From jetty tram to Apollo space flight

We returned to Carnarvon after our few days in the bush, once again glad to see its green landscape and ready to explore it. A ‘must’ was the Coffee Pot tram that takes visitors out along the mile-long jetty that has been there since the late 1800s.

The driver, a glorious little lady called Sas, who told us she and her twin sister were among 23 in their family, takes the little tram with its two passenger cars almost to the end of the jetty, waits until her passengers have explored as far as they can go (there’s a barrier stopping access to the very end as there are several unsafe pylons) then trundles everyone back to shore. We lunched at the restaurant there, then discovered its historical display, including one of the lifeboats from the Kormoran, which had come ashore nearby after its battle with HMAS Sydney II in WWII. Both ships went down, along with the Sydney’s entire 645 personnel. There was an interesting film we saw, dealing with the search for the Sydney in 2008, its discovery, and the fact that its bow came off as it tried to limp away from the battle scene, sending it straight down with no chance of anyone surviving.

The next day we went north of Carnarvon to the Quobba blowholes, camping area, memorial to HMAS Sydney II and pastoral station. One blowhole in particular was really ‘working’ when we were there; we put some wildflowers on the Sydney memorial; checked out the camping sites among the most glorious fishing shacks made of whatever was to hand; and visited Quobba station.

The view of the space museum and dishes from our

caravan park. Disregard the two smaller dishes.

They are for the NBN.

When we returned to town, we completed an interesting day by visiting the Space Museum. This has been established on the site of the old space tracking station which took part in many NASA space missions, including the Apollo Eleven moon landing. A highlight was being able to spend time in a replica Apollo capsule, lying down, legs elevated, lights flashing, rockets roaring as we experienced lift-off and the view of Earth from space.

From high technology we went back to the 1800s again when we left Carnarvon and travelled south to Shark Bay, staying at Hamelin Pool. The campground features one of the old overland telegraph stations and campers can do a tour each night, where they not only learn about the old telegraph line to Broome but also the stromatolites (rocky growths) which are a feature of that hypersaline sea. The pool is part of Shark Bay but seagrass and sand have formed a barrier which keeps it super-saline, perfect for the primitive little organisms that build the stromatolites. They are supposed to be the first oxygen-producing things on earth so are billions of years old.

The bright white of Shell Beach, Shark Bay, literally

made of tiny shells. At the end of the beach is a 'shell

mine', making shell grit for Australia's budgies.

One day while there we drove on into the World Heritage area of Shark Bay, visiting the small (windy) town of Denham and Monkey Mia, where people go to feed dolphins each morning. It was after midday when we arrived there and we hadn’t really been interested in feeding the dolphins, just intending to have lunch at the resort. We laughed when we saw a couple of dolphins only about 30cm from the shoreline, obviously a bit late, but hoping there might be something for them. Each was attended by a pelican hoping that if some fish was on the menu for the dolphin, then he might be able to get to it first. But there was no more feeding, so all four were disappointed.

The tiny shells from dead Fragum cockles that make up the beach.

That afternoon the campground was pretty busy, particularly when in chugged four tractors towing caravans, as well as some supporters in 4WDs and vans. It was a Chamberlain tractor club from WA, though they do have some eastern Australian members, and they are having their annual expedition.

This one, lasting most of August, is within WA but in previous years they have travelled up Cape York, the Canning Stock Route, to Birdsville and even to Byron Bay. We had a good old chat to one of the drivers and we laughed when later we saw some of the tractor party having a hard look at a rather derelict tractor beside a shed at the campground, taking photos and no doubt working out how to restore it.

Wildflower update: The drifts of colour have become carpets either side of the road, and as well as ground covers, the bushes and shrubs are also bursting into flower, with lots of wattle in various shades of yellow, as well as red, pink and white-flowering plants.

We then gave ourselves three days to just veg out in Kalbarri, a pretty coastal town at the mouth of the Murchison River, eating out, reading, walking, and not bothering to look at maps or plot our next movements.

Next post: Kalbarri to Geraldton, including the Principality of Hutt River (all hail Prince Leonard of Hutt who seceded from Australia 46 years ago!).