FROM BALLINYOO BRIDGE BACK TO CIVILISATION

Before leaving this part of outback WA I just had to take a star trail! We had a good spot with our campsite at Ballinyoo Bridge, and so I set up the camera ready to take a large number of shots. Some of these shots had to be culled if too many extraneous or strange coloured lights shone during the 30 second exposures. If only I had a 1.4 or a 2.8 wide-angled lens and wouldn't need such a high ISO which adds graininess to the captures! However, with my trusty 5.6, I began shooting. There is nothing better than to sit under the starry canopy on a warm night.

Star trail on the Murchison River, Outback WA

Leaving Ballinyoo we drove south along the Mullewa Carnarvon road, being surprised that, about 40km or so south, the dirt road turned into a sealed and lined highway. Such is the effect of the infrastructure that has been built to accommodate mining all across WA. Arriving in Mullewa we found a cafe for coffee. It was cold, and all the elderly ladies disembarking from a coach tour of the wildflowers were rugged up in puffer jackets and beanies. Steve needed to get something from the van and, upon opening it, found a scene that bewildered him. Getting me from the car, I solved his mystery. The little pieces of thick glass that were spread across the floor had come from the plate of protective glass in the oven. Why, or how, it shattered, we do not know, but other than cleaning it up and knowing I could not use the oven until we arrived in Perth, there was nothing we could do. Passing though Mingenew, stopping briefly to buy another coffee for both (and a freckled donut for Steve) at the bakery, we made our way through even increasing paddocks green with thick crops, to Three Springs where we planned to use their RV area for the night. While Steve refuelled, I popped into the Shire Office to make a donation for the use of the RV area with its toilets and showers. I know that not everyone donates, but they should when small communities provide free camping areas. Setting up camp, another camper invited us for Happy Hour later on, but we went for a walk to the IGA for supplies and to look at the town's murals and other interesting places first. We may have been the only ones drinking mugs of tea around the campfire, but we had an interesting couple of hours for Happy Hour.

Next day it was through to Moora for parkrun, and we had hoped for church. However a Men's Retreat weekend was on and all the churches were closed and a combined service was apparently held out on a farm where the retreat was held. Although given this information we were not told where so we left without church on the Sunday. On the Saturday though, after a magpie attacking parkrun and post parkrun coffee and brekkie at the French cafe, and then a much needed wash, we walked up to the Moora Show. What a fabulous rural show it was with the displays of produce, machinery, old cars, needlework, cooking, art and children's work, the horse competition, the animals, the sideshows and all that goes with country shows. We had a wonderful time but decided not to walk back up for the fireworks after dinner. We did not miss them anyway as we could stand outside the van and watch them.

Waving my magpie scarer above my head

Steve was pecked through his cap

Moora Show

A rescued blind Wedged-tail eagle

We enjoyed back country roads before reaching the highway where we had to pull off for very, very wide loads being hauled by two prime movers each. We had an overnight stop at New Norcia (where Steve again bought a Boston Bun from the monks' bakehouse), and then on for another three nights at the Wongan Hills Caravan Park where Bernadette welcomed us like long lost friends. She really is an amazing park owner. She blew us away with her generosity and her statement that we were the happiest couple she'd ever had stay! This country town benefited from our stay. We finally bought the large tome that is the 'go to' book for identifying the native orchids of southwest Australia, we had our taxes done at the local accountant and celebrated the fact that our tax bill with having sold the Glenorchy house was not nearly what we had anticipated with lunch at the local bakery. We enjoyed our walks around the wildflower areas and were glad that there still were ones to be seen, took long walks around the town and through the bush. On one of those walks, and I am sure Steve will dine out on this story for years, I walked over a small snake without even seeing it! Steve, who was behind me, jumped and called out, but I was oblivious. Anyone who knows my aversion to snakes will be surprised that I didn't see it, but as this was the last walk for the day and was at, and after, sunset, I was not looking for them. What self-respecting snake would still be out after sunset when the evening was very cool?

A local lady is painting the camp kitchen

I was taken with these trigger plants

Bee orchid

Custard orchid

Purple enamel orchid

The snake evening walk

Smoke bush is spectacular

This lake outside of Wongan Hills has become so saline that no birds will go there

From Wongan Hills we wandered back country roads through places with interesting names such as Koorda and Wyalkatchem until we arrived in Meckering for the last night before heading back to Perth. I knew that Meckering was the epicentre of the largest Australian earthquake up until that 14th October day back in 1968. This is another small town, much smaller than before the devastation of that day and situated a little to the Perth side of where the original town was destroyed, that welcomes RV travellers with a free camping spot. We explored the track that shows where the buildings were on display boards picturing both the former glory of, and the crumbled, buildings. From a country town of 51 occupied dwellings, 12 private business premises and 15 buildings devoted to government, public or sporting uses, only 16 houses and 3 business premises survived the quake.

We ate lunch near this mural on an old railway shed at Wyalkatchem

Proceeding to Perth we stopped in Bakers Hill for a break, and having seen the sign for the chemist, I took in my script that I needed filled. The pharmacist took it and asked me how Devonport was these days. Naturally I asked if he knew it. He'd lived there for seven years and loved it. I ascertained that he'd worked at Amcal where we go but I didn't remember him, however, at that moment Steve walked in and there was mutual recognition. [Steve does most of our shopping, especially our medicine shopping!] We had a wonderful hour or so chatting, and encouraging one another. Sam and his family had been part of the Baptist Church in Devonport.

And then it was on to Perth and the joyful reunion with family, the precious cuddles with an ever-growing new grandson, the play dates with his sister, the family celebrations for the grandson's baptism, Steve's birthday, Andrew and Lara's wedding anniversary and our granddaughter's birthday. We visited parks, rode on trains, went on a Ferris wheel at Fremantle and participated in parkruns.

A girl and her Pa on her Nanna and Pa date

Steve's birthday

First train ride

Fun at Scitech

A girl and her Nanna on a train

Pa was apprehensive of the Ferris Wheel

She loved te Ferris Wheel

Birthday games

Bob the Builder party

Bob the Builder birthday cake

Growing grandson

Participating and volunteering at parkrun

Walking on the escarpment

On the nicknamed Xanthorrhea Train in the Kalamunda Hills

Tomato Lake where we picnicked on evening as a family

We also had the van serviced and the oven fixed, took many walks together, met up with friends and had our car booked in for a service on that fateful day. Why? In an attempt to wash the floor quickly and get to Mazda on time, I slipped my feet into my sneakers but didn't do up the laces! Result: as I stepped backwards out of the van so that I could wash the last little bit, I was standing on one undone lace and tumbled down the steps, cutting my leg open as I went. It was the artery!! We were late to Mazda as you might guess and with numerous visits to the doctor and the nurses at the medical practice up the road for dressings, the bruised limbs, the tetanus shot and a couple of sleepless nights from being sore whichever way I lay, we finally were allowed to leave Perth albeit a few days later than expected. I still couldn't walk distances and needed to keep my leg elevated and finish the double lots of antibiotics, but we could leave civilisation and get back on the road, being thankful that if I had to do something crazy, it was where medical help was readily available and where family was close by.

Hopefully lesson learned