The karma bus: Day 34 - A Royal Encounter

Kalbarri - Coronation Bay
209 kms
27°c

Ella & I were up early this morning as we really wanted to feed the pelicans before we headed off for Coronation Beach. First time i've set the alarm in a loong time! But didn't want to miss the 8:15am feeding, you can imagine how delighted we were to get there just on 8:15 to find the area empty, front row for us. The delight faded just a little when I saw the sign that read Pelican Feeding Daily at 8:45am! I was early for something, now who would've thought!!

The volunteer told us the story of how the pelican feeding began in 1970 when local fisherman Cliff Ross would feed them the scraps after cleaning his mornings catch of fish at about 8:45 every morning before he would open up his shop which was just over the road.

When Cliff was out of town and wasn't there to feed them, the pelicans would walk or fly across the road to his shop/house where they had seen him go with the bucket of fish every morning and wait outside. This became a traffic hazard so the locals would feed them to keep them on the other side of the road. A group of volunteers now take turns feeding them keeping the tradition alive.

We had four come for feeding, Percy the large dominant male, Rosey & 2 other females. Ella & I both got to feed them, Ella tried to throw hers to the girls and I handfed Percy who tries to get all the fish, he doesn't share well!

We're leaving Australia! I told Steve I had read about "The Principality of Hutt River" and would really like to go, after all it was only a short detour inland. He wasn't really all that keen but humoured me and turned off the coast road and onto a dirt corrugated road that seemed to go on forever! After stopping a short way in to gaffa tape the vents - red dust everywhere, we eventually arrived at the unassuming gates of the Principality!

Oh my we met the Prince! Introducing Prince Leonard of Hutt River, what an interesting man! He came out to greet us and took us through the building showing us all sorts of interesting things and pieces of history!

The Principality of Hutt River seceded from Australia in 1970 when Leonard declared it to be an independent province in response to a dispute with the W.A. Government. The government issued wheat production quotas in which they were allowed to sell only 40 of their 4000 hectares of harvested wheat.

We headed over to the chapel and he explained that the Princesses chair is on the right, because they always are!

Prince Leonard told us to take a look in his garage at his Rolls Royce which he told us he never drives. When I asked him "why not"? His reply was "Could you imagine a Prince driving himself into town!" I guess not! Loved the Royal Principality licence plates on the beat up station wagon!

In the government office our identities were checked, visas granted and our passports stamped for $2 a piece.

After an interesting detour Steve graciously agreed to go back down the corrugation to the coast road so we could see the Pink Lake!

It is a naturally occurring phenomenon when the microscopic algae blooms and produces a mix cartenoids including beta-carotene.

We arrived at Coronation Beach and were greeted by our new friends Gary & Shell. I think we got the last site available and it was quite uneven but Grey 8 came to our rescue and lent us some levelling ramps. A friend of theirs was very kind and gave us a step which came in handy cause it was about a 2 foot step up! So, Steve the Tinker got right to work fitting it to the van.