OR: Bush Woman Emerges
Whalebone Bay was our overnight stop on the way out from Shark Bay. You have to get a permit from the council and go to a designated spot, or they threaten a $1000 fine. On the way through we stopped at Ocean Park, which looked cheesy, and we had been advised was set up by some very enthusiastic marine biologists. Anyway, we can’t drive past a sign advising you have missed out on seeing a *live* tiger shark. In we went and it was great. Went on a tour through with a Steve Irwin type – dressed in khaki, and amazingly enthusiastic about all the creatures there – including the “awesome” tiger shark which he fed with a handline as part of the tour. Very impressive.
We got to Whalebone Bay in time to set up before the weather really came in. Phew. The next day we had to pack up, and almost made it, but the weather came through again at the end and I got pretty soaked, and P finished up by himself, wearing his fluro wet weather gear. We drove through the rain, and I must say my heart was sinking at getting to another free site with no facilities in these conditions. I reminded myself that wherever we went we would still have to set up – be it next to flushing toilets or not. We stopped at Overlander roadhouse where I discovered my period had started, and I had to discard those undies and go commando. Not my usual scene.
We were pushing on to Bush Bay south of Carnarvon, and the weather was coming in again. But when we got there it was like a caravan shanty town and/or a potential neo-nazi meeting ground, so we decided to go further along to check out Unedoo Creek. Even if Bush Bay had turned out to be a multi-cultural love-in, there’s no way that that type of set up would work for us free camping. We *do* need to go to the toilet occasionally, and the scrub around here provides *no* cover at all. Presumably they all have in-house toileting in their vans… or at least tents in which they put their chemical toilet. We *do* actually have a chemi toilet with us – but P is very reluctant to use it. As an alternative he has provided the family with a large shovel, and a commode seat with shortened legs. As an aside I should mention that both boys are amazing bush toileters, and have no problems at all. I am the one with a few psychological issues still to be overcome. (Earlier on I got so apprehensive about my poor toxic body that I bought some metamucil, but I was then too frightened to take it…… you can see why I’ve never really got into recreational drugs.) But I have discovered that on day three my prehistoric reptilian brain takes over from the modern suburbanite cortex and gets the business done.
So anyway we pushed on. We came to a body of water, and undertook our first water crossing in time-honoured fashion. P glanced through the windscreen and commented that it looked fine, we headed on through with a big splashdown and a “Whoa! That was deeper than I thought!” We were then on a sort of island. No idea whether this was Unedoo Creek or not, but no one was around and this looked OK. P noted some campfire remains and suggested here was a likely camp spot. I suggested we perhaps depart this island, in view of our lack of local knowledge and the ongoing rain. Good idea, and we went back through the water crossing to the side where the road out is. When we stopped and got out, we were suitably impressed with the significant amounts of red mud that we had acquired, and then set up camp in the rain and squelch. I was then able to get some daks.
The next day we were under a huge blue dome of Australian sky, and pulled everything out to dry off, and chip off the mud from our boots. We went birdwatching along the creek. J is a great birder. He doesn’t want to share those ‘noculars, and once he spots a bird, he is happy to look at that one indefinitely, and is certainly not swayed by the possibility that there might be another bird. “I want to watch the white one!!” I have what I believe to be the definitive field guide to Australian birds with us. You may be surprised to read that we have already discovered new species that cannot be found in the book. I lay claim to the elusive “Unedoo Creek Eagle”
PS. Now I have the hang of photos, here is a pictorial record of Monkey Mia:
I love Carnarvon. This is the first town we’ve been so far that I’ve thought: “I could live here.” I remember the last time I passed through loving the light here. The bougainvillias are amazing, and there’s “plantations” all around. They have a great weekend growers market. My only concern is the completely unexpected freezing nights! Hot water bottles all round! We stayed four nights as I had a head cold…. or swine flu. Hard to tell these days…. I am concerned that I am leaving outbreaks in my wake.
We had three nights camped at Big Lagoon, in the Francois Peron National Park. The bush camps are great. We’re glad we went with the 4WD option. Whatever rig you choose it’s always a compromise – you have to choose what are the things that you will value most. So we gave up on the romance (and convenience when you stop) of a kitted-out bus to go with this, and it’s already getting us to places that we would never have been able to go in a bus. So far in the bush we have been alone, or else our neighbours have been
25 km south of Dongara. Found this fab free camp spot courtesy of a book provided by Uncle R & Aunty G. So good in fact, we are about to stay our third night while we wait for Geraldton to re-open for business. We didn’t really bring enough water with us (cutting down on weight due to lack of trailer brakes) so ekeing out an existence.