NORTH-WEST CAPE 3 - EXMOUTH CARAVAN PARK AND A FAREWELL SUPPER (21 -22 JUNE 2014)

After three nights at Yardie Homestead, we moved into town, Exmouth that is, for a final two night stay with our travelling companions of two months, the Vogts. They were heading north from here, whilst we were returning to Carnarvon.

Liz and I have decided that we shall return for a longer stay in Exmouth, a town we found really appealing, on our way north next year.  Consequently I have not 'happy snapped' my way around this area, nor visited the various places of local interest.

But I did wander around the very well established and maintained caravan park in which we stayed. The Ningaloo Caravan Holiday Resort is just that, a real 'resort' park, the entrance to which is off the main road through Exmouth

immediately opposite the Tourist Information centre and 'The Big Prawn', which I was tickled to read is removed and placed into storage at the slightest threat of a cyclone!

The park office building also houses a number of shops and tour centres. In its only similarity to Coral Bay, Exmouth does play host to many different Ningaloo Reef tour operators. And if not touring, one can have a massage or a hair do without having to leave the park. 

When I said a 'resort' park, I meant it. Opposite the park office is the on-site restaurant, and behind this,

one of the best park swimming pools we have come across. This is actually long enough for a decent splash and even comes complete with its own poolside bar area where the less athletically inclined can enjoy a cool glass or two as others frolic.

Backpackers are accommodated in the nearby dormitory block

and their cooking needs are more than adequately met in this fine camp kitchen, one of two in this huge park.

For us it was off down the main park entrance roadway, past a row of cabins and fine grassy sites

to the far end, where, as the sign proclaimed,

we were to be accommodated in the 'Dog Park' (well Max sometimes pretends he's a dog!)

Here our site presented a slight challenge (there is a large tree out of shot on the left), but with the accumulated skills of many months on the road, we were soon settled.

And with the Vogts parked at right angles to us, we had a fine area in which to socialise for our last days together, but more of that shortly.

As I said earlier, this is a huge park. With over 300 sites it is one of the largest in which we have stayed.  Grassy camp

and caravan sites 

cater for large and small alike.

Near our patch, the permanent sites provided us with a reminder of two things local....cyclones and fishing.

Whilst it does not show out in this photo, the van next to the huge boat is chained down to large cement foundations.

We did not make use of the park restaurant during our stay, despite the fact they advertise one of my favourite meals, smoked ribs. Next time! But we did make the most of our site set-up.

The Beer Garden was duly formalised

and we made full use of it, by day

and by night, in this case, our last night. We had decided to celebrate with a seafood feast. Chef Pierre was brought out of storage. After an cold entree of local tiger prawns it was onto the next course, grilled red emperor, here sizzling away on the BBQ plate.

This was followed by a fried selection, in Panka lemon crumbs....Kalbarri bream and banana prawns. With Rhonda's celebrated coleslaw and other assorted accompaniments, we really did eat well.

And, of course, we drank equally well. The top finally came off the bottle of bubbles I had bought at the Manjamup truffle farm many months previously (we had been saving this for a special occasion...$30 and bloody good drop) and several more modest examples of the same wine. We did save one with which to anoint the desert strawberry sorbet and berries.

What a way in which to end our two months together. It was only long after the event I was prepared to admit that by now the bugs within my system were so rampant that I could hardly taste anything, but I did enjoy the occasion!

Safe travelling, Rhonda, John and of course, Bob the Dog, who we all think knew that he was about to farewell his travelling companion, The Black Panther. He sat with his back to us all night peering into the doorway of Max's home waiting for one last glimpse.

After a somewhat heart wrenching farewell the following morning, it was back to Carnarvon for us.....and you know the rest!