Round the World Race

We were very impressed by all the adventure and dazzled by the cost $10000 to man a boat from Geraldton to Quingdow in China.

Crayfish for dinner

We had a beautiful Geraldton Crayfish and a wonderful Margaret River Wine at the Freemasons Hotel the Irish Pub.

Lancelin

Lucky but not LUCKY enough

I tried and tried this way and that but had to put it back.....it only had one flat tyre!

Wednesday 30 Day16

Lots of beautiful flowers and no bush fires.

Tuesday 29th

Today we went through Kondinin, Corrigin, Quairading, Cunderdin, Meckering, Northam, Clackline, Mundaring and Wanneroo all to get to Quinn Rocks. We started early and were going well till the mercury started to soar into the 40s. The little blue butterfly was wilting. After two prolonged coffee stops and one in the Cunderdin pool we reached the West Coast at about 8pm.

Today was when we found out that the Suzuki probably wouldn't make it to Steep Point on the rangers advice. In Winter the fisherman don't drag trailers full of gear up and the down the sand tracks. The Ranger said unless we had a 4wd with lots of clearance don't attempt it.

Wave Rock Dam

The dam wall is West of the wave about 50m. It supplied water to Hyden till about 2000.

Wave Rock Hyden

Wave Rock is over 100 metres long and 15 m tall, it is believed to have begun forming 60 million years ago, in 1963/64 a picture of the Wave won the Kodak International Colour Picture Comp. at the New York International Fair.

At the top of all three pictures you can make out a low wall that was used by the local town to collect drinking water.

Day 13 Captain Carol brings us all home.

Day 13 Us and our Ships

Day 13 Wildlife

Day 13 Wildlife

Day 13 The Big Tourist trip

We arrived in Esperance yesterday having booked the cruise and our accommodation from Norseman after hearing how crowded the popular beach destination was. Lucky we did as I was standing in line at the office counter the man in front was turned away as the park was full. It is full , we will camp on 34 tonight and 43 Sunday night. The people on 43 are a lovely old couple in a pop top van going East and are keen for an early start,,,so fingers crossed we will be able to leave our car all day 43 instead of finding a park somewhere down town.

Norseman

Norseman was one racehorse that struck it rich, he pawed up a gold nugget and started a gold RUSH. Camels also played a big part in the development of the district. Lollies also played a big part in the modern development of the long distance traveller.

Eyre Telegraph Station

This is their biggest structure, it is a rabbit, bird, possum and wallaby proof kitchen garden. They also had a animal pen for sheep and chooks. Check out the Wire knot, and they dug this below ground water tank. When the plains flood the tank fills and the farmer has to cart the water back to the homestead some 5 km away. It was plastered , had a silt trap and was fenced.

Christmas Day 2009

Well we almost had a frozen Christmas dawn , it was 2.5 degrees [official overnight minimum temperature Eyre Observatory WA weather recorded by our hosts] . We don't have sleeping bags only cotton sheets, so all we could do was layer up and zip up the 3v.

I am holding a piece of the overland telegraph line, this is our campsite just near the old Balladonia Homestead.

The long lost leyland brother

Here we see Lawrie Leyland exiting a beach on the Great Australian Bight, notice the soft sand and the lack of tyre spin displayed by the Jimny.

Christmas Day 2009

Here you see the drive to lunch at the Eyre Bird Observatory, formally the Eyre telegraph station ,the wonderful Christmas lunch beautifully prepared by Isabel and Des and our dinner cruise skippered by Carol.

The WA welcome committee.

We got through the quarantine check but had trouble getting past this Death Adder.