We left the Coral Coast caravan park just before 8.30am, the time we had decided we needed to be on the road.  Initially we had decided we would free camp somewhere on Thursday night, but in the end decided to drive right the 700 kms as we have done in the past.  Kevin and Val had decided they needed to get back to Geraldton and now Margaret and Dennis will play with Len and Jan Carroll in Dampier.  Dennis and Margaret have asked if they can also travel with us 'Around Australia'.  We have agreed we need to give each other space at times and there will be times when we will want to go off on our own for a week or so.

First stop was Minilya  Roadhouse for a fuel top up and a morning coffee.  Pete likes to keep that fuel tank topped up!  Nanutarra was our lunch stop and a bit more fuel and then Fortescue Roadhouse for a stretch and an icecream just 3.00pm.  We only had 100 kilometres to go and planned to be in Karratha before 5.00pm.  This we did, the caravan park office ringing to see how far away we were, as we were driving around Balmoral Road.

We love the Pilbara.  The colours of the hills with the spinifex on the different shades of brown.  For us there is an awe about the Pilbara and the industry that goes with it.  I got a great snap of the dump truck coming into the Mesa Mine (between Nanutarra and Fortescue) as we went over the Paterson Bridge.  Not that far from the Fortescue Roadhouse you are able to see the ships waiting to load ore from the Sino Iron mine.  There were four or five out on the horizon.

Friday was a rest day.  I got the Thermomix out from under the bed and made some muffins for morning tea.  With the washing done we went into Karratha to do a bit of shopping and whilst in there, we checked out the new Red Earth Art Centre that was being built when we were in Karratha last year.  It is absolutely beautiful.  

The building is an abstraction of the Pilbara landscape and located within the venue is the Karratha Library, a 476 seat theatre that can also operate as a cinema or a flat floor hall, an outdoor rooftop terrace that can be an event space or a cinema, two rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms and art spaces within the foyers. There are hospitality areas on both floors.  We were very impressed.  There is also an outdoor amphitheatre and the whole complex has been built to reflect the Karratha hills that overlook it...and it certainly does that in every aspect.  It has been funded by Royalties for Regions, National Stronger Regions Fund, Woodside, Rio Tinto, Pilbara Development Commission and Lotterywest.  We just hope the City of Karratha has the funds to maintain it and the people of Karratha use it.

We also checked out the Catholic Church whilst walking the grounds of the Red Earth Arts Centre.  A little bridge has been built over the creek, enabling the car park in front of the church to be used for large functions.  It is also a very useful carpark to park the caravan, if you wish to go to the shopping centre.  We used it on Monday before we left Karratha.

Later on Friday afternoon we went over to Dampier for a roll of bowls.  John and Dorothy played Peter and I and gave us an absolute hiding.  We didn't play bad bowls, John and Dorothy just played better bowls.  I did make the comment that we had better knock off....we didn't want to use up all our good bowls!  Well!!!  I think we must have, because we had a terrible two days.  We did not win a match.  We were the bottom of B Division, ended up minus 69 and some will imagine what fun they had announcing a score like that!  We did each get a bubble stick for our efforts!  

Pete played skipper for most of the matches, so had to make the acceptance speech.  He did well thanking all the teams that had given us a flogging!  It wasn't good when we had only played 10 ends a match and the average loss per match was 8.5!!  Lee Farrell and his team won the tournament and he did mention the fact that 'The 69 ers' had beaten him in Carnarvon.  We did appreciate that.  It just wasn't our weekend for bowls.  Once again it was a very good carnival.  We were well looked after by Roz Powell, the Manager of the Dampier Bowling Club.  We were well fed and there was a great atmosphere throughout the tournament.  

Time to wash the bowls clothes and put them under the bed and forget about bowls for a while.  It is time to enjoy our 'Around Australia Trip'.