Our journey continued to the Wooramel River Retreat, a bushy setting nestled slightly inland. The main allure of this location was its natural artesian bore baths, which sounded lovely. However, arriving on a scorching 45-degree day had somewhat dampened our excitement for them. After setting up camp, we explored the property, where we were told that, despite the heat, the baths would remain delightful. We spent the afternoon relaxing in the shade and swaying gently in a hammock under the cool breeze. As evening descended, we ventured to the baths area, a bustling hub where guests gathered on a grassy area where we had dinner while a singer played some golden oldies. We then divided our time between the melodic tunes and the soothing baths which we found to be a truly delightful evening. The kids ran free, enjoyed playing giant lawn games and Lily jumped on stage for the last few songs for a dance. The next day gave us milder temperatures, allowing us to indulge in more frequent visits to the baths.

Our adventure then led us to the secluded Gnaraloo Station, a remote campsite a good hour and a half from the nearest town. Given the time since our last decent shopping trip, we paused in Carnarvon to stock up on essentials. We also stopped by a local fruit shop famed for its scrumptious frozen bananas—an irresistible treat!

En route, we stopped off quickly at the natural wonder of the Quobba Blow Holes, where the powerful ocean swells forced water through sea caves, shooting impressive geysers up to 20 meters high. We continued our journey, leaving the bitumen behind and traversing rough, corrugated roads with known sharp rocks. Thankfully, we arrived without incident at our stunning campsite perched on a small cliff overlooking the ocean. Eager for adventure, we hit the beach for snorkelling, as we’d heard it promised spectacular experiences, and it certainly lived up to expectations. Our day was spent snorkelling in the sea, with each hour revealing more wonders as the tide receded. As we were preparing dinner, we were blessed with an amazing sunset.

The following day mirrored the first, with the added delight of cooking freshly-gifted crayfish legs. While delicious, the effort far outweighed the reward, so we happily passed the remainder to our camp hosts, who graciously accepted. We ended the lovely day with a cheese party on the secluded beach, where the kids built a sand podium to showcase the biggest and best clam shells collected from the beach.

Upon setting off the next morning, we aimed for 14 Mile Beach on the Coral Coast. A brief encounter with the challenging roads triggered our tyre pressure monitor, revealing a sharp rock had inflicted a severe puncture on our Everest’s rear tyre. This timely alert likely saved us greater trouble. As we changed the tyre, a kind couple stopped to ensure we were alright. After safely resuming our journey, we faced the realization that our tyre was not as common as we had assumed. Although patched, it required replacement. To err on the side of caution, we arranged for two new tyres in Exmouth—a four-hour round trip the next day necessary to avoid risk.

Finally arriving at 14 Mile Beach, we were greeted by its beauty but also its relentless wind, which persisted for three days. Despite this, the warm mid-30s weather allowed us to enjoy the beach to some extent. After a couple of days, we sought alternative accommodation in Exmouth. Fortune was on our side, as we secured a spot due to a last-minute cancellation, a stroke of luck amid the busy Easter weekend. Our early arrival proved a good decision as the sheltered caravan park offered a blissful respite with two swimming pools to keep the children entertained (and a chance to catch up on some washing).

Exploring Exmouth was delightful; we tried our luck fishing at the marina and prepared for our upcoming five-day stay in Cape Range National Park. One evening, we visited the local brewery where we relished some of the finest pizza we’ve had in ages, enjoyed live music, and naturally, sampled their beer selection. With all the moving around, the kids were worried that the Easter Bunny might not be able to find us, but luckily he managed and we woke up to an easter egg hunt in the van! These unexpected two days turned out to be wonderfully satisfying.

As we departed Exmouth for Cape Range National Park, we stopped at a local market, where the kids delighted in finding more souvenirs to commemorate our unforgettable trip.