Questro Gorge

El Questro Gorge

On the way back to our camp we stopped in at Jackaroos waterhole.  Supposedly you can swim there, but it wasn't very enticing.  Getting very fussy about our water!! Sue, Keith and Greg went for a swim back at camp, then we headed up to Saddle Back Ridge lookout to watch the sun go down before rushing back to catch the end of happy hour at the bar.

Carving up some more wood

July 9th
Packed up and on our way further down the Gibb today, but not before walking through Amalia Gorge.  Flynn's had a flat tyre so did another tyre repair in the car park before starting to walk.  3.5 km one way and more rocks, boulders and rock scrambling!!  I stuck this one out, but fairly challenging.
 


Amalia Gorge

Keith's bombie at Amalia Gorge

The big splash

Sue and I had two swims, one at the end of the gorge and one to avoid a section of rock scrambling on the way back.  Fell on slimy rocks however, and await development of nasty bruise on  my butt!!  Stopped in, made lunch at Home Valley Station and sat in the shade to eat it before continuing on the Gibb.
 

View from Home Valley Station

Very dusty and rough!  Had travelled another 30 km when the Giles' Colorado had a blow out (their 4th tyre).  Understandably NOT HAPPY!!  Decided at this point that possibly we were not well prepared in the 'tyre department' so returned to Home Valley Station to take a deep breath and sleep on it!  Sleep was aided by the drowning of sorrows, consuming many beers at the bar!  Also discovered it was Lisa and Greg's 25th wedding anniversary so celebrated with champagne!!  After dinner we returned to the bar for coffee, music and dancing.

July 10th

Flynn's crossing the Penticost on the Gibb River Road

Back to Kununurra!  Giles' put three new and improved tyres on the Colorado to match one that was previously added.  Flynn's bought an extra spare and they headed back out to the Gibb River road again.  While the Colorado was getting new wheels, a crack was discovered in a seam of the fuel tank.  It just gets better and better doesn't it??  Sue's relatives (Bill and Andrea) found out we were back in town and kindly offered their place ('Riverfarm Mangoes') to us as a camp.  Amazing oasis of green grass, palms and mangoes on the bank of the Ord River with power, a toilet and shower all laid on in the shed.  Really, really nice and a great mood lifter! 

Camp at 'Riverfarm Mangoes'

Had a swim in their pool and a sundowner under the gazebo on the river bank before the boys went 'toad busting'.  This involves cane toads, a torch and a golf club!!  No need to say anymore.

Sundowner under the gazebo

 

View of the Ord from the gazebo

Unsuspecting Toad!!

July 11th

Had a great day today!  Slow and relaxed start.  Keith worked on the temporary repair of the fuel tank then we went to Ivanhoe Crossing, Mt Romance Sandalwood for coffee, cake and a little retail therapy and Hoochery Distillery for rum (rocket fuel) tasting. 

Ivanhoe Crossing

This is what I thought of the Rum!!

Then into town to restock pantries and drinks and back to do a little laundry before jumping on a party barge at the front of Bill and Andrea's property for four hours of sundowner, sausage sizzle and croc spotting on the river. Saw one rather large 'saltie' on the way upstream and one pair of red eyes on the way back.   Absolutely amazing evening.  Thank you Bill and Andrea!!

 

Getting onto the barge

The boys finished the evening with a little more 'toad busting'!!