Day 67: Fri 24 May 24 - Dongara to Geraldton

May 25, 2024

Fri 24 May 24 - Dongara to Geraldton (70km)

17 Dec C in Dongara to 26 Deg C at Geraldton, Mostly Clear

With only a short distance to drive today, and not wanting to arrive too early, we weren't in a rush to get away. I went for a long morning walk through the quiet giant fig lined main street of Dongara, down to the Irwin River Heritage Trail. I followed the trail to the mouth of the Irwin River lookout with views across to Port Denison on the other side. The reflections in the river along the way were just stunning. After a very enjoyable 90 minute walk, I returned to the van, then we packed up and drove away from Dongara at about 10:00am. First stop after 38km was at the Central Greenough Historic Settlement along the Brand Highway. Central Greenough was developed from the 1860s as the local administrative centre for the area, and housed the churches, schools, government and law enforcement offices that supported the population of the surrounding farms. There are eleven buildings to look through, most filled with antique furniture and artefacts.

Scattered throughout the area as you drive along, it's hard not to notice all the leaning trees, a bizarre natural phenomenon caused by the airborne salt blown in with the winds off the Indian Ocean. The River Gum is found throughout southern Australia growing along watercourses and on flood plains, but it is only on the windswept Greenough Flats that the tree develops its distinctive leaning shape where the trunk lies horizontal to the ground.

We eventually arrived in Geraldton, stopping at about 12:30 on the way into the city for a lunch at a park, before continuing another 12km to Rick and Sharron's house at Bluff Point on the north side of Geraldton. After parking the van and setting up on a large parking space beside their house, we got busy chatting and catching up late into the night, hence the blog is being updated the following morning (and I'm glad to report the fridge is still working like it should).

At this stage we are unsure how long we will stay, maybe 4-5 nights, but because it is so busy to the north, we need to start booking some caravan parks for more popular destinations.