WA Grand Tour
Day 1 - Saturday
An early start of 4:30am to get to Adelaide airport. A check in and it's time for Breakfast #1 in the Virgin Lounge.On our flight to Perth we had Breakfast #2. We arrived in Perth 30 minutes early and 2 hours before we could pick up our van and so ensued Breakfast #3 at the airport.
We then pick up our home for the next 10 nights. Nice new van; we paid extra to lose the $7,500 excess - which as it turns out was handy since a stone from a road train cracked the windscreen. However rollovers were not included so there went another $99 just in case history was repeated and we had to buy a new van! Without spoiling the tour ending, we did not roll the van.
On the road and heading to Highway1, keeping an eye out for a supermarket to stock up on supplies. We spotted no supermarket out of Perth, so stopped at Gingin to pick up our supplies.
We stopped the night just north of Geraldton at Drummonds Cove. A lovely campsite where we could hike to the beach and saw our first sunset.
We also had the opportunity of having a good view of stars with a clear night and semi-dark sky, with Orion's Nebula being spotted through the binoculars.
 
Day 2
We head north to Carnarvon.20k south of Carnarvon we see the OTC Satelite dish in the distance.
First stop on arriving at Carnarvon is to spend some time at the Space and Technology Museum which is on the site of the OTC Satelite Earth Station which was part of the Apollo programme. Plenty of momentos of the space programme and an interesting place to visit.
The night was spent at a campsite on the outskirts of Carnarvon, surrounded by plantations.
. Day 3
Heading North to Exmouth - Home to
We then headed to the Cape Range National Park where we booked into a campground Mesa Camp: Just 14 pitches and absolute minimum facilities (Drop Loo). Mesa Camp was set behind some dunes a stones throw from the sea.
 
We had a late afternoon drive down to Turquoise Bay. On the way back we started spotting our first wildlife of the trip, apart from cows and grazing termite mounds, hopping from the hills to the plains.
 
Back to Mesa Camp where we were able to sit out and admire the stars in the very dark skies.
Day 4
Time to head to the end of the National Park to have a look at Yardie Creek. We take a short stroll along the cliff top overlooking the creek and spot two rare Black footed Rock Wallabies. True to their name they sit on the rocks and blend in perfectly, only spotted if you happen to see them move. One was sitting in a crack on the gorge cliff face on the other side of the river; absolutely amazing how it got there.
 
Unfortunately it is now time to leave the Cape Range National Park; so much more to do and not enough time so a note has been made for our next visit.
On the way out we stopped at Mangrove Bay Bird Hide, got out the camera, binoculars and bird book, and spotted a magnificent tally of ZERO birds.
Back to Exmouth, passing the Harold Holt Communication Base - named after our lost Prime Minister, we then trace our steps south to Coral Bay.
We shall now take a moment to discuss waving at fellow motorists. On our way north from Perth we had given a hand wave to each campervan and caravan we saw with disappointing results. So on the 150km (93 miles) journey from Exmouth to Coral Bay we counted the number of vehicles waved at and the responses: 50 vehicles and 8 responses - a disappointing 16% return. Even fellow campervan hirees ignored us. On the positive side we did get a few very enthusiastic waves.
On with the journey, after stopping at a termite nest, we arrive in Coral Bay where we have decided to stay for 2 nights.
On arrival we booked ourselves on a boat trip for Day 5, had lunch at the cafe and went for a swim in the bay's shallow waters where someone was chased by a little fish. The campsite was just across the road from the beach and so we had the opportunity to see a lovely sunset.
 
 
Day 5
No driving today - just a 5 minute bus ride to the harbour for our boat trip: Manta Ray Tour.
The boat took us out to the outer reef where we were able to do some snorkling and see the reef and some fish, however the water was a little rough. Next we headed to where the spotter plane had seen a Manta Ray. The Manta Ray was pretty big and being a faster swimmer than us in the choppy waters we were not able to snorkel with it. Although some of the faster and stronger swimmers managed to snorkel with it: Note to self - practice swimming before trying this again.
After lunch we headed back to the outer reef for more snorkling. The water was now calmer and so it was a more relaxing snorkel. Some beautiful reefs,one lovely bright green, and fantastic fish. Second note take a a waterproof camera next time.
Back to the campervan for a shower, siesta, sunset and supper.
 
 
Day 6
Time to leave Coral Bay and head south to Shark Bay where we will spend 3 nights.
Our first night is at Hamelin Pool, home of Stromatolites. We walked down to the stromatolites past the historic Shell Block Quarry. The bay is home to the Hamelin cockle which over time have formed a hard rock like material that the original settlers used to make houses.
There was a nice walkway from where we could observe the frollicking stromatolites, however whilst we were there the most active thing they did was blow a bubble.
Back to the campsite, which only had 2 other visitors, Basic facilities and a fantastic night sky. The milky way was perfectly clear and the number of stars was astronomical. Note to self take SLR and telescope next time.
 
 
Day 7
On our way to our next stop Denham we stop at Shell Beach. You will be suprised to hear that beach is full of shells. Again it is the little cockles which live in the waters, with around 4000 cockles living in each square metre, whose shells have created the beach.
 
Next stop was Eagle Bluff - the ideal spot to see wildlife. You guessed it nothing swimming in the sea, however a nice walkway around the bluff and some lovely scenery.
Onto Denham, where our plans change. We had originally decided to stay the night in Denham, take a 4x4 tour through the Cape Peron National Park and then drive to Monkey Mia to see the Dolphins. However on getting the the Denham information centre we are told that no tours were planned because of the forecasted rain - please look at those gray clounds in the above picture!
So we decidd to head for Monkey Mia, booked into the campsite, had lunch, spent a relaxing afternoon and watched another sunset. We saw Pelicans and more importantly dolphins and were looking forward to the following mornings dolphin feeding.
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Day 8
We wake up looking forward to the Dolphin feeding which starts at 8am.
The sea is choppy, the sky grey and the dolphins loitering.
After watching the dolphins loitering off-shore for a couple of hours we realise that today is one of the 1% of days that the dolphins do not come in for their morning snack.
We head back to Denham as the rain starts. and book into the campsite there. After a sunset drink we head to the Shark Bay Hotel - Australia's most Westerly Hotel for dinner. It's still raining.
Day 9 - Sunday
We get up early and the rain has stopped so we head back to Monkey Mia.The water was calm and the dolphins were loitering.
This time the dolphins came in for their morning snack. An amazing experience with dolphins just a few feet away taking fish from peoples hands.
 
Back on the road again we head south to Kalbarri. Leaving the clear skies at Monkey Mia we head back through Denham stopping at Eagle Bluff to observe no wildlife. We start to encounter clouds and a few spots of rain all of which have cleared by the time we hit Kalbarri National Park.
Along the road in the Kabarri National Park are a number of photo opportunity stops looking at nothing but scrubland. After we passed a few of these we decided that they must be related to the flower season: Imagine the picture below without the flowers ( image borrowed from https://karenandmick.wordpress.com/2009/11/ )
Arriving in Kalbarri we book into the campsite for 2 nights and head to the information centre to book an activity for the following day. It is mid afternoon and the information centre is closed! What can be going on - oh yes we discover it is Sunday. So back to the campervan and the internet and we book a river cruise.
Next is a little stroll along the beach to the headland overlooking the mouth of the Murchison River. From here you can see the huge waves from the Indian Ocean crash against the reef just yards away from the protected river; from the shore it looks like the sea is a couple of metres above the level of the river.
The boats entering the river head north past the reef, do a 180º turn and race south between the outer and inner reef in a gap only a few metres wide.We saw a couple of boats doing this and the waves were above the boat as they raced south.
Obviously the last task of the day is to watch the sunset:
 
Day 10
First order of the day was to watch the local Pelicans having their feed:
 
We then stroll over to the jetty to meet the Kalbarri Wilderness Cruise (facebook Kalbarri Cruises).
This was a lovely morning cruise down the river. We saw Pelicans, Black Swans, a young Wedge Tailed Eagle, some other birds, a couple of Kangaroos, jumping fish and fantastic scenery.
 
 
Following our Wilderness Cruise we take the van into the Kalbarri National Park to take in the views at Hawks Head and Ross Graham Lookout.
 
After our afternoon stroll we spend our last evening in Kalbarri watching the sun set.
 
Day 11
We head south from Kalbarri on the coast road and stop at the cliff lookouts over the sea: Grandstand, Island Rock and Natural Bridge.
Possibly one of the tour highlights, whilst at the Grandstand lookout we spot a couple of dolphins, and then a few more eventually seeing around 20 dolphins playing in the sea.
 
  
We then headed south, past the Pink Lake at Port Gregory (which had a few pink patches), and through Geraldton and Dongara, after which we joined the Indian Ocean Drive to Cervantes for our last night in the campervan.
Once we got to Cervantes we then headed to the Nambung National Park and The Pinnacles where we stayed until sunset and then headed back to our campsite in Cervantes. There then followed an expedition on foot to locate the local Bottle Shop.
Day 12
We pack up our belongings into our bags, tidy up the van and leave Cervantes to head back to Perth.
Stopping en-route for a last look at The Pinnacles. In the car park are a couple of roos grazing on the bushes. Heading south on the Indian Ocean Drive we pass large startling white sand dunes.
 
We arrive back in Perth and hand back our Campervan having completed a 3420 km drive and managing to return the campervan with the fuel warning light on.
A taxi ride to our motel in the city, after a rest we head out to find dinner where we end up at Balti.
www.balti.com.au provided an excellent evening meal, probably one of the best we have had in Oz.
Day 13 & 14 - Rottnest Island
We head to the Barrack Street Jetty to catch the Rottnest Express to the island.
On arriving we decide to find some brunch and end up at Quokka Joe's, where in fact we saw our first Quokka.
We head to our hotel to drop off rucksacks, where our room is ready and our luggage has arrived - we last saw it on the jetty in Perth.
Next we get on the Explorer Bus which drives around the island as a Hop On - Hop Off service, and get to see the island in an hour. Back in Thomson Bay Settlement we join a Quokka Walk, then catch the end of the sunset (our last in WA) and have a lovely dinner in the Lodge restaurant - RIVA.
 
 
 
On our second day we start out by joining the Reefs Wrecks and Daring Sailors Discovery Walk which was a really interesting tour.
The free tours are run by the Rottnest Voluntary Guides and the 2 we did were excellent. www.rvgn.asn.au
We then caught the 1pm train (tram) to Oliver Hill. Once at Oliver Hill we had an hour until the train returned. Oliver Hill is the site of 2 6" guns at Bickley Battery.
Unfortunately the train got us back in time to catch the ferry off of Rottnest Island and back to Perth.
Day 15 - The Last Day - Saturday
An excellent Breakfast is had at the Sassys on the Swan at Barrack Street Jetty http://www.sassysontheswan.com.au/.
Next stop was The Bell Tower. This is surronded by a huge construction project which is due to finish in 2022 and looks like it will make a fantastic waterfront to the CBD.
We then head back to the motel to get our bags and get picked up by our friend Rachel who takes us lunch at the Rose and Crown in Guildford and then onto a little wine tasting at Lancaster Wines & Little River Winery and some chocolate at Margaret River Chocolate Co.
It was then on to the airport and time to leave WA and head home.
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