Having crossed the Tropic of Capricorn on the way south to Carnarvon, we seem to have lost the warm and dry conditions. It's been out with the winter doona and the long trousers, and we actually had rain our first night here, the first wet weather we have seen since Uluru in late April. The temperature isn't too bad, with highs generally in the low 20s, but the unremitting strong wind is getting a little wearing. It also plays havoc with our fuel consumption, as we are towing into it all the way on our journey south.Carnarvon has a strong horticulture industry, based on irrigation from the Gascoyne River (the photo of Wendy above has the mouth of the Gascoyne in the background). The Saturday morning Growers' Market was terrific, and on other days plenty of the producers have roadside stalls. We've been stocking up on local bananas, avocadoes, corn, chinese greens, strawberries, tomatoes, lemons ......... heaps of lovely things. There is no butcher in town, but 2 fishing co-op outlets, so we've used our fresh veg in meals based on fish and prawns. Yum!
On the coast about 75 km north of Carnarvon are the blowholes, where ocean swells force water through sea caves and up out of narrow holes in the rocks. Jets of water erupt in the air creating a spectacular sight, accompanied by a loud whooshing sound. There are numerous signs warning of the dangers of going too close, including an unmissable one at the end of the access road (see photo below). We had a pleasant morning clambering over the rocky shoreline, exploring the nooks and crannies of
a place that perfectly fits the phrase 'rugged coastline'.
Carnarvon's small heritage precinct is based around the '1 mile jetty', which was built for wool and livestock exports. It fell into disrepair from the mid-60s when road freight took over, and is in the process of being restored. They have a small train that runs about half way out, to the point where they have got to in the restoration, and just before the big gap in the structure. Or you can do what we did and take a walk out in the bracing wind.
On the coast about 75 km north of Carnarvon are the blowholes, where ocean swells force water through sea caves and up out of narrow holes in the rocks. Jets of water erupt in the air creating a spectacular sight, accompanied by a loud whooshing sound. There are numerous signs warning of the dangers of going too close, including an unmissable one at the end of the access road (see photo below). We had a pleasant morning clambering over the rocky shoreline, exploring the nooks and crannies of
a place that perfectly fits the phrase 'rugged coastline'.Just north of the blowholes there is a monument to the HMAS Sydney, which was sunk by the German ship the Kormoran in WWII, with the loss of all hands. Some people may remember that it was only last year that the remains of the Kormoran were found off this coast, and the location of this sea battle finally pin-pointed.
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