Leaving Coral bay we headed for Carnarvon. The town is sited on the southern bank of the Gascoyne river mouth , the source of major flooding in 2010 despite there being a series of levy banks.
The levy's are currently being raised for next time. Mostly the river is dry apart from a few permanent water holes, however there is abundant bore water available which supports banana, tomato,and many other fruit and vege production. Salt mining at lake McLeod and fishing industries.
In 1960 NASA built a communications facility to support the Gemini and Apollo missions. (moon landing) this was closed in the 70's but the hardware is still there. Population around 9000.
Had a fish from the one mile jetty and released a poor little hungry shark.
We only stayed a few days here, it was very quiet with most places closed for the new year holidays.
NASA communications facility now decommissioned
One mile jetty
We drove up to Quobba station about 60Km north of Carnarvon for a look.
There is a beach camp area south of the Homestead populated by a number of shacks erected by locals over years. Just north of this spot is the blow holes, we are told people try fishing from here and some die.
Silly buggers fish from this rock ledge
Blow hole just after blow breathing in
And breathing out
The homestead is about 10 ks north of here, We camped overnight.
Red Bluff is another 60 Ks on a rough dirt track, we elected to give it a miss.
It goes almost to Cape Cuvier where the salt is loaded for export.
I found a picture on the net, saved the wear and tear on the rig.
View from van at Quobba station camp
Cape Cuvier 60 ks north of Quobba (Not our pic)
From Quobba we headed for Denham on the Peron peninsula (you can see this prominant feature on the map of WA coast just south of Carnarvon). Denham is on the western side and Monky mia, famous for the dolphins, is on the eastern side, 35Ks between them.
Denham is a picturesque little spot but the wind at this time is awesome, I lost hold of the caravan door and in a nano second it was at warp speed crashing against the door stop and breaking the bottom hinge clean off, Bugger.
There is a historical center in town (Discovery center) well worth a look around, lots of info on early ship wrecks and land based history. Van Hartogs visit and pewter plate 1600's.
We spent a morning at Monkey Mia but the dolphins didn't appear, went back next morning when two presented for a feed, mother and new baby, lots of Oh ah's. Although there are 20-30 adult regulars that appear at different times the survival rate of babies is not so flash as the resident tiger sharks have developed a taste for them. One enjoyed a breakfast in front of the viewing beach in recent times, nature in the raw.
This one got breakfast and didn't become shark meal today
At the base of the Peron peninsula in an area where the sea is saltier than off shore due to restricted tidal movement and evaporation, there are to be found ancient stromatalites thought to be the first living dividing cells on the planet, they still live and breed.
There are also beaches formed from countless billions of tiny mollusc shells which thrive in the extra salty water. The beaches are k's long and the shells are ten meters plus deep, they are taken from some areas under license for calcium and lime based industries, a sustainable resource.
Walk way to view stromatolites
Stromatolites.This is where we all started from.
The shells that form the beach
Part of very long beach made of the above shells.
This is a pic of a boat in Denham from which the driver has fallen out.
Wendy captured this from the caravan park with the new camera zoom lens.
It was going in circles flat out until it got caught on anchor chain of a larger vessel moored nearby.
Emu's find the sprinklers in the caravan park irresistible on the hot days at Monkey mia.
The waters here abound with aquatic life, it is the regional divide between the tropical species and the southern colder water species where both are found together.
From here we made our way to Kalbarri, It's a long stretch that has the remnants of some historic water tanks from the droving days and early road transport. We stopped at one of the remaining tanks and were surprised to see that there must be another Blue and Wendy on the road just ahead of us who left their mark here.
Always fashion conscious.
Kalbarri supports a local fishing industry and has a natural sheltered anchorage in the Murchison river.
We struck windy conditions again but par for the course on WA coast at this time of year.
One evening our Air con failed to function as a result of the wind blowing against the condenser fans,
I learned next day this is a common occurrence in van park park in the area we were parked.
Looking north to Kalbarri, two bays over, another windy day.
After a few days here we made tracks for Geralton and booked into a park on south side of town quite near the beach. First night in Wendy tried to dislodge a sewage grate from the road with here toe while walking to the bathroom. The grate is still there but the toe is looking rather bereft of skin, wrist, hand and shoulder also missing bits. She hadn't even had a drink as we are still being really good. An audio and visual appraisal of the situation confirmed it hurt a lot.
Geralton is a major regional center but not really very big. The port facilities have been developed at the expense of the foreshore aesthetics's, a real pity as it was a very nice setting before this.
Crayfishing is a major activity and the Abrolhos islands 60 km off shore support this.
A number a mining activities in the adjacent areas feed materials to the port for export.
There is an excellent maritime museum in town where we spent the best part of a day absorbing the history.
The HMAS Sydney was recently located a little to the north west of the town and there has been Monument on a prominent hill in the town for many years which is worth a visit, there is an excellent tour conducted every morning at 10 am by volunteers.
HMAS Sydney memorial Geralton
We did a tour of the cray fish processing facility one morning, interesting, we said goodbye to quite a few before they were shipped out live by air to various Global markets, predominantly Asian.
Cray fish factory Geralton
Right next to the crayfish factory we found the old Taka III that Blue converted from a trawler to a dive boat many years ago. Now named Ocean Quest' it was used in the oil and gas industry as accommodation but now for sale again in Geralton.
The yellow submarine, built by Kailis in the 60's to investigate methods for catching a vegetarian breed of crayfish. I don't think it ever dived let alone floated.
Moved from Geralton to Jurian bay, caught up with the friends we had Xmas with in Coral bay,
they had experienced a gas fire in their camper van and were completing repairs. Very lucky to have escaped without personal injury.
Between Geralton and Perth there are a number of small crayfishing communities that have developed into attractive beach side townships, again at this time of year the wind can take the edge off.
These are the Pinnacles near Jurian bay, They are the remains of fossilised trees that have been buried in the sand for longest time and more recently exposed.
From Jurian bay we made for Guilderton, another small community on the Moore river and only about 60 k's from the norther suburbs of Perth. It was school holiday time, the van park was choka but we were able to stay for twelve days. Swimming was good in the river but beach on most days was dumpy and dangerous. Did a few exploratory trips into Perth northern suburbs and generally kicked back.
There is a place just up the road known as the gravity center, it houses an observatory and has interesting displays where we spent a day and Blue went back for a second day.
Tree right beside the caravan park Guilderton.
Swimming area Moore river next to Caravan park.
Beach at river mouth Moore river next to caravan park
From Guilderton we moved to a farm based Caravan park just out of the town of Gin Gin. The plan was to stay only a few days until we could get a place in Fremantle after the school holiday time.
We found it to be amongst the best places we have stayed, very relaxing, quite and friendly that we stayed for a lot longer.
Site at Willow brook
View from Patio. Fatest cows ever. Several breeds of sheep.
George and Mildred came at meal times.
alpacka's as well.
Moved to Fremantle 11th Feb.
There is a lot to see and do around the area and some old friends to catch up with.
Here are some pics of Perth and Freo
This is the fishing jetty a short walk from our park, The pelicans are quick to steal any fish left unattended.
The round house freo, Built as a prison 1850's. The tunnel under leads onto a beach.
Looking up high st from the round house.
Freo prison gate, prison was used until around 1990. Not a happy place.
Looks right at home some would say. The red can is the Loo
The well used gallows. The stroke of 8am was the time of dispatch.
Oberone class sub freo museum. Length 90m
Wendy on tour of the sub.
One side of sub engine room, fantastic.
Typical scenes swan river
Looking over CBD from Kings park.
Perth Mint Statue at entrance, is that real gold the digger is holding?
Once were young, Blue relented and had a beer with old mates.
Bev, Wendy, Carly.
We will fly back to Qld 23rd Feb and return to pick up where we left off on 23rd March.
See you then.