July 2nd: left van park around 10am, and filled up with diesel. We returned to Tyrepower to ask the direction of tyre rotation given to the Prado. Kim and Jo Jolly have been in business in Carnarvon for 45 years and I suggested that they might know Nic’s aunt Liz and uncle John Williams who were in Carnarvon from 1970 until the early 1980’s. Liz was a teacher and John a doctor working in aboriginal health. Jo Jolly was a nurse and she remembered John, in particular his role in reducing the incidence of STDs in the community.
We headed to Fascine for coffee where I was able to write a few cards and post them. We then headed to the Bumbaks’s in the “fruit loop”where bananas mangoes tomatoes pumpkins beans capsicum melons grapes and zucchini are grown. Bumbaks make an extensive range of jams relishes and sauces most with a chilli and spice accent, and fresh pumpkin scones. We purchased these!
We then headed for the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum. This was fascinating as we sat in a replica of Apollo 11 capsule from which Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon on July 20th, 1969, and their progress and coordinates were monitored from Carnarvon Space station and info transmitted to NASA headquarters in Houston at the time. Museum was full of Space exploration nostalgia!
We then headed for Wooramel River retreat( Wooramel station is 1430square km) 130km from Carnarvon, a working station which initially transitioned from Merino to Damara-Dorper sheep best suited to arid conditions plus the have established an international goat trade to manage the transient feral goat population and reduce grazing pressure. However in recent years the sheep have been removed entirely and replaced with cattle so that the cattle and goats are utilised to naturally prune perennial shrubs and grasses enhancing the lands regenerative capacity, especially following a rainfall. The Worramel river only receives sufficient rainfall to flow 2 or 3 times per year!
However this farm has at least a 100 caravan sites plus tents and cabin accomodation which must generate a lot of income!
A big feature here is the hot tubs known as Artesian Baths filled from naturally pressurised artesian bores drilled to depth of 240meters. This water also supplies the majority of the property. We had a lovely soak in one of the 4 communal hot tubs sharing anecdotes and information with fellow travellers!
We chose a site where we didn’t have to unhitch the caravan and I cooked a vegetable and tinned salmon pasta dish bound together with tomatoes and cream, which although this mightn’t sound very appetising, was quite tasty!
Was this the location of the film “the dish ps that’s not a film about you Suzanne
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