@Shaz51 @Appleblossom @eth @roses @BlueBay @Dimity and everyone else
After the activity of the day and a few pleasant drinks - be they coffee, tea, Reisling or Scotch
and some tasty bites, I am throwing in a few thoughts from the West Coast, possibly for next week's soiree.
We have a pretty heavy weather system coming right down the West Coast. No people are permitted to stay in caravans or tents right down as far as Jurien Bay, and possibly further. I have been told that traffic is heavy on the Brand Highway going South toward Perth. Many people travel North at this time of year, away from the cold, further South, to normally warm pleasant weather up North.
To give an idea to people over East, Geraldton is 425 km North of Perth, with not very much more than a few towns, of a few hundred people each, in between. There is a sign on the Southern (Perth) entry to Geraldton {Population of about 30,000} stating "limited water supplies for 400 km North of Geraldton." The next "major" town, 400 km North of Geraldton, is Carnarvon {Population of about 5,000 (about a sixth of the population of Wangaratta)}. There is water at Shark Bay / Monkey Mia, however, it is a payment system, as with a coin-in-slot power supply.
The city of Greater Geraldton includes the Town of Mullewa {Population of about 600} that is 100km inland East of Geraldton.
Along the whole route North from Perth there are very few stands of real trees except in towns. Most of the vegetation is scrubby bushland.
Needless to say, we are hoping that the weather system does not bring high cyclonic winds with torrential rain. If the winds are not too strong and any rain is reasonably spread, ie. not in huge downpours, It will add to the good early rains that many of the agricultural areas have already received.
I mention a lot of this to indicate how widely and thinly dispersed the population in Western Australia is in comparison to the Eastern States.
Not to put a dampener on the soiree, but really a discussion about how relatively limited and widely dispersed is the population of Australia outside the major population centres and the Eastern Seaboard.
Apart from the imminent weather forecast, another issue about which I am particularly concerned is that of National Defence.
With fingers crossed, That Winds are Fair and the Rain Steady,
Best Wishes,
HenryX
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