Month: March 2013

Thursday 28/3/13

Dinner: Veal steak with balsamic salad, potatoes with Greek style yoghurt.

Top temp: 30 ish

Distance travelled: 300km (Arrowsmith-Kalbarri)

Time taken: 5 hrs   (10.30 – 3.30pm),

Breaks: 1, Geraldton

Wagoe chalet

Cost: $ 30

Overall: Farm stay, ok

Whinging score: 4

Highlights: Sand dunes,

Lowlights: Wind

Rundown…

We drove through Geraldton, which from my memories of 22 years ago was a town you drove through to get further north. It is now a stunning beachside holiday stop. It’s amazing how certain places change.

Well, when you mention chalet, I romanticise cute cottages in the alps. I know we are nowhere near he alps, but I did have some expectations of cute. These were more like shitlet rather then chalet. Never the less we got a powered site for the night.

We are all getting a bit tired with the driving again and look forward to Denham where we will stay at least 5 nights.

The place we stayed at is a working farm which also has 4 wheeler beach tours.

The beach is about 2 km from the farm, which disappointed us at first as we had hoped to go and chill at the beach next to our site. I think we are getting a bit spoiled with the beaches now.

After setting up, in what seemed like 50-60 km winds (which one of the local residence referred to as a light breeze for this area) we did go for a walk to the beach.

The walk is through private property, so there is hardly anyone there. It went through stunning white sand dunes until we got to the beach. He beach is sand and rock presenting with impressive waves breaking 20 metres high. To our pleasant surprise the kids enjoyed it and didn’t whinge at all.

I found a baby snake in the middle of the path on the way back and picked it up and showed it to he kids. The poor thing was so cold lying in the sunset shade it could hardly move.

Friday 23/3/13 – Tuesday 28/3/13

Top temp: 20 ish

Distance travelled: 400 km (Busselton-Fremantle)

Time taken: 7.5 hrs   (10.30 – 5.00pm),

Breaks: 2, Roadhouse & side of road to re feed at about 4 pm,

The Village

Cost: $ 200(5 nights powered) $40 p/n

Overall: OK, men’s ablutions were very below average

Whinging score: 2, nothing special

Highlights: Seeing Melissa, Freo fish & chips, architecture.

Lowlights: Biggest storm we have encountered yet. Pulled down the awning and shook us around a bit.

Rundown…

Driving to Freo from Busselton was a bit weird. First time in a long while since we have entered ‘suburbia’. I now have a better understanding of how country folk find it difficult to come to ‘the big smoke.

It’s nice to have a 5 night stay again.

Fremantle village, the caravan park where we are staying is 3km from the city centre and 500m from the beach. It’s nothing extraordinary, but very convenient. There are quite a few permanent residence. The facilities were nothing special, besides its location, I don’t think it has a grey deal going for it.

Friday

A lot of driving to get to Freo. Going through the south west region was truly beautiful but getting to better weather is also quite nice.

Nothing exciting on Friday, arrive set up, check out what is available, go for a bike ride to the beach.  The Doctor was definitely living up to his reputation, windy as hell.

Saturday

Go to Freo and look around, stunning town. The port is huge and we saw some pretty impressive cargo ships and cruise liners.

The bike paths are amazing and they seem to go on forever next to the ocean.

Sunday

Ride bikes, restock food, nothing special.

Monday

A visit to Perth was on the cards today.

Perth is still a lovely city and the Swan river is huuuuuuuge. But getting stuck in traffic for an hour was not a highlight. We were hanging out to get back to Fremantle

Huge storm at night, it banged the camper around a fair bit but fortunately overall we didn’t get any damage.

Tuesday

We saw my mate Melissa and her beautiful little boy. This was the first time we have seen her in 8 years. Nothing really changed besides heaps of children and moving states. It was like catching up a week ago. We all enjoyed this very much, the girls loved playing with another kiddie, they were very motherly to him.

For lunch we decided to splurge out and get some high end fush and chups, so off to Joes Fish Shack. Man, I tell you this was the best seafood we have ever had. The seafood platter for one would have fed 3 easily, with prawns, mussels, mackerel, squid, chips and salad. It really was amazing. We couldn’t have dinner this evening as we were bloated!

Wednesday 27/3/13

Top temp: mid 20 ish

Distance travelled: 500km (Fremantle-Arrowsmith)

Time taken: 9 hrs   (9.30 – 6.30pm),

Breaks: 2, Roadhouse & Pinnacles

Side of road

Cost: $ 0

Overall: Great view

Whinging score: acceptable

Highlights: Ocean views, seeing oil rig, The Pinnacles.

Lowlights: The most disgusting evaporative toilet I have seen to date.

Rundown…

We planned to do another big drive of around 600 km and go to Kalbarri. Our plans changed when we saw the sign to The Pinnacles.

Driving inland was not as picturesque, but seeing 2m black boys and banksias growing wild like weeds was fun.

We made it to The Pinnacles around 3ish. It is a beautifully done park, with great walkways and facilities. The Pinnacles themselves are also a great view. Last time I was here was over 22 years ago, back then there was no facilities. $11 to get in per car.

We started to run short of time because of our alt route, so we decided to do another side of the road stop. Using wiki camps and Camps 5, we made our way to Cliffhead road camping area. It is literally on the ocean and the views of the sun going down in the west and the full moon rising in the east were remarkable. There were about 6 campers there and there were tracks into beach camp spots where you could drive further.

If it wasn’t for Easter and all the accommodation hassles we would have stayed here a few days.

The one thing which was an eye opener were he ‘evaporative toilets’. They are kind off like pitt toilets but different. These particular ones were, as the graffiti, stated “welcome to cholera resort”. If anyone has seen ‘horrible histories’ with the episode about Roman toilets, this was it! There was a bucket with water next to the toilet with a brush and 2 4 foot sticks and you had to pre wet he toilet and then use the stick to push it down. It was even to scary for me. I took photos as evidence, I’ll try to upload them when we get to Broome  (week of 21/3/13, we are booked in for 2 weeks!)

Monday 19/3/13-Friday 23/3/13

Top temp: Cold 24

Distance travelled: 400 km (Albany-Busselton)

Time taken: 7 hrs   (11.30 – 6.30pm),

Breaks: 2, Roadhouse & side of road to re feed at about 4 pm

Mandalay resortCP

Cost: $ 232.80 (4 nights powered) $58.20 p/n

Overall: Exceptional

Whinging score:  4, not as much whinging but they lost it in laughter in the last hour or so in the car. It drove us a little short of certifiably insane.

Highlights: 3 pools, water slide, personal parking assistant, ablutions from a 6 star hotel. Games room, 3 playgrounds, BBQs galore.

This is more than ‘Glamping’

Lowlights:  Not many, temp could be a bit warmer.

Rundown…

Well, we did another quick big drive because of the average weather.

Although Albany is really beautiful, we weren’t prepared to stay there in overcast conditions.

The weather in Busselton is forecast to be in mid 20 with no rain, so this is our bet bet before Freo.

I have to say, although this Resort/CP is the most expensive we have stayed at yet (at $60 p/n, we get discount as we are Top Tourist park members) it is the most fancy pancy.

Everything is impeccable, service is great, facilities are outstanding and the only real fault I can find is that we have to walk about 200m across a road to the beach.

Monday

Dinner: Lime coriander & heisen marinated kebabs with a garden salad

Kids: A taste of kebabs & sausages

Got in 6.30, looking forward to resting a few days.

After paying, we got personally escorted to our site by a little old fella on his bicycle, it was a little bit surreal as he appeared to be from Willy Wonka or Alice in wonderland. He reverse guided me onto the site which was refreshing as my other parking navigators in my Possie are painfully painful to say the least. This reminds me that when I get back, I will definitely install that reversing camera, I don’t care what it costs.

Set up and off to bed.

Tuesday

We went to the Busselton jetty, which is 1.86km long, we caught the train. $11 for adults & $6 for kids and it is a nice 45 min trip. Katya was beside herself in excitement.

Wednesday

Bike ride to town. Whinge whinge whinge.

Pool,slide

Thursday

Bike ride the other way, pool, whinge.

Katya demonstrated her abilities of riding with no hands, until she rode onto sand and flew over her handle bars. Never the less quite an impressive effort. Small scratch, big pride damage.

Sunday 17/3/13

Dinner : chicken schnitzel with salad and rice

Top temp: Cold 22 and rain

Distance travelled: 480 km (Esperence-Albany)

Time taken: 7.5 hrs   (11-6.30pm),

Breaks: 1, roadhouse

Emu point CP

Cost: $ 29 (1 nights non powered)

Overall: Good.

Whinging score:  3, and that was me, the weather is giving me the irits

Highlights: Not sure

Lowlights:  Rain and driving

Rundown…

We got into Albany at last light, we were hoping to find a nice spot before Albany and stay in a truck stop, but the closest nice one was over 100km from Albany.

Very quick dinner and off to bed.

Although Emu point was lovely and again next to a great beach, we decided, because of the crappy weather, we will be best off to head north where it’s warming up.

So, once again a quick pack up scheduled for the morning and off to Busselton we go.

Friday 15/3/13-Saturday 16/3/13

Dinner Friday: Chunky beef soup with coriander and herb sausages & salad.

Top temp: Cold 22 and rain

Distance travelled: 300 km (60km short of Norseman-Esperence)

Time taken: 5 hrs   (9pm –  2pm),

Breaks: 1, Norseman

Seafront CP

Cost: $ 88 (2 nights powered)

Overall: Good.

Whinging score:  4 – I am, hungry, but not that. Than you aren’t that hungry are you!

Highlights: The most stunning beaches we have ever seen at Lucky bay, Esperence

Lowlights:  Rain

Rundown…

We arrived in Esperence at 1pm starving. Red rooster was the call of the day, it was quite unsatisfactory and a ripp off at $30. Kids didn’t eat the chicken as it tasted like cardboard. I finished it off, I have tasted better cardboard.

Esperence is a big town of 14.5K population, so it’s like a real town.

(It even has Maccas)

As it was raining quite heavily with storms scheduled, we decided against camping at Cape Le grand, a beach bush camp. We opted for a caravan park.

Once I started to phone around, I found that they were pretty much booked out. Arghhhhh!

Luckily we got in for 2 nights at the Seafront CP, which as it states is across a road from a beach. Nice.

Restocked at Woolies and bunnings, set up camp and battened down the hatches for the storms.

It did rain through the night, but not as ferociously as forecasted.

Saturday

It turns out there is a festival this weekend, hence everything being booked.

Today we saw the most stunning beaches and coves yet.

Le Grand National park is incredibly stunning. The beaches are white, kangaroos hopping around in front of you and the rocks breathtaking.

The worst part is that he weather isn’t easing up and we will have to move on to Albany tomorrow. We would rather move up he coast and stop longer further up north.

Thursday 14/3/13

Dinner: $7 chips & $7 wedges Palladonia roadhouse

Top temp: Cold 20 something

Distance travelled: 900 km (Bordertown – 60km short of Norseman)

Time taken: 11.5 hrs   (9am –  7pm),  2 time zones

Breaks: 2, head of the Bight & Palledonia

Fraser ranges overnight stop

Cost: $ 0 (1 night)

Overall: Very Good, great clean pit toilets

Whinging score:  2 had to recite times tables

Highlights: Incredible vista of lake and Fraser ranges

Lowlights:  Drrrrrrrriiiivvvvvvveeeeiiinnnnggggg

Rundown…

I think this is the longest drive we have done yet, longer than Kings Canyon to Coober.

Scenery changes drastically when you drive across the border to WA.

We got stopped at quarantine on the border of WA. They made us open the camper which was quite painful as I had the boat and a spare tyre on top. We surrendered the lettuce, tomatoes, apples and oranges. We had no problems with that.

Norseman, which is the town for the turnoff to Esperence is small but it has a huge BP roadhouse, which we refuelled at.

Wednesday 13/3/13

Dinner: Chevapachichis in bread with salad

Top temp: 21

Distance travelled: 600? km (Ceduna-40km short of Border village)

Time taken: 8.5 hrs   (10.30m –  6.30pm),

Breaks: 1, Do not climb the Whale Roadhouse

Side of road truckstop

Cost: $ 0 (1 night)

Overall: Safe

Whinging score: 3, acceptable, loooong drive

Highlights: Stopping

Lowlights:  Driving

Rundown…

We were hoping to make it to Eucla in WA, but we were running out of time, and more importantly time. We decided to stop for the night at a side truckstop about50km short of the WA border.

We noticed about 12 caravans parked near a truckstop so we decided it was a safe place to stop.

20-30 grey nomads will bore any trouble seeking person in 3 minutes flat of their adventures.

By the way, it’s not my Navara with a camper trailer, it’s my ‘Rig’.

But in all seriousness, having a dozen of Grey nomads with their $200k motor homes is quite refreshing. They are always very inviting, helpful and experienced. Most of hem follow the weather around Australia.

We set up in record time with the ultimate bare necessities. Cooked dinner and it was dark.

Tomorrow another long drive and another time zone.

Friday 8/3/13 – Wednesday 12/3/13

Top temp: 41 then 21 when we left on Wednesday

Distance travelled: 465 km (Port Augusta – Ceduna)

Time taken: 6 hrs   (12pm –  6pm),

Breaks: 1

Friday

Ceduna foreshore CP

Cost: $ 121.50 Cabin (1 night)

Overall: Very Good

Whinging score: -2  TV, they actually were happy watching ABC news!

Highlights: Cabin, AC

Lowlights:  TV

Rundown…

We got to Ceduna relatively late as we had to organise some supplies in Port Augusta.

The CP I phoned earlier, ended up being full for powered spots so we thought we would spoil ourselves and Cabin it.

I have to admit, it was quite pleasant not to have to set up the camper!.

It took the girls about a minute to turn the TV on! I personally found it quite annoying considering we haven’t watched any for 5 weeks.

Ceduna is a very attractive coastal town that claims itself as the “Oyster capital of Australia”. In the 7 days we were there I could not get a single fresh oyster.

The famed ‘oyster bar’ was closed even though it was a long weekend.

I thought it was a very poor effort. Denial bay, where the oyster farms are did not have one outlet selling oysters, they referred ‘all oyster purchases, go to the oyster bar’.

Once again we saw a problem with a lot of local Aboriginals having Alcohol abuse problems. They are restricted to one 2 Lt cask of wine each per day ( but they can still buy beer & spirits).

Unfortunately the few dozen with problems in the town cause a very bad ill feelings for the 800 or so which have jobs and contribute to the community. SA & NT, really do have a problem here.

Saturday-Wednesday

Shelly beach CP

Cost: $ 156 powered (4 nights)

Overall: excellent

Whinging score: 0 too much beach & activities

Highlights: Another 2km personal beach, Brownie the mans man CP owner. No fear for intruders in this camp

Lowlights:  A few mozzies

Rundown…

We stayed here 4 nights/5 days and this was our second beach holiday on the trip (Robe being first).

The CP was about 100 m from the beach, over a dune. They did have sites on the dunes which overlooked the ocean, but from experience of coastal weather and winds, protected sites are much easier.

The facilities were spotless and a pleasure. The host was no thrills, fair dinkum, I call a spade a spade kind off bloke, it was great to meet someone without all that ‘ ooh you are so important & special’ bullshit.

While we were on the beach, in the five days there, we saw maybe 4 or 5 people.

It was a stunning beach with refreshing warm water. In general, it was tops!

Kids got to hire go karts and a kayak.

Day 26

Thursday 7/3/13
Port Augusta
Dinner:

Top temp: 35 (dropped to 23 at night)
Distance travelled: 700 km (Coober Peedy – Port Augusta)
Time take n: 12hrs (7.45am – 9.45pm), 1hr
Breaks: 2, Lake Hart

Stuart’s CP
Cost: $ 48 p/n powered (1 night)
Overall: Good

Whinging score: 0 too tired

Highlights: Finishing driving

Lowlights: Driving 12 hrs

Rundown…

Drive, drive, drive.
Now that we are heading to WA, we decided there is no point in wasting time and we will do a few days of big driving.

The kids coped unbelievably well. They watched a couple of movies, caught up with their journals and generally played great together.

When we got to Stuarts, there were about 300 Army personnel camped out in their greens working on laptops. The left for woomera from about 6am.

Setting up was Very quick, we were all very tired.

We got up with the Army and quickly headed off at 7.45am, that is our earliest start yet.

We have to consider where we are going to be for Easter at the start of April, to either book accommodation or be far away enough to not have to worry about it.