Rating: 3/5
Location: Gladstone Scenic Lookout, Western Australia – Lat: 25 59 09 S Long: 114 17 55 E
Our drive south toward a free overnight camp was long and dry … at least, it certainly seemed that way.
We stopped into Carnarvon on the way to buy fresh fruit and vegetables and top up our caravan with water before hitting the highway toward Gladstone Scenic Lookout (don’t get it confused with Gladstone in Queensland, we’re still in the far west) for a one night stand.
The strong wind was against us all the way and it pushed our diesel consumption up considerably.
The scenery is dry and barren except for the many animals that lay dead on the side of the road – hapless victims of speed and metal.
There are lots of wild goats grazing beside the highway – at least, I’m assuming that they are wild – and we rarely saw them as road kill victims.
My grade 5 school teacher, Mrs Mackintosh used to always say common sense would “separate the sheep from the goats” and perhaps she knew about those ‘wild’ goats way back then!
Gladstone Scenic Lookout is a stony plateau from where you get 360 degree views of the area including the sunset over Shark Bay.
There was no-one but us onsite when we arrived at around 3.00 pm but several other caravans and campers pulled in during the afternoon.
There are no facilities at the site except rubbish bins – it is considered a ‘rest area’ – but it has great views and is a good overnighter.
The place does have a bit of interesting ‘oddness’ to it. Several garden gnomes are set up on the west-facing cliff edge to watch the sunsets near a few piles of rocks decorated with everything from an old public pay phone and used footwear to an epitaph to a guy who died in Coral Bay in 2006. And I thought I was odd!
Until next time my friend, may you be canny like one of those clever goats and may your garden gnomes always face the sunsets!
Cost: Free
Dump point: No
Fishing: No
Phone/internet: Yes
Showers: No
Toilets: No
Water: No
An adventure ... around Oz with dogs in a caravan 