The overnight temperature dropped to single digits last night. The sun was already up when I had a look at the temperature gauge but it was still only 9.1 degrees. The weather today was the best day here so far but it started to cut up rough again late in the afternoon as the next cold front arrived. The forecast for the next few days is not good but then it will moderate a bit. The weather reports for the Kimberly area we left are into the 40’s now. We are so glad we are not in that with all the humidity as well, the small taste we had of it was enough for us.

I had a good look at the only shockie left on the truck and the bracket was starting to crack badly so I decided to remove it as well and see if the car could cope without either of them. You might find this really strange but the back is sprung really stiffly and there is very little bounce without them. I have wired it up out of the way and I will probably put it back in service when we hit gravel roads again as it’s only a 5 minute job to put the bolt back in and it gives a better ride on the gravel roads with it on. I am pleased we can get home and get it fixed properly, once and with only one cost associated with it as it may be a tricky repair. I now know if the other bracket does fail we can limp home without any troubles on the bitumen. I am sure there is a tougher after market bracket I have read about in the back of my mind?

Early morning activities while the back is high on the leveling blocks

Wire fixes everything, take a roll on your next trip!

About 9:30 we headed out and took in the Meanarra Hill lookout on the way into Kalbarri. You get a great view of the surrounding area and views across the region. We stopped at a gift shop and Sharon went shopping while I uploaded blogs and did some overdue online banking. A quick grocery shop and we headed out to the areas of Kalbarri down the coast a bit further. We did not know if we would keep going or return to Murchison Station for the night at this stage.

Kalbarri from Meanarra Hill lookout

First stop was Wittecarra Creek where it is believed two sailors from the Batavia were marooned here after their roles in the mutiny on the Abrolhos Islands. The captain took pity on the very young sailors and rather than hang them he put them ashore. No evidence has ever been found of what happened to them. They may have been the first white settlers of Australia. The Dutch used one of the prominent rocks here at Kalbarri as a navigation point to turn north to Indonesia and further on. Many ships were wrecked on the WA coast when they missed the turn and hit WA first.

Next we started a procession of cliff top lookouts and short walks along the coast. Sections remind you of the Great Ocean Road with rock islands and rock bridges. There was also a strange sight of fossilized burrows in the sandstone made by an ancient worm like organisms called Skelton. Lunch on one of the lookouts and the ever present whales splashing about out to sea kept us amused for ages. The wind was getting up now so we headed to the Rainbow Jungle parrot breading centre. The info in the brochure looked Ok but you never know with these sorts of things till you have done them.

Southern view

Mushroom Rock

No jumper but hands in pockets

Waiting for a big wave to get wet

North view

Another north view

Ancient burrow holes in the now sandstone rock

Rainbow Jungle was amazing and it was so big inside. They have this huge free flight aviary with birds wizzing past your body all the time. You could feel the wind and the occasional wing brush against you as the went past. They run breading programs for endangered and vulnerable species as well as a few exotic overseas birds like Macaus so there are many caged birds as well. The place and the cages were very clean and well kept. This was bird heaven and so colourful with good information boards and signage.

These Gang Gang Cockatoo used to be in north Tas

They are on the outside of the cage in the free flight area

The afternoon was done after this so we ended up back at Murchison Station as it was much cheaper than in town and we only needed a piece of dirt for the night. Weather is going to be windy tonight and it is much more sheltered here than down on the beach in town. Probably moving on tomorrow from here.

Because the weather was crap we decided to watch a movie only for the third time of the trip. The wind was howling and the rain was pouring so we upped the volume as our neibours were well away from us and you would be hard pressed to hear it over the wind anyway. We had this problem of a seating position where both of us could see it well and lay down so we manufactured a Trayon entertainment unit (see pic). It was a great success and the movie was good as well.

With stereo speakers as well!