Day 82 Barradale Rest Area, WA

There was no hurry to leave Onslow today as we are only travelling 180km to a free camp area named Barradale.  Our next booked caravan park is at Coral Bay and from Onslow it was almost 500km so we decided to break the journey in two.  As time was on our side this morning we decided to do the walk around Onslow that includes the scenic boardwalk along the oceans edge.  We stopped numerous times to read the interpretive signage along the way and also to photograph some of the lovely wildflowers that have started to make their appearance.  Onslow had more than 400mm of rain during the month of May so it is very green.

We stopped at the Community Garden where we were invited to take whatever we needed.  I picked some basil, rosemary, lemongrass and oregano.  It is a very large area that is well utilised by the local community.  There is even a pizza oven sitting beside a covered picnic area that I can imagine would be the perfect spot to be on a cooler night.

The walk is only three kilometres but it is the perfect length for us before we once again pack down the caravan and head further south.  The mountains are becoming rarer as the country flattens out and we are now officially in the Gascoyne area of Western Australia. Nanutarra Roadhouse on the Ashburton River was our fuel stop as there was no more fuel for 260km (or so the sign said).  We hit the jackpot for fuel prices at this roadhouse paying a whopping $2.70 per litre for diesel.  And we thought that $2.52 at Onslow was expensive......

We are still heading south along the North West Coastal Highway and it is just off this highway that we are camped for the night at the Barradale Rest Area.  Philip went for a walk and at 4.00pm there were 30 caravans pulled up for the night.  It is a large area with plenty of room to spread out.  Apart from making our journey shorter tomorrow, we also needed to let the batteries in our caravan run down and to make that solar panel do its thing.  This is the first time since Adels Grove that we have used battery power.  

Funny story.  Ever since we have started this journey Philip has continued to regret letting our solar blanket go with the sale of our slide-on camper.  He has been on the look out for a replacement at everyplace we have been to on this journey.  When we were in Onslow we walked into a shop that was almost from another era, like the old haberdashery store. It sold bits and bods of everything imaginable.  I was looking for an extra lead for my phone (that I found) but Philip made the biggest find of his life when he picked up the exact solar blanket that he wanted AANNNDDD, it was reduced to half price! It could only happen at Onslow.

Day 81 Onslow, WA

 No getting out of bed early this morning.  It was quite cool with strong winds so I snuggled down and was happy for Philip to bring me coffee in bed while I caught up on the news.

We decided to do a bit of a drive around the area today.  We were given a decent map of the local area when we checked into the caravan park so that would be our guide for today. First of all I wanted to photograph some of the termite mounds and we knew there was a viewing area along the highway.  We drove, and drove a bit more, but do you think we could find the place.  Not on your nelly, but it was a fortuitous drive because we saw the sign pointing towards Old Onslow Townsite with the "road closed" sign now saying "road open", so we turned down that road.

It's around 30km from the main road into the Old Town and the road went quickly from bitumen to gravel and then to the red sandy soil that we have seen so much of.  We stopped for a comfort stop and a little two wheel drive vehicle drove past us at a great speed.  That was a good thing, we thought.  At least we know the road is indeed open.  But the road started to deteriorate with lots of wet boggy areas.  We navigated them quite easily in our four wheel drive but the little two wheel car, not so well.  They, for god only knows what reason, came to a wet patch and decided to head into the table drain!!  Stupid!!  They were well and truly bogged.  Beside me I could hear Philip sigh.  He mumbled that he thought his mud sloshing days were behind him.  The gentleman in the bogged car was very relieved to see us and our 'snatchum strap". It was a bit more of an effort to pull them out of the table drain than anyone anticipated and at one stage I thought we might also become a victim of the mud, but my husband is a bushy through and through and managed to get them out of their predicament.  They thanked us profusely and even wound up our (by this stage) very muddy strap.  They then turned back the way they came, but we proceeded.

There is not much left of the Old Onslow Town, really just the Police Station and Lock-Up.  Although we had a map of the township, all that is left of the buildings is a few stumps.  We tried to get out to the old jetty but that road was really, really boggy so we turned around. Was the drive worth it?  Probably not and considering that Philip spent a good hour washing the vehicle when we returned to Onslow, definitely not.  

Just in case a prisoner decided to climb the wall to escape, the glass at the top would certainly have stopped him.

Our journey then took us to the Wheatstone and Macedon LNG plants.  There are locked gates into both plants so you cannot get too close to the projects but they really are large plants, particularly Wheatstone.

This photo is to show you just how green the country is at the moment.  Normally the grass would be brown and dry.  How lucky we are to see it like this.

The last part of our drive took us along Seaview Drive towards Four Mile Creek.  The road follows the coastline and from here you get a very good look at the Salt Mine and at the end of the road you get quite close to the Wheatstone LNG project that is across the river.  

We drove for around four hours so the pot roast that I had left to cook in the little slow cooker while we were away was perfect by the time we arrived home.  A quick chop of some vegetables went into the oven and a few steamed greens on the side and we had a very tasty lunch. It is our last night in Onslow so we are going to walk down to the Beach Club for sundowners this evening.  The Beach Club sits right on the beach so it will be a perfect way to say goodbye to Onslow.

ps

I have been trying to get us on this really great Safari Tour from Exmouth that takes us to the tip of the Cape Range National Park to North West Cape.  It is fully booked until the end of August.  I asked to go on a wait list in case there were any cancellations and lo and behold, when we arrived back from our drive today there was an email to say that they have had a cancellation and we are on! Just to make the story a little more interesting, the man that we pulled out of the bog today was a priest. As we went our separate ways he "blessed us".  Philip seems to think his blessing got us that booking 😂

Day 80 Onslow, WA

I was up at the crack of dawn (well.... 6.30am) to get the perfect sunrise photo from beneath the large arch situated in the town park that has been placed strategically for just that reason.  No need to get dressed as I will probably be the only person there, I thought, so I pulled on my Ugg boots, donned a cap and threw a jacket over my pj's and walked the very short distance to the arch.  As I rounded the corner, there in front of me were about 20 people, all eyes looking in my direction, and all there for the same reason.  Too late to turn around, I just put me head down and walked over to where everybody was waiting for the sun to rise.  I buried my head in my phone and just hoped no-one would start a conversation with me.  Lesson learnt. Always get dressed......

"Hidden Treasures Onslow Tour" was on the agenda this morning and we were asked to meet outside the Information Centre at 9.00am.  Our tour guide greeted us all and showed us to the little mini bus that would take us for a tour around Onslow.  The first stop was at the harbour where a great deal of construction was underway to build a new, state of the art, boat ramp and jetty as Stage 1 and Stage 11 will  include a small marina.  It is being funded by both Local and State Governments as well as a large amount of funding from the  Wheatstone Gas Project.  One thing we do know, after having BHP in our shire when we were living in Julia Creek, is that if you have any major industry, mining or otherwise, in your Local Shire they will always support the community ventures.

Next stop was Neil and Judy Baker's Shell Collection.  Sadly Neil Baker passed away earlier this year but he has left a legacy of his magnificent seashell collection for the general public to enjoy. He collected shells for more than 60 years and his collection includes thousands of specimens.  The most valuable shell is a pure white shell that is worth many tens of thousands of dollars. They are very rare.  

Back on the bus and our tour guide drove us out to the lookout where we had a birds eye view of the Onslow Salt production facility. After seeing salt mines at Port Hedland, Karratha and now Onslow we have a handle on how the salt is produced but it is a bit too detailed to try and explain.  You may recall me saying yesterday that we passed what looked like a large lake at the entrance to Onslow.  Now we know that it does indeed form part of the Onslow Salt Plant.  The salt field at Onslow encompasses an area of 220 sq kilometres of which 87 sq kilometres are occupied by operational ponds. The majority of the salt from here is shipped to South East Asia where it is predominantly used in the chemical industry. We could see the giant Wheatstone Gas Project in the distance but our tour today did not take us to this area.  You cannot get too close to Wheatstone but tomorrow we will see how close we can get.  

Our driver turned the bus back towards Onslow and we pulled up outside the quaint Little Church of Saint Nicholas. The church was built in 1928 at a cost of six hundred and five pounds.  It started its life as an Anglican Church but has now become multi denominational.  Sadly the building fell into disrepair and with every step forward there was a step backward.  Enter Cape-Australia who were working at Wheatstones Chevron plant, who came onboard and renewed all the verandahs and installed a ramp.  It was an amazing feat carried out by these workers and it was considered by the townsfolk as somewhat of a miracle!

The last stop on our tour was at the Cartoon Tank. During 1942/43 four concrete tanks were constructed by an army Corps knows as the Allied Works Council. Their purpose was to hold oil for the bunkering of light warships during the war.  After the war the tanks were sold to Shell Australia who used the tanks for Aviation Spirit. By the late 1970's the tanks were abandoned and Hayden Stein and his partner Robyn along with their three small children lived in one of the tanks.  Yes.....I know.....whyyyy????  The echo inside this tank is so loud and even a whisper sounds like a shout. The family would have to have almost lived in silence!

Anyway, whilst living in the tank Robyn covered the walls with cartoon characters for the children.  The special crayon was from Germany with Robyn had imported through one of the local shops.  The family have now left the area by Robyns remarkable drawings live on.  

The tour was excellent value  for money ($20/person) and we once again learnt a lot of things about Onslow that we would not have known if we hadn't taken the tour.  Tomorrow we are going driving.  I really want to get some photographs of those incredible termite mounds and I also want to see the mile long salt jetty that is under floodlight at night.  Stay tuned.

 

Day 79 Onslow, WA

Onslow! What a hidden gem!  With having to book quite a few weeks in advance of our stays, research has been the name of the game. When it came to Onslow, I didn't do any research at all as it was simply a place on the map that was around about halfway between Karratha and Coral Bay.  When we were in Karratha I finally looked into what we could see and do in Onslow but couldn't find much of interest at all.  We were originally booked in for four nights at the Onslow Ocean View Caravan Park but I suggested to Philip that we cut it back to three nights as four might be too many.  My mistake 😩

As we left Karratha this morning it was another chilly one and I was glad for my purchases yesterday.  I have a feeling that this is going to be the norm from here on in.  Cool mornings but glorious days.  Our drive to Onslow is 307km, the perfect driving distance for us, that will get us to Onslow around 1.00pm in time for lunch.  

The scenery today is much the same as it was from Port Kembla to Karratha.  It is still so incredibly green from all the rain that they have had in the area and the wildflowers are making an early appearance.  The biggest difference on our drive today was the lack of trucks carrying iron ore.  The last iron ore mine that we see on our journey south, is Red Hill Mine near Pannawonica, 100km south of Karratha.  We are heading out of the Pilbara area of Western Australia and will soon be entering the Gascoyne Area.  It's well named because there is a lot of LNG plants in this area.

We reach the Onslow turnoff around 200km from Karratha.  I said to Philip it might only be a minor road so we had better keep our eyes peeled.  Our first misconception.  We turn on to what can only be described as a first class highway.  No money has been spared on this 90km stretch of road.  We hardly see another vehicle let alone trucks but there are passing lanes along this highway!  The road is not on our vehicle GPS map so we can only presume it is relatively new, but I won't trust that our GPS is up to date.

They call this the Termite Way and there are literally thousands of termite mounds as far as the eye can see in both directions.  They are the weirdest shape with their bulbous shape but each mound has a small dome shape formed on the top, a bit like a top hat.  We will have to ask someone why this is so.  It's something we have not seen before.  A bit of useless information.  Worker and Soldier termites live approximately 1-2 years but the Queen termite may survive for over a decade under optimal conditions.  Yay for the women!!

As we near Onslow we are becoming more and more surprised.  There is a large lake on the outskirts of town and we can only guess it has something to do with the Salt Mine that has been established in the area.  But, once again we will ask a local tomorrow.  The town is lovely.  It is small with just one Main Street but it is lined with trees and flowering bougainvillea all resplendent after the rain.  We find our caravan park easily as it is right at the end of the street.  We are greeted by the friendliest husband and wife team who point us in the direction of our site - right on the beach!  It certainly pays to book in advance.

View from our caravan window

The dog patrol

After we set up camp and ate a light lunch we made our way down the Main Street to the information centre so that we could book ourselves on the bus tour tomorrow that takes us around the town. We are very interested in the history of the town and who better to give the information than a local tour guide.  What we do know is that Onslow was a sleepy little beach side town up until 2011 when the Wheatstone LNG project was established.  It is a massive project situated just a few kilometres from Onslow.  Hopefully, I will be able to tell you more about it after our tour tomorrow.

Day 78 Karratha, WA

It's certainly a lot cooler here in the past couple of days with the wind giving that extra chill factor.  But by midday the wind has dropped and the temperatures have soared to around 30 degrees.  Layered clothing is the key.  Speaking of clothing, I didn't bring much in the way of winter clothes just my puffer jacket that is  certainly not needed yet and my trusty denim jacket.  So I suggested to Philip that we take the short drive to Karratha's shopping centre for a bit of retail therapy.

But first I wanted to wander the streets.  I really like Karratha.  It is trendy but not overstated.  The landscaping around the town gives it an almost tropical feel with its frangipani trees that flower year round, spider lilies, and birds of paradise.  The outdoor eating areas look very inviting with wine and tapas bars and quite a few restaurants with a variety of cuisines. The buildings in the city area are also visually attractive and blend in beautifully with the surrounds.  

The streets are not busy but the Karratha Shopping Centre carpark was near capacity.  I walked past this sign on the back of vehicle on the way to the entrance of the shopping centre.  Wanted. Grey Nomad woman with her own everything.......

Once inside the shopping centre it felt like any other.  The same shops seems to be in every shopping centre.  K-Mart, Coles, Woolworths, Just Jeans, Chemist Shop and Reject Shop.  I wandered into K-Mart first and picked up a pair of winter pjs, and one light sweater and another slightly heavier all for the princely sum of $37.  I love that about K-Mart.  The price on the tag is always cheaper at the check-out 😜.

While I was shopping Philip had coffee at Jamaica Blue.  We had walked by Lo's Coffee Shop on our walking tour that is apparently the best coffee in Karratha but it was a bit too early for coffee so we said we would go back later and then completely forgot to go back!

After the retail therapy it was a trip to IGA for a few items that turned into many items.  It was one of the best IGA's I have ever had the pleasure to visit.  It was neat and tidy and the vegetable display was above and beyond any other.  I wish I had thought to get a photograph. I saw someone packing some of the vegetables into a compartment and asked if he was the manager.  He said he was and I congratulated him on his shop.  I think I might have made his day but he deserved a pat on the back.

We had quite a late lunch of Spaghetti Agile E Olio that is simply Angel Hair Pasta, Fresh Toasted Breadcrumbs, Onion, Garlic, Chilli Flakes, Parsley, Thyme, Parmesan, Lemon Zest and Juice tossed together with lots of olive oil.  It has to be my favourite pasta.

So this is our last day in Karratha and tomorrow we once again pack the van and continue heading in a southerly direction to the coastal town of Onslow.  It is just over 300 km so we should arrive just after lunch.  

Day 77 Karratha, WA

Philip was up and out the door by 6.45 am to take the Toyota for its service.  He elected to stay in the courtesy lounge while the service was carried out and he was back home again by 9.30 am.  The car was returned all sparkly and clean that was an added bonus.  It was also one of the cheapest services we have had for a long time!  Win!

While hubby was out I stayed in bed and rang a few friends that I hadn't spoken to for awhile and it was great to catch up on all the news from the East coast.  I then washed all the bedding, completed a yoga practice and then some stretching exercises for neck and back.  The morning raced away.  I threw together a really delicious Asian Style Noodle Salad for our lunch that was both healthy and filling.  Too filling.  The recipe was supposed to serve four but we managed to polish the whole lot off!  Of course I have been paying for it ever since 😩

Aboriginal Rock Art at Murujuga National Park was on the agenda this afternoon. It is here that you can see the world's largest concentration of rock art dating back more than 30,000 years, and stretches out along the rocky hills of the Burrup Peninsular at a place called Deep Gorge. It was suggested to wait until later in the day to really be able to spot the hundreds of engravings including fish, goannas, turtles, osprey, kangaroos and even a Tasmanian tiger (that we couldn't find). 

There are two boardwalks, covering around 700m, that take you to the best of the art.  All the art is well sign-posted to give you the best opportunity to spot the art.  We have seen a lot of Aboriginal Rock Art during our time in the top end of Australia. (Philip likens it to castles in Ireland - another bloody castle😞) but it is the concentration of art in this area that makes it stand out.  There is a waterhole nearby that made it the perfect spot for the aboriginals to set up camp and then to entertain themselves they would etch/pound/carve their artwork into the nearby rocks.

We thoroughly enjoyed this walk and can understand why it gets five stars on all the touristy websites.  It is only a twenty minute drive from Karratha and very easy walking to reach the artwork.  

Artwork of a different kind on the road leading back to town

Day 76 Karratha, WA

Dampier and the Burrup Peninsula are just a stones throw from Karratha and yet they couldn't be more different.  Certainly the vegetation surrounding the two areas is the same with lots of red rocky outcrops but Dampier and the Burrup Peninsula are the industrial hubs whereas Karratha is the residential and business area.  

Rio Tinto has a major stake in the area and has built all the infrastructure to bring Iron Ore in from its operation at Mount Tom Price. Construction began in 1965 and in 1966 it sent its first shipment of 52,000 tonnes of iron ore to Japan.  

In 1984 the Woodside owned Karratha Gas Plant commenced its operation of supplying gas into the domestic market.  The company shipped it's first consignment of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) to the Asian Market in 1989. It also produces LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) to be sold worldwide into the international energy markets.  There is a terrific, award winning, visitors centre here at Burrup that overlooks the whole operation but as I suspected the gate is locked and there is a sign saying it is not opening for 2022.  That was disappointing but not unexpected.

The other big player in the area is Rio Tinto's Salt operation.  It is massive and the ponds cover an area of 10,014 hectares or almost 25,000 acres.  They harvest 4.2 million tonnes per year and it takes 67 tonnes of seawater to yield 1 tonne of salt.  They are hard figures to get your head around!  Sixty percent of the salt is used in chemical industries and just twenty percent is used for human consumption.  

We particularly enjoyed walking along the esplanade at Dampier that is is green and inviting.  There were lots of families setting up for a picnic lunch and some were even braving the cold water.  There is a great caravan park perfectly situated at the end of the esplanade and overlooking the harbour (transit only with maximum 3 night stay) and we stopped to see if we could have a night there but it is fully booked until the end of July.  **sigh***

We found the road to the Dampier Lookout where there was yet another "red dog" memorial. He certainly was a popular and renowned dog.  This is about the tenth memorial we have seen over the past week 😂.  Philip was excited to show me the red flower that he spotted at Point Samson (and couldn't find again to show me).  It is the Sturt Desert Pea.  A most beautiful flower indeed.  Good spotting hubby!

The day was warming up as it was nearing midday so we didn't get to Murujuga National Park where there is some ancient rock art but we will return to the area on Tuesday.  There is so much more to see and do at Karratha than we expected and I'm very pleased we allowed the extra nights.  Tomorrow morning we have the Toyota booked in for a 7am service so we probably won't do much more than a small grocery shop and perhaps a walk around the city centre. After 76 days on the road we are well and truly sick of the small amount of clothes that we brought with us so maybe it's time to visit St. Vinnys and K-Mart 😜

Day 75, Karratha, WA

Today was the shortest distance we have driven between two destinations.  It was just over 50k between Point Samson and Karratha.  We tried to leave it as late as possible to check out of Point Samson and when we reached Karratha we stopped at the Information Centre to pick up some brochures and chat to the staff.  We tried to dawdle as much as we could but we still arrived at Discovery Parks at 11.00am.  We were very lucky that the staff at the check-in counter were extremely pleasant and allowed us onto our site at the earlier time.  Some caravan parks make you wait.

This afternoon we drove around Karratha to try and get our bearings but it is a very easy town to navigate.  It is, surprisingly, much larger than I imagined and driving past the high rise buildings with their outdoor restaurants would not look out of place in any one of the capital cities.  There is an arts centre that has striking architecture and I can't wait to explore inside.  It houses the city library that always has a wealth of local history.

After the city centre we drove the short distance to the towns lookout and it is here that you get a much bigger picture of the area.  The Port of Dampier and the Burrup Peninsular are less than 20kms away and we intend going there tomorrow.  There is a visitor centre here that overlooks the North West Shelf Natural Gas Project so we are hoping that it will be open.  Sadly we have found that Covid has had a profound effect on a lot of tours in Western Australia with many closing down and not re-opening.