Cape Range National Park

On the 7th October we had a very excited little girl who woke a little earlier then usual in order to start her birthday celebrations. She spent her morning taking phone calls, opening presents and eating a breakfast of crumpets, her choice. After all the morning birthday celebrations where completed we headed for Cape Range National Park and our prebooked camping spot at Kurrajong camp.

Maddi opening her presents

Our first stop was Vlamingh Lighthouse that was built in 1912. It gave us a good view of the surrounding landscape and especially of the area that makes up Ningaloo Reef. We also saw a few familiar faces of other families we have seen on the road travelling around Australia.

Vlamingh Lighthouse built 1912

Kids take a look through the window

View towards Exmouth side of the Cape

View of Ningaloo Reef on National Park side of the Cape

The birthday girl with her Zhu Zhu Pet

Next we entered the park and had a quick stop at the National Parks Visitor Information Centre and enquired about snorkeling gear hire. Then it was onto Kurrajong Camp to set up our van and take a walk over the dune to our almost private beach. We really only shared it with the other 8 campsites at Kurrajong. We had a little dip in the ocean with our swimming goggles just to see what we could see near the shore. It was refreshing but very choppy and the kids found it very difficult and a little cold (due to the strong winds) and we think they all took on a little water. We decided to play in the sand for a while and then back over the rise for a rinse off using the outside shower and a trug. I wish we had some photos but with the trug balancing on the top of the stepladder and a child standing in it in order for the hose to be long enough it was all hands on deck.

Kurrajong Beach after our dip

Maddi on Kurrajong Beach

Our camping spot at Kurrajong Camp

Cape Range National Park has many self-sufficient camp areas all named and most with a Camp Host. Our camp hosts where Des and Tanya and they were appointed to Kurrajong Camp for an 8 week block. Their duties were to greet campers, provide information, keep the pit toilets clean and of course keep us in line. Tanya loved entertaining the kids with games of hide and seek on the dunes while we and the other campers had 6pm drinks on the top of the sand dune overlooking the ocean and of course the sun set. Des was a world of information for future camping spots on our journey south even having a print out information sheet with free/cheap camp spots listed along with a little blurb. There was quite a range of campers at Kurrajong with the usual Grey Nomads, an older Dutch couple visiting Australia and doing a road trip of the West Coast, a family with two teenagers on school holidays from Perth and a couple with one little girl 3 years old.

After drinks it was time for Maddi’s birthday dinner of Hot Dogs, Ris A’Lamand and cupcake birthday cake, all her choice again. For those of you who don’t know Ris A’Lamand is the traditional Danish Christmas Pudding which is made up of rice, crushed almonds, milk, sugar and cream with 1 whole almond that when found, the person who found it gets a prize. Maddi was insistent that there was to be a prize and Thea was insistent that her family tradition was the prize was to be shared. Maddi wasn’t so keen on sharing but amazingly she had the whole almond in her portion and she did share. I say amazingly as Tig might have had something to do with the almond suddenly appearing in her bowl, not that she realized it. Of course as soon as the almond was found Thea gained the remains of the kids portions and has made a mental note to make only half quantity come Christmas.

Maddi's birthday cakes

Ella not so impressed

Three cheeky monkeys

Maddi on the satelite phone talking to Gran and Pa

The next day we went on a Glass Bottom Boat Tour on Ningaloo Reef as it was the easiest way for the kids to see some of the reef and its marine life. Snorkeling is a little hard for them and Maddi was the only one who really gave snorkeling a go and she did do very well although she did take on quite a bit of water at times when the sea became choppy. 

Heading to board our Glass Bottom Boat

Kids looking through the glass bottom

After our tour we decided to head back to the Visitor Information Centre to hire two sets of snorkeling gear. One set for the adults to share and one set for the girls to share. We were pretty sure that Kai wouldn’t be interested or able to snorkel, which we were correct. We then headed straight to a bay called Lakeside, which had some good kid friendly snorkeling. Maddi loved it and Tig and Thea took turns taking her out. Ella wasn’t as keen on the water as it was quite blowy and after a quick dip returned to a towel for some upside down (head down the slope) sun baking. She got a lesson on what happens when lying in the sun when you don’t have sunscreen on your legs by getting a little burnt. Kai decided that the water didn’t interest him either and was a little wary from the day before so he just played on the sand with a rock being his train. In the afternoon we returned to camp for a late lunch and a play by the van before the nightly 6pm drinks on the dune. This time we were rewarded in the dusk by some whale action on the far horizon. It was hard to make out due to the increasing darkness but you could just see movement and sprays on the water that was from a whale or two.

Ella having a swim at Lakeside

Tig and Maddi about to begin their first snorkel together

Lakeside

The next morning after a late start we headed to the picture perfect spot called Turquoise Bay. Here Tig and Maddi snorkeled the rip while Thea took Ella and Kai around the corner out of the wind to the family friendly bay.  The rip is formed by the swell coming in over the reef and funneling along the shore to the point where it returns out to the ocean. This steady flow of water along the beach means that you can swim out the 20m to the coral reef and just float a few hundred metres up the beach, remembering of course to get out before you float out to sea. This was perfect when assisting a budding snorkeler but you still had to steer around the bomies. Maddi did really well and insisted on another run. There was so much to see that you could have drifted and walked back up the beach all day but after two goes it was time to join the rest of the family in the protected bay. Maddi then took Thea back to the rip for a Maddi guided tour. Unfortunately by this time the wind had picked up even more and Maddi had a hard time trying not to collect water in her snorkel so after one run of the rip they returned to the sheltered bay. In the bay there was a little bit of snorkeling to be done and Thea and Tig took turns venturing out a little further to a coral outcrop to inspect the many fish varieties. Maddi by this time was happy playing with Kai in the sand so we tried to encourage Ella to have a go of the snorkel. Ella unfortunately found it too hard and took on water via the goggles so she quickly gave up. Thea did manage to get her swimming goggles on her and she swam in the shallows with her watching two different types of fish, which seemed to be very curious of them.

Getting organised to snorkel Turquoise Bay Rip

Off they go!

Protected Turquoise Bay

Ella checking out the water

Kai and Ella playing in the sand

Getting Ella ready for a little snorkelling

After lots of playing in the sun, surf and sand it was time to back up and find somewhere new for lunch. After a drive to the far end of the sealed road in the park (Yardie Creek) we came back to stop at Sandy Bay where we had seen some kites flying from the road. As we approached the beach from the car park we realized the kites were actually Kite Surfers and we enjoyed our picnic lunch on the sand watching the Kite Surfers preform tricks, twists and crashes. It was very entertaining and as the Kite Surfers left we decided it was time for us to head back to camp too.

Kite Surfers at Sandy Bay

Our lunchtime entertainment

Son hitched a ride on Dad's back

The next morning was our departure day so we did an evening pack up of awning and chairs etc, so we could make an early start. Our time at Cape Range National Park was very much enjoyed and we know we have only just scratched the surface of things to see and do here so it is definitely going on our list of places to come back to. Next time we need to stay at least a week, or two.

Till next time …

Thea and Tig