WA WAnderings

[JohnM]

Pressing on to the Nullarbor Plain next morning and soon encountering Australia’s longest straight stretch of road.



The Caiguna Blowhole is 50m off the highway just W of Caiguna.



There are many caves on the Nullarbor.



The most famous is the more than 6km long coughlebiddy Cave in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve (coughlebiddy, Western Australia - Wikipedia). The cave is closed and there seems to be little encouragement to detour off the highway to even see it from above, as there is no signpost, although once there the information board is of high quality.

It is most definitely not a cave for amateurs to mess around in.

 

[JohnM]

Moving on to coughlebiddy Roadhouse to refuel and introduce myself to Samantha and Bruce, the rescued wedgetail eagles.



About 15 clicks E of the roadhouse is the turn to the Eyre Bird Observatory. Camping is not possible there, but day visitors are welcome. It is possible, by advance reservation, to stay on a full board basis for $105/night (Eyre Bird Observatory - BirdLife Australia).

I had not made such an arrangement; in any event, they were in the process of caretaker changeover and were not taking bookings last week.



Air-down point at the top of the scarp, about 20km in from the highway on a good dirt road. The last 10 clicks are firstly a crawl down the steep limestone scarp, then through sand on a single-lane track. Not very testing, but definitely not for anything but full-size fourbys.

 

[JohnM]

The Eyre Bird Observatory is the functional part of the restored Eyre Telegraph Station that operated from 1897-1927. After decaying for 50 years, it was restored and became the bird observatory and telegraph museum in 1977 (Eyre Telegraph Station - Wikipedia).



The outside support pole for the telegraph wires and the bridge on the roof eaves through which wires passed into the station.



Some telegraph pole artefacts outside made it clearer how the line was built. The slightly tapered base (bottom of rack) had a spear-like tip. Presumably most were hammered into the sandy ground, negating the need for more logistically demanding concrete foundations. Poles were then apparently sweated into the tapered base, which themselves could be stacked for extra height.

 

[JohnM]

WA has a long-running biosecurity program to prevent the starling becoming established in the state. One of many monitoring stations operates at the observatory (Surveillance efforts ramp up for starlings in State’s south).

Three lure starlings are confined in a cage within a larger trap cage that had a one-way entry at the top. The lure birds were very nervous and hid in the roosting box when I approached the trap.



Then to the beach.



Not quite enough momentum coming out to clear the very fine, light sand of the first dune. Quickly bottomed out.

A shovel job – but where is PJM when she is needed?!

Correction. Make that a shovel and MaxTrax job.

Dig out from under the axles and behind each wheel, MaxTrax behind the rear wheels, back up the length of the MaxTrax, place them in front and then power straight out.



The first time using the sand shovel and MaxTrax in anger. Too easy.

I then made my way out, aired up and started heading W on Eyre Highway.

There are two Main Roads 24h camp stops on the long straight and I reached the westerly one around sunset, for a convenient stop. Some friendly pied butcher birds and magpies came visiting.



Emergency airstrip on the highway not far E of Balladonia Roadhouse.

 

[Daver6]

I wasn't sure where I was going to stop on the first night. I was just free-birding.

I thought that was confined to Swanbourne beach?

 

[JohnM]

My initial plan was to head back to Balladonia Roadhouse, refuel and then take the Balladonia track S to Cape Arid NP. I had heard that it was rough in parts and also that was closed, although reputedly that there was only a road closed sign at the N end, and that some people had been going through, at least from the S.

The young overseas backpacker behind the counter at Balladonia Roadhouse asserted that it was definitely closed, but I was a little sceptical. Rather than defy the rather old looking sign, however, I opted to head straight into Norseman, then S towards Esperance before peeling off SW near Salmon Gums, to make Fitzgerald River NP my target destination.

I was at Fitzerald River NP last year in that episode of WAnderings (see post #77) but could not access the 4WD tracks owing to their closure after fires and the well-publicised firebomber crash. Surely the fourby tracks would be open this year...



The aftermath of last year’s fire in the park. Mostly to the E of Hamersley Drive. Pics are dark, but the vegetation to the left is green; that to the right burnt. The destruction got worse further along.

The gate at the end of the bitumen that was closed last year was, as expected, now open.



Turn 180deg.



Royal hakea (Hakea victoria) is always mesmerising.

 

[Black Duck]

We did a similar run last September but added a leg up to Qld for a quick teaching job. It's been years since I have done the Nullabor but it's a good run these days. Would have liked a bit extra time but such is life. We also went and came back on the back roads and up through Salmon gums.

 

[JohnM]

As reported from post #65 here: B737 Waterbomber crashes in south of W.A. Both pilots said to be not seriously injured but in hospital., I scoped out the firebomber crash site, a short distance along the 4WD track to Quoin Head and Whalebone Beach.



News report image immediately after the crash.



Google Earth image clearly showing the SSE impact path and where the aircraft came to rest at the 4WD track. It’s obvious why I couldn’t get anywhere near it just a few weeks after the crash last year. The crash path is on a gentle downhill slope.

The large L-shaped cleared section was a puzzle at ground level but from the satellite imagery it seems obvious that it was bulldozed as a firebreak or for other purposes during the wreckage recovery and cleanup operations.



On the ground.

Facing SW and the final resting spot on the S side of the 4WD track.



The crash path on the N side of the 4WD track and an indication of the maybe 15deg slope down to the left (S), the sandy substrate and the shrubby heathland vegetation about 3m high. The taller eucalypts extend to about 5m high but are scattered and spindly. Those pilots were very lucky to have such benign terrain in a fire zone…



The nearby bulldozed strip that was mysterious until Google Earth provided the likely explanation.

 

[JohnM]

I continued on the track to Quoin Head. It became very narrow in parts, rocky and had a few gnarly bits.

 

[JohnM]

The track down to the beach and inlet was steep and a bit slippery and gnarly.



I made my way back out, bypassing the turn to Whalebone Beach as it was getting late, and headed to Hamersley Inlet to look for a camp site.



The main camping area was quiet, probably about a third full. Let me check a bit further afield before making a choice.



There was one other camping area, a small secondary area devoid of people, and right on the inlet. Sweet! I claimed a spot next to a table and I could take an open-air shower under an adjacent tree without risking arrest. A tranquil night and glorious peaceful morning.

 

[JohnM]

Then back to the 4WD track to tackle the Whalebone Beach section. This was much more challenging. It became very narrow and winding, which leaves me twitchy about who might be coming the other way and how to get past. Also gnarly rocky spots and plenty of soft sand nearing the beach. Slower going than to Quoin Head.

 

[JohnM]

Back to the main and easily accessible E side of tranquil Hamersley Inlet near the camping area.



Then a short drive on a very narrow sandy track towards Hamersley Beach. I didn’t bother tackling the dunes as it didn’t seem to go anywhere in particular and I wanted to start the 6h drive home.



Then I bee-lined for home.

An afternoon pitstop at Williams, about 2h out of Perth on Albany Highway, to find that a statue by Jordan Sprigg had been installed at the rest stop. His work is exceptional in my view (Full Gallery of Jordan Sprigg Sculptures — Jordan Sprigg Sculptures).



And that was it for an excellent few days away.

I think Cape Arid NP is on the WAndering agenda this time next year.

 

[OZDUCK]

Another nice trip to parts of WA I will never get to. Thanks for all the great photos.

 

[VPS]

Thanks for an interesting look at bits of WA again