7.30am
28.3 degrees, clear sky and still windy.
Packed
up. Stopped to stay bye to Merv and Carele and give them some settings for
their detector.
I walked
down to The Aquarium as it was low tide to see the ‘coral and fish’. Not much
in the way of coral but I found where the whiting are hiding – in the ‘no fish’
zone.
Lots
of birds on the island.
Drove
around to the Blowholes which were going great with the low tide. Watched the
show again while we had a cuppa. The little ones on the platform were doing
well. One more video.
Then
we noticed birds diving and then saw fish smashing the surface which I videoed
too.
Headed
back out. Turned off before the highway to take a dirt road around to Miaboolya
Beach on our way back to Carnarvon to top up with fuel.
I
had seen on Wikicamps at mark about a bore. Found the track to Bibbawarra Bore
which was very hot, 65 degrees. Remains of an old tank and a platform.
Walked
along to a clearing in the weeds. Lots of finches twittering.
We
walked further along the track to check out some cross frames which is part of
a 180m long trough – reported to be the longest in the southern hemisphere.
Well it might have been – no much left now.
Continued
on to Miaboolya Beach and Blue Lagoon over probably the roughest dirt road yet.
The brochure said good fishing but there were old signs there stating this is a
Fish Habitat Protection Area. Oh well it is a bit hot to be standing out in the
sun and there is no camping allowed here any case. It was also listed as the
‘clothing optional’ beach.
We
passed Blue Lagoon – further over on a narrow track so don’t think we will take
the truck and van down there.
The
parking area was well back from the beach but we put on our big hats and went
for a walk. Obviously the lagoon is only fed by the sea water on very high
tides as this bit appears to be part of a creek coming through the beach from
the lagoon.
Interesting
curly shell thing.
Down
to the water’s edge where Steve found a brand new cooler and bottle with lid on but
empty.
Big
wide open beach and bay.
Went
back to the van and had lunch. Driving back out I got a photo of the narrow
creek area and Blue Lagoon.
Back
across the smaller bridge over the Gascoyne River and into Carnarvon again.
Topped up the water tanks and the fuel tank then headed north again. Santa’s
arrived early on a helicopter at one of the farm entrances.
Across
the Gascoyne River again on the North West Coastal Highway then up the east
side of Lake Macleod. Open flat country. Around Yalbia Station we were
travelling between two long red sand ridges. I wouldn’t have wanted to be one
of the early explorers around here.
Back
to open red sand country with low scrub. Spotted some cattle as we neared
Minilya Roadhouse. We stopped for a cuppa in the rest area by the dry Minilya
River. Tried to park in the shade of the gums as it is quite hot.
A
sign nearby said this was the site of Minilya Station’s shearing shed holding paddock
until 1988. The station now runs cattle and the area is be regenerated. As a
sustainable agricultural project, grazing should resume in 1995.
Across
the bridge over the dry river – would be interesting to see it after some rain.
It would flow down to Lake Macleod. The roadhouse had some old machinery out
front.
A
few kilometres north we left the highway and turned north-west on the
Minilya-Exmouth Road. Steve is such a courteous driver always calling trucks up
to let them pass or indicating to cars behind when it is safe to overtake etc
as they can do 100kph where as we can are limited to 100 as we are towing and
we go slower any case to get better fuel consumption.
Each
of the rest areas have signs about keeping on the left side of the road – must
have had a few accidents with overseas drivers – with the picture and 4 other
languages.
Pulled
into the Lyndon River rest area – no big gums here. We parked beside a shelter
shed to try and blow out some of the searing sun. A strong wind was blowing too
from the south-west so we pulled out the awning and tied it to the shelter
posts.
I
walked over towards the Lyndon River – well the dirt river bed. We saw water in
it near Mt Augustus.
The
wind blew hard into the evening. After the sun set we closed the windows that
side to keep out the wind.
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