Crochet rug

This is another project that I have slowly been working on. It is alpaca wool and it is so lovely and soft to work with. I think I will add a few more squares to it and make it a bit bigger or maybe just crochet around the edge and enlarge it that way to use up all the wool.

The pattern came with the wool but I changed it a little to what the original pattern was.

Sewing tidy

Hello bloggers, it has been awhile since I last posted but it has been so nice having a break away from work that I have even found myself getting engrossed in all the things I enjoy doing and forgetting to take photos to share.But that has all come to an end and now the sewing will take a back seat again although I hope not too much.


A friend gave me this fabric because she got it in a pack of fabrics she bought and thought it did not go with the other fabrics so gave it to me to do some thing with, so I made her a sewing tidy to put her sewing tools in etc.. She was surprised when I gave it to her and says it will be very useful.

Mataranka

On our way south we made a stop at the “Bitter Springs” thermal pool near Mataranka.  The water was so warm and crystal clear, an amazing oasis in the middle of nowhere.

We had also been told by fellow travellers to make a stop at the iconic Daly Waters Pub and Caravan park. So glad we did as we had a beautiful piece of grilled barra and smorgasbord salad for tea and then a wonderful evening of entertainment with music, singing and dancing. Even though it was hot it did not deter people from joining in and enjoying themselves.

Our trip is coming to an end now, camped at Windorah last night on the banks of the Cooper river, it was so peaceful there. We have enjoyed the fellowship of other travellers on the road and meeting so many different people. The places of interest that we visited makes you really wonder at the determination and hardship the early pioneers went through to settle in the outback.

Katherine

The days are getting very warm now, temp 37-40 degrees, so we are starting to limit the activities for the day.

We did an afternoon cruise up the katherine gorge, it was very nice and the little bit of breeze was very welcome.

We have also seen a few of these fresh water crocodiles in the gorges so not too keen to join them.

The hot springs here are beautiful, the water is just coming out of the rocks and is so clear and warm.

We went out to a homestead that was built in the early settlers days and the trees were the original ones planted. They were huge, I have not seen a tree with such big trunks.

Went up to Edith falls today, that is as far north we are going we are now going to start making our way home.

Wildlife

We are seeing some of the wild life that lives around these regions,here are just a couple of snaps that we managed to get.

Pelican                                                Cormorant

jabiru- hope to see one close up                 pair of sea eagles

 

Long tailed finch                              Bower bird

We are really enjoying our travels. The Durack homestead at lake Argyle was rescued from being flooded when the dam filled. Mirima Nat park was just behind the caravan park in Kununurra, so I went for an early morning walk through the hills. The rock formations are really breath taking.

Sunset on the ord river                          Jacana, these little birds live on the lily leaves on the water.

We have arrived in Katherine so more sight seeing tomorrow.

EL Questro

We took a boat cruise along the Geike gorge in the afternoon, which was great, then eventually got to El Questro where we spent another few days, no coverage or internet there. But managed to see some more gorges and walks. One being a trek to the thermal springs, it was unreal the water was 30 degrees and it was so relaxing to spend some time there in the warm water.

 

Now we are in Kununurra and checking out some of the tourist sites. Yesterday we went on a boat cruise across the Lake Argyle. It  is a massive lake, I could not describe the vastness of the water in the lake. It filled in only 2 and a half years.

This morning it was up early and flew over the lake and over the Bungle Bungles. It certainly gives a different view from the air.

 

We also flew past the Argyle Diamond mine. It is the only place where they mine pink diamonds which are very rare and of course expensive too, I wont be getting one of them.!

Windjana

 

After leaving Broome we headed towards Windjana NP, along the way we saw the Boab Prison tree outside Derby. Then got to Windjana and spent the next few days there treking around the gorges.

Windjana and Bell Gorge, the colours in the landscape is amazing, the walking should be keeping us fit.

We also went into Tunnell creek where you needed a headlamp to see your way through the tunnell and walk through knee deep water to get to the other side.

 

Broome

Today we went on a flight to Cape Leveque and flew over the Horizontal Falls. It was really great to see from the air, although the aircraft was smaller then what I thought it would be it was still a good trip.



We will spend another day here looking around Broome and getting some of the history of the town and the pearling industry.

Tom Price

Went on down as far as Mt Tom Price and went on a bus tour of the mine. That was really interesting to see the workings of the mine. It was also iron ore that gets mined there.

Saturday we were back in Port Hedland and spent Sunday with Andrew. We went out to Marble Bar. It was a small town but interesting to see the marble reef as it was called, and the waterhole which attracted some birdlife.

Port Hedland also has a salt mine that goes 24/7 , they harvest the salt from the sea water

That is a mountain of salt, it hardly rains here so it is all out in the open air.
We have moved on to Broome now and spending a few days here. We are doing a flight to the Horizontal falls and the islands tomorrow. Should be a good day.

Will post again when I can, coverage has not been plentiful as we have been free camping a lot of the time. The weather is like summer, today it was 30 degrees when we arrived in Broome although it cools down of a night.

Port Hedland

After nine days of travelling long distances, and  the scenery not changing a big lot, long distances between towns or roadhouses we finally arrived in Port Hedland and met up with our son Andrew as planned. He had organised a special tour of the harbour for us to get a close up look at the huge ships and to see where he has been working. The ships that they load the iron ore into are massive. The value of the iron ore is huge, BHP gets 18 million dollars profit from each ship. The ships do not leave the harbour till they have paid for the ore, they also have to pay entry and taxes before the tugs will bring them in.

 

 

 

 

After this he showed us around the town and we also happened to be there on the full moon to see the Staircase to the moon. Our photos were not the best from there but it was good to see.

The next day we headed off to Karijini National Park for a couple days rest. Saw some wild flowers in bloom and did a walk through one of the gorges. It was very pretty there.