Another few hundred kilometers of gravel roads before our wheels reach the tarmac of the highway. The vast bushy expanses give way to endless fields of cereals and canola. The fly pressure decreases drastically, mercury too. It's almost like being in the Condroz (Belgium region) if you ignore the giant silos for grain storage.

On the way to the ocean from Carey Downs.
On the way to the ocean from Carey Downs.
Rocky entrance of Jingamia Cave and the huge silo in Three Springs.
Rocky entrance of Jingamia Cave and the huge silo in Three Springs.
The Spanish-style church and gargoyle in Mullewa.
The Spanish-style church and gargoyle in Mullewa.
Northampton and its flock of sheep.
Northampton and its flock of sheep.

Crops are not the main attraction of the region. It's spring and the recent rains have triggered the flowering of many wild flowers along the roads. Carpet of daisies, orchids, carnivorous plants and other botanical curiosities. We went bananas in terms of macro pictures of flowers! See for yourself ...

Purple.
Purple.
White.
White.
Blue.
Blue.
Orange.
Orange.
Green.
Green.
Rose.
Rose.
Yellow.
Yellow.

Back in the civilisation, we punctuate our route with historical, bucolic and cultural stops. In New Norcia, the only monastic city in Australia, we tried local beer brewed by the community and real bread !

The monastic town of New Norcia.
The monastic town of New Norcia.
Toodyay and its mill. A giant ant obsessed by a big toe.
Toodyay and its mill. A giant ant obsessed by a big toe.

The Perth Hills are full of national parks. Already in 1900, people took the Perth train to join John Forest National Park and enjoy a Sunday picnic. The iron horse has now fallen into disuse although this green getaway is still popular. The regular passage of planes reminds us that the city is not far away.

Our camping meetings are more 'exotic': we swap the Australian pensioners for young Italians. Countrymen in the soul, the suburbs of Perth seduce us only for a few days, we take leave of the townspeople to rejoin the county.

The dam of Mundaring Weir, a carnivorous plant and a blue tongue skink (lizard).
The dam of Mundaring Weir, a carnivorous plant and a blue tongue skink (lizard).

Last orchid walk in Kojonup, we climb a small summit in the Stirling Range and here is the rain as Itsy Bitsy would say. Welcome to the Porongurup, we are back at Nic, Scottie and Emerson's dairy farm.

Stirling Range and its locals
Stirling Range and its locals