Today we found our way to Point Quobba, 70kms north of Carnarvon. This is a typical beach camp, no amenities except a very crude dump point and camp sites nestled in between sand dunes. The camp caretaker showed Graham a site that we would fit into and after setting up we visited the 'Blow Holes'. The blow holes lived up to their name and the cliffs and rocks in this area are very spectacular. While here we witnessed balloon fishing, where the line is supported by a helium filled balloon over the water, the bait dangles below and the Spanish Mackerel jump up to grab the bait. Another attraction of this area is the 'aquarium', a shallow bay where small colourful fish swim around your feet and legs. It is advisable to bury your feet in the sand otherwise the fish will suck your toes.
.JPG) |
| Cliffs at Point Quobba, WA |
.JPG) |
| Blow Holes, Point Quobba, WA |
We spent a few days in Carnarvon, visiting the One Mile Jetty where a quaint little Coffee Pot train ferries tourists to the end of the jetty. We chose to walk and view the crabs and fish in the mangroves below. This jetty was the first in Australia to load livestock on ships for transport to markets.
Carnarvon, like many coastal town in the north of Western Australia, had a tramway which in the late 1800's and early 1900's transported goods to and from the jetty. The trams were originally horse drawn but were replaced by steam. This area has been a large sheep producing area and has a Shearing Hall of Fame which proved to be very interesting.
Carnarvon is also well known for the OTC dish which played an important part in the tracking of the moon landing mission in 1969 and Halley's Comet in 1987. It is not used these days but was recently opened as a tourist attraction by Buzz Aldrin, one of the US astronauts to visit the moon. The Gascoyne River, which runs into the sea at Carnarvon, looks to be dry most of the time but the water is stored in an underground aquifer which supplies the town with great fresh water.
No comments:
Post a Comment