This may be of interest if you are planning a camping trip around Australia.
Our 20 top tips:
See the Southern Lost City if you have off road capabilities.
Travel with new tyres and appropriate suspension.
Take a loofah, they are great for getting red dirt off your legs and feet.
Let your tyres down before you hit the sand, 10 psi is still ok.
Be brave, some of the best things we saw were down the road less travelled.
If you have an annex, carefully consider if it is really needed. We took ours as we imagined the flies and mosquitoes would be unbearable. It never got used.
Cable ties are your friend, they can hold most things in place for long enough to get you out of trouble.
Don't book all your accommodation, if you are that way inclined. Coral Bay, Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Broome and Cape Leveque were the only places we booked. We had an itinerary we loosely followed.
If you are going through Aboriginal Lands, apply for permits early, they can take a long time to be granted.
Caravans are restrictive, if you have one, take a tent as well if you want to see a lot of great things.
If you stay ten metres away from any water, salty or fresh, a crocodile will NOT eat or bite you. Crocodiles don't hunt on land. Kids and animals are more vulnerable due to their size. Unless you know it is safe to swim, don't!
Save up for scenic flights, some things just look better from the sky.
Talk to people, you will learn a lot.
If safe to do so, swim after your pack up. You cool off and lose the dirt.
Take some spare stove knobs.
Get to know your car for basic maintenance. The lead time to get a simple car repair job or service done, above the Tropic of Capricorn, is beyond belief. Willy's Motors in Mataranka excepted!
Take some one and two dollar coins if you want to wash your clothes.
If you are using Blogspot and Picasa for your blog, you only get to upload 1000 photos. Sounds like a lot, but I nearly blew my limit in three months.
Take tweezers and splinter probes in your first aid kit.
If you have young girls, comb their hair when the conditioner is in it, saves embarrassing screams in the public shower block.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Posted with Blogsy
Day 81 (83) - Murray Bridge to Home.
Looking back I realised this is actually Day 83. I struggled to count early on and had two Day 12s and two Day 19s.
We had celebratory bacon and eggs (from Sarah's hens) for breakfast, and still were on the road by 9am. It rained here last night, so we are feeling pretty chuffed about our decision to not use the tent last night.
We went past possibly Australia's worst caravan park at Tailem Bend. We stayed there two years ago, apologies to Michelle Spicer. I still shiver when I think about that night of disaster.
This part of our journey holds no promise for me, I have driven from Melbourne to Adelaide and back again at least ten times in my life. It is particularly dull sheep and wheat country. Lunch was fresh salad rolls from the bakery in Nhill.
Here we are, home safe and sound.
How nice It is to be home.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. I hope you have enjoyed the blog as much as I have enjoyed composing it.
All the pictured above have had an incredible adventure. We have much to enjoy and be proud of in this country, see as much of Australia as you can.
Adieu.
We had celebratory bacon and eggs (from Sarah's hens) for breakfast, and still were on the road by 9am. It rained here last night, so we are feeling pretty chuffed about our decision to not use the tent last night.
We went past possibly Australia's worst caravan park at Tailem Bend. We stayed there two years ago, apologies to Michelle Spicer. I still shiver when I think about that night of disaster.
This part of our journey holds no promise for me, I have driven from Melbourne to Adelaide and back again at least ten times in my life. It is particularly dull sheep and wheat country. Lunch was fresh salad rolls from the bakery in Nhill.
Here we are, home safe and sound.
How nice It is to be home.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. I hope you have enjoyed the blog as much as I have enjoyed composing it.
All the pictured above have had an incredible adventure. We have much to enjoy and be proud of in this country, see as much of Australia as you can.
Adieu.
Day 80 - Kimba to Murray Bridge
The humble campground at Kimba is well maintained, and was in just the right spot for us last night. We wouldn't have wanted to go much further.
That morning we organised to stay in a converted Milking shed called Udder Place, down next to the Murray River flats. Fortunately it was vacant for the night, so we booked it. Therefore we packed up the camper for the last time on this trip, and for packed things away more permanently as they won't be needed for some time. It looks quite likely to rain around Murray Bridge, and neither Justin or I are super keen to put the tent straight back up to dry out as soon as we get home.
We purchased lunch at Port Augusta. It is strange to be back in familiar territory, navigating is a doddle now. We kept an eye out for Bob's bike in town, stolen one and a half years ago. Not a chance of recovery. We got fuel at Port Wakefield in the busiest servo I have ever. Even to. There were six people serving. The fantastic Murray Bridge Regional Gallery was on my list to visit, but it closed at 4pm and we arrived forty minutes later. I was looking through the window at their displays and checking the opening hours for Saturday, when the ladies inside let me in. Forty minutes after closing time! I was so grateful, and enjoyed my visit immensely. That meant we don't have to hang around until they open tomorrow at 9.30. I highly recommend this gallery, there is something here sure to appeal.
Below is the converted dairy B&B we stayed in, The Udder Place. The owner Sarah was very relaxed, I also recommend this place. Sleeps four, or five with a stretcher bed. The girls were ecstatic, there were cow ornaments all over the cottage. We made use of the claw foot bath, a luxury after three months of showering, or not showering for that matter. Sarah gave us one dozen eggs from her free range chickens. Yummy! We had pasta for dinner, cooked on the cottage stove.
That morning we organised to stay in a converted Milking shed called Udder Place, down next to the Murray River flats. Fortunately it was vacant for the night, so we booked it. Therefore we packed up the camper for the last time on this trip, and for packed things away more permanently as they won't be needed for some time. It looks quite likely to rain around Murray Bridge, and neither Justin or I are super keen to put the tent straight back up to dry out as soon as we get home.
We purchased lunch at Port Augusta. It is strange to be back in familiar territory, navigating is a doddle now. We kept an eye out for Bob's bike in town, stolen one and a half years ago. Not a chance of recovery. We got fuel at Port Wakefield in the busiest servo I have ever. Even to. There were six people serving. The fantastic Murray Bridge Regional Gallery was on my list to visit, but it closed at 4pm and we arrived forty minutes later. I was looking through the window at their displays and checking the opening hours for Saturday, when the ladies inside let me in. Forty minutes after closing time! I was so grateful, and enjoyed my visit immensely. That meant we don't have to hang around until they open tomorrow at 9.30. I highly recommend this gallery, there is something here sure to appeal.
Below is the converted dairy B&B we stayed in, The Udder Place. The owner Sarah was very relaxed, I also recommend this place. Sleeps four, or five with a stretcher bed. The girls were ecstatic, there were cow ornaments all over the cottage. We made use of the claw foot bath, a luxury after three months of showering, or not showering for that matter. Sarah gave us one dozen eggs from her free range chickens. Yummy! We had pasta for dinner, cooked on the cottage stove.
Day 79 - Eucla to Kimba
More driving today, this time across the Nullabor Plain. It isn't as big as I had thought. It goes for about 180 km in South Australia only. I had thought it stretched across from Norseman to Ceduna. Unfortunately for our visual pleasure, the wildflowers weren't out in bloom yet. More fortunate was our visit to the head of the Australian Bight. I got very excited about a mother and calf being 80 metres from shore. It is very late in the season for whales to be giving birth. After about 15 minutes another mother and calf came into view, the calf was full of beans, whacking his/her flippers onto the water's surface, making a loud slap each time. They then swam right up to the original pair, which were now about 40 metres from the shore. One of the calves was a mid grey with black blobs all over. The photos below will look like black floating blobs to you, go and see them in the flesh, these creatures are magnificent.
After Yalata, during my stint of driving I had the challenge of passing the biggest vehicle I have ever seen on a road, as shown below. Looking at this photo, I wonder that we ever passed it.
We had a cursory look at Ceduna, as we really needed to get to Kimba so the next two days of driving are bearable.
We ate late at the pub in Wudinna, basic pub food but well cooked. We kept driving for another hour and a half to reach Kimba, avoiding a serious number of kilometres to reach Melbourne on Saturday. Ideally we want Sunday at home before everyone returns to work, school or childcare. The roadhouse closed at 8pm, so they kindly left the toilet key out for us, and allowed us to pay in the morning.
As we pulled into the Nurdoo Roadhouse for petrol, I saw another oversized load out on the road. So yes, soon after filling up, I had the joy of passing another one!
We ate late at the pub in Wudinna, basic pub food but well cooked. We kept driving for another hour and a half to reach Kimba, avoiding a serious number of kilometres to reach Melbourne on Saturday. Ideally we want Sunday at home before everyone returns to work, school or childcare. The roadhouse closed at 8pm, so they kindly left the toilet key out for us, and allowed us to pay in the morning.
Day 78 - Cocklebiddy to Eucla
Our first stop was the Eyre Bird Observatory. To get there you have to detach your trailer and deflate your tyres to 15 psi thereabouts. I did not want to get stuck in the sand again! You can just see the track we were about to drive on, to the left of the photo below.
The Eyre Bird Observatory is in the old Eyre telegraph station a few dune away from the Great Australian Bight. There was never much else here.
There was a little museum in one of the rooms full of the history of the telegraph station. We got to hear a recording of expert morse coding, and how any one understood it is beyond me. I didn't notice one pause in the transmission. One telegraph operator at Eucla proposed to a daughter of the telegraph master at Eyre using morse code. Ahh, the romance of the delivery. He got accepted. We were offered drinks by Carole, over my cup of tea I found my old next door neighbours, Gillian and John Hensler, comments in the visitor's book from ten years ago. The building is maintained by volunteers. Carole and her husband have been here for two out of three months. You can stay here if you organise it in advance, bird watches old be in heaven. An emu was tempted to get a drink from the bird bath but Lexie's voice kept scaring it off. We left soon after so the poor bird could relieve its thirst. We successfully drove back across the sandy track back up the escarpment to rehitch our camper trailer. The compressor decided to give up the ghost on the first tyre, so once we hit the highway we slowly drove the 18km back to Cocklebiddy rather than about 60 km east to Madura. 16 psi on bitumen is a sure way to blow your tyres.
We camped at the caravan park in Eucla, at the top of the escarpment. We rushed back down before sunset to see the ruins of the telegraph station. It has been overtaken by sand dunes.
Possibly the above picture is the last sunset photo I will inflict on you. I make no promises however! We ate the last of our fruit and vegetables for dinner as we cross into South Australia early tomorrow.
There was a little museum in one of the rooms full of the history of the telegraph station. We got to hear a recording of expert morse coding, and how any one understood it is beyond me. I didn't notice one pause in the transmission. One telegraph operator at Eucla proposed to a daughter of the telegraph master at Eyre using morse code. Ahh, the romance of the delivery. He got accepted. We were offered drinks by Carole, over my cup of tea I found my old next door neighbours, Gillian and John Hensler, comments in the visitor's book from ten years ago. The building is maintained by volunteers. Carole and her husband have been here for two out of three months. You can stay here if you organise it in advance, bird watches old be in heaven. An emu was tempted to get a drink from the bird bath but Lexie's voice kept scaring it off. We left soon after so the poor bird could relieve its thirst. We successfully drove back across the sandy track back up the escarpment to rehitch our camper trailer. The compressor decided to give up the ghost on the first tyre, so once we hit the highway we slowly drove the 18km back to Cocklebiddy rather than about 60 km east to Madura. 16 psi on bitumen is a sure way to blow your tyres.
We camped at the caravan park in Eucla, at the top of the escarpment. We rushed back down before sunset to see the ruins of the telegraph station. It has been overtaken by sand dunes.
Possibly the above picture is the last sunset photo I will inflict on you. I make no promises however! We ate the last of our fruit and vegetables for dinner as we cross into South Australia early tomorrow.
Day 77 - The Breakaways to Cocklebiddy Roadhouse.
The Breakaways.
We dropped in at Norseman for food a water. This is the last town on Perth water so we took the chance to fill the tank on the trailer. Norseman was named after a man's horse. In a punnet we bought we got one of the biggest strawberries I have ever seen. I can't imagine they get any bigger.
The most noteworthy part of this road is the 147km straight stretch, one of the longest in the world. We stopped at Balladonia for fuel, and I had a look at their museum. Parts of Skylab fell to earth here in 1979, not much has happened since. Most of the satellite landed out at sea, but Balladonia got most of the pieces that hit land. The Australian Government charged the USA around $8000 dollars for inconvenience and damage. This town had a huge influx of scientists and opportunists, as there were rewards for pieces found.
Cocklebiddy is a basic roadhouse with rock hard tentpeg bending ground. We chose not to bother pegging the tent down, all the time hoping the wind didn't pick up overnight. The guys at reception here aren't too friendly. Understandable, as there is little here of any interest, only a golf course, and for them the tourists have long lost their novelty value. Certainly I will be happy to move on in the morning.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Day 76 - Perth to The Breakaways
We had a slow start today, yesterday really knocked the stuffing out of us. It was so nice relaxing in a familiar home again.
We needed to buy a booster seat for Georgina as hers snapped in half at Coral Bay when she was playing on it in the car. We headed for Baby Road in nearby Booragoon, only to find out this Monday is a public holiday and they were closed! Grrrrr. Luckily Justin had spied a Baby Bunting along the same road, it was due to open at 11am. We killed the hour by getting lunch and petrol. Justin bought the seat, and the shop took the old wreck. It had snapped at the junction of the seat and the back. I feel much better knowing she is on an intact booster. We took the road to Wave Rock, something I have long wanted to see. I think it was on a touristy tea towel Mum and Dad had when I was growing up. We pulled in at nearby Hyden, but as expected everything was shut. Fortunately e shops at Wave Rock were open so we could get into the rock. Initially it was smaller than I expected, but on reflection (and in the photos) it seemed more impressive. Fr this pe of granite formation it is enormous. The rock is owned by the water authority of WA, and sadly in the 1960s they built a low brick wall across the top of it. Luckily we can take photos without seeing it.
we could have diverted up to the highway to Kalgoorie from this point, to get to Norseman, or directly via an unmade road. The lady at the Wave Rock Kiosk heard it was well maintained, so we chose to go on the off road route. The surface was perfect. There are some gold mines out here, those companies keep the road regularly graded. We didn't make it to Fraser Range Station as recommended by Elspeth as the light was fading. We pulled into The Breakaways campground, about 160km west of Norseman. There were three other groups staying there and another pulled in later that night. We thought we would be the only ones, but it is quite popular.
We had snacked all day so we ate a simple omelette for dinner.
We needed to buy a booster seat for Georgina as hers snapped in half at Coral Bay when she was playing on it in the car. We headed for Baby Road in nearby Booragoon, only to find out this Monday is a public holiday and they were closed! Grrrrr. Luckily Justin had spied a Baby Bunting along the same road, it was due to open at 11am. We killed the hour by getting lunch and petrol. Justin bought the seat, and the shop took the old wreck. It had snapped at the junction of the seat and the back. I feel much better knowing she is on an intact booster. We took the road to Wave Rock, something I have long wanted to see. I think it was on a touristy tea towel Mum and Dad had when I was growing up. We pulled in at nearby Hyden, but as expected everything was shut. Fortunately e shops at Wave Rock were open so we could get into the rock. Initially it was smaller than I expected, but on reflection (and in the photos) it seemed more impressive. Fr this pe of granite formation it is enormous. The rock is owned by the water authority of WA, and sadly in the 1960s they built a low brick wall across the top of it. Luckily we can take photos without seeing it.
we could have diverted up to the highway to Kalgoorie from this point, to get to Norseman, or directly via an unmade road. The lady at the Wave Rock Kiosk heard it was well maintained, so we chose to go on the off road route. The surface was perfect. There are some gold mines out here, those companies keep the road regularly graded. We didn't make it to Fraser Range Station as recommended by Elspeth as the light was fading. We pulled into The Breakaways campground, about 160km west of Norseman. There were three other groups staying there and another pulled in later that night. We thought we would be the only ones, but it is quite popular.
We had snacked all day so we ate a simple omelette for dinner.
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