gemfyre | Road Trip Day 24 - Kalbarri to Perth

26/3/2011

I woke this morning around 3am and went to the toilet, and slept fitfully from then on. I was becoming very tetchy to just get home, which I knew would happen. I got up at first light, before actual sunrise and started to pack right away. Kate informed me that I could be back home by 1:30 if I just drove (she was taking me via Brand Highway). That gave me plenty of time to do other things on the way, so I decided that I would head home today.

I was on the road at about 10 to 7 and made a bee-line for Hutt Lagoon/Port Gregory. I was quite disappointed to see NO waders on the lake. I did however get a great look at a male White-winged Fairy-wren – I have gotten the best looks at this species on this holiday.

My plan was to get petrol in Gregory, but I couldn't find the bowsers, so I figured I'd go onto Northampton to fill up. Off I went. Just coming into town I spotted a family of white-browed babblers bouncing around.

I then zoomed off to the leaning trees in Greenough. Coming through the outskirts of Geraldton I came across the first traffic lights since I'd left Perth. I went through about 5 sets and headed off on a freeway type exit – Gero really has become massive.

Leaning tree of Greenough
The strong winds in this area have caused the native gums to lean like this. There are many trees like this in the fields, but this is one of the best examples. It also right beside the highway and there is a parking bay so you can safely pull over and take photos.

I pulled in quickly to take a photo of the famous leaning tree and then I kept on going to Dongara, hoping to find some morning tea there. I popped down the main street, with the Moreton Bay figs lining it and bought something for lunch at the IGA, then popped down to a cafe by the ocean. They didn't seem to do any cakes or anything morning tea-ish so I moved on to Port Denison (which is a mere 5km away – Dongara-Denison are essentially the same town these days). I found a bakery and was again disappointed with the selection – not even a donut available! Eventually I just ate a few things from my car fridge. The playground at the marina was particularly awesome – having not one but TWO wizzy dizzys. I was impressed.

Port Denison

I headed down Kalis Drive beside the old dunes again and then back into Indian Ocean Drive, which now provides the quickest route back to Perth. Kate didn't think so and kept insisting I turn around (of course, her maps were too old to have the new Indian Ocean Drive extension on them).

Dongara dunes
This time last year this dune was encroaching on the road, they seem to have swept it up.

I pulled into Green Head to have a look at the pretty Dynamite Bay and spotted Pied Oystercatcher and Ruddy Turnstone, then went on to Cervantes to eat my lunch. Yet another place showing the results of storm damage – the end of the carpark had been washed away with the beach underneath it. The water was still lovely blue though.

Dynamite Bay - Green Head

I then popped out to Lake Thetis to see if there were any more waders there than last time. Nope. I DID see 2 Pacific Golden Plovers, which was interesting. I was also thwarted by mysterious unidentified birds flying away and singing in the samphire. One day I will track them down and identify them!

Lake Thetis - Thrombolites
Thrombolites are just a different growth formation of the same organisms that create stromatolites.

Then came the fun part. The new extension to the Indian Ocean Road isn't even on most maps yet, it certainly wasn't in Kate's database. Immediately she began demanding that I turn around and head back out to the Brand Highway, but I knew from the signage that this was a shorter route (by almost 50km). It was interesting to see that the new road seems to go along the same route as various older roads, which Kate would tell me I was on for a while before she got lost again.

About 16km south of Cervantes I noticed to my left a yellow swathe of sand on the hillside. Most of the dunes in this area are pure white. I knew that the yellow must be the pinnacles desert and I was right.

It's still under debate as to what exactly formed the pinnacles. Some say they are petrified tree trunks and roots, some theorise that they are just the result of odd erosion of the limestone. I have no idea why that particular area is treeless and has yellow sand instead of white like the surrounding area. Apparently they haven't been awfully well studied, but no doubt some geologists are having a ball with the area.

Pinnacles Desert - Nambung National Park

I really must commend Nambung National Park on their accessibility. Lake Thetis also falls within the park and has level, smooth paths that are wheelchair accessible. At the pinnacles you can take a 1.5km walk and there is also a 4km drive that covers the walk area within it. So you can drive around slowly (the speed limit IS only 10kph) and get right up close to the pinnacles and take loads of photos (which I did) without even leaving your car. There are plenty of areas to pull over though if you do want to get out. Seeing as I was pretty much just passing through (thank God for my all-parks pass, which allows me to take fleeting visits without feeling like I didn't get my money's worth) I just drove the track and headed on my way. Poor Kate was telling me it would take at least another 4 hours to get back to Perth at this rate. Until I passed by Lancelin and returned to roads on her maps, suddenly it was going to take only 1.5 hours to return home. The new road is very nice. Saw one dead black-gloved wallaby – a species that has been almost wiped out in this area due to roadkills resulting from the new highway. Being daytime I didn't see much else, not even an emu. The countryside is beautiful coastal heath, some areas looked like they were covered in trees from a distance, and once I got closer I realised that it was miles and miles of Xanthorrhoea (grasstrees/blackboys/whatever you want to call them). I don't think I've ever seen so many growing so densely before. Some other areas went through Tuart groves – some of the most northerly stands of this tree.

I was getting a little worried that I was going to run out of fuel, but came across the petrol station in Carrabooda just in time and filled back up.

I drove down the coast instead of the freeway to get home. I really am lucky to live so close to such a lovely strip of coastline. All I could think of was all the potential snorkelling spots. :)

I got home by 10 to 5 and was happy to find that Bella hasn't forgotten me and that she was as glad to see me as I was to see her. I had a lovely shower and got dressed to go to a friends housewarming briefly. It was great to not have to worry about getting sandy or sweaty of insect addled again before bed and it was also good to see a few friends. It was soooo good to get back into my bed again.

26/3/2011 (Kalbarri, Port Gregory, Northampton, Dongara, Port Denison, Green Head, Cervantes, Pinnacles Desert, Perth)
Australian Hobby
Australian Raven
Black Swan
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Black-faced Woodswallow
Crested Pigeon
Crested Tern
Galah
Magpie
Magpie Lark
Nankeen Kestrel
Osprey
Pacific Golden Plover
Pacific Gull
Peaceful Dove
Pied Butcherbird
Pied Cormorant
Pied Oystercatcher
Ruddy Turnstone
Senegal Dove
Silver Gull
Silvereye (H)
Singing Honeyeater
Tree Martin
Welcome Swallow
Western Gerygone (H)
White-browed Babbler
White-plumed Honeyeater (H)
White-winged Fairy-wren
Willie Wagtail

See that last day's photos here.