Crossing Nullarbor Sa & WA



After four nights getting across the SA
side , where we could not stop at the places we had stopped close to
the cliffs. Most of the tracks have been dug up and the areas set
aside for regeneration as the cliff edges are un-stable with parts
crumbling into the ocean. We did manage one cliff stay at the 25km
from the border. So we did not get to see dolphins swimming by or any
Dingos.
 

 
Passing through the border check for
fruit, veg and honey with no worries. We new the drill and what we
could and could not take into WA.
We stop at Mundrabilla roadhouse again
. This is were Larry found the Dugite venomous snake in the shower
with him, nothing this time.
 
 
Our next stop is 250km away at
Cocklebiddy roadhouse . Here we leave the caravan to go to the Eyre
Bird Observatory, back about 24km then 34km on a dirt road to the
coast.
The road is not too bad for 20km then
gets to definite 4 wheel drive high clearance.

We only get about 8km down this road to
find a big bushfire has been through here . We find out latter back
in December 2016 a lightening strike started a bush fire that burnt
thousands of hectares . It burnt so hot that nothing could survive ,
the birds that could fly enough flew out to see then drowned when
they did not have the energy to get back to shore. Most were washed
up on the beach a few days latter.
 
Luckily the wind changed direction
saving the old Telegraph buildings that are used for the Bird
Observatory. Because of the Heritage value a fire truck and team
were stationed to save the buildings . The volunteers at the time
were helicoptered out with as many old documents as they could carry.

Driving in the last 10km is you have to
drive down the steep cliffs and along a narrow sand track -I hate
sand driving.
We did not find much here a few birds
have returned and I did find a dragon I think is a Nullarbor dragon
it is still to be verified.
 
 
After walking some of the tracks and
talking to the volunteers there now, we finally get back to the
caravan about 5.30pm very hot and tired.
Lots of Wedge tail eagles and Ravens
on the road back eating the roadkill. 

 The animals are coming back
into the area, but the road has large road train trucks that can not
stop very quickly. Also no one knows where the jewel beetles that
usually arrive in Feb-March when the bushes are flowering , have gone
this year.
 
Of course we had another big day the
next day to Newman rock. It was hot and with the last of the time
changes to get us in line with Perth making the day longer.

 

The last bit of the Nullarbor plain is
to Norseman where we stop for fuel and shopping the head to
Kalgoorlie- Boulder.
We stop at the top tourist caravan park
in Boulder for 2 days and spend time just sitting in the swimming
pool and have cold showers to cool our tired bodies.

We are 950km east of Perth.
Kalgoorlie came about because in 1893
Three Irish men out looking for gold found lots here. Then 2 years
latter 2 other men found gold at what is now Boulder and the area is
called the Golden mile the richest mile in Australia.
Since Kalgoorlie and Boulder joined it
is the 5^th largest city in WA. Lots of historic buildings
including working brothels and a typical feel of a mining town.


We went out to the lookout into the
Super Pit and their very large machinery. The miners work shift work
and 7 days on and 7 days off.
While we had 240 power I turned on the
air-conditioner and cooked 4 days meals , so all we had to do was
pull out of fridge or freezer heat and eat.
The drinking water for the city and all
the goldfield comes along a pipe that was put in in 1903 all the way
from the Perth hills .

 
 

 


Leaving Kalgoorlie-Boulder we headed
for Lake Douglas between here and Coolgardie intending to stay the
night but the road in is dirt and has a steep slope and any parking
places are all on slopes. No good for our van , so we went on to
Karalee Rock and dam.
 
 
   

 


This is a big rock with a 6km wall
around it 1mt high ,making any rain that falls flow into a viaduct
system to a dam . Not a bad system . We found lots of another dragon on the hill.
The only thing that ruined our
afternoon and night was a family with young kids riding small motor
bikes all around the area with no thought of anybody else.




We were hoping for piece and quiet as
the next day was another over 5 hours on the road only stopping for
cup tea and a pee.
We made it to Northam which is about
100km from Perth . We followed that goldfields water pipe here.

Northam has a lake in town of recycled
water and on this is a colony of European white swans which we saw
last time here. Well apparently the council and people decided to
protect them when some went missing , by making an enclosure. Well
the swans have not been seen since. .



After sorting out more National park
stuff we headed at last to the west coast., But our first stop was
still a couple of kilometres from the ocean . This was a night stop
at Moore river bridge we could have got in the river but starte
talking to some other people who had just done some volunteer time at
Cape Le-Grande on the south coast.

The next day we finally got to get in
the sea.
We stayed at Sandy Cape camp $15 a
night for just being able to park and have toilets. The local council
has just finnished adding a large new area as this place gets busy
school holiday time, people from Perth.

We parked and went snorkelling, water
calm and clear but with lots of sea grass. Dolphins and Australian
Sea-lions come in and play sometimes. WE did not find any at this
time so went and had lunch,then went for a walk around the new area.
We then thought we would check the
beach again then go snorkelling again . By this time the water had
got a little rougher stiring up the sand making it hard to see
anything. After getting out of our wet clothes we thought we would
walk to the lookout up the sand dunes. Well it steep and you would
get so far then slid down again , we gave up and when we got back on
the beach I spotted a sea lion . We did not have bathers with us so I
was knee deep splashing and running up and down while Larry made seal
noises sort of. It came over to see what we were so we got photos .
Would have loved to be in water with it but too far to walk with wet
clothes on and could not jump in without any as people at other end
of the beach.

 
 
 
 


Our next stop was Cliff head which is a
free camp on the beach. We went snorkelling twice the morning clear
then it got rough as the day went on and you could not see anything. 
 
 
Its such a shame we had to keep going , but we want to have time at
Shark Bay where the dolphins and dugongs are, then Cape Grand where
the Whale sharks come in before we go into our camp host stint in
Millstream NP.