So we arrive back safe & sound from our excursion to Steep Point, the most westerly point of Australia. For me & I think Jan too one of the highlights so far as we get to grips with what actually our vehicle can do, this was always in our plan to get to a few out of the way places and our camper certainly lives up to our demands, bring on the Gibb river road! Back into Denham for all the necessities of life, diesel, water, food, laundry and nice hot showers, oh and of course the bottle shop for the beverage top up.EMU'S CROSSING THE STREET DENHAM
All refreshed and replenished we head off to Francoise Peron National park for three nights camped above bottle bay, as this is out of season it is very quiet, we first head off to Herald bight campsite right on the beach and very soft sand, there’s no stopping us now and our camper arrives on the beach with no problems, but the wind is blowing an absolute hooly reminds us of the front at Felixstowe in January but a lot warmer, and so we head off to bottle bay where only one other couple are camping. Fishing off the beach is the order of the day and we catch a couple of exotic specimens (blue emperor, black spotted turkfish) that are undersized and so have to be returned to the water. While walking back we help to dig out an aussie who had become stuck in the sand in his Toyota 4wd, he asks me a POM! for advice on how to get out of this situation and I suggest low ratio and low tyre pressures assuming that he would have locked in his front hubs for 4 wheel drive, but as it turns out after half an hour of digging the front hubs weren’t locked, at least if ever we get stuck and at some point no doubt it will happen I won’t feel quite so bad knowing the aussies make these errors as well. We visit Skipjack point, which is a cliff top viewing boardwalk and have a great view of the bay complete with a shark that was swimming only a few feet off of the beach and it was no small shark either see below.
From there we head off to stay at Monkey Mia for the night, ready to see the dolphins that come in each morning for feeding. As this is a 7.30 am start we figure that camping here is the only way that we are going to see it, as having to drive 30 km and get up even earlier isn’t going to happen. We manage, only just, to be up and about, but what a wonderful morning, the sea is like glass and five of the dolphins arrive. 
Nowadays the whole thing is very well managed but it has to be, as back in the 80’s people were feeding them with whatever they had, and the young were dying off because the dolphins were relying on the humans for their food. Now that they only get a small measured amount here in the morning they will still go off and fend for their selves for the rest of the day, so hopefully they will survive for years to come, they have records of these dolphins going back 30 years.
We leave Shark Bay world heritage site heading off to Carnarvon getting back into the convoy of caravans heading north for the sun. We meet up with Trish and Graham to swop stories and check out our next ports of call. We camp 30 km south of Carnarvon at Bush Bay, a free campsite that can only be described as a refugee camp, campers all camped in clusters with flags flying (Australian), these are some of the grey nomads that migrate north every winter, their little shanty towns reminded us of Custers last stand and the circling of the wagons before the Indians attacked.
All refreshed and replenished we head off to Francoise Peron National park for three nights camped above bottle bay, as this is out of season it is very quiet, we first head off to Herald bight campsite right on the beach and very soft sand, there’s no stopping us now and our camper arrives on the beach with no problems, but the wind is blowing an absolute hooly reminds us of the front at Felixstowe in January but a lot warmer, and so we head off to bottle bay where only one other couple are camping. Fishing off the beach is the order of the day and we catch a couple of exotic specimens (blue emperor, black spotted turkfish) that are undersized and so have to be returned to the water. While walking back we help to dig out an aussie who had become stuck in the sand in his Toyota 4wd, he asks me a POM! for advice on how to get out of this situation and I suggest low ratio and low tyre pressures assuming that he would have locked in his front hubs for 4 wheel drive, but as it turns out after half an hour of digging the front hubs weren’t locked, at least if ever we get stuck and at some point no doubt it will happen I won’t feel quite so bad knowing the aussies make these errors as well. We visit Skipjack point, which is a cliff top viewing boardwalk and have a great view of the bay complete with a shark that was swimming only a few feet off of the beach and it was no small shark either see below. From there we head off to stay at Monkey Mia for the night, ready to see the dolphins that come in each morning for feeding. As this is a 7.30 am start we figure that camping here is the only way that we are going to see it, as having to drive 30 km and get up even earlier isn’t going to happen. We manage, only just, to be up and about, but what a wonderful morning, the sea is like glass and five of the dolphins arrive. Nowadays the whole thing is very well managed but it has to be, as back in the 80’s people were feeding them with whatever they had, and the young were dying off because the dolphins were relying on the humans for their food. Now that they only get a small measured amount here in the morning they will still go off and fend for their selves for the rest of the day, so hopefully they will survive for years to come, they have records of these dolphins going back 30 years. We leave Shark Bay world heritage site heading off to Carnarvon getting back into the convoy of caravans heading north for the sun. We meet up with Trish and Graham to swop stories and check out our next ports of call. We camp 30 km south of Carnarvon at Bush Bay, a free campsite that can only be described as a refugee camp, campers all camped in clusters with flags flying (Australian), these are some of the grey nomads that migrate north every winter, their little shanty towns reminded us of Custers last stand and the circling of the wagons before the Indians attacked. THE LENGHTS SOME PEOPLE WILL GO TO FOR PHONE RECEPTION!
These grey nomads aged between 55 and 90 years old, driving campers, caravans and converted buses, are a huge boost to the economy over here in western Australia, without them many tourist businesses would cease to exist and the campsites would be empty, which perhaps wouldn’t be a bad thing for us! Carnarvon another supply stop we need new tyres all round after discovering a bad split in the sidewall of one of our rear tyres and with the two front ones just being worn out we opt to change all four with some rough national park roads coming up. Oil & filter & wiper blades, another must as in the first rain for ages yesterday, one blade broke and so we have one angled back out over the bonnet so as not to scratch the windscreen that coupled with a haircut and hot shower at the local petrol station yes they cater for everything over here we even manage some phone calls home while waiting for the new tyres to be fitted. We leave Carnarvon short of alcoholic supplies, unfortunately, because of all the aboriginal people coming into town for the races, the police have closed all the bottle shops in town to prevent any trouble, well we done a month in Iran with no alcohol so what’s a few days in Oz (good job Jan’s had her birthday).
These grey nomads aged between 55 and 90 years old, driving campers, caravans and converted buses, are a huge boost to the economy over here in western Australia, without them many tourist businesses would cease to exist and the campsites would be empty, which perhaps wouldn’t be a bad thing for us! Carnarvon another supply stop we need new tyres all round after discovering a bad split in the sidewall of one of our rear tyres and with the two front ones just being worn out we opt to change all four with some rough national park roads coming up. Oil & filter & wiper blades, another must as in the first rain for ages yesterday, one blade broke and so we have one angled back out over the bonnet so as not to scratch the windscreen that coupled with a haircut and hot shower at the local petrol station yes they cater for everything over here we even manage some phone calls home while waiting for the new tyres to be fitted. We leave Carnarvon short of alcoholic supplies, unfortunately, because of all the aboriginal people coming into town for the races, the police have closed all the bottle shops in town to prevent any trouble, well we done a month in Iran with no alcohol so what’s a few days in Oz (good job Jan’s had her birthday). IT'S UP THERE SOMEWHERE ?
We stop over night at a free rest area about 200 km’s from the nearest town, here I opt to do the oil & filter change ( not having the luxury of a garage) all goes well until I go to fit the new filter which I discover is the wrong one, even though I gave them all the details of the vehicle and engine, it’s a good job I didn’t put a screwdriver through the old one to get it off, or we would’ve of been stranded here for a few days while I try to get to Exmouth for the correct part which when we do eventually get there the chap comes up with the right part straight away (the trials of travelling). Coral bay is our next stop, from here you can easily see Ningaloo reef which is 250 km long and only sits a few hundred metres off the coast unlike the Great Barrier reef which is least 30 km from shore at it’s closest point.
Coral bays lovely & sandy, sheltered by the reef only a few hundred metres off shore, the only trouble with this spot is the two packed caravan parks, so we opt to take the four wheel drive coastal track hoping to find a nice quite little camp spot, which we do in bujjuno camp an old aboriginal settlement that now caters for basic campers, we go fishing off the beach although we only catch a couple of small flatheads. The next day we make our way along the coastal track stopping off at many small bays on the way, this being great as there is no one else about. Exmouth which sits at the northern most point of the Ningaloo reef is our next stop.
We stop over night at a free rest area about 200 km’s from the nearest town, here I opt to do the oil & filter change ( not having the luxury of a garage) all goes well until I go to fit the new filter which I discover is the wrong one, even though I gave them all the details of the vehicle and engine, it’s a good job I didn’t put a screwdriver through the old one to get it off, or we would’ve of been stranded here for a few days while I try to get to Exmouth for the correct part which when we do eventually get there the chap comes up with the right part straight away (the trials of travelling). Coral bay is our next stop, from here you can easily see Ningaloo reef which is 250 km long and only sits a few hundred metres off the coast unlike the Great Barrier reef which is least 30 km from shore at it’s closest point. Coral bays lovely & sandy, sheltered by the reef only a few hundred metres off shore, the only trouble with this spot is the two packed caravan parks, so we opt to take the four wheel drive coastal track hoping to find a nice quite little camp spot, which we do in bujjuno camp an old aboriginal settlement that now caters for basic campers, we go fishing off the beach although we only catch a couple of small flatheads. The next day we make our way along the coastal track stopping off at many small bays on the way, this being great as there is no one else about. Exmouth which sits at the northern most point of the Ningaloo reef is our next stop.IT'S NOT REALLY THAT COLD
We are here so that I can swim with the whale sharks. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world reaching up to 18 metres in length and due to the mass spawning of more than 200 species of coral in March and April each year is part of the chain of biological events that heralds the arrival of these gentle giants of the sea in search of concentrations of plankton. They cruise up & down the outside of the reef from May to July giving us the opportunity to be able to swim with them. Now this is very tightly controlled, with no more than ten swimmers being allowed to swim with a whale shark at any one time, coupled with having qualified spotters in the water with you and spotter planes to find the whale sharks in the first place, its makes it an expensive day out at between 180 and 200 pounds, but certainly well worth it. After an early 0730 start in the morning I’m thinking this day had better be good, the coach drops us off at the boat for an hour’s snorkelling on the inside of the reef. While everybody gets used to their masks and fins we are treated to the sight of a sting ray and a turtle amongst other things, then it’s time to head out to the outside of the reef and await our spotter plane to find us a whale shark. We are lucky and within five minutes we have our first whale shark about 5 metres in length, the boat drops you off in front of the whale shark and the first thing you see is his open mouth coming towards you, everybody quickly swims to either side of the whale shark and then for about the next 10 minutes you swim alongside them before stopping to allow the next group into the water, we get four swims in with him before he dives down, but today is a good day and between eleven o’clock and two o’clock we swim with three different whale sharks the largest being about seven metres in length. 
On the way back in we follow hump backed whales which are jumping completely out of the water and tail slapping, finally coming across a pod of dolphins who are happily playing in the entrance to the channel through the reef. Definitely a must do if any of you ever get to Ningaloo reef unless of course your name is “Jan” in which case a good book is always a good substitute!!! We have been on the coast now ever since we crossed the Nullabour back in April, NOW THATS HOW JAN LIKES HER SNAKES, VERY DEAD!!!!!
everybody we’ve met on the trip has told us about Karijini National Park which is about 400 km’s inland and how wonderful it is, so we turn our back on the sea and head inland to Karijini. As we arrive in Karajini we bump into graham & Trish which also happens to be the day of our 29th wedding anniversary, and so we enjoy a dinner for four in the middle of the park that night.
This national park is all about spectacular gorges and again we are not disappointed, 
our first day is spent at Weano gorge with a trek down to handrail pool, 
after walking through thigh deep water (very cold) scrambling along steep rock edges
we end up at the pool another breath taking sight. In the afternoon we do Hancock gorge through the spider walk GRAHAM DOING HIS SPIDERMAN IMPRESSION
ending up at Kermit’s pool at this point we have to stop as the rest of the gorge is for qualified abseiling personal only. The following day we do the gorges at the other end of the park which are very gentle compared
to the first day but as showers are in short supply I opt for a swim in the circular pool to finish, chilly but very refreshing. Jan opts to take the pictures rather than the plunge. 
ending up at Kermit’s pool at this point we have to stop as the rest of the gorge is for qualified abseiling personal only. The following day we do the gorges at the other end of the park which are very gentle comparedto the first day but as showers are in short supply I opt for a swim in the circular pool to finish, chilly but very refreshing. Jan opts to take the pictures rather than the plunge. WELL I HAD TO DRY MY UNDERWEAR SOME HOW!!!!
North Western Australia is full of Iron ore mines, & ever since we entered Karijini N.P, red dust has been everywhere and gets into everything, luckily the sheets on the bed are red and so it’s not as noticeable as the dust that lays on the sides and tops inside our camper. It’s only when you shower and the red water runs down the hole that you realise just how dusty this place is. The next stop, Port Hedland, is no different, a town covered in red dust from where all the iron ore is loaded on to ships for export across the globe (mainly China). We stay long enough to provision up, we were going to a laundrette but the visitor information centre told us they didn’t have one (I suppose with this amount of dust the machines would need replacing every two months so perhaps not such a good business venture after all). So we make tracks for a free camp 80 km up the road by a river, where we spend a couple of hours washing the red out of our clothes in this nice soft clean river water, well it was until we tipped out the dirty water then one half was red and the other clear! CAMPING BY THE RIVER
We are now heading along the top coast towards Broome stopping off at Barn hill station for four days rest and relaxation. Barn hill Station is a working cattle station that for five months of the year opens up its back garden which overlooks the sea to campers,
We are now heading along the top coast towards Broome stopping off at Barn hill station for four days rest and relaxation. Barn hill Station is a working cattle station that for five months of the year opens up its back garden which overlooks the sea to campers,THE VIEW FROM OUR CAMPER
some of whom spend the complete five months here getting away from the Australian winter down south. Shop and amenities plus a very friendly staff make this a very enjoyable stay, we wish we could stay longer but with only 12 weeks left on the road we need to push on to ensure we see as much as we can. BARN HILL STATION BEACH, BUSY EH
It’s here that Jan perfected her mackerel catching technique, she catches two good sized ones off the beach, compared to me who didn’t catch any, but lost one as it was leaving the water. Mind you I was allowed to bait up Jan's hooks, take off her fish and fillet them but best of all, I was allowed to eat them, so no I’m not bitter at all!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway from here we’re off Derby and the Gibb River road so until next time it’s goodday from the Jellsdownunder.
It’s here that Jan perfected her mackerel catching technique, she catches two good sized ones off the beach, compared to me who didn’t catch any, but lost one as it was leaving the water. Mind you I was allowed to bait up Jan's hooks, take off her fish and fillet them but best of all, I was allowed to eat them, so no I’m not bitter at all!!!!!!!!!! Anyway from here we’re off Derby and the Gibb River road so until next time it’s goodday from the Jellsdownunder. 
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