Life in a Humpback

Day 70: Karijini National Park (Day 1)

Today we walked a small walk down lots of stairs through Weano Gorge that got us to the Handrail Pool. We held onto a handrail with both hands and climbed down rocks bolted to the wall. At the pool we swam to the end of where we could go. It was FREEZING COLD. Then we went to Oxer Lookout. Then we had lunch. Then we went to Hancock Gorge where we swam and walked to the end. We also found a water slide that was made out of rocks in a narrow part of the gorge. While we were walking Hancock Gorge we met some friends that we made at Pender Bay (Max and James).

After the walk we went back to camp and we made a teepee fort with Max and James out of big sticks.

Day 69: Karijini Free Camp to Karijini National Park

Today started with a beautiful sunrise over the hills of Karijini National Park. Once we packed up camp we headed to the visitors centre in the park to get our maps and some suggestions of what order to do all the gorge walks in. We then drove out to our campsite at Dales Gorge.

Once we had set up camp we walked out to the Circular Pool Lookout. We then continued along the rim of Dales Gorge before descending the 300 stairs to Fortescue Falls. From the falls we walked up the gorge (past a tree full of bats) to Fern Pool for a look, and regretted not bringing our swimmers. We then walked back down the gorge until just before Circular Pool, where we climbed back up out of the gorge and made our way home to camp. All up our hike was around 8km - a bit longer than we were expecting but a great introduction to the gorges of the park.

Back at camp for the night, Olivia sat down with Dad to teach him how to crochet so they could make matching axolotls.

Day 68: De Grey River Rest Area to Karijini Free Camp

This morning we drove the last 80km into Port Hedland to pick up some groceries and have a look around town. It was very interesting to see all of the mining transport infrastructure. There were large hills of salt bring loaded onto road trains, and iron ore being moved by very long trains (over 250 carriages per train) and ships.

Once we had our fill of the sites of Port Hedland we drove inland once again towards Karijini National Park. Soon after leaving the coastal highway we started gaining elevation and found ourselves back in the red rock hills covered in spinifex and gum trees. We also passed more road trains today than we have in the whole trip, the majority of which were filled with iron ore.

Just before getting into camp we stopped at the Albert Tognolini Lookout for a view over Karijini Range and down onto the road cut that we drove through. From the lookout we could watch the road trains coming and going.

A bit before sunset we found the Karijini Free Camp site just outside the national park. Here we drove up the hill and found a great spot for the night under some gum trees in amongst the spinifex. It was the first cool evening we had had in ages. In fact we think today was the first day that it did not get to 30 degrees since we left Mataranka. We all enjoyed the cooler evening around the campfire.

Day 67: Broome to De Grey River Rest Area

Today we left Broome for the last time, heading south along the West Australian coast. We drove 540km passing:

• a very large herd of cattle (1000+)
• fields covered in purple mulla mulla
• several brula birds along the side of the road out of Broome
• a road train that was carrying a big mining dump truck
• some pretty funky roadhouses at Sandfire and Pardoo
• a nice lunch spot at Stanley Rest Area
• and our first sunset in ages that had clouds

All before pulling into the De Grey River Rest Area just before sunset. This was another great free camp along the river, with lots of space for all the caravans to spread out. Only complaint about this site was the overwhelming number of little bugs that kept getting through our fly screens tonight. The only way we were able to combat them was to have all the lights off (even John gave up trying to fight them and went to sleep early).

Day 66: Broome (Day 4)

Today we headed out to the Broome Bird Observatory on Roebuck Bay. I think the kids favourite part of the day was hanging out in the observatory discovery centre trying to see how many wing flaps they could do in 60 seconds (to determine the distance they could fly). John held the family record of just shy of 3000m where as the kids are I couldn't break the 2000m mark. Once we all had sore arms we went for a walk along the Pindan Trail and over to the view point out onto to Roebuck Bay. Along the way we saw lots birds, two small snakes, a bower bird nest, a few blue tongue lizards and a large python under one of the buildings.

Back in Broome we had one last look around Chinatown and Town Jetty before calling it a day.

Day 65: Broome (Day 3)

I got up early today and went for my first run of the trip from Chinatown to Town Jetty and back. I figured that since today marks our halfway point on our trip I guess I should start getting fit for touch when I get back in two months!

We marked this milestone with a relaxing day around Broome. Finished off the day watching the sunset at Cable Beach one more time and then heading to the Town Jetty Thursday markets for dinner.

Day 64: Pender Bay to Broome

Today we said goodbye to our beautiful seaside campsite with one last sunrise and walk along the beach. We then travelled back into Broome to the same caravan park as last time (Broome Caravan Park). After setting up camp Theo and I headed to the doctor to get the bit of shell out his foot. Afterwards we went to Spinifex Brewery for dinner, where Theo polished off a rather large chicken parmy.

Day 63: Pender Bay (Day 3)

Today the other three families packed up and headed off to their next camps while we were staying for another night. The three families that were next to each other were all up for sunrise together. For the first time we saw lots of humpback whales in the distance (until now it has only been one or two a day). Several of them were breaching and tail slapping. They were still pretty far from the shore but with binoculars we could see them playing. Closer to shore Olivia was the first to spot the two dolphins swimming along the shore below camp. What a big marine wildlife morning to see our new friends off.

After all the excitement, the kids all squished in as much play as they could before everyone left camp around 10:00am. It was then very quiet. I went for a walk down the beach that was now littered with jelly fish that had washed up the previous night. Later in the afternoon John and the kids went for a snorkel. While snorkelling, Theo got closer to a jelly fish then he was comfortable with so he decided to get out of the water. While making his way to shore he stepped on a rock covered in sharp shells, cutting his heel, and leaving a bit of shell in his foot. We tried to get it out but had no luck. As we were travelling back to Broome the following day we decided to just wrapped it up and take a trip to the doctors back in town.

Since it was our last night at Pender Bay we had a campfire to use up our remaining firewood that we had been lugging around since Litchfield National Park.

Day 62: Pender Bay (Day 2)

Today the kids had another day hanging with the three other families. They spent a bit more time on the beach, but also roamed between campsites playing everyone's card and board games in the shade of the various caravan awnings.

Later in the afternoon the kids had a game of beach cricket follow by more playing in the sand. This time they made a big pizza. With eight slices that each individual got to decorate. It was very cool to see all the different styles and amount of details that went into each slice.

After dinner we hosted part 2 of Ratatouille with all eight kids watching this time, before heading to bed. Again the fires could still be seen burning along the northern coast.

Day 61: Pender Bay (Day 1)

I told the kids the previous night that they were not allowed to get up and play until the sun was fully up and they had had breakfast. I forgot that they would take this as a challenge rather than boundary setting. So when I got up to watch the sunrise over the ocean Theo was up with me waiting for Arlo (from the neighbouring camp site) to have breakfast so that they could both head back and continue adding to their hermit crab world. It wasn't long before Olivia and Arlo's brother Henry also joined in. A bit later in the morning James and Max also joined the construction crew.

Once again the kids were down there for most of the day. Only coming back to camp when asked to put on sunscreen, eat snacks, and fill water bottles. Although we did drag them away from their creation for a swim at low tide off the northern beach.

John and I spent most of the day going for a walk along the beach, looking for humpback whales, catching up on reading, sorting through photos, and writing blog posts 🙂.

In the evening we had a movie night at our caravan for the kids to watch Ratatouille. We had 7 kids crowded around our little TV screen. We started pretty late, so they only got through part of the movie, with the promise to finish it the next night.