Millstream, Port Hedland, 80 Mile Beach and Barn Hill Station

Karratha and  Millstream

As  mentioned previously we enjoyed ourselves in Karratha and found it an interesting place. There is  huge development occurring there at the moment and all of the associated trappings with that. Life is obviously good for a lot of people up here. Many homes have a camp trailer and boat in the front yard along with the 4wd. You can get virtually anything in Karratha, as you can in Albany and prices aren’t that much different. Will loved the caravan park which was next to an amazing BMX  track, he  had about an hour strutting his stuff with local club members. He is keen to return for the Pilbara championships this weekend. The gas plants  at Dampier are massive and we went out there at night and they are like a city lit up. Unbelievably there is rock art very near the gas plants  and reasonably easy to find.

                                                  Chasing an ore train on the road to Millstream

Millstream is a place everyone should visit at some stage in their life. In an arid environment this upwelling of underground springs fills the Fortescue River and creates an oasis. We took a day trip out there,  about 140km from Karratha. We followed the railway access road and saw lots of very long trains 3+km long and  carrying up to 300 carriages of iron ore. We swam at Deep pool, which is 14m deep and did the homestead walk which retraces the steps of a 12 year old boy living there in the 1930s. It is an absolute oasis with some beautiful ponds, streams and vegetation. Later on we went to Crossing Pool and cooled off in some rapids/rock pools which were beautiful and lots of fun.

Old man Croc Attacks at Millstream

Millstream Homestead

Pool near Homestead

Fun in the pools

                                                                       Happy Birthday Kurt

Want to buy a car?

A cake cooked in a Weber Q. Chrissy can cook anything.

Fish and Chips at Point Samson

Kurt turned 10 today and woke early to open his presents which included a Red Dog T-shirt and DVD. We left Karratha for a free camp but ended up at Point Samson for fish and chips and then an overnight stop at the Cove Caravan Park. The Fish and chips were very nice (thanks Marion Leonhardt for the tip) and the place a very pretty spot with lots of nice beaches, walks and reportedly good fishing.

Port Hedland is also a busy place, lots of big things to look at and be  amazed by. We ate our lunch at a park opposite the port where we were about  150m from 300m long Ore carriers. They take 26 hours to fill and hold $30 million dollars on iron ore each.  There are always at least 14 of them in at Port Hedland and probably 25 along the coast. Do the maths on that!

                      Monster move at Wickam, a Haulpack which would weigh 200 tonnes fully loaded

After restocking supplies we headed for DeGrey River Rest Area for the night. As we found our site we were welcomed by a mob of cattle coming to the river for a drink. It is a beautiful  spot and a relaxing night was had around the fire and watching Red Dog under the Stars.

                                                      Will washing at DeGrey River

                                               80 Mile Beach

We made our way to 80 Mile Beach and were blown away by it’s vastness, it’s beauty, it’s size  (300 vans) and generally just blown away by the wind. It hardly stopped for two days but it is a nice spot, a little short on activities if you are not into fishing or looking for shells. Lots of people comb the beach for cowries and other ornate shells. The further you travel the better the shells. Unfortunately the fish were not biting when we were there but that did not stop lots of people hitting the beach at an hour before high tide for a fish. We all  loved riding our bikes on the beach and it’s a great place for fossicking for treasures on the beach as well.

Cycling at 80 Mile

Life  is always interesting in a park. There are lots of  grey nomads escaping the winter who are usually very friendly and much to our disappointment very few families. There are some classic setups, especially those who are here for a while and there is no shortage of advice on differing topics! On our row there is a Winnebago the size of a bus towing a Prado with a dingy on top with two people living in it. There is also a man with a big black hat who fancies himself as a singer. He let rip with Dr Hook’s greatest hits during drinks and nibblies. Dr Hook have, to the best of my knowledge two hits, one fast and a slow one. The problem was the 16 in between which he knew word for word followed by his favourite country and western mix set. The kids liked it at least.

                                                                        Barn Hill

Beautiful Kimberley rocks

Will and Mario

After 80 Mile Beach we turned into the headwind for another 200km or so to Barn Hill Station. It is a park /camp ground set on a cliff over looking the ocean. We were able to swim which was a welcome change and the beach was interesting with few shell but lovely weathered rocks were scattered along the beach and on the points and headlands. The kids loved riding around and having a bit of time on the beach. On the Sunday night we enjoyed the ‘Bidyadanga Family Band” who played a mix of 60’s, R & B and the other two types of music, country and western. They were great entertainment under the stars. The boys found viewing points in the white gums and Will made a new buddy from Bidyadanga, Mario.

                                             
                      
                                                             Anything for a good view.

                                                     On the beach at Barn Hill Station

Next morning Kurt and myself headed off for a morning fish. After an hour of nothing, an explosion of baitfish saw me connected to an unidentified turbo charged, nitro injected underwater creature that headed north west and that was the end of that.

Next -  Broome and Cape Leveque

Regards to everyone at home especially the Year 1, 4,5 and 6 classes at school.

Apologies to any Dr Hook fans, especially Fitzy.

Karratha, Dampier and Millstream, Part One

We had three nights in Karratha and had a wonderful tme. The highlights being seeing Red Dog, All the BIG STUFF and a day out at Millstream which can only be described as a place in Australia that everyone should visit. It is Rob Gibson's traditional country and a unbelievable place.
  Unfortunately we are having difficulties updating our blog regularly.In short internet access is not everywhere and loading photos is time consuming. I am writing this in Port Hedland on our way to 80 mile beach and will fully update the blog when we get to Broome in about a week.
          Cheers Jim

We were the first to read this sign at the Mesa A mine

Red Dog and fans

Red Dog poem

Rock Art Burrup Peninsula

Deep Pool Millstream

 

Bullara Station

Bullara Station

After updating the blog in the middle of the Exmouth shopping centre and fuelling up we headed to Bullara Station approximately 90 km south of Exmouth. On Arrival we were warmly greeted by our hostess Edwina Shallcross and then left to find our site. After setting up, the kids were in "build a fire" mode and quickly had the fire on the go, whilst Les from Bendigo ordered me to sit down and prescribed a Melbourne Bitter.  Who can argue with that?   Very quickly we had settled in to life at Bullara and everyone agreed we needed to stay an extra night.  Everyone showered in the Bullara bathrooms, rustic? Yes.  Clean?  Yes.   Huge showerheads?   Yes.  The best thing ever?   No, but an honourable mention is deserved.

Boy heaven, fires and night bike riding!

The next Morning we cooked breakfast and chilled out. Station owner Tim Shallcross bought down a Stimsons Python found at the homestead to show the kids before relocating it. Will vanished and ran with the Bullara Crew all day and had a ball. Later in the day the barber shop opened for Kurt and myself before the boys joined Tim and friends for some motorbike rides in the nearby red dunes. And then again for about the fourth time in a day and a half, more showers. Bullara station is well recommended as a good place to stop and unwind. Many people like us stop for a night and stay more. We shall return, no doubt.

                                                                     Breakfast time.

                                   The Bullara Gang, Will, Olivia,  Jack and Lucy.

                                                           Kurt and Jordy doing their journals

                                     One of the coolest bathrooms with one of the greatest showers ever.

                                                              Put it on your bucket list.

Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef

The 200km to Exmouth is a pleasant enough drive. Exmouth itself is a stretched out sort of town that looks to be well and truly cyclone rated and the kind of place where boat size matters. There is plenty of development  going on and the town was very busy. We supplied up and headed for Yardie Creek Homestead Caravan Park. The park is right near the main attractions at Cape Range National Park. After setting up it was up and away to Turquoise Bay. Was it windy? Was the current flying? Yes to both of those and it was alive underneath the water with all varieties of colourful fish mixed in with big edible ones. The coral was more colourful than Coral Bay but each are unique in their own way. The next day we returned in near perfect conditions and we all did a few laps of the drift current. We also saw our first Turtle from the shore at a beach near the caravan park which was exciting.

Thursday, yes I think it is Thursday, and we went on a glass bottomed boat and snorkelling tour out of Tantabiddi boat ramp. It was a great experience snorkelling in the tantabiddi sanctuary, viewing Emperor , anemonies, clownfish, giant sweetlip and a huge 1.4m cod. out deeper the coral was more colourful and the fish life amazing. The skipper was an absolute hoot and well recommended. we tried hard to see a turtle and had some minor sightings. Apparently a 5m tiger shark was in the area 6km radius and this is why turtle numbers are down. we found this out after the snorkel. Back into town for some bits and pieces and on the road again up north.

                                                                     On the tour

                                                                      Turquoise bay

                                                                     

                                                        Will up to his neck in it.

                                              

                                                              Kurt sniffing the wind!

Carnarvon, Quobba and Coral Bay

CHILLY... Pack up at Nerren Nerren was a challenge at 3 degrees. We had a great drive to Canarvon, listening to CD 5 of the famous 101 Driving Songs -thanks to Saints Swim Club!  The much anticipated Mango Smoothies were the first port of call for  Chrissy  and Will -YUM!  Catching up with Suzie and Scott O'Lachlan (Kai, Tara and Roxy dog) was fabulous, as was their tip to visit "The Aquarium" near the Blowholes.  Jim, Kurt and Will explored the amazing coral reef and emerged wondering if the Great Barrier Reef could beat it.  The lesson of the day - we should have spent more time in Canarvon... With no week-end plantation tours, the Dish, Mile Long Jetty, and lots of local history - next time....

Will with his treasures.

 Bit close to the blowholes

At the Aquarium at Quobba, not a great picture but hundreds of fish.

                                          Bananas, bananas and more bananas at Carnarvon


Sunday morning saw us leaving Carnarvon by 7am and on the road to Coral Bay. We were without a booking but unbelievably we were able to secure a near beachfront site at the Peoples Park, which looked the better of the two in town. After a quick set-up it was up to the beach where the locals(a heap of very big Spangled Emperor were ready to welcome us. The coral and fish were great, unlike the water temperature which was freezing. Any way the routine became, snorkel, warm up, snorkel go back to the van for food, etc,etc.....and start again. Coral Bay is a great place to do not much, we hardly used the car for two days and was quite relaxing. The spangled Emperor down at the main beach are great ambassadors for the place and when I threw a line in later in the day in the allowable fishing zone of course they were nowhere to be seen. The other x-factors for these places is the wind which can have an impact on your day and gets all the crew who have dragged boats up there very grumpy. Next stop Exmouth.

                                                 A couple of the friendly locals at Coral Bay.

                                                     The view from our site at Coral Bay

                                                  
                                                         Out on the glass bottomed Canoe

Albany to Nerren Nerren

Our great  around Australia adventure has finally begun.... An entertaining dinner with friends in Albany, followed by a fabulous family dinner in Perth and final farewells.  On arrival in Jurien Bay we ran into family friends Tommy and Anna O'Dowd who delivered fuel to our family farm - Pine Park for many years.  It was great to see the new jetty foreshore area of Jurien, to cycle along the beach path and to Nana and Pop's last Jurien house.  It was a bit of a walk down memory lane for Jim and I, and Jordy and Kurt - as we lived here in 2004 to be near Nana and Pop for a year.  Pack up time in the morning was blessed with a heavy shower of rain as we all got soaked, and struggled to locate Will and Kurt who were desperate to retrieve their footy from a Dobbin Park tree.  The tree won that battle.

 

          
                                              On the road, goodbye Hillman St.

The trip from Jurien Bay to Geraldton was a wet one with the skies well and truly opening up. None the less the scenery of the Indian Ocean Drive was enjoyable. Our first major tourist attraction was the famous trees on the Greenough River Flats. Will was particularly keen to see them as they are in his book 'Are we there yet,'

That night we met up with the Geraldton Morcom's at Mark and Leeanne's lovely home in Drummond Cove. It was a great night discussing our family which has been stretched across Australia for almost 50 years. Jordy was a bit under the weather and stayed home(the Van) under mothers care. His illness led us to staying an extra day in Geraldton.

The highlight of the day apart from Jordy getting a thumbs up from the doctor was our visit to the HMAS Sydney Memorial which overlooks town. It is a quite powerful and moving place overlooking the city and the surrounding coastline. The Dome of gulls and the waiting woman are real reminders of those men and their misadventure. The Idea from the gulls came from the dedication ceremony when the project to build the memorial was launched. The last post was played at sundown and out of nowhere a huge flock of gulls appeared and hovered above the gathering. The 645 gulls represent the souls of lost sailore of the Sydney.

Chrissy & Chrissy

The Waiting Woman.

                                                                      
                                                                             The Dome

After departing Geraldton our first stop was the beautiful Murchison River (Galena Bridge Free Camp), and our introduction to Enviro Drop Toilets - it may take a while to get used to them.... Our first real bush camp was at Nerren Nerren, inclusive of red dirt, flies and beautiful warm sunshine. Kurt and Will soon found the shovel to make a bike dirt jump which kept them busy (and red...) for hours. STARS!!! The amazing "Night Sky " iPad app bought out the inner geek in Kurt - amazing stars. Camp fire, guitar and toasted marshmallows - now, THAT'S LIVING!

Airtime in the red dirt

                                            Gladstone Lookout with Shark Bay in the distance