Date: 9-10th March 2023
Travelled: 160 kms from Cervantes to Coorow in Western Australia
Visited: Jurien Bay, Green Head and Coorow
Stayed: Coorow RV, $15, S29.88063, E116.01732
Budget: days @ $ per day
We decide to have a coffee and some fruit then hit the road. Rather than walk around Cervantes again weโll have our walk at Jurien Bay which is about 35 kms further north.
As we are driving into Jurien Bay it becomes obvious it is a much larger town than Cervantes. There is a new housing development on the edge of town and itโs obviously a lot busier even on an Easter Sunday morning.
Driving down to the waterfront Iโm horrified to find a market in progress and itโs too late to avoid Pamโs need to browse. So we park and go for a walk through the markets and onto the coastal walking path. On the way back Pam suggest we walk the beach, which translates to thatโs not her sort of markets.
Eventually we make our way back, walking out to the pier, finding the fisherman are not having much luck. The views across the bay make the stop worthwhile. The waterfront of Jurien Bay is a series of grassed parklands, childrenโs play equipment and cafes, it looks like a great place to retire in our opinion.
We drive up into the centrum finding a bakery and a loaf of wholemeal bread. My Bakerโs Delight HFLG in the freezer is running low and it would be a shame to waste it when Pam prefers no-name wholemeal anyway.
Our mission in Jurien Bay is complete so we return to Indian Ocean Drive and our journey north. Itโs another 30 kms or so to Green Head. Its much more laid back than Jurien and despite some nice homes, it has more a 1970โs feel about it.
Green Head has an idyllic small cove, well protected by headlands on either flank. It looks like perfect snorkelling territory to me or perhaps a paddle board if youโre so inclined.
Given Easter and the school holidays were saying goodbye to the WA coast for 10 days or so. We cannot book anywhere near the coast and the crowded overflow camps arenโt that appealing, so we turn east for the northern wheat belt..
The Green Head Coorow Road is an easy country drive the 80 kms takes an hour or so with a coffee stop.
Looking at the picture above, youโre thinking Coorow doesnโt look much. Well maybe it isnโt but to Newton Clarke whoโs lived here for 70+ years it is.
Coorow has a lovely little CP for $15 a night with all the extras, so we pop around and plug the Jayco into everything and take a walk into the village. With a population of less than 200 people and a pub thatโs closed on Easter Sunday Coorow is the heart of the northern wheat belt of WA.
After a quiet evening Pam is determined to walk 6+ kms today, so our morning starts by crossing the railway line into Main Street which is just as lifeless as it was yesterday afternoon. Itโs a bit like the movie High Noon, the street are clear but as we walk we can feel eyes are watching us.
We walk into the open air museum finding Newton Clarke the encyclopaedia of all things Coorow has his eye on us as well. Newton tell us his not a local as he has only lived here for 71 years. Wandering the museum he is such a pleasure to chat with. We talk about his life and the whose who of Coorow history, he made our day.
The pub and some other buildings in town are community owned as is the community farm. Newton tells us to drive up the hill and explore the community farm. I tell him where walking, he gave me that why would you walk look and tells us weโll be right.
It was a good walk with some interesting plagues and a tiny family graveyard. Pam got her 6+ kms today.
Walking back from the farm we are followed by flocks of Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, which are wonderful to watch but hard to photograph.
Coorow has a huge sporting complex adjacent to the CP. An AFL field with lights, 6 tennis courts with lights, 3 netball courts no lights and a soccer pitch with lights. This surrounds a huge new community centre. I can live with all that despite Coorowโs population of less than 200 people.
However I had to ask Newton about the new aquatic centre being built along side the community centre. I started by asking whatโs wrong with the current 25 metre pool. Newton gave me a look and said absolutely nothing. Someone said we need a new pool and the State Government provided a $5.5 million grant.
I had to ask Newton about the railway station, did Coorow ever have a proper railway station ? He tells me they did but two trucks and crane showed up one day about 5 years ago and it was gone the next day. A week later a much smaller truck arrived with the new station pictured below.
We really enjoyed Coorow, especially meeting and chatting with Newton the only person we actually saw during our stay โฆ
Michael + Pam
3 thoughts on “Coorow, Western Australia 2023”
Lovely stay in Coorow,we went through last year .We enjoyed Moora down south and Three Springs up north from there away from the Tourists ๐คฃ Mingenew is nice to ,the coastal towns are overrun in the moment .
Safe travels Johannes
Hi Michael and Pam,
I realise that I am a bit late with this information, however you might put it in the back of your travel book for another time. As you know, I am a bit keen on the odd motorcycle, and when you were passing through Jurien Bay you missed the chance to visit a truly great collection of English made Vincent motorcycles, A guy by the name of Ian Boyd has built up a huge collection, all housed inside his home and every room of his home looks out over the collection. When you next get some free time, look on YouTube at, “Worlds Biggest Vincent Motorcycle Collection” to see what you missed. I hope you are able to avoid the cyclone and weather-related issues in your travels.
Thanks for your comment Rob. Thatโs the problem with the blog being a posted a day or two later. Mind you I think I remember seeing a sign to a motorcycle museum, but it was Easter Sunday from memory and I may have thought it would be closed in any case. We have spent the night in York and plan on the car museum here today, although Pam is more likely to wander the shops.
M+P