We were up early as we wanted to go walking in the National Park. We asked the owner for directions but she advised us that only 4WD vehicles could go on the road as it was an unsealed road and it was quite cut up as there had been no rain. She suggested that we could go on a tour but we would have to book this or we could hire a 4WD. We decided to head to the Information Centre and see what they could suggest.
In the end we booked a tour for the following morning (they provided Morning Tea with homemade cake so this sold it for Rich!!) Morning Tea is very popular in Western Australia (we’ll have to let you know if this is the case in the rest of Australia as we make our way around).
The lady was very helpful and gave us a map of the Coastal Cliffs walks which were all on sealed roads meaning we could get there in our van. We decided to go on the Mushroom Rock Walk which is a loop that takes you down one cliff to see the Mushroom Rock and then back up the other side before looping back. The cliffs were amazing colours and the way they had been weathered was incredible. It was really windy that day and waves were quite wild which just added to the scenic effect.
We drove to all the different scenic points on the Coastal Cliffs and did various walks around them which took up most of the day. By the time we got back to the camp we were both very windswept and rather burnt (the wind disguised how powerful the sun was!). It was a great day though!
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Monkey Mia – Kalbarri
We had come as far North as we intended to on this trip and so it was time to start retracing our steps and head back.
We were up at 6am to start packing up the van as I wanted to see the dolphins again before we left. We had a five hour drive ahead of us so we were going to set off straight away after seeing them. We headed to the beach at 7.30am to await their arrival. The DEC Ranger advised that they had been spotted out in the deep water chasing some fish so they wouldn’t come to shore for a while. We waited almost 90 minutes until they eventually came in but I’m glad that we waited for them.
We left the resort at 9.15am and stopped at a couple of scenic spots on our way back: we saw the Little Lagoon – not that amazing but pretty; had a quick drive around Denham; and stopped off at Shell Beach. Shell Beach is made up entirely of… (Yes, you guessed it)… SHELLS!! These shells have been deposited on to the beach by the tide over thousands of years and more continue to be deposited. The ones furthest from the shore were ground down to coarse sand but as you got closer to the sea, the shells were whole. It was an incredible sight; the beach stretched for miles and to our right we could see where they farm the shells to use for footpaths and buildings – we think.
Whilst at the beach Rich decided to visit the gents, which was our first encounter with what is known as an ‘Outback Dunny’ (Toilet). The ‘toilet’ consisted of four sides of corrugated metal and a roof of the same material. Then opposite the door is a normal looking toilet seat with the lid closed. To the right is a large toilet brush immersed inside a tub of blue coloured anti-septic cleaning liquid. Above the seat was a sign saying to wipe the toilet with the brush, do your business, and then wipe the toilet again and close the lid, then vacate the area as fast as possible (it doesn’t actually say the last part). Oh, and there was toilet paper for anyone reading this and thinking you had to just walk away…
We continued on our journey (after a coffee break – complete with chocolate Hob Nobs) and arrived at Kalbarri at 3.30pm. We had a walk into the town (well, when I say town I mean the main street!) and then just sat in the sun with a couple of stubbies (beers) and watched the sun go down.
We were up at 6am to start packing up the van as I wanted to see the dolphins again before we left. We had a five hour drive ahead of us so we were going to set off straight away after seeing them. We headed to the beach at 7.30am to await their arrival. The DEC Ranger advised that they had been spotted out in the deep water chasing some fish so they wouldn’t come to shore for a while. We waited almost 90 minutes until they eventually came in but I’m glad that we waited for them.
We left the resort at 9.15am and stopped at a couple of scenic spots on our way back: we saw the Little Lagoon – not that amazing but pretty; had a quick drive around Denham; and stopped off at Shell Beach. Shell Beach is made up entirely of… (Yes, you guessed it)… SHELLS!! These shells have been deposited on to the beach by the tide over thousands of years and more continue to be deposited. The ones furthest from the shore were ground down to coarse sand but as you got closer to the sea, the shells were whole. It was an incredible sight; the beach stretched for miles and to our right we could see where they farm the shells to use for footpaths and buildings – we think.
Whilst at the beach Rich decided to visit the gents, which was our first encounter with what is known as an ‘Outback Dunny’ (Toilet). The ‘toilet’ consisted of four sides of corrugated metal and a roof of the same material. Then opposite the door is a normal looking toilet seat with the lid closed. To the right is a large toilet brush immersed inside a tub of blue coloured anti-septic cleaning liquid. Above the seat was a sign saying to wipe the toilet with the brush, do your business, and then wipe the toilet again and close the lid, then vacate the area as fast as possible (it doesn’t actually say the last part). Oh, and there was toilet paper for anyone reading this and thinking you had to just walk away…
We continued on our journey (after a coffee break – complete with chocolate Hob Nobs) and arrived at Kalbarri at 3.30pm. We had a walk into the town (well, when I say town I mean the main street!) and then just sat in the sun with a couple of stubbies (beers) and watched the sun go down.
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Monkey Mia
We were up early as we had to be on the beach for 7.30am ready for the dolphin’s arrival. The sun was just rising and the sand was so cold on my feet that my toes were starting to turn blue!! We sat on the boardwalk with the rest of the crowd awaiting instructions from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) rangers. We sat for about 30 minutes before the ranger spoke over the tannoy to advise that the dolphins had been spotted and they were on their way. We were invited down to the water and to go in up to knee deep and form a straight line. The ranger was also in the water to keep an eye on the crowd and to provide information about the dolphins.
A few minutes later, two dolphins and their calves arrived. The older dolphins came right up to us but the calves stayed a little further away. The dolphins swam up and down the line so close that you could almost touch them. The rangers reminded everyone that these were wild dolphins though so we were not to touch them. It was an incredible experience and they are amazing creatures – they were so inquisitive and playful. After a short while some more rangers came into the water with a couple of fishes and chose people out of the crowd to feed them. This is very controlled so that the dolphins do not become dependent on humans feeding them. Once all the fishes are gone the rangers wash the buckets our in front of the dolphins to show that feeding is over and then the dolphins eventually swim off as they need to feed their calves.
When they first started feeding the dolphins, years ago, they were providing them with too much fish. Therefore they became dependent on humans for food and a few of the calves died of malnourishment as their mother had not been teaching them how to catch their own food. This meant the DEC had to limit how much each dolphin is fed and to make sure that each dolphin is given the equal amount when they turn up.
We spent the rest of the day on the beach – it was a really warm day (about 30C) so we just relaxed and burnt! Rich tried to go for a swim but the water was incredibly cold so he only made it as far as his waist at first (he went back in later for a very brief swim!). It was so peaceful and relaxing; from time to time you could see the dolphins playing in the distance.
That evening we decided to treat ourselves to a pizza from the bar, sit on the beach, and watch the sun go down over the ocean – a perfect end to a perfect day!
A few minutes later, two dolphins and their calves arrived. The older dolphins came right up to us but the calves stayed a little further away. The dolphins swam up and down the line so close that you could almost touch them. The rangers reminded everyone that these were wild dolphins though so we were not to touch them. It was an incredible experience and they are amazing creatures – they were so inquisitive and playful. After a short while some more rangers came into the water with a couple of fishes and chose people out of the crowd to feed them. This is very controlled so that the dolphins do not become dependent on humans feeding them. Once all the fishes are gone the rangers wash the buckets our in front of the dolphins to show that feeding is over and then the dolphins eventually swim off as they need to feed their calves.
When they first started feeding the dolphins, years ago, they were providing them with too much fish. Therefore they became dependent on humans for food and a few of the calves died of malnourishment as their mother had not been teaching them how to catch their own food. This meant the DEC had to limit how much each dolphin is fed and to make sure that each dolphin is given the equal amount when they turn up.
We spent the rest of the day on the beach – it was a really warm day (about 30C) so we just relaxed and burnt! Rich tried to go for a swim but the water was incredibly cold so he only made it as far as his waist at first (he went back in later for a very brief swim!). It was so peaceful and relaxing; from time to time you could see the dolphins playing in the distance.
That evening we decided to treat ourselves to a pizza from the bar, sit on the beach, and watch the sun go down over the ocean – a perfect end to a perfect day!
Kalbarri – Monkey Mia
We left Kalbarri at 10am (seems to take ages to pack the van up because you have to make sure everything is secure!!). Our first stop was at the Billabong Roadhouse for a coffee break and lunch – we have a little table that folds out of the van (tis rather handy!) so we had a sandwich with some flies by the roadside before continuing on. Billabong is denoted as a place on the map but it’s just a roadhouse – somewhere where you can sleep, eat and get fuel. We’ve learnt that the majority of places on a map of Australia are actually just roadhouses and their environs.
The journey to Monkey Mia was due to take 5 hours in total so it was just a quick stop. We had to re-fuel at the next roadhouse which was at Overlander before entering the Shark Bay Heritage Site to Monkey Mia. The road seemed never ending and we thought that we would never get there. Along the way there were some lookouts so we stopped at one, which looked over the ocean which was a lovely turquoise colour. While we stopped, we had another coffee break (Rich was starting to get the shakes…!) We accompanied this with a much welcomed chocolate Hobnob (courtesy of Charly; ta love - they went down a treat!!)
We arrived at Monkey Mia about 4pm and checked in to our shared en-suite room as they didn’t have any campsites available. The room was fine and you had a balcony to look over the sea so that was nice and we were right on the beach front. We got settled in and then sat on the balcony to watch the sun go down over the ocean. We had an early night as we had to be up early the next morning to see the dolphins – which was the main reason why we had come to Monkey Mia.
The journey to Monkey Mia was due to take 5 hours in total so it was just a quick stop. We had to re-fuel at the next roadhouse which was at Overlander before entering the Shark Bay Heritage Site to Monkey Mia. The road seemed never ending and we thought that we would never get there. Along the way there were some lookouts so we stopped at one, which looked over the ocean which was a lovely turquoise colour. While we stopped, we had another coffee break (Rich was starting to get the shakes…!) We accompanied this with a much welcomed chocolate Hobnob (courtesy of Charly; ta love - they went down a treat!!)
We arrived at Monkey Mia about 4pm and checked in to our shared en-suite room as they didn’t have any campsites available. The room was fine and you had a balcony to look over the sea so that was nice and we were right on the beach front. We got settled in and then sat on the balcony to watch the sun go down over the ocean. We had an early night as we had to be up early the next morning to see the dolphins – which was the main reason why we had come to Monkey Mia.
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Our 1st Night & Full Day
So our first night went ok as the campsite was lovely and clean with a good kitchen and bathroom. However, it was bloody freezing in the van and we both woke up a few times because of it. In the morning we had a quick breakfast and headed for Kalbarri, five hours to the north.
About halfway we hit Geraldton and it seemed a decent place, a good size with some nice looking houses on the hillsides. We stopped by the IGA and bought a potato salad and a coleslaw salad for 99cents each - bargain. We then headed for the sea and had lunch while I fretted about the security of our van. It was a decent location but a lot of the view out to sea was spoilt by the port nearby.
When we arrived at Kalbarri, it was around 4pm and we then spent the next two hours putting stuff away and me showing my boxers to the people behind us - wrong kind of belt. I then had a chat with them, two couples from Melbourne who had gone north, through the middle and to Darwin, Exmouth and then along the coast to Kalbarri. They were lovely people and asked me where we were from etc.
After a chat and more packing away, we tried the gas stove in the van and luckily I didn't gas us or blow the van up. I bashed out some gnocchi while Gem supervised cheese production and then we went to sleep for another night in the cold. It was lovely during the day, a strong sun in clear blue skies but once it went away, it was quite fresh I tell thee.
I'll pop some pictures on soon but the laptop is still downloading them.
Bye for now!
About halfway we hit Geraldton and it seemed a decent place, a good size with some nice looking houses on the hillsides. We stopped by the IGA and bought a potato salad and a coleslaw salad for 99cents each - bargain. We then headed for the sea and had lunch while I fretted about the security of our van. It was a decent location but a lot of the view out to sea was spoilt by the port nearby.
When we arrived at Kalbarri, it was around 4pm and we then spent the next two hours putting stuff away and me showing my boxers to the people behind us - wrong kind of belt. I then had a chat with them, two couples from Melbourne who had gone north, through the middle and to Darwin, Exmouth and then along the coast to Kalbarri. They were lovely people and asked me where we were from etc.
After a chat and more packing away, we tried the gas stove in the van and luckily I didn't gas us or blow the van up. I bashed out some gnocchi while Gem supervised cheese production and then we went to sleep for another night in the cold. It was lovely during the day, a strong sun in clear blue skies but once it went away, it was quite fresh I tell thee.
I'll pop some pictures on soon but the laptop is still downloading them.
Bye for now!
On The Road
We've finally hit the road as of just over two weeks ago. However, it was bloody painful trying to pick-up the van as Gem's credit card was refused when we tried to use it for the $2000 bond!
We headed for the garage and arrived at 10am. We signed a few things and decided not to take out extra insurance but we did take out windscreen and tyre cover. However, when we tried to put the bond on Gem's card, it was declined, like I said above. The guy serving us said it happens a lot (though they don't seem to have done anything to combat this on their side...) and said to call the card company. However, they were closed till 3pm our time, which was a bit late for us. So we headed back to Joondalup thoroughly demoralised and pissed off. Very pissed off. Along the way though, Gem thought that if we take out the extra insurance, we will only have to put $250 on Gem's card. So we did a bit of shopping at Woolworths and then gave the rental company a call, however, they were engaged so we spent ages trying to get through and then headed across the road for some nourishment in the form of a tasty pie each. Delicious!
By this time, I'd not had any caffeine and was beginning to feel a headache coming on... We tried the number again and managed to secure the bond for $250 so we rushed off to Perth again and picked up the van after paying the insurance and doing a check of the van.
We ducked off to Joondalup, picked up some more stuff and pulled up outside our home where we spent the next hour filling the damn van. I thought there wouldn't be enough room but we managed to get everything in and left Joondalup at 5pm with a coffee each from Aroma! However, this meant driving for the first time during dusk when the kangaroos are out and then night time along a badly lit, winding road. Very happy, indeed we were.
I drove for the next three hours and we finally arrived in Jurien Bay, parked up, got out and had some soup while we tried to put stuff away. We were glad to get to bed after a stressful day where we thought we'd not be able to get the van or that we'd get it a day late, which we hadn't planned for!
We headed for the garage and arrived at 10am. We signed a few things and decided not to take out extra insurance but we did take out windscreen and tyre cover. However, when we tried to put the bond on Gem's card, it was declined, like I said above. The guy serving us said it happens a lot (though they don't seem to have done anything to combat this on their side...) and said to call the card company. However, they were closed till 3pm our time, which was a bit late for us. So we headed back to Joondalup thoroughly demoralised and pissed off. Very pissed off. Along the way though, Gem thought that if we take out the extra insurance, we will only have to put $250 on Gem's card. So we did a bit of shopping at Woolworths and then gave the rental company a call, however, they were engaged so we spent ages trying to get through and then headed across the road for some nourishment in the form of a tasty pie each. Delicious!
By this time, I'd not had any caffeine and was beginning to feel a headache coming on... We tried the number again and managed to secure the bond for $250 so we rushed off to Perth again and picked up the van after paying the insurance and doing a check of the van.
We ducked off to Joondalup, picked up some more stuff and pulled up outside our home where we spent the next hour filling the damn van. I thought there wouldn't be enough room but we managed to get everything in and left Joondalup at 5pm with a coffee each from Aroma! However, this meant driving for the first time during dusk when the kangaroos are out and then night time along a badly lit, winding road. Very happy, indeed we were.
I drove for the next three hours and we finally arrived in Jurien Bay, parked up, got out and had some soup while we tried to put stuff away. We were glad to get to bed after a stressful day where we thought we'd not be able to get the van or that we'd get it a day late, which we hadn't planned for!
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