We are camping at the Pinnacles Caravan Park on the beach at Cervantes. There isn’t a great distance between Green Head, Jurien Bay & Cervantes. Cervantes is the closest town to Namburg National Park which features the pinnacles. Unfortunately you cannot camp at the pinnacles. It is about 17km south of Cervantes. Cervantes was named after a barque of the same name which sank off the coast. It is a small town with a fuel outlet and small grocery store. The caravan park was really nice, we camped away from the beach – under the shade of some very tall trees. The area was beautifully grassed. The caravan park also has a cafe and we treated ourselves to lime and lemon tart for dessert one night.
We headed out early to the pinnacles, because it is recommended to visit early morning or late afternoon for the best photos.
Seriously you ask your self how many photos can you take of these rocks?
This standing stone had windows, I was a bit too short and then struggled to get the camera to focus through the window.
Eventually it did, so I have put this one in because I was determined to get this shot.
Part way through the drive, there is a lookout so that you can see the area from above. The lookout was a sand dune with plenty of shrubs and lots of birds.
For a desert, it is very close to the coast. This photo shoes the pinnacles, the heath land, the sand dunes at the beach and the ocean. You can see waves breaking on the off shore reef and then the Indian Ocean to the skyline.
Time for breakfast, cereal, toast, coffee. We have the fridge on board, a slide out table from the back, our stove and picnic set. So we enjoyed a quiet breakfast overlooking the pinnacles.
We went back to the discovery centre, to the start of the walk trail. We then did the walk trail, which even though it did cross over the road sections gave you a much slower and different perspective of the park.
I have to tell you trying to get a photo of these honeyeaters is a feat. This is a white cheeked honeyeater. They are so fast and very bright, black, white & yellow. This is another new one to tick off.
Inside the discovery centre, there were many photographs and displays of floral & fauna & geology of the park.
Glen saw the paw prints in the sand, but we didn’t know what it was until we saw the Quenda in the discovery centre. (Bandicoot)
I think most people would walk past this Banksia and not notice what was there.
On top and down the side is a Honey Possum – it is very tiny mouse like. It would be something to see a live one.
The colour and detail of the native flowers is extraordinary. This one is off white with a deep soft red. It was lunch time before we left The Pinnacles and it was surprising that we had spent half a day there. You could spend 20 minutes with a quick drive through or take the time to enjoy the experience and really look around.
We then headed south to another beach turnoff at Hangover Bay.
This is a good example of what it is like out of seaweed season.
This is clever signage where each are separate and only at one point it appear as one sign. I was near but not exact on. Best not to be playing in the middle of the highway at 110 kph area :)
As usual, when you stop, there is always something to see that you miss while driving.
Fringe Lily
We saw the stromatolites at Hamlyn Pool near Shark Bay, they are also at Lake Thetis outside Cervantes.
We wondered how this salt lake existed, but it is fed from a underground water source which results in a constant level.
There is a walk around the lake, so we did the circuit. We saw a kangaroo grazing, but no birds on the lake, because of the wind. Near the car park it was nicely landscaped with lots of BBQ tables and paths, but no toilets which was strange. We wondered if there were fish in the lake and if you could swim in it. It would be such a high salt content, that maybe it would burn your skin.
T
he circuit completed, we then drove down to the lookout at Hansen Bay.
Steps – well at least they have replaced the sand dune track to the right.A three storey climb to get the blood pumping.
Views of the bay south and north. That was enough for today, back to camp. Tomorrow we pack up and head inland and south.
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| North view |
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| South view |
The Pinnacles - while driving around we came across a couple on a tandem - sure seemed like hard work riding in the sand! The photo of the parrot is next to a bush - known as Parrot Bush - did you know? Very clever positioning!!!
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