THE WHEAT BELT AT LAST

Stopping along the NW Coastal Hwy at Rest Areas for 3 nights we have finally encountered paddocks of wheat and other grains crops.  It is certainly different to looking at scrub bushes for endless kilometres.  Taking a walk around the rest areas, I have found some interesting wildflowers and so am getting rather excited as coming towards Kalbarri which I have been told is the "Best" area to see them.
The second rest area was beside the Murchison river which flows as far inland as Meekatharra and flows to the sea at Kalbarri.

Campers can pull-up on both sides of this river.  Pelicans and ducks with their little chicks swimming up-stream.

Lovely peaceful sunset to sit and watch while swatting the flies away from ones face!!!

The birds having their feed of seeds for dinner.

DRIVE ALONG THE SHARK BAY COASTLINE

Can you see top mid left the salt piles over the other side of the bay?

The colours do not show as truly as if one is standing there.

Wayne and I took a drive back along the Hamelin Road to Eagle Bluff.  From the top of the bluff, a walkway hugs the cliff face were one can sight sharks, stingrays and other marine life and look over to Useless Loop salt piles and ship loading facilities.


Also along this coast is Ocean Park aquarium where shark feeding and safely get near to and learn about the marine creatures.

Look for the galas sitting on the ladders and around the structures.

Loved the quirkiness of this "Thong Shack" (Jandels) at Denham Lookout

MONKEY MIA

Yes - I got to interact with Jute on of the wild dolphins that appear regularly for a feed of fish.  Being school holidays, I was just standing back waiting to get some shots of others feeding the dolphins when I was chosen so you can imagine the elation I felt to feed and interact with Jute.  Very Exciting!
We strolled further along the beach where kayaks and other water sport vehicles were for hire but Wayne wasn't into so much energetic activities today.  Stopped at the Resort for lunch overlooking the beach and jetty where all the wold dolphins come in.

Yes, the banana thickshake was delicious.

Beautiful setting before we took another stroll along the foreshore past the camel rides out to the mud flat area where dozens of wader birds were resting in the afternoon sun.

Did not want to get any closer and disturb the birds.

Stopped into Little Lagoon for a look and marvel at the different colour's of the water before going back to our home base at Denham where the caravan park is filling up with heaps of families on school holidays.

AMAZING TINY SHELLS

Here is another unique Australian coastline, comprising of countless millions of tiny shells.  Scientists are puzzled as to why the live animals grow rapidly and profusely in the area.  The build-up is 25-30 feet deep (8-9 metres).  It is thought that because a sandbar across the entrance of the bay make this area twice as salty as normal seawater has this effect.  Shell block is a material many of the old station homesteads were built of as the shell block is a great insulation.

This sculpture in "shell block" at Monkey Mia Resort.

The church in Denham using Shell block

This restaurant on the foreshore of Denham using the "shell block"

HAMELIN STATION RESERVE - STROMATOLITES

This station is a former pastoral station and is one of the newest properties to come under Bush Heritage care.  202,000 hectares is habitat to heaps of vulnerable animal and 115 species of birds.  It also boosts the Shark Bay World Heritage Area to 10% so is very significant to conserving this vital landscape.  17,000 sheep and goats have been relocated so these shearing sheds are no longer in use.  Got our bikes out of their bags for the first time since Derby and pedalled around the station before heading out to see the stromatolites at Hamelin Pool.

"Stromatolites are the first record of life.  They're evidence that bacteria existed 3.5 billion years ago.  The fact that we've got this window of life on Earth billions of years ago, makes Hamelin pretty much the most phenomenal place on the planet."  Remarkably, Hamelin Pool is one of only two places on Earth where marine stromatolites exist and there is nowhere comparable for the sheer number and variety of stromatolites found here at Hamelin.  This was well worth the 10 klm bike ride to view them, plus one does need the exercise!!

This walkway has been built to protect the stromatolites from being damaged unnecessarily.

CARNARVON

Described as a regional service centre for the Gascoyne region a year round holiday destination supporting an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood.  We can certainly vouch for the fresh fruit and vegetables and we found a plentiful supply at the Saturday morning markets at the information mall.  Frozen mango, broccoli, beetroot, lemons and sweet corn cobs and Wayne had to try the yummy Rocky Road.  Locals and visitors all descend there on Saturday morning to get fresh veges and food.

Wednesday 14th Sept. We biked the Tramway Bridge Trail, part of the original tramway linking Carnarvon and the One Mile Jetty.  The township is mostly flat so great for a ride once again.  Haven't been using them as the huge bindies were puncturing the tyres.  All good here.


Thursday 15th Sept.  We woke up to the wind quite still and calm so decided to head out to One Mile Jetty and walk it after climbing the old water tower to take in the view.

View looking out the One Mile Jetty and the new cafe Interpretive Centre - home to the HMAS Sydney II/HSK Kormoran display.

Looking over to the Keepers Cottage Museum built in 1900 and the top of the old lighthouse and original tower.

We also came out here on Tuesday while driving round the town and stopped to explore the railway Station Museum which houses the Kimberley Steam train and WA's first Shearing Hall of Fame.  Very interesting reading in here and found that Charles Kingsford Smith and 3 others foundered the first trucking business in the greater Gascoyne region to bring the farmers wool out to the jetty for shipping south.

The Coffee Pot train that one can take a ride out to the end of One Mile Jetty

The local government are always looking for extra funds to maintain the jetty

The very end of the jetty is still in need of TLC to restore back to its glory.  Photos in the museum show trains loaded with wool bails, stock and people back in the 1900's loading ships.  A very busy place in its time.

Got a phone call from a couple of lovely people we met up at Eighty Mile Beach that are heading south to Albany so met them for lunch and a catch-up as they had exchanged their camper trailer for an off-road caravan.  Very nice George and Karen.  Hope to meet-up again as they come back up this way.

Gascoyne River looking east from the road to Kennedy Ranges with permanent water

The same Gascoyne River from the same road looking west towards Carnarvon!!

Friday 16th Sept.  We took a drive out to Gascoyne Junction 177 klm's east from Carnarvon situated on the banks of the mighty Gascoyne River with a permanent waterhole almost 4 Kim's in length.  The town is considered the gateway to the Kennedy Range NP to the north, Mt Augustus NP to the east and heading on south to Murchison.

Driving the road out and back we marvelled at the colourful displays of wildflowers, these eagles having a meal on road-kill and the local cattle from farms along the way.

Definitely not doing 110 while so many cattle on the road.

Well - we are here at the caravan park as it is coming up to "Finals" time so have to be able to watch the league game, Cowboys Vs Broncos Friday night and the Raiders Vs Panthers and then of course, the V8's are on at Sandown in Melbourne this weekend sooo...... "couch potato time".

Monday 19th Sept.  After 3 loads of washing we ventured out to visit the Carvarvon Space and Technology Museum.  Rather interesting as this is the first time I have been to see some of this history written for Appolo 11 and other Australian communications industry.  The museum focuses on the two part.  The Carnarvon Tracking Station and the OTC Satelite Earth Statin, for which each station played seperate roles in the early s pace industry.

We climbed into a full sized mock-up of an Apollo Command Module where you can feel what it was like to launch in Apollo 11..

No - Wayne will not be and astronaut anytime soon!
Cannot land a space-shuttle or a F1-11(in Canbera)!

This is a tracking devise.  The last one in the world.

We are still having flat battery problems - so dropped the battery into a Beaurepairs and will have to wait two days for it to charge.  Another day before we head off down the road.

CARNARVON

Described as a regional service centre for the Gascoyne region a year round holiday destination supporting an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood.  We can certainly vouch for the fresh fruit and vegetables and we found a plentiful supply at the Saturday morning markets at the information mall.  Frozen mango, broccoli, beetroot, lemons and sweet corn cobs and Wayne had to try the yummy Rocky Road.  Locals and visitors all descend there on Saturday morning to get fresh veges and food.

Wednesday 14th Sept. We biked the Tramway Bridge Trail, part of the original tramway linking Carnarvon and the One Mile Jetty.  The township is mostly flat so great for a ride once again.  Haven't been using them as the huge bindies were puncturing the tyres.  All good here.


Thursday 15th Sept.  We woke up to the wind quite still and calm so decided to head out to One Mile Jetty and walk it after climbing the old water tower to take in the view.

View looking out the One Mile Jetty and the new cafe Interpretive Centre - home to the HMAS Sydney II/HSK Kormoran display.

Looking over to the Keepers Cottage Museum built in 1900 and the top of the old lighthouse and original tower.

We also came out here on Tuesday while driving round the town and stopped to explore the railway Station Museum which houses the Kimberley Steam train and WA's first Shearing Hall of Fame.  Very interesting reading in here and found that Charles Kingsford Smith and 3 others foundered the first trucking business in the greater Gascoyne region to bring the farmers wool out to the jetty for shipping south.

The Coffee Pot train that one can take a ride out to the end of One Mile Jetty

The local government are always looking for extra funds to maintain the jetty

The very end of the jetty is still in need of TLC to restore back to its glory.  Photos in the museum show trains loaded with wool bails, stock and people back in the 1900's loading ships.  A very busy place in its time.

Got a phone call from a couple of lovely people we met up at Eighty Mile Beach that are heading south to Albany so met them for lunch and a catch-up as they had exchanged their camper trailer for an off-road caravan.  Very nice George and Karen.  Hope to meet-up again as they come back up this way.

Gascoyne River looking east from the road to Kennedy Ranges with permanent water

The same Gascoyne River from the same road looking west towards Carnarvon!!

Friday 16th Sept.  We took a drive out to Gascoyne Junction 177 klm's east from Carnarvon situated on the banks of the mighty Gascoyne River with a permanent waterhole almost 4 Kim's in length.  The town is considered the gateway to the Kennedy Range NP to the north, Mt Augustus NP to the east and heading on south to Murchison.

Driving the road out and back we marvelled at the colourful displays of wildflowers, these eagles having a meal on road-kill and the local cattle from farms along the way.

Definitely not doing 110 while so many cattle on the road.