Mon, 27th Feb, 2017 St Marys Campground, Fitzgerald River National Park to Hamersley Inlet Campground, Fitzgerald River National Park, WA (exploring Hamersley Drive)

Cloudy again – calm sea. Packed up and headed back along the dirt road then back onto bitumen to the west then onto the South Coast Highway, north up to Jerramungup – Soldier Settlement Country.

The sun has come out. Got some fuel then stopped in a park looking for water. None available here. I uploaded a few days onto my blog. Made some lunch then went for a walk to see if there was somewhere else we could get some water.

Mural on the Op Shop showing how the area has developed over the years.

Checked on road conditions at the Shire Office – still a detour around the broken Phillips River bridge. Asked about water and the lady said we were the 3^rd person to ask but unfortunately they don’t have any taps to get water from. Picked up some info on the area’s history. (Why does it turn the photos around!! I can't change it back)

The Town Hall.

The highway now heads easterly to Ravensthorpe. Across the Fitzgerald River (bit fuzzy – this camera doesn’t do the quick shots like my old one) which flows down into Fitzgerald Inlet, inland from Point Charles. Doesn’t look much here.

Lots of open farming country now with lots of sheep.

Pulled off to check out the Rabbit-Proof Fence Road which heads north from Point Ann but no signs about it.

A fuzzy shot of the Hamersley River which flows down to Hamersley Inlet where we are going to camp tonight.

A few drops of rain hit the windscreen but there was only a little cloud above us. To the south though the rain was coming down on the mountains in Fitzgerald River National Park – the mountains were there behind the rain!!

Pulled off the highway into Fitzgerald Road and the site of the farms and school of West River/Fitzgerald. Some info in the hut which is on the tennis courts. The school and oval are behind the trees further over.

Continued along the highway then turned off onto the gravel West River Road which then became Hamersley Drive as we headed back into the Fitzgerald River National Park. The eastern mountains of Annie Peak and East Mt Barren came into view.

Then the middle mountains of Thumb Peak, Mid Mt Barren etc on the other side.

The first part of the 40km road was good then it got more corrugated as we continued. Stopped to check on two guys standing by their cars – they were lost. Trying to find a mine site near Ravensthorpe and were using Google Maps instead of a paper map. Of course the road closures had mixed them up. I told them they will have to turn around and head back to the highway then take the 80km detour to get back to Ravensthorpe. Maybe he should have got better information off the guy hiring him!!

The 4WD track to Quoin Head follows the Overland Telegraph line but it is closed at the moment as it the Moir 4WD track which goes up to Ravensthorpe.

Onto the bitumen road which was put in as part of the $40 million upgrade to the park in mid 2014. Very nice after the bumpy road.

Turned onto the bitumen Hamersley Inlet Road and up and down the hills to the inlet and a flash new campground. Parked up on a nice flat pad on the hillside above the inlet.

After a cuppa we headed off to explore as the weather forecast I checked on before says bad weather for the next few days!! Kev & Linda had tried to ring but we didn’t have reception at the campsite so the message only came through when we got to the top of the hill, even with the aerial. Rang them back – they are heading off soon so hopefully we will catch up with them either in Esperance or on our return trip back to Ravensthorpe before going up to Wave Rock as they are house sitting in Hopetoun in mid March.

Decided to go to the end of the Hamersley Drive which would normally have crossed the Culham Inlet to get to Hopetoun but the causeway was washed away in the January floods. Came to the road closed signs, well back from the causeway. Steve went to go around but I said no – if a range came by it would be a hefty fine.

Drove back to Four Mile Beach car park – looking back at East Mt Barren.

Walked out through the picnic area to the stairs that lead down to the beach.

Zoomed in on the inlet mouth.

Road barriers litter the beach. You would have thought someone would have collected them by now!!

Around to the next beach around the point called Barrens Beach. It all looks very nice. Good map of the area.

Some more information on how this area was formed.

They have created the coastline using the concrete with aluminium shapes for the mountains.

Steve was busy finding treasures on the beach. ‘No we don’t need one for the van’!

Lots of weed and sticks from the floods and more traffic barriers.

Up the hill to Barrens Lookout. Great view over Culham Inlet, Four Mile Beach etc then across to Hopetoun. Zoomed in on where the causeway would connect us to the other side and to Hopetoun.

Wandered down the path checking out all the different plants – for Dad of course.

Some interesting shaped rocks too.

Continued back along the road – great view over Mileys Beach and Cave Point.

Turned down East Mileys Beach Road then wandered down the track to the sand dunes. Not to picturesque today.

Next was Cave Point and West Beach. Another interesting plant.

Hakea Trail leaves from here but we will give that a miss (46km return)!! Though you can only see those sights if you do the walk so there is a reward for those who hike.

West Beach Headland and West Beach. Zoomed in on another traffic barrier caught in the rocks.

Look! A Whale!! Oh no it is just a rock!! No seals or dolphins today either!!

Continued along the nice wide concrete path, very wheel chair friendly, to Cave Point. Looking down on the rocks.

Nice big platform with a view of East Mt Barren, the inlet and Hopetoun and when the time is right, Whales!!

Rugged coastline. Found the cave but I don’t think we will be exploring it.

Further onto the point where we found a rock cairn. Of course Steve added a few more rocks.

Someone’s home.

Looking back to West Beach Headland with Edwards Point behind that.

West Beach with Mid Mt Barren (454m), Thumb Peak (510m) and Woolbernup Hill (320m) in the distance – or so I figure off my map.

Bright red flowers on the way out.

Back on the inlet road. Steep descent down gives a great view point.

Drove down to the boat ramp area. Info on the birds, fish and the inlet.

Must have been a jetty at some point.

Back to the van for a late drink then dinner. Another two guys we saw before have pulled in here too. As the causeway won’t be fixed for a while and there are still long detours around Ravensthorpe I don’t think too many people will be coming down the long dirt road to come and see all the wonderful lookouts etc for a while.