Day 18 - 13 August 2024 - Exmouth to Meadow 602 km

Neil and Dave began their journey by heading northwest to explore the Harold E Holt Very Low Frequency (VLF) antennas. These towering structures are among the second tallest manmade structures in the Southern Hemisphere. Despite their height, the minimal variation in the height of the 13 masts made them appear less imposing than expected.

Spotting a lighthouse in the distance, Neil and Dave were filled with a sense of adventure and decided to take a 15-km detour to check it out. The detour proved to be a thrilling surprise, as the view from the lighthouse was nothing short of spectacular. They were fortunate to spot some humpback whales migrating north, marking the second time they had seen whales on both sides of Australia.

After reluctantly leaving the North West Cape, they travelled south along the Exmouth – Minilya Bridge road. Although they had covered part of this route the previous day, it wasn't long before they were on a section of road that was new to them. They refuelled at the Minilya Bridge Roadhouse, where 95-octane fuel was unavailable, but 98-octane was. The path to the fuel pumps was a dirt track riddled with potholes, so they had to navigate carefully. The diesel line was about five cars long, and one of the delays at this roadhouse was requiring a driver's license or passport as collateral before filling it out. They noted that the staff accidentally handed a driver's license to the wrong person, so caution was advised.

From there, Neil and Dave rode on to Carnarvon, a town they immediately added to their "must come back to" list.

Continuing their journey, they travelled to Meadow, their destination for the night. Along this stretch, the famous Western Australian wildflowers became increasingly abundant, painting the landscape with vibrant colors. They observed that the first wildflowers they encountered were yellow, followed by white, green, and purple blooms about 10 kilometres later. In some areas, the wildflowers stretched out on both sides of the road as far as they could see, a breathtaking sight that left them in awe.

While admiring the wildflowers, Neil and Dave also spotted many families of goats wandering among the blooms, which required them to be more vigilant about fauna on the road.

During the 602 km stretch, they saw only a couple of animals as roadkill, none of which were goats. Reflecting on their 8,500+ km journey, they estimated that more than 50% of the roadkill they encountered was between Canberra and Cooma. They speculated that there must be plenty of feed away from the road, keeping the animals away from traffic.

They had two accommodation options in Meadow: the Billabong Roadhouse and the Hotel Motel. They chose to stay at the roadhouse, a decision that led to a peaceful and restful night. The beds were comfortable, the rooms were clean, and neither heard any traffic during the night. Both places had a restaurant, but only the Hotel Motel was licensed.

Support Their Cause
Neil and Dave are riding to raise awareness and funds for Legacy. Donations can be made via their Facebook donation page or directly to Legacy, noting 'Lap for Legacy' in the comments.

Follow the adventure of Day 19
See the previous day's track notes.