One place we missed the last time we passed this way is Kennedy Ranges National Park. Staying two nights gave us a full day to explore the short gorges with their dry rockholes and waterfalls. The tracks are maintained not by CALM, but rather by the enormous number of feral goats. It's a great place for rock lovers, with a fine selection of lava intrusions in the sandstone. The only disappointment was the lack of a trail to the top of the (flat topped) range.
From there it was back to the coast, at Denham on Shark Bay.
The key goal, apart from earning some diesel money, was to kayak on Shark Bay.
Our first foray on the bay was at Herald Bight, a shallow bay inhabited by a few sharks and scores of stingrays.
Our second foray was along the tip of Cape Peron itself, a sea turtle adding to the spectacular scenery of multi-coloured sand hills.
In Francois Peron National Park we spotted gulls, cormorants, sea eagles and white winged fairy wrens, and we even happened upon a thorny devil. We also performed another recovery, finding a 2WD well into the 4WD-only section of the park and up to its subframe in sand. More foreign tourists underestimating this country. As we wandered around Denham, we were surprised by the number of people who recognised us from our last visit.
Moving south from Denham, we are gradually passing from the arid lands into areas of comparatively higher rainfall. As the land becomes greener, the number of roos and emus increases. The land once again supports trees, and a select few species are in flower. The land also supports more humans, as evidenced by the first traffic lights we've seen in months. We continued along the coast to Cervantes for a quick visit to Nambung National Park, by which time the scrub and red sand had given way to heath and yellow sand.
Over the last month we have been living the ideal scenario that most people imagine our lifestyle to be.
A perfect mix of snorkeling and kayaking interspersed with work.
Not surprisingly it must come to an end, as we return to a more normal scenario working in areas where there are few opportunities for recreation.
Once again it was time to move inland, this time over the hills that follow the southern coast and turn the moisture in the roaring forties to rain. In the hills we encounter the first real bush we've seen in ages, with an understory dotted with heaps of grass trees (the western version, not Xanthoria). The trees give way to mallee, which in turn gives way to wheat stubble. The transition in the birdlife is also apparent, with ringnecks everywhere. We are back in salt scalded sheep/wheat territory. It is very apparent where the land care dollars go, and why they are needed. It is also clear that tubestock is more popular than seeding.
Our next temporary home is Kondinin. Not only does it have one of the best value eastern wheatbelt caravan parks, it has a roadhouse with the only complete set of Golden Fleece signage we've seen anywhere in the country. Ahh, memories. Harvest is in full swing, as evidenced by the large numbers of dead parrots on the roadways. They gorge themselves on spilt wheat, and are then unable to escape the traffic. The harvest is rather mediocre, but given how bad the growing conditions have been, the result is slightly better than expected.
We spent almost two weeks just working.
We were surprised by the number of "toughbooks" we worked with (indestructible laptops last longer in the paddock).
We have been reminded of the disparity between city and country.
Harvest is a busy time, and even the kids have to pitch in.
Rural teenagers are conscripted to driver chaser bins behind the harvesters, while their city bound counterparts are still learning to drive.
Some days we worked into the evening, and were surprised by the number of (barn) owls we saw whilst driving home after dark.
There is a stiff wind that blows in from the south most evenings, known locally as the "Albany Doctor". It punished our big tent. Over the years, the sun has weakened it, and the winds finally tore it open and falling branches speared through it. It is no longer with us. The doctor also whipped up a couple of dust storms during our stay, the worst dropping visibility to under 20 feet.
In the NT we did not land a single job in a school. The NT seem to look after their schools better than any other state. As we have moved down the WA coast, we have worked in a number of schools. The support provided by the WA DET to rural schools is a disgrace. Critical servers without antivirus or with other critical problems, and the DET help desk response is "that's not our responsibility - call a contractor".
Eventually the silly season is on top of us, and it's time to hide. Fortunately, the boys in Perth have once again made us welcome. Thanks guys. Perth is also an opportunity to restock, and not just with the little things. We scoured Perth for a decent second hand laptop to replace the Dell that died in Kununurra, but alas the prices people want for them are ridiculous. We now own a brand new Compaq. We can't afford it, but what choice do we we have? It's an essential tool in the computer business.