Geraldton to Perth

Hi to all,

Well we left Kalbarri and  headed south to Geraldton, on the we passed these convict ruins just south of Port Gregory. What a surprise, this is the Hynton Hiring Station, built in 1853 to house convicts that the station owners could hire  to work. There is also the homestead along another track to look at as well. It is surpriseing how much still remains of the buildings but some are just piles of rocks. 

Lynton Hiring Station

Remains of the cells of the convict depot

We continued on our way to Geraldton and stayed at a caravan park 10 km outside town, although it had big sites 10 km out was a bit of a trudge. never mind the drive along the beach to town was beautiful. We visited the info centre and ran into Graham from our free camp on the Murchison river. Lots to see here but as always not enought time. We saw the Point Moore Lighthouse, Osprey nesting, WA Muesum, Hmas Sydney 11 Memorial. We stayed 2 nights here and it rained and the wind blew so hard that the van was rocking in the wind.

Point Moore Lighthouse at Geraldton

Nest of the Osprey on a post

The young Osprey

Mum or Dad keeping an eye on the young one, Ian had kicked the antenna

We were looking at the lighthouse and the beach walking around and came to the man made nest site, took a few pics and started back to the truck when the Ospreys flue over, so many more pics when we got to the Sea Rescue mast.

Osprey returning to other mast

HMAS Sydney 11 memorial

The next day we went to the Sydney Memorial to have a look, it is quite beautiful. From there we went to the WA Museum to see more of the Batavia relics and history of the area. The TAFE students have made a replica of the long boat that sailed to Batavia and back to rescue the rest of the passengers, it was 10.7 long and 3.3 meters wide and had 48 people cramed on it.

Replica longboat off the Bativia

The arch way from the Batavia

The way the stores and balast was stowed on the Batavia 

This is what happens when you stay in a museum to long

One wide load, closes both lanes

On our way to York we stopped for coffee @ Bullsbrook with RAAF planes over head and over sized loads in both directions, mainly towards us.

The wide load

White Swan at Northam

We stayed with Rod and Carol on the farm at York and had a great time being taken round to see the sites. We went to the  gallery, nice drive round to Northam and the York Motor Muesum

York Motor Muesum

Sporty Police car at York Motor Muesum

Some of the other cars

York from the lookout

Rod and Carol our friends in York

On returning to Perth we were very busy with getting the truck serviced, visiting with friends.

The Bell tower at Perth

Some locals in Perth

Memorial in Kings Park Perth

Perth CBD from South Perth

We have been having a leaky problem with the hot water service, in Exmouth we changed the hot water outlet conection but we still had the water spraying on the shelf, so again in Perth Ian was in the cupboard trying to fix it. Turned out to be the cold water inlet hose that had a pin hole in it.

Ian trying to fix the hot water service leak

One of the Two Rocks north of Perth

On Sunday we went out with Brian and Shirley to Two Rocks and Yanchep national Park, this was a beautiful day.

1930's hotel at Yanchep NP

Some of the locals

More locals in the Koala park

On another wet cold day Ian and I went shopping and then to the Motor Museum. The last Sunday that we were in Perth (Fathers Day) we went for lunch at Mundering Weir Pub, followed by a look at the No 1 Pumping Station on the Golden Pipeline to Kalgoorlie.

MGA and Lambretta at Motor Muesum in Perth

White Tailed Black Cocktoo (same as Yellow Tailed)

We are now off to follow the Golden Pipeline to Kalgoorlie then back to Melbourne to see the kids and Mum. So cheers from Marilyn and Ian