Day 75 Wednesday 20th May 2015, clear light breeze Pardoo Station Those cows are still angry. When we wake I say to Woody “Smell that air isn’t it great?” “Smells like cow shit to me” he says with a grin. … Continue reading Go West, Day 75 – Pardoo Station
Day 74 Tuesday 19th May 2015, some cloud, sticky Port Hedland to Pardoo Station Like so many other towns on this coast Port Hedland was bombed twice by the Japanese in 1942. We hit the road again. The country is grassy and flat with lots of termite mounds. In fact, one section has each mound wearing a white hard hat! Large white Brahman cattle munch happily along the roadsides. As we pass, the De Grey River has water in it and shady white gums. The camping area extends along the bank and is huge. The road into Pardoo Station is … Continue reading Go West, Day 74 – Pardoo Station
Day 73 Monday 18th May 2015, steamy Port Hedland We visit the information centre to tell them how much we’ve enjoyed their town and lo and behold the lady behind the counter and two customers are from Hastings and Bittern … Continue reading Go West, Day 73 – Port Hedland
Day 72 Sunday 17th May 2015, clear breezy and 25 Port Hedland The Ollies move on towards Broome while we fall, hook, line and sinker for Port Hedland. We join the Seaman’s Mission tour of the harbour with our neighbouring … Continue reading Go West, Day 72 – Port Hedland
Day 71 Saturday 16th May 2015 Indee Station to Port Hedland After 4 days ‘off the grid’ we need to top up our water tanks, do some in person banking in Port Hedland (the first NAB since Geraldton) and Woody … Continue reading Go West, Day 71 – Port Hedland
Day 70 Friday 15th May 2015 Karijini to Indee Station We pick up the Great Northern Highway again for the first time since New Norcia. Amongst all of our recent knowledge gathering we’ve now learnt that a road train with … Continue reading Go West, Day 70 – Indee Station
Day 69 Thursday 14th May 2015 Karijini National Park We climb down the rather steep steps into Dale’s Gorge to see the Fortescue Falls. My knees will never forgive me. The falls slip gently down rock steps into a large deep green pool far below. People are shedding their clothes and plunging into the cold water. One couple are even running about in wetsuits. We follow the woodland path through reeds and paperbarks and figs that grow in the rock crevices, to Fern Pool. A small waterfall drops into a perfect pool bathed in sunlight and surrounded by the high … Continue reading Go West, Day 69 – Karijini
Day 68 Wednesday 13th May 2015, light breeze wispy cloud, perfect for bushwalking Karijini National Park It was as black as pitch last night one of those when you have to feel your way to the bathroom. At the visitor’s centre we learn about the history of the area and life for the Aborigines after the Europeans arrived. There is a delightful story about a woman who learned to count while mustering sheep, all 29,000 of them. We meet the wife of the elder in charge of the park and she talks of the ‘yah yahing’ in government over what … Continue reading Go West, Day 68 – Karijini
Day 67 Tuesday 12th May 2015, cloudless Tom Price to Karijini National Park, Dale’s Campground The nights are quite cold here as we are at 719 metres, according to the GPS and do we trust her? Anyway, it is high for us coastal folk and we are sleeping well. Shirley, Double or Nuthin’ and I set off on the Rio Tinto mine tour for the morning leaving Woody (who’s over mines) to do the shopping. The tour takes us into the open cut mine pit and we soon learn why Tom Price is no longer called Mt Tom Price, they’ve … Continue reading Go West, Day 67 – Karijini
Day 66 Monday 11th May 2015, warm, clear Tom Price We rush into town to do the mine tour only to find that it has been cancelled for today. I think that’s God’s way of making us do a bit of housework. Woody pays $8 to wash the car down the back of the caravan park and comes back disappointed. The water is artesian and leaves streaks and he finds a chip in the windscreen too. It looks like we should factor in the cost of a new windscreen after each long trip. This town has a real community feel. … Continue reading Go West, Day 66 – Tom Price
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