Port Denison and the Irwin Shire (Sep 2021)

Aug 27, 202216 min read

Updated: Aug 29, 2022

The job in Kalgoorlie did not quite work out. After six weeks, we relocate to the little town of Dongara-Port Denison, between Perth and Geraldton. Right on the coast to manage a caravan park. We visited its award winning distillery about a year ago and shared fish'n chips on the foreshore. But that aside, we are virgins to this part of WA.

With a nine hours drive ahead or 830 kilometres, I am feeling a bit odd. Yesterdays Covid booster is getting to me. Happy to hand over the steering wheel for the afternoon. We arrive late at the caravan park, on the back end of a busy day. As we arrived late check-in is remote and we settle in for a good night, the waves thundering in the back ground.

Irwin is a small shire with a big personality. It is 2,375 sqkm "large" with a whopping 3,600 permanent residents. That's a tiny bit smaller than the Saarland but only 3.45% of the German state’s population. 2.762 of them live in Dongara-Port Denison. The Two, that’s us. Plus the dog!

The town is far enough from the big smoke to have everything it takes to live in comfort such as shops, eateries, hardware stores, and doctors, yet it is close enough to Gero (local name for Geraldton)and Perth should the shit hit the fan. As so often, locals underestimate the appeal of what is so close:

some really good cafés
possibly the mightiest parmies (check out the Dongara Pub)
pretty cool scenery
endless, empty beaches
and likeable locals such as Elyce from New Leaf Connect Tours. She will point you in the the right direction for some local adventure.

What do people do for a living besides farming and sand mining (seems to be what coastal areas in this region default back to)? The Irwin shire sits on one of the largest onshore gas deposits in Australia. It will contribute up to 10% of the state's fuel needs over the next 20 years. Unfortunately, still no serious efforts here to swap over to renewables, despite one or the other token wind and solar farm. Royalties will be coming in hard and fast. Already, FiFo workers are injecting millions into local retail, eateries and accommodation.

The other call to fame are rock lobsters, serious oceanic cash cows! Most of Dongara’s majestic Moreton Terrace is owned by the old lobster barons! You may find one or the other at Poppies Café for an interesting yarn. Red Western Rock Lobsters are found between Cape Leeuwin and Onslow, with its commercial focus between Perth and Geraldton. Like salmon, they have a fascinating life cycle. The ocean currents take the leaf-like planktonic larvae between 400 to 1000 km offshore. After turning into mini lobsters of a mere 25 mm they return to onshore reefs just to disappear again after three to four years into the deeper regions to mature and mate. Western rock lobsters reproduce from about seven years of age but can live for up to twenty years. In 2017 the rock lobster contributed about $500K to the WA economy with 2,400 jobs attached directly or indirectly to the industry. The industry is strictly controlled after lobster numbers dropped dramatically in the mid ninties.

Dongara-Port Denison is part of the Coral Coast Tourist Region reaching from Cervantes and Nambung National Park in the south to Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef in the north. That’s a whopping 1,000 kilometre of coast line! And it as varied as it is stunning. Being right on the beach, tourism is a massive draw card. Quick calculations see the population jump to 150% and beyond during holidays and the wild flower season. Mostly on the back of families driving in from Perth, as they have been for generations - and boy, don't they love to point that out! Outside school holidays there are mostly Grey Nomads touring. Booking accommodation ahead is a must. Alternatively, stay away from the coast. About 50 km will do, and you can be all by yourself again.

The twin town is a great spot for everything water and wind based, from swimming to surfing, kite surfing, canoeing, sailing, and fishing. Land based activities include awesome walking trails steeped in local history and out-of-this-world facilities for scooters, push bikes and skateboards. Both on-land tours and ocean charters are available from our twin towns too. Don’t forget to bring boards, kites, bocci, beach volleyball or cricket kits!

There are not a lot of Drive-Ins left in Australia. Port Denison is still proud to pay host to one of the classics. Mostly during school holidays. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming sessions. What a hoot!!!!

The doggie side of Dongara - Port Denison

Olli and I love to walk. There is so much to explore, sniff out, reading and answering pee-mails.

Of the Thungarra Trails, our most favourite one takes us around the Irwin River: shady groves, lookouts, places to hide, with a refreshing splash at the canoe launch pad and off the sandbar, that separates the river from the ocean. His two legged master loves it too with heaps of cafes along the way.

Another hike leads from the Obelisk, along the port, then onto Ocean Drive towards the estuary and back along the beach passing the ANZAC soldiers and several great lookouts.

Dongara's 4 km long Heritage Walk is jam packed with historic buildings, landmarks and some great murals. A special Heritage Walk book contains a comprehensive map and the best stories, the town has to offer. And while at it, check out the Irwin District Museum & Police Station, the 1881 Russ Cottage, and the Mini-Maritime Museum at the Fisherman’s Co-Op Building on the northern end of the Foreshore. Best to combine the heritage walk with the monthly market, every 1st Saturday at Town Park. A pretty cool Op shop around the corner invites for dress up rehearsals and the cool arts & crafts stores mean serious business. Most of them are situated in the shade of the mighty heritage listed Moreton Bay fig trees, that line the main streets of Dongara. Here, evenings come alive with gorgeous sunsets, to be taken in from Port Denison’s foreshore with fish’n chips or from the deck at Southerly’s Tavern. Cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating all welcome furry friends!

And that includes the local distillery, Illegal Tender. At times they open for grazing platters with amazing produce refined with awesome cocktails, all based around their award winning rum and gin. If you love the later one, you have got to try the blue Abrolhos Gin, with saltbush and samphire. It is not so heavy on the juniper, which lets the native flavours roll through beautifully. We visited for some pre-Christmas drinks. Elyce picked us up in "Van Morrison", her 12-seater bus. Needless to say: that night got a tad tipsy.

Things to point out (aka "the fine print")

Gone with the wind

Stationing yourself on the Coral Coast, you've got to love wind. The Leaning Trees of Greenough are a constant reminder that a strong breeze is rather common than not. It whips the ocean into a frenzy, and the kite surfers too. They visit in droves, even used to have regular competitions in the twin town. And why wouldn't you?

Powerlines with a spark

When the wind is the strongest, it rips spray off the ocean, thick with salt and minerals. This melange settles on power lines, namely their isolators. During the day you hear the whizz-bang as electricity jumps to where it should not. At night one can actually watch the sparks fly. Wow! The buzzing, the crackling, the light show! Loving it! Just like a bug zapper. But smells better.

When the breeze drops, especially in summer, the heat gets you. It is not uncommon to swelter in 40 plus degrees. As aircons kick in in every household, the electricity grid gives. Power outages are surprisingly common. During the hot summer, they can last for days as repair teams cannot bypass line interruptions during the heat of the day. The risk of bush fires is enormous. When camping make sure not to completely rely on mains power.

The Seaweed - It's up to something!

Our dog loves to sniff out the sea weed that congregate on the northern end of South Beach and roll in gawd-knows-what. At times, driven by intensifying winds, seagrass moves in and piles up on the beach. First you may notice some cute balls made from what looks like little sticks. Within weeks they turn from cute to monster size. It shows the astonishing power of the the swell that rolls debris of some of the largest seagrass beds in the surf like gnocchi.

Scattered along the beach, they are the precursor of what's to come.On South Beach it can reach a whopping three meters in hight! It looks spectacular! My dog loves to roll in it. With changing tides channels carve into the green slug, creating spectacular canyons and cosy sandy bays. Looks great, and smells absolutely feral. As the seaweed settles, it starts rotting away. Never ever pray for the wind to drop as the resulting sweltering mass of fumes and sulphuric gasses makes your eyes water and takes your breath away. Luckily this phenomenon is seasonal. So far the seaweed has never overrun the town...

South Beach Love Triangle

The ocean is great for body surfing. I combined my love for an evening walk on the beach, with a final dip in the ocean. When the conditions are just right, the South Beach Love Triangle emerges: it is when the sun is setting in the west at 0 degrees, the waves come in at 30 and the breeze at 60 degrees. With the silvery-white beach right behind me, now that’s paradise 😊

Where shark like to play

The bush telegraph, namely Facebook, is fast in pointing out any sightings and warnings. But since neither I nor the reef shark do Internet on the beach, an intimate encounter is difficult to avoid. She is as close to my most valuable bits as she is large. And I am only in thigh-deep water! Luckily she is as stunned as me. We nod at each other as we head into opposite directions. If the surf wasn't so damn nice...

No witnesses by the way. Not even the dog. I left him on the beach. Blissfully unaware, he is investigating another spot of poison gasses. Digging himself all the way to the water table hoping to find a deliciously rotting carcass. The only thing I see of him is sand flying and a pair of eyes every now and then peeping over the rim of his dug-out. Happy as Larry. And equally smelly.

Pickpocketing sea urchins

There is a nice cliff walk connecting South Beach with the southern groyne of the harbour. This is one of my favourite walks with . While I am hunting hardy coastal shrubs, he goes for urchins, emptied by local gulls. I watched them dropping these urchins from a hight onto the rocks to then eat them out. Not impressed. Ever stepped on one? It's absolutely atrocious. The tips break off and irritate making every step painful. For months to come. Unless you dig them out with needles and pointy tweezers. Now here is the point: It is already difficult to cut ones toes nails. Imagine the contortions required to access the bottom of your feet, locate that tiny little speck of black and try to extract it. This is precision work! My eyes are neither good enough nor get close enough to do this anymore.

Now replace your foot with dog's snout. Dogs seem to find the empty urchin shells irresistible – crunchy snacks. I cannot imagine what it must feel like having one of the spikes lodged in your gum. The local vet is nice but not that spectacular that I volunteer to hand over half of my kingdom and the paw of my first born to pay for the resulting surgery.

Snail Migration

Similar to the seaweed - possibly at the same time - millions of tiny white snails populate the area. And then decide that it is a great idea to cross the road. All at the same time. Needless to say, this is a monumental feat. For a tiny snail anyway. So, off they go. Well prepared. Shells reinforced. Personal affairs settled. Last wills made (you never know). And with a massive effort they zoom across the walkway. Snail zoom. About ten cm an hour. By time they reach the curb it is past midnight. "Victory", yells one, "I can smell the other side of the road!". Four hours later the sun rises. And it's not nice. Thousands have been squashed by the first tradie passing through. Hundreds stomped on by early dog walkers. More are picked up by crows. The only thing left are their trails. Glistening silver in the sun. And even they vanish. Until next night. Tragically no-one notices. Except perhaps me...

Turf Wars

Rearing decent turf in Port Denison seems to be a challenge. This was already the case in hot, dry Kalgoorlie. Probably not much different here with the relentless wind. Few home owners chose to take up the fight, watering hard to keep the wilting green alive. Others rip it out entirely and replace it with concrete or pea size red gravel. Mostly to be found at properties that are for rent or only sporadically occupied. Benefit is that no money needs to be spent installing a watering system and paying the neighbour to mow the lawn and deal with the weeds that will invade for sure. Could Astroturf be the rescue? Some of the artificial lawns look surprisingly real, with varying greens and the occasional brown leaf. But do they stand the test of time? Let the poo test reveal some truths!

Dog poo on concrete: easy to remove unless it is of the diarrhoea kind. Having said that, any residue is easily washed off with a hose.
Dog poo on pea gravel: easy to remove, but always takes some of the gravel as well. Eventually one ends up with a bare patch of dirt.
Dog poo on Astroturf: firm and dry bits are easy to remove as compacted turds sit on top of the blades, anything else gets really messy. Using a garden hose will only distribute the mess. A pressure cleaner may work any mushed up bits through the plastic backing but can damage the grass matt and/or the underlay.
Dog poo on real grass (gets our paw of approval): dirt is easy to remove and if not, it is not offensive if it sits there. Just let it dry and mow it later. It will dissolve into a lovely little white cloud of happiness. You can do that with none of the other replacements.

Treasures of the region

Working at a caravan park, you have got to explore the region and see it through the eyes of your guests. Only then can you brag and keep visitors around. Which is great for your bottom line, financially speaking. With that in mind, we did a number of trips into the region. Probably the closest and most noticeable ones are to Greenough and Walkaway, as well as the wild flower run. Besides that we adore Geraldton and the Monsignor Hawes Heritage Trail. On top of that, Elycse recommended the Chapman Valley, but we may have picked the wrong time to visit that one as most businesses were closed.

Greenough River Trail

History buffs and lovers of technology and natur cannot go past Dongara-Port Denison’s best kept secret!

Start with the Central Greenough Historic Settlement. Located on the river of the same name, the town was established in 1863. The police station / prison and attached courtroom is very interesting. The fully decked out classroom is another must with the flying teacher's desk. Probably an allusion saying that children had a sense of pranks then, as they do today. The affiliated café does really good scones, best to wash down with coffee or a schnapps courtesy of the Copperhead Road Distillery from Geraldton. Tastings are free of charge if you take home a bottle of their rum, gin or liqueur.

Cross the Brand Highways and check out the Greenough Museum & Gardens, a great example of pioneer living, surrounded by beautiful gardens with history from Aboriginal times to today. The Greenough Wildlife & Bird Park is close by with great holiday activities for the littelies. Greenough's infamous Leaning Tree, the one and only, is only a stone throw further down the Brand.

Follow the road to Cape Burney for the seventeen kilometre hiking trail along the Greenough River. It meanders through mixed coastal vegetation with stunning river views. Allow about four hours for the whole loop and take plenty of water, as shade is sparse.

From Greenough follow the signs to Walkaway and check out the cute railway museum. Then head further east towards Nangetty. The first stop should be the Alinta Windfarm, supplying the about 60,000 households with clean energy. You want to finish off your excursion under the river gums at Ellendale Pools. The Greenough River carved a rocky gorge with permanent water into the land. Perfect to wash down the day with a dip in the water and a cold beer. Your dog will love your this.

Where the Wild Flowers Roam

WA is known for its wildflowers. Depending on the rains, the region, and the species, it grips the Southwest from July to December, starting with carpets of millions of dainty paper daisies to its colourful crescendo of woody bushes.

It is the end of September as we head out. To start the day, we renew our love with the Mingenew bakery. It is only a 30 minutes drive, and perfect for a breakfast stop. The Mingenew Nature Reserve is less than a kilometre away. A first splash of colour. And a nose full of honey scented air. Coupled with a lovingly fashioned latte.

From here we follow the road to Depot Hill Reserve. The name is rather

off-putting. The scenery is not! The reserve was once a training ground for the army. A path meanders deep into the hills to the old rifle range and the last bunker (all the others were dismantled and re-used in the construction of Mingenew's septic system). The wildflowers are stunning as they are varied - orchids thrive amongst kangaroo and cat paws. Loving it!

For the ultimate colour know-out, we head into Coalseam Conservation Park: kilometre-wide carpets of yellow and pink everlastings! The park is rich in history as the place of the first mined coal deposit in Western Australia. Exposed bands of coal seams can still be seen, along with siltstones, clay- and sandstones that stripe the cliff faces and reveal 250 million years of geological history along the upper reaches of the Irwin River. The views from the Irwin Lookout offer a bit of Grand Canyon! Sadly neither Depot Hill nor Coalseam allow dogs.

We finish off the day at Three Springs, hunting the elusive wreath flower. It adds a steep 85 km to an already busy day, but is so worth it. The best place (the only one?) is off Bateman Road, behind the Talcum Mine, yes, the stuff that people use to control the annoying itch of athlete's foot. It is mined here right besides an ancient river bed, now a chain of salt lakes. We drive the road to Perenjori several times to find the right turn off. As often, the signposting is not too brilliant. But the display is. Here some pictures of lechenaultia macrantha.

Heading home, the Eneabba Roadhouse is a must (crispy chips alert). What a day! The whole run is about 350 km long. Recommendation: start early. The Mingenew Bakery opens at 6 am.

Hawes Heritage Trail

Follow the footsteps of one of WA’s great pioneers and his spiritual and architectural legacy. The Monsignor Hawes Heritage Center at Cathedral Avenue in Geraldton is a great starting point. For detailed trail info check out www.monsignorhawes.com or have a look at our previous post. The following trail can be done in one hit or in parts:

Dongara to Geraldton 65 km – St Francis Xavier Cathedral, The Hermitage, San Spirito Chapel, St Lawrence Church

Geraldton to Kojarena 30km – St James Chapel

Kojarena to Mullewa 70 km – Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Priest House Museum and Mass Rock

Back to Dongara via Mingenew 140km

Optional side-kick: Mullewa to Yalgoo 125 km – St Hyacinth’s Chapel

A Day (or Two) in Geraldton

Geraldton is a 40-minute drive with great museums, public art, eateries and shopping facilities. It is a fab alternative to a couple of wind beaten days.

The Geraldton Visitor Centre & Regional Art Gallery has a variety of art projects and exhibitions. It is a great starting point for any visits. Up on the hill is the HMAS Sydney II Memorial. It memorises the loss of the famous naval ship, off the coastline 80+ years ago. It goes hand in hand with a visit to the Museum of Geraldton, celebrating the rich heritage of the land, sea and people of the Mid-West region. A free 3D underwater movie about he wreck of HMAS Sydney II and the battle with its perpetrator, the German Kormoran, are truly spectacular. Entry is free :)

Friends of vintage gear need to check out "The Tin Heads" Museum. It offers an amazing, nostalgic collection and shows how storage has changed through the ages.

In the city centre, the old Geraldton Gaol occupies a craft centre. The cells are occupied by local artisans. The craft group acts as custodian to the jail allowing access to the public. Should you visit on a Sunday, drop in at the platform markets: fresh produce, hand-made goods, and gifts at the old Railway station, across the road.

As mentioned above, no visit is complete without saying "Hi" to St Francis Xavier Cathedral and the adjacent Monsignor Hawes Museum.

Don’t get us started on the Geraldton Foreshore Park! It stretches from Town Beach to Champion Bay Beach and is littered with cool lookouts, historic walks, playgrounds, outdoor gyms, cafes, and very cool container restaurants. A sheer delight to explore!

he pinnacle is the Horizon Sphere on the Beresford Foreshore, the cities hottest #Instagram worthy location!

Chapman Valley & Northampton

The Chapman Valley is located north of the city.

Apparently, the Nanson Museum is a ripper! Burnt Barrel Had enough of history, then visit the Burnt Barrels a Kansas City-Style Smokehouse that specialises in slow cooked meats. They even brew their own beer onsite! A must for every decent bloke and all wannabes.

Refuelled, press on to the Chapman Valley Fishing Park at Nabawa. Hire a rods and try to catch your own fish from their dams. Should they refuse to bite, there is a decent cafe too. Alternaitvely try the Nabawa Valley Tavern. It's a great little country pub. Only recently reopened with new owners.

Bowen's Oakabella Homestead, on the way to Northampton, is a great little spot for coffee and scones. Fans of anything sewn are at the right place in Northampton's Family Store & Sewing Machine Museum. And if you cannot get enough of that sweet stuff, visit the Shearing Shed Cafe around the corner for their famous for its vanilla slices. Yummy!