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We always used Carnavon as a convenient stopover (and cheap too – the prices of food are the same as you would get in Perth). One of the things I always wanted to see were the blowholes at Point Quobba.
Point Quobba
Blow holes are created by the force of the water gushing through the holes in the rocks. Known also in geology as marine geyser, blowhole is formed as sea caves grow inwards and upwards emerging at the surface. When there is enough pressure (normally during high tides and in windy conditions) the water rushes through the caves and then erupts like a volcano, sometimes up to 20 meters high. It is an awe-inspiring sight to behold.
An impressive marine geyser!
It is best to view blowholes at high tides, although take care when approaching blowholes, because it is Mother Nature in its raw and fierce form – the stunning swells can also be dangerous.
Don’t ignore the signs
Here is the view we’ve got in September 2020. It was in the afternoon (presumably, during high tide).
Blowholes at high tide
And this is what we saw this in April 2021, in the morning, when it was quiet (probably, low tide).
Blowholes at low tide
You can find these blowholes at Point Quobba, 75 km north of Carnavon along Australia’s Coral Coast.
We have been looking for best snorkelling and camping at Cape Range National Park for quite a while. Having stayed at various caravan parks in and around Exmouth, this time we decided to stay in Cape Range National Park itself. Not only we were closer to the best beaches where we could see corals and other marine life. In addition, we were also staying just meters from the beach with only a few fellow campers. It is quite a different experience compared to overfull (as it is the case during Easter holiday break) caravan parks. It is all about being closer to nature. Every night we enjoyed sitting outside of our caravan, gazing into the Milky Way up in the sky. We spent time reflecting on how incredibly vast and enormous the universe is, of which we know so little. It is the desire to know, to experience “real life” that drives us to stay in those pristine, unique and often wild places, so rich in natural beauty, geological history and biologically diverse.
Termite nest in Cape Range National Park (approximately 2 meters tall)
Camping at Cape Range National Park
So, we booked a site at Tulki Beach, which is the closest to famous Turquoise Beach. At $11 per night per person (the price has changed since then, and it is $15 you can get a wonderful spot only 200 meters away from the beach, shared with 10 other campers. There are no facilities except for a very decent (no smell) drop toilet.
Tulki Beach Campground
The sunsets and the sunrises you can view at the beach are amazing.
Sunset at Tulki BeachSunrise at Tulki Beach
So, is the abundance of wildlife, including insects and birds, which were fascinating to obsesrve.
Attack of a spider… by another spiderReally big ant
Being the season of turtle hatching (April) I went out a couple of nights to look for little turtles making their way to the ocean. I wasn’t lucky enough to see them (they say, turtles are directed by the moon light to the water) but I saw something which looked like the trails left by little turtles moving. Or, I could be wrong.
Someone’s track trailsA different trail. Snake?
While there are plenty of activities, including great walk and hiking trails to enjoy in Cape Range National Park, we spent 3 full days at the beaches. We took full advantage of the hot and sunny weather, leaving the walks and hikes for the cooler and overcast days (that was the plan). After all, to see corals and marine life was our main agenda in Cape Range.
Snorkelling sites
Oyster Stacks
Our favourite beach for snorkelling is Oyster Stacks. In my opinion, it is the best snorkelling place. Only a few meters away from the car park, you can find yourself a spot for a picnic and then step into the water. There is only a slight drift and no strong current or waves. The bay is protected by the outer reef which is the closest to the shore in this part. So it is quite safe for inexperienced swimmers and snorkellers. Probably, the only downside of this beach is rocky shoreline (wear beach shoes unless you are using fins – or use both), But once you step into the water you are in a paradise. Oyster Stacks should only be snorkelled at medium or high tide when there is sufficient water over the coral reefs to avoid damaging these delicate organisms.
The abundance of the corals and marine life you see is awe-inspiring. I spent hours trying to take a good shot of these crabs.
Crabs at Oyster Stacks
My regret was not having a professional underwater camera to make a record of all the beauty we have seen (yet another reason to visit this place again!). However, I managed to take a few nice shots of the fishes, star fish, stingray and even a baby reef shark!
Fish and sea cucumber Blue spotted stingrayStar fishBaby reef shark
Turquoise Beach
Turquoise Beach has been voted Western Australia’s top beach by Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice. It is very popular (so get there early to get a spot) due to its white sandy shores, crystal clear turquoise water and easy access to corals (only meters away from the shore). There are two places to snorkel in Turquoise Bay – Drift Snorkel area (our choice) and Bay Snorkel area. Entering the waters at the southern end of the beach, let the current take you over the reef while you relax and enjoy viewing beautiful corals and marine life. There are moderate/strong currents at Turquoise Bay area due to a break in the reef further out, so it is important to exist the water before you reach the sandbar.
MackerelTurquoise Bay beach
Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay beach is great for a picnic and after snorkelling experience. While it does have some corals, it is best known for white sandbar and knee-deep water around it which is excellent for kids playing and swimming. This is what our kids enjoyed after they’ve had enough of snorkelling.
Sandy Bay
Well, our plan to do some hiking to explore the rest of the national park did not materialise due to the Tropical Cyclone Seroja which caused closure of Cape Range Park where we stayed and forced us to change our plans and leave sooner (April 2021).
Packing up before the cyclone arrived. We were one of the last campers to leave.
Instead of going back home, we decided to travel further up north-east to continue our adventures in an uplanned itenary. We ended up going to Karijini and Millstream Chichester National Park.
Deciding to camp free meant that we had no bookings (for some places) and could change our plans as we went along. This was our fifth or sixth trip to Exmouth (having been there so many times I lost count 😊) and we always stopped at Denham on the way there. This time I decided that it was enough to see the same place, however, the nostalgia about the Shark Bay area was there. After all, it is such a unique place that has always been drawing my attention. It is not a surprise. Listed as a world heritage place since 1991, Shark Bay satisfies all four of the criteria for the natural heritage values:
Natural beauty, which includes diversity of landscapes (peninsulas, islands and bays), rare, unique and abundant flora and fauna.
Ecological processes seen in the largest seagrass meadow in the world with the highest species diversity assembled in one place.
Shark Bay is home to many endangered plants and animals that still survive.
Beautiful it is indeed!
The Shark Bay World Heritage Area covers 2.2 million hectares and has a coastline stretching for 1500 kilometres. About 65 percent is marine waters. It is located 800km north of Perth on Australia’s most westerly point.
Getting there
Camping in wilderness, in the unique place looked very attractive to us. So, we called the Shark Bay Tourist Centre in Denham and bought a permission (it costs $15 per night per vehicle) to camp in the national park. By the way, you can only camp there for one night but it was all we needed, as we had to be in Exmouth by a certain date.
Turn off to Goulet Bluff from Shark Bay Road
Turning off from Shark Bay Road onto the dirt road, we drove for 2 km or so. When we nearly arrived the destination according to google map app, we approached a fork, wondering where to go from there. Expecting to see campers or at least some visible traces of the campground and not willing to tow a caravan to a place where we could not turn around, I left the car and walked for a while up the hill. Still no sign of people or campground – just a beautiful and peaceful view of the bay.
A car with two young girls stopped nearby. Hoping they might give us a clue, we asked them for directions to the campground. It turned out they were just looking around and knew not more than we did, however, they were helpful by driving ahead and then coming back telling us that the place ahead looked like a camping spot!
Shell beach atGoulet Bluff
So, we found our perfect camping spot right on the beach. Shell beach. It is not the famous Shell Beach you can read about in the travelling brochure. Goulet Bluff is 10 km away from Shell Beach and it is on the opposite side of the Shark Baby Road when you drive to Denham. Being in proximity to Shell Beach, Goulet Bluff is basically a continuation of it (it is said that Shell Beach stretches for 120 kilometres), so it shares the same unique look and feel of it. Shell Beach (and so is Goulet Bluff as part of it) is one of only a handful of places on earth where shells replace beach sand in such a picturesque way. Interestingly, the shells are from just one type of animal, the Shark Bay cockle, making the beach truly unique.
Shark Bay cockle shells at Goulet Bluff
Camping experience at Goulet Bluff
We set up our caravan and awning. Kids helped with the pegs (the younger one, Ilusha, was mostly playing with them 😊) and then we all had a relaxing afternoon.
Swimming in very warm bay water, playing with the shells, taking pictures, reading or writing – each one of us was occupied diffferently.
As the day was nearing to its end, we noticed the tidal waters getting closer to our caravan. Luckily, we set up quite a distance from the shore line and were separated by a small reef from the ocean which formed a little lagoon. By the time, the tide was at its highest, what was a little lagoon merged with the rest of the oceanic waters and shore line separating the lagoon and the ocean was no longer visible.
High tide. The water was getting closer
Our (the only) neighbour a few hundred meters away was not so lucky. He had to interrupt his fishing in order to move the caravan closer to us, as the water got to the wheels of the caravan.
Sunset at Goulet Bluff
The following day was Easter Sunday, which the kids very much looked forward to. In fact, easter chocolate eggs and bunnies was what they were looking forward to.😊.
Kids were happy to receive their Easter chocolates
A couple of last pictures and it is time to move on.
Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool
On the way out we visited Hamelin Pool Stromatolites. Shark Bay is one of only two places in the world where living marine stromatolites exist (the other place being the Bahamas). The living fossils that build Stromatolites in the highly saline and very warm waters of Hamelin Pool show us what marine ecosystems would have looked like 3 billion years ago. This is one of the reasons for Shark Bay’s World Heritage status.
Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool
Not only this place is beautiful and unique, it is also full of history. There are a number of interpretive signs along the boardwalk where you can read and learn how stromatolites were formed. It is definitely a place worth a visit (it is better to visit early in the morning as it gets very hot there especially in warmer months).
A lot smaller in size than nearby more famous Walga Rock, Garden Rock, near a small town Cue, is hardly known. Located only 18 km east of Cue, on Cue-Wondinong dirt Road (connecting Cue and Sandstone), it is easily accessible. This granite rock rises 20 meters above the sandplain and has a circumference of 1km, so it is quite an easy and pleasant walk around.
There were a number of loose rocks, as well as rock holes filled with water from the recent rains.
Garden Granite Rock was once the site of market gardens established in 1894 to supply gold rush population around Cue with fruits and vegetables. This is hard to imagine today, as there are no traces of the former gardens left ☹.
There is a free bush camp around the Garden Rock (unlike the Walga Rock). While we neither camped, nor saw people there, we noticed traces of people who camped before. Maybe, one of these days we’ll be back for a camp here :).
Perfect place for camping
Back on the road. While approaching Cue, at the end of dirt Cue-Wondinong Road we saw an interesting sign, urging all vehicles to stop and brush off wheels. For the record, we couldn’t find the reason why needed to dust off wheels, but we followed the rule 😊.
Knobby Head (South) used to be a free camp ground (back in 2021 when we visited it), 3.5 hours drive north of Perth. It is half way between Leeman and Dongara. There are two entrances 20 to 40 meters apart running in parallel from Indian Ocean Drive. If you are travelling from Perth, use the first entrance, if you tow a small caravan. Second entrance has soft sand and not levelled (towing and driving could bog the vehicles). Both tracks are short and very soon you find yourself in front of the ocean! There are only 3 or so spots there, 80 to 100 meters apart, so there is a lot of privacy and the spots are quite big. We had our friends in a Land Cruiser Sahara and a huge tent staying with us for the first night.
Knobby Head South campground
There is also Knobby Head north campground, a short drive further up north, which has more spaces.
We tried fishing… although didn’t catch anything.
However, we were lucky to be gifted with a freshly caught lobster (after our friends left) by a friendly neighbour whom we saw every morning passing by and launching a boat to go out in the sea.
A gift of freshly caught lobster from a friendly neighbour
There are no facilities in this campground, so please take rubbish with you. It is a nice stop over for a night or 2, or a place to get away for a weekend.
Update: Things have changed a lot since we camped at this place in 2021. The shire has put up basic facilities and is charging now $20 per site per night. As we have not been there since 2021, we can’t provide any more updates.
Corner Camp is a basic and facilities free campsite, off Paynes Find-Sandstone Road in Australian Outback. It is accessible to 2WD.
Getting to Corner Camp
Leaving Mount Magnet and its rock formations at around 4pm, we set off along Great Northern Hwy, travelling south for our last overnight stop for this trip. Our Captain Andrei, a very adventurous and courageous man, decided to change my plans and drove 30 km off the highway on a dirt road just to spend a night in complete wildness. We found Corner Camp or Wikicamp. It is 30 or so km off Paynes Find. It wasn’t sign posted (or, perhaps, we took a wrong turn?) and when we arrived, it was total darkness. Driving through the bushes, we navigated our way to a secluded place where we settled for the night. Potato and freshly made bread prepared in Aboriginal way in the charcoal was our meal for the night. Only the stars and warmth of the burning fire were our companions that evening.
Upon waking up in the morning and getting out of caravan (with only 6 degrees inside), I went for a little walk. It is there, among bushes, far away from civilization, I stood and listened to complete silence. Not a single sound interrupted it – neither bird, nor man, nor wind. Only Silence. It was full, indescribable and completely fulfilling. Merging into the Silence, I realised that it was worth driving 30km off the road to experience and absorb it.
Corner Camp in the morning
Leave no trace
Leaving a place in a better condition than you found it means taking rubbish with you, burning organic waste, extinguishing the fire and burying the traces. Kids learn along the way and take active part in the process.
Learning how to start a car when the battery is dead is a must when you travel in the bush on isolated roads. Being self-sufficient, relying on your own skills and knowledge coupled with Trust in Life and Creator is the key not only to survival in harsh environment. It is what turns survival into adventure and enjoyment of the process along the way.
During our journey to Pilbara – fault lines on the mountains in Karijini
Travelling over millions of years in time…
Imagine travelling over time, not a few years but over millions of years teleporting in time on your journey to Pilbara. Dinosaurs roamed the earth on land and in the oceans. Volcanoes erupted. Tectonics plates (probably, upper zone of mantle) shifted Pangea (supercontinent) as it was called about 180 million years ago. It then broke up, separating into segments of continent, to form what we know today as various continents around the world.
It was different then. There were, perhaps, no humans until first historical find revealed humans’ existence in the last thousand years. The land on the continents was different. Further volcanic eruptions happened. Tectonic plates shifted again. Colliding of earth’s crust, land was pushed against to form mountains in one place and others sank to form oceans, lakes, rivers and gorges. Meteorites struck the earth. Deadly ashes spewed into the air, eventually covering the sun for years. Plants died and so did the many species of dinosaurs and reptiles. We were teleported into a few million years ahead to present day.
On the edge of Hickman Crater. Aerial drone footage – credit to Andrei Klochkov.
Journey through Pilbara
As we approached Newman, my thoughts were interrupted when Andrei Klochkov suggested I consider taking a flight from the domestic airport to alleviate my concerns of breakdown. The offer didn’t last as we took a right turn into off beaten road. As we travelled late into the night, it was like a desperation to find a stopover somewhere. Locating this place was a bit of a chore.But somewhat managed it. We found the trail that went below the rail lines under a bridge. The unsealed road was followed further by a dirt road, corrugation being not that bad initially. Pulling a 5.5 m caravan was one of my biggest concerns.
We travelled for nearly 2 hours on a 17km long corrugated road, trying to find our way in the dark night. The vehicle and the caravan rattled left, right, back and forth. I had concerns of failing chassis both in 4WD and caravan or punctured tyres. I prayed for us to arrive to our destination safely and often checked the conditions of the wheels, the chassis, tow bar, etc to ensure all are intake during comfort breaks.
Checking of the rig on the way to Cobbah Downs River Crossing
Cobbah Downs River Crossing camp
The sound of running water on the side of a stream, and the sight of two vehicle reflectors were a relief to me. I knew we have arrived the destination. We setup camps in Cobbah Downs River Crossing after identifying suitable ground. As we arrived late into the night, we had express meals and quickly retired to bed.
Camping at Cobbah Downs River Crossing
The sun rose and broke the horizon, casting a strong orange colour on the surface of the high rock behind us. I could see, for the first time, the splendour and beauty of this place in its morning glory. Andrei promised that the place will have a pool, nice meals and cocktail bar. It wasn’t a disappointment.
Cobbah Downs River Crossing in the morning
We spent the second night so we could pamper ourselves. The running water from the stream was a blessing. Our two neighbours, after we got acquainted, were wonderful. Brad and Rachel on our left and Elai and Alexis across the stream. The latter group (French and Canadian) were stranded like ‘everyone else from isolation of movement’.
Hickman Crater
We continued the journey and bid farewell to our new found friends. I started to pray when we hit the corrugated trail again. Our next stop was Hickman Meteorite Crater. The journey into the wild took us into no man’s land.
Spinifex land
Upon reaching where we believed we could set camp, we ventured further up in the 4WD on a really bad corrugation trail. Gosh! We rocked in every direction possible. I swore that if things could go wrong, there would be disaster.
The road to Hickman Crater
The sight of the crater was a sight to behold. It was even more awesome from an aerial drone footage.
Aerial drone footage of the Hickman Crater. Credit to Andrei Klochkov
We returned to camp and prepared meals later in the evening.
Serious conversation over camp fire
Albert Tognolini – on the doorstep of Karijini
We continued our journey the next day after saying hello to early risers Elai and Alexis who drove by past us. We arrived Albert Tognolini in the mid-afternoon. This site is overlooking the scenic range. It seems that this end of the range shows where land masses were shifted forming mountains with jagged fault lines cut across mountain ranges on its sides, exposing the layered rock surfaces.
Albert Tognolini
As night fell, we had open fire cooked meals in hotpot and other assorted dishes and snacks. Tonic bar was open with multi-talented barman Andrei serving up cocktails.Having a shower behind the camper with a night view of the mountain ranges silhouette from the brightly night moon was extraordinary. Marina Klochkov shouted, ‘there is no running water’ after turning the tap. I whispered to my elder son and he said out aloud ‘put in 50 Rubles and the tap will have running water!” There were bursts of laughter in the group sitting around the table concentrating in the game of ‘Mafia and Citizens’.
Camping at Albert Tognolini
Karijini National Park
We travelled into the Karijini national park the following morning. First, we visited the gorges (at Fortescue Falls), then to Weano Gorge. We hiked into the gorge in a cautious manner after learning of an accident in the other gorge. As we hiked down precariously step after step, l wondered how it must have been a shocking experience when the earth surfaces opened under the ground when tectonics plates shifted.
Weano Gorge
The sight of the rock walls with its jagged corners protruding out in even angles started to smoothen as we got deeper into the gorge. The erosion of some forms, perhaps from flooding water over many million of years had polished the surfaces.
I stopped frequently looking up to study the rock surface formations. I pointed to my children and emphasised what they had learn from books and no could actually see the real things. All of us had a great time.
Weano Gorge
The next day we visited Knox Gorge after packing up and towing the caravan. Another amazing place to excite all of us. The routine of going into the gorge became normal for us, although we still had to be careful as such places are well known for accidents including death every year.
Knox Gorge slot canyon
In conclusion
Words do not do justice to Pilbara. Visit and see for yourselves and indulge and experience millions of years of nature’s history under your feet and the surroundings in this present time as ‘l have lived through times over many millions of years’.
Knox Gorge
Facts sheet:
Distance covered: 3141km
Vehicle: Pajero GLRX diesel
Caravan: A tin box
Free camping: 8 nights
In tow: Russians Mafia and Citizens (social deduction game) that killed each other and all survived the trip 🙂
Milligan Island Camping Node is a coastal eco-campsite, 3 hours drive north of Perth. It is located between towns of Green Head and Leeman along Turquoise Coast. Milligan Island is also half an hour drive from Knobby Head where we spent 2 nights with our friends before heading to Milligan Island.
Road to Milligan Island Camping Node (last 1.5km)
For $15 per vehicle per night you can get a large camping bay protected from the wind by the dunes (most bays are big enough for two cars and two tents/caravans), large, clean long drop toilets (no smell!) and undercover picnic tables with bbq.
Update: The above was true in 2021 when we first visited Milligan Island camp. Now, you need to book it via the shire website. The cost is $20 per site, per 2 people (in 2024).
Milligan Island camping bays
Nature’s entertainment at Milligan Island camp
We entertained ourselves by walking on the beach and looking for crabs that were very quick running into their holes in the sand.
Crab on the beachMilligan Island beach
Have you seen these creatures? They look like jelly fish but they are actually colonial organisms consisting of four different types of polyps with different shapes and functions. Known as Bluebottles, they are sometimes confused with Portuguese Man-O-War which are larger and have more tentacles. Bluebottles have elongated blue float bubble, not more than 10cm wide, and a long dark blue tentacle up to 3 meters long which has stinging cells. We found lots of these stinging bluebottles on the beaches of the Turquoise coast.
Bluebottle
Children found great pleasure playing in the sand dunes, running down the slopes and falling into the soft white sand!
Water is very precious. After 2 days of free camping at Knobby Head we used 120 litters of water. (We had a friends’ family with us whom we shared water with.) Now with only 25 liters we had to ration our water to be able to last another day and night.
However, these bees found their bath in our basin where we washed vegetables and fruits! We were told that bees lost their homes due to recent bush fires and were now looking for a source of water. Sure enough they found it at the campground near taps or just in buckets or cups. Luckily, the bees were not aggressive. All this reminds me how precious life and resources, like food and water, is.
When a friendly campground host came later in the afternoon to collect our fees, she told us about the rocks with the hole, just off the shore. At the right time one can see the sun during sunset.
Sunrise at Cape Le Grand National Park is opposite to where the sun sets. So, it rises over the hills. This is where we went to greet a new day, new beginning. It is the last day for us at the campsite and is the time to pack. Cape Le Grand campground was a lovely home for us for 9 days but now it is time to leave.
Sunrise at Cape Le Grand on the last say is also the time for reflections. Brian got up at 5am and disappeared from the caravan. He came back with photos and a story to tell.
“Another day. A new dawn. A new year (2021) is fast approaching. The current (2020) year has been plagued with calamities affecting so many around the world. Not to mention the lifestyles change that will see us doing things differently. Hopefully, we come as one to make a better world.
Our home at Cape Le Grand
As I walk down the beach in the early morning, I breathe the fresh air, reflect on my life and hear the rolling waves. The cold air breezes through my ears and I feel the cold, so l know l am still ticking. We will depart today to another destination after breakfast. Have a wonderful good morning to all and especially a new year to you all. “
Morning at Cape Le Grand
Ariel managed to find another beautiful colourful beetle for me to photograph when we went to wash hands.
Good bye beloved Cape Le Grand! We’ll be back again!
Sunsets at Cape Le Grand National park are amazing and the beach is the best place to watch them. It is our last full day at Cape Le Grand and we decided to take it easy, not go anywhere and have proper meals at the camp. Campground facilities at Cape Le Grand beach have been upgraded recently, so we enjoyed nice and clean sheltered undercover kitchen where we washed our dishes daily with hot water. Bring your rubber gloves, as water in the kitchen is really hot!
Cape Le Grand campground facilities
We spent the day walking on the beach where the white sand squeaks under your feet, observing waves rolling and dispersing into the air when the wind was strong, and spotting seagulls and other birds fly across the sky.
Photographing flowers and insects was another past time.
The kids ran on the beach and played in the sand.
The evening meal was served inside our caravan where we could hide from the strong wind and feel cozier.
Inside our caravan
Being on the western side of Western Australia means you can see amazingly beautiful sunset at Cape Le Grand.
Not only sunsets are different every day, but they are different every minute of the day as it gets to its end. The time after the sun goes down is particularly magical when the beautiful colours appear in the sky.
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