Kalbarri 8/9/08

Two days at Galena Bridge is enough, so this morning I am travelling on to Kalbarri, home of the Pelican Feeding Event that takes place each morning at 8.45. Once I am on the highway, the land either side of the road is used by Agriculure, growing, what looks like wheat, now about 30cm high, probably due to the rain that has gone down here recently.

15km down the road is the turn-off to Kalbarri and surrounds. Still fields of wheat until I enter the Kalbarri National Park. Scrub now on both sides, but on my left the signs of bush fires that have burnt out the undergrowth some time ago. Wildflowers are beginning to blossom but are not in full bloom yet. I arrive at Kalbarri about 11.00 am, re-fuel, get some groceries at the local IGA and the find a very nice camp spot along the Murchison River in one of the trailer parks.

View of the bay at Kalbarri

Kalbarri has a long history of wrecks of ships that have come to grieve along its rugged shore line, first the Dutch in 1629 by Commander Pelsaert and again in 1696 by the Dutch navigator, Willem de Vlaming in search of water. Again, in 1712 the Dutch East India Company ship 'Zuytdorp' was wrecked near Kalbarri. The fate of any survivers is unknown.

There are many hiking trails and gorges in the vicinity which I am planning to explore over the next few days.