Overnight stops (in date order): Moore River Bridge; Green Head; Ellendale pools – near Greenough; Kalbarri (x2); Nerren Nerren; Monkey Mia; Eagle Bluff – 20 km south of Denham; Carnarvon (x2); Coral Bay (x4); Cape Range National Park (x2); Robe River – 50 km west of Pannawonica; Millstream Chichester National Park; Dampier (x3); West Peawah River – 100km south of Port Hedland; Cape Keraudren; 150km south of Broome; Broome (x4); Middle Lagoon – 50km south of Cape Levecq (x3); Broome (x2)
After 12 days in Fremantle we were ready to leave the Autumn rain of southern Australia and join the flock of ‘grey nomads’ (retired Australians in motorhomes and caravans) who migrate north to enjoy the warmth of the dry season in the Australian tropics.
We passed through a string of National Parks between Perth and Geraldton including Nambung where the desert is littered with strange rock formations – pinnacles –
and saltwater lakes are the home for stromatolites; clumps of matter built by Cyanobacteria – direct descendants of the organisms thought to have been the first life on earth.
We found a great place to camp (for the princely sum of $5) at Ellendale Pools near Greenough (30 km south of Geraldton) and enjoy a couple of rock lobsters caught locally.
Continuing north up the windy west coast
we spent two nights in the Kalbarri area which has a spectacular coastline,
a national park with a walking track through its sandstone gorges
and a parrot breeding centre.
On our way up the Perron Peninsula we stopped at a beach composed entirely of shells
and at Monkey Mia, wild dolphins have been coming to the beach to be fed for more than thirty years;
and they are not alone.
Further north, at Coral Bay, it was fish (spangled emperors) that were fed from the beach.
I made a couple of dives on the Ningaloo reef at Coral Bay and there was excellent snorkelling here and from the beaches at Cape Range National Park.
Over the next week or so we travelled through the Pilbara; the most westerly region of Australia that makes up the broad shoulder of the continent. During the dry season, the wind blows red dust from the red dirt that has been ground from the red rocks.
The only oases are the few places with springs or permanent flowing rivers; as at the Millstream-Chichester National Park.
Although sparsely populated (perhaps 50,000 people), the Pilbara generates a considerable proportion of Australia’s GDP through its iron and nickel mines,
off-shore gas fields
and salt evaporation ponds.
The towns of Karratha and Dampier were created to house the (highly paid) workers that run these industries. The railway that carries the ore from the mines on 2.5km-long trains
terminates on the Burrup Peninsula, north of Dampier, where the ore is loaded onto ships
at a facility that runs day
and night.
The Peninsula, which is also where the gas pipelines from the off-shore drilling rigs come ashore, was an island until a causeway was built in the 1960s. Aboriginal people had lived there for tens of thousands of years before European settlement and it contains what is believed to be the greatest concentration of petroglyphs in the world
– all within touching distance of the industrial sites.
Broome, a further 900km up the coast, is the major tourist destination in the north-west and the gateway to the Kimberley region. The highlight for us was the Wilderness Park whose main attraction are
the salt-water crocodiles;
one of which had just swallowed a park keeper – feet first!
I did suggest that they could save money on the food-bill if they kept the crocs in the same enclosure as the cuddly kangaroos.
Broome is also famous for its sunsets,
its moon-rises (billed as the ‘staircase to the moon’),
,
the dinosaur footprints in sandstone uncovered at low-tide
and for having the oldest picture garden (outdoor cinema) in the world.
The film – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – was about right for the setting.
Before heading east we had a three day break at Middle Lagoon on the Way to Cape Levecq, north of Broome.
On the way we stopped at the Aboriginal Community at Beagle Bay which was the site for a Catholic mission at the turn of (the last) century and whose church is heavily decorated with local mother of pearl.
The journey to and from Middle Lagoon was our first real experience of off-road driving on this trip and a taste of things to come as we head into the Kimberley region.
Responses
Amanda Vince says: Hey there Paul – certainly all looks good. I’m certainly enjoying being an email traveller!. I like the pic of the hedgehog! Amanda (Erith centre)
Susie McIlroy says: The lobsters remind me of a fabulous New Year’s eve we spent at your house which included lobster from Harrods. We were bowled over. On return I wonder if I will be able to woo you with a freshly formed tofu burger. Is that a whole garlic on one of the plates or an Australian flower?
Elaine Wilson says: Hey those parrots look like the ones in your trees back in Orpington. I am so jealous of the dolphin experience! Ronnie says that Carol Black is trying to get hold of you so you need to check your e-mails. it was so lovely to hear from you the other day! We miss you greatly. X
Simon McIlroy says: More stunning pictures. Great contrasts in landscapes. Interesting stuff about the ore-a mine of information.! On a previous bulletin your satnav told you to turn left after 1200km. How many miles/kms have you travelled in 8/9 months? Looking forward to more news/pics.
Carole says: Great pics thanks. And thanks for the postcard too. I can see what you mean about how huge Australia is with such vast spaces between towns. Love to you both.
Paul Faithfull says: I’m very jealous. Great photos and captions. Paul F.
Simon Mcilroy says: Good luck and safe passage(s) on the off-road stuff. Hope you return with some decent parrot jokes-could do with some new material, and I will tell you about our week in Weymouth.