Robbiebago Adventures: Driving back to Geraldton

Bob sitting on top of London Bridge

First stop was Mt Magnet where we left the van for a trip to Sandstone to see a natural land feature called London Bridge. Sandstone is delightful. It is a small, friendly, lovely, clean and tidy town with lots of public garden filled with flowers in which we stopped for a picnic lunch. We then went on the heritage trail drive seeing the old brewery site, London Bridge, a gold battery, and a water pump before heading back home. (Home is wherever the Robbiebago is.)

The elusive Wreath flower (taken off a photo)

The next day we moved down to Gold Mining country which is also known as Wildflower Country, where we told we would also get a chance to see the elusive wreath flower. Our first night stop was at Perenjori (pronounced per injury). As it turns out there is very little wildflowers to see. The countryside is very dry and there has not been the rain that brings out the wildflowers in profusion. Coupled with the extremely hot days just preceding our visit, many of the flowers especially the wreath flowers had died out. We had to contend ourselves with a bought photo of a wreath flower. At one point we were told we had come too late to view wildflowers, which was annoying as the wildflower tourist brochures say August to November and we had been told Sept & October were the best times to see them. I know that they can’t help the weather but other than that who do you believe? Oh well, we keep on driving in the hope of seeing some lovely flowers.

Beautiful White plume Grevillea

I think this is an Hakea - a white flowering with holly shaped leaves

We kept on going to Ellendale Pool which had been recommended to us. Just at the turn off to the pool is a gigantic wind farm. I reckon there are 50 or so wind thingys. It would be our last stop before entering Geraldton again. Ellendale is a lovely spot that is a natural pooled area of the Ellendale River that is a great picnic and camping spot. It is a great spot for families with access to swimming and canoeing.