Australia here we come!

22/7/12

Today we left Geraldton and headed East towards bush and farming country. Our first stop was at a small town called Mullewa. We arrived as an Outlaw motorcycle gang was leaving town under the watchful eye of many WA Police. We found a park with a public toilet and had lunch. Then we visited the Visitor Information Centre and found out about another church built by Monsignor Hawes.

From the Information Centre we went to Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Church. There we were greeted by Delores who is a volunteer guide at the church and residence. She was wonderful with her knowledge of Monsignor Hawes and his work in the church and priest's residence. It was with regret that we had to leave and find a place to spend the night.

After a short drive out of town we found a great nature reserve called Wilroy where 24 hour camping is allowed. We set up camp and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon. Karen started her first knitting effort and had a foot long scarf completed by tea time. We were lucky to see two iron ore trains go past the Nature Reserve during the afternoon and evening. Both had three engines and 76 carriages. I still can't get over how quiet the trains are outside Queensland.

23/7/12

We packed up early and left Wilroy Nature Reserve. Our first stop was at a town called Morawa. We visited the Information Centre and Karen bought a rug and a bottle of orange and whisky marmalade. Then we went to the bakery and I had the best sausage roll I have ever had. There was another church built by Monsignor Hawes and we had a look at it. We had been told that The Holy Cross church in Morawa was Hawes' favourite church.

From Morawa we drove to Mingenew. We stopped at a nice park in the main street and had lunch there. We were surprised to find a display in the park which provided information of the Army Units that were deployed in the District during the Second World War. Mingenew was the camp from which a ready deployment Brigade was based to counter a Japanese invasion of Geraldton.

After lunch we had a walk around town before heading for a free camp at the Dongara East Rest Area for the night.

24/7/12

Today we drove 7 kilometres to the town of Dongara. We had a drive around and found a lookout where we could see the Irwin River flowing into the Indian Ocean. We found the Royal Steam Flour Mill which was built in 1894 and has been turned into a motel and tourist attraction. Then we drove to Port Denison Harbour. At Fisherman's Lookout we found an obelisk built in 1869 in memory of sailors lost at sea. On the way out of town we stopped at the bakery and had a sausage roll each.

Our next stop was at Cliff Head where free camping is allowed. There must have been some heavy weather recently as the beach was piled up with seaweed. I renamed the place 'seaweed head'. At a little coastal town called Leeman we refuelled and had lunch at Dynamite Lookout. Our next stop was Jurien Bay where we had a walk along the jetty and then visited the Information Centre.

We finally arrived at Cervantes late in the afternoon and set ourselves up in the Pinnacles Caravan Park.