Welcome to Carnarvon

On Sunday, 29 April, we arrived in Carnarvon which is approximately 1000
north of Perth, without any of the side trips that we have done. Carnarvon
is surrounded by banana plantations and paddocks of tomato plants. We are
too early in the season for any of the fruit to be ripe and for the roadside
stalls to be open, which is a shame.

The Gascoyne River which is north of the township is all but dry at the
moment. Apparently the river flows for about 120 days a year after heavy
rain. For the rest of the year the river "flows upside down" beneath the
surface of the sand. However we understand that this river still provides
the irrigation for much of the area and the owners of the banana plantations
tap into the water below the sands and pump it to the surface.

The population of Carnarvon is about 9000 of which some 18% are Arboriginal.


The large water tank which has been sign written "Welcome to Carnarvon" can
be seen from most parts of the town as it appears to have been built on the
one and only hill in an otherwise quite desert like area.