2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Sat, 25th Jan, 2025 Tuarts Reserve Rest Area, east of Cerventes to Back to Nature Van Park, Wanerie, WA (beaches)

Min of 21 degrees, overcast and another shower of rain as the sun shone down on us!. The bees are very happy with the rain drops.

Packed up and headed back to the Indian Ocean Drive and continued southward. Low misty wet cloud like a sea fog as we passed the Pinnacles area.

Passed the turn off into Grey which luckily didn’t get burnt with that fire. The burnt section inland continues south though. More misty rain.

Big white dune stands out in the burnt ground. I googled the fire and it was in November 2024 hence there is only a few bits of regrowth starting. Obviously they don’t have any decent fire breaks that they could go along and back burn from so the whole lot got burnt!

The fire came all the way down to the Lookout over Wedge Island where there is another shack settlement. A lady was taking photos of a bob-tail lizard still wandering around in all the ash here. Even the signs at the picnic shelter suffered the heat. We walked up the path to check out the view.

Looking across to the sand dunes we came pass on the main road then left over Wedge Island and shack settlement.

Zoomed in on the island before the next row of clouds came over. We can see some of the shacks in the dunes. Looks like they were lucky too and the fire didn’t reach them.

The information off Wikicamps.

Back along the main road to the turn off into the settlement area - long bitumen road in. Signs and guideposts have been burnt and melted too. Reach a turn-around area then it is a narrow one lane sandy track around the shacks so we didn’t bother going in this time as there were a few cars about. A few shacks were visible from the here.

Back to the main road and continued southward passing a big military training area on the coast side of the road which goes down to Lancelin. I said they should call this grass tree valley as it was covered in them and they stood out now everything else has been burnt. When I looked on Wikicamps - that is what the rest area was called!

The burnt area continued southward then patches of green here and there. Eventually we reached the end of the fire zone and the thick green foliage was back just as we reached a nature reserve. We pulled off to have a look as it says there is a lookout here too. Huge area to the coast with the military zone to the north, farm land to the east and Lancelin to the south. Good tourist guide.

Followed the path - not doing the wildflower walk as there won’t be much to see at this time of the year but they obviously have signs for the other plants as well. You can see how the fire would have gone crazy as the bush is densely packed.

We didn’t see lizards. Nice view but it would be better with a small raised platform here. Looking south over the Lancelin Sand Dunes then north along the coast to all the burnt area.

Continued on then turned into Lancelin through another misty shower of rain. We drove along the foreshore and I wound the window down for a photo of the island and the boats and nearly gagged - the smell was so bad from the weed or as they say online, Rotting Sea Wrack. I strayed Bushmans in the car to change the smell. There was an incident of hundreds of fish dying here recently and they think it was from the stuff restricting the oxygen and unusually hot weather that caused them to die - I reckon they just died of the smell!! Window up and we continued along but won’t be stopping for a walk around. We have been here before any case.

Very busy here - long weekend for Australia Day tomorrow. Lots of Aussie flags flying too which was great. Drove around to the sand dune area, car park on hard ground. Not smelly here so we went for a walk and watched people sliding, falling down the dunes, driving around in 4WDs, buggies and motorbikes - very busy.

Back out to the IO Drive and continued along looking for a not stinking place to have lunch. Continual parade of 4WDs coming north from Perth for the long weekend. Passed the turn off into Ledge Point as it was only 6km along so we figured would stink too and we had been in there. Turned into Seabird as we had missed this one previously. Through farm land with lots of big grass trees. Into Seabird - only a small community and it is perched on limestone cliffs. We drove up to a picnic area but realised the carpark wasn’t big enough for us and it was a steep drop down to the park below near the water. A chap collared Steve when we pulled in wanting to know about the truck. There was a vacant block of land on the other side of the park so we pulled onto that and had lunch with a lovely clean smelling wind and fabulous view. There area few houses, Tavern on the ridge with a van park in the hollow below it.

Back onto the main road again then into Gilderton where the Moore River occasionally reaches the Indian Ocean. We drove around to the north end of the beach where the lighthouse is.

Walked down to the beach - great idea, a library of beach toys.

Down onto the beach to the left of the cars. Amazing looking at the limestone cliffs. We reckon these cylinder holes were old tree trunks from the ice age time - getting all scientific here! Some were open to the top, others still filled with soil.

Found a ‘cave’ complete with bones.

Steve said this was the bird bath feature.

Further along more interesting shapes.

Time to get my feet wet - though I spotted a couple of blue bottles on the top of the water line!

Back to where the cars were parked - looking northward along the coast. Obviously the towing company gets a few calls.

Back to the truck and up the track to the lighthouse. Dark clouds covering us again.

A group of young ones pulled up in six 4WDs, parked in a line to take photos of their trucks - not the lighthouse!

Drove back through the township then up to the lookout over the Moore River. At the moment the river mouth is blocked with sand so there is a great ‘lake’ of water here like the other rivers, Greenough and Irwin, so plenty of people on the water today.

We walked to the lookout area. Fantastic area.

Zoomed in on some pelicans and swans.

Looking north along the beach.

The river is trying to reach the sea by creeping along the edge of the dunes.

Good spot for a selfie.

Back to the truck then we drove further along the river. Found a spot to park and walked down to the water’s edge.

Walked along the track back to the picnic area by Silver Creek which joins the Moore River. Lots of bream in here and there were a few people trying to catch them.

Steve thought these were interesting pods so he borrowed the camera.

Headed back out to the IO Drive again and along to the rest area by the Moore River where we have stayed before. Unfortunately it is covered in No Camping signs now so that kills our plans for tonight. We made a cuppa while I looked up other places to stay but nothing free or cheap. I found a van park to the north inland on a farm for $30 and had vacancies (also being a long weekend things are booked out) so we decided to head up there.

Across the narrow Moore River and continued southward for a bit then eastward on the Gingin Brook Road.

Stopped at a nice park by Gingin Brook and read about the old stock route. Big no camping signs here too. Checked out the old Junction Bridge.

Nice spot, would have been great for a free/cheap camp site.

We will be going up the Cowalla Road to our camp for tonight but the van park isn’t marked on this map.

Continued on passing another big egg farm, AAA Eggs then paddocks for different vegetables. Turned north onto Cowalla Road then stopped at the next Stock Route display. This one is about a saved 1.3km section of hand-paved road. Still pretty good after 100 years.

Continued northward then turned off into the property and over a rise to the site of the van park which is nestled amongst lots of trees. Good write-up in Wikicamps.

Found the caretaker - very ‘relaxed’ chap. Paid our money for an unpowered spot and drove back to the open area under the trees and set up.

30 degrees in the camper with a nice cool breeze. Had a cuppa then went for a wander around. Found the kitchen/hall, complete with fish pond, and lots of DVDs and books to swap. Chose some then went back to the truck to bring some of ours back for the swap. That will keep Steve happy a bit longer. I am still miles behind him as I always have blog, cooking etc to do when we pull up!

Someone has been busy collecting bottles - put to good use to making borders. Some of the sites look very permanent too.

Walked up the hill to the water tanks and where some old chairs etc are for people to enjoy the sunset view. Won’t be any good this afternoon as the sky is still very cloudy. Not good for the star viewing tonight at the observatory either. Hope it clears up tomorrow night. Looking down over the park then westward.