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Road Trip Day 5: Tuesday, March 8th (Continued...)
After we finished the Tree Top Walk...we decided to head to the beaches!Nick had read about Conspicuous Cliffs that weren't too far, so we decided to head there.Well, we are sooo glad we did!!The rocky cliffs overlooking the white sand beaches were amazing!!There was a very heavy rip tide crashing into shore...the waves were huge!!We hiked up to the lookout, which allowed us to see forever!!The views were incredible!!
Greens Pool beach was mentioned to us by several people as a very lovely place to visit, so we stopped there just outside of Denmark.The beach is within the William Bay National Park, and is a perfect place to spend the day!!There are huge granite boulders along the coast that protect the beach and make a cove for the turquoise water to flow ashore...stunning!Perfect place to swim or snorkel as it is largely protected from some of the ocean creatures!Elephant Rocks are just down the coast - a large group of enormous boulders that are shaped like a herd of elephants...very neat to see!
On to Ocean Beach, Denmark...we stayed the night at the NICEST caravan park ever—superior amenities than some hotels I have stayed in!! Lol!The grounds were amazingly green, which was very much to the liking of the occupants the next campsite from us...at dusk there were 3 kangaroos were eating grass... probably 50 feet from us!By night fall there were kangaroos everywhere!!I passed probably a dozen on my way to brush my teeth haha!!They weren't too worried about me passing by...one mama had her baby in her pouch!!I was so excited I couldn't get to sleep :0)
Road Trip Day 6: Wednesday, March 9th
In the morning we did a quick visit to Ocean Beach...very lovely!!Had a quick stop in Albany (bigger urban city) gathered up some supplies then on the road again!Next stop was in Ravensthorpe on route to Esperance.Plains and wheat crops...could say a one horse town, but we were uncertain if even one horse lived there!Today was spent mostly driving...of which Nick did most of it...what a sweetie!!We stayed at the weirdest caravan park ever in Ravensthorpe...very back woods...flowers potted everywhere in old toilets haha!!
Road Trip Day 7: Thursday, March 10th
Did some reading in a tourism booklet...there was a small village just south of Ravensthorpe - Hopetoun...here is the description...
"Expect while visiting this region to breathe some of the cleanest air, swim in some the most crystal clear waters, view some of the whitest beaches and experience some of the most magical coastal scenery in the world."
Well...how could we not go!!It was a quaint little town...population 400.There are several beaches in the area - we headed to 12 mile beach, and there were five people there...and we were two of them!!Soon after our arrival, the other three people left, so we had this secluded, premium beach all to ourselves!!Amazing!The beach was so nice...there was a cove where the waves had shaped the beach into a dune, and as the tide came in the waves were crashing over the dune...it was like a half-pike ramp!!Great place to enjoy our new boogie boards!The tide washed us in and then pulled us back out...very cool!The waves were full-on...a couple of times it smashed into me when I was standing just off shore and it sent me flying into the sand!!Another tip we learned quickly...keep a firm grasp on your boogie board, or it can turn against you, lol....WHAP!Heaps of fun in the sun, and laughs today at the beach :0)
On to Esperance to stay the night...200km onward.
Esperance ...14,000 residents...one Pink Lake!!The lake is actually a pinkish colour due to high concentrations of salt!!We drove on the salt flats that surround the lake...we stopped when we started to sink slightly haha....so we retreated and parked closer to shore!We walked out to the lake...the closer we got, the more mud!But everything was covered in layers of salt!!I looked like snow...but salt!!We drove up to the Pink Lake lookout to enjoy the sunset over the lake...beautiful!!
Road Trip Day 8: Friday, March 11th
Norseman was our next stop.Gold was discovered here in 1894, and currently there are two mines in operation, producing 100,000 ounces of gold here per year!!At the lookout you could see for 50km....over all of the town and surrounding mountains!!On the outskirts of town there is a huge tailings storage pile..the leftovers after the gold has been removed...it looks like a huge pyramid of sand!
Norseman and surrounding area is located in the Great Western woodlands that contain the largest hardwood forest left in the world!
We are now beginning our trek across the Nullarbor Plains - it has a harsh and unique landscape, and home to a variety of wildlife - wombats, kangaroos, emu, camels and whale along the coastline.We made it as far as Balladonia when it was getting dusk.Few people drive after dusk or at night due to the likelihood of hitting wildlife.The pavement on the road heats up all day...and the local wildlife use it to keep warm during the night...so WATCHOUT!Kangaroos are also attracted to light...headlights!!
Balladonia - I was expecting a small town, instead it is one building - roadhouse!!It is a true one-stop-shop with an attached hotel, restaurant and caravan park (or field lol!!).Also it is the only gas available for 200km!Balladonia exists only for the necessity of petrol and a place to sleep for people crossing the Nullarbor.It is like being in an old western movie, complete with the tumbleweeds and saloon!!Diesel is $1.90/litre (35 cents per litre more expensive than normal)!
Road Trip Day 9: Saturday, March 12th
As we were leaving Balladonia we passed a car alongside the road...guessing from their smashed in hood they attempted to drive at night!Sadly, it is common to see kangaroos on the road side killed in traffic.We had a large bird run across the road in front of us, we thought it was an emu, but it took flight so we are not really sure what it was!
We commenced driving on Australia's longest straight road...145km straight ahead!Yawn...I'm glad I wasn't driving ;0) but it finally ended!The next sign we crossed had a giant airplane symbol on it...announcing that the upcoming stretch of highway was used as an emergency landing strip!!There were gravel areas on either side of the roadway, so you were meant to hit the dirt, and get the hell out of the way if there was a plane coming in for a landing!!
Nick was ready for an adventure, so he suggested we take the upcoming exit ...a 35 km 'off road' to Eyre Lookout...we only made it to 25km before the goat path then turned into a cliff with a road of rocks ...needless to say we enjoyed the lookout over the cliff, the adjacent mountains and sand dunes in the distance before we turned around lol!
The next town was Eucla, there was a tourist sign referencing the Telegraph Station Ruins...Nick (the history buff) thought it would be interesting...lol...honestly I wasn't keen and thought we should continue on our way...he won out and we drove down a rusty trail to the ruins.The Telegraph Station opened in 1877 and linked Western Australia with the rest of Australia and the rest of the world using Morse code.
When we arrived at the ruins, I understood why he wanted to stop...he knew I would LOVE this place!Unbeknownst to me behind the ruins were huge white sand dunes!!We followed a trail through the dunes that lead to the ocean!!The walk was spectacular ... 2km of white sand to the shores of the Great Australian Bight and a totally vacant beautiful beach!!It was insane...we arrived just as the sun was setting over the sand dunes...so gorgeous!!
It was nearing dark, so we stayed in the local caravan park for the night.
Road Trip Day 9: Sunday, March 13th
The owners of the caravan park must have had some issues with patrons not checking out on time....and have introduced a natural remedy...ROOSTERS!!We left Eucla (early haha) and stopped at the Great Australian Bight Marine Park just out of town....it was a lookout over the sand dunes, cliffs and ocean...lovely view!
We crossed the border into Southern Australia from Western Australia...and changed time zones, so we are now 14 hours ahead of you folks at home.We stopped at another lookout sight called "Head of Bight" within the Great Australian Bight Marine Park....it was INCREDIBLE!!The giant Yalata sand dunes and far stretching white beaches meet the Bunda Cliffs, this all encompassed by the turquoise Southern Ocean!The Bunda Cliffs are believed to be the longest line of sea cliffs in the world...stretching 800km and range in height from 40 to 80 metres!We were in awe!!This area is one of the world's most significant breeding and calving areas for the Southern Right Whales - from June to October the Southern Right Whales visit here each year to give birth and mate.Upwards of 70 whales and 40 new calves can been seen in this inlet during those months before they leave to spend their summer in Antarctica.I have to come back to see the whales here someday...what an amazing sight that would be!
We were heading for Ceduna (the end of the Nullarbor highway) when we entered a Government Quarantine Check Point - they were checking for fruit flies!!There is a fruit and vegetable ban impeding those goods from crossing the border from West to South and vice versa...we were fruit fly free so we able to proceed!
We have conquered the Nullarbor Plain now - here are some of my thoughts about that journey...
Temperatures can get as high as 45 celsius over the Nullarbor and the average yearly rainfall is less than 25cm...making the Nullarbor the dries limestone area in the world!
At times driving over the Nullarbor has been intense!The speed limit is 110kmk/hr with warning signs everywhere about wildlife crossings for wombats, kangaroos, emu, cattle, and even camels!Also there were road safety signs such as "Survive This Drive, Drowsy Drivers Die, and so on trying to encourage drivers to stop at rest areas (of which there are a lot of them in between roadhouses).Coupled with that are other signs indicating the large number of people killed on this highway.
On top of that the wind is certainly a factor, as the plains are like driving in a wind tunnel - the strong cross-winds from the coast push your vehicle which causes you to constantly 'correct' the wheel!Thankfully, the Nullarbor is not heavy with traffic; however the majority of the vehicles you do meet are ROADTRAINS!Transports hauling three trailers (36 metres long!) and as they are approaching you on the road you can see the trailers swaying in the wind...plus then they almost blow you off the road...very unnerving!
Add in the intense heat, creating mirages where you 'see' things in the distance... so with your eyes glued to the road...one needs to break up the drive as much as possible, which makes all the stops and lookouts along the way even sweeter!
There is no civilization other than the roadhouses and no cell reception, so every certain number of kilometres there is an emergency phone booth!
Interestingly there are massive wildlife fences around certain states of Australia.There is a dog fence that begins along the Nullarbor, which was constructed to keep the Dingos (wild dogs) out of Southern Australia.There is also a rabbit fence to keep rabbits from getting in to Western Australia.Rabbits are not native to Australia, they were introduced for sport hunting...but you know rabbits...lol...and the population got out of control!!
Nullarbor complete!!
Well that is all from us right now...more to post soon, and I finally added the pictures to Facebook!!
Hope you enjoy!
Love Yas!
-L
- comments
Mike McBrine Sounds like you guys are having a wonderful time! have fun!