Rodney Campbell's Blog

More than 130 marine species inhabit the Miaboolya Beach Fish Habitat
Protection Area. One reason for such diversity is that Miaboolya’s main creek is the only creek in the Gascoyne that is cut off from the ocean by a sand bar for months at a time, creating a coastal lagoon.

Flames

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/240 sec at f/4, ISO 100

In addition, the Gascoyne River drains a vast catchment covering tens of thousands of square kilometres. When it floods, large amounts of fresh water, sediment and nutrients flow through the delta and
Miaboolya Creek. This increases plant growth in the mangroves, algal mats and salt marshes, enriching habitats and food sources for aquatic life.

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Miaboolya Bay

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/800 sec at f/4, ISO 100 x 21 Frames

Sediments in the river water also cloud seawater in nearshore areas, enabling young fish to hide from predators. This has further helped Miaboolya to become an important fish nursery and habitat

Miaboolya Beach Fish Habitat

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/400 sec at f/4, ISO 100

We were back in Carnarvon for three more days. We decided to visit somewhere I’d not been before – nearby Miaboolya Beach

Miaboolya Beach is part of the Gascoyne River delta and is a short drive north of Carnarvon. It is home to a rich array of species and habitats – including an important fish nursery. Popular with locals and tourists for recreational fishing, crabbing and swimming. It is also culturally significant to Aboriginal people

Miaboolya

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/400 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

I was happy to come here because I’d also recce’d the location on Google Maps before coming on this trip. I’d seen that it was likely a good candidate for some drone photography

Pork Chop

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/240 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Wetland

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/400 sec at f/4, ISO 100

We were leaving the Kennedy Range today and heading back to Carnarvon for a couple of days

We’d originally intended on staying at Gascoyne Junction for the night, but, well, there’s basically nothing there 🙁

Temple Gorge Campground

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1/60 sec at f/8, ISO 64

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

On the way out we stopped at this historic cobbled road that we had seen when we were driving in here a few days ago

Cobbled

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 39 mm, 1/80 sec at f/11, ISO 64

Cobbled roads were used all around the Gascoyne Junction area and were built by men with pick and shovel during the Great Depression years of the 1930s

A work for the dole scheme funded the upgrades to the original roads that were often impassable after rain. The road was cobbled over the boggy sections to allow the mail run to get through

Cobbled Road

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/500 sec at f/4, ISO 100 x 3 Frames

From the air you get a better view of the old cobbled road heading off into the distance

Transverse

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/200 sec at f/4, ISO 100

With the sun now risen it was time for a few more downward facing images

Flow

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/30 sec at f/2.8, ISO 160

Then it was time to land and pack up before heading back to the campground for breakfast

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Shadow Trail

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/30 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Look carefully (play where’s Rodney) and you’ll find me down below next to the trail

Flying even further out so that I was well past the end of this long ridge. Allowing me to look back from the point with the Kennedy Range spreading out into the distance on both sides

Kennedy Burn

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/160 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100 x 21 Frames

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

The sun is about to rise (behind me) in the next couple of minutes – one last chance for a 180˚ panorama before it comes up