Carnarvon to Coral Bay - Hot & Sunny with a few clouds - Temp 37C           Distance - 236km

We continued travelling north along the North West Coastal Highway - once again very little traffic and very barren scrub, (nothing passed us on the road between the Carnarvon & Coral Bay turn-offs - about 200km)  the only traffic, mainly trucks that we saw was travelling south.

On the way to Coral Bay we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn.  No doubt our friend from Cheltenham, Robert the Complicado will recall crossing the Tropic of Capricorn in Rockhampton, Queensland on his way home from the Gt Barrier Reef, when he stood with one foot either side of the line marking the lattitude line.

The area is very dry at this time of the year but the flood markers show how high the water levels are when the rivers flood in the wet season - summer.  Many of the rivers are dry at this time of year.

Wide river almost dry right now

Another river - completely dry

Minilya Roadhouse
 

The Minilya Roadhouse is the only habitation seen for approx 200km.  There are signs to farming properties here and there but they are not visible from the road.  We stopped to refuel here as it was the only petrol available on the journey and our neighbour from the last caravan park pulled in just as we were leaving!  We keep running into people we have met at other towns.  We have also found that fellow Queenslanders are particularly friendly as you sometimes feel you are in another country due to the vast distances.

More wild goats - they run away as soon as we stop

Arrived at Coral Bay - quite busy due to it being the weekend.  Lovely bay but not much here apart from 2 caravan parks and half a dozen small shops including dive tours and a few holiday apartments but we have seen very few houses.



Coral Bay

Coral Bay is situated at the southern end of the Ningaloo Reef in the Ningaloo Marine Park.  The whalesharks are just beginning to migrate to this area and we are told there have been 1 or 2 sightings already.  The dive companies are gearing up to take tours out to view them.  You can snorkel from the beach here with many colourful fish.



Coral Bay

Coral Bay