Thurs, 12th Dec, 2019 Barradale Rest Area by Yannarie River to Roadside Rest Area, 50km west of Whim Creek, WA

6am 31 degrees, clear sky and a slightly cool easterly wind. 1am the wind started up again which was nice to stir the hot air. Definitely not nice sleeping temperature and the fridge isn’t happy at all.

7am headed off – stopped to check out the signs at the bitumen rest area.

Lots of dead cars around the old homestead. Across the road is the Barradale Sand Mine.

Continuing north-east passing piles of boulders which are appearing on the flat plains.

The wind is on our side again. Sky filled with dust from the dry easterly. A couple of flat topped hills covered in spinifex near the road with a range of hills to the north and east.

Across the dry Ashburton River. Passed the turn off to Newman. Parry Range on the right.

Entered the Cane River Conservation Park – no information about it – open red soil country with spinifex and low shrubs and trees.

Turned west for the 82km drive into Onslow on the coast. The sign said it is ‘The Cooler Coast’ – we hope so.

Passed a limestone mine. Further along big red ant hills are everywhere.

Slowed for roadworks 110, 80, 60 then back up again so only get to slow down again for another set of signs. Honestly I think they used everyone the shire owns because there were hundreds – up and down with the speed – really!! You would think they could just finish one spot and then work on the next – what a mess. As we approached a gravel section which had bollards on each side a water truck that was heading towards us. We pulled to the left so he could pass as he was in the middle of the road – not that easy with the van on the back – then he decided it would be a good time to water the road. We then had to swing across to the right so we didn’t get wet or had to drive on the wet muddy road – really!! The sign said the roadworks were funded by the Government and Chevron Oil & Gas and would be finished by Feb 2020. The way they are going I don’t reckon that’s going to happen.

Nearing Onslow we started crossing salt pan areas which are now condenser ponds for the solar salt company here. Onslow Salt field occupies 90 sq km of salt flats, with seawater pumped by three pumps at a maximum rate of 4,000 litres/section each for approximately 18 hours per day depending on the tides. Onslow Salt Pty Ltd is capable of producing nominally 2.5 million tonnes of sodium chloride per annum. Crossing the causeways between the ponds.

Zoomed in on the Onslow Salt pile ready to load onto the conveyor which will take it to the ships at the jetty. There is a bulldozer up on the pile shoving the salt around – I bet they rust out quickly.

Into Onslow and down to Sunset Beach for a cuppa. There is a point here so you can see the sunrise on one side and the sun set on the other.

Very hot so opened up all the vents and windows while we had our cuppa. We like warmer climate than cold but this is getting a bit too uncomfortable now.

Rang Mum for a chat and was saddened to hear that Dad had deteriorated. He got an infection in his leg which is quite swollen and sore and it has made him very confused etc. Very hard for Mum with her condition and weak back. In tears Steve and I chatted and decided that the heat wasn’t making sightseeing very pleasurable and as we had decided to leave the Kimberleys till another winter, when they have had a good wet season, we decided to just start driving for Cairns. I rang Mum back and said we are on our way and would be about a week. Mum also mentioned there had been a terrible tragedy in New Zealand where tourists etc had been killed and burnt when a volcano erupted. Clive and Rebecca were heading to NZ but I don’t think they would be there as Ingrid is in Christchurch. Very sad for the ones burnt and the families of those who have lost their lives.

Put on our hats and followed the Ian Blair Memorial Walkway around to Beadon Point. 

Amazing to read about the atomic bomb explosion near here in the 1950s.

Info about wildflowers and a photo of the bird flowers – only dead stalks here now.

A ship is in being loaded with salt. The jetty is approximately 1.3 kilometre steel trestleway.

More information boards.

Zoomed in on the Wheatstone Gas Plant in the distance – looks like a ship is being loaded there too.

Info about Ian Blair who gave so much to the community of Onslow.

More info.

Amazing to read how the reef and fish around Montebello Island have recovered so quickly after the atomic bomb there in the 50s.

Very interesting reading as we wandered along.

The ‘new’ jetty that started the move from Old Onslow to here. Now that jetty is nearly gone.

A couple more boards then we reached the park.

The War Memorial (erected in 2008) depicts a Diggers Badge and has been designed for the sun to rise through the centre each Anzac Day.

A big rock is a memorial to the crew of two ships lost during Cyclone Bobby in 1995.

The beach.

Nice directional plaque.

Now for a quick 1017 metre walk back to the truck and van.

There is a nice park here too.

Onslow is another great place to see the Staircase to the Moon between April and October. Got this photo out of the brochure.

Drove around town. Onslow is the oldest town in the Ashburton Shire. Good town map.

Found the old Goods Shed which is not a museum (not open in the summer though). The building was moved from Old Onslow in 1925.

Drove to Beadon Creek where a barge had dredging equipment on board. Further over is one of the drilling platforms. A big thing outside the dredging company’s premises.

The other side of the town map is the regional one. 

We headed back out of town to the Old Onslow turnoff – working our way back through the road works. Onto a dirt road past the turn off to 5 Mile Pool and 10 Mile Pool which are day use only areas beside the Ashburton River. This area is a privately owned cattle station but they do allow camping at 3 Mile Pool for self-contained vehicles. The cattle think it is a good spot to hang out too – plenty of shady trees by the river.

Continued on to the Old Onslow Townsite. The site was proclaimed a town in 1883 and named after Sir Alexander Onslow, the acting Governor and Chief Magistrate of Western Australia at the time.

The old sea jetty site is within the lease of the Wheatstone Gas Plant.

Not much left but there are lots of information signs to read. Very hot here so we just drove around and I jumped out to take photos then back into the air conditioning.

Got out at the site of the old Police Station as the buildings here have had some stabilising etc. Great aerial photo from the map.

The old water tank.

Much cooler inside the cell. Bolt on the floor to tie the prisoners too.

No roof on the other building.

Across the road was the church hall.

Bigger sign for the man who established the port here in 1882/3 and built the jetty. He also had a general store and a pub, of course.

People have been collecting some of the old bits from the store. The Hopes also had a pub. Imagine coming here and starting a business etc. Makes you really appreciate our pioneers.

Continued down the sandy track – still with the van in tow. Info about the aboriginal and Japanese pearl divers.

Reached a turn-around area and stopped there. Don’t need to get stuck in this hot sand. Walked along the ‘street’ to read the info about the old jetty.

Walked the other way down to the Ashburton River. Quickly took a photo as the sandflies found us.

Back into the truck and back to ‘town’. The old water tank is not looking too good.

Drove back to 3 Mile Pool where there is a causeway for the station across the river. Workers are creating a new causeway upstream a bit.

We found a tree to park under so we could make our late lunch and cool the van down – well that was the hope but it didn’t happen.

Looking up then downstream of the Ashburton River.

Headed back out to the main road and then through all the road works again back to the main highway. Clouds are building and then a few drops of rain hit the windscreen.

Snapped a photo of Bobby’s Tree. The inscription reads – This tree is respectfully known as “Bobby’s Tree”. Bob McAullay, a Shire grader operator from 1969 to 1980, nurtured this tree in its infancy and in recognition of this, the Main Roads Department and Shire Council ensured that the tree remained when the Onslow Access road was aligned and sealed. Hopefully it will survive the latest road works.

The limestone quarry was being worked and there were clouds of dust floating across the sky.

Reached the highway then turned south back to the rest area. Made a cuppa and watched the storm cells come across. Heard rumbles of thunder and even saw a flash of lightning.

Now for the long 5000 odd kilometre drive home to Cairns. Continued north through the rest of the Cane River Conservation Park.

Passed a man-made hill complete with dump truck adding to it. Sign said it was Mesa A Mine – iron ore.

Crossed Robe River – dry of course. There is a big rest area here too.

The road is wet as we pass the turn off to Pannawonica. Will return to explore it and the Millstream/Chichester National Park another time.

Red dirt, hills and spinifex continue.

Crossed the Fortescue River on a long bridge which was built in 1973. A little pool of water.

There is heaps of demountables beside the Fortescue Roadhouse – probably for the mines but they don’t look in use now. The hills are burnt and it goes on for a long way.

Sino Iron Mine Site cross roads with the camp on one side of the highway and the mine on the other. Lots of cars about, must be shift change.

Devil Creek Gas Plant near the turn off to 40 Mile Beach. Named after the creek which we drove through soon after.

Dark clouds staying on our right but no more rain.

Flat open country covered in grass with lines of bright green from the creeks full of gum trees. Hema Navigator says we are travelling beside an underground pipe carrying gas from Dampier to Bunbury.

Miaree Pool on the Maitland River. There are two 24hr rest areas here.

Past the turn off to a pastoral lease called Karratha Station – which came first the town or the station.

Supagas Gas Plant.

Back into hills on the right side and flat country on the left leading down to salt flats as we near Karratha.

Topped up the diesel tank on the highway before the turnoff into Karratha and Dampier. Looks like a lot to see and do around this area when we return.

As we continued a heap of quartz walls appeared in a row.

A very long train carrying iron ore passed under us as we drove on the overpass.

Drove through Roebourne – nice little town with lots of history. The sun is getting low under the dark rain clouds.

Passed the north turn-off down to Millstream/Chichester National Park. Continued on to a roadside rest stop just before Jones River for our camp for the night. Lightning is flashing around us. Flat open grazing country – no trees. A range of hills is on the right.

Fabulous lightning strikes across the sky as we had dinner then watched a movie with all the windows and vents open. Fairly quiet which is good as we are beside the road.

10pm still 35.8 degrees with a bit of a breeze starting.