Days 356-358 – Barn Hill, WA (4-6 Sept)

Another very windy morning, Carl and Troy were sleeping in a swag and copped the full brunt of the wind and red sand so decided they might as well get up and fish at 6.15am.  John joined them about 8.00am.  No fish caught just enjoying the setting.  Whilst it is windy it is actually quite nice as it keeps the temperature down and it is beautiful at the beach as it is an offshore breeze so the ocean is quite flat and the wind not too bad.   The wind died down about 11.00am and the boys came back and Carl and Troy left to head back to Broome.  We just lazed around the park and later in the day took Coco for a walk along the beach and watched the sunset, quite stunning.  Should mention there is a great little kiosk here that sells homemade cakes, vanilla slices and lamingtons every morning, fresh bread, wholemeal, white and multigrain for $6.50/loaf but they are so big they would be the equivalent of 2 loaves.  Homemade sausage rolls that the boys had for lunch one day and said were very good.  Every night you can get a variety of pizzas for $12.50 each and big enough for two big appetites!  All the food is cooked here on the station and is very good value.  Haven’t tried the cakes or pizza yet.  Every Sunday they have a $16.50 three course meal, soup, roast beef and veges and fruit and icecream plus a live band.  So we booked in for that (well not me cos of the meat I took my own).  You take your table and chairs and position yourself at the front of the park to get the best views of the ocean, take you own plates and cutlery and drinks.  So on Sunday after a long two hour morning walk along the beach with Carmel and Nellie (cattle dog) followed by a swim at the beach in the afternoon we headed off to enjoy the Sunday night dinner and entertainment.  The station catered for 100 people tonight but in the peak of the season easily cater for 250 plus!  It is very well done and the food was very good.  The band was a local indigenous band called ‘Blackout’.  Clever.  They weren’t bad at all, played a variety of music that catered for all age groups.  One of the band members played the didgeridoo and then played a coiled didgeridoo (looked like a coiled sausage) hadn’t seen one before.  Sounded very similar to the didgeridoo quite a haunting sound.  It was great night and everyone got into the mood and swing of the evening.  This place is wonderful, so relaxing and the owners/manager really go all out to make sure everyone has a good time and off course the beach and surrounds is just magnificent.  Can understand why it is so popular and people stay here for the dry season.  We are lucky and have caught the tail end of the travellers.  In the peak up to 300 campers/vans are here.  That would be busy.  It is not open during the wet season.  Should mention the weather here is perfect, slight breeze, temperatures hovering around the low to mid 30s and nights down to high teens, low 20s.  It is just about the perfect spot.  Will be hard to leave.