16-Kalbarri

29th June 2008.
We were really looking forward to Kalbarri as we had heard so much about the gorges, Murchinson River and rugged coastline. We left the rain behind and the clouds gradually cleared as we headed north. Then wondered what that bright light in the sky was.  The sun had came out to greet us as we turned off the North West Highway. 

Arriving in Kalbarri was an absolute pleasure. The sun was shining and it's the first time I haven't needed a jacket for ages. The gorges and rugged coastline are what we've been waiting for, a taste of the Real Australia.

It's approximately a 40 ks drive out of Kalbarri to Hawks head and the Ross Graham Lookout on a sealed road. Allow at least a good few hours, as like us, you'll get totally engrossed in the views and loose track of time.

Hawks Head:

First time we've seen this sort of scenery and gorges in the flesh. It's awe inspiring  and unfortunately, photos cannot do it the justice it deserves. It's absolutely breathtaking.......

Ross Graham Lookout:

Hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed taking them.

Nature's Window: 

Around 25 ks back towards Kalbarri, you turn turn off to Natures Window and the Z Bend. Then 25ks inland on dirt road and is okay for normal 2WD vehicles. If you're in a rental vehicle, check the terms and conditions coz I know that most hire companies insurance doesn't cover you on un-sealed roads.

Gobsmacking. There aren't enough superlatives to describe Nature's Window. It's all picture postcard stuff and a photographers paradise. It was hard work for us doing the 2.5km return walk with all the video and camera gear as you're clambering over rocks and steps etc, but it was well worth it.

Z Bend: 

My suggestion is to try to arrive at the Z Bend around midday due to the angle of the sun. We arrived at the Z Bend around 3 o'clock and couldn't do any filming coz half the gorge was in brilliant sunshine and the other half was in total shadow, had to go back the next day at midday and its a 2.5 ks walk there and back. Seems like 10 with all the gear, but once again, definitely well worth the effort.

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The Coastline:

We took hundreds of photos of the coastline and it was hard to pick our favourites, but here's a few of our favourites:

Life On The Road:

First time we've paid over $2.00 per litre for diesel. One thing we've noticed , is that it's cheaper to buy diesel on the main highway ($2.01per litre) before turning off to the attractions, ie Kalbarri was $2.05 per litre, 4 cents more expensive. As we're only averaging 4.1 ks per litre (24.13 litres per 100 ks) it all adds up. Remember, we're hauling a caravan that ways over 2.6 tonnes and the Patrol itself loaded with all the gear is nearly 2.5 tonnes, so thats over 5 tonnes. Without the caravan, the Patrol is averaging 6.85 ks per litre ( 14.5 litres per 100 ks) and that includes a mixture of highway, dirt roads and some heavy and rugged 4wd driving.

Anyway, back to the positives, it was nice getting into the warmer weather and leaving all the cold and rain behind.
This is the Australia we've been looking forward to, the gorges and the awesome colourfull rugged landscapes. Marlene used a walking stick here as carting all the gear up and down the cliffs for a few ks at each site was hard work, but she did it. My back and arms are suffering a bit from carrying the gear. Gotta find a better way to cart all this gear around as I know it's going to get harder and tougher with longer walks once we reach the more remote places.

Still having a ball and enjoying every minute. Marlene keeps pinching the Nikon and is taking lots of photos now and is starting to be more creative with her shots. The more of her shots she sees on the website, the harder she trys.
She wasn't overly impressed with the local bakery and that's good, saved me some money.

Off to the infamous Monkey Mia and the dolphins in the morning.
 
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