western australia : cape range national park

Osprey Bay at Cape Range National Park was a welcome relief after three nights in town. We love free camping - free of power and the pressures of a small plot in a caravan park. Osprey Bay free camp was only opened earlier in the year. There's a bush loo, the cost is $15/night and you can book online. Bore water is available near the visitors centre at entrance to the park. The kids would have played all day on the beach making huge castles.

The sunsets were beautiful. 

Yardie Creek Gorge was an interesting walk with the kids although it was the hottest part of the day so it was very warm. The gorge was amazing - with ospreys, goats and cockatoos. 

There are half a dozen great snorkelling sites a short drive from Osprey Bay. We spent our first day snorkelling at Turquoise Bay after two friends recommended it. We had the perfect day - little wind, clear sky, no swell and incredible visibility. Over the course of the day the older two kids mastered snorkelling - using a noodle to keep bouyant. We swam with sea turtles, black and white-tipped reef sharks, blue spotted fantail sting-Rays, anenome fish, trumpet fish, a huge groper, octopi, a huge rock cod and hundreds of beautiful tropical fish. There was so much to see which made learning to snorkel easy for the kids. 

The following day we attempted Oyster Stacks at high tide but it was a struggle with the strong current and big swell. I can imagine that with the right conditions the site would be interesting. After Oyster Stacks in the morning we drove back to Turqoise Bay with our travelling friends, the Nelson's-Hauers, and spent the rest of the day jumping in and out of the water. 

The boys headed out early one morning and ran (when the gravel wasn't too slippery) Mandu Mandu Gorge. 

J decided it was time to separate with his decade-long facial hair. Our poor girl cried for a day and asked him when the old Daddy was coming back. This was actually half way through his shave. J is not particularly fond of having a mo'. 

These beautiful flowers are native to Cape Range National Park. Each petal looks like a little bird and our bird loving boy was fascinated.