Life in a Humpback

Day 93: Cervantes to Perth

Today we packed up once again to head into Perth. On the way we stopped at Lancelin to go sand boarding on the white sand dunes. We picked up our rental boards and walked out and up the dunes. After a bit of work on technique we all manged to get a few runs down the dunes. The kids and John even managed a few runs standing up. Once we were all thoroughly covered in sand and our hour was up we headed into town for lunch before continuing to Perth.

In Perth we are stayed at Karrinyup Waters Resort located in the northern suburbs. The resort was the fanciest park we have stayed in yet. There is three pools, several playground, and jumping pillows - including one right across from our campsite. The kids had a swim in the pool, then a play in the playground with the pack of other kids until it was time to go out for dinner in the evening.

Day 92: Cervantes (Day 2)

Today we started the morning visiting another part of Nambung National Park, this time at Lake Thetis. This is another place where stromatolites can be viewed. We went on a walk around the lake including out onto the partially flooded boardwalk to try to see the stromatolites under the water. Unfortunately the wind was creating enough ripples on the surface that we could not see them in the flooded lake. As we continued around the lake we found lots of snails in the grasses and scrubs - some with round shells other with long spiral ones.

Next we drove back north to Jurien Bay to have a look around. We went to an art gallery where the art was viewed under black light to highlight the sun penetrating the water scenes depicted in each art piece. After lunch we went for a walk along the foreshore until the rain and wind drove us back to the car.

Back at our caravan park for the afternoon we played pool and table tennis in the games room before dinner.

Day 91: Cervantes (Day 1)

After some wet days the weather was nicer today, so we spent the morning exploring the art trail in Cervantes. We found metal alien robots, zebras who had crossed a road, a shark playground, and many more. The kids also got a swim in the first heated pool we've encountered since Alice Springs.

In the afternoon we drove south to Nambung National Park to visit the Pinnacles Discovery Centre and to go for a walk through the Pinnacles Desert. Unfortunately the 4km driving loop through the park was closed because of damage to the road from a very wet winter. Instead we walked out into the park. The Pinnacles are columns of rock that stick out of the sand dunes around them. Scientist are still not sure how they were created, but one theory is that they are petrified trees. While walking through we found Pinnacles that has birds nests on them, lots that had holes in them, and a few kangaroos eating dinner as the sun was starting to set.

Once we had a good look around we headed back to the carpark to join our Pinnacles Night Tour. First they sent us back out to the Pinnacles for a look around another section of the park before we circled back to where we were earlier. Then we had a yummy dinner before they pulled out the telescope and we got to look at some of the constellations. The dark skies here made star gazing very easy. Just before we headed home Saturn came high enough above the horizon for us all to have a look through the telescope to see the planet with its rings with our own eyes.

Day 90: Mullewa to Cervantes

This morning I got up early to go for a walk along the Mullewa Bushland Trail. It was still rather wet after the previous nights rain, so some of the everlasting were still closed, but it was a lovely walk through fields of wildflowers. I even found a few native orchids along the way. After the walk I headed back to camp to pick up the kids and drive out to Pindar (a small town to the east of Mullewa) to see the wreath flowers. The wreath flowers, with their ring of blossoms, are plants that people come from all over to see, so there were plenty of signs to help us find them on the side of the road.

Afterwards we drove back to Mullewa to hook up the caravan and head south to Cervantes via Mingenew. Along the way we passed fields of barely, wheat and canola with - of course - wildflowers in between. Once we arrived at the RAC Cervantes Caravan Park the kids went exploring the playground and surrounds before dinner while John and I set up camp.