2200 km after leaving Exmouth, we are at Fraser Range Station, about to start the 1100 km Nullarbor Plain crossing to Ceduna. So far it has been easy driving, 5 days at an average of 440 km per day. For the first couple of days, via Carnarvon and Geraldton, the maximum temperature was 27 deg, then suddenly, as soon as we left the coast it dropped to 19 deg at Dalwallinu, then 15 deg at Westonia, Kalgoorlie and Fraser Range. The overnight temperature was down to 2 deg by the time we arrived at Kalgoorlie. If we didn’t have friends, rellies and a nice home in Adelaide we would be tempted to turn around and head north again.

Nevertheless we have enjoyed the drive. At first the terrain was flat, coastal plain, with low vegetation and a few flowers. Eventually we got into wheat country and there has been some rain over winter. The crops are low but at least it is green everywhere to be seen for hundreds of kms. The little towns of Dalwallinu and Westonia are tidy, proud towns and looking quite prosperous. Westonia (never heard of it? We hadn’t.) on the edge of the wheat belt and goldfields, still has an active gold mine providing ongoing employment for lots of people. The whole area since Carnarvon is starting to show the beginning of the wild flower season. We saw it later in the season a few years ago and it is spectacular and even this early in the season it looks good, with lots of colours on the ground and in the trees.

Out favourite vegetation would be the salmon gums. Now they are shedding their dark grey winter bark and displaying the beautiful orange coloured fresh skin, with orange tips on the new leaves. For hundreds of kms the look wonderful beside the road and further afield.

This morning we had dense fog and at 9 am it hasn’t lifted yet. Visibility is now ok for driving so we’ll be leaving soon.

As always, we hope you keep safe and healthy. From Ted and Jo.