MOORA - GERALDTON (22 APRIL 2014)

It was almost a wrench to leave Moora. We had really enjoyed our stay there. With the exception of the visit to New Norcia, we seized this opportunity to just 'veg out' for a while with both hands.

What a perfect opportunity to make a meal of the last our Albany caught garfish....and not a bone! Another triumph for Chef Pierre's galley. 

And just what did the ship's cat think of Moora?  He was pretty relaxed....he'd have to be to flop like this next to my runners and walking socks!

Given that from Geraldton we planned to back track south to Port Denison, it may seem a bit odd that we chose that town for our next five day stay. There is a simple explanation....we couldn't get in anywhere on the coast except there until after the Anzac Day weekend, which also coincided with the second week of the local school holidays. Every coastal park from Perth to beyond Geraldton was absolutely booked out.

Tuesday morning arrived, and after a very fond farewell to the park caretaker Shirley, who insisted on a departure hug from both of us, we headed out once again into the wheatbelt country and made our way north through Bagingarra and Eneabba, along the Brand Highway. 

This is real wildflower country between August and October. We may well stay over in Eneabba on our return trip.  But for now, it was on through one of the many nature reserves

until we reached the turn off to Dongera/Port Denison and the sandhill country of the coast,

where some of the large hills are beginning to make serious nuisances of themselves as they try to cross the highway.

Although it would be few days before we returned to this area, we took the opportunity to use this spot for a break in our trip.  We were delighted with what we saw and looked forward to our return.

The 60 kms from Dongera to Geraldton took us past long coastal sandhills which bordered flat grazing land. This was a landscape eerily reminiscent of the approach into Kingston in the south-east of SA along the Princes Highway.

We had already noticed in Cervantes that we were in 'big boat' country and, shortly before Geraldton hove into view we were given another reminder. It's not too often you see a towing ute with 'oversized' emblazoned in a sign across the front bumper bar.

The silos of the port of Geraldton. We were almost there, but not quite. Our chosen park is 15 kms north of the town.

With a much sharpened driving focus and our ears glued to the navigational instructions of our Tom Tom, we wended our way through the heavy traffic of this large, busy town. It felt as though everyone of its 40,000 residents was out and about. How quickly we forget the hassle of traffic when living the quiet life in small country locales.

  

We transited Geraldton without incident and were soon at the entrance to the Drummond Cove Holiday Park from where the northern side of the township is just visible.

We were not quite sure what to expect of Drummond Cove. For a start its advertised '10 kms north of Geraldtdon' is actually more like 15 kms from the Post Office. We will be delighted when the caravan park industry adopts an advertising code of practice which makes it mandatory to take any distance from the nearest town from the Post Office. Many do, but some don't when it is not in their best interests.

As is obvious from the shadows I did not take these park shots on the day of our arrival, but early on the morning following Anzac Day (when we had some sun!) The park entrance road

(unsurprisingly) leads to the office

and the park pool area directly next door to the office and shop.

As we booked in we were a little concerned to find that the length of our van was a potential problem, notwithstanding the fact that we always, without exception, make sure that this information has been received and understood on booking.  As it transpired, this was something of a blessing.




Most of the sites here at Drummond Cove were bare and sandy. I later discovered that because this park operates on mains water, the cost of site watering throughout the dry season is prohibitive, with the obvious outcome.










Amongst other things this park advertises 'ocean views'. This is far from true of all the regular sites, but, to accommodate our length with ease, we were placed in the 'overflow' section, where, despite the lack of trees for a windbreak, we did have both grass and views out over the Indian Ocean 

albeit between the row of 'front stalls' cabins which are perched on the front edge of the park.

We did have some fun and games setting up. Apart from the fact that the nearest water point was over thirty metres away (later solved by the camp manager with an extension hose and a multiple tap fitting) the slopes both side to side and front to rear demanded more than passing attention.

Ever since we left on this adventure, I have carried a set of jack stands. There are awkward to store and I have often had to resist the temptation to ditch them. "I might just need these one day" has always been my response to this suggestion by the navigator when I have been grumbling about them. Well, this was the day.

With the van jack at full extension to level the van front to rear, I was concerned that this was anything but stable. Things were far more comfortable once I had jammed the two jack stays under the A frame. It's not often I have to actually reach up to access the the front boot!




Our site overlooked the playground area, the camping sites and the basic but functional camp kitchen. This later became a real haven for those poor unfortunates who were under canvas as the weather turned on us. Mind you, as they sheltered from the downpours, they could take the time to watch the antics of the many birds housed in the huge adjoining aviary. Parrots, budgies, cockatiels, grouse, and pidgeons....this place had the lot...including for some completely unknown reason, a fat brown rabbit.

Drummond Cove is an interesting park. The office, shop and pool areas are modern and well equipped, and, in stark contrast to the somewhat barren and uninviting general caravan sites, this park houses some of the best permanent cabins we have ever seen,











and an ornamental garden area which can only be described as 'different'.









Drummond Cove is perched on a hilltop with commanding views, of this there is no doubt. Liz and I did take advantage of this small outdoor setting to enjoy sunset drinks on one occasion,









but to advertise as they do that this park "is a short walking distance from some of the regions (sic) best beaches"  is a step too far (in more ways than one!). This is the top of the goat track from the park to the distant beach. And once this has been negotiated, (a real challenge for those with suspect knees) the beach can only be reached after a long haul over two high sandy ridges. 


I did it once. It took twenty minutes to reach the shoreline only to find a somewhat shelving beach of yellow gritty sand...not the worst beach I have ever seen, but a far cry from any others we had seen on this coast to date. I was just grateful that we had not booked a long term stay in this park with the view that I would wander off to try my hand at beach fishing whenever the mood took me. This trek is demanding enough unencumbered. The thought of attempting it laden with rods and buckets had no appeal at all. I have to say that this really does border on false advertising but I guess it's a competitive world out there.

Fortunately the beach was not the focus of our stay. We were here to do two somewhat interrelated things....celebrate Anzac Day and visit the Sydney Memorial. We did get a good feel for Geraldton in the process, but we plan to return to 'do the town' properly in the future. For now, it was time to open the safe and extract my medals, dive under the bed for a dress shirt and my UN tie and break out some dress slacks and sports coat from their carry bag.