Hopetoun

Nice free camp in Hopetoun. It’s a beach-side park (probably just a wide nature strip) about 300m from the village centre and it’s champion Bakery and our new local The Port Hotel (how good is that?)

Hiking in the morning, snorkelling at Barrens Beach at noon, Barty at the Aus Open in the afternoon.

Weird meteorological/topographical thing: Along hundreds of kilometres (?) of this coast there are clear skies. Yet each afternoon Mount Barren has donned a cap of cloud. While we were on the peak this morning under a blue sky some whispy clods (sea mist?) we’re forming to seaward and below us, a couple of hours later Mt Barrens gets its Mordor on by hiding its peak in misty gloom.

Back in 2009 BHP closed the Ravensthorpe Nickel mine with up to 1000 people losing their jobs. Local legend tells that BHP coughed up $40M to upgrade the Fitzgerald National Park to repaid soured relations. Other sources say it was Federal & State Gov funding. Who to believe? Either way, the park is magnificent. The roads are slick, the facilities are immaculate the flora is amazingly diverse, the park features are beautiful.Read more