Denham

I have finally caught up with my Blogging and I am actually writing this from Denham......(think this might be a first!)

We packed the vans up ready to leave by 8:30 as we were hoping to get to the markets to buy our fresh vegies before we left.    Patty & I managed to find a "few"other things to spend our money on at the market as well as the fresh vegies........     We had quite a long drive today so stopped at the Overlander Roadhouse for lunch & a break, but looking at the greasy meals & flies we decided to eat in the van.

Before we reached Denham we came across a beautiful beach "Shell Beach".    The shells are beautiful but very tiny and stretch across the whole beach (no sand at all).     The shells are 5 metres deep which is quite incredible!     The water is very, very salty though.

Crushed shells are used in the caravan park to keep the dust & sand down so you are walking on crushed shells (a litle like dolomite)

Kel & Tony on top of a mound of shells.    The beach is so white it looks like snow!

Patty & I standing on Shell Beach.........The shells from here were also used to build the "Old Pearler Restaurant" in Denham - it is quite a unique building as all the bricks are made of compacted shells.     

We were shocked to get up on our first morning at Denham to find clouds everywhere, windy & quite cool.    Our first "bad" day we have had on our trip!    After a group meeting we decided on a day trip to Monkey Mia.

Patty & I with the crowd waiting to be chosen to feed the dolphins who venture into the Bay.   I was lucky enough to be picked out of the crowd to feed one of the dolphins...... I think it was meant to be as the dolphins name was "Nikki".   I would have put a photo up of me feeding the dolphin but the cameraman wasn't up to his usual standard today......

Sue, Kel, Patty (& Tony behind the camera) waiting for our lunch at the Monkey Bar...... 

We thought Monkey Mia looked a little run down and could do with some money being put back into the tourism here (& Patty & Tony thought a few more prawns on their pizza would have been good too).    Kel & I enjoyed our Seafood Basket!

Our second day wasn't looking much better so decided on a drive and picnic lunch to Big Lagoon and Peron Homestead.   The vegetation on the side of the road was quite spectacular although the road was very narrow and not too many places to pull over when a car was coming the other way.   We did come across one caravan coming towards us & was tavelling quite fast!   Not a place for vans....

We didn't stay long at Big Lagoon as we were covered in sandflies (or midgies) as soon as we got out of the car so decided to keep going and have our lunch at the Peron Homestead.   The guys were hoping for a fish here!

 The Peron Homestead provides an insight into how life was on a working Sheep Station back in the 1950's.     When we arrived Patty & I thought we had found 2 handsome shearers, but on closer look, I think it is Tony & Kel waving at us!

The "Hot Tub" we are standing in front of was the original vital water supply for the Homestead's stock but is now used as a Hot Tub.   The water temperature is around 40 deg & had warnings not to stay in too long ..... the water didn't look that inviting so we decided not to go in although quite a few did!!!!

 We were lucky enough to see a father Emu & 3 of his chicks having a swim in the warm water.   We think the mother was near keeping an eye on them incase a preditor came!  They actually layed right down in the water so you could only see there heads.   It was quite incredible to see!

 We are in the shearing quarters here and Shearer Kel is trying to shear a troublesome sheep!

 Here we are in the Cook's Kitchen - I think you can see who does the most work in this kitchen..... one is drinking a long neck & the other is cooking.......

Dinner is ready!!!!!    This is the dinner bell which I think could be heard all over the Homestead!

The weather is starting to improve now ....

 We are leaving Denham tomorrow and hoping to get into a free camp which is right on a sheltered Beach.    It is a little "hit & miss" as we have to ring on the day to see if there is a spot..... if not we will head on into Kalbarri!