West Coast Day 137 - Kalbarri to Perth

After leaving our great free bush camp last night, we took the "explorers" route into Kalbarri, that is we took every track and turn off that wasn't sign posted. We ended up finding a historic community and mine site with ruins of buildings, an old cemetery, and a plaque in an empty paddock. To get here we had to cross over Murchison River and we could see evidence of pioneers using the river to transport or maybe wash their takings from the mine site. Back on the other side of the river, we found another mine site, this one being more recent. We were disappointed and frankly, surprised that we found no signs indicating the significance of the historic sites.

A little further on we found another historic site but this one was well marked and filled in the mysteries of the previous sites. In the 1880s, lead was mined and transported to a smelter - the chimney site ruins are all that remain.

With that mystery solved, we travelled towards Kalbarri. The township is situated about 60kms east off the main highway and to get there one drives through the Kalbarri National Park. As planned, we stopped at all the points of interest and walked to some beautiful lookouts overlooking the gorges formed by the twisting Murchison River.

We walked to lookouts at Ross Norman and Hawks Head and then saw Natures Window at The Loop (a natural rock arch providing a peek view at the river below).

It was midday by the time we'd finished all but one of the walks and the temperature was 43 degrees. I suddenly felt weak and tired and said I wasn't walking another bloody step! David walked the 1.5km loop to take video footage of the Z -Bend lookout while I prepared lunch - a fair deal.

By late afternoon, we arrived in the little township of Kalbarri. The town starts at the Murchison river mouth and continues along the cliff tops of the coastline. We stocked up our supplies, bought bait, and headed out for some beach fishing to catch our dinner. We were surprised to find massive surf and huge swell at what is termed "the best fishing" spot in WA.

I wasn't interested in fishing there but David persevered while I took video of the huge waves crashing on the shoreline. The waves were easily 8 foot and dangerous. It was no wonder there were life rings mounted to the rocks nearby.

After a couple of hours we had no luck with fishing and had to contend with a vegetable curry for dinner.