The Pilbara

Our first stop after returning to Broome was Eighty Mile Beach.  We were really excited about going there as each time we met a West Australian on our trip they raved about it.  We were told that on getting to the end of the dirt road off the Great Northern Highway and seeing the beach we would say “wow”. On cue we did.  It was a little windy but the beach was great and stretched as far as the eye could see.  Each morning we got up early and went for long walks on the beach and collected shells.  I have now posted all the shells home.  Another camper even called me the shell queen.

leaving 80 mile beach

Some of the shells I left behind at 80 mile beach

The next stop was the mining town of Port Hedland which did not impress us, although our caravan park at Point Cooke was situated on a lovely beach.  It was interesting to see BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto both operating in the town even if Rio only seemed to be salt mining.

Rio tino salt Port Hedland

We then went inland to Karijini National Park, another place that West Australians consistently recommended to us.  Just before we got there a young boy and his father had fallen from one of the cliffs.  The father died and the boy was very seriously injured.  This meant that this particular gorge, Dale’s Gorge, was closed and so we weren’t sure whether to go there.  However it opened the day after our arrival and what a wonderful place it is.  It is aptly named as it is exciting, challenging and very beautiful.  It is the only gorge we have been to where you can walk both on the base of the gorge alongside the river and on the rim of the gorge.  We did all the walks and loved it.  We also swam in Fern Pool and Circular Pool which was right at the base of the gorge.  It was just lovely, the water was cold but after the long walks just what was needed.  We also swam at Kalimina Falls.  We were lucky to meet two farming couples from the WA wheat belt town of Coorow and have been invited to stay at their farms on the way to Perth and we are really looking forward to this.

Fern Pool -Dales Gorge

Fortescue Falls

A Bustard in the bush - (bird)

Swimming in Circular pool - Dales gorge

overlooking the escarpment of Dales gorge

Circular Pool from lookout

Next stop was Nanutarra Roadhouse which was constantly recommended to us as a place not to stay.  It was dry and dusty but the Ashburton River flowed nearby and the scene from the viewing area was lovely and peaceful.

Ashburton River

We then went to Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef.  One of the great pleasures of the trip has been the people we have met and we caught up with the great families in Exmouth  Alan and Craig from Berwick had camped with us at Fitzroy Crossing, Derby, Broome and 80 Mile Beach where we said goodbye to them.  And then there they were an Exmouth.  We also saw our artist friend Scott and his wife Robyn from Crescent Head and Jason and Sandy and their kids from Langwarren who we first met at Katherine.  It was like old home week.

Prior to leaving home my kids gave me a hard time cos I didn’t like putting my head under water (even in the bath they reckoned).  I have grown on the trip and loved the snorkelling on the reef at places like Oyster Stacks and Turquoise Bay.  It was amazing that I could walk just metres off the sand into the water and be on top of the reef.  We had a couple of lovely days snorkelling.  We also got some hot goss on a secluded turtle breeding ground and were able to see over 100 very large turtles coming in to the beach to search for a spot to bred and lay eggs.  It was wonderful.  We also went out of town to Sir Charles Knife Gorge and Shotgun Gorge.  The view from the former was breathtaking with deep gorges on both sides of the road and the Indian Ocean in front of us.  The only down side of Exmouth was the wind (not just Marty). 

Yardie Creek - where the range meets the Reef

From Exmouth we went 155 kms down the road to Coral Bay.  The locals told us that it was the best weather and calmest water they had had for months so the snorkelling was great.  Once again it was a simple matter of walking a few metres into the water and letting the current do the rest while we saw the amazing coral and marine life.  We especially liked the clams and mantra rays.  On the way out we paid on early morning visit to the local jetty where we saw a giant groper (not Marty). It was swimming around under the jetty and must have over 2 metres long and 300 kgs in weight.

Look a blue sea star - on the right

Red sea star

Turtle

This Turtle tried to take a break from the mating game

Loads of mating Turtles

Turquoise bay

At Coral Bay we caught up with Murray and Lyndal from the Sunshine Coast.  We met them at 80 Mile Beach and we heard Lyndal tell her kids not to collect too many shells as they didn’t have room.  At Coral Bay she told us she had just posted home 4 kgs of shells from 80 Mile Beach!

One of the locals on the road in Cape Range National Park

Some more locals