Lake Argyle (12 - 14 Jul)
After the Bungle Bungle Range, we had to return to Kununurra to retrieve our caravan before heading to Lake Argyle for a few days. On our way to Kununurra, Google Maps suggested an alternate route along an unsealed road due to a traffic accident on the approach to town. Unencumbered by our caravan, we followed the new route which led us through increasingly remote areas, and observed in puzzlement over the lack of traffic going in either direction.
As we approached Ivanhoe Crossing, a sign warned drivers to cross at their own risk. Experienced in river crossings by this point, we approached the water ready for our mission. When we were unexpectedly greeted by a wide (which we estimated to be over 100m), raging river which no vehicle could cross, we understood why no-one was attempting this route. By the time we backtracked onto the main road, it was just re-opening which enabled us to make it in time to Kununurra to pick-up the caravan and replenish our supplies.
With the delay, we commenced our drive to Lake Argyle much later than we had planned and arrived as darkness descended. At the caravan park reception, we collected our parcels which included my “surprise” mug, but my other birthday order was not there despite confirmation of delivery. Late and tired by this stage, we had dinner at the onsite restaurant, which was bustling with families enjoying the last weekend of the school holidays, before retiring for the night.
During our stay, we joined a cruise on Lake Argyle, the largest man-made lake in Australia covering an area of 1,000km2, and learnt about the dam and the many industries it used to support. We also saw rock wallabies and freshwater crocodiles, and marvelled as the Archer fish squirted water at a pea-sized piece of bread, held over the water, with amazing accuracy. I also learnt that the Argyle pink diamond, which I hadn’t associated with the region, was mined in the Kimberley until production ceased in November 2020.
So what of the missing parcel? Over the following days, we were to make numerous phone calls, enquire at the Kununurra post office and trek to the local courier company in an attempt to locate the parcel. Having exhausted our lines of enquiry, Justin finally called Amazon who simply despatched a replacement without requesting any evidentiary support. I have to say we were all impressed by Amazon’s customer service.
Kununurra / Bungle Bungle Range (Purnululu National Park) (6 - 11 Jul)
After the Gibb River Road, we stayed in Kununurra to clean, replenish and rest before the next leg of our journey. Whilst in town, Justin visited a plaque erected in memory of his uncle, Terry Gray, to commemorate his work as a surveyor of the dam and roads in the area. We also decided to see a caravan mechanic who conveniently offered to keep our van for our 3-day stay at the APT Wilderness Lodge in the Bungle Bungle Range. Our stay would coincide with my birthday so it was nice to experience “glamping”, eat good food and share stories with our camp neighbours, Greg and Yeesim, from Adelaide
On our first day, we visited the Bungle Bungle Southern End – Cathedral Gorge (a natural amphitheatre of red rock), Piccaninny Creek Lookout and the meandering Domes Walk. When the morning became too hot, Millie and I took refuge under a carpark shade for some lunch whilst Justin went for a walk alone to The Window, being an erosion through one of the dome frames. On our second day, we explored the Northern End of the range – the Mini Palms walk which we really enjoyed, and Echidna Chasm where we waited for the moment the sunlight streamed through vertically to light up the chasm walls.
Our stay was capped off with a scenic helicopter flight which provided a great bird’s eye of the Bungle Bungle Range. As the helicopter had no doors, it took some effort to encourage Millie to join us even though she would not have entertained the alternate option of waiting for us by herself on the ground. After our final dinner at the Lodge, I made a goodbye call to my brother who, with his family, had been visiting Popo back in Melbourne.
El Questro (1 - 5 Jul)
Our next and last stop was El Questro which appears to be a mandatory stop for all travellers along the Gibb River Road. We broke up the drive by staying at Ellenbrae Station, known for its scones and bush baths, for the night. The camp site was basic and dusty, but it did offer welcomed flushing toilets, hot showers, garbage disposal and water for the caravan. In the morning, the on-site mechanic assured us the squeaks emitting from our caravan were not a concern, and recommended a mechanic in Kununarra should we wish to investigate further.
As we traversed the rough and bumpy road to El Questro Station, the vegetation became increasingly lush and green. We took a drone photo as we crossed the infamous Pentecost River and passed some dramatic rocky landscape before arriving at the station which was bustling with families on school holidays and offered horse riding and scenic helicopter flights at a premium. After squeezing into our cramped camp site, Justin and Millie went for a dip in the river then a ride around the park in search for some familiar faces.
By the next day, I was still not ready to join Justin and Millie at Zebedee Springs (comprising a series of natural hot spring pools which are closed every midday for the exclusive use of El Questro’s homestead guests) as I just wanted a break from the relentless red dirt and the constant upheaval of caravan life. Not yet quite ready to go home either, I spent the day washing, cleaning and re-organising to regain some sort of order in my microcosm that is our caravan.
When I was ready to venture out again, we left early for each of the hikes to Emma Gorge and El Questro Gorge – two of my favourite walks on the trip. For the Emma Gorge walk, we had to pick our way over rocks to reach a water hole surrounded by towering vertical walls. The water was chilly but a small spa pool tucked away to the right provided welcome warm relief until we had to plunge back into the main pool for our return walk to the Emma Gorge Resort for some lunch. For El Questro Gorge, we walked through the lush, green wilderness, criss-crossed streams and clambered over rocks to arrive at Halfway Pool. To reach the water hole located at the end of the walk, we had to scale a large boulder which we decided not to attempt.
During our stay, we returned one day to find Nick, Kristy, George and Fergus (whom we met in Cape Leveque) had checked-in, alongside their good friends, Bruce and Rachel, directly opposite us. What were the chances of that?! We would spend the next days together catching-up, watching the sunset and introducing Dutch Blitzto George and Fergus. Justin also bumped into a colleague, Bianca, who was taking advantage of her parental leave to travel around Australia with her husband and baby son.
On our last morning at El Questro, we enjoyed an early soak at Zebedee Springs with Nick and family, Bruce and Rachel before returning to camp where Millie spotted Adam and Guy (last encountered at Manning Gorge) pulling into their site. After packing up, we said our good-byes and took a fitting photo of the group as our itineraries would now diverge. It is our meetings with these lovely people which have made our trip extra memorable.
Gibb River Road (Manning Gorge / Galvans Gorge) (28-30 Jun)
As one of the last people to arrive at Manning Gorge, the camp ground was heaving due to the school holidays. We managed to find a site at the far end of the caravan park some 5-minute walk from the park’s only ablution block. With only three permanent cubicles for each gender, Justin reported that queues formed from as early as 5:30am and that a cubicle with a missing door (which directly faced the toilet block’s entrance) did not deter a fellow camper from using it for number twos. Desperate times call for desperate measures
Early the next morning, Justin bumped into Adam and Guy (whom we last saw in Broome) again as they prepared to set-off for Manning Gorge. We followed shortly afterwards at 7:30am to beat the crowds. The walk commenced with a river crossing where we were provided with blue plastic barrels, split lengthways, to ferry our belongings. We continued our hike in damp bathers to the gorge pool where we enjoyed a swim until Justin and Millie decided to scale the rocks to join Adam and Guy at the top of the waterfall.
I waited what seemed like forever for their return and surmised that Justin must be enjoying the company of adults who were not his wife. It transpired that Adam and Guy were patiently picking-off hundreds of wriggling worms (or leeches) attached to Justin after he sat in shallow, flowing waters at the top of the waterfall. Adam graciously lent Justin a spare pair of bathers which were returned after being washed in boiling water with a good dose of Dettol. Thankfully, Millie was largely spared as she was sitting on Justin’s lap and not directly in the water at the time.
After the morning’s drama, we decided to knock-off Galvans Gorge in the same afternoon as the walk was an easy stroll from the car park. The swimming hole was pretty but Millie refused to get into the water as she has an aversion to mud and vegetation growing around the pool’s entrance. Being Millie’s turn to sleep with me that evening, she could not contain her excitement and kept asking me to guess what she and Justin had ordered for my birthday. Each of my responses was met with a coy, “Maybe or maybe not!” As I attempted to nod-off for the nth time, Millie unwittingly blurted, “Mum, ask me about the mug we got you for your birthday!”.
Gibb River Road (Bell’s Gorge) and Derby (21 - 27 Jun)
Our drive to Bell’s Gorge involved our first stream crossing which was both exciting and a novelty for us. Upon arrival, Justin noticed that the spare wheel mounted on the back of the car was missing and our initial thought was that it must have bounced off from the bumpy road. Justin decided to backtrack along the road for an hour based on how much fuel we could spare and remaining daylight we had for the mission. He returned to camp with no success, having flagged down oncoming motorists none of whom had encountered a lost wheel. Although it had crossed our mind that the wheel may have been taken, we had dismissed the thought until several campers came up with the same theory given there was no damage to the car, caravan or tread of the bracket for the wheel. Although we will never know what happened, it is somewhat disheartening to think it may have been someone from the camping community.
Not wanting to risk the Gibb River Road unprepared, Justin spent some time calling around to replace the non-standard wheel. In the end, Tyrepower in Derby was able to get the wheel the following Tuesday (in four days) and Norweld would courier us a replacement bracket without charge (as they have never had their brackets just fall off). Fortunately, Justin had sufficient buffer days for contingencies such that the 4-day wait for the wheel would not impact our itinerary. With the orders placed, we decided to visit Bell’s Gorge in the morning before heading back to Derby to wait for our deliveries.
Back in Derby, we chose to stay at the Dunbara Burru Caravan Park which offered the security of locked gates at night. The telephone number for the local police and warning signs were plastered around the camp ground reminding us to lock up, place valuables out of sight and sleep with our keys next to our pillows. I was, therefore, initially a little nervous about using the camp toilets at night but, over time, the apprehension disappeared and the town grew on me. It is so unfortunate that Derby’s reputation precedes it and wholly unfair that people make sweeping statements about its crimes when, in reality, they are mostly opportunistic.
Now back to our wheel situation – it didn’t show up on Tuesday as scheduled. After making numerous calls, Paul from Tyrepower found out that it had already been invoiced by Bridgestone on the day of our order, but still had not been despatched from Perth. This meant that the wheel would not arrive until Friday (a week after our order placement) based on current courier delivery times. Not a surprise to those who know Justin, he immediately went about re-working our itinerary as the buffer he had allowed would not accommodate the week that we have now lost. We finally agreed to sacrifice the 4-day return trip to Mitchell Falls given fellow travellers had warned us about the rugged road conditions. Also, I wasn’t sure I wanted to pay for the alternate option of a scenic flight as I’d seen more than my fair share of waterfalls by this stage.
During our week in Derby, we stayed at four different sites (with the last night spent in the parking lot) as the caravan park had a high turnover of campers who used it as a base for their Horizontal Falls tour, or who were there to stock up prior to, or after completing, the Gibb River Road. One other camper also had the unfortunate privilege of a parking lot site waiting for an ambulance to take him to hospital for an injured back. Over this period, we home-schooled Millie and watched television (Back to the Future and Anne with an ‘E’) in the caravan for the first time.
When Friday finally came, we waited, all packed and hitched-up, outside Tyrepower before they opened at 8am. As we waited for our delivery, the sight of two caravans pull up with ripped tyres strapped onto them lent validation to our decision not to attempt the Gibb River Road without a spare wheel. Fortunately, our order eventually showed up at 11am and I was spared the unenviable task of peeling Justin off the ceiling. After thanking Paul with a token gift for going above and beyond to get us back on the road, we departed Derby for Manning Gorge but did not arrive until after sunset – breaking our own cardinal rule in an attempt to make up for lost time.
Gibb River Road (Windjana Gorge / Dimalurru National Park) (18 - 20 Jun)
After leaving Broome, we stopped at the Boab tree-lined town of Derby to visit Sculptures on the Marsh (a public art project) and a couple of art galleries before embarking on the infamous Gibb River Road which was constructed in the 1960s to transport cattle from outlying stations to the ports of Derby and Wyndham. As we would have no or limited access to power, fuel, water, dump points and garbage bins, it was a matter of careful planning and management until we reach El Questro located at the other end of the road.
Our first stop was the Windjana Gorge campground from where we visited the gorge and Dimalurru National Park (Tunnel Creek) the next morning. All ready and decked out in our bathers, we realised upon arrival at Tunnel Creek that we had somehow missed the memo to bring head torches and pool noodles. Undeterred, we ventured on in the hope that rays of sunlight would make their way into the cave system and save us a trip back to camp. When blackness enshrouded us and the only way to proceed was to swim in pitch darkness, we reluctantly conceded we had to retrieve our gear and return later in the day.
By the time we returned to Tunnel Creek mid-afternoon, the crowds had mostly disappeared and I nervously wondered if freshwater crocodiles (renowned for perching on ledges inside the caves and probably curiously watching these humans file past) were more active at this time of day. As there were no signs to warn us otherwise, Justin and I entered the caves without Millie as we could not convince her to join us. We left strict instructions for her to remain at the cave entrance, no matter what, until our return.
Exploring Tunnel Creek by torchlight remains one of my favourite activities on the trip, but I couldn’t fully enjoy the experience for worrying about Millie. With the diminishing visitor traffic, I was intent on getting back to her as soon as possible and stormed through Tunnel Creek without being in the moment. In the process, I swallowed some stagnant water as I swam in the creek and destroyed Justin’s photo composition by disturbing the surface of the still waters.
When we reached the end of the tunnel, we clambered up some rocks and found the Aboriginal rock art which fellow visitors had told us about. Intelligence gathered along the way also proved extremely helpful in navigating the terrain, distances and water depths of the cave system. Relieved to find Millie waiting patiently for us and oblivious to my worries, I will look around for those lurking crocodiles if I were to return to Tunnel Creek in the future.
Cape Leveque – Broome (12 - 17 Jun)
Although the sealing of the Broome-Cape Leveque road in 2020 has made Cape Leveque easily accessible, the peninsula has not attracted the tourist crowds of Broome. We stayed at the Djarindjin Roadhouse from where we visited the Indigenous communities of Beagle Bay (famous for its mother of pearl altar and internal decor), One Arm Point (for its hatchery and shell souvenirs) and Lombardina. Entry fees were charged by each community but access to their residential areas were strictly off-limits.
At the roadhouse, we met a young Masters student, Harry, who was on a field trip to understand the impact of the sealed road to the area. Although the road brought in more tourists, it also caused an increase in social, drug and alcohol issues among the Aboriginal communities with the ease of access to Broome and other towns. At the campsite, we met and shared some local damper with Nick and Kristy and their sons, George and Fergus. Millie, who does not warm up easily, took to the boys immediately and joined them for a game of Taco.
During our stay in Cape Leveque, apart from the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm tour, we also joined Bolo Angus’ Southern Cross Cultural Walk Tour to learn about the ways of the saltwater people in Bardi-Jawi country. As part of the welcome to country, we, as guests, had to “announce” our arrival by washing our hands in the creek and wetting our head and armpits so that our odour permeated the environment. Bolo taught us about bush food and how to identify fresh water from the presence of algae in the water and palm trees along the banks. He also took us through thick mangroves in knee-deep squelching mud to collect pipis and led us to saltwater flats where we hunted for mud and blue swimmer crabs. What resonated with me was the Aboriginal people’s respect for, and belief in the partnership with, the land – only hunt and gather what you need and the land will, in turn, provide and nourish you.
After Cape Leveque, we returned to Broome primarily to stock-up and prepare for our trip across the Gibb River Road. Back at the caravan park, we found ourselves coincidentally a few doors down from Adam and Guy (whom we first met in Geraldton) and took some sunset photos with them perched on the roof of our car. In our final days in town, we went to the Courthouse Market (where I bought a lovely sandalwood and keshi pearl bracelet from a local artist) and to Cable Beach for a sunset camel ride and some boogie boarding which Millie could not get enough of. In fact, she would like to take up surfing as she wanted to find a passion “just like Adam with his ballet”. I was ecstatic to hear that to say the least (about the passion rather than the surfing)!
Whilst Justin took Millie to James Price Point for some drone photos of the iconic landscape, I pampered myself with a relaxing massage which was anything but as I compiled a shopping and to-do list in my head for the duration of my session. Back at the camp site, I had a good old chat with our neighbours, Alan and Maureen, who educated me on the annual migration of grey nomads up the west coast; the marked reduction of interstate travellers this year (reflecting the state of the economy); life in Carnarvon back in the day (including postal service by camel); and Maureen’s humbling stories about struggling families in remote Australia as a former teacher at School of the Air.
On writing this entry, I realised how much we had covered in and around Broome. Apart from our tours and excursions (not to mention our usual household chores, regular maintenance of the vehicles and homeschooling), Justin and I squeezed in a haircut to remain somewhat presentable and saw an optometrist about a stubborn pimple on my lower eyelid. The only regret was that Justin did not get the opportunity to join Greg Quicke’s Astro Tour as, we were to later find out, Greg had sadly passed away whilst we were in town.
Broome – Horizontal Falls (4 - 11 Jun)
Millie’s adventures with Poppy continued in Broome where we joined her family to see “IF” at the Sun Pictures Theatre (supposedly the world’s oldest picture gardens) where our movie was periodically interrupted by planes taking-off or landing at the airport nearby. Together, we also watched the sunset at Cable Beach and visited the Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Farm now hosted by Malcolm’s nephew. As our travel itineraries would soon diverge, goodbyes with Poppy were hard which were offset by prolonged cuddles and hugs. Broome was also Popo’s last stop where visits to Gantheaume Point and Chinatown brought her trip to a fitting end. After her departure, we sorted out some minor issues with the car and caravan before joining the Horizontal Falls Seaplane Tour.
Horizontal Falls consist of two narrow gaps in the McLarty Range where an ocean phenomenon helps to create a horizontal waterfall. As the tide turns each day, so does the direction of the tide through the gaps. On the day of the tour, we were driven to Derby to board a seaplane to Talbot Bay where we would spend the night on a permanent floating houseboat. Fortunately, I no longer feared flying in small aircrafts after our friend, Warren, took us on his seaplane in Vancouver the previous year. Unfortunately, the novelty factor of going in one had also dissipated.
Shortly after arrival, we were taken by speedboat to the falls and through the larger of the two gaps. However, due to a serious accident in 2022, boats no longer go through the narrower gap. In fact, boat tours through the rock formations are expected to be phased out altogether by 2028 in response to the wishes of the Dambimangari traditional owners. Upon return to the pontoon, Justin jumped into the water to view sharks from within the safety of a cordoned enclosure. Nibbles were served on the deck before we sat down to a meal of locally caught barramundi which seemed to be in abundance in the area.
Retiring for the night, Millie decided to abandon me and migrate to Justin’s room on the other side of the houseboat to escape the noisy generators located outside our room. As my earplugs did nothing to alleviate the noise, I went out to the deck at 5am the next morning only to find other tour members kept awake by the generators. I was amused to learn that Justin had the worst night’s sleep ever with Millie doing her splits and stretches on the shared bed well into the night (I think she must have choreographed an entire floor routine). After breakfast, we were taken out to the falls again before the flight home.
Back in Broome, we found ourselves a few doors down from Adam and Guy again. On our last days there, Millie and I had a girls’ day out to the Willie Creek Pearl Farm where we learnt about the modern farming process of the cultured South Sea pearl. This included collecting Australian Pinctada Maxima oysters from the open water (the number collected each year is controlled by the government); seeding the oyster with a fragment of the Mississippi mussel shell; grafting mantle tissue to stimulate the creation of nacre around the nucleus; and manually rotating the oysters every two weeks for about two years to create the prized rounded pearl.
I also discovered that cultured pearls can be harvested from the same oyster up to three times and that, once a pearl is harvested, a replica nucleus of a similar size to the harvested pearl would be seeded back into the oyster to create an even bigger pearl (i.e. the larger the cultured pearl, the larger its implanted nucleus). At the end of the oyster’s useful production life, its meat is destined for the dinner table. Although we were assured that oysters can’t feel, I can’t help but feel they have a sad life not dissimilar to egg-laying hens undergoing IVF. Then again, I was very excited to see an oyster opened before my eyes to reveal a pearl (which was blackened on one side due to disease). Our Willie Creek experience was complemented by the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm tour a week later which provided a historical insight into the Australian pearling industry. An oyster was also sacrificed before us to reveal a pearl valued at a princely sum of $73 which, to this day, I regret not letting Millie purchase.
80 Mile Beach (1 - 2 Jun)
After all the activities at Karinjini National Park, we spent three nights at 80 Mile Beach to catch our breath. This meant scrubbing the red dirt off our shoes, doing multiple rounds of laundry and stocktaking our pantry ahead of our stay in Broome. Being veteran campers by now, we could immediately sense that the caravan park had a different vibe to it and suspected that it must have been a long weekend. We later found out that it was the Western Australia Day long weekend which confirmed our suspicions. Unexpectedly and much to Millie’s excitement, Poppy and Benji (whom she met in Exmouth) also spent a night at the caravan park. They joined us for a drive along the expansive beach where the kids had fun collecting sea shells which were in abundance. The western-most location was also perfect for watching the setting sun.
During our stay, the camp site hosted its first-ever market to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Open to potential vendors, Millie summoned up the courage to set up a stall with Justin by her side. She diligently laid out and priced her bead bracelets, and spoke with potential customers some of whom generously left her a tip. With other equally entrepreneurial kids selling second-hand books and clothes (and even sea shells collected from 80 Mile Beach itself), Millie had a unique business proposition and made a tidy profit of $26 from the many late nights, in a ploy to defer going to bed, of beading.
Karinjini National Park (24 - 30 May)
Leaving Exmouth for the long drive to Karijini National Park, we passed an overturned car and caravan resting on the opposite side of Route 136. Black skid marks suggested the car was travelling in our direction, swerved and had come to rest facing oncoming traffic. On its side with the roof ripped open, the caravan laid bare its interior (once a private sanctuary for its occupants) in full view of passing motorists. It was a confronting reminder of the potential dangers of towing a caravan.
We stayed at the Karinjini Eco Retreat where we had access to flushing toilets and washing amenities, but our feet would be covered in red dirt again by the time we walked back from our showers to the caravan. Luckily, we did not encounter any dingoes during our stay to apply our knowledge on what to do in such situations. One set of neighbours recognised us from Coral Bay but, in all fairness, I think our family composition makes us easily recognisable – particularly as there have been no Asian, let alone Chinese, campers on our trip thus far.
We learnt from another set of neighbours that they held a leasehold on a piece of land in the Leonora region where they prospected for gold. Based on our tiny sample of two camping couples, Justin and I concluded (which would be discounted by any reasonable person) that gold prospecting was not an uncommon activity among retirees. We also ran into Adam and Guy again (whom we first met in Geraldton) and had dinner with them before our departure the next day. En route to the Dales Gorge Campground, we stopped at the Karinjini Visitor Centre where Millie obtained her Junior Ranger Badge after learning about the Banyjima, Kurrama and Innawonga traditional owners of the land from Kaylene.
Popo did remarkably well hiking some of the amazing gorges at Karinjini National Park, all thanks to Justin’s patience in supporting her along the way. Here is my rating and summary of the various gorges we visited:
1. Joffre Gorge: A good beginner's walk and guide to Karinjini gorges. We turned right at the gorge base and inched our way along the gorge face to reach a dry waterfall. We clambered over the rock face to reach a narrow swimming hole in the other direction.
2. Weano Gorge: Unremarkable Lower Gorge walk (though Justin says I am too harsh). Unfortunately, the Upper Gorge and Handrail Pool were closed due to a millipede infestation.
3. Hancock Gorge: My favourite hike where we scrambled over rocks, waded through water and spider-walked between rocks to emerge at Kermit’s Pool.
4. Hamersley Gorge: Tiered water holes provided good swimming opportunities, with the upper pool boasting clear waters and the Spa Pool at its far end.
5. Knox Gorge: The most majestic gorge with its high, vertical walls. The walk was challenging, but very doable, with its steep vertical climb over loose dirt and rocks.
6. Dales Gorge: The pool at the base of the gorge resembled nature’s own magnificent amphitheatre. The Fern Pool was the most inviting of the water holes we visited as even I jumped into the water.
Exmouth (18 - 22 May)
By the time we returned to Exmouth, Popo and I were snorkel-ready for the Swimming with the Whale Sharks tour. Apart from the tour, we visited the Sunday market, Charles Knife Canyon and the SS Mildura shipwreck. We also showed Popo our favourite Cape Range beaches (where Justin managed to sneak in a final windsurf) and Justin took a gyro flight which showcased the rocky ranges and the reef from the air.
On the whale shark tour, Popo and I found ourselves outside our comfort zone in the choppy waters with only a solitary pool noodle for support. The tour operator’s website said there would be “other flotation aids”, but this clearly was not the case. I also underestimated how regimented and quickly we had to enter the water and form a human line (so that we would be in position to view the whale shark as it swam past). Needless to say, I failed to reach the line and had to be supported back to the boat as I floundered in the water. As Popo had to be strongly encouraged by Justin to get into the water, the whale shark had already come and gone by the time she jumped in. As a result, none of us saw the mammal on our first attempt.
On our second attempt, the guide swam me out to the human line as I clung onto her flotation device. She pointed out the whale shark as it swam past, but I must have been too pre-occupied with trying to stay afloat and breathe to see it. Fortunately, Justin and Millie saw the mammal whilst Popo decided to sit this one out. The swimming partnership permutations continued into our third attempt with Justin supporting Popo as Millie sat this one out. On this occasion, Popo and I finally encountered our first whale shark!
As we did not realise we only had four swims each, Popo and Millie remained on the boat on what would be our final attempt. By now, I was pretty adept at getting ready and shuffling on my bottom to the end of the boat to wait for my signal to jump in (even though I never really got over my nerves). I splashed into the water and Justin dragged me out to the human line where we waited in anticipation for the whale shark to swim past when, all of a sudden, 10-year old Poppy let out a terrified scream. We turned around and realised that the whale shark was, in fact, passing behind us at such close proximity that we could almost touch the mammal. It was the perfect sighting to end our tour notwithstanding poor Poppy had to confront the whale shark’s large mouth head-on. In fact, Poppy (and her little brother, Benji) would become good friends with Millie as our itineraries later collided again.
Coral Bay (12 - 16 May)
We left Cape Range National Park and drove back to Exmouth to top-up on water, fuel and provisions for our stay in Coral Bay. We also cleaned the vehicles (a futile effort given they would soon be covered in red dirt again) before meeting my mother (we call her “Popo”) at Learmonth Airport for the next leg of our trip. The timing of her arrival turned out to be immaculate as we had to order bits and bobs for the trip which she brought over for us. This included a new satellite phone as the provider for the phone kindly loaned to us by our friend, Brendan, experienced a terminal failure with its sole satellite.
The township of Coral Bay consisted of a single strip containing three adjacent holiday parks, a small arcade of shops and a resident nurse whom Justin saw about an angry 2-week old gash in his lower shin. Without even bending down, the nurse took one quick glance and told Justin to refrain from swimming (due to spawning coral), avoid the swimming pool (due to the kids) and regularly clean the gash. She was right and the gash soon healed.
Heaving with visitors, our caravan park was cramped and directly faced the entrance to Bill’s Bar across the road. However, the absence of a footpath did not prevent campers from making a beeline through our site to the bar in breach of camp ground etiquette. Justin’s strategically-positioned outdoor furniture did little to minimise the traffic flow as people picked their way around the obstacles.
With high expectations, we were unimpressed by the snorkelling at Bill’s Bay until we found out that it was impacted by an unusual coral spawning event in 2022 which killed some 16,000 fish. Although the bay has not recovered from the incident, it did however provide an ideal environment for further snorkelling practice due to its calm waters and wide sand banks. We also drove over sand dunes to snorkel at Five Fingers Reef, explored the southern Coral Bay coastline (14 Mile Beach, The Ridge and Pelican Point) and played Dutch Blitz with our camp neighbours, Kyle and Kara, before heading back to Exmouth for a few nights.
Kalbarri to Cape Range National Park (5 - 10 May)
Packing up at Kalbarri, a small green bird hopped over and tucked itself behind one of the back wheels of the car. Millie and I stopped Justin just in time from reversing over it, but failed to coax it out from the false security of its shelter. I gently picked up the bird and placed it out of harm’s way before hitching-up and heading to Carnarvon for the night. The next morning, we picked up some breakfast in town and noted the number of Asian-run businesses there. We later found out from Maureen and Alan, who used to own a caravan park in Carnarvon, that the Asian community there originated from the settlement of Vietnamese refugees back in the 1970s.
We continued our journey to Exmouth where we filled up with water, fuel and provisions ahead of our 5-night stay in Cape Range National Park. Since our lesson in Maralinga, I have now learnt to pre-cook staple ingredients to minimise power usage when camping off-grid (I’m disinclined to freeze meals as they inevitably don’t get eaten). At Cape Range, we camped at Tulki Beach to explore the Ningaloo coastline where our favourite beaches were Turquoise Bay, Lakeside and Osprey Bay (which boasted camp sites overlooking the spectacular turquoise waters). We also kayaked down Yardie Creek where we saw bats hanging from the mangroves and a couple of rock wallabies perched on the gorge face.
I also utilised our stay in Cape Range to practise snorkelling ahead of our Swimming with the Whale Sharkstour the following week. Initial attempts to view coral included placing my face in the water from the kayak and clinging onto the vessel’s side. This quickly progressed to snorkelling independently with the aid of a life vest and pool noodle. Millie did well with her snorkel and mask until she surfaced one day and screamed, “That was horrible – I just saw a brain!”. Since then, we have had to bribe her to swim anywhere near coral. Most reluctantly, I now owe her four bead bracelets – I hope this will toughen her up.
Kalbarri (1-5 May)
Before leaving Geraldton, we gave the car and caravan a good wash before stopping at the Shearing Shed Café in Northampton which served one of the best vanilla slices I’ve had to date. After braving the flies at the Pink Lake in Port Gregory, we arrived at the picturesque town of Kalbarri where we would spend 4 nights.
We loved the Kalbarri National Park where the Murchison River cuts a magnificent 80km gorge through the red and white banded sandstone. Apart from visiting the Kalbarri Skywalk and Nature’s Window (which we saw again at sunrise), we did the Z Bend hike which took us down ladders into the gorge where we walked along the river’s edge and saw a lone mountain goat. We also joined a quad bike tour and rode along the amazing coastline and across sweeping sand dunes.
Still disappointed from the lack of windsurfing opportunities, Justin was constantly monitoring the wind force and direction whilst in Kalbarri. When these looked promising, he drove the 136km back to Coronation Beach and managed to windsurf on a couple of the afternoons. By his own admission, Justin feels that his windsurfing wishes have now been fulfilled.
Geraldton (22 Apr - 1 May)
Justin was really looking forward to Geraldton, specifically Coronation Beach where he held fond memories wind-surfing here over 30 years ago. Although the winds were often howling (directly offshore easterly winds in the early morning), Justin only managed one day on the water over the 8 days we were there much to his disappointment. Outside of wind-surfing, we enjoyed the Museum of Geraldton where we learnt about the four Dutch shipwrecks in the region, including the infamous Batavia mutiny in 1629. In fact, Western Australia is internationally renowned for shipwreck archaeology and materials conservation. I made an effort to get fit by going for a couple of solo bike rides after the heat had subsided, and took the opportunity to have my hair cut as I surmised it would be a while before I would have access to another salon again.
At the caravan park, Justin accompanied Millie on her bike in search of kids in the early days. Every time new guests arrived, Millie would crane her neck for signs of young occupants. One day, after some stern encouragement from Justin, Millie ventured alone to the playground and came back beaming to announce that she had made a friend. Millie has already said that she would like to return to Geraldton to see Layla whose family is planning to make the city their new home. As for us, we met some lovely neighbours in Adam and Guy (who helped us fix our Starlink pole and gave us some delicious homemade pesto), and Susan and Andrew who were considering our brand of caravan for their next purchase. Through our chat, I also learnt from Andrew the fascinating activity of gold detecting on land not owned by the mining corporations.
Lake Ballard–Leinster–Geraldton (21 Apr - 1 May)
We departed early the next morning for another long day of driving through the dry red landscape of the Western Australian Goldfield region. For fear of being run off the Great Northern Highway, I was the designated “waver” to the passing road train drivers who greeted us along the way. Our walkie-talkie proved handy for overtaking these gigantic trucks, as well as for receiving requests to pull over to give way to oversized vehicles.
En route to Leinster, we visited the remote “living” ghost mine town of Kookynie which has about a dozen permanent residents. We had a drink at the Grand Hotel (which was packed with memorabilia) where we were served by Margaret, and had a chat with a “local” who explained that old defunct mines were being re-opened with the advancement of technology to extract gold. We also stopped at the ghost town of Gwalia which once boasted US President Herbert Hoover as its mine manager. With the mine moving into decline by the middle of the 20th century, its closure in 1963 saw Gwalia’s population drop from 1,200 to 40 people in just 3 weeks. A large open pit has since been built abutting the township and is operational to this day.
That evening, we spent the night in Leinster, a “closed” town built and managed by the BHP Group to provide free housing for employees and contractors working at its nickel mines. The town also boasted a police station, supermarket, gym and swimming pool.As our meals at the local tavern were huge andreasonably priced,I suspected that theywere subsidised by the BHP Group.Having experienced this bubble community, we left the next morning for the final leg of our journey to Geraldton
Albany-Wave Rock-Menzies/Lake Ballard (18-20 Apr)
Next on our agenda was Lake Ballard to see Antony Gormley’s sculptures of 51 residents of the nearby town of Menzies. Given the long drive through the wheat belt of Western Australia, we spent the first night at the Wave Rock Caravan Park which was conveniently located next to the famous curved granite cliff face.
The following day, we stopped in Kalgoorlie-Boulder to marvel at the Super Pit (one of Australia’s largest open pit gold mines) and the world’s tallest bin at 26 feet. We couldn’t forego seeing the bin given Uncle Travis traversed the country to see the attraction many years ago. We even managed to capture Justin land a container in the bin’s cavity for posterity!
On the way to Menzies (where we would spend the second night), we tailed a convoy of eight road trains from the charity Farmers Across Borders transporting hay from Western Australia to assist farmers affected by drought and other natural disasters. It brought home the harsh realities, and a humbling reminder, of everyday life in rural and remote Australia.
After a night in Menzies (where our fly head nets made their inaugural appearance), we drove to Lake Ballard where we managed to secure a prime campsite overlooking the lake in which the sculptures were erected across an area of 10 square kilometres. Millie and I did not emerge from the caravan until dusk when the weather was cooler and the flies fewer. As we crossed the salt plain, the crystallised salt crunched beneath our feet before giving way to the red mud which caked our sandals. Unfortunately, many of the sculptures stood in water so we were only able to view a handful of the installations in close proximity.
Lucky Bay to Albany (13-18 Apr)
On the long drive to Albany, I marvelled at the well-maintained roads and imagined living in rural and remote Australia with no or limited access to healthcare and other services. I Googled and learnt about the Royal Flying Doctor Service, their fleet of 79 aircrafts and watched a live flight map of planes currently being deployed. All this gave me a renewed appreciation of the convenience, and the range of options available, of life back home.
A fair proportion of the sites at the Big 4 Emu Beach Holiday Park stood vacant as families returned home after the Easter break. Suffice to say, no friendship opportunities for Millie here. With five nights in Albany, I was looking forward to a breather from being on the road. During our stay, we went to the Boatshed Market and to Torndirrup to visit the Natural Bridge and Albany’s Historic Whaling Station which only ceased operations in 1978. We were fortunate to be guided by Stuart, an engineer on one of the last whaling ships, who educated us on the industry’s fascinating history. At the Porongurup Ranges, we hiked Castle Rock, scrambled over boulders and climbed a 7m ladder to reach a platform for the magnificent views.
Greens Pool is arguably one of my favourite beaches where large granite boulders form a natural break from the Southern Ocean to create a calm pool for swimming and snorkelling. After much protestation, Millie reluctantly slipped into her wetsuit (she didn’t like the front panel of the garment) and tried snorkelling for the first time until the chilly waters got the better of her. All in all, both Justin and I really liked Albany and enjoyed what the city had to offer.
Esperance - Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand (9-13 Apr)
The Lucky Bay campsite is managed by volunteer camp hosts on a month-on month-off basis. Expecting to be off-grid entirely, we were pleasantly surprised to find clean facilities including a camp kitchen, running water, drop toilets (which did not smell) and solar-powered showers.
Given its location and famous attraction of kangaroos on the beach, Lucky Bay attracted a more diverse range of travellers. As Millie was desperate to meet new friends by now, Justin accompanied her around the caravan park to look for signs of kids (e.g. children’s bikes or hanging laundry). Millie’s friendships with Maja and Saskia could not have come too soon after being on the road and having no peer company over the past couple of weeks. It was also interesting to overhear Millie ask one of the girls how she found home-schooling and whether it was easy to make friends on her travels around Australia.
During our stay, we joined a star talk by one of the camp hosts and did several walks around Cape Le Grand including Frenchman Peak (which we abandoned as Millie and I were a bit nervous), Thistle Cove, Hellfire Bay and Little Hellfire Bay. Justin also got along with our camp neighbour who expressed an interest in joining him on a motorbike ride across Europe to Australia. In case you are wondering, this will be in 2027. As Justin likes to say, having a plan doesn’t mean something will happen but, without a plan, nothing will happen. He sure likes a plan.
Esperance (5-8 Apr)
With the crash fresh on my mind, I decided not to brave towing the caravan on the Eyre Highway. Instead, I typed up my first aid course notes in the car so that I could have them printed and filed by topic. I would still panic and not know what to do in an emergency, but at least I have good notes.
As a side anecdote, Justin’s 4WD instructor cautioned not to swerve the car to prevent hitting an animal (apart from cows which could crush you) as the caravan would rollover. This means that we would inevitably hit a kangaroo that may happen to jump in our path. To avoid the traumatic expectation for us to put an injured kangaroo out of its misery (if the vehicle has not already killed it), as well as check a female’s pouch for a joey, we have a rule not to drive at dusk or dawn.
Upon arrival at Esperance, we stopped at a car wash to hose off the red dirt (the caravan did a remarkable job in keeping the dirt out) before checking into the RAC Holiday Park where we quickly unpacked and did three loads of laundry. Millie was keen to meet some new friends but we found the other families kept very much to themselves. We reasoned that most were on their Easter school break and suspected Millie would have a better chance of meeting longer-term travellers (or lappers) as we head up the West coast.
Days in Esperance were spent on the beautiful coastline with some boogie boarding at Twilight Beach. Under Millie’s persuasion, I donned my first ever wetsuit and Justin patiently helped me catch a wave. After being pulled down and spun around under water on a couple of occasions, I decided to call it a day. Our last night in Esperance was spent cooking and prepping to minimise our power usage over the next four nights when we would be without power.
With the constant need to plan ahead and the time and effort required for cooking, cleaning and maintaining a degree of order within a confined space, I’ve concluded this caravanning business is not all that cruisy after all. Justin tells me that we are running a household at the end of the day. I guess he’s right but I thought I’d signed up for a holiday! I’m also beginning to think I have been overly ambitious with my personal goals given we have yet to commence home-schooling.