What a long drive to Eighty Mile Beach. Felt longer because we left Broome so late as we had several stops to make. It was still nearly 400km to drive to Eighty Mile Beach caravan park.
The first thing we noticed was how much cooler it was particularly with the sea breeze blowing through the camper. We had a much better night sleep being cooler. We all used sleeping bags for the first time in WA possibly since Darwin.
The caravan park at Eighty Mile Beach had lots of rules. No driving around the park after 7pm and before 7am. No dogs. No kids riding bikes. No assistance if you become bogged on the beach, and a raft of other rules about driving on the beach. Over some of the power poles in the park were Australia Post canvas mail bags with a warning 'property of Australia Post, any unauthorised use prohibited'. A case of don't break our rules the way we break others'.
In the early hours of Friday morning turtles were due to come up the beach to lay eggs. We were going to get up to look but we had some difficulty with the whole waking up and motivation thing.
After breakfast and packup we went for a drive along the beach, careful to follow all the rules. We were thankful we didn't go wandering the beach in the middle of the night as we didn't find any fresh turtle tracks near where we were staying.
Nicholas stopped for a sea snake that was high up on the beach. Two Parks Rangers stopped with us to have a look also. We were all out, other than Angela who was minding the car this time. The Rangers explained that the snake was extremely venomous and had difficulty moving on land but moved quickly in water. It's tail was made like a rudder to help it move in the water. Very cool to see one on land and so far up the beach.
Sea snake heading back to the Indian Ocean.
After a very enjoyable drive along the beach we drove on to Port Hedland. Many of the people we had spoken to on the road had told us Port Hedland is for miners and FIFO workers and all the caravan parks are full of HiVis vest wearers. We had prepared to either stay in Port Hedland or drive further on toward Karijini NP. We drove into Port Hedland in time for lunch and found a fabulous park right on the beach with picnic tables and a decent playground.
After refueling ourselves we drove around Port Hedland to look at the loading facilities and around the old town. There is really nothing for the tourist at Port Hedland and being a Friday night we decided to drive on to Indee Station after a car refuel and a small grocery restock.
Indee station is about 70km inland from Port Hedland and is setup for travelers to pass through. After 5pm even out here there is a major influx of hivis shirts and work vehicles. Indee Station also has a very nice setup for large work groups up to 120 people but where we were was not quite so nice. Anyway it was fine for one night.
Early Saturday morning we drove on to Karajini NP. Everything out here is so far from the next thing. We didn't arrive at Karijini until early afternoon. After a visit to the ranger station we knew the gorges that had plenty of water for swimming and which gorges had very little water. The girls were each given an activity book to complete to receive a Karijini Junior Ranger Badge. All they need is an incentive. It was most certainly Chantelle that completed the requisite number of activities first.
We set the camper up a bit to make the lunch thing easier. We immediately noticed the fly problem. The flies were so bad we ate lunch in the camper and had the Morteen auto spray going inside and out. Sure Karijini is a National Park, and all animals and plants are protected but the flies were nasty.
There were no showers at the campgrounds in Karijini. There were showers at the ranger station but only between 9:00am - 4:00pm. What they did provide were massive big baths mostly at the bottom of waterfalls.
Before dinner we walked to Fortescue Falls and on to Fern Pool for a swim. Fortescue Falls was a bit difficult to get in and out of because of the slippery rocks. Fern Pool had a ladder and platform to assist with entry and exit from the pool. Fern was also set under some massive paper bark trees with reeds and ferns growing all around. We needed to watch the fish in Fern because they had a habit of nipping our legs.
After a breakfast of raspberry pancakes Sunday morning (we ate in the camper because the flies were still a bit persistent despite the Morteen) we drove 45km to Weano Recreation Area. Evidently this is where the miners from the nearby mines come on days off. Our plan was to walk a grade 5 trail through Hancock Gorge to Kermit's pool. It was quite the adventure!
We walked down steps and ladders to the base of the gorge then along the gorge. Unlike many of the gorges we have seen this one is super narrow in places, so narrow that Bianca could easily touch both walls at once. We came to a long pool with steep walls on each side. The easiest way to proceed was to swim the length. The four ladies took a swim while Nicholas walked the walls with the food and other things opposed to getting wet.
Further down the the gorge we clambered over boulders that had become lodged between the gorge walls with water running around or under the boulders. Then around a corner we came to Kermit's Pool. Hidden in deep narrow section of gorge, the sunlight would berely reach the water, the pool is long and deep.
There were heaps of people at the pool while we were there. A group of Europeans, a large group of miners, and several other people. It seemed that as someone headed back to the car park someone else took their place at the pool. Kermit's Pool is the end of the walk unless you have permission to continue usually as part of a guided tour. There is a pool further down called Reagan Pool after a SES volunteer from Tom Price whose body was recovered from the pool following a flash flood during a rescue of someone with an injured leg.
We had a fantastic swim with morning tea and another swim before heading back to the car park and back to the visitors centre. At the visitors centre the girls took the oath of Karijini Junior Rangers. They were so very excited. Two cloth badges each to be sown on the arms of a shirt.
After lunch we walked to circular pool for another swim. When we got to the pool some muppet was dropping rocks into the pool from the top of the cliff. After they desisted we had our evening swim staying clear of where rocks could be thrown even though the perpetrator had decamped.
Monday morning we packed up and drove toward Karatha and Dampier. Along the way we stopped at Mt Bruce, WAs second tallest mountain. There was a very short walk to a viewing area where we could see Marandoo mine operations in the distance. While we were watching and reading a long iron ore train went past with three engines of 4000 horse power each.
Still further on we stopped at Hamersley gorge for walk and swim. The gorge was again one of the better swimming gorges we had swum in. We took a long swim down the narrow gorge and the water was a perfect vantage point to admire the patterns in the rock wall. Just spectacular. The water was deep and we probably swam 100m quite leisurely each way.
Looking up the gorge there was a series of waterfalls into small or medium sized holes. The girls found one quite good as a water slide!
Tuesday morning in Dampier we had a flat tyre on the trailer. After more than 25,000km our first flat tyre! Luckily Nicholas was able to change the tyre without needing to packup the camper. We dropped the tyre off for repair before exploring Karratha district.
On the Burrup Peninsula was the North West Shelf project headquarters and visitor centre. The centre is closed now for low season but there was still heaps of information outside. From here they pipe gas down south to Carnarvon, Perth and Esperence. From the wells out at sea the gas is piped in submarine pipes 135km to shore. At the facility on shore the gases are separated and made liquid before being shipped to Korea, China and India or any other country that wants cheap energy.
Our next stop was Deep Gorge to see petroglyphs (stone carvings or etchings) that were so poorly sign posted, unless you knew they were there you would drive past totally oblivious. We were lucky to have some directions that enabled us to eventually find them. They estimate that there are up to 1,000,000 petroglyphs on the Burrup Peninsula and were produced from 25,000 to 30,000 years ago. The petroglyphs include a wide range of subjects including marine animals, mammals, birds and humans. These petroglyphs on the Burrup Peninsula represent the longest known sequence and greatest number anywhere in the world.
At Roeburne we visited the Visitor Information Centre at the old gaol before going into the Museum in the gaol itself. The museum had a lot of information about the early days of the area when wool was king. Roeburne was named after one of William Dampier'a boats he explored the coast with in 1699.
Wednesday morning as we were leaving Dampier we stopped at the Red Dog memorial. There were some backpackers who had obviously slept the night in the car park. The real story behind Red Dog is not quite the same as the movie. The dog just wandered the area as far away as Roeburne and would make itself at home with whom ever he chose for a period.
We found another farm stay with very good reviews and we had booked two nights. The drive to Emu Creek Station had not much to see along the way, more iron ore mines, a gas plant, more trains, signs pointing to work camps and mines.
We were welcomed at the station by Joyce and given direction to camp beside river. We chose a nice little spot quite flat with provision for camp fire. Chelsea was very excited about the campsite, she set and lit a fire to make tea for everyone. Angela was equally excited by the campfire and while we were there cooked bread, ANZAC biscuits, chocolate cake, and egg and bacon pie!
Thursday morning we discovered another flat tyre on the car this time. With the second spare this one can wait for Carnarvon to be repaired.
The morning was passed by exploring Emu Creek Station. We were given directions to a swimming hole that we all had a splash in and morning tea beside. The stations must all have some beautiful places the the rest of us will never see.
After lunch we wandered up to the homestead to check out the homemade produce for sale. Joyce will do bread, Devonshire Tea, relish, jams, eggs, and probably anything else you ask for. We made a selection of tomato relish and plum jam and ordered Devonshire Tea. Whilst the scones were prepared we went off to see the original station woolshed.
Back in 1891 when the station was called Wogoola the Camerons ran 20,000 merino sheep. All these sheep were shorn in the 12 stand shearing shed. The shearing shed is pretty much as they left it when the last sheep left the station. The wool classing table, pens, bale press, scales, machinery and slatted floor are all still in the shed. The bulk of the shed is used for storage nowadays.
Back at the homestead and our Devonshire Tea was waiting for us. Unlike most Devonshire Teas where each person gets one or two scones we were given the whole batch of plain and date (farm grown) scones complete with freezer bag to take with us what we couldn't eat.
Friday morning we sadly left Emu Creek Station for Exmouth. We are also leaving the Pilbra region behind for the Gascoyne region.
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