Thursday, April 26, 2012

Kalgoorly Esperance Wave Rock Augusta





Remember click on photo to enlarge for a better look

Kalgoorlie,  Esperance, Wave Rock, Augusta

This is what truck will do if it runs over your ute so drive safely
Hi once again

Having recovered from our golfing experience, we spent 4 days in Kalgoorlie it was time to see a few of the sights around here: Kalgoorlie Gold Mine, the mine tour, this took us into the mine pit, showing us gold storage, truck repairs and much more, 
 
the super gold pit



The super gold pit depth 1.5 Km x length 3Km

A little dump truck

 
Kalgoorlie
The truck repair shop




Her e is where they change tyers

Traveling behind a tip truck





Truck wash

Spare used Tyrs

Crushing steel balls
amazing how large and massive this gold producing pit is, yet the trucks on the lower floors are still like tiny ants.

Of-course we looked at the house of ill repute once again took a trip to Lake Bollard this is a salt lake and has cast iron stick people placed all over it, in the middle an  island to climb for a fantastic view, walking on this lake was oh so slippery as the salt was damp but a must see.
Lake Bollard island











.


Stick people based on indigenous people  this is a female figure

A Male Figure

Salt where ever you look















Menzies was another place we visited this was a historic gold town in the 1800 here an artist used sheets of iron to decorate the town.

Police arresting a robber


A lady of the night





























it also has a few nice buildings from that era, refurbished and look great,note the town hall.

The Menzies Town Hall

 Left Kal as they call Kalgoorly and headed for Esperance, it was almost Easter so we where lucky to get a site at the Bathers CP and stayed for 3 nights, the weather was warm, took a drive along the Great Ocean Drive,
Beaches along the Great Ocean Drive

Along the Great Ocean Drive
Round about in Esperance Fore shore















Visited Cape Le grand and took the short cut along the Beach,

Nice drive on the Beach
  looked at the National park and its camp sites, great spots, but full up with campers, ended up speaking  to someone  and found out that two sites would empty on Monday, so on Easter Monday we where lucky enough to get these bays, at Cape Le grand Beach camp, opposite each other,

Camp at Cape Le grand beach National Park

Two kinds of Horse power on the beach
from here we visited Lucky Bay,

Beach Drive at Lucky Bay note the whiter than white Sand


Thistle Grove, Hell Fire Bay and Rositter Bay.

Thistle Grove Bay

Hell Fire Bay
Whistle Rock


Lucky Bay
Cape Le grand Beach the sun going down















The temperature while we were here was each  in the 30s so I even went swimming one afternoon, the sand a here is so white and fine that when you walk on it it actually squeaks under your feet,  drove on the beach at Lucky Bay to see if the Kangaroos had come out, I guess it was to hot for them.

Climbed Frenchman's Peak and took some great photo's there was a massive cave and large boulders a hard climb 1 hour each way 30 degree slope as well, but worth it.

Frenchman's Peak


From the top of Frenchman's Peak

Veiw from within the Cave on top of Frenchman's Peak

Veiew from  the top of Frenchman's Peak

Veiw from  the top of Frenchman's Peak

Veiw from  the top of French Mans Peak

On the top of Frenchman's Peak

looking towards the cave on the top of Frenchman's Peak
Sunset at Cape Le grand
High atop a lookout next to a stone build 

Great view of Le grand National park

Making a phone call atop a mountain

Le grand beaches with camp ground on the right

Having a swim at Le grand

We climbed this mount at Le grand















Fuel in Esperance we headed for Wave Rock, Tom and Anne left us here as this is a detour of some 300Km but worth it Wave Rock is a formation that looks like a rolling wave, nothing to do with the ocean but it was formed below the surface of the ground and washed clean by a storm a long time ago, took a walk to the 
Wave Rock Hyden WA

Wave Rock Hyden WA

Hippo's Yawn a large cave that looks like a yawn when you stand in front of it see photo.
Me in the mouth of Hippo's yawn

Achidna at Hyden made of  Spark plugs
 
Decided not to stay here and went on to Albany where by chance we met Tom and Anne once more, her we visited the military museum at the Princes Royal Fortress this was so unique as you where able to sit on a gun and it actually still moved fantastic!
Albany Waters from the lookout

Torpedoes, 6 inch Turret, etc at Prince Royal Fortress Albany

A Bofor at Prince Royal Fortress Albany

If only Bianka could sing we'd make a fortune

A bunker with replica shells etc these storage bunkers and lots of Passage are still here to see















we traveled onto Shannon National Park via Elephant Rock for a one night stay 

Elephant Rocks
Standing in the  Tingle Tree

Shannon National Park camp















then into Windy Harbor to see if we could catch some fish ha ha ha,Tom and Anne left us for the last time be here.

Great spot a CP that costs $17 a night,
Setting up note the weather was nice


The weather has changed to rough


Lots of rain















right on the beach great to be able to go fishing , first day OK and lots of people caught lots of  fish  and guess what next day the wind came in and brought the rain as well,   I tried to fish caught a few small one's only ,not big enough to eat, cut my finger as well, cutting bait, the forecasters kept up coming with fine tomorrow and we stayed for 6 days bad weather all the way, then when we leave it fines up.
Salmon Bay look out towards Windy Bay
 Never mind we are presently in Augusta at the most south/westerly point of Australia the weather is fine and we have done a bit of sight seeing , took a trip into Margaret River region as well  as theChocolate Factory, a winery or 2 etc.
The Light house at the most Southerly point off Australia


Water Wheel Calcified over the ages

Looking Towards the Antarctic directly south














Leaving tomorrow for Busselton to see our great friends Errol and Lynn so till next time 


See you 


Sig and Bianka
Another way of traveling Australia