Leaving Carnarvon for a second time, we headed south to Shark Bay. We were staying at Hamelin Station Stay for 4 nights. The property is a reclaimed sheep station that has been purchased by the Bush Heritage Group, they buy up parcels of land and re-establish them back to bush sanctuaries.   Hamelin is a perfect example of the groups work 5 star. We arrived around lunchtime, so set up camp and then drove to the historic Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station, the 3 billion year old Stromatolites and to see the Shell Block Quarry.

We got back around 4pm, had a stroll around the property, walked to see a spring fed lake with a variety of birdlife on it. We past the old farm machinery scattered around the impressive property. Then went into the old shearing shed, the display here was great explaining the history of the shed and property on a self-guided tour.

Next day we headed to Francois Peron NP at the tip of Peron Peninsula on World Heritage Drive. We stopped at Shell Beach where trillions of tiny cockle shells maybe 10 meters deep make up the beach. Then on to Eagle Bluff which was just striking the red edge of the cliffs just fall straight down 30 meters into the Indian Ocean. Then on into the town of Denham, what a nice beachside town. The old fibro shacks lined the main street, that now maybe worth a million dollars right on the beachfront next door to brand new two story brick houses. Where if you own a tinnie or any sort of small watercraft it just lies on the foreshore for when you may need it.  From here we got onto the 4WD section of the park so the tyres were deflated “Cape Peron here we come”. The track was sandy, vegetation coastal and wildflowers in abundance. On the way back we stopped in at the old Peron Homestead Precinct inflated the tyres and headed for home.

Next day Friday and we were off to Steep Point. It is a 350km day, so an early start was required, some black top and some serious 4WDing. The bitumen takes you around the edges of the Shark Bay Marine Park and on to the start of the Useless Loop track to Steep Point. With tyres deflated we entered the Edel Land National Park. The track was sandy, corrugated and narrow, the colours of the wildflowers and sand dunes were now becoming an everyday occurrence, “just spectacular”. Yellow buttons, purple daisies, silver grey foliage, beautiful pigface that spread over the sandy track.

We got to Thunder Bay blowholes on the rugged Zuytdorp Cliff track, crashing waves, howling wind and a 20+ meter sheer drop all added to the scenery.  We past Nor 6 an historical site where as early as 1695 ships had been wrecked on this jagged coastline, “well before Captain Cook’s arrival, as we had been taught at school”.

We got to our destination around 1.00pm.

We found the sign that said “STEEP POINT WESTERN MOST POINT OF MAINLAND AUSTRALIA”, which meant that our compass was now complete. It only took 44 years so this was a milestone for us.

We found a sheltered spot for lunch and of course the men could not miss an opportunity to through the lines in and would you believe, they both got something.

We left around 2.30pm on the inland track, it was a rough sandy track with lots of 4WDing.  Stopped to look at more scenery along the way and got back to the start of the track around 5.30pm.

We saw sunset on our way back to camp, it had been a long day nearly 8hrs of driving but it was the adventure we had come for.

Over our many campfires we had discussions with others about good places to see wildflowers and good places for pub lunches.  One place that came up was “Butchers Track” that went through to Murchison, so next day we planned to take the men out for lunch to celebrate Father’s Day 2015, but first they had to drive 156km, through a track lined with wildflowers, “it was unbelievable”.

“Oops” no pub in this town, only a café at the Caravan Park, but we managed to have hamburgers, fish and chips with salad it was all nice.  After a look around town it was back to Hamelin Station once more.

Next morning was Fathers Day and all the men wanted to do was relax so we headed for the bush for a couple of days.

After a couple of nights free camping in the bush it was a move south to Kalbarri for the next few nights. Once again it was a homestead stay, Murchison House about 10 km out of town and 20km from the main attraction, Kalbarri National Park.

We went to Hawks Head, Ross Graham Lookout, Z Bend Lookout, West Loop Lookout and best of all Natures Window.  This is where we were gob smacked at all the different species of wildflowers.

The next couple of days in the town were for restocking, refuelling and once again looking around the old homestead. Kalbarri is a great beachside town that you could image being crowded out at holiday times.