2008/9 Trips to Python Pool Western Australia

Here's a little ride we used to quite often while we were living at point A near Karratha WA on the map. This would also make a good side trip for anyone doing the around Australia thing. Pictures are taken from some of  the trips we did to write this up.

Point A is a truck stop where I lived for two years while working for their other garage in the town centre of Karratha. The things we do for free accommodation etc.

The route is here http://goo.gl/maps/WAVl0

Points A to E is the first 90km sealed section of the 400km road to Tom Price. Point E to F is a dirt road leading to sealed section through the Millstream Chichester National Park. Point I is a camping ground inside the park. That's as far as I've gone with the bike but the road does continue on back up north to the main national 1 hwy. The last 40kms sealed section is full of high speed turns and one 3rd gear hill if you want to maintain the 110km/h limit.

A couple of maps showing the points where the pictures were taken.

 

We took advantage at point B on the map and had a rest stop and took pictures of a south bound train stopped in a siding waiting for a loaded north bound iron ore train. This line runs from Dampier to Tom Price.

At point C we get held up for an empty triple header on another line that crosses the road just before the road crosses a river. This line is from Cape Lambert To Panawonica and crosses the previously mention line above a few kms south of here.

The ford crossing for the road with Heather looking at a loaded north bound train which was taken a little while later.

Next stop is point D where the Tom Price line crosses a river

Taken from underneath the bridge looking at the bike.

The sealed stuff ends at point E and about 1km later a left turn takes you along a dirt road to the sealed road inside the national park.

We stopped at point G and did the 300 metre walk to the top of the hill.

Heather waiting at the tree in the centre of the above picture for me to catch up.

A couple of shots looking in a northwesterly direction from top of the hill we walked up

The bike in the car park

Can't forget a picture of Sturt's desert pea which is fairly well wide spread in at least most dry areas of the country

Heather at Python Pool (turn off at point H) feeding the fishes. We all ways had a picnic lunch here. There's water here all year around and people do swim here as well.

 

A section of the cliff face on the other side of the pool.

 

 

And the tourist info plaque though I never saw any of the plant mentioned

 

And of course me on the bike taken at the start of the sealed stuff on the way back home (back then anyway) Note the end 110km/h sign for the dirt road.

 

 

2017-09-07 Western Australia - Car Trip

Dad and I left my home around 8:30 am for another trip over to see my sis who lives in the Southern suburbs of Perth.

The end of the first day (Thursday) saw us at the Nundroo Hotel/Roadhouse about 750 km from home where stayed the night in motel style accommodation. The only stops for the day were for fuel, a supermarket at Port Augusta and a couple of stops to change drivers.

Dad's car in front of the unit on Friday morning.

Our next planned stop was at Border Village as we need to go through the quarantine station and on the way I stopped for the Nullarbor Plain sign.

Border Village gives us a sign post and a big kangaroo

 

And The Roadhouse 

Before we can enter Western Australia (WA) we need to go through the Quarantine station which for us is no issue. About 12 km after the border is Eucla and then the road goes down onto the coastal plain.

One of the signs we get to along this highway advises that the next section of road is an emergency landing strip for the flying doctor. There's three or four of them between Ceduna and Norseman.



At Caiguna we stopped for more fuel and there's another sign post.

 

Caiguna is also the start of this or the end if going East.

 

That was the last photo I took until my sister took us on the scenic route to her son's place.

We stopped at one of the beaches in Kwinana and I took a few pictures.

Grain silos.

 

Grain loading wharf

 

A historic car still being used - An Oldsmobile.

Another stop a little further South for a little coastal scenery at Cape Peron

And a local resident. http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/blue-tongue-lizard.html

Now for the trip home.

After we left the city of Perth we took the road via York and rejoined  the highway at Tammin.

Dad was driving this section and I took these two while on the move.

Kangaroo tail or Yakka https://www.floristwithflowers.com.au/blog/xanthorrhoea-the-story-of-the-black-boy-plant/

Wouldn't see a road like this in South Australia with a speed limit of 110 k.p.h. and no centre line.

 

At the end of day one we stopped overnight in Norseman.

 

No way around this one and it's the sign at the western end.

 

 

Where we go down on to the coastal plain at Eucla we go down again at Madura

 

Looking east along an ancient cliff face which is to our left all the way to Eucla.

 

After Eucla it looks like this

 

 

Approaching Nullarbor road house we get the western end of the Nullarbor Plain sign and we stayed here for the second night.

 

 

Managed to get a sunset.

 Before we left I took a few photos around the road house.

What it looks like today

And what it looked like in past.

A map showing the different whales

And this on it's way to Perth was this.

A Giraffe but unable to see it.

This was a surprise. I went through Kimba on the 1st weekend in August and it wasn't there. The main road goes the other side of these and you don't see this but coming in from the west you can; so we drove past and took a photo.

Kimba silo art.

A few hours later we were back at Peterborough.

 

Our trip map https://goo.gl/maps/9RGVmVYnJYL2