August 30th,

We seem to get up earlier at present because the mornings come light earlier..soon there will be a time adjustment.
The track out to the Eyre Highway was dry but very rough and ridged from vehicles  driving through in very wet conditions. The bush, again, has been very pretty with yellow cassias and wattles as well as white pink, purple and mauve flowers and even an example of Sturt's Desert Pea.
After meeting the Highway at Balladonia we have scooted along on the bitumen as far as Caiguna where we have found a bush camp amongst some very grey and twisted trees. The Nullarbor wind is blowing which is a change. We have hardly experienced wind at all and no doubt this is why the trees are so twisted and deformed.

Sturt's Desert Pea on Zanthus-Balladonia Road

Rough bush around Caiguna camp site

August 29th

After spending nearly 24 hours near the Rail Line we have seen 10 freight trains go by..some in an easterly
direction and others in a westerly direction. They make a lot of noise in the night!!

We had camped in the same spot as we did some years ago while travelling this road. The Gimlet trees are a
real magnet. Soon after reaching Zanthus we turned south on the track to Balladonia. It was quite an easy
track for 40 kms as it had been maintained by a mining company. From there on for the 80kms it deteriorated. However it was dry, which was a bonus after all the mud we have seen.
John had a 'collecting' day as he picked up a good gas bottle on the roadside, then further on a several lengths of rope. It appeared that there had been a bogging experience for some travellers although the road and surrounds are bone dry now. There were great scourges in the road and through the trees near the road.  Evidence of jacking a vehicle, filling the bogs with branches and even a broken surf board were obvious. In a tree we found a 'make-shift' winch made from a branch and wide strapping.
We are camped in plain grey scrub tonight..no Gimlets in sight although we have seen some magnificent
examples along the way. We also saw the Boorabin Mallee trees coming into bloom which was great as earlier when we saw them they were only in heavy orange bud.

Boorabin Mallee tree in bud and bloom

An interesting orange and black lizard.

August 28th

A day of sunshine and showers. Our first stop was at Kambalda which is a mining centre near Kalgoorlie. We drove to the top of Red Hill to see the most magnificently wide view of the area. The huge salty Lake Lefroy is 510 square kilometers in size with some areas of dark red sand and others of white salt.
Onward to Kalgoorlie where we took the road east along the Trans Continental Rail Line. Bitumen for several kms then the muddiest red road which consequently covered our vehicles..what a mess and no water at hand!!
The bush actually looks wonderful because of the recent rains. Everything has a strong green colour and many bushes are in flower..particularly cassias and wattles.
 The road has followed the line and in five hours we have seen five freight trains. We have set up camp near the rail line west of Zanthus so we may wave to more train drivers before we leave in the morning.

Hop Bush

Mulla Mulla

August 27th

We have had a great day driving north toward Norseman and then Kambalda. The bush along the way has been beautiful and ever changing.  Most of the time we travelled on bitumen but took one very interesting track to the east and south of Norseman. This led us along a tourist route through the old mining areas. From the late 1800s until early this century mining has been taking place in a small way. The bush is riddled with mine holes, mullock heaps and old machinery.
The flowers were like a garden..so varied and bright. They must surely have had recent rain.
We have not had rain today and this evening is warm and fine which makes cooking on the campfire mush more fun. We are having silver-side and vegies tonight.
Our plans have changed and we hope to travel for a short distance along the Trans continental railway line ..definitely heading east on our return to Victoria. Sadly our coastal route was not a viable choice. I think I really prefer the inland country to that of the coast.

Cassia bush south near our camp.

August 26th

We returned to Esperance this morning..on the roadside, at last, I had the opportunity to photograph the coastal banksias. It is wonderful to see them growing so healthily in their natural environment.
Very soon we met up with John & Beth and it was great to hear how they had spent the last two weeks.
After a 'bought lunch' and real coffee, a visit to Woolworths for fuel and food we headed north with the hope of escaping rain.
Along the way we visited an Aboretom which had many stands of eucalyptus trees. Some familiar but many new ones once again. We  have become much more familiar with this family of trees.

Tonight we are camped at a small Nature Reserve north of Esperance and south of Salmon Gums. There are clouds about but we hope the day is sunny as we go north tomorrow.

Showy Banksia near coast at Esperance

August 24th and 25th

We are spending the weekend here at the Cape Le Grande National Park. It has easy access because of sealed roads. This also makes it a popular weekend destination for people from Esperance. Saturday was the first sunny day in the area after 2 weeks of rain. The temperature is in the mid 20s so good for camping and enjoying birds and flowers. We have had several walks over the 2 days..either on the beach or along the very rocky coast line. The views are spectacular. The smokey blue 'smoke bush' is very evident in the coastal bush along with coastal Banksias.
We stayed for 2 nights at Lucky Bay and now we are here in Le Grande Bay for a single night before we head back to Esperance to meet our travelling companions. We also have internet connection here.

Hellfire Bay

Looking into Lucky Bay from Granite Coastline walk

August 22nd

We drove out from the Fitzgerald River NP through the most delightful native garden. Pea flowers of every colour..yellow, pink, mauve, blue, orange and red. We stopped several times to look  closely and to photograph. Of course I can only identify a few as there are so many new flowers for us. Banksias and wattles are quite plentiful.

Close up of Royal Hakea

However the most spectacular was the Royal Hakea..Hakea victoria which was named after Queen Victoria. The actual flowers are insignificant but the huge floral leaves dominate the bush. These leaves persist for up to 5 years, and the colour becomes deeper each year.


Late in the day we found a Square Fruited Mallee Eucalypt tree.The buds, nuts and flowers are large about 5 cm in length by 3 cm wide. The flowers and buds are bright red. I do hope we see some more of these.

Again we will sleep with the sound of waves in our ears. We are at Munglinup Beach on the Great Southern Ocean.

Royal Hakea