Day 132 - Wednesday 15th May 2024
One of the benefits of a day where there isn't a whole load of miles to cover is the possibility of taking it a bit leisurely in the morning. Awake early as is my habit, and into breakfast before packing and loading the car. All checked out at 09:45 after the usual multiple checks of the room to ensure that I'd not forgotten anything, and still that nagging feeling persists that something is being left behind.
Today I had a page loaded with possible places to visit, and from a quick check this morning most of them were close to Kalbarri where I started the day. The first stop was at Red Bluff just 10 minutes from the hotel. Parked up in the car park, there was a 500 metre path to the lookout points on the cliff edge, giving a fantastic view up the coast and of the cliffs.
At this stage the car decided to tell me that one of the tyres was under inflated, so I decided that I'd sort that out at the first filling station I found today. The next stop was just a few hundred metres up the road at Pot Alley. Not the best of views from here, but it did give me the chance to get a shot of the cliffs to the south.
Just a few more hundred metres down the road, and I arrived at Eagle Gorge Lookout. Again, great views up to the coast to the north, and an opportunity to watch the surf breaking against the cliffs far below.
Once more down the road, and close again was the Kalbarri National Park Coastal Cliffs, incorporating four locations. The first I visited was Grandstand (the name was enough to give me my ear worm of the day) where I had a great view down to the sea and the waves breaking against the shore.
Onwards once more to Island Point; the scenery was getting a little same-ish, but here I had the view of an island just offshore, although I couldn't see the base from my viewpoint.
Just round the corner at Castle Cove I did get a better view of the island though ...
Round to the last lookout for a while, and Natural Bridge provided a view of an island in the making.
The viewpoints this morning had all been very similar, so I left the area and headed south, following the signs to Northampton where I was due to rejoin the state highway A1 that I've become very familiar with. The car had decided to stop telling me about the deflated tyre, so I'll check that when I refuel tomorrow. Before reaching Northampon though was an anomaly that I had to have a look at.
Hutt Lagoon is a lake sandwiched between the sand dunes and land proper, and is notable for it's pink colour. This I had to see; I've been to other places with supposedly pink lakes in both New Zealand and Australia, but this was the first that lived up to it's billing. The pink colour is apparently due to an algae which produces beta carotene in the sunlight; the red pigment in carrots and other veggies.
Onwards to Northampton, and the A1 main road ..... but it's not the road I've come to loathe here! This far south the road is all twists and turns as it takes you though farmland with views of the hills on either side. After the last few weeks, it was really pleasant driving, and before I knew it I was on the outskirts of Geralton where tonight's appartement hotel is located.
Before going to find my accommodation, I had one more place to visit, and Mill's Lookout. Just 10 minutes from the centre of Geralton, I found the lookout at the end of a short stretch of corrugated dirt road. The views inland were a fitting end to a good day of exploring.
Due to the short distance to travel today, I checked into the hotel at just before 14:00 having achieved everything I had planned ...... it's a while since I've been able to say that! I spent the afternoon reviewing tomorrows plan as I head for Perth, then dined at the restaurant next door.
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