For The Love of Travel

The marine stromatolites found in Hamelin Pool of Shark Bay are considered to be the best example of their kind found in the world. These ‘living fossils’ grow successfully and undisturbed because the sea water is twice as saline as usual sea water, due to a bar across the entrance of the bay and due to rapid evaporation of shallow water.

Managed by Yaringa Station, Gladstone Bay campground is located in the Shark Bay World Heritage area across 3 kms of pristine coastline, featuring a historic jetty, crystal clear water and an abundance of marine life. 

Gladstone used to be an important port from the early 1900’s when boats freighted wool and sandalwood, brought by teams of camels from the Murchison Station, to ports further south.  The 287 metre stone causeway led from a wool-store shed to a 77 metre timber jetty, the footings remains of which can be seen today.

There’s a lookout at Gladstone Bay, very dry and flat-as-a-tack topography for as far as the eye can see!

Carnavon Hotel for a barramundi dinner tonight. Amazing sunset as I was waiting for meal to arrive.

While I was at the hotel, I discovered that the WA Govt, as a test case, has placed limits on the amount of alcohol (1 litre of wine; 1 litre spirits; 11.25 litres of beeer/cider/premixed drinks) that residents can purchase in a day, in an attempt to reduce alcohol-related harm and violence in Carnarvon. No takeaway purchases on Sundays and Mondays and only between 12 noon and 7pm other days. Alcohol consumption in Canarvan is 2.4 times the state average. Wowsers, who knew crime was high in Carnarvon??? Glad I’m treating myself to a cabin in the Tourist Park.

Kalbarri is part of the traditional lands of the Nanda people. The Kalbarri Skywalk’s entry sign “Kaju Yatka” introduces the visitor to the Nanda words for ‘sky’ and ‘to walk’. The Skywalk offers lovely views of the Murchison River gorge and surrounding landscape. The engineering behind the structure is impressive – two cantilevered steel viewing platforms, anchored deep into the cliff’s sandstone, project out 17 and 25 metres respectively, hanging in mid-air 100m above the gorge.

Another attraction to drive to, is the Z-bend lookout, which overhangs a sharp bend in the Murchison River, but I got to see it from the Cessna!

The Ross Graham lookout has lovely views over the Murchison, and there is a walking trail which allows you to explore the shady banks and tranquil pools of the river.

Hawks Head lookout, is named in honour of a hawk-shaped rock formation visible from the lookout.

On the way to the Kalbarri township, visited Pot Alley, which provides speccy views to the south, capturing the ruggedness of the coast.

Again from the Cessna, the Murchison River mouth @ Gantheaume Bay, Kalbarri, opening out into the Indian Ocean.

Peeps! Sharing absolutely one of the highlights of my trip so far! A fraction of images taken in a 3 hour aerial photography shoot, flying with Shine Aviation.

Bowes River mouth, close to Northampton, offers lovely surf beach colour contrasted with the stunning green of the river.

The Murchinson River Gorge is a riverine gorge. Carved by the meandering lower reaches of the Murchison River, it is more than 80km long, and up to 129m deep. It lies almost entirely in Kalbarri National Park. The loop carpark leads to the Kalbarri skywalk.

Hutt Lagoon is a marine salt lake, 14 kms long and 1.4kms wide. It’s separated from the Indian Ocean by a barrier ridge and dune system. It has a microalgae production plant that farms Dunaliella salina. This microalga gives the lake its pink colouring and is used to produce beta-carotene, a natural food-colouring agent and source of vitamin A. Brine shrimp is also harvested here and sent to prawn and fish farms where it is used for food.

Above, Red Bluff’s sandstone rust red cliffs, close to Kalbarri.

The Abrolhos Islands lie about 60 kms west of Geraldton, consisting of about 122 islands clustered into 3 main groups (Wallabi, Easter and Pelsaert) over 100 kms. Classified as a National Park, they are described as the ‘Galapagos isles’ of the Indian Ocean. The islands have a thriving pearling industry, decades of crayfishing and numerous ship wrecks – the most notable of which is the Batavia, wrecked on Morning Reef in June 1629. The shipwreck and bloody aftermath of the Dutch merchant vessel is a fascinating tale of maritime treachery, murder and heroism, unparalleled in Australian maritime history. Peter Fitzsimons’ in his book “Batavia”, describes the story as a ‘true adults-only version of Lord of the Flies, meets Nightmare on Elm St’.

And returning back to Geraldton, the amazing sweep of colourful ocean and cliffs at Horrocks, and the Bowes River mouth.