Synchronous fishing

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Yesterday we visited Parrys Lagoon up near Wyndham, a wonderful wetland teaming with birdlife.

Apart from a few loners, the pelicans spent the entire time fishing together as a group, swimming in one direction until one put its head under and the rest followed, then swimming back as a group in another direction. Very funny to watch. Almost like a training exercise.

Pelicans fishing

Pelicans fishing

Stowaways

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Living in a confined space for an extended length of time has it's challenges, but one we didn't really count on was sharing it with other critters.

Early on in the trip, while traveling with Kathie, we managed to pick up some ants that decided the folds of canvas might make a good nest. Thankfully we dealt with them fairly easily and quickly..

Some time after leaving Broome we noticed a bag of bread rolls had been chewed into. The following night in the same location Steph put out his infrared camera which revealed a mouse. The way it looked and moved suggested a run of the mill town mouse. And we moved on. A day or two later I lifted the bed to access clothes and there it was, up in the battery compartment but with easy access to our clothes for a cosy nest. Not much we could do being out of town but a visit to the hardware in Fitzroy Crossing soon fixed the problem. Poor little guy.

About this time I started smelling more thing bad under the bed and assumed it was the mouse. When it continued to worsen after catching the mouse I though it may have left babies somewhere (heaven forbid).

The next day I set about locating the source. It didn't take long to track it to Steph's undies/socks box where treasures are also carefully packed. A black plastic parcel had a chewed spot in it; it looked like the mouse had tried to access what ever was inside (which I couldn't remember at that point).

it turned out not to be something trying to get in, but something trying to get out! Up at One Arm Point on the Dampier Peninsular we had visited a trochus hatchery where the son of our camp hosts worked.  We bought 2 beautiful polished shells there.

Polished trochus shell

Polished trochus shell

Now at this point I know you think it was the shellfish and that they had sold us a live shell, but no. As I unwrapped the parcel I found a shriveled up hermit crab that somehow had taken up residence, stayed hidden on their table of sale items, and then got wrapped up on purchase and had sadly died under our bed!

 

Small pleasures

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I'm sitting in a queue in the stone bath house (ablutions block is far too crude a term here) at Ellenbrae Station campground. People are sitting around the huge donkey wood fired hot water system waiting their turn.

My pores are filled with dust, fingernails are black, feet and shoes a testament to the sooty land and dusty tracks I've covered today. My denim shorts are brown and my hair tied back; 3 days since my last shower. We gather at this place as strangers and sit sharing the same old snippets; the information of travelers ... one young couple from western NSW have only 6 weeks and clearly are trying to travel too far in the time they have. Another couple from Balmain are returning after 20 yrs to fill in some gaps including Mitchell Falls in a hired Apollo that is not insured on that road. Is it worth going to El Questro given the holiday season? And there are questions to me about the Munja Track - is it as bad as they say?

We all look in awe and comment on how clean peoples feet are as they finish their shower. True, the facilities are inadequate for the 20 or so people in the campground but we wait patiently.

Then it's my turn.
For just a few minutes I luxuriate under the low pressure but deliciously hot shower and do my turn reappearing to the awaiting audience. My feet are clean, at least for the next 5 minutes as I stroll back through the dust to our campsite by the ghost gums.

Marvellous Mornington

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A real highlight of our trip so far has been Mornington Camp about 90km south of the Gibb River Rd in Central Kimberleys. It's actually near the head waters of the Fitzroy River that we met near its mouth and again at Fitzroy crossing and Geiki Gorge.

Mornington is managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (http://www.australianwildlife.org ) established more than 10 years ago because Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world and a very high proportion of our surviving animals and plants (over 1,700 species) are listed as threatened with extinction.
AWC seeks to establish sanctuaries by acquiring land and through partnerships with landholders and implement practical land management – feral animal control and fire management – informed by good science.
Large stations in this area have been purchased by individuals and then pastoral leases taken out that enable AWC to do their work.


We were lucky enough to see the endangered Gouldian Finches and Purple Crested Wrens and spent a day as guaranteed sole inhabitants canoeing on Sir John Gorge. Magic.

Canoe trip on Sir John Gorge, Mornington

Canoe trip on Sir John Gorge, Mornington

Fellow travellers

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Grey nomads. They don't have a great reputation really do they? So it's interesting to see and meet who REALLY is on the roads of remote Australia other than us.

The renowned grey nomads do exist. We've bumped into them in their dressing gowns in caravan park shower blocks, and they've watched us, instant coffee in hand, as we pack up camp and escape back into the bush. Our friend Kathie talked of her experiences of caravan etiquette, park 'happy hour' and the subtleties of waving to passing compatriots on the road.

But there is another world of travellers out there. Most of our time has been spent in National Parks and similar unpowered camp grounds so who inhabits these?

Certainly we have met a lot of retirees; people in comfortable off-road caravans and hybrid vans who have hit the road, many semi-permanently. And why not? They've reached retirement, maintained their health, children have left home and they want to make the most of the time and their savings to see our gorgeous country rather than sitting at home vegetating. 

Overwhelmingly, the other group we mostly meet are young European travellers; German, Estonian, French, Swiss, Danish etc. Typically they hire vans or Apollo 4wd utes kitted out for camping. Many are circumnavigating Australia or are here for at least 6 months. One German woman we spoke to went home only long enough to work to save enough money for her next trip. Over a conversation about how wonderful it was to have clean hair, she divulged that the longest they had gone without a shower as 3 weeks in Angola! Without fail they are loving Australia. They are well researched and prepared, and willing to go to places and to experience, what most young Australians do not. They are respectful of the country, and angry when they find the bush abused (strewn toilet paper and rubbish) and we are.

We've seen very few young Australian travellers. Probably the most noticeable were in clapped out vans and dreds sitting around in the Cable Beach car park, having reached 'mecca'. We're a long way from the rest of the world, but even if we cannot find the means to see it, it's sad to think that our youth are not immersed in their own beautiful land.

 

CC FlickR image by anonphotography

CC FlickR image by anonphotography

 

Deviation

The observant may have noted a significant deviation to our intended route. 

We had intended to spend time exploring Cape Range NP and Ningaloo; certainly it's a beautiful 'must see' for most WA visitors. 

Unfortunately in late April wild weather and floods hit the Exmouth area. Roads were closed and in the National Park camp sites were damaged, in many cases washed into the sea and permanently closed. Word on the nomad grape vine was that a caravan had even ended up in the sea.

Even after a month we are told that the waters are brown and the now limited campsites are overcrowded and generator infested.

So we've given it a miss.  It's a destination for another journey. So we now have some time up our sleeve - the question is how to spend it!

 

Sorry

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As we pass through the north of WA we are cognizant of its bloody and tragic past. Steph will post more on this topic but for Sorry Day I wanted to share with you a piece of writing I found in the old Roebourne jail; one of the destinations for many northern Aboriginal men in the late 1800s.

Image from the old Roebourne jail museum

Image from the old Roebourne jail museum

The excerpt is from 100 Years of the culture of womanhood in the Pilbara by Llyrus Weightman, written as a small community project.

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'How can we write Aboriginal women's herstory unless we are Aboriginal women? We can't, we can only look at it from when European records began, that is, written documented history. We can only read about these historic events and imagine how we would feel or react. For our Aboriginal sisters we can only imagine the pain, frustrations and helplessness felt as herstory unfolded for them.


Firstly their land was invaded by a race of people who had no understanding of kinship or family and tribal roles and responsibilities.

They were enslaved and turned into domestic servants, a race of people who did not find building a house or structure to give shelter necessary, when they could simply move with the season.

Made to shepherd a strange animal that destroyed their water holes and beloved land. They were coerced and raped and began to produce children of mixed race. They were 'Black birded', kidnapped from their families and forced to work in the pearling industry. How would we feel to be home in our community and have men ride up and steal our family, never to be seen again? To see our men marched away in chains of iron, a most horrid metal that was also alien to their beloved land. The invaders then said we would take care of the people and herd them onto reserves, again not understanding the tribal law. Then the government decides to take all the children of mixed blood away and civilise them. They did this by teaching them the white mans way and taking away their heritage.


History tells us this was a grave injustice to these women. We can no longer depend on the oral tradition of women passing herstory on, we must record and document this herstory. We must not forget and never allow this history to repeat itself in such a destructive and irreconcilable manner.


Let the next millennium never have to say they are sorry for.'

 

We have arrived in the Kimberleys

We stopped in Broome today on our way to our new camp at Quondong Point. While on the very edge of the Kimberleys,  Broome and Derby are the departure points for many on Kimberley treks.
Based on wikicamps reviews we thought we would stay out of Broome a little north at a place called Quondong Point, proported to be 4wd access only unpowered remote camps right on the coast with no facilities. Perfect we thought as we have spend a few nights in caravan parks. To our dismay every camp we went to had a caravan ensonced in it, even a Winnebago in one site, god knows how they got it in through the sand.

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The track further looked rough and narrow with many overgrown bushes which could potentially scratch the car and trailer.
I exclaimed 'its a caravan filter, lets proceed!', Robyn was a little more circumspect but we ventured foward at a slow pace with Robyn clearing the way.
We finally made it to the end of the remote track and Robyn got out to check the site only to be confronted by a naked bearded man who was less than impressed to see us and clearly did not welcome company. We contemplated camping nearby but thought we might not sleep easy so Robyn backed the trailer out and we headed back the way we came.
We have found a secluded camp on another 4wd track and have settled in for the night.

Otentik

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In addition to Steph's posts about our tech gear we'll also make some posts about the trailer setup and the gear we wouldn't live without. This is the first post for the latter.

One thing we use almost every day, for wind or sun protection, or to offer privacy, is our Otentik sunshade.

We came across one of these at a 4wd show and later purchased it direct from Israel. They are not cheap with postage, but worth every cent.

They are made from polyamide lycra and while designed for beach use (corner bags filled with sand weigh it down and collapsible poles raise it) we stretch ours between poles of the annex, over the corner spikes and with bulldog clips where needed. It's strong and stretchy, takes no time at all to put up, rolls up to a tiny parcel and after some pretty rough use shows no sign of damage.

We'll be buying another sometime!

Purple otentik shade at Kennedy Ranges NP

Purple otentik shade at Kennedy Ranges NP


Benefits of solar self sufficiency in a caravan park

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it's interesting, apart from one small tent we are the only people in the unpowered section of the Caravan Park, quite a lot of people at the park even with camper trailers, but because they need power they have to be tethered to the 240v power, in this case a diesel generator for the entire park. Our solar self sufficiency has given us some space and privacy in an otherwise crowded caravan park. It's been perfect weather for solar generation over the last 2 days and our batteries are fully charged, we even charged the ipads, iphones, laptop and powered 2 fridges on a hot day.

Mobile connectivity on the road

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This is one of a series of posts about the technology we have used on our trip, this one covering how we managed mobile phone data coverage in remote areas.

If you are travelling in the outback throughout Australia you will have noticed that typically there is only mobile coverage around towns and along major highways. You will get 4G in major towns but it's rare, no doubt will change over time as they upgrade infrastructure. Quite often there is weak coverage along roads it's just your average mobile phone or tablet cannot pick it up. 

The solution is to install a external antenna designed for the  frequencies used by mobile carriers. You will need to check as these differ but most antennas are multi purpose.

We choose the RFI CDQ2197 - Quick Removable 7.5dBi Bullbar Antenna

http://www.rfiwireless.com.au/

You can get them online here for around $180 and I would recommend getting it installed by a professional as the coax will need to be neatly run through your car. 

They are 1.2 m long, you can get a shorter version also Which is 1 m but it slightly lower gain at 6.5 dbi 

Below is an image of the antenna on our bull bar, it's the black on the left one next to the UHF radio antenna.

RFI have a good reputation and are built for outback use.

These can easily be unscrewed from the spring, so you can get into garages or shopping centres.

We ran the coax run to the rear of the car connected to a patch cable to suit our Telstra modem.

Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G Advanced

Below is an image of the modem mounted to the rear window with velcro tape. We had a dual USB port wired into the back of the Prado by ARB which powers the modem 24/7 from our aux Battery.

You need to connect the patch cable into #port 1 of the Telstra modem. 4g uses 2 antennas while 3G only uses one,  port one is used. If you have 4g coverage you won't need to use your external antenna anyway.

The Telstra modem also acts as wifi hotspot so all our devices can connect and share the coverage while we are in the 4wd and while we are at camp outside the car. There is an internal setting within the modem to increase the power output of the wifi, this needed for camp use.

Off course this is only data coverage so you won't be able to make or receive a phone call but you could use Skype or FaceTime if needed.

The image below shows the iPad with no service but we are still connected via the Telstra modem. 

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That's about it really, works a treat, we had mobile coverage right across the Nullabor where our devices had no native coverage. 


Volunteers make the wheels keep turning

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Those of us who have volunteered our time in one way or another will, I'm sure, acknowledge the pleasure and benefits that brought. We also, however, may have teetered on the boundaries of 'over-use'.

During the peak seasons in WA, national park campsites are cared for my a large community of volunteer camp hosts. Largely these are retired couples who, following minimal induction and training, base themselves for a month at a time in a particular site. For free camping they welcome new campers, collect fees, provide guidance, clean toilets and any other facilities. They also handle complaints and battle difficult campers.

One host confided that she had been told by a ranger that without them the rangers, desperately under-staffed, simply couldn't keep up with all that is required. The hardest sites to fill we're told are those that are more remote and which require off-road vehicles. We met one couple who had traveled all the way from QLD to participate.

Sounds like a great adventure, but the Govt needs to be very careful not to ask too much.

 

 

Remarkable Rocks

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Mount Augustus saw the last, for now at least, of large (granite/quartz) rocks (although not, as often advertised, ONE rock like Uluru).

Mount Augustus

Mount Augustus

From Hyden, east of Perth, north through the Goldfields and Gascoyne we've clambered over all sorts of remarkable 'big rocks'.

The highlight for me was not Wave Rock as might be expected (interesting but over-rated), but McDermid Rock further east off the Hyden-Norseman road, not far east of the Breakaways described in a previous post, and due south of Coolgardie.

On climbing the rock we discovered amazing rock pools and Japanese-like 'gardens' growing where soil had collected over time. One beautiful spot included a carefully constructed cairn (more on these in a later post). Now in the hard iron-ore rich Pilbara we seem a long way from this!

McDermid Rock treasures

McDermid Rock treasures





No excuses

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We left the Millstream-Chichester N.P. today and headed west to the coast again. The Millstream end of the park is an oasis of clear springs and flowing water from the artesian basin that waters the surrounding Pilbara towns including Dampier, Karratha and Roebourne.

Its a fragile place. Just recently a popular camping spot and swimming hole has been permanently closed following cyclonic rains that eroded the river bed leaving trees with exposed roots ready to fall.

The wetlands are also said to be one of the most culturally significant indigenous sites in WA. Swimming is not permitted in the crystal clear waters of Jirndawurrunha pool.

Despite the fragility and preciousness of this area it felt strangely unloved. I can forgive the yellowing signage in the old Millstream homestead visitors centre, made harder to read due to lack of lighting (the could easily set up some solar powered lighting Steph so rightly pointed out), and the displays that were dusty and poorly kept. However within coo-ee of the rangers station, there was evidence of cattle (probably from the adjoining station) trampling the recently wet ground amongst the melaleuca forest and small seasonal creek beds. Hard hoofed heavy animals and fragile ground simply do not mix.

It was a stark reminder of the consequences of a Govt proposing to allow cattle back into our precious national parks.

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What's it worth?

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We're here in the Denham Seaside Caravan Park, cars circle a roundabout not too far away heading out of town, our near neighbour is strumming a uke (not too badly), there's an occasional loud call from a child just up the hill, laughs from a group of men in the distance networking over some beers, and rain drops are pattering on the canvas and dripping off the edge into buckets. Weathered women who clearly have put down roots in their dusty caravan plot, grey nomads plugged into the grid with TVs running, and young explorers living out of small rented motor homes abound. It's only the 2nd time we've made use of a caravan park in a month but not the last I suspect.

I'm contemplating the pros and cons of the places we've camped.

This caravan park is costing us $33 a night. It like the last one we stayed at, provides free wifi (albeit slow at times esp when the backpackers are connecting with family and friends from home), a laundry, hot showers, and close proximity to shops and services ... Or at least those are the things that make the noise and lack of privacy worthwhile in my opinion.

Most national parks are $15-$20 per night and typically provide good drop toilets, level bays, beautiful quiet environs, nearby walks etc. They do however often require a bit of a trek to reach them, and a quick trip into town for supplies is just possible.

As Steph has already posted, we've also stayed in quite a few roadside stops. They are free, convenient (we can keep driving until late afternoon), enable fires, and if chosen carefully, reasonable quiet and private. They also have no services, and would require caution as a single woman.

It depends on your needs and priorities I guess. For us, we came seeking starry nights and exposure to the remote Australian bush. 'Happy hour' in a Big4 caravan park holds no appeal. But when we've been without a proper shower for days, our clothes are grimy, and the weather is unkind plentiful hot water is mighty attractive!

 

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Leaning Marri campsite

The Breakaways

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If you Google 'The Breakaways' in WA you won't find much, and in fact we could easily have missed it.

A fairly nondescript brown tourist sign pointed to the right off the Hyden-Norseman road. We'd traveled around 170km east from Hyden stopping to read a variety of Shire and historical info boards in pull-in bays, and to be honest I'd had enough. But in we went.
We were confronted with a wall around 5m in height and which extended in a semi circle of 200m or so of the most amazing colours and shapes. A dark ironstone ridge top capped beautiful chalky white, pink, purple and orange walls beneath. Breathtaking colours! A field day for photographers and artists and a must see if you're over that way.

For more images see my FlickR stream

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The Goldfields

We are currently heading back to the coast to Gerlaldton having spend a 5 days in what is commonly referred to as the Goldfilelds.

We began at Wave Rock an amazing granite formation part of the Hyden Rock formation formed by millions of years of erosion. This is a well know tourist destination for Perth residents. Interestingly it was little know prior to a school teacher being awarded a Kodak photo competition for a picture of the rock formation in 1964 which featured in Walkabout magazine and then attracted droves of interested observers.

From here we drove through some amazing country, some of the only temperate woodland forest left in the country, red sandy soils, mallee trees, spinifex clumps interlaced with magnificent Salmon Gums. Every so often there were huge Granite outcrops which remain after eons of erosion. one spectacular example was McDermid Rock were water gathers in shallow Granite pools and sustains beautiful native collections of plants, some look like zen gardens. These pools are highly valued by indigenous owners who have used them as water sources for thousands of years.

From here we headed into the gold country of Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Norseman to name but a few. Every where the tell tail signs of gold fever since the the 1890s are present. Wether it be a huge open cut mine operating today or abandoned, the country is littered with evidence of white fella's obsession with the yellow metal. I joined in and purchased a high tech metal detector but alas did more to clean up the area of rubbish than make my fortune. We had some fun sniffing around the old abandoned towns of Coolgardie and Mount Ida in the hope of finding some relics to no avail. It's amazing how much rubbish we leave in our wake.

Finnally we camped out for couple of days at Lake Ballard, an amazing island lake with a huge knoll on its shore.  It's notoriety is attributed to the sculptures by British artist Antony Gormley which have been positions across the lake.
We arose at sun rise and we walked out onto the lake where Robyn took some amazing pictures.
it rained most of the night and we awoke to the lake filling up, how quickly the landscape changes in the country.
once again we have brought rain to an inland lake :) 
Back to the coast to return our journey northward