Geraldton and Kalbarri

After a full day in Geraldton it was good to get to such a scenic campsite at Figtree Crossing and relax. Table top and pyramid-like hills dotted the green landscape, with the shadows slowly enveloping them as the sun set.

 

The HMAS Sydney memorial overlooking Geraldton and its harbour is a beautifully landscaped and crafted tribute to the 645 sailors that went down with the ship in 1941. It wasn’t found until March 2008, finally solving Australia’s most enduring maritime tragedy.

 

There are other maritime tragedies along the Coral Coast; the most gruesome is that of the Batavia, which struck the Abrolhos Islands in 1629 and turned into murder and mutiny. There are a few memorials and an exhibition in the museum that tell this tale.

 

Kalbarri was the destination the next morning, and we started with a drive through the National Trust classified historic town of Northampton. The Pink Lake was next, a standout amongst the dull brown and green landscape, getting its colour from naturally occurring beta carotene.

 

Kalbarri’s coastal cliffs provide some great walking trails: the 3km Mushroom Rock walk takes you right to the water’s edge, meandering through dramatic rock formations and banded colours of sandstone layers, all weathered over millions of years.

 

A visit to the Australian Parrot Breeding Centre was a delight. A vast array of colourful birds can be viewed within a palm thronged oasis that includes a huge walk through aviary.

 

Views of the Kalbarri township were taken in over lunch, followed by a couple of short walks to view various parts of the Murchison River gorge. This second longest river of WA runs 820kms from Meekathara to the catchment area of Kalbarri. Very impressive so a great place to camp alongside with a near-full moon rising above.