Wheat, monks and ocean

More trains woke us throughout the night at the Pump 3 Caravan Park at Cunderdin; it wouldn’t have been so bad if they didn’t honk their horns so long and loud. An early morning walk took me to the railway siding where at least 50 carriages were being filled with wheat from the stockpile; it seems to be a continuous operation as there were a few trains in line.

A quick look at the pump house and water tank, as the museum was yet to open (a pity we couldn’t hang around), we continued our journey west.

 

Through Meckering, Northam and Tooyday, all tidy and scenic towns with their fair share of historical buildings, we arrived in New Norcia in time for the 1.30pm town tour. An informative and cheerful guide led us through the various monastic buildings, taking us to afternoon prayers, explaining the magnificent art work in each place of worship and providing a comprehensive history of the town. Founded by Spanish Benedictine monk, Dom Rosendo Salvado in 1847, New Norcia has significant heritage value. There are only nine monks in residence now, but the order remains autonomous from the Catholic Church and is self-providing. They grow their own wheat to make their own bread and produce olive oil and wine, amongst other things, with tourism and school camp bookings as its main source of income. What happens to the town when there are only two monks left is anyone’s guess as there isn’t a rush for men to join the brotherhood. After a rainy night in the town campground, I arose early to attend the daily mass just for the experience. It was an opportunity to view the fine plaster etchings more than anything, so I slipped out before the end as it was past breakfast time.

 

I was all monked out, so it was time to head for the Indian Ocean. We left the last of the eucalypts behind us as we crossed the Brand Highway, and were surrounded by banksias and wattle for our drive to Nambung National Park to see The Pinnacles. The walking trail is the best way to see the thousands of limestone spires that rise out of the rich yellow sand; it’s a photographer’s delight, especially when the sun shines through.

 

A 140km drive north brought us to our free campsite, right beside the water with a box seat for the setting sun.