These are some of my photos of our trip down the West Coast of WA
We left Fitzroy Crossing and headed to Derby.
Boab tree
A knot in the Boab tree
Smoke mingling with the rain clouds
Fan Palms – found quite a few Star Finches living in amongst the branches of Fan palms.
There were quite a few red crabs in the mudflats of King Sound at Derby.
Info on the King Sound, Derby
You will see a few pictures of rocks as I just love the colours and patterns of the rocks at various places. This one was next to the Jetty at Derby.
We left our caravan at the Derby Caravan park so we could travel up the Gibb river road to Mitchell Falls NP. Put our mattresses from the caravan into the back of the Troopy, filled our cooler with ice and food and headed off for four days.
Queen Victoria’s head, King Leopold range along the Gibb river road
Little Merten Falls, Mitchell River NP – no water flowing over the falls.
Little Merten Falls
Imperial Pigeon
Upper Merten Falls
Lily pond
Lily waiting to open
Mitchell Falls – again no water going over the falls
Mitchell River at bottom of falls
Fresh water Croc in river at base of Mitchell Rvr Falls
Top of Mitchell rvr Falls – lovely swimming hole
Short-eared rock wallaby or Monjon- so cute
Love the colours of the bark
Rock formations at Adcock Gorge
Rock formations along Gibb rvr rd
Wet Sunset along the Gibb rvr rd
This Boab was supposed to have been used as a jail, just outside Derby but there does not appear to be any records showing it as actually being used.
The entrance to the Boab.
These Long-tailed Finches were making good use of water leaking from the pipes for flushing the toilets above.
Long-tailed Finch on the fence around the tanks.
While we sleep this was a busy highway for birds, reptiles and animals – next to our caravan at Barred Creek
Quondong Point – north of Broome
Interesting rock pattern at Quondong Point
Lovely colour of the pea flower – James Price point
Corellas decorating the tree
Info boards at Broome Bird Observatory about the migrating birds, above and below
Blue-winged Kookaburra
Frigate bird over Port Hedland harbour
Two Sisters hills, Pilbara region
Brown Quail at Wild Dog Creek – Don’t normally get to watch these birds as they usually fly out of long grass as you pass by and disappear into more long grass. These birds did not know I was watching them so wandered around around camping spot having their morning feed.
This Osprey was near Point Sampson keeping vigil
On the road to Dampier , ‘Anchovy Flats’, there were some interesting sculptures along the salt pans. If you want to see more, google up ‘photos of Anchovy Flats’. There are some at this website.
Pilbara region on a dirt road to Python Pool off the Roebourne Wittenoom rd.
Python Pool – did not see any Pythons.
Rock face colours at Python Pool off the Roebourne Wittenoom rd,Pilbara region
Camera shy Pelicans at Gnoorea Point
Western Ring-tailed Dragon
Not happy to see me, just trying to cool down
Looks like a Bush Tomato – maybe the dragon has them as a treat!
Tree shedding its bark
More colourful rocks and interesting patterns on the rock
Mt de Courcy
Karijini NP – Joffre Gorge from lookout – like an amphitheatre. During the wet season water would be pouring over the sides.
Looking straight down from the lookout
Looking across some of Karijini NP
Karijini NP White-necked Heron
Karijini NP – Weano Gorge walk
Weano Gorge – Entrance to Handrail Pool – you have to hang onto the handrail on the left hand side of the rockwall to get to the pool as it is a vertical descent.
Handrail Pool, Weano Gorge – You can walk through the water, chest deep and go through the gap on the other side, but decided not to as the water was quite cold and it was not a very hot day. On our second visit here it was warmer so went for a swim.
More colourful/patterned rocks.
Throughout this Pilbara region a lot of the town signs are 3D like this one. Quite nice.
Cockatiels – who is watching who? There were quite a few in the tree by the dry river bed.
Fascinating flower –
Turtle info signs at Ningaloo Reef
Mangrove Bay Bird Hide view – Ningaloo Reef
Mangrove Bay Bird Hide view
The Stacks, Ningaloo Reef – fantastic snorkelling. The tiny black spot in the water, rhs is Euan.
Kurrajong Camp ground – young red kangaroo seeking shelter from the sun.
Goats amongst the sand dunes at Coral Bay.
Sea creature in Coral Bay. Have been unable to identify as yet. When in deeper water it is a circle and the edges ripple in the water as it moves. It was fascinating to watch.
Blow hole at Quobba point
Salt in rock pools – Quobba point
Kennedy Range NP – Honeycomb Gorge – above and below
Kennedy Range NP – One of the large rocks that have slid off the side of the Honeycomb gorge.
Kennedy Range NP – Close up of hole in rock above.
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge – Another large rock that had slid off the gorge face
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge- Rock face showing where a large rock had slid off
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge – Window in the rock
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge – interesting rock shaped by water
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge – You would probably look sad if you had all that rock weight on top of you!
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge – looking towards the entrance of the gorge
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers Gorge – Looking down where in the wet season there would be water pouring down into this pool
Kennedy Range NP – Drapers gorge – again in the wet season you would be looking down a waterfall
Chiming Wedgebill – Cute little bird with a fairly loud call – but not one you would want around your house as once it starts calling it can go on for ages and is quite monotonous.
Stromatolites – Shark Bay near Denham
Stromatolites – Shark Bay near Denham
Euro at Fowlers Camp near Denham. This used to be a free camp site but the council now charge $15 night but have not done anything to the campsite. Not even a drop toilet! We decided to have fish and chips for tea in Denham on our way back to the campsite. At the servo take away (petrol station/takeaway/souvenirs/second hand books) they have the best chips I have ever tasted. Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside with a slight seasoning. You can take a secondhand book with a gold coin donation that goes to a charity.
Cockle beach near Denham -You will see on the next picture some of the beach.
Cockle shells by the trillions….. and is undulating like waves. The stick in the far distance is Euan
There are quite a few words in the shallows made by people using the cockle shells. The main word is Australia with a heart above and date below.
On the road to Steep point – This plant is a Calothamnus – I think the variety is blepharospermus
On the road to Steep point – Laughing Dove – Euan got a question mark when he submitted this sighting to Birdlife as they are not usually seen out in the bush away from towns and this was a long way from any town. These obviously decided to have a holiday away from the towns!
Steep Point the most westerly spot on the mainland. If you cross over to Dirk Hartog Island (in the background) then that is the most westerly point of Australia but it cost over $300 to get across so this is as far as we went. It is a long way to get to this point, over rough road and sandy tracks over dunes. It took us about 4 hours one way.
Some interesting flowers at Steep point – reminded me of sundews a bit
More of these plants at Steep point
More flowers at Steep point growing amongst the rocks.
Looking across to Dirk Hartog island. It cost around $300+ to take a car across to the island.
View to the left at Steep point
Murchison river, Kalbarri NP
More colourful rocks – Murchison river, Kalbarri NP
Colourful rocks – this was part of the track down to the Murchison river, Kalbarri NP
Long-nose Dragon – Murchison river, Kalbarri NP
Featherflower – Verticordia monadelpha var callitricha, Kalbarri NP
Christmas Bush – it is the largest parasitic plant in the world that partially feeds off the roots of a plant nearby. Saw quite a few of these and it does look fantastic- rich golden yellow and orange. Kalbarri NP
A beautiful Hakea flower which has a heavy honey scent, Kalbarri NP
Kalbarri NP – coastal part of the park
Rugged coastline of Kalbarri NP
Looking down to the sea, Kalbarri NP
Closer view of the weather battered coastline, Kalbarri NP
Another view looking down – Kalbarri NP
Natural bridge, Kalbarri NP-The wind, waves, and salt spray from the Indian Ocean have helped carve a remarkable coastal landform. The steep cliffs of layered rocks that rise from the sea are made of 480 million-year-old Tumblagooda Sandstone. These were deposited as layers of sand and silt by rivers and on tidal flats. The rubbly white rocks that form the upper part of these cliffs are made of the much younger Tamala Limestone. This was deposited during the last two million years as wind-blown sand dunes that were later converted to limestone.
A family of Kestrels relaxing of the edge of the cliffs, Kalbarri NP
Cape Burnley lookout – Decorated seating area and great words.
Closer view of some of the sculptures decorating the lookout
The decorated ramp up to the Cape Burney lookout
Not to be outdone – the decorated steps to the lookout, Cape Burney
The other side of the steps to Cape Burney lookout
Huge seedpod
Hutt Lagoon flowers
Even dried out the above pink flowers still look quite pretty.
Carnaby Cockatoo, Lake Indoon
There were quite a few of the Carnaby cockatoos in the tree at Lake Indoon
Dynamite Bay – Green Head – Looks very inviting for a swim.
The Pinnacles – Fascinating
New life growing within a weathered Pinnacle
Wanagarren NP- pure white sand
Lake Herdsman – Freckled Duck
Nankeen Night Heron
Juvenile Nankeen Night Heron
Pink-eared Duck – just behind the eye where the black intersects the grey there is a tiny pink mark by the ear.
Tawny Frogmouth – mum and junior
Tawny Frogmouth – Dad
Mum and new baby – about one week old – there are two but one of the babies is on the other side of mum.
New bubs nearly three weeks old.
Family shot – all five – ma, pa, juvenile and two bubs about one month old.
Family shot – One of the young Tawny sitting on the other branch.
Flooded paperbark forest – Lake Herdsman. Lake Herdsman is a fantastic place to visit. Huge lake, plenty of reeds for the birds to hide in, shallow and mud flat areas for the wading birds to feed in. Plenty of trees for bush birds. From tiny Grebes to Pelicans, a variety of raptors and of course snakes.
Tiger Snake – it was on a small grass island across from the board walk but swam across the water and went to another reedy island.
Fremantle docks – this Nankeen Night Heron is hoping the men might share some fish.
Salt Lakes on Rottnest Island – above and next two below
Rottnest Island – Quokkas
Not camera shy this little cute Quokka – a bit cheeky – tried to eat my lunch by poking its head under my arm but did not succeed so then climbed onto my legs.
Rottnest Island – tree artwork – amazing it survives with most of its roots exposed.
An escapee – Blue and Yellow Macaw – Lake Joondalup