Lyn was rejoicing as we finally departed Darwin. Our things were still in a mess from the rain, but at least we were underway.
We headed out past familiar territory with Edith Falls as our first destination. Lyn had wanted to see them on the way up, but we did not stop then. The falls were 20km off the road, and when we got there, it was quite busy, and very hot.
We set off for the falls on foot, and wished we had taken our hats and a drink, even though it was only 200m the heat soon
got to you. When we say
the "falls" we were just a little disappointed. It was just a bit of water running down a few rocks, but the pool below the falls
was really nice, with many people swimming in it to keep cool. We managed to make it back to the truck without collapsing
from heat stroke, and set out for the next stop - Katherine.
We did a lap of the main street of Katherine. In was Sunday afternoon so not much was open, but there were still a number of natives around. Lyn spied a Subway store, so we found a park nearby and had subway under the shade of the van front.
We decided to keep on going and find a stop for the night. About 100km from Katherine, we stopped at an overnight rest area. Unfortunately, another van was already there, but we parked as far away as possible, because we were running our air conditioner until we went to bed. It was quite hot and humid, and I don't know how the other van slept without the cooling.
The Victoria River gorge was quite pretty in the morning light. There was a lot roadworks in the area as they were raising
the height of all the water crossing points, including the main bridge.
We went down to the river itself, but there was not a huge amount of water at the point we were in the photo.
We kept on toward the border with intention of stopping for the night before we crossed, but we were making good time, and got to out chosen spot way too early for the night. We stopped there anyway and got to work on our fruit and veg. Peeled the spuds, and extracted all the flesh from our mangos and put it in fridge containers in the freezer. Now we were ready for the border check point, we set off again.
We had no trouble at all at the check point. The man was very nice, and was happy with our preparations. He took the old stuff we were not worried about, and we continued on or way in to Kunanurra to restock.
We had a bit of a list of shopping we needed, so we made for Coles at Kunanurra first. Was able to park very close, and found most of what we wanted. Had a bit of trouble at the checkout with a rude push-in old couple, but we survived. Went to the Shell for fuel, as we knew they had water, so we left with all tanks full
Took a wrong road out of town, and had to turn back after 10km, but it was scenic!
Once on the right road, we made for the site we used when we were coming up to Darwin. It was just a parking bay off the road, but it was level, and the road was quiet at night. We easily found it, and set up there. No one else came in, and we had a good night there.
As the sun was starting to rise, we started too. We had not seen Wyndham last time, so we took the turn for it rather than
Halls Creek. The scenery was different, and quite nice, but as we got close to the town, it did not look very inviting, however
we did find a place in a park where we could get some good water so we topped up our tanks. We then stopped at a
large concrete crocodile in a park by the road on the town outskirts. Even though it was early, there was a couple of small native
groups in the park.
The town itself was mainly closed shops with "for sale" signs on them. We headed to the water, the Ord River. Even here it was
not very pretty, but the water was flat and perfect. You could see the evidence of the large tides in the marks on the poles of
the pontoon jetty. Also the mud flats around the area.
We took a few pictures, and headed back toward Halls Creek. We saw water spots on the windscreen, and had to start the wipers. The rain continued in patches for most of the way to Halls Creek.
On the way to the Creek, rivers that have been flowing when we came, were just dry sand. We stopped in a parking bay to
try out new chip cooking gear. We got the hot plate working and the spuds cut up and cooking. We had just tried the first batch, when
a van pulled up and a lady with two dogs got out. She was heading to Darwin, so we chatted to her while the chips cooked.
Next a bus and a motor home pulled up. They must have all smelled our chips, but really they were dumping their fruit before they hit the quarantine zone ahead for them.
As we came over the hill into Halls creek we saw many natives ahead. They were around the liquor store and supermarket, as well as in the median strip and side of the road. I had to brake to a complete halt to let a brightly clad, native lady continue across the road directly in front of me. We decided to keep moving.
The first stopping bay outside the Creek looked good. While I was trying to find a good level spot, Lyn spotted piles and piles of fresh beer cans, so we decided to give this spot a miss too. It was getting late, but we pressed on.
The sun was setting, and it was a brilliant display. There is something special about the Kimberly sunsets that you just don't
see elsewhere in Australia. Finally just on dusk, we saw a site, and pulled in quickly. It was quite open, and there was quite a
wind blowing, but it was not hot at all. Just nice.
We awoke at first light to hear a strange squeaking sound. It turned out to be a small bird outside our door. Once again, we had the camp site to ourselves all night. It was quite cool for a hot area, and still overcast when we set off.
There was nothing much until we got into Fitzroy Crossing. We could see flashing lights ahead, and when we got close it was a police car talking to a native woman who was driving a car without number plates. There was reasonably cheap diesel at the BP roadhouse, so we turned in and filled up. We got some eats there. Lyn's kebabs were good, but my chips were last weeks reheated. The many natives around the roadhouse were friendly, with some saying hello. After that, we took a drive around town. It did not take long, and we saw many many natives, all out enjoying the morning air.
The trip from the Crossing to Derby was rather straightforward. Tiring from our early start, and quite hot too. No rain and overcast like yesterday to keep the temperature down. It was surprising how the water had disappeared from the rivers. When we came through at the end of the wet, there was water everywhere. Now most rivers were just sand. The Ord was a series of billabongs, and the mighty Fitzroy was just a trickle in the sand.
One of the parking bays we pulled into to stretch our legs had this lovely old boab. There was a large hollow in the middle,
big enough for 3 or 4 people to get into. Unfortunately it smelled of pee, so we did not try it.
As we got close to Derby, it started to look a bit like Wyndham, but it turned out to be much larger. It had a Woolworths! We headed for the jetty, and found a wharf. Nothing great, so after a stop for some provisions, which were surprisingly well priced, we headed out of town looking for somewhere to spend the night. The place close to town that looked good had a 'no camping' sign, so we decided to head back 40k's to the Broome turnoff and camp at the information point there.
We set up in a very open space near some boab trees.
The setting sun appeared huge as it took on the tropical orange colour. Then, just on dark, two 4 wheel drives pulled
in behind us and set up. They did not seem to mind our generator.
We were up before the sun. It was nice outside, and we were treated to a sunrise as good as the sunset.
On the way to Roebuck roadhouse, there was a long section of dirt road where they were building a new one. We were down to
20k, and it never seemed to end.
When we finally got to the roadhouse, it was almost unrecognisable. It seemed to have deteriated so much in six months. There were new owners inside, and the van park section was nearly deserted. We topped up with fuel, and bought a small chocky bar for $3.50.
We had intended to say at Barn Hill Station for a night or two but when we got to the turnoff, it was very early, and it did not look to great, so we decided to keep on going. The next caravan park was past Sandfire Roadhouse, four hours away. We pressed on, with nothing much worth looking at. This part of the country seems more deserted than the Nularbour. There was a grass fire right up to the side of the road, and we pulled off near it to cook some gherkin scones for dinner. While we were doing that, a backpacker tour bus stopped too, and they all took pictures of the smoke plumes from the fire ahead. When we got to the 'Eighty Mile Beach Resort' turnoff, they had a sign up with their details, and the bit that got us was the $32.50 per night for a site with bore water.
That decided us. Side of the road again. We had enough water for one more night, so we drove on and finally found a suitable parking bay. It was quite windy, so I had to put all the van supports down, but it was not as hot as past nights.
During the night, another van pulled in at the other end of the bay. We did not know they were there till the morning as we were getting ready to leave. The scenery to Port Headland was pretty bland, and Headland itself was just a very spread out construction site.
We pulled into an information bay, and powered up the generator to check email and make phone calls while in range. Then we fueled up and got some provisions at Woolies. We detoured via South Headland for a look as people we knew in Darwin used to live there, but did not stop as one look was enough, just as they had said.
The road to Newman was interesting. At the start, the land was dull and flat, but gradually trees came into view, and then hills and interesting rocks and scenery.
We passed a crashed van and truck on the side of the road. Seemed very recent. Also found a lot of dead cows, some very fresh
along the way.
We stopped for the night at a rest spot at the East Munjina Gorge Lookout. It was a great site, and because we were there well
before dark, we had a perfect site to ourselves.
It was such a great site we had last night. Going to be hard to get another like it.
We headed toward Newman. The scenery started to loose its grandeur, and by the time we were close to the town, it was just like the other mining towns around. The town itself is off the road, so we drove in for a look.
It was much like South Headland. We stopped at the shopping area, and went into the mall. The natives were mainly outside,
standing and sitting around. Inside we went into Woollies and saw what we had been told about. There was the usual sign at
the entrance for staff wanted, and it included just about every position in the store, then scattered all over the isles were
signs for day and night fillers wanted. Name your hours and days. Just apply. They were desperate. The store bakery was closed
due to lack of staff, and if you wanted to learn baking, they would train you on the spot!
Just out of Newman we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. We had left the warmth, and were heading into the cold again.
We kept heading south. It was a boring drive. Nothing special to see, and it went on and on forever.
We stopped at the Kumarina roadhouse for icecreams and a spell. It was not too bad a place.
We stopped for the night about 100k further on, near an arm of the Gasgoyne River. There was a stopping bay on the roadside,
and behind it was quite a good area that people had been using to stop. Just near where we parked was a water hole with some
cows having a drink. Also a large goanna fossicking for food.
Nearby was an old water trough and a collapsing well with windlass. It was an interesting place to stay.
After taking some more pictures of the area in the morning light, we set off to Meekatharra. The road was pretty flat, with
the same small scrubby growth. It seemed ages, but we finally came into Meekatharra.
Some distance outside town we stopped for a lunch break, and cooked up some fresh chips by the roadside. Unfortunately the potatoes we used were not the usual type, and they made really bad chips. The wind was quite strong too, and the flies were very friendly, making it a chip break to forget.
The next town was Cue. Had never heard of it before, and it was not very big either. It was once a gold mining town, and there still were mines there. Some distance out of town there was a large operation right by the road.
We had intended to refuel at Mount Magnet, and we drove into the truck section of the roadhouse there. The sign said "No 4 wheel drives only trucks". Thinking we were a truck, I started to refuel, but the pump was not being set on. Obviously we were not a big enough truck for them, so I hung up the nozzle, and drove out. There was another service station in town, and as we pulled in front of the truck pump we could read the notice saying out of order. That was enough for me, and I pointed the truck out of town and decided to go somewhere where they wanted my business.
It was 120Km to Yalgoo, the next town on our route. It looked like we would have enough fuel to get there, and we did!
Yalgoo was a great little place. Small and welcoming. We bought more fuel than we need to because of it. There are some
things to see in that area that we must go back to look at some time. They have a cute little council caravan park too. It's
on our list for next time.
A short way out of town we came across the rabbit proof fence. It actually did not look too rabbit proof, more dog or roo proof,
but you could see a difference in the vegetation on the other side as we drove on.
About 50Km further on, we found a nice spot off the road in the scrub, and set up for the night. Cooked a date load for supper
and snacks tomorrow.
There was only a couples of hours to go to our destination now. We had been traveling through wildflower country, but it was late in the season and while we had seen a lot of flowers, we did not see the carpets of colour.
We stopped at a lookout on the range behind the coast, and you could see Geraldton at last.
As we drove through town you could see new houses being built, but many of the places we knew looked the same.
We first went to the van park at Sunset beach where our friends are. Unfortunately they wanted $39 per night for us.
We had a chat with out friends there, but we were not paying $234 a week, so we went back to the Batavia Coast park where we
had stayed before. They were now $168 a week, so we decided to set up there while we decided what to do next.
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