Into the Tropics

Saturday 12 October 2013

Perth's Spring was struggling to take hold as we left the city. It was raining and 14C but we knew things would change as we drove north. It doesn't take long to leave the city and we soon turned onto the Great Northern Highway.

It's 1,200km to Exmouth so we settled in for a steady three day drive, with the first leg to Northampton (472km).
There's nothing at all along the road save for the occasional roadhouse and a few turn offs to even more remote places. These might be shown as 125km away and it will be a gravel road.










The road north is very easy and the driving is definitely the most relaxing we have experienced anywhere. The speed limit is 110km/hr and for 99% of the time, that's what you do.
Many returning holidaymakers were travelling south after the two week mid-term break. Almost all travellers we meet are pulling caravan or trailers. However these are no ordinary caravans; for the most part they are twin axles ruggedised beasts unlike the soft options seen the UK.

By lunchtime on Saturday we had hit the sun and it was warmer but very windy
This is Port Denison and it was almost deserted.





 
We are finding that Auzzie campsites are very well organised with plenty of gas powered bbqs available and surprisingly there are fridges and freezers with open access. Not having a cool box is not such a problem after all.



Nothing prepares you for the swift twilight of the sub tropics and it's dark within 30 mins of sundown so most people are in bed early and then up at 6:30 the next day.

The second day drive was to Carnarvon and the road continued as before but with the bush either side beginning to thin. The road trains all seemed to be passing in the other direction. The signs say they have a maximum length of 36.5m. So far we haven't caught up with one.
There's masses of kangaroo roadkill and they are hefty lumps so not only do you keep a look out for them jumping across the road, you also haver to judge whether or not to straddle them and drive over or go around.

It really does feel like the outback, especially with warnings about carrying sufficient water and fuel. "No fuel or supplies for 185 km" reminds you of the remoteness. It's not the middle of Africa, granted, but it is pretty inhospitable.



In the photo above, you can just make out a dust devil (is that the correct term?) It seemed quite large and was drawing-up a far bit of sand.
Carnarvon is a 'growing centre' due to the water available from the Gascoyne river, which flows through natural tunnels and hence moving water to the Carnarvon area. The riverbed was looking very dry as we drov away on Monday morning, after buying tomatoes at the kiosk with an honesty box.





Now it was very hot, over 30 and in some places it was 37. Generally it got hotter as we continued north towards Exmouth.


There were hundreds of termite nests along the way and they are very big, plenty around 2m tall. They are also much fatter than ones we have seen in Queensland. According to a signpost at a rest area, the Queen in a colony can live for forty years.


Somewhere south of Exmouth we crossed an important imaginary line...


Now we are at Exmouth and relaxing for three or four days. This place is idyllic with a remote feel but still all the normal food and services are available. The busy season is now over (Southern Australia winter) when the temperature here is mid 20s. Now things are warming-up towards the mid to high 30s. (Not sure when it rains; not sure that it does as they are between the wet/dry north and the summer/winter south)