DECISION MADE TO COME HOME... MISSING YOU GUYS :)

LEAVING EXMOUTH & HEADING HOME.......

Leaving Carnarvon  we crossed the Gascoyne River again (which again was less than full of water, but this is where all the plantations irrigate from - absolutely amazing when you see the plantations of bananas, mangoes, spinach, beans, caulis, corn, apples, oranges, lemons & limes, grapefruit, avocados, rhubarb,... you name it, it's here.)

This windswept tree and windmill caught our eye as we waited in the lineup of traffic at a road works lollypop sign!





20 minutes or so later we were on our way and drove along for about 3 hours before deciding to stop for lunch.


We found this spot to pull up and made a cuppa and some sandwiches.  Funnily enough, while we have been up north a little rain has fallen and on walking through the growth off the road I was able to find some wildflowers out and blooming (Shell you could really love these plants!)
 

 

While eating my sandwich I took that little walk again and found some nice plants enjoying the sunshine just like us!

                                                         

(Incidently, just for public information - this next pic is a bit blurry, but this is what is called "a haematoma", generally known as a bruise.  During our lunch stop, whilst crouching down to get the last lovely picture I really did think that my thigh was a little tender, and checked to see why - Ah Ha! this is what can happen when you are sitting on the edge of a marlin board in swimmers, snorkel & flippers & goggles and a manta ray comes into view.  Quite obviously you should expect that a small child of about 10yrs would undeniably become excited and want to see it before anyone else and use whatever or whoever is closest  to push off to get ahead of the other 4.  Yep, you guessed it!  On the upswell of water this happened beside me and the oncoming wave rose the ladder up and my leg caught it without hesitation and hung on nicely while I slid off the deck and into the water.  Thank goodness my left leg and not my right with the new knee)  *lol* but I still got to see the gorgeous manta for a long time which you guys saw in the last post.

Arriving in Horrocks, we made our way to the caravan park, set up and went for a walk along the waterfront.  This little town was very pretty, and a very clean town to boot. 

Obvious storm damage control, with having had the huge winds and seas reaching this area a few weeks ago. 

The bagging will certainly stop the erosion and hopefully will be enough for any future storms as right above here there was a lovely children's park and playground, with the shops directly opposite.

Under the pier at Horrocks

 From the top of the playground area right on dusk.  Headed back to the van after this and had an early dinner before settling down for the night.

OAKABELLA HOMESTEAD (c.1850)

(Heritage Listed, Award Winner & W.A.'s most haunted location)



View from creek up towards the homestead



A little closer...

The Museum (all items found on site)

The Chinese Cook's Kitchen & Sleeping Quarters

The old shearing shed is still used today for the shearing of the 12,000 sheep run on the property by the current owners.

The museum from outside while I walking down
to the creek bed. 

View of creek bed from top of the hill (about a 15 metre drop to the creek floor)

Oakabella Homestead also offers camping or caravan accommodation in their paddock near the main entry and power on request.  As we weren't aware of this, we were already in Horrocks, but can certainly recommend Loretta's Homemade Scones (Plain, Pumpkin & Native bush herbs) and coffee.

They offer a tour of the homestead and also free ghosts!!!



The next day we left Horrocks on our homeward bound trip and headed towards the south.....