Ellendale Pool and Greenough are two places of interest in Australia’s Mid-West region. They are popular with tourists as short holiday destinations or on the way to Coral Coast. Likewise locals from Geraldton love these places as their weekend gateaway.
Ellendale Pool
Located 51km east from Geraldton, it is an easy 40-minute drive on sealed roads. The natural rock pool, formed by flowing Greenough River is particularly picturesque. Many people swim there, although warning is issued that swimming is not advisable in temperatures higher than 24 degrees due to the presence of bacteria. If not swimming, canoeing can be easily enjoyed on the river. The colours of the gorge are shades of orange which become more dramatic at sunrise and sunset. They cast beautiful reflections into the calm waters of the pool.
The facilities at Ellendale Pool include flushing toilets, outside cold shower, non-drinking water taps, bbqs, picnic tables, rubbish bins, dump point and even a small playground. Dogs on leash are allowed.
At the moment, the area is free, which makes it very popular with locals and tourists alike. However, we suspect, it won’t be free for long. The place is suitable for both tents/swags and caravans. It does have 2 camping areas but it can fill up quickly.
Ellendale Pool attracts lots of birds. Noisy corellas come in hundreds and visit the place a few times daily. Swallows are in much smaller numbers and quieter but you can still hear them chirping cheerfully in the morning. Australian ringnecks and galahs also frequent the place.
How are the road conditions?
When there is a lot of rain, the road to Ellendale Pool might be closed, as it gets flooded.
The last 1km of Ellendale Pool Road is dirt corrugated road. The good news – it is only a short drive!
Sky wonders at Ellendale Pool
Being far away from the city, there is almost no light pollution at Ellendale Pool, which makes it a great place to watch the night sky.
You can only see sky like this when there is no moon. However, when there is one, we enjoy taking pictures of it too.
Even though trees blocked some of the views of the setting sun, the light from the sun was still visible. From pink to purple to red, the colour of the sky was ujchanging in a matter of a few minutes.
We enjoyed our 3 nights stay at Ellendale Pool, owing to its beauty and excellent facilities. On the other hand, if you are looking for something very quiet and tranquil, it might not be the ideal place as it is a busy place, popular with people and noisy birds alike 😊.
Greenough
Greenough is a small settlement, south of Geraldton, with rich history. Apart from its history, Greenough is also known for its leaning trees. Some of them are lying almost horizontally to the ground. These are eucalyptus species, River Gums. They grow mostly on private properties, but there is one prominent leaning tree, on the Brand Highway, near Greenough settlement, that you can see quite close. Although, there is a fence, so you can’t really touch it. So why do the trees grow sideways in Greenough? Their leaning position is caused by constantly blowing salty southerly winds from the Indian Ocean. The natives of Western Australia say that it is a way of paying respect to the Mother Earth.
Greenough River
Rivers have always been an attraction for people. Being a source of water, rivers attract lots of birdlife. Some of the nicest walks are also along the river banks. If you are around Geraldton, why not enjoy the Greenough River, which meets the ocean at Cape Burney, 10 km south of Geraldton.
Lovers of hiking can take Greenough River Walk Trail. Starting from the Greenough River mouth at Cape Burney, the trail runs in a 17km loop, which you can hike in sections. This is quite an easy hike with the mixed views of the river and coastal vegetation. The trail is shared by bicycles and in some parts by 4WDs.
Devlin Pool, along the trail, is very picturesque. It can be admired from the lookout. Or you can walk down to it and have a swim or go canoeing. We chose to admire from the top 😊.
Although not part of the Greenough River Nature Trail, but still along the river is Bootenal Spring. This place has a historical value, as it is thought to be a site of confrontations between local Aboriginal people and early settlers. We found it quite a picturesque place, although hard to get to the water in some places.
The Walkaway Wind Farm
Located 30 km south of Geraldton, near a small town Walkaway is the Walkaway Wind Farm. The MidWest is one of Australia’s windiest regions. With the wind speed of 20-25km per hour and consistent breeze, the farm is able to generate electricity.
Interesting facts: The production of electricity starts at wind speed 14km/h. The amount of electricity produced increases until the turbines reach the speed 36km/h. When the wind speed exceeds 90km/h, the turbines automatically shut down. The minimum lifetime of a turbine is 25 years. Our observation: all the turbines rotate at different speeds (must be due to the fact that each turbine doesn’t catch the wind equally). Some might even not move, while others continue to rotate.
To conlclude
What did we remember most from this 3 day trip to Ellendale Pool? Little Corellas!
