South Western WA

Monday 16 April

Anne came for dinner last night and stayed over so that she could drive me to the airport early this morning. Luckily I did my usual trick of allowing far too much time because there was a huge traffic delay following an accident in the airport tunnel. This also delayed flights but even though my plane left half an hour late we made up time and arrived in Perth on time. The scenery to Adelaide was beautifully wet and interesting. After Streaky Bay we flew across the Bight with no land in sight then struck cloud cover until we were quite close to Perth. This leg was about 2800 km.

I had a four hour stop over in Perth airport so spent a bit of time walking around the terminal and generally veging out. I think it is going to be a long day before it is over. There are huge numbers of flights ferrying 'fly in fly out' workers to the mines, especially Cloudbank.

The time eventually came for our boarding to start and lo and behold we were delayed about ½ and hour! Then, all loaded we moved out onto the runway (a surprisingly busy one) and sped up for take-off ….. then the brakes were applied and we taxied to a side track. There had been a problem with the air conditioning!

We were all offloaded again to wait for a replacement plane. Eventually, we arrived in Geraldton about 2 hours late but the delays meant the flight was in the dark so there was nothing to see except the occasional tiny cluster of lights or stubble burning fires. This leg was about 350 km.

Jeanette and Graham were at the airport to meet me and the bag soon came through to the pick-up area. That immediately took us all back to our Canada trip when we all got used to recognising each others bags so that one could stand guarding luggage while the others waited by the baggage conveyor belt.

Home about 60 km to Jeanette and Graham's near Dongara for a very late dinner. We passed about 20 road trains (only two trailers on each though and the road is bitumen). Dinner was 'Impossible Quiche' and salad which was absolutely delicious. We enjoyed a chat together before crashing into bed. It had taken me longer to travel Sydney-Geraldton than it did to got Sydney-Vancouver last year.

Tuesday 17 April

Of course I woke with my body clock at the normal time but WA is 2 hours behind so I had a 2 hour sleep-in before getting up to a beautiful sunrise and clear skies. J & G live on their farm of carob trees and about 14 sheep. There is an old kelpie, Tiger, and one chook. It is so peaceful and very little noise from the highway 2 km away. The farm is about 100 acres one side of the road and 2 x 40 acre blocks on the other side waiting for sale.

After coffee watching the red-capped robin visiting the garden we had breakfast and started our activities with a walk along the road and back through the property (about 4000 steps). Graham collected two small shell fossils from their drive to show me. We then packed a quick picnic lunch and headed out for the day.

Our first visit was a quick drive through Dongara township and Port Denison. We then headed east along the Midlands Highway to Mingenew where there are huge wheat storage and transport facilities. Again there were also plenty of double and triple road trains moving iron ore and grain.

From Mingenew we headed north to the Coalseam Conservation Park where we had our picnic lunch sitting on posts in the only bit of shade and watching another cheeky red-capped robin. The mistletoe was also down at eye level in many of the shrubs and trees making interesting photo opportunities.

We walked down to the damp and salty creek but found some water oozing from the creek bed further down.

We then drove over the creek and up to the lookouts where we were able to get photos of a tiny dragon (a jubbi or chubbi). We also found some beautiful Wahlembergia type flowers so delicate in the hot dry landscape. Drove on and walked to mine shafts over an extremely salty creek. The salt actually looked like snow.

We then completed the loop road back to Mingenew then headed back towards Geraldton via some more minor roads. We passed an old but very tiny volcanic cone (Mt Horner).

Before heading home we took a short detour to Seven Mile Beach, arriving home at about 4 pm. We travelled about 300 km in all.

Coffee was had in the summer house whilst getting onto the internet briefly and downloading photos. We then played computers for a while trying to work out how Jeanette can produce scans as small .pdf files. Got there in the end.

Dinner was lamb chops and veges. This was followed by meringues and fruit. All washed down with a lovely wine and followed by chatter till bed time at 9 pm.

What a fabulous day! I am so glad I have come and Jeanette and Graham are wonderful hosts. It is great to be together again. We all miss Elaine though so she'll have to come next time too.

Wednesday 18 April

Up at 6:30 am and after coffee and cereal we left for our day trip north. Our first stop was at Geraldton for fuel and then for Jeanette and Graham to sign some tax papers. We had a quick look at the port and watched a large ship being tugged out. Then on up to the HMS Sydney memorial with fabulous views over Geraldton.

We headed north with a quick pass of Sunrise where Surrey and I stayed one night on a previous trip.

Further north (about 150 km) to the Galena Bridge over the Murchison River to see what the level of the river was like. It was running well but below the old bridge. On a previous visit Jeanette had seen it roaring through just under the very high new bridge. The old bridge and picnic area toilets were completely submerged on that visit.

We then retraced our path a little way to turn off to the west and Kalbarri National Park. This is a fantastic mix of heathland and deep heath-covered gorges each side of the Murchison.

We visited Ross Graham and had lunch at Hawk's Head where we met a tour driver who said the road into the next lookouts was terrible. There were some beautiful Banksia flowering along the main road so we pulled into a parking area to photograph them. Jeanette decided to try the 'bad' road anyway and while the road was sandy and corrugated it was not too bad except for a few drivers who thought that driving over corrugations slowly was the best thing. When we could get a speed up the drive was much more comfortable. We eventually got to The Loop Lookout and then to The Loop and Natures Window. The rocks at Natures Window were fantastically layered sedimentary rocks and I even took a photo of what appeared to be tracks of a large ancient animal.

As it was getting well into the afternoon we drove out to Kalbarri on the coast with a short detour to Meanarra Hill Lookout over the mouth of the Murchison. Ice creams at Kalbarri, a nice holiday town, and a walk to Mushroom Rock ended our sightseeing and we headed towards home once more.

We arrived home tired and hungry by 6:30 pm and enjoyed pork spare ribs with veges followed by a muffin with cream.

A quick bit of email then bed at 8:30 pm ended another fantastic day.

Thursday 19 April

I'm going to have to stay up later tonight so I don't wake up at 5:30 am again. Got out of bed at about 6:30 am for coffee and cereal. Then a 6000 step walk with Graham around the perimeter road. Jeanette hung out washing then followed. Back for a few computer lessons about 'print screen' images then some patchwork lessons about 'leaders and enders' and 'postage stamp' blocks. Then Jeanette and decided that an early lunch and a trip to Spotlight in Geraldton was in order so I could buy her some cutting tools for patchwork and some fabric to finish off a quilt she wants to make.

Our first stop was to the lighthouse followed by a short tour around the boat harbour. Then on to Finches Nest Quilt Shop which was huge. I bought some aboriginal design fabric in colours that remind me of Jeanette and a piece of wheat design most appropriate to the Geraldton area. While we were there Graham walked around to the car dealer to see a new 4x4 on the market. We met him there and continued on to Spotlight were me both made the required purchases.

We then had the long drive to Dongara to collect the mail and a quick drive around the new development on the headland. On the way back home we had a few stops and detours to find 'Illyarie' flowers and buds with red caps which we eventually found just near our gate of course.

Home to get the chicken on to cook before our 'tool-use' lessons. Jeanette and I did lots of cutting up of her scraps before our delicious chicken dinner. Then more cutting in front of TV before collapsing into bed at about 9:45 pm.

Friday 20 April

After our coffee, breakfast and walk this morning we packed for leaving to travel to Perth. Graham's car gave a bit of angst starting to take Tiger to his babysitter but we were soon off.

Our first stop was the Dongara bakery to collect cakes for morning tea at Jeanette and Graham's daughter's (Beverley). We had a bit of a chat and I met Lachlan and Selina. We then headed south. Instead of taking the main highway we took the Indian Coast Road with a few stops in some of the coastal villages just to take a look.

At Greenhead we noticed a crowd and took a look at an attempt to unload a boat into the harbour. I think it was going to have taken all day.

We had our picnic lunch at Jurien by the beach then called in at a few more lookouts and beaches before heading for The Pinnacles.

The Pinnacles is a fabulous desert filled with what might be a petrified forest but the origin of the stones is unknown. It is an awesome and breathtaking sight that is quite difficult to put into words. It was a silent place and the visitors moved about quietly. Just amazing! Jeanette and I took lots of photos.

On again and tried to photograph the magnificently white sandhills (sand mountains) a little further south but they either blended into the clouds if you looked up at them or the crashing waves if you looked down on them. On further south to the Xanthhoroea forest. We continued to see thousands of Xanthhoroea all the way to Perth.

Eventually we arrived at Jeanette's parents' home in Freemantle. They are away but we are able to stay. We had dinner at Eat Greek just down on the waterfront below their house. The food was fabulous and of course we ate too much.

We arrived back home in time for a few hands of Take Two with Jeanette while Graham watched the footy before collapsing into bed exhausted again.

Saturday 21 April

Today started early with a shower then coffee and breakfast on the deck overlooking Freemantle Harbour and the Swan River. Next came our morning walk around the waterfront past the restaurant we ate at last night. A beautiful walk with rowers out, jogger, bike riders and people just walking. Back home to download photos and for Jeanette and I to swap our photos of the week.

At 10 am we headed to Woolworths to buy me some small long life milks to put on my meuslie that Jeanette had given me. Breakfasts are now OK but I should have got some coffee too.

On then to the airport where we were able to have lunch together. Jeanette and Graham were able to come through security without tickets. I was stopped at security because of a small pair of scissors they eventually let through anyway. Jeanette had to have a full pat down because she has two hip replacements.

Thank you so much Jeanette and Graham for such a wonderful holiday.

The flight to Kununurra was uneventful but with a lot of cloud cover. I was not able to make out anything except a huge expanse of wide brown land. However, as we came in to land we flew below the clouds and over Lake Argyle. It is huge! I recognised bits of the Ord River above the wier where I had done a day on the boat last time I was here.

I rang the Kimberley Crocs Backpackers when I arrived and they picked me up. I settled into my room and began to catch up with email, diary and such and try to rehydrate some of the liquid I am losing through sweat. It was 33C when we landed.

A quick trip to the IGA across the road has me stocked up with coffee, a mug and some chips (for the salt). Tomorrow I'll find somewhere to eat out during the day as it is pitch dark by 5:30 pm here.