Week 25 Mullewa to Dongera

                                                           Week 25

                                                  Mullewa to Dongera

Here in Mullelwa we are experiencing alternate days of semi fine and downright miserable, with dire predictions of a bad year for wildflowers because of the lack of rain, just not now.

hairy mirabela

The story is on wet days, the everlastings close up and shiver, just like we do, and wait for the warmth of the sun before opening out to greet the world. Can’t say we blame them.

pink everlasting

So Monday wasn’t too bad and we drove on a north- west discovery drive which sadly we thought was to keep tourists busy, but not enthralled. It led us to the Tenindewa Pioneer well and pathway, past the Bindoo glacier beds ( which escaped us), on to Noondamurra Pool and the Bindoo Hill nature reserve. Again local mudmaps lead us astray, causing us to miscalculate and miss the Mullewa De Grey Stockroute, but we followed the muddy directions most of the way.

layabout nomads

We are a bit confused as to why wreath flowers show in some places, and others with the same conditions are devoid. Calls for some scientific study.

single wreath flower

Deciding to drive east then we head for Pinda, one of the few places in the area of these drives where we can have lunch (and for the girls, hopefully a toilet).

pink wreath

You guessed it avid readers, the inn was closed, and no access to the toilets for non- customers. Oh dear. Too hungry to shrug our shoulders and move on, we cheekily availed ourselves of a “footpath” table and chairs and prepared our own fine repast. Brian had cooked some pretty good scones the day before and we shared the leftovers with jam and a cuppa. All was missing was the cream to call it Devonshire tea. The boys rubbed their hands with glee to thin they had saved money.

party yellow

Even better, a car pulled up beside us. It was a guest at the lodgings who took pity on us and let us into the interior for some lovely amenities from ye old world. The guest accommodations at Pindar are worth a thought for a getaway stay with some ambience and class from a time past.

nerved smokebush

We then followed the mud map outside the café area to find more wreath flowers. They are in greater abundance here, but still in the developing stages, looking like another four or five weeks to maturity. The rain now may help, but then the negative nanny at the info center at Mullewa predicted by then it would be hot and they would all be suffering heat exhaustion and still not be looking good.

water on wreath plant

Tuesday was our alternate day of frequent showers and cold breezes. Cabin fever prevailing, we still walked around the town, stopping twice at the servo where you can buy coffee and sit down at a table and chairs in a warm corner with a view. Bonus.

Margaret in yellow

Wim would be interested in the Hawes trail. He was an architect turned Anglican, turned Catholic priest, once a hermit in the Bahamas, who designed many of the stone churches in the region. He was a man who worked on his projects between Sunday masses and who traveled by horse between rural towns and sometimes by hand pumped rail cars. He was an eccentric, but a man who left some interesting works in what must have been the end of the world to an Englishman.

ready for golf

Having a happy time wielding our trusty umbrellas, we walked the rail heritage trail. One of the local youngsters was intrigued by the fact that I had a black umbrella, and Brian had a larger, pinker one. He was very bemused.

pink show

The day was capped by a shivery, but cosy as possible happy hour, wishing Liz a happy birthday for Wednesday. Any excuse – you won’t recognize us when we get home with all this eating and drinking.

Waking for fog on Wednesday, we nether-the-less got our act into gear for a relatively early start to our next port-of-call, Morawa, 100 km down the track, so to speak. The road is narrow, but enough room on the sides to get off for traffic with care. The sight of the morning was two emus who ran beside the car for a couple of kilometers before branching off, one across the road in panic and the other to the safety of the bush. Poor things had intended an early morning stroll in peace and quiet.

milkmaids

The town here is slightly larger, boasting an IGA supermarket and a coffee shop/bakery. The park is again affordable and the washing machines only two dollars. What we have been impressed with in these towns has been the deliciously hot water for washing and showers. Lov-er-lllllll-y.

golden oldies

Adventurous to the last, we again sought the elusive wreath flowers. A win at first, but again mud maps proved hard to follow as it finally ended in a grain terminal by the rail line.

dainty blue orchid

We let it beat us and headed to Bilyar Rock. Here is a cairn of stones for geological surveyors as well as more orchids for bush bashers. We find more cowslips and some vanilla sun catchers as well as some pretty natural rock gardens. The cool wind, in other words, b----y freezing winds, shorten our efforts to find more.

bright podolepis

War rock was our final attempt at tourism on this drive. Here the local aboriginal postured and through weapons at each other. We didn’t think the retaining wall almost en-circling the rock was aboriginal craftsmanship, but rather an attempt to channel the water flow to be useful to the settlers.

wintry colours

Thursday finds us heading for Perenjori. The sun is struggling to come out, but at least it is trying. It is advertised as the heart of wildflower country, but we have found the areas further north much better. Sorry Perenjori.

waxy yellows

We did manage to venture out to the Camel Soak, along by the rabbit proof fence that runs from North to South through the state. Here cowslips are in abundance, nests under the shade of trees wherever you look.

romance in yellow fields

Then we follow directions to Bowgada and find some more wreath flowers. There is nothing left at Bowgada but a derelict building and a grain terminal. Again mudmapping let us down as the road that we were to follow led us to the grain storage and then there was no more. We fuddled and muddled for a while, gave up and drove home to another shivering night. (Actually the caravan is warm as toast, especially with the little fan heater we have. No complaints really.

budding wreath

What a joy to wake up to a sunny, sunny day. The drive to Mingenew is through colourful green fields. Brian is really enjoying these short drives of 60km or so to the next destination. The only problem for the day was a phone call at 4am about a burst water pipe back in Queensland. Poor guy was probably just trying to get Brian before he headed out to work. He succeeded.

Depot Hill colour

There are lots of “number 28s”, black headed green parrots right here at the van park. It is old, but relaxed, just as we like it.

mirbelia dancers

Depot Hill was our first exploration venue. Again cowslips predominate among the everlastings and fringe lilies. A resident shingleback lizard was most annoyed by our presence, but ambled off into the bushes at the first opportunity.

Depot Hill shingleback

Those of us with energy left climbed to the lookout overlooking town to soak in the green pastures and yellow flowers.

Mingenew

Surprise, surprise, we awake on Saturday to another beautiful sunny day. The owner of the park took a few of us for a tag-a-long to fields of flowers not on the tourist brochures. Here we saw the three stages of those cheeky red flowers.

red ribbon pea

The remainder of the day was filled with a visit to Coalseam Conservation park. There are acres and acres of land filled with yellow pom pom flowers, truly spectacular.

pom pom fields

Despite the dry year, it is still worth a visit here. There are everlastings at all the stops we visit, but orchids are not in abundance. We were given directions to one group of pink candy orchids at the base of a cave halfway down a cliff face. Brian was the only brave adventurer, but despite his best efforts, the orchids remain safely hidden.

sunray yellow

We would easily stay here longer, but time to move on a short drive to Dongera and Port Denison. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the sea inviting. if it had not been 3 degrees the last few nights we may even have been tempted to wet a toe.

Port Denison Dongera

Hope all those Dads out there had a happy father’s day.

flowering ribbon pea

Cheers and best wishes from the happy wanderers.

PS Spare a thought for poor Desiree up every three hours for a feed. She and Kyan are finally home as a family. Doesn’t it make you wonder how we survived it all?