Wed, 15th Mar, 2017 Roadside gravel pit, 20km west of Esperance to Benwenerup Campground, Stokes Inlet National Park, WA (exploring the National Park)

Windy and overcast, 16 degrees. A sprinkle of rain while we had breakfast. Weather forecast for 22 maximum today. On the radio they said that the whitest beach award Lucky Bay had was assessed by the whiteness of sand down 10cm – a beach in the Whitsundays came second but I didn’t get its name.

Headed west along the highway with more scuds of rain passing over us and a strong wind that we were heading into unfortunately!!

Passed Quagi Beach turnoff then crossed over Lort and Young Rivers that flow into Stokes Inlet. Turned south onto a dirt road with a sign ‘water over road’. And they are correct. Enough room on the right to only have to go into the water a little way.

Stopped at the NP pay station to check out the info. Looks like the campsites are well back from the inlet.

Continued down the road past the turnoff to the ranger’s house which is before the causeway that looks like it was under a lot of water.

Stopped at the camp host van to pay our camp fee. Chatted with Syliva about being camp host – they are from Brisbane and love doing the hosting. This one is big with 4 camp kitchens and lots of toilets to maintain but she enjoys it and meeting people. She said they were flooded in for a week during the floods but were well looked after. The inlet is open to the sea for the first time in 6 years. She gave me a brochure about the Moir Homestead – built in late 1800s. We have to go back to the Quagi Beach Road and come into the National Park that way. Shame they didn’t have any info at Quagi so we didn’t have to do the backtrack. Paid our fee for the night and parked up.

The couple in the van in the next site are from the Glass House Mountains – Qld invasion!! After a cuppa we drove around to the day use area beside the inlet. Lots of information and great photos in the nice shelter sheds.

The last time the inlet was open to the sea.

Walked down to the water, it’s a big inlet. The wind is still strong though we are sheltered on this side.

Walked along the edge of the inlet – tidal now because it is open to the sea, unfortunately we must be at high tide. Walked in and out of the trees till we got to a sandy point. The full force of the wind hit here.

Still a long way around to the mouth.

Went further to the next point for a clear view of the mouth.

Turned around and headed back through the trees.

Found another BBQ shelter with some different info boards. Shows the inlet open in 2007.

Learnt an interesting fact about the WA Salmon and the herring.

Climbed up some stairs – well ran up them for some exercise!! Great view across the inlet.

Ran back down them too!! Back to camp for lunch and put dinner on in the Ecopot. Then we headed back out to the highway and back east to Quagi Beach turnoff. Down the road – seems rougher than when we were last here. It even spat with rain!! Turned off where we saw the beehives last time, into the Nature Reserve and followed the sandy track along the edge of pastures.

Followed the track for quite a while then turned off to Moir Homestead. It is amazing to imagine what their lives were like. Now the land is covered in banksia trees but was it like that back then, otherwise what possessed them to think it was a good place to graze sheep etc.

Walked in on a pathway of conveyor belts.

First we passed the shearing shed – nearly falling down but there has been some work to stabilise the building.

We then turned north to the old well and tank. Steve spotted a little dead snake on the belt – must have been too hot for him.

The poor old windmill is no more.

Plenty of water still in the well though the tank has seen better days (all rusted at the bottom).

The frogs think the well is good.

Back to the intersection and further on past the shearing shed to the shepherd’s hut. It still has its roof though it looks like the beams have been burnt at one stage.

Continued along the path heading south to the grave of John Moir (one of the brothers who first took up the land). There is nothing in the info about his death but guessing by the note on the plaque that he was killed by two men.

These are the Jonquils they found later which helped them identify where the grave was after a fire had burnt the timber surround.

Back along the track to the intersection then we turned west to the homestead. A huge Moreton Bay Fig towers over the ruins.

Kangaroos have made it their home.

I had been told to watch out for the big bees hive high in the branches. It was hanging from a branch is the bees were very busy.

The homestead has been taken over by plants.

Steve went around to the front door and knocked to see if anyone was home.

I checked out the house well – all dry.

Wandered into the homestead. Steve found someone or should I say lots of someones in the kitchen. Two big bee hives in the oven and up the chimney.

I thought the chimney one was small but when I got closer and peered up the chimney it was all full of bees. There was some honeycomb on the top of the stove too.

Wandered through the rooms – I think our pioneers were amazing.

Outside there was even paving around the building.

Looking back over the fig, homestead and house well.

Further along was a huge Mulberry Tree.

There are a couple of male date palms here that are allowed to stay for historical reasons from the days of the camels being used as transport.

Haven’t seen this plant anywhere so we are wondering if it was another plant brought in by the pioneers.

On the other side of the fig tree are the remains of the blacksmith’s workshop. Even had an old car and axle, obviously from the 1950s owners, the White family.

Lots of gum trees, I think they are the Salmon Gums, and banksia.

I thought these trees were dying but it was the sea pods and there are millions of little black seeds with a red edge around them.

Drove back out then down to the Fanny Cove – named after Fanny Dempster who was the first female traveller to arrive by ship here. The cove became one of Esperance’s first ports and wool producting areas. It was also the port where all the gold prospectors first arrived on their way up to the Dundas Goldfields in the early 1890s.

Parked at the Day Use Area – nicely presented considering the remote area. There is a few campsite here and Roy is the camp host. No camp fee but he made sure we had our parks pass when we met him on the beach trying to catch some dinner.

A lot of sea grass along the beach. The seagulls are hoping to get a feed on the small fish coming in for the worms etc that live in the dying sea grass.

Went for a walk around the rocky point.

I found a pearly shell.

Following the black brick road!!

Across the point where lots of plovers are resting near the rocks.

View to the east (to Quagi Beach) then around to a big rock.

Up and over the rock – interesting rock colour on top and lots of little pools.

Because of the rocks just off shore the water was being churned every which way creating some great splashes.

Further south west is Shoal Cape.

Back to the truck for a cuppa under the shade shelter then we followed the sandy track to Shoal Cape. Fabulous view from the top of one dune over the cape then we had to drop sharply down into a valley and climb up the next dune to the bush camp sites.

Shady sites, even has a toilet!!

As we are high on a dune there are few steps to get down to the beach.

Nice view first from the little landing of Shoal Cape then over the lagoon created by the rocky bar – looks like there are two bars.

Got some more exercise skipping down the steps to the bottom. The wind isn’t as fierce down here so the march flies can catch up to us.

Continued further west along the beach to another lagoon in the beach.

Walked out onto the rocks. Looking back on the dune and steps.

Ran back up the steps – well half way before I needed a breather!! Steve found some firewood which we can use at our next camp spot – only place we have found in the south as it is all under fire ban from Oct to April.

More shells to add to my collection.

Someone had made a wind chime of crab claws.

Headed back towards Fanny Cove then turned onto another bush track and found another area between Shoal Cape and Fanny Cove.

The waves were breaking over the flat rocks making waterfalls.

Back along the track again and out to Farrells Road. Lots of kangaroos grazing in the pasture on the other side of the fence. Stopped to turn the hubs out again. Lots of bee hives here and a nice view east over more green pasture.

Up to the highway then back to our camp. A few more vans have moved into the other sites.

The strong winds have settled down. Bit chillier tonight as the sky is clear now.