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Xmas and New Year - The first Road Trip

3,676 km...

 

An Australian Xmas Carol
(Sung to the tune of Jingle bells)

Dashing through the bush,
In a rusty Holden1 ute2
Dodging kangaroos,
Esky3 in the boot.

Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells
Christmas time is beaut
Oh what fun it is to ride
in a rusty Holden ute.

In the afternoon
Grandpa has his doze
Kids and Uncle Bruce
Swimming in their clothes.

 

 

 

1 Holden - car manufacturer (Vauxhall clone)
2 Ute - Utility vehicle. Has an open tray back.
3 Esky - Cool box

First stop, staying in Kalbarri with Paul and Rachel who were up here for the week.
Here we are in front of  'natures window', a natural arch at the end of a 25km sand track
with incredible corrugations that shook you to bits as you drove up it.

Here's the view looking out of the 'window'
Below us is the Murchison river.  It was not exactly flooded.

Kids loved playing in the boat that Dave and Tish got them for Xmas.

All the way up to Exmouth and the Cape Range national park, approx 1400km from Perth.
The road stops here.  You can continue on 4wd tracks, but it helps if the tide is out when
you cross the creek.  No fresh water to rinse the salt off the car for about 100km....

Here is the Yardie Creek itself.  The 4wd crossing point is on the sand bar at the mouth of the creek.

Jurabi turtle conservation area.  Here we can see the next and tracks of a green turtle.
We came here under a new moon (dark as you like!) trying to spot a laying turtle (or hatchlings)
Needless to say, we didn't see anything.

Relaxing in a restaurant with Oli showing off his new 'rashie' a swim vest given to him by Santa.

An enticing 4wd track down to a remote beach in Shark Bay.

Snorkelling in Ningaloo reef...

Oli really 'got' snorkelling this trip.  Bought him a mask and we couldn't get him out...
(Anyone remember the Nirvana album cover?)

Pip is now able to dive down, and also do forward and backward rolls.

Team snorkel.  Kids escort parent ;-)

The Ningaloo reef at Turquoise Bay.  Pristine reef at snorkelling depths!

Abundant fish...

Immaculate and undamaged corals...

Snorkel team...

Sunset on New Years Eve.  Actually it was Eve of the New Years Eve.
(We got so lost on time that we accidentally celebrated NYE on 30th Dec before we realised.)

Camping at Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay near the stromatolites and shell beach.
Windy here - so shade tent is severely anchored much to the amusement of other campers.
But it didn't blow away!

Pip and Oli set up their bush camp.

Denham (Rather better than Monkey Mia which was a bit touristy).

One more from Ningaloo...  Busy beach!