North of the Border
Midlands Road - On the border of Three Springs 6518 and Carnamah 6517
North Boundary Bounding
Sometimes Blue and I pop up to Three Springs to visit their Community Op Shop to buy supplies from the Three Springs IGA.
Following the shopping (and gasbagging), Blue is always keen for a bit of a run after waiting patiently in the car. A spot where we love to stretch our legs on the way back to Carnamah is located almost bang-on the border of Three Springs and Carnamah.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Carnamah and Three Springs border signs; super close to North Boundary Road (12.5km north of Carnamah town and 10 km south of Three Springs). In close proximity you’ll see numerous dirt road entries into an open space hosting defunct piles of quarry stone and cracker dust.
This open space leads down to a flat, dried out section of the Mulliah Yarra Yarra Lakes system. Its quite unique with its eerie but beautiful dead trees. You’ll note that the ground cover is attractive to both the eye AND the insects who inhabit the area. The flies are very friendly here at all times of the year, so don your fly net before adventuring.
Keep a look out for animals tracks in the dried clay as you stroll along. You’re bound to see some huge emu and kangaroo tracks on the ground.
Let us know about other great dog walks you’ve gone in the Mid West at blueswalkies@gmail.com
MULLIAH - YARRA YARRA LAKES SCENIC DRIVE
Via Winchester South Road, Carnamah, Western Australia 6517
Take Off the Breaks... at the Lakes!
Sometimes Blue needs more than an extended stroll around town or run along the airstrip. Being part Blue Heeler, he loves a good, long, run. We’ve found that the dirt road that runs parallel with the Mulliah - Yarra Yarra Lakes off South Winchester Road is perfect for this. I set the cruise control to 25km per hour and off we go!
We would have travelled this road over 100 times by now and have only once come across another vehicle (shout out to Paul and Sue), so we feel that its a safe place for you to let your four-legged-friend out for an extended run. You may even see kangaroos, lizards, and hawks, in the scrub near by.
As it is a salt lake, it is an interesting experience to tread along the salt seam lines and see how it separates from the clay beneath. During some times of the year the lake has a pink tinge. It looks quite magical!
Blue and I often walk out onto the lake itself. Its is broad and expansive and feels like you’re on another planet but it is also tranquil and rejuvenating.
Something I love to do that really packs a relaxation punch is to stroll around slowly on the lake with headphones on listening to the beautiful work of multimedia artist Marianthe Loucataris:
If Water Could Speak - A meditative audio visual improvised conversation with WATER
Marianthe created this nourishing digital work of art during her artist-in-residency experience for the Ebb and Flow exhibition that was facilitated here in Carnamah.
Filmographer Chris Lewis captured this stunning birds eye view of the Mulliah - Yarra Yarra Lakes system. Just like Marianthe’s nourishing meditative clip, Chris’ footage offers an awe-inspiring visual meditation to relax to also.
Our beloved friend Mike has joined us numerous times out on the lake. We always laugh at the ‘salt men’ he makes (as opposed to a ‘snowman’) when he visits.
Salt Man, by Mike 2022
Blue trying to coax some breakfast out of Mike. Mulliah is a beautiful place to have brekkie.
Mulliah provides an incredible setting to get creative with the camera.
Check out how awesome it is to use the Google Augmented Reality App to create surreal photos on the Lake!
If the surface of the lake is a little moist, take off your shoes & socks and let your feet have a natural clay mask. It will hydrate and soften your skin.
Herby and Blue strolling in the lake after some decent rainfall.
Let us know about other great dog walks you’ve gone in the Mid West at blueswalkies@gmail.com
MULLIAH - YARRA YARRA LAKES LOOK OUT
Via Carnamah-Eneabba Road, Carnamah, Western Australia 6517
WHERE THE WIND BLOWS
Carnamah can get ridiculously HOT.
The average temperature in the summer months is 35 degrees Celsius.
Being a big, dark, thick-haired-dog, who had lived close to the beach in Kalbarri before his rehoming in Carnamah, Blue needed a place that would provide some reprieve from the heat while he stretched his legs. The Yarra Yarra Lakes Look Out has been the ideal place to do this as its high position provides a pleasant wind to cool you and your furbaby down, all while enjoying a spectacular view.
The dirt road that heads westward from the Look Out passes quaint old vehicles rusting away with quiet dignity. Blue and I often stroll down past these too as Blue enjoys exploring the vegetation on both sides of the road and jumping up on the small rock outcrops that appear.
The view of Mulliah from the vantage point of the Look Out is cooling and rejuvenating at any time of the day but its charm is at its greatest at night: it is the most spectacular place to look at stars. In fact, this site is listed as an astrophotography hot spot on the WA Tourism site!
Blue keeping an eye on Herby’s coffee.
Let us know about other great dog walks you’ve gone in the Mid West at blueswalkies@gmail.com