Geraldton to Wooramel

I’ve had trouble getting wifi recently, but it might be my lucky day now.

Here are some pics of the freebies in the Guest Kitchen at the Sails Motel:

This is the Sails pool, but too cold to use it at present:

Sails Motel had a splendid Guest Kitchen, with loads of freebies on two shelves.  You could just help yourself. There was a continental breakfast included in the overnight rate, but it was nothing to write home about. I just had a croissant and some raisin toast and I was on my way. I made a quick stop at Aldi on the outskirts of town. This is the last Aldi I’ll see on this trip - and there is no liquor store there, because BWS is just opposite.

Driving north, I passed many names that I recognised from previous trips:  including Galena Bridge 24 Hour Stopping, Eurardy Station, Nerren Nerren and Overlander Roadhouse. It was a perfect sunny morning for driving, but a little windy from the north-east when stopped. There was hardly any traffic on my side of the road. Everybody seemed to be travelling south. When I pulled in at Billabong Roadhouse, however, the place was jam-packed with grey nomads with their caravans and boats. They were offering free overnight camping, very handy, with nice toilets and a shop.

Wooramel River Retreat is somewhere I’ve never been before, even though I’ve driven along the Great Northern Highway many times. It’s 2km off the main road, along a wide gravel track.  There has been no rain for a while, so I knew I was safe from getting bogged. I’m staying in a very basic ensuite cabin, which has everything I need except wifi. The riverbed is completely dry. The main attraction is the artesian bore which supplies really warm water to four pools. It’s supposed to be good for the skin, but you are advised not to drink any or get it in your mouth accidentally. 

“Naturally warm, mineral-rich water rises from deep below the ground, flowing up from the Birdrong Aquifer - around 240 metres beneath the surface - under its own natural pressure.  It is then piped into free flowing pools where you can sit back, unwind and let the water work its magic.. The water sits at 31 degrees C and contains naturally occurring minerals, including salts, magnesium and iron, which are reputed to have soothing effects on tired muscles.”

The bad news is that I have noisy neighbours next door. Two lads arrived with big bags of ice to cool down their cans of beer. They were enjoying themselves outside till !0.00 pm . Thankfully everything went quiet at around then.