Port Hedland to Cape Range National Park

Salt piles awaiting export at Port Hedland

So to sum up my findings, I order you
to travel with more lollies

We made a quick getaway from Port Hedland and started the cheerless drive south. It was again frustrating to be covering vast tracts of land alongside spectacular coastline hidden from view by the endless plains of the Pilbara. Passing Whim Creek, we took its advice and drove off the highway to have morning tea by the ocean at Samson Point. It was a totally gorgeous little town on the beach and a lovely break from dry, red scenery. Nearby Cossack, the first port of the North West and a major pearling centre until the late 1800s was another worthwhile detour. The stone buildings still standing were lovely and we explored the social history museum in the courthouse. The place was empty, so we also had a couple of trials. The case of Jackson v. Ella came up under Judge Marcus, but the case was thrown out of court for lack of evidence. Judge Lachlan likewise threw the Marcus v. Dad case out with a stern warning against wasting travelling time.

This beautiful Cossack Courthouse was seldom used as
Cossack was deserted for the larger pearl shells of Broome
just after it was completed 

Dave, Jackson and I have been enjoying reading some local interest and historical books, while Lachlan and Ella read Harry Potter and Marcus seems determined to finish Captain W.E. Johns (or Wee Johns, as he calls him) entire ouvre. He became very excited driving along out of Roeburne, as Biggles was suddenly flying in Western Australia and mentioned Derby, Broome, Roeburne, Onslow and Cossack, all places we have just travelled through.

We have been looking forward to the famed wildflower displays and just south of Karratha we started seeing Kangaroo Paw and several other species, hopefully a foretaste of what is to come.

At the Robe River, we stopped for a Taste of the Pilbara picnic. It was very windy and everything we ate was coated in a fine layer of red Pilbara dust. At least our iron levels should be OK for a while. Pressing on, we relied on some iPod entertainment to quell the petulance as we raced towards Ningaloo before the WA school holidays started.

We had our scariest experience yet with a road train. With the sun getting low and the road very narrow, a truck suddenly started to overtake us. With no room to move Dave struggled to hold our line as the truck and trailers passed within arm's reach. It nearly added our rear vision mirror to its bullbars! We were very pleased to pull into a free camp shortly afterwards.



Marcus took this great sunset photo

We were determined to try to get to the National Park gates to try to get a camp spot on the beach, so 6:11 a.m. saw our best departure record yet! Any of you who know how long it takes to get us moving will be well impressed! All were on high alert for roos – we saw 9 - and then as we came through Exmouth Lachie spotted an Emu and chick. We made it to Cape Range National Park by 8:30 a.m. and were very dejected when we spotted the "CAMP GROUND FULL" sign. The Ranger cheered us up by announcing there was a spot for us and that she just hadn't turned the sign around yet. So it was six happy campers who were eating breakfast at Ned's Camp on the waterfront along the stunning Ningaloo Marine Park shortly thereafter.

Stay tuned ...