We finally made it! Nearly six months after abandoning our long-planned North American adventure to the ravages of the covid-19 curse we have started travelling again. This journey to discover more of our home state outside of the cosy comfortable south-west corner was the only substitute trip we could manage without 14 days quarantining or placing ourselves at risk. So, we are one sixth into the road trip, that is in the perspective of time; or 900 kilometres into a journey of probably 8,000 km. I am only guessing as we have a rough itinerary – up the coast to Broome, perhaps on up to Cape Leveque, then maybe through the eastern Kimberley region as far as Kununurra, and back to the Pilbara to Karijini, Mt Newman and then down to Kalgoorlie and back to metropolitan Perth.
A Suzuki S Cross is our vehicle of choice, purchased when we abandoned Arizona in March. It looks a bit like a mini SUV, 1500cc and turbo-charged with plenty of room for our few bits and pieces. We may hire something else in the Kimberley as off-road or 4-wheel drive is not for the S Cross. On the road with us are most of the state’s caravans, every shape and size imaginable plus converted trucks, campervans, trailers. Everywhere we have stopped has been busy, it seems we are part of a nomadic herd of retirees heading north to warmer places.
Marginally warmer only so far. The presence of a huge weather front last weekend meant plenty of rain and cold winds until we arose yesterday to bright sparkling blue water, our holiday has really started. Perth in winter can be a bit dreary, lots of damp and cool stuff which is why everyone who can get out usually goes to the Northern Hemisphere or SE Asia. With WA being safe from covid for a fair while now anyone who can is checking out what they’ve missed out on around the state.
Travelling with your own mob can be a bit disconcerting. We are so used to being observers, tourists when we travel but we are now probably looking with reflective sunglasses. We also attempt every different type of cuisine on our various travels, yesterday we went in search of at least a curry after days of fried chips.
Our journey so far has been of rediscovery, having lived in Carnarvon 30 years ago, we had journeyed up the coast a few times. And the plan is not to overdo the driving, sometimes a bit difficult given the remoteness of WA. The first day was about 400kms to Greenough, just south of Geraldton, where settlers came in the 1850’s to farm. By chance we had booked a Bed & Breakfast at Bentwood Olive Grove of the highest calibre, first up. We will be lucky to surpass this standard again. Our hosts had renovated an abandoned farmhouse, planted an olive grove, raised a family there, built up a thriving restaurant and were now contemplating semi-retirement. A real treat and probably the cheapest of the trip. It was also one of those unexpected moments when you find you have something in common which makes for lively conversations and story sharing. Richard, our host, grew up on a station at Mt Magnet and had also worked at Hill 50 Gold Mine. In the early 1980’s, Sally worked for EY and had the job of putting together (photocopying and collating) the board papers for Hill 50 board meetings and…occasionally serving the tea… making sure to spill some so she wasn’t asked too often. We found we both knew a Hill 50 legend, Lou Checker, the Mine General Manager for many years, and thus many stories of life in Magnet, grandparents herding sheep from Greenough to Magnet and back, prospecting and constructing dry stone walls interspersed with travel stories meant we had a wonderful first night experience for our travels north.
Day two involved checking out Geraldton’s very good museum and the town’s history and the HMAS Sydney memorial, lunching in the little town of Northampton overrun with caravaners and heading to the tourist mecca of Kalbarri on a beautiful warm day.
Kalbarri was one of our holiday spots with young kids and it still has a similar appeal. Because we struck plenty of the rough weather it was a matter of rugging up and keeping the raincoat on. Still we ventured out along the rugged limestone clifftops on a walk in the 100kph gusts, exhilarating and easy to see why so many ships had floundered along here. Red Bluff was a major navigation point for Dutch sailors heading to Batavia in the East indies.
The Murchison River gorges near Kalbarri have a wonderful Skywalk which now allows a fantastic view across Natures’ Window. Few of the other retirees ventured down to the river on the Z-Bend via ladders and rock trails but the effort was worth it.
Up the North-West highway with a coffee break at the Billabong roadhouse on our way to Shark Bay on day five. We had hoped for a picnic lunch near Hamelin Pool but the weather was nasty so after a quick wander to the stromatolites and a brush off at the caravan park café, we ate crackers and hummus in the car.
Monkey Mia is our first resort stay in many a long time. There must be a reason why they provide a camp kitchen without any cooking pots, utensils or plates but we only worked it out when we checked out – you can hire them for $50 deposit! Two swimming pools, a soulless bar, a pricey restaurant but the beaches are amazing – long and often empty – and the dolphins still visit regularly and we spent relaxing hours just watching them in the distance between the palm trees from our verandah. The staff are mainly backpackers and service is good and friendly too. Although the water is a bit cool for swimming, the views are extraordinary. Wide and open, both sky and sea, so much space.
We ventured into Denham for the curry and a recommended visit to the Shark Bay Discovery Centre and a look at where we spent a week in the middle of summer (the low season in Denham) at least half a lifetime ago.
I can’t imagine we will get any more relaxed on this journey. At least we have booked the next couple of weeks so we have to get in the car and drive to the next destination, Carnarvon.
You are highly organized, both trip and blog, although I expected nothing less from you both .
Have a great trip, be careful in the Kimberley.
Sounds great Sally.. enjoying your journey vicariously!!
Loved reading this as if I’m there with you both. Look forward to the next update x