We leave our new friends at the Eyre Bird Observatory (EBO) and head back through the mallee up the escarpment and onto the Highway to head westward. A chat with a young fella who had driven in from the west reveals that roads from Balladonia to Esperance are closed due to rain events that have damaged tracks. Along the Eyre highway we visit ruins, once homes for pioneering families. The blow holes (breathing holes) are fascinating, the Nullarbor caves of which there a many, breathe more than any caves found in Australia breathing in or out based on changing atmospheric conditions, one cave has reported wind speeds of 72 kph.

We reach Balladonia and confirm that the coastal dirt tracks are indeed closed. This town is famous, as Skylab, an international space station crashed in pieces to earth in this vicinity. The small museum at the road house is worth checking out, it’s very informative and bits of space station are on show.

We push onto Norseman as our destination for the day. From Norseman we are up early, its 4.9 degrees. We head south along the historic Dundas Coach Road, this is an informative and picturesque dirt track easily driven by any vehicle in the dry. Once again we are inspired by the early settlers who came to this land, tough and determined. The woodland is expansive and tall salmon coloured gums are beautiful. Here is our video of the trail. https://gopro.com/v/1eaGmnqgJ3GzL

We continue south to Esperance for early lunch, its a big town, a large port and good place to re-stock with food and get material from the visitors centre. Then we head east to Cape Le Grand National Park and what a grand national park it is! Again WA produces stunning coastal scenery and heathland and while not prime flowering season there are ample beautiful specimens to be found. The region is a hot spot for diverse floral species and it attracts many birds.