Judy & Brian Tour Oz

We had been one step in front of a massive storm front moving across most of WA from Port Hedland down. Each day, the place we had been in the day before has had torrential rain and howling gales. Eighty Mile Beach is 300 km from Port Hedland, and we could still see that menacing cloud formation directly to the west. The forecast had rain overnight and we were a bit concerned that if it was too much rain overnight, the people that own the place might close that dirt access road until it dries out. Usually the patter of rain on the roof can be quite soothing, but it was persistent and growing heavier each hour. Finally at 06:30 it was time to move: get out before they had a chance to determine the state of the road. We got up and got out, back to the highway by 730. There was no drama, the road was at least smoother than yesterday, but you could see how more rain could cause problems. back at the highway after visiting Eighty Mile Beach WA First stop was only 45km up the road at...

Eighty Mile Beach is one of those places all caravanners talk about. 'If you go to WA you must go to 80 Mile', they say. The Eighty Mile Beach is actually 140 miles long and is 350km south of Broome by road and 250km north of Port Hedland. The country you drive through is part of the Great Sandy Desert, so there is low but vibrant green scrub and hills or the remnants of mountains in the distance. There are two roadhouses between Port Hedland and Broome, one is Pardoo and the other Sandfire, more or less equally spaced apart. And that is all. Except for a turn off toward the Indian Ocean about 45km south of Sandfire, where a 10km long dirt road will lead you to one of the few access points to the beach, this one going through Wallal Downs Station. I was dubious about the dirt road, given our experience of getting into El Questro and the damage it caused. I need not have worried, this dirt road is not too badly rutted and we made it in without any drama. I admit that i wa...