21st May 2017–Sandfire to Broome

Distance: 319 km

The worst day of driving of the trip. I kept falling asleep. In the end I virtually had to stop at every parking bay, get out and walk around. Can’t understand it, I had a really good sleep last night yet I seemed to be constantly fighting to stay awake.

Stopped at the Roebuck Roadhouse just over 30km from Broome for something to eat (two sausages and two kebabs) and a coffee before continuing on to the Broome Caravan Park. The lady in charge looked at my camper asked what power I used when I told here just a kettle and TV she booked me in as a camping powered site for $22 a night (I like Broome already). Not many people in the park.

Set up my camp, discovered I was dying of thirst so had two cups of tea, then went for a swim in the pool.

It is a calendar month since I set out – just noticed that fuel and accommodation costs are running neck and neck at around $1000 each and that I have driven nearly 9500km since leaving home.

14th May 2017–Carnarvon to Onslow

Distance: 498.1 Km

A warning…

I have about 35 litres of water and 20 litres of fuel plus a full tank on board so all should be well.

Tom Tom reminded me this is not going to be a complex journey. (Turn left in 406 km)

For a few hundred k’s the landscape wasn’t complex either but first we finally arrive in the tropics.

It’s a flat dry land with termite mounds as far as the eye could see until, at last, some variation with some ridges and hills.

After the turn off to Onslow some salt pans and signs of industry.

Arrived at the caravan park mid afternoon, checked in, parked and went for a walk.

Almost adjacent to my camp site is the beach and a small park with an odd combination of memorials.

Of course the ANZAC Memorial which apparently faces the rising sun. I hope to be up early enough to check this out in the morning.

Then a tribute to a couple of local fishing boats lost at sea (during a cyclone?)

I have to say the following one struck me as really odd.

Finally a bronze showing where we are.

Then it was a stroll into town, past the pub, General Store (I bought an ice cream), not one but two service stations, the council chamber and the town’s library with it’s own public art.

There was more…

As I returned past the pub I heard some loud voices and laughter (not much) but a WA Police paddy wagon came round the corner. As they stopped outside a young fella just opened the police car’s back door and got in. The policeman got out, opened the paddy wagon door and told the fella to get out of the back seat and into the paddy wagon part which he did, the policeman got back in and drove off. It was the politest and most low key disturbance I have ever seen.

11th May 2017–Denham to Carnarvon

Distance: 345 km

After leaving Denham called in at Shell Beach again (I forgot to take any photos last time) and this time walked much further along the beach. It really is a remarkable beach.

It literally is just a mass of small shells – millions of them stretching for kms.

The sea is exceptionally salty, I put my hand in and once it had dried it was covered in a thin layer of crusty salt.

Walking back to the car I saw what I thought was a straight shadow across he road; except that there was nothing to cast a shadow.

On closer inspection it was a happy band of caterpillars crossing the road holding hands.

Carnarvon

I arrived in Carnarvon at just after 1pm, booked in to the caravan park and went looking for a tyre place for a wheel alignment. Quickly found a Tyrepower shop and was lucky enough to book the car in immediately. While it was being worked on I had a wander about what looked like the centre of town.

Found a tourist information bureau and obtained a map and a brochure on local attractions. I also had the most unusual meal at a local cafe – egg and bacon on a waffle with maple syrup! I had to try it… actually it wasn’t that bad but I think I will stick to egg, bacon, toast and BBQ sauce in future.

Back at camp noticed the old OTC dish was lit up right behind my ‘campsite’. It is due a visit tomorrow – they claim to have been an important part of the Apollo moon landing, I can’t wait to find out why.

(You do know that if you click on these photos you get the full size version – click on your browsers ‘back’ button to return.)

Looks like another night without the news. The problem with digital TV is that it either works or it doesn’t, there is no snowy but watchable picture when the signal is weak just a mass of blocky pixels with an incomprehensible sound track. Oh well, I can always watch a movie.

Some Statistics:

It is three weeks since I set off so here are some facts:

Distance driven so far: 6800km
Fuel: 647 litres of diesel at a cost of: $870
Most expensive fuel: $1.76/l, Average: $1.34/l
Accommodation (Caravan Parks powered sites): $590

10th May 2017–Monkey Mia

Distance: 60 km
Fuel: 26 L

Got up just after 6am, showered, had breakfast and set off for Monkey Mia at about 7.10am to be at Monkey Mia before 7.45am for the dolphins.

Emus wandering through the car park.

We waited for the ranger at the ranger station meanwhile, in the water, so did the dolphins who have, over many years, successfully trained humans to stand in a line at the water’s edge and feed them fish.

Finally we were allowed down to the waters edge to get closer to the dolphins.

The ranger told us about the dolphins and the history of Monkey Mia which was quite interesting but I must admit after a while my interest waned somewhat and I wandered off to take other photos

Even a spider.

Finally the feeding of the dolphins by selected members of the public.

It would have been a lot more interesting if it was the feeding of the Tiger Sharks who prey on the dolphins but to be fair I did enjoy it, it just went on too long.
Had a coffee at the restaurant and by the time I finished they were at it again. They feed them up until noon with a minimum 10 minute break between sessions.
I decided to look at other local attractions; I called in to Little Lagoon on the way back. There was a French family parked who were flying a drone watching them passed the time (actually there seem to be a lot of French tourists). The lagoon is circular with a very narrow snake like inlet to the sea.

Back in Denham during the afternoon it was quite windy and this looked a lot of fun.

BTW my theory about fuel being more expensive here than on the highway was sort of correct – $1.33 here, $1.32 on the highway. Ummm…

8th May 2017–Kalbarri to Denham

Distance: 391 Km
Fuel: 24 L

Today is a straight drive to Denham with the intention to visit Monkey Mia and see the feeding of the dolphins.

On the way stopped for fuel having decided that fuel was probably cheaper at a roadhouse on the main (only) highway than some small town off the main road. This is as yet an untested theory.

On the way turned off to Hamelin Pool to see the Telegraph Station and the local microbialites and stromatolites – it’s all to do with microscopic life that form communities; thousands of species of bacteria and microbes that make up every few millimetres of these microbial mats. Anyway this is what they look like:

I booked into Denham for 2 nights but I might have to extend that because I noticed a problem with my car which I want to get fixed before anything else.

The right front tyre has scrubbed out badly.

…and it’s goodnight from me.

6th May 2017–Geraldton to Kalbarri

Distance: 191 km

I set off this morning expecting to arrive at Kalbarri at about midday but it proved a much more interesting journey than I anticipated and I eventually reached the caravan park at 3.30pm.

Came across a partly restored convict settlement at Lynton – the Port Gregory Convict Hiring Station.

There was a connection to the Anna on whom “The King and I” was based (click on the photo for a bigger version).

Took a side trip to visit Port Gregory; a white beach protected by a reef and what appeared to be good fishing if a seven year old who kept reeling in whiting was anything to go by.

Nearby was Pink Lake and yes, it was pink – some algae that thrives in salt water lakes apparently (like Lake Tyrell).

As I neared Kalbarri there were numerous lookouts on top of the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean. I can’t remember which photo was taken from which lookout.

Finally in the caravan park noticed these two cars next to each other.