Thu 17th June '21 - Day 6

Kalbarri to Monkey Mia

 

We’re already at the point where you wake up and wonder what seaside village or National Park “town” you’re in. Kalbarri is the answer, which, after the sights seen yesterday, was well the detour off the highway. 4½ hours looming on the road ahead so we run to the pirate playground on the river’s edge before the pelican feeding at 8:45am outside our caravan park. Today is a lesson in nature as the pelicans decline to turn up and instead Sienna is one of half a dozen kids tasked with throwing small fish in the air which the grateful seagulls switch over and snatch away. Whilst the caravan park was full last night in the morning there is a steady constant stream of campervans and caravan exiting and continuing their migration North. Its fresh in the mornings with the promise of rain so we’re wearing shorts but with jumpers as the order of the day.

We’re up and away by 9:30am and after the morning’s fresh air the kids fall asleep, allowing us to drive for 3 hours 45 minutes back to the freeway and then North again. Very few “regular” cars are on the road. Caravans, campervans of differing sizes and double or triple lorries pounding the single lane roadway. After a bit of petrol gauge watching to get a feel for how much fuel we’re guzzling and aware that it can be up to 100kms between petrol stations with no towns, no buildings no lampposts in between, we stretch to Overlander Roadhouse near Hamelin where, after refuelling the van and our stomachs, we turn due West towards Shark Bay. Skipping the stromatalites, with a Bugs Life by Pixar on the TV for the kids – not that they can hear anything over the rumbling and squeaking of the van - after almost two hours we arrive at Monkey Mia. Or Monkey Mania as Sienna first described it. Its another RAC resort like in Cervantes but it’s the only thing here at the end of the road an on the coast. 

After parking up we hurry to the narrow beach for a beer/wine whilst the kids watch two women fishing and spot occasional dolphins in the sea, for which this place is renowned. Post sunset its dinner in the communal cooking/dining space and a bit of stargazing (picking out Mars) and then bed.