MONDAY 9 AUGUST     MESA CAMP

After breakfast, drove to the Milyering Visitor Centre, the information centre for the Cape Range National Park. Browsed the information boards, displays and the goods for sale.

I bought some post cards – as usual – and a polo shirt for each of us. They had very tasteful designs and colours here – not always the case – and they even had polos with the all important breast pocket. John needs this on his shirts because of always having to alternate sets of glasses.

Then we toured around the other camp sites in the Park, checking them out for future reference.

Osprey was pleasant, but exposed and windy – and the wind never seems to stop for long! Though that might be a product of the time of year? One could fish off the rocks there.

Did not like Pilgramunna – very bare.

We eventually decided that our Mesa, or Neds, were probably the best, with Yardie next – although there was much more traffic there.

We continued on south, as far as Yardie Creek, where the sealed road stops. At times, it is possible to cross Yardie Creek, with a 4WD vehicle, depending on whether the creek mouth is open, and the state of the sandbanks at the creek mouth. In ’93, we drove up the unsealed track from Coral Bay, through Ningaloo Station, and crossed Yardie Creek on our way to Exmouth. Looking at the creek today, though, not sure it would be driveable now, even with the more capable Landrover. Not going to try it, anyway.

Parked in the designated car park at Yardie Creek, then walked the rough track up the gorge. This was a walk we had done before, but it was lovely, and worth doing again. It was only a couple of kms, all up. We did need to watch where our feet were going though – plenty of rocks.

The water in the creek contrasted with the red rock walls of the gorge.

Surprisingly few travellers seemed to walk right along the track length, to the end point with its great outlook back down the creek, as well as over the gorge. They only went part way along, where the track was more formed, then turned back. So we were alone on the second section, which was great.

Then it was back to camp to laze away the rest of the day.