Karratha to Onslow to Exmouth

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Went to Karratha and straight to the visitors centre. Asked about a campsite we were told about on the Burrup Peninsula. Not an official campsite we were told. There is an overflow at the Country Club for $15 a night with toilets and showers. We drove out to Burrup Peninsula. There were plenty of campsites right on the beach with no-one else around, but unfortunately Kate is not ready for real bush camping and having to take a shovel and dig a hole for the toilet. So we opted for the Country Club. The showers were hot with good water pressure - very enjoyable to get the red dirt off us. That made up for the dust and wind being out in the open. The first night we had a light sprinkle of rain again. This time not enough to cover the windscreen only leave spots.

Had a look around Cossack, Roebourne and lookout above Karratha. Got to see Burrup Peninsula (Dampier) and gas plant lit up. Got mail from Post Office. Unfortunately parcel from Ultimate got sent to Karantha in Qld. Will be resent to Exmouth. Got to watch the lawn bowls at night. Dampier is very green, even the football oval has palm trees around it! Lots of rocks along the shoreline. Got to see the visitors centre at the North West Gas Shelf Venture gas plant. It was very informative. The kids were enthralled.

Drove to Onslow. Around the mining area there are a lot of termite mounds. Some of the miners put their old hats on top to make the mounds look like people. Even to the extent of painting faces and arms on them. Well Alex & Kate managed to score one of the hats as a souvenir. The flat area on the way into Onslow is used as a Solar Salt Plant. As the water evaporates the salt thickens in clumps and around the edge, then the water becomes the colour you could describe as crystal or ice blue. These salt pools are huge and surround the roadsides. Onslow is a very small town, but they have a sunrise beach and a sunset beach. They have piles of salt out near the jetty and a conveyor belt to carry it out to the ships. At night time it is lit up like a Christmas Tree.

Drove down to Barradale Road Stop for another “freebie” night. Got there about 12.30pm. When we arrived there were only 5 other campers, by the time we went to bed, there must have been close to 50 other campers/caravans/tents. Had lunch then downloaded our photos. Julie from Crossing Pool drove in and set up next to us. Had a campfire to cook by and sit around. Made a nice change and very cosy.

Drove into Exmouth, stopped at Pebble Beach on way. The beach is filled with pebbles and many are lined up along the shoreline fishing with their cars up the back out of reach of the incoming tide. Went to Visitors Centre - most places booked out. Managed to get in across the road in unpowered for 2 nights. Hopefully the express post parcel will be there on Monday morning. Had lunch, looked at shops & got bread etc. Alex is keen on getting fishing gear, but no room to store and neither Rod nor I will clean & gut a fish. Kids went into pool for afternoon. Went to see sunset at lighthouse lookout. Kids had Easy Mac for tea and early night. Obviously tired after all the swimming.

Got up early, woken by wind at 5.30am. Had showers and did washing at 7am. It was dry by 9.30. Fuelled up - petrol was $175.80. Went to bakery and had a quick look at their market. Went to see SS Mildura - a cattle ship that sunk off the coast in 1907. Sea is very rough with the wind and rocks on the shore. Saw an antenna off a painted lobster on the beach. It was pink, blue and had yellow spikes. The ranger said that they can have every colour of the rainbow on them sometimes. Went to the Jurabi Turtle Centre which is where 3 species of turtles lay their eggs at the beach between October & January. The kids loved the information. Had lunch at the lighthouse out of the wind. Exmouth was yet another city bombed by the Japanese in May 1943.

Went to Jansz Beach for a swim (it was recommended). When we pulled into the car park there was an emu watching us from the sand dunes. It was a surf beach and we all had a fun time swimming in the waves. Only problem was couldn’t be on the sand as the rocks and dead coral would hit your ankles as the wave crashed. Back to camper and into the pool to wash the salt water and sand off. Found out Julie from Crossing Pool as well as Kylie & Rod with their girls are at the caravan park as well.

Off to tea at the tavern for a roast of the day. They don’t have a “Roast of the Day” at the Exmouth Tavern & the Potshot Hotel only has it on a Friday. We were told “Sunday’s” were the roast days at the pubs. Missing real food, home cooking and roast dinners. At least we got to see some of the Olympics.

Our package from Ultimate arrived this morning so we are off to Cape Range National Park then on to Coral Bay.

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Photos

Onslow
Solar Salt Pools that are on both sides of the road

Onslow salt pools
The one in front is half dried up & crystal blue. The rear one has just been filled.

Onslow Jetty
The conveyor belt for the salt to the ship

Onslow Termite Mound
The Hat was a 2 "man" operation

Jansz Beach
Emu in the sand dunes

Jansz Beach
Beautiful - but a real surf beach

Comments

[LeeFamily]

Ant Mound people
Go for it Shelley :)