"Hyden and Wave Rock" Hyden by sirgaw

It a long 350 kilometre drive from Perth to Hyden and the amazing Wave Rock formation, however it is worth the trip and particularly if combined with touring to Esperance (380 km), Albany (350 km) or Kalgoorlie (350 km partly by unsealed roads).

The road trip is a little boring with endless kilometres and not that much to see and the boredom can bring about danger, so STAY ALERT and take a break every 2 hours. Suggest you get out of the car, stretch the legs, have a drink (coffee/tea and NO alcohol) and a bite to eat and go to the loo.

Hyden has a population of about 400, so it's a small town out in the seemingly endless wheat belt of Western Australia. Apart from the Hotel/Motel, service station for fuel, small but well-stocked supermarket and a take-away food shop, there not much else except for a scattering of houses and a few local businesses. What makes this town special is the Wave Rock formation.

We arrived early afternoon, checked into the Wave Rock Hotel/Motel and then drove the short distance to the entrance to the Wave Rock park. After paying the admittance price we walked the short distance to the rock itself. Just amazing what time - millions of years of it - combined with the action of hot sun, water and wind can create. The view of the rock is partially obscured by a grove of trees, but in some ways adds to the mystique of the natural formation. We spent about an hour clamouring over the rock and read the very informative interpretive panels, which gave an explanation of the geology of the rock. While scampering we spotted a 750 mm long lizard sprinting across the surface of the rock and gave chase for a photo. I shuddered at the thought of its elder brother or sister watching me as a potential meal.

Time to move on to the smaller "Hippos Yawn" natural formation which does look like a hippopotamus yawning, not that I've ever been close enough to a hippo to find out if the rock looks like its name sake.

Time to leave and head back to the hotel for a cook ourselves BBQ in the bistro and an early night for the next days travel in Western Australia.

http://www.waverock.com.au/info.htm