Aaron & Lib's Australian Adventure

Welcome to Week 6.

Red Dog Memorial, Dampier

04/07/2016 Day 38 (Mo). We arrived in Karratha yesterday afternoon and finally feel like we’ve found the warmer weather. It was 29C and it was awesome. It was another long day on the road with roadwork’s and what not. After arriving in town we stocked up on essentials (food and alcohol) and then checked into the cheapest caravan park in town. It’s not flash but it is close to town and $25 for an unpowered site. Our other option was a CP, powered for $49. They charge like wounded bulls but we blame it on the Grey Nomads because they meekly pay it and don’t kick up a fuss. The park is run down. Power points in the men’s don’t work, the camp kitchen has no cooking facility and it is tight getting into our site but it is quiet, grassy and they allow dogs. This morning we are going to go and have a sticky beak at Dampier.

Red Dog Memorial Dampier

I also picked up my new phone from EB Games yesterday. Woo Hoo! Lib’s also happy because I no longer need to use her phone.

Sturt's Desert Pea, Dampier

05/07/2016 Day 39 (Tu). So Dampier was interesting. Rio Tinto has the second largest iron ore mine in the world there. We saw the Red Dog Memorial and had a look at the Northwest Gas Project. The info centre there was closed but there were enough information boards out the front to give you a general idea of the magnitude of their massive operation. We also saw our first example of the Sturt’s Desert Pea. We had lunch in Dampier and took the dogs for a beach side walk before returning to the CP.

Sturt's Desert Pea, Dampier

Dampier Port

Today we started with a minor hiccup. I noticed that the step into the rear of Bess was collapsing so after some thought to repair options we hit up the local hardware store (Mitre 10) and found the necessary materials. The young man working there was very helpful indeed. We then headed out of town and looked at Roebourne and its old jail and many historic buildings. We then moved onto the ghost town of Cossack. We spent about two hours there wandering around the many beautifully restored circa 1880’s buildings, including a side trip to the cemetery. It was interesting to note that in those days they segregated the races into their own areas of the cemetery.

Salt awaiting export, Dampier Port

Dampier Port

After lunch we continued east up the highway to the Whim Creek Hotel which is an iconic outback Aussie pub. We availed ourselves of the fresh, crisp and cold on tap beer (James Squire for me). The only reason it still exists is as the local watering hole and the accommodation for the nearby copper mine which has been closed several times throughout its history. We are spending the night here camped in the car park for free and it’s not in any guide book, though if you buy a meal you get access to the showers for free too.

Dampier Port

Dampier

09/07/2016 Day 43 (Sa). It’s been 30+C for the last three days. It’s crazy because as I write this its 22C and I feel like putting a jumper on. After leaving Whim Creek we drove through Port Hedland to pick up supplies and then kept moving on to our current location at DeGreys River. Lib’s parents camped here for two weeks, four years ago on their way through this part of the country. I can certainly see why. It is an idyllic location. In amongst the trees, many of them beautiful white River gums, we are camped looking out across the river. This one actually has water in it. We have crossed many rivers on our travels but from Carnarvon onwards, most of them have been dry. This one is not flowing but it has many pools up and down from our camp with the largest right under the highway bridge. This roadside rest area is supposed to be a 24hr stop but it is gorgeous so we will stop here for a little longer to unwind and acclimatise to the heat.

Miner's Memorial, Northwest Gas Project, Dampier

The river here has a bull shark trapped in it. Lib and I are yet to see it but others have in the time we’ve been here. The first siting was 21/06/2016 but at

Cossack

that time the river was flowing. I guess he left his escape too late. Still, that doesn’t deter the back packers from swimming here. Cows come down to the river to graze and drink their fill every day and the grey nomads come and go in their droves. There is a myriad of birdlife including swans, king fishers, magpies, crows, finches, scrub pigeons, storks and many others I have yet to identify. And there are fish in the river too.

There is also a croc warning sign on the way in to the campground and it is the first we’ve seen up this side of the country. Though there is no evidence here and no reported sightings.

We also did the work to bolster Bess’ step so that it is no longer collapsing.