Geraldton to Carnarvon

The roads were relatively quiet and we made good time today. We are now in the country of huge road trains with two or three trailers. They are difficult to overtake, but on long flat roads through desert-like landscape they go at a fair pace. There were a few grey nomads in caravans, but not as many as I’d seen in the past.

We stopped for morning tea at Galena Bridge. This is a popular shady spot, where overnight free camping is allowed. The only facilities are long drop toilets. It’s a lovely quiet place by the river, with a couple of white herons poking about and some common “28” parrots in the tree above us:

The modern road bridge is the highest one and replaced the old one, which was designed to be submersible when the river flooded. This bridge was designed by JL’s university  friend Gilbert Marsh.

There were some tiny pink flowers struggling in the dry stony ground:

On arrival in Carnarvon at about 4.00 pm we found our chosen accommodation (Hospitality Inn) was fully booked, so we were advised to go to another motel, the Fascine Lodge. Carnarvon is known for its Fascine, which is a wooden reinforcement of the river bank to prevent erosion by floods. At sunset we parked alongside the Fascine and I went for a walk along the old rail track which goes out to the One Mile Jetty.

The tramway was used to transport goods, such as bales of wool, to the jetty for loading onto boats heading overseas. It is no longer in use due to silting up of the Gascogne River.

Dinner was yummy seafood chowder; I’ve never tasted better!