Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 36

Wildflowers on the roadside as we head for Meanarra Hill in Kalbarri National Park.

Malleefowl trail at Meanarra Hill – we are usually good at finding wildlife but this fowl creature continues to elude us.

Red Bluff

Wittecarra Creek Beach . This marks the spot where Europeans landed in 1629. The ship Batavia was wrecked on an offshore island followed by a mutiny. After sailing north for help, the captain Pelsaert returned and rescued the survivors. Most of the mutineers were executed but two sailors complicit to the mutiny were taken in a small boat to this beach and were left with equipment to fend for themselves as punishment. Wittecarra Creek is believed to be Australia`s first permanent landing by Europeans. They were never heard of again.

Masses of Tailflower were at Red Bluff in the dunes

Mushroom Rock

Milkmaids

Leschenaultia

Cowslip orchid

The locals were very friendly but this guy was a bit crabby

Kalbarri was a great place to visit to be active and to relax

South of Kalbarri we catch glimpses of Pink Lake from its eastern side. Still coming to terms with east meaning away from the ocean.

Pink Lake Lookout near Port Gregory

The road follows the lake around the western side

Australian shelduck – female with white eye ring

Stilts on Pink Lake

Grey teal

Further south down the coast is Port Gregory, a place with much history dating back to the convict era. In 1943 during WWII, the local crayfish cannery was bombed by a Japanese submarine, mistaking it for an ammunitions factory. In the aftermath, there were shells everywhere.