23-Nov-2000 -- This confluence is in the scrub-covered sand
dunes south of Prevelly at the mouth of the Margaret River on Western Australia's
southwest coast. This section of coastline covers some of WA's most famous surfing
beaches (take a look at
http://www.margaret-river-online.com.au/cape/beaches.html
if you're intending to surf there!).
I first parked at the Marmaduke Point lookout, got out of the car, and was right
on 34S - a lovely set of zeros - but about 300 metres too far west. Pictures #3-5 are
taken from this carpark.
The GPS was indicating that the confluence was in the direction of a high pole
showing above the dunes, so I set off for it cross-country. A tip for anyone walking up
and down these sand dunes - keep at least one eye on where you're going. I ended
up tearing my jeans, tripping and falling flat on my face into the sand!
Climbing to the top of the last dune, I was looking down on some kind of installation
right beside a road (aarrrgghhH!!!!!!) - the pole was the lighting tower. As there was no
way I could climb through the scrub from this direction, I made my way back to the car
and drove around to the fenced in area, which turned out to be the Gnarabup
Wastewater Treatment Plant (pic #1).
The treatment plant has been the centre of local controversy (I found out later!), so
it's no wonder that Allen-from-the-Water-Corp stopped to see what on earth I was
doing with a camera wandering around the fenceline. Once I explained, he was more
than happy to pose with the GPS (pic #6) but advised me against going further into the
scrub opposite the plant to get that double line of zeros - they've had a lot of dugites
this season! As I'm not a snake-fan and have no suicidal tendencies, I settled for being
within the official 100 metres. The GPS had indicated twice that I had reached the
waypoint, but I had been holding out for the zeros.
34S 115E is 50 metres off the road to the lookout/carpark above Grunters, and
opposite the treatment plant.