Russ Travelling Australia

School holidays have caused an influx of people into Kalbarri, but it hasn’t changed our pace at all.

Today we walked a couple of kms to a Seafood Shack for lunch. We paid $31, for fish and chips, served in paper, with a plastic container of Greek salad and a plastic fork each, but we sat outside, with a view of the Murchison River and the ocean – quite expensive and not very elegant, but delicious crumbed schnapper, a few chips and we walked beside the Murchison River coming home, sat and watched people fishing, boating, sunbaking, picnicing and came home feeling good.

I’ve taken a few pictures of the immediate vicinity and tried to get some pictures of the beautiful birds, but they are not quite as relaxed as us and I’ve found it particularly difficult. There is a pair of Rufous Whistlers, some lovely little ground pigeons, and a larger pigeon, with blue on its wings, as well as Silver Eyes and Weebills, Galahs and Honey Eaters, to name just a few. We bought a book on the wildflowers today, so in future we should be able to name them!

There are a lot of Bouganvillias in flower (all different colours) and never tire of looking at them.

The sea views are from the front of the c’van park, and the shopping centre and accommodation of all kinds, are situated along this strip.

The MM are getting a bit restless – taking the risk of sliding down the tent poles, and dancing sideways as well.

Another very interesting day in Kalbarri National Park, this time visiting Nature’s Window. The drive in to each gorge is approx. 30kms, but well worth the time on the sandy, corrugated road.

Natures Window, (2nd photo), as you can see is spectacular, although Russ was the one to brave the narrow rock edge needed to traverse, in order to take the photo.

When we arrived we were confronted by dozens of cars and a couple of buses – it’s school holidays now and there are people everywhere. Nevertheless, once on the track to the gorge, you feel as though you are the only people there. The place is so vast and there are views in every direction.

The way the Murchison River meanders its way through the gorge at Nature’s Window is like the shape of an omega, or like a top hat, squashed together at the brim! The river comes in from the east, through a sweeping bend, heading north, around in a big loop, returning to almost where it started, then heading off to the west!

The MM enjoyed a bit of rock climbing, but didn’t like getting too close to the edge!

The National Parks have been extremely well set up, with large wooden structures and railings for those who don’t want to do the walk and the tracks are well defined. There is even wheel chair access at Hawks Head.

Russ liked the look of this huge rock pool.

I’ve found the walks back (up hill), quite hard, as my asthma plays up a bit, but once back at the top, feel quite exhilarated from making the effort and being able to see the incredible views. We always take lunch with us and each time we have been able to have a table in the shade, with a view.

Back from the rock edge, the MM pretended to gallop on this stunted bush.

They had a lucky escape after skylarking on this tree, and nearly fell down the massive gorge.

There is an entrance fee to the park, each time you enter, but we bought a pass for $50, which allows entry into any National Park in W.A. – definitely the way to go, as we’ve visited this park four times.

Rain and cooler temperatures were forecast for today, so we used this time to charge my IPod, charge the computer, check emails, watch a DVD on using Squigeys for bait, then rode our bikes into town to have lunch at the local Tavern. A rude awakening though, when we were charged an extra $12 for a bottle of Rose, just because we were dining in! We had previously bought the same bottle, to takeaway, for $12.50 – dine in – $24.50!

We ordered garlic bread to start, and calamari – entree size, but no calamari, so had to change the order to prawn and avocado foccacia for me and steak and roasted tomato relish foccacia for Russ. Garlic bread arrived at the same time as the meals so we were offered a complementary caramel cheese cake, to make amends, finishing off the meal nicely.

MM sunbaking at home and looking after the van! Yellow one in control, as usual.

Went for a ride to the point after that big lunch, then rode back to the c’van park. No sign of rain or a change, so we could have been at the Nat Park all day again.

On return, we learned that someone’s bike was stolen a couple of nights ago. Just as well we’ve been locking ours up. Somehow, we didn’t feel a threat of that description here. We’ll have to make sure that all the fishing gear is packed away after use, which is a bit of a pain.

WA’s school holidays have started today, so everything is booked out and the roads busier.

Have fun everyone!

Last night we had a beef fillet, roasted on our great little fire – no show without punch though, as the MMs insisted on lifting the lid! They are becoming a little bit bossy, to say the least.

This morning the temperature was approx. fifteen – previously up here has been eight to twenty five – and at the moment it is twenty five. Summer clothes are out and perfect weather for walking to see the wonderful gorges.

We drove to Ross Graham Lookout, then on to Hawks Head. Ross Graham, a dedicated conservationist, was the first school teacher in the area, who died in 1967 at the early age of 31years. The gorge was spectacular and after a short walk to the lookout, we were able to walk down to the Murchison River. The river can be dry at times, but with tropical rains, can be at least two metres higher than it was today.

Travelled on to Hawks Head, and a short paved walk to the lookout. The National Parks people have set things up very well, with toilets, and lovely lunch and rest areas. MMs sat quietly and ate their pre-prepared lunch. Quiet as last!

MMs quite restless, legs sore from the walks I suppose, so a quick play in the wattle, then they are into my bag demanding to hit the road!

MMs resting beautifully on the ride home, we stopped to take some photos of the flowers – a few more seem to open each day. Hope they’re not too boring.

Cam I think the yellow flower in the last blog was a grevillea, but it had very unusual foliage, with long grey/green leaves bushing at the bottom of the plant, then metre long branches above, with the flowers at the end. We’ve never seen anything like it before.

I am testing out a few things Cam has told me about the site and how to compose and publish it, especially the photos. We have some more photos of the Magnet Men, so I’ll practice with them, plus, maybe a few others.

I think I’ve got the hang of it now – thanks again, Cam. x

Yesterday, we drove into the National Park to ‘the Z Bend’ of the gorge. A short, but downhill and steps on the way, took us to the lookout, with a fantastic view of the gorge.

The photos don’t do it justice, especially with the deep oranges and purples of the cliffs and the brilliant greens of the trees and shrubs, so please use your imagination!

The drive in was through plains of grass trees, then slightly larger shrubs, all looking as though they have a very tough life. The trees are often naturally bonsai-ed (the word doesn’t look right without the hyphen. The wildflowers aren’t quite out in full flower yet – we are a bit early, but here are a few we saw along the way.

The Magnet Men had a ball on the banksia flower and couldn’t resist playing “ring-a-ring-a-rosie”.