Fitzroy Crossing


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Oceania » Australia » Western Australia » Fitzroy Crossing
October 12th 2012
Published: October 16th 2012
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Before reaching Fitzroy Crossing we enjoyed a ‘free’ camp night at the Mary Pool roadside stop on the Mary River. This was a large site that is very popular especially in peak season as grey nomads work their way around the west of Australia. We shared the site with about 6 other groups, some who arrived after dark and left before sunup, and a herd of inquisitive cattle. The cattle wandered amongst the campers pretending to eat the green grass at the base of the trees, but really we knew they were checking everyone and everything out. A lick on Marian’s chair was not to their liking so they moved on. Thankfully the bull gave us a wide berth.

Our vans continued to reveal red bull dust in places we thought it couldn’t possibly get to, but the time for the big cleanup was not yet.

After one last search for the elusive Mary Pool, which continued to remain elusive, we packed up and headed to Fitzroy Crossing.

The countryside was much flatter with the odd mesa protruding skyward. Many floodways were negotiated and large rivers crossed by single lane bridges. This amused us as the rivers were getting bigger, yet the bridges narrower. The Fitzroy River in particular, was enormous, especially when comparing it to the Murray.

At the Information Centre were advised to,”Stay at the Lodge Caravan Park as it was Friday and ‘Things can get a bit rowdy in town.” This was a pretty upmarket caravan park with a ‘posh’ restaurant offering an interesting menu that claimed city prices. All permanent buildings and services were built on raised areas to protect them from potential flood damage. Trees were large and shady, sites big and lawned which made them perfect for the ‘big’ cleanup.

In keeping with Greg’s tradition of ‘Friday Lunch’, the four of us headed to the bar. The delicious battered barramundi, chips and salad could only be washed down with a mid strength beer… no full strength alcohol, which included wine, before 2:00pm. Drats! Beer it was.

After lunch, into the washing machine went towels, sheets, clothes … anything fabric with a red tinge, Remember of course we have a 2kg washing machine so loads are small, but each load only takes about half an hour.

Meanwhile Greg ventured to the local hardware store to buy a garden hose
Here we are in the dry Mary River.Here we are in the dry Mary River.Here we are in the dry Mary River.

Imagine this full of water rushing by.
to help with the external van wash. He was amazed by the flock of aboriginal children flooding across to the river for a swim. We concluded that school must have just finished for the day. This also explained the third lane that often led to the one lane bridges.

With the car and van clean and shiny we left town the next day for Derby.


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Mini termite mounds cover the landscape. Mini termite mounds cover the landscape.
Mini termite mounds cover the landscape.

The herbivores of the desert.
Bewdy! A bute.Bewdy! A bute.
Bewdy! A bute.

Suddenly we pass from one plain to another through this gorge.
It takes all sorts!It takes all sorts!
It takes all sorts!

We were to see this rig on and off, sometimes in caravan parks and sometimes broken down at the side of the road.


16th October 2012

Red Dust
Wow! Your adventures are the makings of a new book "Guide to dirt roads and visitor information centres, for aspiring grey nomads." Brian has just bought a 4WD. Joan should I let him take it off the blacktop? From Mr Retiree and The Sheila
16th October 2012

Bull Dust!!
You're never going to get a rep as seasoned caravaners if you keep washing the rig!!

Tot: 0.087s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 10; qc: 31; dbt: 0.0551s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1mb