Days 72-75
After leaving Kalbarri, we retraced the 70km back to the main highway and continued north towards the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.
There are two
peninsulas that jut out from the coast here. On our 2016 trip we explored the
western one, including Steep Point, the most westerly point of mainland
Australia. This time, we headed up the eastern peninsula - known to the
traditional owners as Wulyibidi - to visit Francois Peron National Park named
after the French naturalist and zoologist who explored in the early 1800’s.
Originally used for pearling and pastoral pursuits, the area was gazetted as a national park in 1993 and is now attracts tourist for its striking contrasts - red earth, white sand and brilliant blue water.
The drive in
takes you past the 26th Parallel and through Denham, a gorgeous coastal town (are there any
others?), and past the turn‑off to Hamelin Pool, home of the famous
stromatolites. Unfortunately, Cyclone Narelle had damaged the boardwalk and the
site was closed, so we missed out on revisiting these fascinating structures.
If you’re curious, they’re well worth a read in our 2016 blog.
Not far out of Denham, the bitumen ended and we hit deep red sand, requiring a quick tyre deflation (the first one) to negotiate the track. Our first stop wasn’t far in - Big Lagoon.
What a spot.
Wide, open and beautifully spaced campsites, and ours came with an unexpected
bonus: an elevated ‘private balcony’ overlooking the lagoon - perfect for
sunset views. We hadn’t realised this when booking, so it felt like a bit of a
win. Dinner was a BBQ on the beach under the moonlight - a pretty special way
to end the day.
Kayaking
would have been ideal here - Big Lagoon even has designated kayak trails - but
the relentless coastal wind had other ideas, so Boat With No Name (BWNN) stayed
in the ‘garage’.
After a
morning walk to take in the scale of the lagoon (it really is a big lagoon), we
continued north towards the tip - Cape Peron and Skipjack Point. The sand
became progressively softer and deeper, and we had to drop tyre pressures twice
more to keep moving. Along the way we also crossed sections of salt pans, which
made for a completely different driving experience and required a bit of
adjustment. Between the two, we definitely got our 4WD fix for the morning.
Cape Peron
was stunning - that classic contrast of red cliffs, white sand and turquoise
water. Dramatic and wild. Plenty of people were fishing, though no one seemed
to be catching much. We did, however, spot a baby Thorny Devil, which
was very cool and a definite highlight.
At Skipjack Point, we were hopeful for marine life - the area is known for it - but despite standing in the wind for far longer than was sensible, we didn’t spot a thing (with the exception of a large number of birds). The wind nearly took us with it.
For the next two nights we based ourselves at Gregories (North) campsite, another excellent spot with easy access to a beautiful beach just over the dune. Despite the wind continuing almost non‑stop, we still managed to fit into our busy schedule some swims, some fishing, and - of course - more spectacular over water sunsets.
Leaving Gregories was… eventful.
A
particularly deep and soft stretch of sand created absolute mayhem. Cars were
bogged in both directions, people were frantically letting down tyres, sand was
blowing everywhere, and the flies were out in force. We stopped to help a group
with a Dodge Ram and boat trailer well and truly stuck - some digging, a loan
of our Maxtrax, and Stephen behind the wheel got them moving again. One of the
passengers, a young French traveller, looked slightly defeated by the flies and
possibly reconsidering his Australian adventure choices.
Further
along, we encountered several more bogged vehicles. Four‑wheel‑drive etiquette
means you don’t leave people stranded, but as each group already had
assistance, we pressed on - otherwise we may have been there all day. Izzy,
meanwhile, handled the sand like a pro.
A quick stop back in Denham/Shark Bay for coffee and (relatively) inexpensive fuel, and then we pushed north.
We ended the
day in Carnarvon, staying in a nice campground with friendly neighbours and two
equally friendly dogs. Known as the food bowl of WA, Carnarvon produces around
80% of the state’s fruit and vegetables. It also has a strong fishing
industry - though in true form, when we tried to visit the fish co‑op, it was
closed.
We did,
however, sample part of the famous Fruit Loop drive, and enjoyed what may have
been the best mango smoothies ever. Highly recommended.
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| Stephen's next DIY project! |
On the way out of the smoothie store (where we may have also bought some chocolate covered frozen mango), we found ourselves giving an impromptu tour of Izzy to some curious fellow travellers - always a fun little side interaction.
Not far to go
now. Ningaloo is calling.
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