Category: WA

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Not Much to See Here

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“There’s not much to see” says the lass at the Info Centre in Kununurra, WA. We take her meagre advice and visit Kelly’s Knob lookout above the town to get the lie of the land. She couldn’t tell us where historic Ivanhoe Crossing was as she hadn’t heard of it. Not surprisingly we find it on Ivanhoe Road just as the sun is setting and there are folks fishing with disregard for crocodiles and the water is brimming across the spillway. Of course it is prohibited to drive on it these days and a huge boulder blocks the causeway. In … Continue reading Not Much to See Here

Point of Interest, WA6 Comments

History Most Profound

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There is a wonderful wall in the town of Esperance, WA that is a storyboard of the town’s history. It is beautifully written and one can almost hear the voice telling the tale. “Another war, eleven of our men went. It was Vietnam this time.” Continue reading History Most Profound

WA, Wildlife11 Comments

Flies are bad…

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The flies are bad in Coronation Beach as we slowly make our way up the Western Australian coast. We constantly sweep up the bodies and must wear nets on our hats, at all times. A large crowd is in attendance at the Northampton Anzac Day service. Wearing T shirts proudly displaying their heritage are Australians and New Zealanders of many races heads bowed together. Hands slowly brush flies, eyes squint in the sun and a dog with a halo of flies waits. That afternoon we drive into Eagle Gorge at Kalbarri where the rocks look to have been laid down … Continue reading Flies are bad…

Point of Interest, WA7 Comments

Myall’s Bore

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On the outskirts of Derby in Western Australia you’ll find Myall’s bore. It feeds the Southern Hemisphere’s longest water trough. At 120 metres in length, 500 cattle could drink from this trough at the same time. One can just imagine the sight, smell and sound. In the droving days cattle were rested here overnight. The next day they would be moved a few kilometres closer to town to the Dinner Tree, a large boab, where they would be rested in the midday sun before being herded across the endless mudflats to the waiting ship at Derby wharf. Continue reading Myall’s Bore

Point of Interest, WA3 Comments

Flight Paths over the Kimberley

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The drive from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek is colourful, we rise up the Ngumban Cliffs and get a view south that stretches for miles. There are lots of mesas and jump ups, red soil, cream grasses and small spindly white trunked gums. There are distant purple ranges and not a town in sight. Apart from the caravans there is a feeling of remoteness out here and now there are more vans heading south than there are heading north, Broome having been the destination of choice for so many. We’ve chosen the less popular clockwise route to WA, but more … Continue reading Flight Paths over the Kimberley

Point of Interest, WA4 Comments

Sun Picture Gardens

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We are in Broome, WA and when we notice that the Sun Picture Gardens has a screening tonight we race back into town to catch the 6:15 session. And what a show it is. It is like being a part of living history. The building is a three sided iron shed some of the canvas deck chair seating is under cover and some spills out into the open air. Palms and gardens line the fences and the screen is at the bottom of the garden. The toilets are located one on each side of the screen, so everyone knows when … Continue reading Sun Picture Gardens

Point of Interest, WA2 Comments

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

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Up in the Kimberley we take an early morning flight over Lake Argyle and out to the Bungle Bungles. With their unusual beehive domes they stand apart from the other ranges. On our return we circle the Argyle diamond mine. Originally an open cut mine they are now tunneling underneath the hillside and have now removed the whole volcano. The pilot tells us that the roads are paved with diamond dust, oh let me out here. Continue reading Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

Taking Directions, WA5 Comments

Lost in Translation

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When we checked in at the Big4 caravan park on the beach at Port Denison in WA the receptionist told us that the sunsets have been good and that we should grab an empty box and watch the sunset with a glass of wine. To explain that: a box is a cabin and WA law prevents you from drinking in an outdoor public place. So we took her advice and toddled off with our drinks to the verandah of an empty cabin and happily drank legally while watching nature put on a stunning show.     Continue reading Lost in Translation