Flowers, Fields, Mountains and Rocks

Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Spent today looking at some of the highlights in the Wongan Hills. First spot was Mt O'Brien, about 11km drive from our camp site. Fortunately you are able to drive right to the top, 'cause I can assure you we would not have been walking up there! This 'mountain' is about 425m above sea level & has a great lookout right at the top as well as a BBQ, table & seats. We had morning coffee & fruit cake [the last of the one made in Perth & frozen for the trip!] From this vantage point we could see for miles over farmlands planted with wheat, canola & lupins.



View from Mt O'Brien, in the Wongan Hills

I have not previously mentioned the lupin crops which are grown extensively in this wheatbelt area. They have a white flower, and are therefore not as 'photogenic' as the bright yellow canola. Lupins have traditionally been used for high protein animal feed but some is now being processed to make a high protein, lowGI & gluten free flour. I bought some in Mingenew & can't wait to get home [to my oven!] to try baking some of the recipes!

Anyway, back to todays outing......
From Mt O'Brien we drove about on about another 3km to Mt Matilda - another of the Wongan Hills. There are 2 wildflower walks here, one of 5km & one of 8km. Now before you get to thinking we must be getting very fit doing all these long walks...... we actually didn't do these two! Firstly it was getting towards the middle of the day, a bit warm and the laterite gravel on the pathways was a bit 'rolly' underfoot, so we just walked a little way in, took a few pics, saw a few birds, returned to car & found some more ground orchids, right near car park!
In lieu of these walks we drove out to the other side of Wongan Hills township to Reynoldson Reserve, quite a large area which is planted only with Verticordia [Feather Flower] shrubs. Sadly, for us, they don't flower till about November. The plants were covered with buds & we found one bush flowering a little, so did get a picture!



Reynoldson Reserve - 3 small photos are what we saw. Other one is photo of picture on entry wall & what it will
look like in a few more weeks!

From here it was on to Cadoux, famous for WA's 2nd most damaging earthquake in June 1979. Only a small place, but found a picnic table to sit & eat lunch. Drove through more rural ares with some beautiful roadside flowers to our next stop, Dingo Rock, another granite outcrop like Petrudor & Christmas rocks mentioned previously. A walk around base of rock revealed a few more orchids to photograph! Finally arrived back at van to discover park had filled up while we were out for the day!



Clockwise from top left: Green orchid, Mt Matilda; Group of Donkey orchids; 2 views of Rosy Cheeked Donkey orchid


Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Departed Wongan Hills bound for our next destination, Hyden the home of Wave Rock. Fairly long days driving but we still managed to stop in Goomalling for our daily good coffee! Very neat country town, nice cafe & very nice coffee. Headed off again but came to a spot where the canola fields, some trees, a ruined cottage & great morning light looked just right for a few photos!

Back in the car with John muttering 'we will never get there today'! Then, lo & behold a few km along the road our first sighting of drifts of pink everlastings under the trees - well we just had to stop again for more photos, of course!


Pink Everlastings - Worth stopping for, I am sure you will agree!

On the road again driving through beautiful rural landscapes & the towns of Meckering [the site of WA's most damaging earthquake in October 1968 - 6.9 on Richter scale], Cunderdin [lunch stop, nice!], Quairading, Corrigin, Kondinin & finally Hyden! The caravan park is right near Hyden Rock, of which Wave Rock is but one of the points of interest. Settled into our new site, lots of other vans arriving as well. Short walk to shops over road. Camels being exercised by man in tractor! One of the local attractions is riding a camel around the Rock - think I can give that a miss! Quite chilly & windy this evening - another heater night!

Thursday, September 16, 2010
Chilly this morning but not as cold as some mornings. Day became warmer & sunny but the wind has been strong & cold all day. Walked into Wave Rock area this morning & up onto the main part of Hyden Rock. Didn't go to the top as the wind was so strong & cold! Mainly landscape photos today, not many flowers around here. After walk took short drive into town - another nice cafe for coffee! Took photos of 'sculptures/works of art' made from scrap iron & mechanical pieces, amazing what some people can do with 'junk'!

Main photo - Wave Rock; Top left: View & Dam from Hyden Rock; Other rock formationson & around Hyden Rock



"Junk Sculptures' at Hyden



Relaxing, reading, lunch & resting before visit to Wave Rock Wildlife Park over the road. Lots of birds, few koalas, kangaroos- white ones, black swans with 3 cygnets, a wombat & not a lot else. The whole place was a bit run down & dated. Brochure says they are currently in the planning stage of new buildings & extensions - will be good thing.
More reading for John, starting on the dinner preparations for me. Cooked BBQ & nearly froze! The BBQ was so slow to heat up & the wind was sooo cold! Anyway dinner was good. John reading again while I try to get/keep blog up to date!