Port Hedland to Myalup (Home)

Return to Myalup -The Home of the Plane.

Port Hedland, Carnarvon, Geraldton and Myalup

After take off today we passed over the port area of Port Hedland. The infrastructure here is massive and the boats waiting to enter the port are numerous. And not only are the boats waiting here, further down the coast there are more waiting to enter another port at Dampier.

It makes quite a change flying along the coastline rather than over land. The water has as many changes in colour and features as the land. The colour changes, channels are easily discernible, mudflats run far out into the water and reefs and sand islands are dotted everywhere. Before landing today we cross the Gascoyne River which has little water in it now but has caused some major havoc when it floods. The river supports a large area of agriculture along its banks where tomatoes, capsicum, egg plant, strawberries, and more are grown.

(P- the river is dotted with pipe spears that are actually shallow bores (wells) which the farmers pump their irrigation water from the aquifer under the sandy river bed. Whilst it is a seasonal vegetable production area that produces when more southern areas are dormant, it would be one of the untidiest production areas I have seen with weeds and junk machinery laying around everywhere!)

Our last night is spent at Carnarvon. So a look around town and a drive along the river to view the crops, lunch and dinner at the pub and a wander around a town centre where every second shop is empty.

Tuesday 6th

Last day flying today as we head to our first stop (loo break) at Geraldton. Then continue on to Myalup, the home of Pete’s plane. It’s clear flying but the temperature is dropping. Not sure why we are heading south. Again it’s very pretty flying along the coastline. And then as we get closer to Perth the agricultural area starts to bloom. Paddocks of wheat, canola glowing bright yellow and various other crops. Then the urban sprawl begins, new subdivisions built on pure sand, main roads and then the outskirts of the city, the swan river and high rise buildings, Fremantle and then as the sprawl fades away we get back into the countryside and ag areas. Finally we fly over Peters property at Myalup and come in to land on his strip. Peters wife, Rad, daughter-in-law Vanessa and grandson William are our welcoming committee and it’s great to see them. It has been an awesome trip.

9700 kilometres,

44 hours flying

(P- 3 weeks of great food (I check the menus before we decide which towns we visit! No good food NO VISIT), new experiences and good company have made for yet another great sector of our “Aussie Adventures” – how lucky are we!!!)