What Was I Thinking?

Mel at 'Hippo's Yawn'

What was I thinking?  Here we are again, it's 7:30am and Mel and I are boarding another coach; this time at East Perth Terminal.  Today we are headed east towards Hyden.  It's a four hour drive, 394kms total inland, with a pit stop in the small town of Quairading.  Morning tea is held on the back veranda of the information centre; a small wooden hut. A cup of lukewarm coffee and a jam tart is on offer.  Thank goodness we brought some fresh fruit and snacks! There are plenty of dry brown paddocks to see filled with flocks of sheep. We arrive at Wave Rock just after noon.  Tim our bus driver drops us off at 'Hippo's Yawn' a cave which resembles a yawning hippo.  We are given two hours free time before we leave.  We take the proverbial photos before following the 1.4km unsealed walk to Wave Rock.
The weather is warm and we are armed with sunhats and sunscreen.  As we round the rear of the rock the 'wave' hits us.  The sight of it is staggering.  All the photos in the brochures do not prepare you for this amazing view.  


Wave Rock

We just stood and breathed it in before walking the length of it.  I felt as if I had just walked out on a movie set, it seems so unreal to have this wave rock looking like it could thunder and break into surf but standing  frozen in time in the middle of the outback!   The 'wave' has been created by continuous water erosion over thousands of years.  It is reported there are other 'wave' rocks in the area; none of which we saw.  Mel and I enjoy a simple lunch and a hot barista made coffee.  We check out the souvenirs before returning to the rock to sketch and relax.  We meet a couple from Austria who ask is it always this hot at this time of year.  I agree it is!  On our return journey we visit Corrigin's unique dog cemetery.  It is an opportunity to stretch our legs and read a few tombstones before we take the long journey back to  East Perth.  We arrive at 7pm. 


Corrigin Dog Cemetery