Monkey Mia To Carnarvon

30/4/12 Total 9879km, for day 387km
Monkey Mia, Overland  Roadhouse, Carnavon

It was down the beach at 7.30 in time to see the wild  bottlenose dolphins.  Had enough time to get a coffee and something to eat before they came.  Then they came in, up to 24 dolphins swimming up and down the beach.  All the people staying at Monkey Mia were making their way to the board walk where we had to wait before we could go down to the water.  They have very strict controls over the feeding and interaction of the dolphins.  We were then allowed to form a line along the beach then move, in our line into the water.  Some of the dolphins came right in front of us swimming up and down the line of people.  4 people were picked from the crowd to hand feed the dolphins fish.


Monkey Mia is a reserve at the eastern shore of Peron Peninsula about 23 km from the town of Denham.   The dolphins have been visiting the shore since the 1960's when a local nature lover began feeding them after they followed her husbands fishing boat to the shore.  Riding into this area there is so remote, there's no power lines coming in from thhe main road, but when you get to Denham they have their own wind farm and solar power generators.


Called into Eagle Bluff on the way out, the water is so clear you could see the sharks and stingrays swimming the the water. The dugongs  can be seen during summer when they come in close to shore to feed on the massive sea grass meadows in the Shark Bay area.


Then we stopped at Ocean Park which is an aquarium where they do shark feeding.  Oceanpark is home to some of the region’s most diverse and dangerous residents including the infamous stone fish, puffer fish and turtles, lemon shark, black tip sharks, sand sharks and many more.


This area of Shark Bay is a World Heritage Area and covers an area of 2.2  million hectares of land and sea.  


Back out on the North Western Highway we headed for Carnarvon.  As we head north the whole of the environment changes to hotter drier regions, redder earth, .some of it flatter just scrubby plants and cattle stations.  Most of the cattle we saw were grazing on the green verges of the roadsides.


Carnarvon has a One Mile Jetty, which we walked out onto which was built in 1897 to bring in supplies from Perth and for the export of livestock and wool from the region.  Sheep and cattle were driven over land from the pastoral hinterland and loaded via a race that ran the length of the jetty.


Carnavon Best Western $145

Eagle Bluff

Eagle Island-used to mine guano from here

Has the largest area of seas grass growing in Shark Bay

Carnarvon One Mile Jetty

Kalbarri to Monkey Mia

Sunday 29 April 2012 - Total 9492km, for day 436km

Back tracked a bit this morning to to look at Kalbarri's Bluffs and Gorges along the coast with magnificent towering cliffs that plummet to the waves below, Visited Rainbow Jungle, Australia's largest free flight aviary, with tropical gardens and home to hundreds of beautiful coloured birds.

Left Kalabrri ad headed back to the North Western Highway to head to Denham and Monkey Mia. Arrived at Monkey Mia not too long before dark. Along the road in a couple of silly emus decided to walk out in front of us lucky they walked straight across the road. Then there was another one that ran away and then and kept looking back where it had been.  Cost $8 each to enter the Monkey Mia Reserve.
Accommodation at Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort $94 with shared bathroom with one other room (but no one was in it)

Bluffs - Kalbarri

Pot Alley - Kalbarri

Gang Gang Cockatoos

White Tailed Cockatoos

Macaws

White Tailed  Cockatoos

Alexanderine

Kalbarri

Cervantes to Kalbarri

28/4/12 Total 9056km for day 386km
Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Geraldton, Northhampton, Kalbarri


Not  a big day today but ended up in the pouring rain.  It had been spitting and tempting rain for a long time, you could see all the clouds and rain all around and it caught us out on the Kalibarri Coast road.  Could hardly see 5 metres in front of us, so called it quits for the day.


Left Cervantes along the new Indian Ocean Drive that has only been there for a year.  I think it is big for the little towns along the coast as it makes them more accessible for weekend travel from Perth.  The main industry for Cervantes is fishing and of course tourism with the Pinnacles being so close.


Stopped off for breakfast at Geraldton, but breakfast was off the menu by that time at the cafe we stopped at so had lunch instead.   We visited the museum in Geraldton, which showed some of the history of settlement, rock lobster fishing is the main industry with the fishermen having their own co-operative to process and export the product to America, Japan, Taiwan etc.  Grain farming, sheep and cattle are also big in this region.


Geraldton offers pristine beaches that have become a mecca for windsurfers, kitesurfers and other aquatic lovers. With the Chapman Valley to the north, the Moresby ranges to the east and the Greenough River to the south, the city is uniquely framed.


From Northampton we took the coastal route to Kalibarri, not that we actually saw much coastline.  It had started to spit when we left Geraldton but was still very hot.  Wow then it poured, we could  hardly see 5 metres in front of us at times for about 50-60km.  Then through the pouring rain I saw a pink lake and some factory there.  Found out that they make perfume there.  You could smell it as you went passed, they also make beta-carotene from the algae in the lake.  Stopped for the night in Kalbarri.  When we went for dinner the rain pouted down again, it came in through the roof and down the walls, they had not had rain since last November.  We later heard that they had 50ml in two hours.


Met up with a guy on a 650 VStrom that is doing the same as us, he started from Melbourne, so I guess we will catch up with him along the way.


Kalibarri is at the mouth of the Murchison River is  popular for fishing and tourism


There is a parrot jungle (breeding place) here so might go and check that out in the morning.


Motel at Kalbarri Hotel $120


The rain cloud passing over



Was just heading  out this way when it started pouring again

On the Road Again

27/4/12 Total 8670km - 391km for day
Yanchep National Park, Wanaroo, Lancelin, The Pinnacles, Cervanties

This morning headed back into Mack 1 Motorcycles at Wangara to get our tyres fitted. All went according to plan here, the tyres had arrived and they were ready to fit them. Yesterday I had also gone and got a new Telstra sim card and a Telstra pocket wifi as the vodafone ones I had got weren't working in the smaller places as a consequence got behind in posting the blog. Got them to activate them so should be set to go. Well the pocket wifi wouldn't connect. Spent about an hour on the phone while at the bike shop trying to sort the technical problem,in the end she thought I should go back to the shop that I had bought it from. After the tyres were fitted headed back to the telstra shop. Well they gave us another one but put another wim card in it, then they couldn't get it working, so then had to go to another Telstra place for them to sort it, was in the end a very simple thing that they hadn't done, like putting in an unlocking pin. Wow now have it sorted and it is working great, so getting everything up to date.

It was pretty late in the afternoon by the time we got going again. Went into Lancelin for a quick look. We had been here before about 6 years ago and did a quad ride in the white sand dunes.

Rode into the desert pinnacles in the Nambung National Park then to stop the night at Cervanties.  


Cervanties Holiday Home - $110

Lancelin

At The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

Yanchep National Park-Wanaroo

26/4/12

Not gone too far at all today. Left Yanchep National Park and went back to Wannaroo to find a motorbike shop to get some new tyres. A bit of information from that person and some from this person we finally found a Kawasaki Shop, got the tyres ordered but have to wait till tomorrow. Headed back to Yanchep, had a drive around the sea area developments, Two Rocks and checked in again at Yanchep Inn in the National Park. Had a walk around there and saw Koalas in their trees, and had a walk around a wetland area that is not too wet at the moment because some area further down the line has been taking too much water. As we got back to the Inn all the kangaroos were coming in from the trees onto the front lawn of the Inn. There are just so many parrots in the trees around here black cockatoos, galahs,

parrot eating lavender flowers

kangaroos coming in just on dark

Yanchep Inn

Two Rocks (or one of them)

The other rock

Neptune

Nannup to Yanchep National park

25/4/12- Total 8279km - for day  587km
Nannup, Augusta, Margaret River, Busstleton, Freemantle, Perth, Yanchep National Park

Anzac Day-Lest We Forget

Left early from Nannup to head to Augusta. As it was so early, the wildlife were still out on the road. Just after leaving Nannup there were a couple of emus on the side of the road, as Scott rode passed they pannicked and ran up the rode, then as I came passed they decided to change direction and run straight in front of me, lucky I was watching out for them. Was keeping a good eye out for kangaroos, then one decided to bound out straight after Scott went passed in between us, scary dam things. Somewhere along this eucalypt forest was parked a road train tanker, be blowed if I could see any dairy farms anywhere. Anything that looked like farm land was really dry baron ground. Filled up with fuel just before Augusta and a guy there who was going fishing reckon that the emus are wired up wrong, they will come straight at you and even attack you front wards. Took a photo opportunity at the River mouth and the sea. So many beautiful parrots flying around in this area. Big green ones with black heads.

From Augusta we headed north on the Caves roads, as recommended by the biker we met in Denmark. Many caves along this road, we had been to the Ngiligi caves about 6 years ago so didn't go into any. Lovely road through the eucalyptus forest smelling the scent of the trees, and the occasional dead thing, fermenting grapes. Looped into Margaret River where we stopped for breakfast then back out onto the Caves Road, where by this time we were getting into vineyard territory. Headed right up to Dunsborough then into Bussleton where we stopped and looked at the really long jetty they have there. Found a car wash where we gave the bikes a spruce up, many days of road grime, cow shit amazingly, bugs etc.

Then we headed up the freeway toward Perth, where we headed into Freemantle, Scott was keen to get a glimpse of the American Aircraft carrier, but it was way out in the bay, and it was so hectic in there that we decided to get out. Couldn't easily find accommodation either so headed north. Got off the freeway in Junaloop and ask some people in a pharmacy if they knew of any accommodation. The only one they knew of in the area was the Golf Resort and thought be blowed if we want to stay there. So back out on to the road, was getting dark by now, couldn't find the right areas. So went to McDonalds in Wannaroo, got a book out that I had got back at one of the other motels and found a place that was a bit further north, rang them secured a room, it was not easily found either in the dark in the middle of a National Park, but we got there and got a bed for the night.

Anzac Day at Yanchep

Augusta River mouth and sea

Busstleton

Leeuwin Naturalite National Park

Jerramungup to Nannup

24/4/12, Total 7692km - for day 496km
Jerramungup, Albany, Denmark, Walople, Pemberton, Nannup

Left Jerramungup about 7.00am, we up with the birds because in Western Australia it is 4 hours behind New Zealand time. Was pretty cold this morning so it was on with all the gear to keep warm. Got into Albany for breakfast, had a look around and took some photos and then  called into the Kawasaki shop to find a part for Scott's helmet, they had something to put it back together. Then a farmer from back where we had come this morning called into the bike shop and was happy to tell us about his methods of farming, cropping etc. Most of the area on the way to Albany it cropping farms but they also run Beef and sheep. Overseas buyers are also coming into Australia with some Arab countries having just bought 3 farms in the area. The biggest threat on the road this morning was the fat little quails that kept flying across in front of us. There were so many different sorts and colours of parrots along this piece of road.

After Albany the scenery changed quite drastically, greener farms, beautiful forestry lined roads. Heading to Denmark where there was the odd dairy farm. Stopped here for a coffee and cake, chatted to a fellow biker that was traveling from Perth for a few days. The roads from Denmark  onto Walpole are towering ancient forests with the famous Tree Top Walk in the unique tingle forest 40 metres in the canopy. We didn't visit this this time as we have been there before and have some great photos.

From Walpole it was through Pemberton where we decided that we could carry on for another hour but the last 20km riding cautiously as the kangaroos were coming out onto the sides of the roads ready to bound across on unsuspecting motorists. Stopped for the night in Nunnup.


Motel Nunnup 110

Albany

Albany

Norseman to Jerramungup

23/4/12  Total 7196km - 580km
Norseman, Esperance, Raventhorpe, Jerramunjup

Had a very cold ride from Norseman to Esperance this morning. Apparently the temperature in Norseman got to 44 degrees in the summer and they had all their air con machines cranked up trying to keep the icecreams etc cool. I think it is unusually cold today.

Riding out of Norseman there was a patch of green but it was mainly one paddock for some horses. A bit of beef and sheep farming but mainly what we saw today was cropping farming, some eucalyptus wood lots, some small blocks of pines. The cropping is huge on very baron dry looking land. Passed a nickel mine, there was also a lithium mine but didn't see that one.

Another thing of interest along the way were vast salt lakes, which are believed to be relics of ancient river systems.

In Esperance we checked out the Kawasaki shop where the good people there allowed us some of their space out of the rain, a couple of oil trays and tools so that we could change the oil and filters. Thanks again.

Esperance was first settled in 1792 when French explorers headed ashore to seek shelter from a storm and named it after their ship L'Esperance, which roughly translate to “hope”. Esperance is famous for its white sandy beaches but also as an ideal spot to exlpore the Recherche Archipelago, 105 islands that surround the coastline.

Left there and headed around their Great Ocean Drive, about 30km round the coast. The rain had stopped by this time. This would have to be the most beautiful ocean and beaches that we have come across so far. Beautiful clear bluest blue water. We carried on from there but later thought that we perhaps should have stayed for the afternoon and the night. It is a place that would be worthy going back to. Talked to a lady when we got to Ravensthorpe and she lives there, she said that even in the summer it is not overcrowded, I guess because it it so far from any where. She had just come back from New Zealand to her son's memorial. At 50 he had died in his sleep. She said to us to enjoy each day as it comes.

There wasn't much happening in Ravensthorpe so decided to carry on for another 100km to Jerramungup where we told there was only a camping ground. Don't think many of these people go far from their own towns, it looks like quite a busy little rural town and has way more than just a campground, actually haven’t seen the camp ground yet. Between Ravensthorpe and Jerramungup is the Fitzgerald National Park which is recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve (a unique area that combines both conservation and sustainable use of natural resources). Ravensthorpe does have something going for it during September they have a Wildflowers Show displaying over seven hundred varieties of flora.


Motel-Jerramunjup. $100

Roundabout in Norseman

Oil change at  at Kawasaki Esperance

Esperance

Pink Lake Esperance

a  stop by the railway on the side of the road

Nullarbor to Norseman

22/4/12 -Total = 6616km,  911km
Nullarbor, Bunda Cliffs, Border Village, (Western Australia), Eucala, Madura, Caiguna, Belladonia, Norseman

Up before the sun was up this morning to get on the road early. First stop was for a photo opportunity at Bunda Cliffs, amazing cliffs that drop straight down to the sea. Little bit cautious about the distances between petrol stops after running out yesterday so have been stopping about every 200km. The first being at Border Village which was also our breakfast stop this morning. They have a quarantine check here as we are now entering Western Australia. Mainly they are concerned about fruit and vegetables and honey, we had none of that as had eaten our mandarin this morning. Must be a headaches checking all the camper vans and caravans as there are so many of them traveling these roads as well as all the road trains.

So now we are into Western Australia which covers one third of the whole area of Australia. The landscape changes all the time from low scrubby grasslands, to shubbery size to beautiful unique eucalyt woodlands. Stopped again at Madura chatted to one of the road train drivers who drives from Perth to Mundrabilla to meet another road train, transporting the mail across Australia. He was actually originally from New Zealand, as quite a lot of people you talk to are. We stopped again at Caiguna and Belladonia, most of these places all that is there is a road house with maybe a motel. From Caiguna is Australia's longest stretch of straight road which goes dead straight for 146.6km, no kidding.

Got into Norseman after having travelled 911km today, had be hoping to hit 1000km but the next stop was another 200km and it was too close to dark. Thought we did pretty well though. Getting hardened to riding longer distances I think.

Norseman, we what can I say, the only thing so far that has impressed is the round about with corrugated iron camels in the centre. The town was established when gold was found in 1894.


Norseman- Great Western Motel $120

Nullarbor Plain

Nullarbor Roadhouse with roadtrains parked up

Watch out for camels, wombats and kangaroos

Sunrise on The Nullarbor

The foliage of the desert

Bunda Cliffs

Our route so far