30-Jul-2005
| From Tom Price we set off 400kms west towards the West Coast Highway for a roadside camp next to the Yannaire River. The journey took us through some spectacular countryside with long rocky ridges and vast open spaces on the southerly edge of the Hammersley Ranges. We took on some fuel at the Nanutarra Roadhouse but only just enough to get us to Exmouth. This roadhouse is the most expensive in Australia; diesel cost us $188.90/litre, double what we have paid in Queensland, the free overnight camping sort of made up for it though. We woke in the morning to find a herd of cattle munching away around us which made a change from kangaroos. We set off early for the 230km journey into Exmouth. When we reached the junction with the Minilya to Exmouth road we had completed our circumnavigation of Australia as we travelled up this same road when we visited Exmouth last September. We have not completed our journey yet though as we have yet to get back to Perth which is still some 1200kms away. | ||
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We booked in at the Yardie Homestead campsite for a few nights before setting off into the Cape Range National Park. There was some tremendous surf building up over the reef in the morning with the strong offshore winds blowing the spray off the tops of the waves. Surf breaking on the Ningaloo Reef |
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We drove out to the Charles Knife Canyon, which is on the eastern side of the cape. It was in this area where some of the first oil was discovered in Western Australia. The Charles Knife Canyon |
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I tried to explain to the navigator that the exams weren't that important and the fact that it took almost a year to find our way back here wasn't bad and please would she leave the caravan keys behind before she jumped as it was a long way down. In the end I talked her away by offering to take her to the prawn factory just down the road. The Charles Knife Canyon |
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On the edge of the road we saw some Sturt Desert Peas that are the State flower of South Australia. Sturt Desert Pea |
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We visited the campsite at Kurrajong where we stopped last year and the beach and water were just as good as they had been. The turquoise waters, white sand and the surf breaking on the reef. We saw some dolphins splashing around not far offshore. Kurrajong Beach |
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