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| Stromatolites have been around for 3,500 million years (or at leat 6000 since creation) |
Carnarvon Saturday morning was hot and sunny again. For $2
we could wash the car as the town had lots of water from the underground
Gascoyne River. Cleaned the car in and out removing lots of red dust and
droppings from birds, kangaroos, emus, bats and probably crocodiles. Used the
touch up paint for the first time after translating the german instructions.
Very VW. Car looked fantastic at last.
Into Carnarvon where the waterfront looked delightful, like
Blakeney with palm trees. Youngmi not interested so I promised her a treat. She
didn’t believe it as we drove 3kms from town across desert. There behind the
railway museum was the one mile jetty. Youngmi recovered from the sight of the
railway museum and sprang out to start the walk. She loves jetties and seeing
fish. It was $5 to walk along to pay for repairs to the 120 year old wooden
structure. A lot more repairs needed. We saw dolphins and a manta ray but
missed the shark people had seen. A cute little train ran along but we passed
on that delight.
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| Canarvon pier with couple we met in Wyndham |
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| Some of the pier supports were past their best |
2pm we started the drive to Monkey Mia. 380kms so unlikely
before dark.33degs as we headed south. Desert then low hills. Overland
roadhouse was good and we enjoyed a pie while watching Hawthorn vs Port
Adelaide in the AFL semi final. 35kms further we came to Hamelin Pool caravan
site and Stromatolite viewing. First impression of the site was run down. Owner
Trisha very friendly and I booked in. She came from near Wolverhampton and had
ended up in this remote, harsh place. Her son and an older guy were seated near
the door. The older guy then appeared at the back and told Youngmi he was the
brother of the guy at the front. Youngmi looking unhappy. The BBQ area is the
original camel shed from 1884.Great shop and café at the office but a bit dark
and selling old clothes and older sexy underwear. Youngmi more unhappy. Cooking
dinner in the camel shed we met Howard and Jan from Perth. Jan explained she
was not impressed when first arrived but loved the people. Youngmi happier and
tells Dave he fits in here. Dave agrees as the place is full of character. It
was a telegraph station in 1884 on a line from Albany to Broome when it must
have been so remote. (The telegraph was apparently used in one of the moon
landings when the connection to the space dish at Canarvon was out of action
for 4 hours-probably to ask if they had camels on the moon).
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| Hamelin Pool caravan park-camel shed BBQ |
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| Tea garden at campground |
Very good nights sleep. Peaceful as. Sunday morning we
walked 500m to see the stromatolites. Oldest life form known on earth. Go back
3,500million years and exist in the very salty waters of Hamelin Pool. They are
bacteria using carbon and sun from the atmosphere to grow, diversify then
develop stone cores. Even older than the sexy underwear in the tea room.
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| Stromatolites |
From the stromatalites the path went along the coast made of compacted shells. Few things can survive in the super salty water but the shell creatures are one. There was a shell stone quarry were stone for the bildings at the campground was quarried.
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| Antarctica or birds in the salty froth at Hamelin Pool |
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| Shell stone quarry |
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| Shell stone |
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| Shell from stone |
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| A comfy chair on the walk back to campground |
Had another chat to Trisha were she confirmed what we thought
that it is very hard running the campground. Most drinking water has to be
bought though she expected rain that day.We haven’t seen rain for 3 months,
well you will today. Driving towards Denham it began to pour.
Pub lunch where
we again met Howard and Jan. Very pleasant particularly as it was like John o
Groats outside windy and raining. Drove to Monkey Mia but even more rain. Back
to Denham and found a good comfy unit for $85 on the caravan park. A bed at
last. 15 degs outside, pouring , windy. TV said 24 degs and sunny in Melbourne.
First time for 3 months we were in the wrong place.
