Welcome back! Always so good to have your participation in my travels!
Hope your past week has been filled with adventure you willingly embraced!
Well, it's my last full week in Western Australia. I safely made the trip to Exmouth, the furthest northern destination I planned for this journey. I also safely made the nine hour drive south from Exmouth to Geraldton as I head towards Perth for my Tuesday evening flight to Bali.
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The blue dot is me in Exmouth - my northern most destination.
I will fly over Exmouth on my way to Bali. |
In all my driving, I've forgotten to mention this one highway sign that is fairly common in the areas I've been driving in. There are always water depth markers (up to 2 m/6 ft) in some highway sections as well. I've taken the following two photos from the web as I opted in favour of my safety and avoided stopping on the highway for a photo op. I was equally blessed with dry weather so I fortunately missed experiencing the flooding first- hand. These signs reminded me of traveling in southern Texas where you'll encounter sections of the highway with flash flood warning signs along with depth markers over 7 feet.
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| Sometimes this sign is plural |
I can also add echidnas (spiny anteaters) and lizards to the list of wildlife to avoid while driving. I successfully avoided both of these animals making their way across the road. I did meet three emus on the road coming in the opposite direction. I also saw a kangaroo hop across the road a short distance in front of me.
I've also missed out on highlighting that the white sand dunes in the lower part of the coast transitioned to red sand dunes starting in the Kalbarri region.
I'm going to miss being in Western Australia. It has an amazing vibe that I can connect with. I can foresee returning to continue exploring during a different time of year (and avoiding school holidays or other busy vacation periods!)
May the universe bring endless blessings to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
This week's focus is keeping good care of your phone. I had a reminder this past week when my camera on my phone stopped working because the phone was too hot.
Travel Maps
Tracking this past week's travel within Western Australia starting in Denham; ending up in Geraldton on which is five hours driving time from Perth.
Western Australia: January 27 - February 22, 2025
I spent four nights in Denham so I have more local info to share than 'normal'. I extended my stay in Denham from two nights to four nights. when I decided to take Carnarvon off of my itinerary as a place to stay.
Welcome to a few stops on the Denham Discovery Trail - The Old Pearler and the Anglican church. Their special significance is being constructed with shell blocks.
Factoid - Denham is the most westerly community in Australia. Something to add to my list of geographical oddities.
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There is a space in the southern sky referred
to as the Rising Emu. |
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A touch of Canada on Australia's
west coast |
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Possibly the only restaurant (The Old Pearler) in the world
made with seashell blocks! |
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| The Old Pearler background info |
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| Anglican church built with seashell blocks |
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| The blocks are made from shells |
Eagle Bluff Lookout is a beautiful spot that is about twenty minutes south of Denham. A steel walkway runs along the cliff edge providing a panoramic view of the bay below and surrounding landscape. If Mother Nature is shining good fortune on you, the water is filled with manta rays, sharks, fish and more. My timing was off so I was limited to seeing a few reef sharks.
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| Reef shark 1 |
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| Reef shark 2 |
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| Such a beautiful place |
Who I met
I've learned in my Western Australia travels that some people like to clean their fish in their motel rooms. Most communities provide fish cleaning tables like the one in the photo below. This table has personal significance as I met Dale and his partner Jade here cleaning their daily catch. In fact, I had a chat with them in three of the four nights I spent in Denham. I learned all about the fish they caught, fishing regulations (any fish over 1 m/3 ft has to be released). They both had caught fish over the regulation length that they had captured on video that they shared with me. Dale, at 32, was taking an extended break (18 months, at this point) from work after being super successful selling caravans. Jade worked as a driver in mining camps. Jade mentioned Covid was a turning point for women in the Western Australia mining industry. The point I left their story was they were now seriously considering buying a house in Denham and moving from their place an hour south of Perth.
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| Public fish cleaning station |
A key reason for traveling to Denham is visiting Monkey Mia where the Parks and Wildlife have a license to feed two dolphins and their offspring three times daily between 7:45 am and noon. The feeding amounts to about 10% of the eight kilos (18 lbs) of a dolphin's daily eating requirements. The limited feeding is to prevent the dolphins from becoming dependent. There was a time, in the absence of regulations, where people from around the world would come to Monkey Mia to hand feed the dolphins. The net impact was a 90% mortality rate for dolphin offspring.
At each feeding, the spectators line up along the beach with their feet in the water - up close and personal. When the feeding is completed, everyone is asked to noisily return to the beach to signal to the dolphins that feeding time is over.
I had an incredible blessing to meet Mary, who happened to be working in the gift shop. The meeting was incredibly coincidental. I was walking through the gift shop just to say thanks for the great experience and a conversation ensued. I also learned through our convo that Mary had come into work on a day off because they were short staffed. She had a magical personal story. She had visited the place 18 years ago and never left. She gave up her job in Brisbane, took a huge pay cut along the way and is one of the happiest people I've every met. She's turning 50 this year with plans to revisit Europe. Mary is a person who leaves you with a feel good feeling. The universe has been extremely benevolent in my journey to date.
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| Always one in the crowd showing off |
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| Dolphin feeding in progress |
Denham to Exmouth
This drive was one of the longer road trips (about seven hours) because of my choice to avoid spending two nights in Carnarvon. Coincidentally, I met a couple sitting on a bench on Denham's foreshore on my last evening in Denham. They had just returned from a snorkeling adventure in Bali and were checking in to see if their sailboat was where they had left it. It was. Our convo omitted me asking any questions about what it was like to live in Carnarvon.
Farewell Denham, for now...
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| And so this day has a magical transition to night |
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Discovered this frame while walking on
the foreshore |
There is only one road in and out of Denham. I drove past this beach on the way to Denham because it was 40C (104F). Being outside, in the direct sunlight, is very uncomfortable. Takes all the fun out it.
Welcome to the Cockle Capital of the world. I was fortunate it was a more comfortable 30C/86F (around 9 am) when I stopped by on my way to Exmouth. The shells are up to 10m/30ft deep in sections on the beach. I've overdosed you on information signboards below should you want to learn more about this unique destination. I had to remind myself, as I was walking across the beach, that I was walking on shells, not sand.
I was right about skipping Carnarvon as a place to spend a couple nights. I made a quick stop at the local Woolworths for a few supplies. It's the first store, outside Perth, that I've been in that had a security guard at the exit. The shopping centre where Woolworths is located has multiple empty storefronts. BTW - For my Canadian friends (unsure about the USA) Woolworths is a supermarket in New Zealand and Australia. Once upon a time, Woolworths used to operate in Canada similar to the Hudson's Bay Company.
About three hours from Exmouth, these large mounds started appearing in the landscape on each side of the highway. My immediate thought was the mounds were similar to the Pinnacles I saw last week on the Pinnacles Desert drive. I started to wonder why these 'pinnacles' were missing the attention as a tourist destination. Sasha at the Ningaloo Tourist Center set me straight once she figured out what I was talking about. The photos below are termite mounds which fill the landscape in the Exmouth area. And my education continues...
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The one change I'd make for my next Western Australia adventure is spending at least a day in Coral Bay which is 1.5 hours away from Exmouth. The Bay and Reef area is home to a marine sanctuary of whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, coral gardens and over 500 different species of fish. You can book boat tours that include swimming with the manta rays, whale sharks and turtles. I did stop by this very small community on the bay as I was driving to Exmouth. In retrospect, I could have spent one less day in Denham freeing up time for Coral Bay.
You find the most beautiful beaches and snorkeling areas on Cape Range's western side. The western side is where you also find
Ningaloo Reef, the world's largest fringing reef. A fringing reef is a reef that is connected to the shoreline which means it's a quick boat ride to enjoy the reef. The Great Barrier Reef off of Australia's northeast coast (near Cairns) is a two hour boat ride (being a barrier reef) before the fun begins. I was blessed with the chance to visit the Great Barrier Reef in 2002 for four nights along with four nights in both Sydney and Melbourne.
I drove to where the road ended for 2WD vehicles on the Cape's western side (Yardie Creek which is about an hour's drive from Exmouth), working my way back towards Exmouth visiting the different snorkeling and beach locations
There are several picturesque canyon type destinations within this park including Yardie Creek. I did the easies Nature Trail walk given the 40C temperature. I've included a brief video clip of the beach in the same general area.
This is a camping ground location with a boat launch and access to great snorkeling. There were two people in the water and two people on the beach.
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| The foreground is the boat launch |
A short 600m/2000 ft walk away is Sandy Bay. This beach was all yours is you wanted it. Notice the water colour. Water temperature is about 30C - mid 80s F. Nice for humans, not so good for coral reefs.
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| Surprised at what is flowering in this heat |
A little further up the road is Oyster Stacks. Just hop in the water and start snorkeling. Remember to wear your reef footwear to protect your feet. Lots of room for your snorkeling as it is off-season. Something to do with the February heat. Business picks up in April for the school break and cooler temperatures as fall starts.
My next beach stop, Turquoise Bay, was named the #1 beach in the South Pacific and #3 in the world in Trip Advisor's 2022 Travellers' Choice Awards. You immediately know you are going to some place special as this is only beach where the access road to the beach is sealed. On one side of the beach you can drift snorkel - you start up the beach and let the current take you. On the opposite side of the bay, where these photos are taken, is a sheltered bay where you can swim and snorkel without the current.
Unfortunately, the video I shot was a tad too long to upload. There might have been fifteen people on the entire beach.
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| The water clarity and colour are breathtaking! |
I invested in a glass bottom boat adventure on the reef. Our group of thirteen where in the capable hands of our skipper Caitlin who was a marine biologist. Our first mate, bus driver and person to jump in the water was Ashra-Bloom. Sadly, I forgot to ask the crew to take photos of me while I was snorkeling. We spent a couple hours on the water scouring the depths for marine life. We did meet Steve, the shark, who was sleeping in a protected area near the reef. This is the only type of shark that is equipped to be stationary and still breathe. Sorry, I lack a photo as the water was a little too murky through the glass to get a clear shot.
Sadly, coral in this reef is bleaching because the water temperature is too warm. Apparently, coral can cope for about two weeks in the warm temperature before it succumbs to the stress. The video clips below show how much of the coral is suffering. Sad to experience first-hand. Remember the coral around the world when you think about doing something that may be environmentally unfriendly.
We also learned that the coral is a darker colour because of the amount of direct sunlight in this area.
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| First mate - Ashra-Bloom |
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| Skipper/Marine biologist Caitlin |
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| Our boat |
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| Our bus |
Australia's west coast is littered with shipwrecks. Those reefs are bad news for mariners. This wreck is underwhelming. The ship was hauling cattle when it ran aground. The crew set the cattle free to see if they would swim to shore. The crew survived, sadly the cattle drown.
What I thought was much more interesting was the thirteen towers in the opposite direction. The tallest tower, numbered zero to avoid having a number 13 tower, is the tallest something or other in the southern hemisphere. The Americans built a communications base in this area in years gone by (think cold war) with multiple satellite dishes that are visible from the road. The Australians repatriated the base hiring the defense contractor Raytheon to continue its operations under a cloak of secrecy.
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Here's the shipwreck. A recent cyclone moved the
wreck over two km closer to shore. |
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| If you squint real hard you'll see the thirteen towers |
The Lighthouse stop was part of the glass bottom boat tour package. Underwhelming is a good descriptor for out of commission lighthouse. This is a busy spot during high season with people looking for a sunrise or a sunset from the elevated location. Most info boards were a fair distance from the lighthouse. More info on the thirteen towers which capture your attention on the horizon. The flies were also found this spot a great place to hang out.
The photos below provide a sample hint of this canyon's grandeur. The road was built across the canyon creating vistas on each side. What the canyon lacks in depth and breadth, it seems to make up in its presence. The gravel road and 40+C temperatures limited the distance I was able to travel. This is the place that my phone's camera was shut down by Android because of the heat. You can find much better photos by googling the canyon. Drones are a game changer in taking spectacular photos.
This beach, about one km (.5 mi) walk from my location, was a touch less attractive than the Cape's west coast beaches. There was a short section of beach roped off with bbq facilities, grass and picnic tables. Vehicles had access on each side of the designated vehicle free beach section. The beach is convenient if driving the 30+ km to reach the west coast was an obstacle.
Who I met
Sasha helped me with getting myself organized to tour the area. As it turns out, Sasha has a Canadian husband and is leaving for Kirkland Lake, Ontario on March 15 to help out with her husband's family. We are talking remote Ontario with snow and cold. Hard to imagine two locations that could be more different. Sasha was well aware of what adventure she was about to undertake. Her and her husband had previously lived in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia where they lived out their scuba diving passion.
The movers were coming the day after I spoke with her to prep for their move. Sasha thought it was very coincidental that she would help out a Canadian just as the movers were about to appear.
What started out to be an evening of having fish and chips at this restaurant, ended up with meeting Chelsea and her partner Rob who owned Blue Lips Fish & Chips. Chelsea had this incredible full teeth smile that I had to make a comment about. She seemed to be smiling from her heart.
I had an amazing convo with Chelsea. She and Rob had bought the business over two years ago sight unseen. They also bought their Exmouth home sight unseen. They sold their restaurant business in Perth and made the move. We spoke about the transition her 16 year old daughter made in moving to a town with 3,000 permanent residents from a city of over 2 million people. There is a lot more freedom in a small town. Chelsea spoke about teaching her daughter to drive, having to travel to Perth to learn the full range of driving skills. For example, the first set of traffic lights is about four hours away in Carnarvon. There are only four stop signs in Exmouth. Parallel parking is non-existent.
The recent cyclone (in January) had knocked out a rented freezer unit they were still waiting to have replaced. She commented she was getting packages from the UK and USA faster than a replacement freezer from Perth. Australians have the same air travel cost challenges as Canadians. She, Rob, and her daughter had recently traveled to Bali for a week that cost them less than the return airfare from Exmouth to Perth. That is even with the $600/person cap for residents on return airfare.
Yes, the fish and chips were amazing. I returned the next evening for a fabulous Greek salad.
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| Outside dining area |
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| Reasonable prices for a small remote town |
Good bye Exmouth - for now...
A beautiful sunset to say goodbye. I missed out in witnessing the turtle hatchlings made their dash from their nest into the sea. 5 mile beach, where I was at, is one of the turtle nesting grounds. Caitlin shared that only 1 in 1000 hatchlings live long enough to become adult turtles!
Northampton
I was blessed with an uneventful nine hour drive to Geraldton. There was very light traffic on the highway with a maximum temperature of 36C/97F for the journey. I took three rest stops during the trip for safety's sake along with giving a bum a break.
The last stop, in Northampton (the somewhat sad historic railway station I stopped at), turned out being so much more interesting than ever expected. As I was making my way for a bio break, I intersected with Mandy and Terry, a retired couple from New South Wales (NSW) who were traveling in their caravan. When I met them, they had already traveled 16,000 km/10,000 mi from their home in NSW. They were headed to Broome on the upper northern coast - during cyclone season. May the universe keep them safe.
Terry was a retired farmer who 'farm sitting' for farmers who wanted a break. They had only paid for two nights accommodation since leaving their home last July. The couple invited me to join them at their place when they returned in July. They also shared they had sold their farm and all their belongings only to find a different house on the NSW coast they had to buy. The diversion delayed their departure by seven months. I think they have an epic home as they can see 41 km of coast line from their place. They also enjoy the beaches to themselves on most days!
Horizon - Geraldton Foreshore
Oh, the fun you can have with a supersized crystal ball that inverts images. This awarding piece of art is located on Geraldton's foreshore for all to enjoy.
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| Sunset from Horizon's perspective |
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| Geraldton treats me to a beautiful sunset |
Travel Administration
This past week's phone overheating incident was a timely reminder for me to pay closer attention to my surroundings. The camera shutting down is an issue; it's a bigger issue if the phone shuts down. I'm going to do more research on how to protect my phone in hotter weather. I'll let you know what I learn. I also keep a ziplock bag handy should water become a concern.
Next Week
I'll be spending Monday night in Jurien Bay and travel to Perth on Tuesday morning to return my rental car. I'm planning a pit stop at Yanchep National Park to meet up with some koala bears and kangaroos. I need to be in central Perth to take the train to the airport. Since I'm in central area, I'm planning to say a few goodbyes to people I met in Perth when I arrived a month ago. I'm on the Air Asia's 6:30 pm flight to Bali. I've booked a hotel for four nights near Sanur Beach as a starting point. I'll need to figure out the remaining Indonesian destination(s) during the week. I'm pretty sure I'll be going to the island of Lombok next.
Look forward to catching up with you next week!
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