Carnarvon to Hamelin Station

The drive down to Hamelin Telegraph Station (From another time of communication) mostly uneventful, flat savannah with brush to the horizon. I noticed three entry roads to farming properties, adorned with the usual 44 Gallon drum, painted some bright colour or an old refrigerator, the name of the respective property in large letters on it, both doing duty as a mailbox.

I checked out Gladstone Lookout as a possible site to spend the night, but despite the all-round view I found it too exposed and also quite windy. Decided to drive on to Hamelin Telegraph Station, which turned out quite interesting as a historical site, as it was used in the late 1800s as a Telegraph Station and in its day, must have been quite important. Its all a bit basic, has quite a nice atmosphere though.


A lady selling stones is showing me samples

There is a coastal walk along the shore where I see the so-called Stromatolites, a primitive form of life on this Planet, dating back some 3.5 billion years, still alive today. The foreshore is made up of a layer of about 10m of small shells, a little further away from the shore they have compacted into a rock-like material, used in the past as building material which was cut out of the ground with hand saws, forming large bricks. Luckily, I carry plenty of drinking water as the stuff coming out of the tap here is less than good good enough for washing though. Hamelin Pool must be a popular spot as there are still caravans pulling in from the highway and it will be dark in a little while.

Tomorrow its on to Denham for the collection of my mail at the Post Office there. Depending on how I like the place, might spend a few nights there, or on some of the sites toward Monkey Mia, where you can hand feed the Dolphins.