KALBARRI TO DENHAM - SEPTEMBER 2015

After Kalbarri we carried on north the temperature now in the mid thirties daily. We drove to Denham famous for it's dolphins and stunning coast beaches.

Here we are at Monkey Mia about 30 kms from Denham where dolphins come to the shoreline to be fed. Only 4 are fed out of however many turn up and it's always the same ones.

                Toby having his first sea paddle. The sea water getting warmer as we head north.

We both tried paddle boarding for the first time which was fun with the girls taking turns to lie on the board as we paddled around.

The dolphins arrive for a feed.

               Ayla and Kyra were chosen to feed this dolphin a fish. Kyra was a bit too nervous to help.

 The next day we did a circular walk through the bush and back along the beach. We had lunch in the shade of this tree as it was so hot and not a breath of wind.

                                                        Sunset that day at Monkey Mia.

After Monkey Mia we headed into Francois Peron National Park which is for 4 wheel drive vehicles only. It's a peninsula north of Denham surrounded by a beautiful coast full of marine life and on land the occasional emu wandering around.

12 years before this we travelled down through Western Australia and for a while with a couple and their 3 gorgeous children. Well we never imagined that all this time later we would be back in the same spot in Francois Peron National Park with our own 3 kids!

At Cape Peron which is at the tip of the peninsular and where you can always see dolphins and manta rays.

Most of the road to the top of the peninsular is thick sand and fun to 4 wheel drive on.

At the beginning of  Francois Peron national park is an old homestead which has a free hot pool to soak in. Bit weird though to do this when the temperature outside is mid 30.c and the pool is 40.c!

                                                             Sunset at the homestead.

Leaving Denham you pass this beach called shell beach made up of miniscule white shells. Toby of course tried to eat them all!

GERALDTON TO KALBARRI - AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER 2015

From Geraldton which is 400 kms north of  Perth we carried on north, the land around us dry bush and the air warming with each kilometer.

We stopped at the Principality of Hutt River which is basically a group of family farms that have separated from Australia to form their own country. One way to do tax evasion! We even got a stamp put in our passports by friendly Graham who is one of the Prince's sons.

                                                     Some of the art at the principality.

We had a great evening with Kieren and his wife Kaylie with their wonderful 3 kids around the campfire.

                            He we are with 90 year old Prince Leonard who started the whole thing.

                                                      Kyra heading off to the shower

                   Our last night in the principality. The kids around the campfire under the stars.

From Hutt Principality we drove on north to Kalbarri known for it's incredible gorges and it's high cliffed coast with tremendous waves pounding it.

Here we are at Nature's window at the beginning of our 8km round walk called the "loop" in Kilbarri National Park. The walk winds it's way through the gorge and back along the cliff tops.

The water in the gorge was a lovely temperature and Stef took both girls for a piggy back swim.

                              The whole gorge was full of stunning wild flowers as now spring.

This was actually quite a dodgy section of the walk with a tight scramble along a ledge with a drop straight down into the murky deep water. Poor Stef had to negotiate this with Toby in the Ergo carrier!

This was the view down into the Z bend section of the gorge which we hiked down into the next day.

There were ladders to help us get down the steep sections of the path down into the gorge.

Finally at the bottom a refreshing swim to cool off from the intense heat coming off the red rock walls of the gorge.

                                           Heading back up. Kyra using one of the ladders.

We took a rest from gorge walks and went down to the coast and here we are at Pot Alley beach. You could see whales breaching from here.

                                                     Some of the stunning coastline.

Back to the gorge the next day and a hike down to Four Ways section of the gorge. Kyra stepped on this as she walked giving Stef a real fright but turned out to only be a harmless legless lizard.

                                       Swimming at Four Ways junction of Kalbarri gorge

Every morning in Kalbarri a volunteer feeds the pelicans with the tourists watching. For some reason the birds were quite aggressive this day. The guy became quite nervous!

PERTH TO GERALDTON - AUGUST 2015

Perth and it's surrounds were still quite chilly especially at night so we hooked up the caravan and headed north for some heat.

We stopped at a free camp spot about 250 kms north of Perth and finally the temperature reached 25.c and we were back on the beach again.

We drove along the beach from our free camp site to this lovely spot for a swim and lots of sandcastle building. These beaches in WA are just so amazing with not a soul to be seen. The whole place to ourselves.

                            I just love this photo of Toby with his Mum after her daily run.

                                           Climbing mount Lesueur to see the wildflowers.

          We camped at Coalseam national park to see the incredible spring wildflowers for 3 days.

                                    Heading off from Coalseam national park to Geraldton.

My birthday and so lucky to be surrounded by my wonderful children. Opening my hand made cards in bed.

                                                                  My birthday fry up!

                                              Toby getting into the swing of my birthday!

           The girls not really dressed for the beach making a seaweed birthday cake for me! Yum!

                       Luckily Stef didn't put the 53 candles on or the caravan might have melted!

Out to the Thai restaurant in Geraldton. Really was a special day. The food was some of the best Thai food i've ever had which was a surprise as the restaurant didn't look that flash.