Sun, 12th Jan, 2025 Bush camp by 6 Mile Creek, north of Mullewa to 24hr RV Stop, Geraldton, WA

Lovely sleeping temperature, 20 degree min. Cloudy with a light south-east breeze.

Sent Malcolm a happy birthday message.

Packed up and headed back to Mullewa then on to Geraldton. I had sent a message to Mickey but unfortunately they won’t be at their Northampton house till the end of the month so we won’t see them. Will see them when we go to Leonora later in the year.

We came up behind a 6m wide load which was able to get off enough to let a semi pass him. Then the driver of the wide load called us through. There were two more pilots in front of him giving road trains etc a 2km warning. The road train lengths are getting longer - now 60m with 4 storage platforms.

Across the Greenough River which has a bit of water in it. We have explored this area in 2017 so just heading to the coast for a change in scenery and maybe try and catch a fish!

Turned off and up the narrow road to a lookout. A few people are camped here. We enjoyed the nice view while we had a cuppa.

Continued on to Geraldton. Filled up with fuel first as Woolies doesn’t open till 11am. Stocked up again on our fruit and veggies then headed around to the 24hr RV Stop near the boat ramp and loading facility.

Unfortunately there are big exhaust fans from the storage shed and they roar but it’s free so we can’t complain.

Had lunch then put on our shoes and headed off for a walk. Nice day to be at the beach.

I think I have taken photos of all the history around here but will take a few any case.

Nice mural at the Italian Restaurant.

The information centre has moved to the old Town Hall but unfortunately it shut at 1.30pm today.

Some nice bird murals by Imogen Palmer in 2023 on the other end of the building. Obviously they have removed something off the wall - need to get her back to fill in the space.

Into Batavia Park - named after the ill-fated ship of 1629. A row of blocks tells time-line of this area etc.

I wonder what the captains did when it was cloudy for days on end. This is an astrolabe.

Sculpture of Wiebbe Hayes from the Batavia. A brave man that saved many of his fellow crew from the mutineers.

Continued along the foreshore, passed all the ‘nice’ boats in the marina and around to the Museum. They have fabulous displays in there and an eerie video of the HMAS Sydney.

This is a replica of the Batavia’s longboat.

Continued on to another boat ramp and back along a street. Found one of 3 sundials in town. A cloud stopped us telling the time then the sun shone and we found out it was 2pm.

View up to the HMAS Sydney memorial - a very moving tribute to all those who were lost.

Cute ‘crows nest’ on top of the Freemasons Hotel.

Lighthouse roundabout in front of it. We had checked out the lighthouses around here previously. Go back to Oct 2017 for more pictures and info.

Back to the foreshore for an ice-cream in a waffle cone - yum. Along the old wharf to the lookout platform. Lots of kids enjoying jumping off the jetty.

Great view from the lookout. There were seals out on the rock wall in 2017, none today.

Not sure of the boat safety rules in WA but towing a tube with no observer, no life jackets, probably isn’t allowed but they are having fun!

Back to the camper for a cuppa, 26 degrees and very windy.

Worked on my blog and Steve read. I looked back on my photos of Oct 2017 and we had missed those few things we saw today so that was a good walk and our memory isn’t too bad.

A train is being unloaded so it grunts and groans as it moves along. A couple of big ships came in and out with the guiding tugs helping.

6pm 24 degrees, closed the windows. What a change compared to yesterday.

Live music at the boat club and lots of vehicles driving about.

Beautiful sunset.

All quiet except for the whir of the fans but it’s a constant noise so not too bad. Unfortunately we are under a street light but that won’t matter once we close our eyes.

Sat, 11th Jan, 2025 Bush camp by 6 Mile Creek, north of Mullewa, WA (Beau 10 months)

Warmer night, min of 20 degrees. A bit cloud and a nice breeze.

Sent Beau a happy 10^th month birthday message. Two months till I get a cuddle.

Steve Allard’s birthday today so sent off a message to him.

Steve set up the washing machine and line in the trees for me while I uploaded my blog. Got the washing going - won’t take long to dry as the breeze is now quite warm.

Steve fixed my soda stream - such a smart cookie. The plastic arm broke so he made one out of some metal and it is all good again.

Up to 31 degrees by morning tea. First lot of clothes are dry already!

The sky is mostly clear now and the breeze comes and goes.

After lunch a new band of clouds is coming over being pushed along by a stronger dry wind. Washing dried and everything packed away.

Quiet afternoon reading etc as we watch the thermometer climb. Should have gone into Geraldton this afternoon as it is cooler there! Up to 40 degrees at 4.30pm but the wind has picked up and feels cooler now as more cloud cover comes over.

I finished my book and in it was a verse. The last part was on a cross-stitch that hung on my bedroom wall as a child. Mum’s friend, Betty, had made it. Now I know the whole verse.

7pm the temp down to 31 degrees but feels cooler that that.

A few drops of rain hit the roof about 9pm.

Fri, 10th Jan, 2025 Enanty Barn 24hr RV Stop, Mingenew to Bush camp by Six Mile Creek, north of Mullewa, WA (Coalseam Conservation Park)

14 degrees min, overcast and a few drops o rain fell at 6am.

The sun is out and the clouds are parting by 7.30am, 19 degrees.

Packed up and headed onto the Coalseam Road that runs parallel with the Lockier River for a while.

Nice drive through the farms and into escarpment hills.

Onto gravel road and into the Coalseam Conservation Park. Took the turn off to Irwin Lookout. Up the hill to the car park.

A bit of information and a track to followed around to the lookout.

Fabulous view down the valley with the Irwin River below us.

Along a bit to more information.

Followed the path back around to the other end of the car park. Drove along and down the hill to Fossils. No defined track or info. Walked down to the river bed. A few mucky puddles. Didn’t see any fossils!

Walked back up and past some picnic tables. A bit more water.

Drove back up the hill and past the lookout car park and down the other side. Good view.

Turned left into Miners - which is a campground and we have now found out the site of the coal mines.

Followed the track down to the river and across the rock bar to the other side. Lots of old dried wildflowers about.

Johnson Shaft - shame it has filled up, would have been good to see the lined walls etc.

The other shaft is nearly level with the ground again.

Steve showed me a bit of coal - very light.

The flies aren’t too bad so I don’t need my net but my flyswat is very handy.

Cuppa in the shade of a tree - warming up quickly. Won’t bother with the longer walk today.

The wind is picking up and there is a band of dark clouds to the west.

Walked up to the campground.

Our gripe is - you can come and use the facilities all day long but if you want to overnight you have to pay and we have all our own facilities any case! Oh well - we will check it out and move on.

Back out and down the road then across the Irwin River.

Turned off and down to River Bend picnic area which is below the lookout. Some more information, bbqs etc.

Walked down towards the dry river - great sign explaining the different layers.

View up and down the river.

Back to the truck and up the hill to the other campground on top of the plateau - Breakaway. It is open and beside the road with the grain fields on the other side.

Continued along until we met the bitumen again and headed to Mullewa.

Turned off at a tourist trail sign for Butterabby Graves. There is a tombstone which is hard to read, a couple of stone grave sites and a stone bordered area.

Steve found a comfortable seat with the information. Obviously we missed a couple on our way up but there wasn’t any signs on the road. Sad story but that was our history, not our future - if we are smart enough to learn from those things and try and work together as Australians who can all share this great country.

Great display too with the faces in the roof as well.

There is water in the creek behind Steve said.

Back out to the main road and up to the next historic site at Devils Creek. How the farms were worked, the hall and old school site.

Continued on - the band of cloud has come over us now but still blue sky to the east.

Into Mullewa which we had explored in Oct, 2017. Lots of interesting history here and the north section of the trail which we also did.

We had stayed out of town at a bush camp on Curara Farm but it isn’t marked on Wikicamps now. We can stay along 6 Mile Creek so we headed out there. It has ‘The Waterfalls’ which occurs when there is lots of water to flow down the creek bed and into an eroded pool.

Walked down to the creek.

Looking upstream from the ‘waterfall’ spot.

This is where the water would cascade down.

I looked back at the photos of 12^th Oct, 2017 and there was more water here then.

Looking back up to our ‘home on wheels’.

Drove along a bit - big overhang here with a nice pool. Lots of little caves for the animals.

Will be a hot day tomorrow so will stay and do our washing. Found a nice spot with trees for the clothesline.

Not as hot today with the cloud cover - only got to 31 and there is a nice breeze.

Worked on my blog while Steve went for a wander. Came back with a flat grater still in its packet. Someone must have dropped it when packing up their campsite.

After a cuppa we walked along the creek past the overhang so I could get some more photos.

The track went for a long while then we turned around. Near the info site Steve spotted a basketball in the grass. It still bounced so we left it with the ‘cricketers’ and hopefully its owner will come back and get it.

Continued past the camper till we met a fence. Interesting colours in the walls here.

Time for drinks and a game of cards. I heard a sound and looked up to see a herd of goats coming towards us. Some others came up from the pool and then they continued along the creek and disappeared. Took the photos through the screen, hence they are blurry.

Still overcast with a light breeze at 6pm, 26 degrees. Very nice.

Lovely colours through the trees at sunset.

Obviously not a popular time to travel through this area. At least we don’t have to worry about other campers etc.