2012, August 18 - 29 Tom Price via Barradale via Exmouth to Yardie Homestead (Ningaloo)

Luke having a snorkel at Turquoise Bay, Ningaloo Reef

Trip Meter Start – 1408 (Tom Price)

Trip Meter Finish –  1846 (Barradale)
Total Km Travelled –  438 km

Trip Meter Start – 1846 (Barradale)
Trip Meter  Finish –  2133 (Yardie Homestead)
Total Km Travelled –  287 km

Trip Meter Start – 2133 (Yardie Homestead)

Trip Meter Finish –  2772 (Neds Camp – driving around over 10 days)

Total Km Travelled –  639 km

Filled Up Nanutarra Roadhouse
Unleaded Petrol $1.94 per litre; 65.16 litres; $127.00
Filled Up Exmouth
Unleaded Petrol $1.73.8 per litre; 17.84 litres; $31.00


Our campsite tucked in behind the dunes at Neds Camp.
 Nic having hot solar water shower

Accommodation
Yardies Homestead $38 p/n 2 adults and 1 child (powered)
Ned’s Camp Cape Haven National Park, Ningallo $14 p/night per couple + $2 p/night per child for unpowered site ($160 for 10 nights) no power; excellent drop toilets (no smell and very clean); bore water available to fill up jerry cans.

Comments – Luke
Saturday – Tom Price to Barradale - Today we travelled to Parabadu witch is a small mining town for lunch.  After that we camped next to a dryed river bed.  We made a fire and watched the shooting stars.

Luke with the remainder of his fish after a big shark took
his share - deep sea fishing on the Osso Busso, Exmouth

Sunday – Barradale to Exmouth - Today a friend of mine named Tim came in the car with us.  We met his family in Tom Price.  When we got to Exmouth we met up with his family and did some shopping.  After that we set up camp at the campground and went snorkaling I only saw one fish and one stingray.  There where also heaps of seaslugs and they skwirted heaps of there sticky nets over me that they use to catch fish, it was very hard to get off.

Monday -  Yardy Campground to Neds Camp – Today we camped behind a sandune right next to the beach.  After that we did some shopping.  Me and Jake flew his kite.  At night we went ghost crab hunting there were heaps.



Luke caught this octopus
(without the head) 5 metres
 off the beach with a hand
made spear

Tuesday – Neds Camp – Today we went snorkling at Turquioise Bay and the Oyster Stacks were we saw heaps of coral, fish and other creatures.  My favourite one was the oyster stacks because you didn’t have to go out that far and the correl (coral - good try Luke) was prettier and there were more coulofal (colourful (good try luke) fish.  At night I went ghost crabbing with my dad.

Wednesday 22 – Wednesday 29 August – Neds Camp – We went snorkling again saw heaps of other fish.  I also met a boy and a girl named Hugh and Jessinter; we went ghost crab looking again.  I also met some Italian kids and went fishing with them.  We also caught a shark with a pomy man and he cooked it up for us.  We also caught 2 big octopus with another man.

Comments – Mum and Dad


 Snorkelling at Oyster Stacks

It was a 700 km plus trip from Tom Price out to Exmouth; so we decided to break it up and spend a night free camping at Barradale.  Dropped into Parapardoo to stock up on drinkies; locals were holding a market and Luke got a couple of $2 DVD's for the car; Free camp was a nice private bush setting.  We met up with the family of 7 from Nelson's Bay that we ran into at Karajini; Tim their only son travelled with us the next day for the final 300 km into Exmouth.  We all camped at the Yardie Homestead that night which is about 6km from the Cape Haven (Ningaloo Reef) National Park and decided to try our luck at the gate first thing in the morning.  Accommodation in the National Park is very popular in the winter months in WA.  So at 5.30am I took my coffee and book, left the boys in bed and headed down to the rangers gate waiting for them to open at 8am.  I was 3rd in line then by 7am there were 11 cars, campers and motorhomes behind me.  After the ranger radioed all the camps down the coast, 19 places were available, and I got to pick our camp and of course I chose Neds which I was told was the better of the camps including Mesa.  I paid the $11 entry and drove to meet our hosts Kerry and Steve who put us on site 15 (next door to.......yep, Al and Yap (can you believe it!!!!!).  Driving back I woke the boys and we headed down to the park to set up besides our old friends from Coffs Harbour who couldn't believe we were there when they turned up after stocking up in town.



Scrim (the chef) and Luke catch a reef
shark off the beach (Neds Camp) mmm....

Happy hour is at 5.30 after a hard day of snorkelling and fishing...ahhhh

Parrot fish feeding at Oyster Stacks (Ningaloo)

We decided to spend 10 nights here; so much to see and do; fishing, snorkelling, relaxing and of course happy hour at 5.30 every afternoon on the sand dune.  We had the fortune of having a 2 hat chef (backpacker dude) from England camping with little money, but was awesome at cooking the fish the boys were catching....first night we had fish in a white wine and fennel cream sauce with twice cooked fries with sea salt and rosemary....unbelievable.  This place is the only place in Oz you can walk straight off the beach into the reef filled with fish and corals.  No need to catch a boat here.  Hope you like the photos...

New friends - Mark, Me, Scrim (2 hat chef from England), Rochelle, Andrew and Lianna

Mark filling up jerry cans with teenage emus in tow looking for any spillage and a drink

The Italian Family we spent the day fishing with.  They were estatic they caught this Pike
off Lakeside.  Sandro and Raeffa and their 3 lovely children are from Rome.

Gorge at Yardie Creek.  Most southern end of Cape Range National Park.  The waters are
filled with turtles, stingray and fish.  This is also home to the black footed wallaby.

 

We came across a native monitor at camp dining on a dead king brown snake.

Nicole and Luke observing the hundreds of fish at Turquoise Bay

Luke and his new friends from Italy find a rock that looks like Australia....Luke makes sure Tassie is not left out

Coral at Oyster Stacks

 

A male emu looking after his chick





 

 

2012, Sept 1 to 3 - Coral Bay to Canarvon

Trip Meter Reading Start – 2989

Jetty at Canarvon - 2km long

Trip Meter Reading Finish –  3288
Total Km Travelled –  299 km

Filled Up Coral Bay
Unleaded Petrol $1.85 per litre; 10.78 litres; $20.00

Filled Up Carnavon
Unleaded Petrol $1.615 per litre; 70.6 litres; $114.00
Plus $13 for a tank as we ran out 100 m from the servo

Accommodation
Nor West Caravan Park $30 p/night per couple for a powered site ($90 for 3 nights); run by a 94 year old who’s son who owned the park passed away 5 weeks ago; a little run down, but very clean and only 30 % full due to the loss of the owner.  We even got a concrete slab and had plenty of grass...happy days.

Comments – Luke

Saturday - Before we left we bought a Nautilis Shell.  When we arrived at Carnavon we did some shopping.  After that we camped at a campground.

Sunday – Today it was Fathers day so me and mum got dad some whiskey.  After that we went to a one mile bridge were they used to load the cattle onto ship.  After that we did some shopping when we got back to camp me and dad baked a cake.

Monday – Today we went to the big dish were they used to communicate with astronauts.  After that Mum and dad worked on the computer all day while I played my PS3.

Comments – Mum and Dad
Carnavon is a pretty place; very flat with lots of organic farms (mangos, bananas, tomatoes etc)  Here you can buy everything fresh at local prices.  It gets extremely windy here and one thing we noticed was that the trees on the main drag were bent from being wind blown over the years.  At my mother’s advice, we found this caravan park called the Nor Westa.  The owner/manager had died 5 weeks ago and his 94 year old mother was running it until his affairs were sorted.  It was slightly run down, but was clean and had all we needed at $30 per night.  We stayed here for 3 nights as we had to collect the new battery for our lap top at the post office (and we just happen to arrive on a Saturday, when everything is shut – it is seriously like stepping back into the 80’s, which we love!  Slow paced!) However, we were happy to have a great excuse just to sloth and chelax in the van, eat, watch tv and read.  We also went for some drives; checked out 1 mile jetty and lighthouse museum.

Day 3 was gearing up for some serious weather with 120km winds predicted for Perth.  The 3^rd night we got rain for the first time since we left home 3 months ago....feels weird.

Me and Mum at the Lighthouse Museum, Canarvon Jetty

 

2012, August 30 - 31 Cape Haven National Park (Ningaloo Reef) to Coral Bay

Luke patting a Spangled Emporer at
Coral Bay....amazing!!!!

Trip Meter Reading Start – 2772
Trip Meter Reading Finish –  2989
Total Km Travelled –  217 km

Filled Up Lighthouse Caravan Park, Exmouth
Unleaded Petrol $1.75 per litre; 20 litres; $35.08

Filled Up Exmouth
Unleaded Petrol $1.80.8 per litre; 53 litres; $101.35

Accommodation
People’s Park, Coral Bay $42 p/night per couple + $8 p/night per child for unpowered site ($100 for 2 nights) no power; expensive, but we had an ocean view and really noice grass; 50 metres and we were on the sand....

Comments – Luke
Thursday 30^th - This morning we drove to an old shipwreck out on the point of Exmouth.  On the way to Coral Bay there were heaps of termite nests.  When we got to Coral Bay we stayed at a campground near a beach were we had a little snorkel but we only saw parrot fish and most of the coral was dead.  At night we played UNO.


Me and my mum about to go for a snorkel at Coral Bay



This Spangled Emporer was about 50cm long and kept putting his head
in and out of the water looking for food...ohhhhh he is so cute!

 

Friday 31^st – This morning we bought some shells of a man.  After that we went snorkling we saw a couple of spangled emperor.  This afternoon we fed some fish on a bay.  Heaps of spangled emperor darted throughout people’s legs.  After that a man gave us all fish pellets so we could feed them.  I put a couple of pellets in my hand and spangled emperor bit my hand.  Before I went to bed me and dad played UNO.

Comments – Mum and Dad
Sadly it was time to leave our beloved Neds Camp and our hosts Kerry and Steve.  We checked out the Mildura shipwrick on the way out and stocked up on more supplies before heading off to Coral Bay.  With a slight hangover after a late night with many Germans at happy hour, I slept through the boring straight treeless trip to Coral Bay.  
We had already booked some accommodation and when we arrived we loved the fact we were bang on the beach with a beautiful grassy site beside the Ningaloo Resort complete with hotel and happy hour drinks from 5.30 that afternoon.
The bay was beautiful, white beach and turquoise water.  The place basically survives soley on tourism and has two caravan parks; few houses and a minor shopping complex.
The coral in the bay is very dead, however the reef further out is believed to be very beautiful and colourful.  We didn't feel the need to spend $200-300 bucks to take a boat trip out and were happy just to relax and just enjoy a swim off shore.
The main highlight was the feeding of the fish at 3.30pm each afternoon.  Mainly Spangeled Emporer would dash in and out through and around our and feet in about 30cm of water ....unreal....they would actually put their head out of the water looking for food. 

Our grassy campsite at the People's Park, Coral Bay

 

2012, August 15 - 17 - Karijini National Park to Tom Price

Luke in front of one of the dump trucks driven mostly
by women and filled with Iron Ore at the Rio Tinto Mine

Trip Meter Reading Start – 1256

Trip Meter Reading Finish –  1372
Total Km Travelled –  116 km

Filled Up Tom Price
ULP $1.64 per litre; 63.07 litres; $101.49

Accommodation
Tom Price Tourist Park; $38 p/night per couple powered site ($7 per child if you tell them you own one); very well kept, clean park and amenities; green grass and shade (on our site anyway)

Comments – Luke
This morning (Wednesday) we went to Circular Pool where I had a swim.  It was so cold I nearly turned into ice.  After that I got my Junior Ranger badge; to get this I had to complete a big 4 page questionnaire and do alot of written exercises about caring for National Parks and our responsibilities.  When we got to Tom Price we did some shopping and stayed at a camp ground.


Luke taking a swim at Circular Pool, Karijini National Park

Today (Thursday) we went shopping.  After that I played my PS3.  When I was playing my PS3 a flock of correlas came so I fed them Armands (Almonds – good try Luke!).

Friday – Today we went on a mine tour about Iron Ore.  We saw heaps of dumper trucks they where huge.  We also saw the mine where they dig for Iron Ore.  I found a peacock rock witch is a rainbow coloured rock.
Comments – Mum and Dad
After Luke proudly collected his rangers badge we took the steep walk into Dales Gorge to Circular Pool before heading to Tom Price.  Again we had to descend down a couple of ladders and steep incline.  When your going down, you know that when you come back you’ve got a steep climb back up and that your heart rate will be getting a workout!  We met a young family with 5 kids under 11, one was in a back pack while her mum climbed down the ladder (amazing!).  It was an easy walk to Circular pool and the kids all love clambering over the rocks in the shade of the trees growing at the bottom of the gorge.  The reflections of the bright red cliff faces in the water at the pool were spectacular; shame the water was so cold, but it didn’t stop the kids getting in for a swim.

Back up to the car we headed for Tom Price and booked into the only caravan park.  Unfortunately we could not do the mine tour until Friday, so we were here for 3 nights, however some free time to do some much needed washing after a week of traipsing through red dirt and dust it was time to catch up on some dreaded household chores.

Tom Price is a pretty little place, with many of the locals working for Rio Tinto.  There are more kids than adults with the average age being 12; there are 2 primary schools and 1 highschool.  Some of these kids are getting jobs after their HSC starting on $46k per year.  It is in Rio’s best interest to have permanent families employed here.

Wildflowers in front of Mount Nameless at Tom Price

In town was a newly constructed Coles supermarket complete with a kids water park and playground; the town is expanding with the shire implementing a new swimming pool and skate park.  There is money to be made here and ladies, they need us to drive the big trucks, because apparently we are much gentler with these mighty machines – care to make $120 grand a year? 6 days on and 6 days off with Rio providing you with accommodation and low cost energy and water?  The amount of young women in around the town in the mining gear was to say the least inspirational; these kids are willing to get ahead and make the most of this mining boom.

We took a tour to the mine on the Friday; our guide had worked in the mine in the early 70’s and 80’s and was very knowledgeable.  The mountain Mt Tom Price was now a big hole in the ground, actually, it was bloody huge!  4-6 trains carrying 230-250 carriages per day with 3.5 million dollars of iron ore leave Tom Price each day for the docks.  The power stations, the plant required to run this places was overwhelming.  A water truck driver earns $120k per week.  Most people stay for 2 – 5 years to get ahead, and why wouldn’t you.  Tom Price is the perfect community place (where there is no Myer or shopping to tempt the ladies) to earn a good quid for those with a basic school education....so where the bloody hell are ya?

2012, August 13 - 14 - Karijini National Park (via Port Hedland)

Me and mum on the Spider Walk
Hancock Gorge, Karijini

Trip Meter Reading Start – 1056
Trip Meter Reading Finish –  1133
Total Km Travelled –  77 km

Accommodation
Dales Campground, Karijini National Park; $16 p/night (x2 adults x1 child); $10 per vehicle

Comments – Luke
Today (Monday) we set up camp in Warlu Loop in Dales campground.  We went to a look out overlooking the Circular Pool; it was a long way down.

We then went down the gorge for a swim at Fern Pool where their were two water falls and lots of fish.  After that we went to Fortesque Falls witch was a larger waterfall; the surrounding rocks had strippy layers, one of which is a blue esspertesse (asbestos – good try Luke!).  Back at camp I’m working on becoming a Junior ranger.

Today (Tuesday) we explored Hancock and Weano Gorge.  I enjoyed the Spider walk the most because it tests your skills the most by climbing along rock ledges and going through narrow gaps in water.

Comments – Mum and Dad
The visitors centre at the park was beautifully set out, with plenty of aboriginal and early settler history and information.  Mark purchased a new cooler as he misplaced his Big Banana one (sorry Helen!) for a souvenir; I bought a couple of pressies for my neice and sister in law for early birthday gifts to send home when I get to Tom Price.  Luke was also given a questionnaire and some research papers to complete on the Park to earn a Junior Park Ranger badge – great idea for kids learning on the road about the environment and how to look after it!

We booked two nights as we arrived at midday; receipts in hand we proceeded to fill up at the water tank then to the ranger station where some lovely volunteers allocated us a site.  The campsite was very private, red but not dusty; the surrounds were gorgeous and nothing like the seaside vistas we are used to seeing.

This park has claimed many lives, so caution is required as the rocks are slippery and slate like plus there are ladders to climb up and down.

Information in hand, we set up camp and drove down to the two lookouts, the first overlooking the gorge down to Circular Pool.  The red slate walls against the blue sky and yellow Spinifex is just amazing!  Then you have these crystal clear deep green turquoise pools below.  Around the corner we clambered down the rocky stairs to Fortescue Falls which is like an amphitheatre overlooking a deep pool fed by the falls; the rocks are natural slate steps.  Around the corner we took a dip at Fern pool which is a turquoise green colour fed by small water falls; small fish surround the timber pontoon which has a ladder into the water....just gorgeous and not far to walk like other gorges.


Swimming at Fern Pool, Dales Gorge Karijini National Park WA

The next day we headed off on a 56 km dirt road drive to Weano, Hancock, Joffre and Red Gorges.  Don’t be put off by people saying the road is too rough (its a load of crap); most of these people have pristine expensive 4wd’s that they don’t want to get dirty.  Take an easy and careful 60km / hour drive in an AWD or sedan and you will be fine!

Road out to Weano, Hancock and Joffre Gorges

At the carpark we met ‘Bill’ who has been on the road for 12 years after fleeing Hungary in the 70’s; he was kind enough to charge up our camera battery and guide us down into the Hancock Gorge.  It is such a short walk (which is a relief) to the edge of the gorge then a steep scramble down into the bottom; at the bottom you walk along smooth slate rock amongst running water and you need to be careful not to rush as the water on the smooth rock is ultra slippery.

Mum swimming through the chasm while I
climb high to keep my feet dry (good thinking 99)

Through here is a chasm filled with very cold (ok extremely cold) water; now you can wade or opt to climb up and around, which we did.  This takes you to another pool then the ‘Spider Walk’ which is another chasm that you use your feet and hands to clamber along the walls to Kermit Pool......Luke loved this, but don’t all kids love climbing....the photos will show you what I’m talking about.

Kermit Pool at the end of the Spider Walk, Karajini National Park, WA

 By the time we explored the Red Gorge, the day was almost over, however we did stop into look at our last gorge for the trip (did I say last?) Kalamina Gorge.  I must say the water was very low and stagnant in here and the two arches were cut off by fallen trees, but we made our way through for the view; as the light was lowering toward sunset the colours against the rocks made this walk a pretty one.  One would say we were exhausted when we got home, covered in red dirt, I don’t think my white socks and shoes will ever be white again after that.

2012, August 11 - Cape Keraudren to Karijini National Park (via Port Hedland)

Salt mining in Port Hedland, WA

Trip Meter Reading Start – 602

Trip Meter Reading Finish –  1056

Total Km Travelled –  454 km

Filled up Port Headland

$158.5 per litre; 56.78 litres; $90

$1.29 per litre; 64.4 litres; $83.17

Filled up Auski Roadhouse

$1.69 per litre; 36.65 litres; $62.01

Accommodation

Free camp at Albert Tognolini Rest Area 17km south of the Auski Roadhouse; approx 40kmto Karajini National Park; $6 for showers at Auski Roadhouse

Comments – Luke Baker

Today we went to Port Hedland and as we were entering we could see a massive pile of somthing white.  When we got closer to it we found out that it was salt.  The minding trains were at least a kilometre or more long;  we did a bit of shopping and had lunch.  We also stopped at a roadhouse to have a shower and fill up with petrol.  After that we stayed at a free camp.

Comments - Mum and Dad

We ventured into Port Hedland to stock up on food before we heading down the Great Northern Highway toward Karajini National Park.

The place is mining central and most cars on the road are driven by employees of BHP Billiton.  Close to town were large salt pans which are processed and exported. 

There was a big port where the trains loaded with Iron Ore are transferred onto containers; the beach was very brown and muddy, however the town area was green and tidy, but very mining orientated.  We bumped into Tin and John from Newcastle at the local Woolies; mum and dad also popped in around the corner to do some shopping (small world hey?); we stocked up so that we had enough supplies for the next 3 days of unpowered camping on our way to Karijini.    

The drive through the Pilbara toward Karajini was a beautiful landscape of hills with bright red dirt poking through the yellow spinifex with a contrasting brillant blue sky in the background.  It was a very pleasant drive.  There were numerous road trains keen to overtake our van sitting on 95 km / hour.  We decided to take advantage of a cheap shower at the Auski Roadhouse that had accommodation for vans out the back, but we were keen to save where we could and after a nice long hot shower for $3 we foraged on another 17km up the road to a beautiful free camp with a magic view from the top.

View from our free camp 40km from Karijini National Park

Friday/Saturday 10th and 11th August 2012 80 Mile Beach to Cape Keraudren



Luke and one of the locals

Trip Meter Reading Start – 411

Trip Meter Reading Finish –  602
Total Km Travelled –  191 km

Accommodation
11km of dirt road on the right heading south from the Pardoo Roadhouse.  This camp is run by the shire; vans ok; you don’t need a 4wd; cost is $6.50 p/n per person ($4.50 if you hold a concession card) and $3 per child plus you pay $10 for your vehicle

Our camp site over looking the bay 200 metres from the Rabbit Proof Fence historical site

Comments – Luke Baker
On the way to Cape Keraudren we stopped at Pardoo Roadhouse and had lunch. When we got to Cape Keraudren we set up camp right on a headland overlooing the bay and beach.  We also went fishing down the creek and mum caught a catfish and I caught a mud-crab.

The next day we went exploring the headland and rock-pools.  There were fosselised correls and shells and lots of oysters.  I found a big clam and shell.  Two turtles swam by when I was fishing.  I caught three spotted cod.  This afternoon a female wallaby ate a carrot out of my hand  when she visited my camp site.  The historical rabbit proof fence ends on this hedland and started all the way down in South Australia.  Nan and Pop also came today.


Catch of the day....too small to eat so he lived another day

Comments – Mum and Dad
We weren’t planning on staying here but simply to have a look as I didn’t think 80 mile beach would interest my mum and dad who were still stuck in Broome waiting on doctors advice.

Approaching the gate where you must stop your vehicle, the volunteer relieving for the ranger advised we need to pay $10 to just drive in and take a look.  With plenty of time up our sleeve we paid the money and once we saw the beautiful camp sites on the headlands overlooking an untouched coral / marine bay, we decided to stay a couple of nights.  The boat ramp area was gorgeous but choc a block so we headed into a camp area just out from there on the left hand side before ‘Sandy Beach’ area.  We found a site looking straight over a turquoise coloured bay with its own rock fire place (pity we didn’t have any firewood).

For those campers who want 12 metres minimum between sites and a million dollar view with whales, dolphins and turtles cruising by, this is the place for you.  Better still the wallabies that inhabit the area are very friendly; one coming onto our site with it’s joey for a pat and a quick hello.

There are tracks all over the place taking you to sandy un-manmade boat ramps in amongst mangroves where you can fish off the banks.  You do need to assume salt water crocs are around at all times whether you can see them or not.

This is truly a magnificent beautiful site to relax and enjoy.  You really are away from the hustle and bustle here and the colours of the water with the white sandy beaches and red red sunsets are to die for.