Locations: Mingenew, Morawa, Perenjori, Latham, Wongan Hills, Bencubbin, Westonia.
Regions: Midwest and Wheatbelt WA.
Dates: 29 September- 3 October 2024
Temperatures: – 5-31, sunny, windy with scattered showers
Sunday 29 September 2024
Temperature: 5-23,crisp sunny morning
Starting km’s: 10166
We are up early but choose a slow start to the day, lingering over coffee and watching all the post AFL news before heading off.
We leave Mingenew and head East to Morawa, about 60 km’s and on the Wildflower Trail.
Once at Morawa we stop to find the Widimia wildflower trail which is beautiful with swathes of colour. A nice walk of about 3km’s to stretch the legs.
The drive today is lovely with lots of flowers bordering the road and fields of ripening wheat, barley and canola stretching as far as one can see. We pass Koolanooka and then pause at Bowgada Nature Reserve but there is no walk here.
BOWGADA NATURE RESERVE
We continue on to Perenjori where we camp for the night at the recreational centre in old tennis courts.
Monday 30 September 2024
Starting km’s 11,164
Temperature: 12 – 28 cool overnight, sunny
We are up and out for a walk early in Perenjori in search of coffee as we have run out of milk. We walk the Main Street admiring the pub and a community garden while we wait for the coffee shop to open at 8:30-am.
PERENJORI PUBCOMMUNITY GARDENS
We are away by 9:30am, heading for Wongan Hills, 180 km’s South East and see lots of flowers, pink, yellow, red, white and purple along the road this morning.
TODAYS DRIVEROADSIDE COLOUR
We stop at Latham to see the community garden but sadly it’s not seen much love for a while and the flies are next level.
LATHAM
Continuing on our next stop is at Buntine Rock for a walk and more wildflowers.
WILDFLOWERS BUNTINE ROCK
Rob heads to the top of the rock to catch the local views before we head off again.
BUNTINE ROCK VIEW FROM TOP
We then stop at Dalwallinu for a shower at the visitors centre. I forgot the $2 coin for the hot water so it was cold one! Very refreshing!
Later we pass the Big Bike sculpture at Ballidu before camping at the RV stop at Wongan Hills.
BALLIDU BIG BIKE
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Starting km’s 11953
Temperature: 11-32, windy, sunny
Today we are traveling from Wongan Hills to Mt Marshall camp which is just outside Bencubbin.
We head out through Cadeux, and Korda where we enter the “Wheatbelt Way”
Lots of fields, wheat, canola, barley and lupins surround us and then we pass through Cadoux, home of the 1979 earthquake.
WHEATBELT WAY
Storms are predicted for later in the day with strong winds. We arrive at Mt Marshall and camp, being mindful of not being under trees.
We experience a brief storm with wind and lightning but not a lot of rain at about 6pm but otherwise it’s a quiet night
Wednesday 2 October 2024
Bencubbin to Mukinbudin
Temperature: 11-21 rain 1-4mm
We start the day with a quick walk up Mt Marshall which has stunning 360 views of the surrounding countryside and we can see there is a bit of rain about today.
MT MARSHALL CAMP
Then we set of for a tour of the Bencubbin area before me move on.
We visit the historic Pergande Sheep yards and old homestead, then Waddouring Dam, and an old oldwell at North Trayning and Gnamma holes.
The over cast day moves to a rainy day increasing, so we head back to camp and hitch.
With rain and wind increasing we head towards Mukinbudin. Planning a bush camp just past there but decide instead to camp up in Mukinbudin town RV camp and settle in for a rainy afternoon.
I cook up a storm and we watch some tv.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Temperature: 8 – 18 shower or two, then clearing to sunshine
Starting km’s: 12108
We stop briefly at Pope’s Hill soldier settlement just outside Mukinbudin for some photos.
POPE’S HillRAIN OVER WHEATSTORMS AHEAD OR CLEARING
We arrive Westonia and make camp at the excellent caravan park, run by the council, lovely and clean, with a great camp kitchen. It is also right next door to the mining camp where my niece lives we are catching up for dinner later.
We take a walk out through the Main Street, checking out the faux historical shop fronts and old vehicles, as well as the museum and general store that are operating. It’s a charming Main Street!
WESTONIA
We continue on walking out of town out to the Edna May mine lookout.
EDNA MAY MINE LOOKOUT
We catch up with Lucy for dinner at the local pub, enjoying an excellent schnitzel!
We will spend a few more days at Westonia before heading further South.
Locations: Morgan, Bordertown, Port Nelson, Cape Northumberland, Port Campbell, Timboon
Dates: 6-11 November 2024
Regions: Riverland, Barossa and xx South Australia, Barwon South West, Melbourne and Gippsland Victoria
Temperatures: 6-34 degrees
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Morgan to Bordertown SA
Temperature: 12-34, clouds clearing, sunny & hot
Starting km’s 15060
Leaving Morgan today we cross the river and drive East up to Waikerie admiring the silo art, then onto Berri with all the vineyards and wine making facilities at Kingston on Murray before turning South towards Pinnaroo, passing through the Mallee and then onto Bordertown where we camp for the night at the recreational lake.
WAIKERIE SILOSKINGSTON ON MURRAYLOCH LUNA GAME RESERVEVINEYARDSBERRIBORDERTOWN RECREATIONAL LAKEBORDERTOWN RECREATIONAL LAKE
Dinner is a simple Salmon with ratatouille and pasta while we watch the results of the US election and Trumps victory.
367 km’s today.
Thursday 07 November 2024
Bordertown to Port McDonnell SA
Temperature: 8-22 Sunny but cool morning. Shower or two and wind later for Bordertown
Starting km’s 15427
A lovely cool morning with a breeze and a bright blue sky and it’s always lovely to wake to the sound of many birds enjoying the lake.
RECREATIONAL LAKE
Today we are heading to the coast of Port McDonnell heading directly South all day. We pass through Naracoorte, home of the fossil caves and where the prehistoric Diprotodon, the largest prehistoric mammal was found.
We pass the sculpture and apparently the Diprotodoon looked like a very large 250kg wombat!
DIPROTODON SCULPTURE
Everything is looking very green as we pass pastures and then vineyards as we move through the Coonawara Wine region.
By 11:00am showers start and we have paddock after paddock of vines lining both sides of the road. It’s cool, misty and green and we pass many estates including Wynn’s and Penfolds.
No wine tours today though as we continue South passing through Penola and Mt Gambier where we see a boat replica and pass the famous blue lake that we visited last year.
LADY NELSONBLUE LAKE
It’s then a short drive to Port McDonnell and then Cape Northumberland, our camp for tonight and the most Southerly tip of SA, all up just under 200 km’s today.
It’s windy when we arrive and make camp and the BOM reveals a marine wind warning and gusts of up to 65km overnight. It is such a beautiful spot we decide to stay and take what comes.
CAPE NORTHUMBERLAND
It’s surely an adventure but there’s not much sleep for me and at 4:30am there’s a storm to boot. The van rocks and the wind howls and I eventually drift off about 6am to snatch a wee bit of sleep!
Friday 08 November 2024
Port McDonnell to Portland
Temperature: 7–22 windy, clearing showers
Starting km’s: 15616
It’s a slow start after a nearly sleepless night but we are away by 9am.
Travelling into Victoria we visit Nelson, having a look at the river houses in the Glenelg River and then as we head to Portland on the Portland-Nelson Road we enter the green triangle – 6M hectares one of Australia’s largest forestry region.
PORT NELSONGREEN TRIANGLE
125kms today.
We make camp at Portland RV park and just after we parked I saw a large Koala on the other side of a chain link fence near a pathway bordering the canal. At first it tried to come through the fence but realising it couldn’t and then seeing me it bolted for a tree on the pathway.
PORTLAND KOALA
Not a Eucalyptus but a Sheoak. He/She looked very fit and healthy but I rang Victoria Wilderness Society to check for its welfare. Apparently Portland has a healthy population of Koala’s and they do roam so everything appeared to be ok. Possibly a male out looking for a mate.
What a cute koala and such a joy to see up close. He was in the tree curled up sleeping about 7 metres up til late afternoon then he was gone.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Portland
Temperature: 8-17 cool & cloudy
This morning Rob’s taking me on one of his mystery tours; he’s so good at these and I’m excited to see where we are going.
First stop was the Gannet Colony. Gannet’s are large seabirds; with a wingspan up to 2 metres, that have taken up the rocky outcrop of Lawrence Rocks at Point Danger just 6km from the city centre of Portland. Over 6000 pairs breed here, laying one egg only. The chick, on maturity will leave the colony to roam the seas for 3-5 years before returning to mate for life and breed. They are fascinating to watch as they skim and dive over the waves as they fish.
GANNET COLONY
Next we head to West Portland, taking in the views before we visit the light house at Cape Nelson.
WEST PORTLAND CAPE NELSON
The next stop on the tour is Cape Bridgewater where the bay is the base of an old extinct volcano. It looks like a lovely spot for summer holidays.
CAPE BRIDGEWATER
We visit the blowhole and watch the frothy water on the coast.
BLOWHOLE
Next we visit the petrified forest which is only a short walk from the blowhole. It’s not really petrified but a geological phenomenon of sand and limestone that appears tree like.
PETRIFIED FOREST
As we head back into town we pass lots of lovely old cottages, always a favourite for me and one particularly charming example covered with roses takes my eye.
PORTLAND COTTAGE
Sunday 10 November 2024
Portland to Port Campbell VIC
Starting km’s: 15843
Temperature: 8-18 partly cloudy
We head East today, passing through very cute Port Fairy. Rob deviates around the front for a look and it’s a very pretty town. I wish we were stopping but onwards through Warrnambool we go before turning right onto the Great Ocean Road.
The pine forest gives way to groves of Eucalyptus and large stands of Mediterranean Pines and then we get a flips of the Great Ocean at Peterborough.
We camp at Port Campbell, wash everything including us and are back in the car in an hour and a half and of sightseeing.
We turn back towards Peterborough and visit every lookout taking in Port Campbell , London Bridge, the Grotto and the Bay of Islands.
PORT CAMPBELLLONDON BRISGETHE GROTTO
Along the way we met a couple on a trip to Tasmania for a vintage car rally towing an old Green Buick.
Our last stop is the Bay of Islands before picking up dinner tonight of Fish and Chips from Peterborough. Accompanied by Rob’s Vero cocktail which is a version of Appleton spritz we cheers to a great day.
BAY OF ISLANDS
Monday 11 November 2024
Twelve Apostles Marine Park
Temperature: 6-21, cloudy, clearing to sun
Today is a touristy day and our first stop is the Gibson Steps about 12 km’s from Port Campbell heading East.
GIBSON STEPS
Next stop is the Twelve Apostles heading back towards Port Campbell. A truly iconic Australian location.
TWELVE APOSTLES
Next stop is the Razorback and the Blades.
RAZORBACK AND THE BLADES
Next stop is Mutton Bird Island, home to the Mutton Bird aka the Short tailed Shearwater. These are extraordinary migratory birds that travel up to 15,000 km’s each year between Australia and the Northern Hemisphere for summer. Each year thousands of birds arrive at this island at the end of September, mate for life, clean out a burrow, feed, lay eggs in November which all hatch between 10-20 January, then the adults leave in early April. The chicks wait til end of April. George leaving for their first solo migration navigating on instinct.
MUTTON BIRD ISLE
Our final stop on the coast is Loch Ard Gorge where we read about the shipwreck of the same name. After a three month voyage she was lost trying to navigate this coastline. Only two survived to tell the tale.
LOCH ARD GORGE
We finish the day with a quick 17km trip inland to the famous Timboon Ice Creamery. My good friend Heather lives liquorice ice cream. I’m a fan of liquorice too so had to try it and it was amazingly good. Made with Junee Liquorice. yum.
The tough part was what to pair it with? Chocolate or Turkish Delight?
We’ve had a fabulous day!
We continue East tomorrow. I’m a bit behind with posts from WA and SA and will hopefully catch you up soon.
Temperature: 12-26 windy, sunny and bit warmer today.
Starting km’s 11405, 25km drive
We aren’t going far today so after leaving the caravan park we to Geraldton foreshore and walked along the foreshore. Along the way we saw the old ship going out; apparently this rarely happens, and we also browsed the Sunday markets.
OLD SHIPGERALDTON FORESHORE
Once Coles opened at 11:00am we pick up a few groceries then drive to Bringo Camp, a favourite from last year, about 25 km out of Geraldton on the Mount Magnet Road. Set high on a hill it has lovely views back towards the coast and surrounding countryside.
We spend a relaxing afternoon in the van with Rob rewatching yesterday’s game and I cook up a storm making banana bread and then Nachos for dinner.
LOOKOUT SOUTHDAWN
Monday 23 September, 2024
Temperature: 10-24 Sunny, Patch of morning fog. Winds Southerly 25-35km’s
Starting km’s: 11435
Only a short drive today, 84km and we arrive Dongara about 10:30am. It’s sunny but a cool 21 degrees with a steady breeze. After we make camp we opt for a bike ride around town, about 8km’s on a trail we have done before. My foot is ok for the most part but then I wrench it a bit trying to stop and turn the bike.
DONGARA LOOKOUT
My ankle is swelling less now (in week 7) but the ligament and tendon damage is still apparent every day. Nevertheless I need exercise so I am are starting to exercise more each week.
On the cycle back, we stop at Denison seafoods but they are not open as it’s the Monarch’s birthday today in this area in WA.
LIVE CRAYS – DENISONS SEAFOOD
Tuesday 24 September, 2024
Temperature: 10-23, windy, cloudy
It’s very cool with the wind and it looks to be increasing today so we do some maintenance and cleaning, I cleaned the van windows and screens while Rob hand washed parts of the car. It’s a challenge: cleaning the car and van, as most caravan parks won’t let you use a water hose or pressure wash so it’s either find a car wash that will take vans and fit that in the travel schedule or otherwise do it by hand bits at at a time. The wind gets worse as the day progresses so we head inside after lunch.
Wednesday 25 September 2024
Temperature: 9-27 wind 22kmh Southerly gusting to 33, sunny.
This morning is nicer than it’s been so we opt to walk into town. It’s a 10km there and back so it will give my ankle a workout. We are heading for a cute coffee shop called poppies which is just over the river. Along the way we take some pics of the old jetty, the park and Rob picks some flowers for me. He’s such a gentleman!
I make it to the coffee shop and about 3/4 of the way back (9km) before opting for Rob to get the car…
Thursday 26 September 2024
Temperature: 16-24, warmer overnight, sunny, still breezy.
Rob goes for a run and I rest my foot, sore after the walk yesterday. Then we buy some seafood from Denison’s, Coffin Bay Oysters and Tiger Prawns for lunch and dinner and we also buy Mussells, Sardines and Schnapper for the freezer.
I make a pear, rocket and parmesan salad with walnuts to go with the Oysters and Prawns. Yum!
Other than catching up on some washing it’s another quiet, relaxing day.
Friday 26 September 2024
Temperature: 9-18 rain at Dongara
Starting km’s: 11555
Quite cool overnight and we wake to an overcast rainy day. Our first one in a while. We are up early and in and out of the van preparing to leave as we can between showers.
Today we are heading for Mingenew, 57 East of Dongara, as we leave the coast and head inland. It’s school holidays this week and next in WA and during the holidays we tend to head away from the coast as it gets busy and more expensive at the parks and we prefer the quiet of free camps. Our booking at Dongara was a lucky one considering the school holidays.
Mingenew is on the Wildflower Way and our plan is to head out as far as Westonia to catch up with my niece Lucy who works in a mine near there, before we continue further South skirting around Perth towards Bunbury and Margaret River.
WILDFLOWER WAYRAINY DAY
At Mingenew, we camp up at Enanty Historical Barn c. 1870 a rest stop on the outskirts of town. Mingenew is a small town with a small grocery, popular bakery and pub where we hope to watch the Grand Final tomorrow.
MINGENEW
Saturday 28 September 2024
Temperature: 5-20, rain overnight, very cool day.
It was very cool overnight and a crisp morning. We feel like we’ve been thrown back into Winter for the last few days, even putting our extra blanket back in the bed. Such a contrast from Karijini just a few weeks ago.
Today is all about the AFL Grand Final. With Rob and I both fortunate to have both our teams make the final; from very different positions mind you, we have had a fun week “bumping “ and ribbing each other, making bets and the big day is finally here.
To fill time we spend the morning going for a bit of a drive to a couple of lookouts and to see some wildflowers.
Dressed in team colours; Rob is wearing a Lions polo from their last premiership in 2021 and I’m resplendent in Swans colours of red and white, we can’t wait to go to the pub and for the game to start.
There are about 8 people ready to watch the game and a few others drift in and out of the beer garden as the afternoon progresses. Unfortunately I am the only Swans supporter for quite while. The Swans start well and the first quarter is a good contest. The second quarter is a whitewash though with the Brisbane Lions kicking 7 goals to Sydney’s 1 and Brisbane take the game from then on with dominance and purpose. I would have liked a better contest but it was a great to see the Lions win so decisively, especially after last years loss by 4 points.
We have had a fun filled afternoon watching the game and chatting with other travelers from Qld. I think Richard said it best – “the Swans look like a team that has already peaked and are on a downward trajectory while Brisbane are just hitting their peak”. Well said and well done to the Lions who worked so hard all year!
LUNCH HAPPY ROBMINGENEW PUBTHE CROWD
A quick note on lunch at the Commercial Hotel Mingenew. The Steak sandwich was probably the best I’ve ever eaten! The steak was so tender and the accompanying onion, beetroot, egg and salad were all just perfect. Yum!
Tomorrow we continue on the wildflower way towards Westonia.
Love to all. Stay safe and take care. Be kind to one another.
A couple of relatively quiet weeks coming up for us as we meander South with the next big thing in the calendar the AFL semi’s then Grand final. Both Rob and I are hoping our teams, Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans prevail.
We leave Edgadee around 9:30am q and at 10:50am we pass the 36th parallel circle of latitude and leave the North West.
The country side is still salty scrub with few variations. Around 12:00pm we pass the Overland Roadhouse at the turn off to Shark Bay.
We visited Shark Bay and Monkey Mia in September 2023; a week later in the month than today. Passing the overland roadhouse today completes a full lap of Australia for Rob and I. We both feel a sense of completion for this journey even though we have done way more than a “lap” and still have approximately 12 weeks before we return to the East Coast of Queensland.
We are both enjoying this adventure and all the experiences we have encountered in this amazingly beautiful, rugged country of ours.
We turn right off the highway and head up Shark Bay Road, planning to free camp near Shell beach, a favourite beach from last year. After 80km we arrive and spend a couple of hours on Shell Beach, enjoying the uniquely extremely salty (hyper saline) shallow water in the sunshine and all the shells of course.
About 60km of shells in fact, sometimes up to 10m deep, formed from from the tiny Fragum cockle that’s able to survive the salty water created by the Faure Sill, an expanse of sea grass at the mouth of the Peninsula. It’s warm with a breeze and a lovely place to relax and reflect on our trip so far.
Rob decides to walk up to the feral animal control fence; erected in 2010 and stretching across the width of Peron Peninsula to protect indigenous animals from feral invaders such as cats, foxes, rabbits and goats. I read that the Bilby has been successfully reintroduced here since the fence was erected.
SHELL BEACH
We make camp at a WikiCamps Freecamp – Shelly Gravel Pit almost opposite Shell Beach. Its location is the most appealing element.
Tuesday 17 September 2024
Temperature: 16-31, Windy, cool overnight and sunny.
Starting km’s: 10600
Wind picked up overnight and it’s a very windy morning so we have a slow start as we decide how to spend the day.
We decide to drive into Denham about 80km’s further along the peninsula and visit the World Heritage Centre and hope that the wind drops later so we can swim somewhere.
Stopping at Whalebone point scenic lookout we see a large bird fishing so we walk down to take a closer look. It moves further down the beach but we think it might be a pacific gull or greater cormorant? You may make it out in the photo on the left.
Continuing on, we see a tiny Thorny devil on the road, no pic as he’s too small and too quick as we head into Denham, where we stroll along the foreshore before deciding to visit Shark Bay World Heritage Centre.
DENHAMSHARK BAYUNION SCULPTURE
The centre celebrates Shark Bay’s bio diversity and explores the area’s inclusion in Workd Heritage listing including Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool and the Fragum cockle and Faur Sill that make up Shell Beach. The centre also explores maritime history of the area including the landings of Dirk Hartog on the Island of same name nearby in 1616 and Dutch navigator Willem de Vlamingh’s landing at same location in 1697.
GUDRUN FIGUREHEAD c1900EXPLORER PLATES SILVERTHORNY DEVILSHARK BAY WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE
I read the story of Rose de Freycinet (nee Piñon) wife of Louis Freycinet who sailed with him on the Uranus 1818-1820 and wrote a journal as the second woman to circumnavigate the globe. Now a book; a Woman of Courage, it sounds like a fascinating read so I note for future reading.
Afterwards we head to Shark Bay hotel for lunch sharing a fishburger and squid with salad and while away an hour chatting to two fellow couples traveling from Qld.
On the return trip to to the van we stop off at Eagle bluff which has amazing views below of the bay below and we see sharks and turtles! An amazing afternoon even without a swim!
Approx 250 km’s driving today, leaving the Francois Peron Peninsula and heading South towards Geraldton
As we leave I spy a lizard in a bush and on the main road we see some emu’s.
LIZARDEMU
We see lots of wildflowers and the outback scrub slowly gives way to green agricultural fields along the way before we stop today at Galena Bridge Camp on the Murchison River.
We relax for a while before I make dinner, a vegetarian nourish bowl with spiced & roasted chickpeas and cauliflower. As the afternoon wans a breeze comes up and I start sneezing. This starts a full on allergy attack with itchy watering eyes and a sneezing, headache. I’ve suffered hayfever my whole life so I’m prepared with antihistamines on hand but it’s still unpleasant.
As evening sets, the moon rises and we have the a beautiful harvest moon on the horizon.
Thursday 19 September 2024
Temperature: 12-29 breezy, sunny
Starting kilometre’s: 10973
100 kilometres today into Geraldton.
Lots of flowers, kangaroo paw, wattle and swathes of yellow, pink white and purple line the highway.
No wonder my hayfever is in overdrive!
We stop at Elephant Hill lookout, and take pics of Elephant Hill. Can you see the elephant?
ELEPHANT HILL
We set down at Sunset Beach Caravan Park, here for three days to take care of a minor recall on the Isuzu and catch the next two semifinal games in the AFL; Sydney Swans (my team) v Port Adelaide on Friday and Brisbane Lions (Rob’s team) v Geelong Cats on Saturday.
Friday 20 September 2024
Temperature: 7-23 cool overnight, windy and sunny.
Our first job today is to drop the Isuzu in for a minor recall. Thankfully they give us a loan car for the morning so we head to the shops for coffee and a browse then back to the van. In the afternoon we head to WinterSun tavern. We are meeting my niece Jo for dinner and to watch the Swans game. It’s lovely to see Jo and catch up on all her news.
The game is a nail biter but the Sydney Swans prevail and I’m thrilled with the win! Woohoo!
Go the Swans!
Saturday 21 September 2024
Temperature: 7-22 windy with gusts.
The gusting wind in Geraldton makes doing anything outside tricky so we opt for a wildflower trail drive. Rob’s found a loop drive that will take us out to Mullawa and around and back via Nabawa where we have arranged to meet Jo and her partner Chris to watch the Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats semifinal later today.
As we head for Mullawa we pass through Tenindewa and find the flower trail includes sculptures and local history.
Mullawa, about 100 km’s from Geraldton is a charming town in the wheatbelt with a lookout and an interesting church.
We then take the Northern loop which includes a sidetrack through Urawa Nature Reserve with lots of flowers and a camp spot by a river.
URAWA NATURE RESERVE
We just have enough time to drive to Nabawa through the countryside and arrive just before kick off. Jo and Chris are there to meet us and there are a few locals settled in for the game too.
The game starts with the Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions evenly matched but in the second quarter Geelong gets ahead. It’s a tense third and fourth quarters as Brisbane battle to fight back the 29 point lead and the closing minutes of the game are tense as Geelong and Brisbane fight to win. Geelong kicks a goal and Brisbane have minutes to score!
They do and it’s a thrilling win for the Lions!
A great afternoon of footy with good company and friendly rivals in the crowd.
It’s been lovely to spend time with Jo too.
JO AND I
A lovely few days in Geraldton with great AFL results for both Rob and I with both our teams making the Grand Final next week.
Tomorrow we head to Dongara for a few days and then hit the Wildflower trail.
Locations: Exmouth Gulf, Bullara Station, Coral Bay WA
Regions: Gascoyne WA
Dates: 11 – 15 September 2024
Temperatures: 20 – 37, hot, sunny.
Wednesday 11 September 2024
Temperature: 15 – 31 degrees, sunny
Starting kilometre’s: 9368
With all the washing clean and fresh yesterday we decided to forgo the mining mess for the hotel and shared a prawn stir fry and a parmi. Today we are headed to House Creek Camp, about 176 km’s on the Beasley (52) and then Nanutara-Munjina Road 212 in total.
BOOT TREE PARABURDOO
It’s vey hot with 33 degrees at 11:30 and 34 by 12:00pm. We make camp at House Creek in shade and set up to watch the US campaign debate Trump v Harris. Entertainment at its best.
Roast Lamb & Veg and then a storm after dinner.
HOUSE CREEK REST STOP
Thursday 12 September 2024
Starting kilometre’s: 9581
Temperature: 22 – 37, warm overnight with a wee storm, cool sunny morning.
We drive 251 kms to Bullara station today, arriving about 12:30pm. After set down we relax in the shade of the van. The temp is 34 at 1pm.
As the afternoon cools I take a walk to check out the camp kitchen, the bottle tree, the Lava Trees and Bill the Turtle. Curiously, and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit, it took me 24 hours to work out what a Lava Tree is!
SHEEP AFTERNOON STROLL
From 4:30 pm there is live music and a bar at the woolshed with guitarist Tommy Steez so we relax there and enjoy the cooling evening breeze, I particularly like his song, “I hate Byron Bay”! He sings some of my old favourites from Neil Young and Hendrix with his own arrangements which are interesting and different.
CHEERS SUZYFIREPIT
It’s Suzy’s funeral in Brisbane today so Rob and I have a quiet cheers to farewell my friend. A country girl like me, Suzy loved everything country so I reckon she would have loved Bullara Station.
Friday 13 September 2024
Temperature: 21-37, hot and sunny
Hot overnight but a cool breeze picked from around 3am for a cool morning.
I feed my starter Millie for bread and cinnamon rolls later.
Rob and I decide to do a trip to Coral Bay so we leave at 9am. It’s 69kms. We plan to spend the day on the beach and return at 3pm so I can make a loaf of bread and cinnamon rolls before we attend the famous “burger night” at Bullara Station.
We visit Bills Bay; a beautiful sweep of a bay which includes Maud’s Sanctuary zone so no fishing. We walked along the beach and see large fish, some at least 600mm in the water. Happy to swim near us, close enough to touch!
BILL’S BAY
Then we visited Monck Head, for a look and returned to Bills Bay for the day. I couldn’t resist videoing the fish.
We sheltered under a sandstone overhang and with the shade and the breeze, swimming and snorkeling had the best day!
CORAL BAY
As we leave Coral Bay we see quite a big build up of clouds. Makes me think of the wee storm two nights ago, maybe the build up is already starting?
It’s still 29 degrees when we leave at 3pm
The drive along Exmouth Gulf has outstanding views of wide sweeping plains, peppered by termit mounds all the way out to Giralia range. The photo’s don’t do it justice but it is a spectacular view.
GIRALIA RANGESUNSPOT ON THE PLAIN
Once back at Bullara, I hop to with my cinnamon rolls. I’m making my own recipe for the filling with apple and cinnamon and just a little sugar as I’m always trying to to reduce/cut sugar from my diet. I’m pretty pleased with the result but proof will be in the baking in the morning.
SOURDOUGH DISCARD CINNAMON ROLLS
We shower and get ready for the evening and I just have time to mix ingredients for a sourdough loaf. I’ll be busy later with the folds.
Later we hear there are 400 people here for burger night. The atmosphere is festive and we chat with Paula and Steve sitting next to us who are from Karratha.
The firepit is lit and they start cooking – about 30 burgers at a time I think?
FIREPIT BBQ
Shortly after a fellow comes in on a horse. We aren’t certain but it maybe the station manager. He heads to the bar, still on his horse and is provided a beer. This is a very Australian thing to do and everyone in the crowd including us love it.
BEER AT THE BAR!
The dinner queue starts soon and it’s an amazingly well rehearsed production that moves quickly. I must say the burger was one of the best I’ve ever eaten, truly. Very tasty, juicy with pickle, cheese, beetroot, onion slaw and your choice of sauce (mustard and tomato for me) and it didn’t fall apart! Rob liked it so much he planned to buy some burgers from reception the next day!
Thalia provides the entertainment tonight and does a great job with her three acoustic guitars, original scores and unique rhythm technique. To top the evening the sunset is a beauty!
BULLARA STATION SUNSET
Saturday 14 September 2024
Temperature: 20 – 37, warm overnight, sunny.
Starting kilometre’s: 9984
Rob’s up early for a walk and I’m up to bake my cinnamon rolls and finish my loaf. I use the oven in the camp kitchen and I’m pretty happy with the result.
FRESH SOURDOUGH DISCARD CINNAMON ROLLS
We leave Bullara today and are heading South over the next week towards Geraldton. It’s going to be hot today so we decide to head back to Coral Bay for a few hours during the middle of the day. This time we go to Monck Head as it has a boating facility and parking for the van.
We park ourselves under another sandstone overhang. For the first hour the flies are terrible, hence the fly net but a wind change later provides some relief. Rob takes a walk and spies a small reef shark in the shallows and later we see a small sting ray in the shallows
REEF SHARK AT MONCK HEAD
We pack up about 2:30pm and head back to the car and then head South for another 80 or so km’s on the Minilya- Exmouth Road. The coast plains in this area are vast and seem to stretch on endlessly with narry a tree to be seen. We see vast spreads of yellow flowers before the road turns further inland and the landscape changes to low saltbush scrub. Lovely to see flowers and looking forward to more as we head South.
The dash show 40 degrees at 2:15pm and at 2:23pm we cross the Tropic of Capricorn.
We camp at Minilya Creek Rest area. We have reception for the Lions V GWS semi final. What a game!
MINILYA RIVER & BRIDGE
Sunday 15 September 2024
Temperature: 10 – 38, breezy overnight, warm and sunny.
Starting kilometre’s: 10159
Today we are driving 140 km to Carnarvon which is uneventful. In Carnarvon we stop for fuel and groceries then visit Pelicans Point.
PELICAM POINT CARNAVON
We then drive a further 80km’s to Edagee Rest Stop where we are camping tonight. With pretty wildflowers.
Tomorrow we are revisiting Shell Beach and Shark Bay.
Locations: Karijini National Park, Tom Price, Paraburdoo.
Regions: Pilbara WA
Dates: 5 September – 10 September 2024
Temperatures: 8 – 39 degrees
Starting kilometres: 8383
Thursday 5 September 2024
Temperature: 14-28, overcast morning clearing to sun.
We set of just after 9am and arrive at Paraburdoo around 12pm. Along the way we pass amazing scenery that changes from really green to really dry. We see amazing creek beds, ranges and long stretches of highway. The scenery constantly changes, as do the colours showing deep hues of russet and grey blue under the overcast sky and then bright greens and ochres under the sun.
We stop at the information Centre before heading out to our camp near Mt Bruce. Paraburdoo is a mining town; gazetted in 1972 and has a memorial to Red Dog, born here in 1971 and star of the blockbuster movie of the same name.
Leaving Paraburdoo we start to see lots of wildflowers and then we are stopped at roadworks and hear that a 10m wide load is coming from one of the mines so we find a spot to pull off and wait for it. There’s two and they’re big!
NORTHERN BLUEBELL?LAVENDER MULLA MULLA
OVERSIZED TRAFFIC
Not long after this we go up and over a big hill and we see Mt Bruce and the start of Karijini. Karijini is WA’s second largest National Park covering 627,422 acres or 1,550390 hectares!
If kilometre’s is easier to imagine it’s 6,274.22 km squared!
Karijini is home to rock formations that are estimated to be 2.5billion years old. Most of the gorges and waterfalls are in the Northern part and most are accessible via sealed roads.
HAMERSLEY RANGEMT BRUCECAMP VIEW (MT NAMELESS)KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK
We make camp at Mt Bruce Camp just behind a Mount that I can’t find the name of so Mt Nameless to me.
It sits in front of Mt Bruce from this angle and we have a lovely view of Hamersley Ranges in the opposite direction. After dark, I see a huge amount of lights in the distance which we think are from the Marandoo Mine Camp.
SUNSET HAMERSLEY RANGELIGHTS!
Friday 6 September 2024
Temperatures: 8 – 25, cool and clear, sunny.
Starting kilometre’s: 8703
Today we are visiting Hamersley Gorge before going into Tom Price to shop and shower at the information centre.
It’s about 62km down a very red road. It’s gravel but a good road, wide and not too corrugated. Obviously used for mining traffic and we have Hamersley Range on our right for most of the drive there. The colours are vibrant and the deep russet red of the road has drifted into all the vegetation alongside the road, trees and shrubs alike.
The gorge is just a short 500m walk down with steps but I elect to stop at the lookout due to my foot so Rob heads down for a dip and takes some snaps while he’s down there. While enjoying the view I chat to a lady named Suzanne from the Sunshine Coast, Qld.
HAMERSLEY GORGE FROM LOOKOUTSPA POOLHAMERSLEY SWIMMING HOLEMULLA MULLA
Next up we drive into Tom Price for a shower. After five days of top and tail it’s welcome and refreshing. We pick up a few groceries, visit the dump point and refuel before heading back out.
TOM PRICE HAUL TRUCK
Saturday 7 September 2024
Temperature: 12-29, sunny
Today we are visiting Joffre and Knox Gorge. Both are in a different direction to Hamersley Gorge and are part of the Weano area and it’s about a 40 km drive. We set off just after 8am
Arriving Joffre I see some pretty wildflowers growing and it’s lovely that we are seeing more and more wildflowers every day. Spring has sprung!
JOFFRE GORGE
There’s a short walk and then rock steps down to the lookout. As we walk we start to see the Gorge open up and sitting on a natural step in the sun is a healthy King Brown! He’s shy so slips into a spinifex bush nearby so I don’t get a photo.
I manage the stairs down with help from Rob and the view is worth it. A lovely spot with Karijini Eco lodge opposite. There’s a walk around the Gorge to the other side and then down to the waterhole, Rob does the View and Waterhole walks while I patiently wait for the King brown to reappear but no chance.
I took a short video of the area for you. So pretty, such natural beauty!
Next we are off to Knox Gorge, not far away so only a short drive.
Knox is spectacular! Much bigger than Joffre, deeper, longer. Just wow!
KNOX GORGE
Rob sets off to hike the Gorge and I relax and enjoy the scenery from the lookout, chatting to other visitors.
It hard to catch Rob at the bottom as there are lots of shadows but I do manage to find him in this picture. As he’s about to cross the creek from the left to the right.
Rob takes some pictures while he’s walking of course, so these follow.
STAIRS DOWNBOTTOMSWIMMING HOLEENDLOOKOUT FROM BELOWROCK SCRAMBLEKNOX GORGE
These are spectacular spaces and with the lookouts I don’t feel like I’m missing out entirely which is nice.
On the drive back we stop to enjoy some wildflowers and views of Mt Bruce and Mt Nameless where we are camped.
MT BRUCEMT NAMELESSMT NAMELESS FROM OUR CAMP
It’s another spectacular sunset and then I’m awake early and catch sunrise behind our Mt Nameless.
SUNSETDAWN
Sunday 8 September 2024
Temperature: 15 – 30
Today we are off to Circular Pool, Three Ways, Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool at Dales Gorge and then lastly Hancock Gorge via a circular loop of about 120 km’s.
We arrive at Circular Pool and Three Ways about 10:45am, these two are at one end of the walk to Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool which are at the other end of Dales Gorge with about 2.5 km’s between them.
We visit both lookouts which are amazing and then Rob heads out to walk Dales Gorge while I jump in the car and drive to the other end to meet him. Circular Pool walk is closed due to a rock slide last wet season.
CIRCULAR POOLROCK SLIDETENACITY!THREE WAYS
I walk back to the car slowly taking in the beautiful gum trees along the edge of the gorge.
I’m quickly at Fortescue falls which has a big park and recreation area with a boardwalk to the lookout which has a superb view back towards Three Ways, along Dale Gotge and in the other direction towards Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool which is above the falls.
DALES GORGEFORTESCUE FALLS
From the lookout it’s a good 280 steps and stairs down to the Falls so I’m happy to sit and enjoy the view while I wait for Rob. A ranger stops and we have a brief chat and she tells me there are 2-3 rescues for sprains and breaks in the Gorge each week! Each one takes about 5-8 hours to rescue and the nearest medical is Tom Price about 80km’s away from here. The ranger also tells me she does the stairs about 5 times a day, every shift, wow. The ranger tells me Oxer lookout at Hancock Gorge is the best in her opinion. That’s next on our trip today.
Rob appears and it’s only taken him about 1.5hrs to do the walk, swim and climb the steps out! How fit is he.
He’s taken some pictures of the walk and pools which follow. Looks lovely.
TRACKLEANING ROCKSMALL WATERFALL ON THE WAYNO GO – OVERHANGFORTESCUE FALLS POOLFERN POOLDALES GORGE
Our last Gorge today is Hancock Gorge at Weano Recreation reserve as we continue our loop drive. The scenery continues to amaze with rock formations and outstanding scenes at every turn.
We arrive at Weano, check out the maps then head out to Oxer lookout. It’s 800 m walk or drive so we elect to drive.
Hancock gorge is magnificent, stretching out in four directions. The cliffs are sheer and deep and it’s only possible to see the bottom, where there is water up one angle of the gorge. There is a walk and I’m disappointed not to be fit enough as I think it would be amazing to walk between the walls of this great chasm in the earth.
Rob decides to do the Kermit’s pool walk so we return to the park and I sit in the shade admiring a cute Spinifex Pidgeon pair. He’s dancing but she’s having none of it! It hit 32 at 2:30pm so it’s quite hot.
Rob’s photos of Kermit’s pool are below. Love the narrow gorge pool photo with the reflection.
Wow what a day. Karijini sure delivers with its beautiful ruggedness and natural wonders.
Monday 9 September 2024
Temperature: 13-31 breezy morning, sunny
Rob’s walking Mt Bruce (1235m) this morning so I baked some sourdough discard crackers that I’d prepped a couple of days ago, did some exercise, meditated and blogged. Nice to have a quiet morning to myself.
Rob enjoyed his hike, returning just before 12pm.
TOP OF MT BRUCE
In the afternoon we head into Tom Price for a shower, and a few groceries and otherwise enjoyed the quiet and ambience of Karrijini on our last day.
33 degrees at 1:30pm.
Tuesday 11 September 2024
Temperature: 15 – 29 overcast and a few spits of rain before 8:00am!
Starting kms: 9257
We are leaving beautiful Karijini today for Paraburdoo, 131 km’s away. We’ve heard the caravan park there is attached to the mining camp and has free washing machines and you can have dinner in the miners mess! All you can eat for $21.
Thought we would try it out and perhaps a good opportunity to get rid of some of the red dirt of the last few weeks before we head back to coast tomorrow.
Hope this finds you all well. Stay safe and take care. Love Maryann and Rob
It was lovely going to sleep in the salt air with the sound of the waves crashing on the Ningaloo reef on the other side of the dunes. Good thing it was an early night as something wakes me at 3:00am scratching about on the roof of the van. Possibly a bird but it may have been the top hatch creaking as it caught the early morning breeze that came through. It’s another beautiful dawn and Rob is up and out for an early walk to catch the sunrise while I chase a few more zzz’s.
We head out early though, around 8am to catch high tide at Oyster Stacks. This is another drift snorkeling site that can only be swam at high tide to protect the reef.
On the drive there I see a black flanked wallaby sitting quietly in the rocky hills as we pass by.
We arrive and I’m dismayed to see the beach is very rocky and the shoreline is jagged rocks. I decide to sit and watch as it’s too rocky for me to navigate with my ankle which is quite swollen today from all the sand walking yesterday I think.
It’s a beautiful spot so I’m happy to watch Rob and other snorkellers.
The idea is to go in at one end, on the left and let the current take you over the reef for about 300 metres as you snorkel and you then exit before the current sweeps you out and walk back up to repeat.
Rob does about 3 passes, seeing lots of colourful fish and a turtle embedded in the sand. I check later and apparently they sleep when they do this.
ROB SNORKELING OYSTER STACKS
Next on the list today is Osprey Bay, with sand entrances so I swam and snorkelled here and saw lots of fish.
OSPREY BAY
By 11:30am it’s getting quite hot so we decide to drive out to see Yardie creek. As we walk back to the car we see Corella’s seeking shade under cars and they’re not moving for anyone!
Yardie Creek is another 30km’s down the range road and the end of the road for the National Park. From here you can take a 1hr boat ride up Yardie creek to where it ends and view the Gorge. I run into a lady I had spoken to at Oyster Stacks who had just done it and really enjoyed it. Said she had seen lots of wallaby’s on the rocks too and some monitors.
Obviously the wildlife stick close to fresh water as a distinct characteristic that we’ve both noticed since we left Kununurra is the lack of wildlife; apart from birds, My hopes of seeing a full grown frilled neck lizard having diminished as the days have gone by so it’s a good thing we see Kites, Kestrels, Hawks and many other birds most days.
YARDIE CREEK
On the way back to camp I see a Wedgetail Eagle pair high in the sky enjoying the thermals as they hunted for their dinner.
WEDGETAILED EAGLE
It’s another spectacular sunset followed by leftover roast lamb for dinner.
TIMELAPSE SUNSET
Tuesday 3 September 2024
Temp: 15 – 33 degrees, hot and sunny.
We are going back to Turquoise Bay today, to the bay this time rather than the drift section so we are out early once again.
The bay is lovely and calm and it’s a delight to swim and snorkel here. We strike up conversations with a couple, Marilyn and Peter from Perth and chat to them throughout the morning. Peter has a stand up paddle board and very generously offers Rob a go. No photos as I was swimming.
ME AND MY ANGEL.
I relax on my towel and there’s a seagull who keeps popping in next to me. He’s got a sore paw like me poor thing. Rob saw a turtle as he went further out with fins and then later we both see one surfing the waves briefly as they bobbed up for air. What a treat this is.
We leave Turquoise Bay at lunch and I think I spy a Wedgetail eagle in the dunes as we leave. Driving back I try to capture the ranges.
WEDGY?CAPE RANGE
We relax through the heat of the afternoon then try our luck with some beach fishing using sourdough for bait. Sadly no catch but there’s a few nibbles and it’s fun casting and trying out the beach rods. I used to love fishing when I was a young woman but like lots of things in life it fell away with children although I did take my daughters fishing a few times on holidays as they got older.
Cape Range has been a delight and I can admit to a twinge of jealousy when talking to three gents on the way back from the beach who camp here for 28 days every year! I’ve always admired the idea of an annual four weeks summer holiday at the beach.
Wednesday 4 September 2024
Temperature: 17 – 31 hot and sunny.
Starting km’s: 8028
Happy Birthday Carly!
Today we leave Cape Range and Exmouth Gulf heading inland toward Karijini National Park, 717 kilometres away. We will take two days to get there, camping at House Creek Free Camp on the way.
We leave MESA camp and head back into Exmouth where we need to refuel, dump and refill water and stop for a few groceries. I also have an important phone call to make for my daughter’s birthday today.
We stop at the visitors centre to dump and refill water and there is a Travelers camp van parked up nearby with a young man sitting on top strumming his guitar and singing. Turns out to be an impromptu original composition which his mates from Germany, India, Sweden and Nederlands tell me he just keeps making up as he goes along! Hilarious! The singer is Italian and they are all international students from Perth on a quick getaway to the outback.
I really enjoy this impromptu and innocent fun.
IMPROMPTU PERFORMANCE!
In the background of the photo is the big prawn! Not as big; about 1/10th in fact as the one I photographed in Ballina NSW last year but it is very shiny and new looking.
While Rob attends to the jobs, lucky me has a lovely chat with the birthday girl and her big sister too, catching up on all their news. They’ve been going through a difficult time as their co tenant has breached their lease so they’ve had to navigate all of that, find new accommodation and organise to move! I’m very proud of how they’ve managed this difficult situation and luckily they have found new digs not far away from where they currently are. Trying times in the current rental market.
Next up is groceries, then fuel and we head out of Exmouth. We backtrack down the gulf road then turn left and head North back up the highway to Nanutarra before turning left towards Parabadoo, Tom Price and Karijini.
MT ALEXANDER – 410m
Almost as soon as we turn, we start to see ranges appearing left and right. The drive to Karijini has the Hamersley and Chichester- Millstream Ranges on the left (North) and Barlee and Capricorn Ranges on the right (South) so the further out we go the more picturesque the drive becomes.
We arrive at the camp around 2:30 and it’s a very hot 37 degrees so we relax in the shade through the remainder of the afternoon and later spend the evening chatting with another couple nearby, Helen and Stephen from Bribie Island.
HOUSE CREEK SUNSET
Sometimes travel days are really lovely days like today. Tomorrow we will arrive at Karijini National Park.
Hope you are all well and thriving. Stay safe and take care.
Locations: Karratha, Yannarie, Exmouth, Cape Range National Park WA.
Regions: Pilbara, Gascoyne WA
Dates: 29 August – 1 September 2024
Temperatures: 17 – 37degrees
Starting kilometres: 7128
Thursday 29 August
Temp: 18 – 37, hot and sunny
We leave Karratha around 9:30am with a long day of driving ahead. Hoping to do about 340 kilometres.
About 5 kilometres out we receive a rock strike on the windscreen from a truck cutting in to soon after overtaking which gives both of us a scare but thankfully no damage.
The landscape changes more often today as we move through Mardie. I think we have Hammersley Range on our left and then we cross over the Fortescue River. The third longest river in the state it is named after Chichester Fortescur, Parliamentary under Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1861.
Fortescue is also a family name on Rob’s mum’s side of his family.
FORTESCUE RIVER
By 11:30am it’s 35 degrees as we pass over the Robe River, wide and mostly dry.
ROBE RIVER
We then come to an overpass at Fortescue with a gravel road running underneath in either direction and lots of radio chatter between a stationary vehicle and road trains turning left and right onto the highway, with a Mining operation nearby, we suspect.
An hour later, in the distance more ranges appear and Parry Range comes into view as we pass Cane River Conservation Park. By 1:00pm we reach Nanutarra Roadhouse and here we refuel.
PARRYRANGE
We arrive at our camp for tonight, Yannarie around 2pm. We relax in the shade of the van til sundown before an early dinner and night.
YANNARIE SUNSET
Friday 30 August 2024
Yannarie to Exmouth
Temp: 17 – 30, cool breeze over night and morning, warm and sunny.
I’m awakened at 3:30 by a stiff breeze and it’s cooler than it’s been for days. The cool change is welcome relief after all the heat.
I’m looking forward to seeing the Coast again at Exmouth and after about 40km’s today we enter the Gascoyne region before turning right onto Warlu Way towards Coral Bay, Exmouth and Cape Range National Park. We will be in the Gascoyne Region for the next few weeks.
80 kms along the Warlu way we pass Bullara station. We will return and spend time at Bullara Station in mid September. Due to bookings we will be doing a bit of criss crossing in this area in the next few weeks.
Then we turn right again toward Exmouth.
We are staying at the RAC Exmouth park for two nights. Unfortunately when we arrive it’s very windy. Wind is prevalent all along the WA coast so you just never know how it will be and you have to take the bad with the good. I’m hopeful that the wind will die down by the time we get out to Cape Range national Park so that we can enjoy the best of the Ningaloo reef while we’re there.
After set down and a bit of a break we head out to explore Exmouth with a drive out to the start of the Cape Range NP and the Vlaming Head lighthouse which is about 25km’s out.
NINGALOO COAST
While there we read that the lighthouse is the only point in Australia where you can get both sunrise and sunset from the one point so we decide to rise extra early on Sunday to catch sunrise out here before we head out to Cape Range and then do sunset out there.
Saturday 31 August 2024
Exmouth to Cape Range NP
Temp: 17 – 28 sunny and windy 25 – 45kph with gusts
A very slow day today. The wind is gusting and it’s very unpleasant so we have a cruisy morning with egg and bacon rolls then do a a few groceries then a drive around Exmouth.
We visit a new Marina estate and while checking out the boats I see a huge eel swimming underwater along the rock wall. He’s obviously hunting for his lunch!
EEL
Sunday 1 September 2024
Temp: 20 – 30 cool & breezy morning, sunny.
We rise at 5:30am, dress and grab a jacket as it’s cool and breezy, then jump in the car and drive to the lighthouse. It’s magnificent to see the light in the sky change through a myriad of colour and to experience sunrise like this on the WA coast.
NINGALOO COAST WA SUNRISE
After about 1/2 an hour we head back into town pack up and hitch and then head back out again, this time continuing down the Ningaloo Coast Road for another 36 km’s with the coast on our right and Cape Range on our left to our booked spot at MESA campground. The wind has settled as the day progresses and we are looking forward to the next three days exploring Ningaloo Reef.
MESA CAMPMESA BEACHMESA BEACHMESA BEACHTURQUOISE BAY
We arrive, set down and have a chat to Rick and Val, the volunteer camp hosts then throw on togs and we are off for a snorkel at Turquoise Bay. Rob does some drift snorkeling on the current while I choose to swim and let my ankle just enjoy the cool water.
We spend a couple of hours enjoying the water before heading back to van where I have planned a roast lamb for Rob for Father’s Day. We enjoy the sunset in the dunes with a glass of wine and agree it’s been a perfect day!
SUNSET MESA CAMP – NINGALOO REEF
Happy Fathers Day to all the dad’s we know . Stay safe and take care of one another.
Locations: Eighty Mile Beach, Pardoo & Cape Keraudren, Port Hedland, Karratha WA
Regions: Kimberley, Pilbara WA
Dates: Sunday 25 August – Thursday 29 August 2024
Temperatures: 24 – 37 degrees, hot!
Startingkilometre’s: 6490
Today we are leaving Eighty Mile Beach heading for Karratha with a couple of stops along the way.
The weather has really heated up and we hear on radio national that in the last few days 140 year old August temperature records are being broken all over the Kimberley and Pilbara regions!
Up until the last couple of days the nights have been nice and cool provided welcome relief from the hot days but last night it only got down to 24 and that’s on the coast so you can imagine what inland temps are like!
Today we are traveling 173 kilometre’s to De Grey River Free camp, moving into the Pilbara and driving mostly along the coast.
TODAY
Still traveling along the Great Northern Highway we turn right at Pardoo towards Cape Keraudren which is about 6 kilometre’s, mostly bitumen.
Cape Keraudren is a Nature Reserve not part of WA parks so day and overnight fees apply to visit. We arrive at 11:30am and it’s already 36 degrees. Rob wants to walk to a blowhole nearby so I elect for a shorter stroll to the boat ramp and enjoy views of the coastline.
CAPE KERAUDREN
Continuing on we pass Pardoo heading South to our overnight camp on DeGrey River. Rob walks to the river but it’s dry. Next morning as we leave we cross another bridge on the DeGrey River and this one has water.
PARDOODE GREY RIVER CAMP SUNSETDE GREY RIVER SUNRISEDE GREY RIVER
Monday 26 August 2024
Temperature: 20 – 38 sunny and hot.
Today we are passing through Port Hedland for fuel and supplies but not stopping. We plan to Freecamp again on our way to Karratha.
As we are driving towards The Port we pass a very long train loaded with ore and a large salt mining operation.
Fun fact, each carriage carries 140 tonne of ore and each train has 140 carriages!
IRON ORE TRAI PORT HEDLANDSALT MINING
Just after this we are on a dual carriageway and a driver alongside of us makes a circling motion attracting my attention. Something must be wrong so we pull over and the driver does too then comes back to tell us the drivers side wheel of the van is on an angle! He thinks we may have done a bearing.
I immediately start searching for caravan repairers and calling, after 3 attempts I get onto Bruce Rock engineering and they say to head over, they can take a look.
Based on advice from a tyre guy a while back Rob bought two hub and bearing kits in case so we have our own spares if needed.
Bruce Rock assess and it’s not the bearings at all, the wheel is slightly loose by about 5ml which is negligible and he’s amazed that the guy could see this from the road. Phew! Crisis averted!
In any case it’s good to have both wheels checked and tightened and the service is at a very reasonable cost.
By 12:30pm we are back on the road and back to our brief tour around the Port of Hedland. We visit Pretty Pool on the way out and then it’s onto refueling and supplies before heading back to the highway. Good to be back in the car too as it hit 39 degrees at 2:30pm.
PIRT HEDLANDPRETTY POOL
We cross Yule River which is very wide has no water but some cows are wandering about and our camp tonight is at Peawah River.
YULE RIVERPEAWAH CAMP
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Temperature: 18-34, sunny and hot
On the highway by 9:30am and this morning we saw a Flock of Emu’s; the first for a while, hills start to appear and the vibrant Stuart Dessert Pea pops up in patches alongside the highway from Whim Creek for about 10km’s. The temperature hits 33 degrees at 10:30am!
We cross Sherlock and then little Sherlock Rivers. One with water, one without. So different.
SHERLOCK RIVERLITTLE SHERLOCK
We turn towards Roebourne and briefly stop for a break. I grab a coffee from the community cafe and it’s a good one! Thank you Roeburne Cafe.
ROEBURNE HISTORICAL GAOLGOOD COFFEE
We arrive Karratha about 12:30pm. The town is very nice, tidy and obviously has lots of industry around mining..
We are here two nights and after set down we head out to Dampier, a further 20km’s to see the coast. We’ve heard the pub; the Mermaid, has great views and cheap meals so maybe dinner out tonight.
As we drive out, there is a long causeway with salt lakes either side and when we arrive the pub does have a lovely view and we think the sunset will be good so we decide to have an early dinner.
THE MERMAIDDAMPIERDAMPIER SUNSET
Wednesday 28 August 2024
Temperature: 18 – 35, hot and sunny
I’m awake early as usual and find a message from a girlfriend in Qld bearing sad news. An old friend has passed away tragically and unexpectedly.
Suzy and I knew each other through my daughter’s primary school years. She was an amazing woman, full of fun, spirit and a very kind person.
I feel so sad for her children, young adults going forward without her and for a life lived but taken too young.
The news weighs heavy. Times like this, it’s hard to be away from the support of friends but they are also just on the other end of a chat too which I take comfort from.
A quiet day of contemplation, washing and preparation for our onward trip towards Exmouth tomorrow.
Locations: Broome, Barn Hill, Eighty Mile Beach WA
Regions: Kimberley WA
Dates: Wednesday 21 August – Saturday 24 August 2024
Temperatures: 18 – 37 hot and sunny
Starting kilometer’s: 6096
We leave Broome around 10am with the destination of Barn Hill Beach Side Station stay 149 kilometre’s away so not a long drive today.
The landscape is arid and dry, flat and there are not a lot changes along the way. It’s also very hot today.
ROEBUCK
Barn Hill Station is a 10km drive off the Great Northern Highway along a red gravel road with four gates. At every gate we find vehicles behind our vehicle so naturally I wait to let them through. They all say thanks but not one offers to wait to shut the gate, despite my limping. Nothing surprises me these days.
The station is set along a clifftop, has a cafe where you can order the days meal, buy coffee and pastries and fresh baked bread. There are amenity blocks, huts to camp in and you can walk or drive down onto the beach.
After set down we head down to the beach for a slow walk.
BARN HILL BEACHSIDE STATION STAY
The beach is lovely and currently at low tide with an amazing 7 metre tide change (probably due to the full moon this week) so goes out a long way revealing all sorts of beautiful rock and sand sculptures along the coast line.
BARN HILL LOW TIDE
On our return to camp we seek and find Tony and Amanda’s van; friends made in Manning Gorge. We stop by to say hello and chat a while before heading back to our van.
Thursday 22 August 2024
Temperature: 21 – 28, warm and sunny
The next day Rob takes an early run on Barn Hill Beach and I rest my foot – too much walking yesterday. Later we wander over to the cafe to get a loaf of their whole grain high top bread to go with our snags in bread for tea tonight.
At the top of the cliffs we find some pink mulla mulla wildflowers.
PINK MULLA MULLA WILDFLOWERS
Later Rob returns to the beach for a high tide picture and then sunset.
BARN HILL HIGH TIDEBARN HILL SUNSET
Friday 23 August 2024
Temperature: 21 – 28 sunny
We have a longer drive today, 256 kilometre’s trekking down the coast line to Eighty Mile Beach.
The landscape remains desert dry, arid and flat for most of the drive with floodplains and an escarpment glimpsed in the distance.
We stop at the aptly named Sandfire roadhouse to refuel. It’s busy with a queue for fuel that takes 30 minutes!
SANDFIRE ROADHOUSE QUEUE
Again we turn right off the highway towards Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park and head down another red gravel road for 9 kilometre’s to the park. No gates today thankfully.
The park is spacious and our site is on grass and shady which is a welcome change to the red dirt and sand sites of late.
After set down we take a walk to the beach. There’s no swimming due to crocodiles and stingers and as if that isn’t enough all the fisho’s are catching sharks!
The beach is a stunner though with attractive aqua water and a lovely breeze. It can be driven on though so even more caution required…
EIGHTY MILE LEFTEGHTY MILE RIGHTEIGHTY MILE OUT FRONT
The walk to the beach, then along and back again is enough for my ankle , it’s also very hot the past few days so we retreat into the shade for the remainder of the afternoon.
We head back to the beach for sunset and it’s a beauty over the water. The tide has gone so far out, about a kilometre at least we thought and amazingly I seem to catch a stairway to the sun photo over the flats!
Saturday 24 August 2024
Temperature: 18 – 34, hot & sunny
Today is even hotter so I catch up on some washing and making bread. My loafs aren’t optimal at present as I’m using lower protein flour, a different wholemeal to feed, it’s consistently warmer and I’m baking in the van oven so I’m trying a levain, made from my starter Millie then fed, bloomed and used in the dough but that’s not really working either. My loafs have a good crumb but there is no real rise which is frustrating.
In the cool of the late afternoon I see a pheasant walking across the top of the hedge next to the van and some White breasted Woodswallows I think, high in the treetops. If I’m correct they are related to the Artamidae family of Butcher birds, Currawongs and Magpies here in Australia.
WHITE BREASTED WOODSWALLOW
Tomorrow we are off again leaving the Kimberley for the Pilbara as we head towards Port Hedland and Karratha.
Locations: Derby, Fitzroy River, Nillibubbica, Broome
Regions: Kimberley WA
Dates: Wednesday 14 August – Tuesday 21 August 2024
Temperatures: 13 – 33 degrees
Wednesday 14 August, 2024
Starting Kilometre’s: 5535
Temperature: 13 – 33 degrees, sunny.
We left Derby around 10am for just a short drive today, 116 kilometres to Nillibubbica Rest Area via the Great Northern Highway which crosses the Fitzroy River
FITZROY RIVER
According to WikiCamps there are some Crocodile sighting areas along the way so we stop at each one hoping for a sighting. Signs of recent and major roadworks in the area will have impacted the local population though and we only see flood plains and the Minnie River apart from the partial remains of a dead crocodile.
MINNIE RIVER
We camp at Nillibucca Freecamp in shade and relax for the afternoon, me with my foot alternating up or on ice.
Thursday 15 August 2024
Temperature: 15 – 32 degrees, sunny.
Another 107 kilometre’s to Broome and we arrive late morning, chase down some groceries then check in and set up. Broome Caravan Park is large with a big oasis pool complete with lap lanes and lots of shady recliners to relax in. We spend the afternoon cooling off in the pool, my foot loving the cold water. Later in the afternoon we visit the Town Beach Markets where we grab dinner of Chicken Satay and Green Curry.
Broome has strong historical ties to Asia due to strong migration from the 1880 to the 1960’s from countries like Japan due to the pearling and associated industries.
As we head back to the car I spy a small Sea Eagle eating his catch atop a light post.
Broome has an outdoor Cinema called Sun City Cinema in the “Chinatown” district of Broome so we head there to take in the new Alien sequel, just starting today. The cinema is the real deal with hessian seating and not much changed in over 40 years I’m later told. It is a real treat with a bar and choc tops to boot!
Also as we watch the movie and to top it off, planes are flying in very low overhead on their runway approach! The first one gave me a good scare!
Friday 16 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 32 sunny
This morning I make some sourdough discard muffins and do some washing before heading into town. I’ve been trying to rest my foot but I’m determined to visit the famous Paspaley and other Broome shops in the lookout for a South Sea Pearl. Rob takes a walk out to the town jetty then picks me up. The pearl’s are so beautiful but so very expensive! Maybe I’ll do better at the weekend markets with the 2nd or 3rd grade pearls.
MUFFINSCHINATOWN
Saturday 17 August 2024
Temperature: 17 – 33, morning fog then sunny.
Quite a strange start to the day with morning fog that didn’t clear until 8:30am. The day warms and feels humid, summer like?
A restful day with another cooling swim before we head to Cable Beach in the afternoon for a look and to plan a picnic for Sunday with some friends we are catching up with.
CABLE BEACH
Sunday 18 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 33 sunny
We pick up friends Rudite and Ian who are from Morgan, SA whom I’ve known for years from visiting my sister there. We have arranged to take them to the weekend markets and visit Roebuck bay lookout afterwards. No luck in my pearl hunt but Rudite and I buy hats and Rudite finds a lovely necklace as a souvenir of the visit.
COURTHOUSE MARKETSROEBUCK BAY LOOKOUT
The day is heating up so next we head to MATSO’s Brewery, the oldest in Broome to cool off where the others get paddles to taste. I’m the designated driver so I have my usual version of a lemon lime and bitters which is fruit only, no syrup, bitters and soda water. Healthy and refreshing.
RUDITE AT MATSO’sKEG SINK!MATSO’S BREWERY HISTORY
It’s been a busy morning so we all head back for Siesta’s in the heat of the afternoon then gather again for a picnic at Cable Beach in the late afternoon.
The hot and humid day cools off to a breezy afternoon and there are loads of people about for the sunset. We see a camel train coming in off the beach before we leave. A lovely day.
PICNIC AT CABLE BEACH
Monday 19 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 33, hot & sunny
A relaxing morning and we are catching up with some new friends today, in fact are meeting for the first time! Friends of friends who are traveling & living in their van like us, we have both landed in Broome at the same time so we have organised to meet for lunch at Spinifex Brewery.
We meet Leanne and Cheryl at 1pm and it’s truly like meeting old friends. We find common ground very quickly and chat our way through lunch and the afternoon sharing life and travel stories. What a lovely pair.
We see the camel trains walking past as they head to cable beach too.
NEW FRIENDS!
CAMEL TRAIN
A really lovely day!
Tuesday 20 August 2024
Temperature: 18 – 32 hot, sunny
Our last day in Broome today so we have a few jobs to do. I’ve found a bookmaker in town who will hopefully fix my hiking boots but no, he tells me they are disintegrating and beyond repair so in the bin they go. Oh well, they’ve been great boots with 8 years of service so I can’t complain. Next is BCF in search of tap fittings then we drive out to Kimberley port as they have a Natural Arch then to Gantheaume Bay to see how far out the dinosaur prints are and to check the tide which is currently high.
KIMBERLEY PORTNATURAL ARCHMINYIRR PARK
In the afternoon we pick up Ian and Rudite as we plan to go see the dinosaur footprints, then the Town Markets to see the Stairway to the Moon and dinner afterwards.
We head to Gantheaume Bay as the tide is now right but looking at the map the dinosaur prints are too far around the point, over too many rocks to make an easy walk so we head back to Minyirr bay at the Port as I’ve found some there too.
DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS
Next it’s back into town to the Markets and the Staircase to the Moon. The Stairway to the Moon is a phenomenon that occurs at Full Moons for 2-3 days between March and October when the tide is fully out and the reflection carries across the tidal flat creating a stairway of reflection to the moon.
Rudite’s and I visit the markets while Rob parks the car then meets Ian at a nearby bar to wait for sundown.
I finally find a pearl that’s within the budget I set and Rudite finds a lovely one also, so we are both happy shoppers.
As the sunsets and moonrise approaches the four of us find a position to watch from amid the thousands (no I’m not joking) of people here.
MY SOUTH SEA PEARLHERE IT COMES!
I’ve studied hard to try and get the best pictures I can on the iPhone and take lots of snaps with reduced exposure, night mode, flash off etc.
It is an amazing thing to see for real so if you visit Broome I recommend planning for it.
Next up is dinner at Divers Tavern which has been recommended. It’s busy today after the Ladies Cup and the Stairway event so there are people everywhere.
We’ve had an amazing time in Broome, despite my foot injury. It’s been lovely catching up with friends old and new and the relaxation has been good too.
I hope this finds everyone well. Stay safe and be kind.
Dates: Saturday 10 August – Tuesday 13 August 2024
Temperatures: 14 – 34, sunny & hot.
Derby
Saturday 10 August 2024
Temperature: 18 – 34
Hot over night and I’ve used up the last of the ice in my foot. I’m awake at dawn and Rob not long after. Today will be a slow day for me but I’m hoping we can make the famous Derby Mud Crab races this afternoon.
Rob attends to washing and a few groceries while I keep my foot elevated and watch the black cockatoos eating seeds in a nearby tree. Their raucous but gentle cries to each other sounds like they are chatting about the taste of the seeds.
Rob returns from the washing line about 200m away and shows me a picture of two Frogmouths asleep in a nearby tree. I’m determined to get there soon to see for myself but I’m still adapting to the crutches.
FROGMOUTHS
The mud crab races, held at the Mary Island Fishing Club start at 3pm. We are a bit late due to my slowness and unfortunately all the crabs are taken. We don’t mind and find chairs to watch the heats. There are 10 races, 2 semi’s and a grand final. The host Darren does a spectacular job and is hilariously funny. Punters who were lucky to buy a crab had to name the crab and give their names and where they were from. Darren introduces each crab and the “trainers” and where they are from and asks why they named the crab as they did. You would be surprised how many people named their crabs after their dogs! Darren then calls the race and along with his helpers nudges the crabs to get racing! It’s a lot of good fun.
MUD CRAB RACES, MARY ISLANDS FISHING CLUB
RACE 1
We are able to buy drinks and dinner tickets for $20. Dinner is a bbq burger, sausage, salad and a taste of mud crab!
All losers go in for a warm bath!
SUNSET – MARY ISLANDS FISHING CLUB
Rob and I had a great time. We enjoyed the jolly fun of the races, caught up with a few fellow traveler’s we met along the Gibb and dinner was good too. I gave Rob my muddy as he had done extra work all day looking after me.
Sunday 11 August 2024
Temperature: 15 – 33, hot
Another morning of resting and icing my ankle, which is starting to colour up today and quite swollen.
We plan two small outings today, both to the same place at different times to see the low and hide tides, as the tide goes out a long way.
I tried to catch the same image in three locations from the jetty to show how much the tide changes things.
LOW TIDEHIGH TIDE
At low tide we saw a lot of these odd looking fish. Maybe a type of mullet?
We also took in the sculptures around Derby after seeing the low tide and waited for the sunset after the high tide.
DERBY SCULPTER’SDERBY SUNSET
Monday 12 August, 2024
Temperature: 16 – 33, hot & sunny.
Today is our overnight trip to Horizontal falls, something both Rob and I have been very much looking forward to ever since Rob booked it 9 months ago!
We are being picked up at 12:45 so I take an early walk down to the Frogmouths without the crutches as I don’t want to take them. I figure it’ll be easier to manage all the steps on and off planes and boats without them if I can manage it. It goes slowly but I think I’ll be ok.
We are flying in a seaplane which is exciting and a first for both of us. The flight out is directly North to Talbot Bay and the return journey tomorrow flies North West over the archipelago before turning South West back to Derby.
Turns out to be a long walk out to the plane. Oh well!
We are lucky to be travelling with new friends Tony & Amanda, whom me we met at Manning Gorge – they have a Traxx Series 3.0 and an Isuzu tow vehicle same colour as ours and another group of four, two couples we met at Ellenbrae, from Alice Springs.
The landing is smooth and the water is the most gorgeous aqua blue and the surrounding environment beautifully pristine.
We are quickly disembarked, drop our overnight bags, geared up with life vest and then straight onto a jet boat. In all this I leave the bag with my camera behind so these next shots are Rob’s and the tour guides!
HORIZONTAL FALLS
The jet boat ride is exhilarating with lots of fast turns and figure eights on both sides so that we can see every angle of the coastline leading up to the Horizontal Falls.
Created by the huge tidal movements in the area moving through the gaps in the McLarty Range, which has two ridges running parallel and approximately 300 metres apart.
The first and most seaward gap is about 20 metres wide and the second gap is about 7.5 metres wide.
Our tour guide Jack does a really good job of explaining the age and geological features of the area and promotes a healthy respect for the cultural significance of these lands for our indigenous people.
After passing in front of the first gap several times we eventually motor through which is exhilarating and then circle back and pass through again and again. The tidal fall at present is only about 1 metre but can be significantly higher we are told.
We then cross the water to view the second gap which is much narrower and are told that for cultural reasons we won’t pass through or proceed further. Instead we hover close to the gap and do figure 8’s in front of the much smaller gap.
This area is a true wonder of nature to behold and according to Jack our guide, described as the “8th wonder of the world by Sir David Attenborough. I mt’s so beautiful I totally agree.
We head back through the falls again and back out into Talbot Bay where the pontoon is moored and then further on and past then turn left up Cyclone Creek. The geological features of the ranges on either side are amazing, they are so old!
I’m sure these photos won’t do it justice but they are amazing to see!
The whole area is pristine and very beautiful. I swear I can feel the weight of time passed here and I feel very grateful to be visiting this spectacularly special place.
As the sun begins its trek towards the horizon we head back to the pontoon.
Next up we have swimming with sharks! Rob’s keen of course!
Just kidding, he actually swims next to them with a barrier. I’m surprised at how graceful and beautiful they are and I’m totally mesmerized, my fear forgotten. We have several smaller dusky sharks, one beaten up grey nurse, affectionately known as “agro” and a big lemon shark visiting.
DUSKIESROB SWIMMING WITH SHARKS!AGROLEMON SHARK
One little dusky has learnt a party trick to get attention for the barra that Jack is throwing to the sharks. He swims on his back!
Sunset is a beauty and we enjoy pre dinner snacks and a drink. Dinner is freshly wild caught barramundi pan seared with some lovely salads and grilled potatoes, followed by an apple crumble.
SUNSET TALBOT BAY
Dinner is all but over by 7:30pm and the staff say goodnight. We linger over coffee and tea chatting to our dinner companions Tony and Amanda and another couple Natalie and Ray from Victoria. My foot is up with an ice pack kindly provided by staff which is sweet relief and it’s lovely to relax before we head to our cabin around 9pm.
Tuesday 13 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 32 hot & sunny.
It’s an early start with breakfast at 6am and our overnight bag packed ready to leave. I’ve been awake since before 5am so I’m ready by 5:45am so take some early photos of the coming sunrise from the pontoon deck.
BARRA SHACK, OUR ACCOMMODATION
After a cooked and continental breakfast we are back on the boat for another trip to the falls to see the reverse tide.
Talbot bay is like glass and the sun hitting the ranges seems to make them glow. It’s cool and apart from the boat very quiet as we motor to the falls.
OUTGOING TIDE HORIZONTAL FALLS
Someone asks if you can swim through the falls. Our guide Jack answers with a story of Pearl Fisherman who were curious about this so threw a 44 gallon drum in. It disappeared and didn’t come up. The next day they found drum, flattened like a coke can. He further explained that the tides wash through all the way to the bottom of the gaps and that there are rocks at the bottom. I can see the whirlpools created so I’m thinking the answer is a firm no!
I managed to get a video snippet that shows the tidal pace on the corner. About 25km/hr! Fascinating!
We spend about half an hour slowly touring through the first fall and viewing the second before returning to the pontoon. Within minutes we see several seaplanes heading in with new guests and soon it’s time for us to leave.
PONTOON
SEAPLANE ARRIVING
From the air you can clearly see the two ridge lines of the McLarty Range that have created the phenomenon of the Horizontal Falls.
As we fly back we pass over the Archipelago which seems endless from the air, we pass the Graveyard, an area where many pearl divers have lost their lives before turning South West towards Cone and Cascade Bays. We then fly over a Barramundi Farm.
ARCHIPELAGO BARRAMUNDI FARM
We arrive back in Derby in seemingly no time. My foot is painful today after all the steps, stairs and ramps so when we get back to the van I rest up for a while.
We finish our last day in Derby with a roadtrip out to Birdwood Station to stock up on meat. Funnily enough the lady who serves us was at the hospital same day as me with a sprained ankle also so we chat.
On the way back to town we stop at the Boab Prison tree.
BOAB PRISON TREE
Wow! Derby has been amazing. So much more here than we expected!
Locations: Manning Girge, Galway Horge, Imintji, Bell Gorge, Derby
Region: Kimberley WA
Dates: Wednesday 7 August – Friday 9 August 2024.
Temperatures 17 – 34 degrees Wunamiin Miliwundi Ranges (prev King Leopold Ranges)
Total trip kilometres: 5058
Wednesday 7 August 2024
Manning Gorge to Imintji 80km’s
We had a very nice evening yesterday chatting with Greg and Tracey from Bundaberg area whom we met on the Gorge trail yesterday. We sharing stories, wine and two very nice cheese platters. A lovely evening with lovely people.
This morning we are moving onto our next camp at Imintji Community Camp where we will stay for two nights and visit Bell Gorge tomorrow.
On the way to Imintji Community Camp and just at the start of the Phillips Ranges is Galvans Gorge. We stop for a walk and a swim.
The track in is about 1km, mostly sand with a few rocks.
The Gorge when we arrive is beautiful and shady. A cool oasis on this hot day.
We both head in for a dip and visit the waterfall on the other side before I swim back and take some photos.
I see three white cockatoo’s head to the top of the fall. It’s very likely there’s a pool up there and it is obviously a favourite spot for them to drink and bathe and stepping back I see a beautiful boab tree right at the very top of the Gorge.
It is such a an awesomely lovely place, cool, peaceful and serene.
I’m reluctant to leave.
But continue on we do. Back to the car and off we head, up and then over the Phillip Ranges now heading South West and towards the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges.
As we drive, we see hills starting to appear at our sides and ranges in the distance and we have bitumen for about 20km’s, a nice change from the gravel.
Before long we see Bell Gorge camp, then Imintji Community Store and then the campground. We check in at the store and on the way to the camp see a Brahman on the side of the road and then two more big beautiful Brahman bulls sauntering down the road.
OUR CAMP
We make camp with a big golden escarpment as our backdrop and later as the sun sets I take a few snaps of the dusky, dusty wilderness.
MOON & EVENING STARIMINTJI COMMUNITY CAMP
Thursday 8 August 2024
Temperature: 19 – 34
Today we are hiking Bells Gorge which is about 45km’s from here.
We planned to set off nice and early and spend most of the hot part of the day there 9am – 3pm but were delayed by a couple seeking help around 7:30am. They had a problem with their van and needed to contact the manufacturer so we turned the Starlink on and then waited until they got a message through and then a reply back with a short term solution to keep them going so we set off about 9:00am and arrived at the Gorge around 10:00am
As we get ready to leave the car the sole of my left boot peels off so I swap to my Merry People boots.
It’s a short fairly easy walk to the Gorge with sand and then a rocky creek bed and two creek crossings.
The walk is pleasant but rocky. We make it to the gorge in about 20mins.
BELL GORGE TRACK
The second part of the track around to the falls (in red on the map) is a level 5 walk so I opt to stay at the top and take pictures of Rob swimming below, up to the falls.
The Gorge is quite long and there are already a lot of people here including an APT Kimberley tour group, swimming as I take pictures of Rob setting off for his walk.
BOOTS OFF
I walk up the Gorge beside the falls and take pictures of Rob as he comes down on the other side and has his swim. The water looks deep and I can see rocks below the surface. These places are absolutely amazing.
ROB UNDER THE FALLS
The falls are so awesome and the sound is refreshing and clear in this oasis setting.
BELL GORGE VIDEO
I take a picture of the Gorge in both directions before hopping in for a swim in one of the top pools.
The picture above shows a fellow with a white cap and black trunks on. As I was getting in to swim he eases himself over the top ledge of the falls and sits in crevasse with the water flowing around him. The rocks here all have either black or green algae on them which makes them very slippery. My nerves ratchet up as I think of how the day could be ruined for everyone present if he slipped and fell. The foolishness of people in these places never ceases to amaze me. I see the tour guide shaking his head and people in his group start to call him back, saying he’s making them anxious so it’s not only me that feels this way.
I swim up to the edge of the falls, stand about two metre’s back on a sandy patch and wave at Rob and he takes a picture of me at the top of the falls. I’m in the pink shirt!
We enjoy a great day at Bell Gorge, swimming, lounging in the rocks and chatting to people from all over the country, some international people too. We explore the rocks and spend ages watching a Mertens Monitor alternately sunning himself on the rocks and then diving into the water for a dip and repeating this over and over again. It’s beautiful with pale yellow spots on its dark brown skin.
MERTENS MONITORIN FOR A DIP
We enjoy snacks; some muesli bars I made yesterday and apples, while enjoying the cool shade from the rocks, Rob even dozing for a bit. A really lovely day… until we head back at about 2:30pm.
We walk back to the car park and visit the toilets and as I exit and head down the steps I badly roll my right ankle on an exposed rock underneath the last step. Oh no!
The pain is really bad and I can barely stand. Thankfully Rob heard my yelp and he’s there to steady me.
The pain is so bad I’m fearful I’ve done something bad, it’s all around my ankle and it can’t bear my weight.
Rob moves the car closer and with his help and my walking poles I make it to the car. The 7km drive back to Bell Gorge campground is rough and I’m in agony so when we arrive Rob rearranges the gear in the back seat and moves me there so my right foot is elevated. Then it’s another 45 odd km of rough road back to Imintji community and Rob stops at the store to get ice and then back to camp and before long my foot is in a bucket of ice water… I won’t tell you about getting the boot off!
SPRAINED OR BROKEN?
After that it’s a compression bandage, elevation and more ice. Known as the R.I.C.E first aid technique.
We have to change our plans now so decide to skip Winjana Gorge and the Tunnel Creek hike and head straight to Derby tomorrow. I’m sad about this as I know Rob was really looking forward to the walk – it involves a swim in a cave across 25metre’s with your gear in a dry bag and you need headlamps. So we will reschedule this if we can. It’s about 120km’s from the turn off to Winjana to Derby on the Gibb-Derby road. There also our trip to horizontal falls next week to consider but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
Friday 9 August 2024
Temperature: 18 – 34 degrees
Imintji to Derby 193km’s.
Total trip kilometres: 5220
We awake at dawn and Rob makes coffee. Thankfully after a night of elevation and an ice bag rotating around my ankle, it doesn’t look too bad, swollen but not grotesquely so and the pain is reasonable so I’m hopeful it’s just a bad sprain. Still not weight bearing but I can put it down on the ground this morning.
My lack of mobility means Rob has to do all the jobs which we normally share.
What a trooper he is. Setting the van to travel inside and out including all the extra jobs inside to accommodate the rough road and helping me too. He’s always my hero but especially today. I’m so thankful we share our life together. Thank you handsome.
We set off around 9am and after about 30km we move into another range with steep hills either side. There’s a lookout with spectacular views which we pause to enjoy.
The road is rough and the next section of road is very uncomfortable for me with my leg elevated across the back seat. I do my best to distract myself with the scenery and trying to take pictures but it feels like it’s going to be a long day.
We pass into Hart Mountain range and the rocks show basalt and we start to see trees “scribbly pine” I think. They are small oddly twisted shaped trees.
MT HARTWUNAAMIN MILIWUNDI RANGESWUNAAMIN MILIWUNDI RANGESQUEEN VICTORIA HEAD
We pass Queen Victoria Head, which oddly does look like her profile, particularly from afar and then over the Lennard River and around the bend is the Winjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek turnoff and this marks the end of the gravel! Thank goodness.
LENNARD RIVER BRIDGE
Rob pulls off and reinflated all the tyres and we continue on to Derby arriving about 1pm.
We visit the emergency department which is quiet and I’m seen shortly after by a young doctor who examines my foot and thinks it’s just sprained but wants to x-ray to be sure. The x-ray confirms his diagnosis and I’m much relieved. A sprain is manageable enough living in the van and with crutches in hand we continue on.
Stay safe, be kind to one another and love to all.
We have already travelled well over the estimated 4300 kilometres for this section of our travels but I didn’t include side trips. I think in Katherine alone we did about 400 extra kilometres so you can see how the numbers quickly grow. Sometimes we even travel further just to fuel up. From El Questro to Derby we have 635km of the Gibb River; at least half of that gravel and the toughest part.
We leave El Questro just before 8:30am crossing the Pentecost creek at the gate.
Once back on the highway we turn left on the Gibb River road with the stunning Cockburn range now on our right.
The range will stay in sight until at least Home Valley station I reckon.
17km on we cross the Pentecost River.
LEFTRIGHT
Within 1 kilometre of the gravel road starting on the other side of the Pentecost River our aerial snapped! First casualty!
Update: The Pentecost River crossing video won’t load so I have removed it.
Home Valley Station Visit
The road is rough with corrugations and rocks and the vibrations are bone jarring at times. It’s hard to maintain any speed either – I’m talking 50-60km’s at most but even that’s difficult due to the rocks and constant floodways. You need a bit of speed on corrugated road as going slower just makes the vibrations worse.
We see the sign for Home Valley and decide to call in. It’s 4km in off the road but it’s good to stop and take a break, especially on a hard stretch.
Home Valley is charming.
HOME VALLEY STATION
As we drive out of Home Valley we see the most amazing view of the Cockburn Ranges. Wow!
COCKBURN RANGES
No long after this we see a lookout and the views of the ranges are equally stunning.
COCKBURN RANGES
Continuing on we pass two cars, the first with a puncture and then not long after coming the other way, another car with a puncture. We then pass another vehicle and the owner is trying to fix a running board that’s come loose… then we find ourselves behind a slow truck with a slew of traffic coming the other way.
TRAFFIC!
We slow to let the truck get further ahead but it makes the vibrations way worse and it’s going very slow so we eventually have to pass him which is bit scary with all the dust.
The next stretch has some bitumen with some steep up and then down, then up again. Then a creek and then we pass another car that has done a wheel, maybe the axle!
Another river crossing, this one is the Durack River. This is very very rough going!
DURACK RIVER
Just after the Durack River; which in of itself was very rough to cross, the road turn brutal, with endless corrugated gravel and large rocks everywhere, this continues the rest of the 18-20km to Ellenbrae.
Along the way we see a car coming towards us, almost sideways but he recovers, thankfully!
List of injury’s
– Broken Antennae
– Korean BBQ Sauce all through fridge
– Milk bottle sprung a hole, milk everywhere
– Shelf on bench and fixed to the wall in bathroom – all the products jumped out.
– Bathroom door off it’s runners again
– Container of Farfale pasta spilt all through cupboard.
-Bottle of ginger ale sprung a hole and all over the floor.
We consider ourselves lucky though as we saw two punctures, a broken running board and a broken axle along the way.
The sign to Ellenbrae is welcome. The camp is a bit dusty but there is a nice waterhole, complete with Freshies, but that’s ok. Rob swims, I wade. There’s also toilets and showers.
We chat to other travellers. It’s a relief to be here.
ELLENBRAE STATION STAY
After our shower and a chat with Hazel, Rob’s mum, Rob watches the Lions game while I make dinner – BBQ Steak with Potato and a Lentil Salad before we have an early night.
Monday 5 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 33, bit overcast, sunny, hot
Ellenbrae to Manning Gorge 160km’s
Total trip kilometres: 5060
Sunrise
ELLENBRAE STATION
We are up early most days, today no exception. Rob makes coffee then gets stuck into finishing the repair on the ensuite door. I make breakfast, egg on sourdough toast today and start preparing for travel today. We are off to Manning Gorge and hopefully the road will get better soon.
We say goodbye to Ellenbrae about 9:00am and shortly pass over Dawn Creek.
BYE BYE ELLENBRAEDAWN CREEK
For the first hour and about 40km of driving the road remains rough like yesterday and the landscape continues to be low grassland bush.
Then we pass two young men juggling!
Weird as it sound’s, their car had overheated and they were passing the time juggling.
JUGGLERS!
For the next hour the road gets steadily better as we had heard about and hoped! We cross Ross Creek and before long come to the Kalumburu Road junction.
ROSS CREEK
At the junction we stop for a toilet break and another Traxx van comes in. We have seen this van twice this morning. A chat starts and before long other travellers join in. The conversation jumps from this road to that, this stop to that and so on. one couple are heading up the Kalumbura Road to the Gibb River camp so Rob decides we should head up there too, it’s only 3km’s…
We head up and the Gibb River looks very inviting, but it’s busy.
GIBB RIVER
We turn right off the road, hoping for a turn around but the track gets sandy and before you know it, we are bogged!
Had to happen sometime!
Rob put the Wee Beastie in low range and we got our trax out but we ended up deeper. Cal from Chinchilla and his wife Glenis who are camped nearby take pity on us and were very helpful and tow us out in no time. A big thank you and appreciation of the kindness of strangers.
Meanwhile I have spotted an Azure Kingfisher.
AZURE KINGFISHERAZURE KINGFISHER
We head off again on the last leg to Manning Gorge. The road is wide and really good and the Savannah grassland continues with some signs of either fire management or fire.
We cross a couple more water ways that look like great spots to camp.
Then we see an escarpment on our left and we know we can’t be far.
We pull in at the roadhouse, register then continue on another 7km to the camp ground. When we drive in we see our van but bigger with its own wee beastie so it’s a jinx! A chat with owners Tim and Amanda follows and we organise for a photo before together before we leave.
MANNING GORGETRAXX JINX!
After setting down we walk down to the creek for a dip. It’s beautiful with a sandy bottom and has to be swim across tomorrow with our gear in a drum at the start and finish of the gorge walk.
On the way back we see some cute finches, I have the dirtiest feet and we have a big boab right behind us.!
Tuesday 6 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 34
Manning Gorge Walk
So we set off just after 7:30 for this hike as it gets so hot in the middle of day and the UV is extreme too. We still get a hint of winter though as the heat falls out of the day around 5pm and the nights are lovely and cool.
As I mentioned the hike starts with a swim across the creek with your boots and gear in a drum. I didn’t get pictures as we started as we were offered to share a drum with two others and I didn’t want to hold them up to much.
The hike is 5.4km return, grade 4 with an elevation of 100m. The track is rocky and there are white dots and arrows to follow.
We see a few little lizards like this guy but otherwise no creatures. After getting the Azure Kingfisher yesterday my next creature of interest is the Frilled Neck Lizard.
The track meander from rock hopping to trail and back again and the last section of the walk is a gorge, down then up and then a big rocky bit of down into Manning Gorge. The first pool is gorgeous but the falls are still around the corner and down two steep rock ledge sections.
ROCK LEDGEWE CLIMBED THIS BIT!
It was worth the rock scramble. The Gorge and Falls are very pretty. There are quite a few people here, one APT tour group and some families too. The kids are jumping from the rock ledge surrounding the falls.
Rob’s in for a dip, then a walk around the falls while I take photo’s, then we swap and I swim before we enjoy a swim together.
ROB UNDER THE FALLS
The water is lovely, cool but not cold.
LOVELY SPOT TO RELAXROB ON THE ROCKS!MY DIP
We reluctantly head back around 11:00am after a couple of hours enjoying the Gorge, enjoying the views of the escarpment on the way back and our swim back across Manning Creek after a hot walk.
LAST LOOKESCARPMENT CROSSING THE MANNING CREEK
Tomorrow we head for Imintji campground and from there Bell Gorge.
After checking every bolt and screw and taping cupboards and fridge in preparation for the gravel road to El Questro and one final chat with Kay and Cliff a lovely couple from Cowra whom we met at Mataranka and then again at Kununurra, we set off.
We follow the same road to Wyndham and 55km’s along we turn left towards Mt Barnett and onto the Gibb River Road. We stop and take the obligatory pics and we’re off again. Emma Gorge is our first stop today for a hike and a swim, a further 26 km’s.
GIBB RIVER RDROAD AHEADFLOODWAYDURACK RANGESDURACK RANGES
We cross lots of floodways and have escarpments either side. We then come to the first wet crossing at King River!
Emma Gorge
Emma Gorge is beautiful and the drive in is not too bad. We check in at reception to obtain our park pass as it’s part of El Questro and then head out to the Gorge. It’s a 3.2km return hike, moderate level 4 with some rock scrambles.
ROCK SCRAMBLE!
Despite the benevolent name I didn’t enjoy the hike. It was a rock scramble most of the way which is not my favourite thing.
I didn’t take poles and got about 9/10’s of the way before I gave up. It got the better of me!
Maybe I am a bit tired after the last few busy days but I decided the best thing for me was to sit in a shady spot by a burbling pool and enjoy the space rather than pushing any further.
MY REFLECTION POOLEMMA GORGE WALLS
It’s hard to write this as I don’t give up easily but these days I’m better at listening to my gut which is why I chose to stop. I encouraged Rob to continue on and he did and had a lovely swim. These are his pictures of Emma Gorge.
EMMA GORGE
I still had to trek all the way out again and thankful did so with no harm. While I was sitting I saw three people fall, a teenager and two women. In my opinion it should not be listed as a moderate hike and I said so on All Trails!
We continue on to El Questro. We turn off the bitumen for our first section of gravel road this section of the trip and stop to let the tyres down.
We have 16km’s of gravel and it’s not too bad! Two wet crossing too.
We arrive and check in. We are here for three nights and will have to move sites after the first night. It’s a big space and I was hoping this would be sorted from when we booked but oh well! The first nights site is not great, sloping both ways but our neighbours are a nice couple. We make camp, then go for a walk and find happy hour at the Swing Bar!
THINGS TO DOSWING BAR
Friday 2 August 2024
Temperatures: 16 – 33
We both opt for a slow day today. So after a sleep in, a nice breakfast we move the van. A much nicer spot, flat with more room. After resetting we spend the morning going for a walk and then I catchup the blog and Rob does some forward planning, we have lunch, a nap, and then we have another walks around the park, shower, then head to happy hour and an early dinner at the Steakhouse. a lovely relaxing day
Saturday 3 August 2024
Temperature: 16 – 34 degrees
Zebedee Springs
Today we are up early, about 5:30am and are out before 7:00am.
Off to Zebedee springs for a dip. Zebedee is about half way back down the track to the Highway and is a short hike, 600m return from the Carpark. Grade 2
It’s a beautiful spring, tropical, warm and the water is clear. There are palm trees in the water and rocks and after about 20mins we discover leeches. A lady we are chatting to nearby suddenly grabs her foot and pulls off a small leach about 3cm.
She is horrified and leaves.
I’m not as phased and remain in the spring as while longer and thankfully neither Rob nor I have the pleasure of meeting any leeches!
One the way back to El Questro I take a video of the Pentecost’s River crossing! Hope it loads for you.
After yesterday’s experience at Emma Gorge, I’m reluctant to challenge Amalia Gorge, a grade 5 walk so Rob goes alone and I stay behind and do some cooking. I bake a loaf of bread and some raspberry friands and start a lentil salad for dinner.
Amalia Gorge
Rob enjoys his hike to Amalia Gorge, 3.5km, moderate, grade 5 walk which includes two pools, lots of rock scrambling and includes a chain rock climb! He finds a fellow traveler to take some pictures of his swim.
Location: Kununurra, Mitchell Falls , Wyndham, Lake Argyll, The Bungle Bungles
Region: Kimberley NT
Dates: 29 July – 31 August 2024
Temperatures: 16 – 34
Monday 29 July 2024
After such a hectic day yesterday with our Whistle stop tour of Wyndham, Monday starts a wee bit slower. Rob starts working on the van step which has sheared off, so he’s off to the hardware for brackets and bolts to try and repair while I catch up on some blog posts. It’s lovely and warm and there is a breeze from Lake Kununurra and with a cup of tea in hand what more could you ask for.
WORKINGWRITING
In the afternoon we go and visit Hoocheys so that Rob can do a rum tasting. It’s the oldest “legal” distillery in WA. He deserves a fun afternoon after all his hard work on the step this morning, which is now back in working order. What a handy man he is.
After I drive us back from the distillery, we take a nice relaxing walk around the park, visiting the avery to see the Gouldian Finches: such colourful little birds, and the parks Boab tree before heading to the waterfront. We finish the day with a relaxing meal and some TV
GOULDIAN FINCHBOABLAKE KUNUNURRA
Tuesday 30 July 2024
Mitchell Falls Coastal Adventure
Temperatures: 18 – 32
We spend the morning with me cleaning the inside of the van and washing and Rob checking every screw in the van in preparation for The Gibb, before we get ready for the first of our Tours.
We are picked up and driven to the airport at 11:15am and after being weighed and checked in our pilot James collects us and takes us to the plane. There is just us two and a third, a lady named Cathy from NZ and we are flying in a four seat Cessna 210N.
OUR FLIGHT PATHCESNA 210 NREADY TO GO
The route takes us across Kununurra and its farmlands then straight across country to Ngamoowalem Conservation park towards Durack and then Drysdale River National Park.
KUNUNURRA FARMLANDORD RIVERDRYSDALE NATIONAL PARK
We see the road to Kalamburu off The Gibb River road and some local seasonal fire management before we arrive at Mitchell falls which we circle in a figure 8 several times before landing on nearby Mitchell plateau. The falls are a sight to behold.
KALUMBURU ROADFIRE MGTMITCHELL FALLS AND PLATEAU
Apparently you can swim in the upper pool of the falls but not the bottom due to salties.
We have a 30 minute break while the pilot refuels and some light refreshments; mango cake and juice while we wait. Cathy our NZ guest has been air sick all the way out unfortunately so she’s not feeling great.
We take off again on the next leg, up and around the Kimberley coastline. The scenery is amazing and this is the absolute best way to see the vast area of the Kimberley.
We pass over the Lawley River National Park and see all the creeks shooting off. It reminds me of a brain!
LAWLEY RIVER NATIONAL PARK
Next we fly over North Kimberley Marine Park and along the coast and to the mouth of the Drysdale River.
KIMBERLY MARINE PARK
As we start to turn South East towards Kununurra we pass over King George Falls, not really flowing at this time of year but still spectacular with the River leading up into the gorge to the falls! So beautiful and there is a yacht parked just under the falls. Wow!
KING GEORGE FALLS
Next we fly along the coastline towards Berkeley River lodge, the most Northern remote resort, across an area known as Oombulgurri. The pilot says we may see sharks, rays, turtles or crocs and he is flying low but I can’t pick anything out. The coastline is stunning however and I take way too many pictures.
BERKELEY LODGE
From here we fly across Lacrosse Island and then into the Cambridge Gulf passing over Adolphus Island and Wyndham before heading back to Kununurra.
CAMBRIDGE GULF AND ORD RIVER
We swoop back into Kununurra crossing the Ord one more time. Poor Cathy has unfortunately been sick the whole way so I quickly exchange details with her so I can send her some of my photos.
Rob and I had a wonderful time. A little bumpy over the thermals at times but wow her what a thrilling afternoon.
Wednesday 31 July 2024
Bungle Bungle Tour
Big day today. We are out for day being collected at 8:15 for our flight South over lake Argyle and to the Bungle Bungles where we will hop on a bus tour for the day including a hike into the Bungles!
We are in a bigger plane; a Cessna Caravan this time, with 13 guests in total and our pilot is Dan. Rob and I get the bench seat right at the back so have lots of leg room.
Our flight path today takes the opposite of yesterday and we soon fly over Kimberleyland Caravan park where we are staying; see if you can find the wee beastie in the photo, before following the Ord or Lake Kununurra as it’s known at this stage because it is dammed at both ends and holds a continuous level of water; to one centimeter. We then cross over farmland, including of all things Cotton!
Kununurra means black soil by the way. And there is so much water out here it’s mind boggling.
We are in a bigger plane and we soon jump over a range and see the amazing Lake Argyle stretching before us. 67km long one way and 10km across the other, it holds 18 times the water of Sydney Harbour, around 10,763 gigalitres and due to this is classified as an inland sea with the same maritime regulations!
CROCODILE ISLAND – CAN YOU SEE IT?LAKE ARGYLE
We soon cross over the amazing wave like formations of the Osborne Ranges. An absolute marvel and I see a circular area at the end and I wonder if maybe they are due to a long ago meteor hitting the earth?
OSBORNE RANGES
Our pilot informs us that we have cross into Purnululu National Park (pronounced Burnululu)and that the Bungle Bungles are just ahead and soon enough there they are. A breathtaking sight in their unusualness.
BUNGLE BUNGLES
Interestingly they were only discovered in 1982 by two film makers making a documentary about outback WA. They heard word of some unusual rocks to be seen so hired chopper pilots to take them there. These formations are unusual as they are sandstone underneath and the crusted striating colours come from rust and Cyanobacteria which creates the green in the wet and black in the dry. The crust is very thin and takes years to develop so they are quite delicate and they are white underneath.
In the late 80’s the Bungle Bungles along with Shark Bay in WA were listed under UNESCO. Interesting that the Bungle Bungles and the Stromatolites found in Shark Bay are both formed from Cyanobacteria.
After circling around the Bungle Bungles for a bit we land, then having morning tea; butter cakes, tea and coffee, before jumping on our bus. Our tour guides Mardi and Nigel will look after us today.
The bus ride is about 25 minutes and we stop for photo opportunities a couple of time before arriving at The Domes where we will do a walk to Cathedral Gorge.
MARDI EXPLAINING OUR WALK
We set off, stopping periodically as Mardi talks about the landscape.
THIN CRUSTSANDSTONE UNDERNEATH PICKANINNY GORGECREEK BEDPICKANINNY HOLESGORGE OTHER DIRECTION
As we walk I smell a burnt caramel smell and soon after Mardi mentions it and explains it’s the sticky sap from the spinifex grass growing everywhere. The sap has medicinal properties and can be used to close wounds and provides antibacterial properties that promote healing.
As we head into Cathedral Gorge, Mardi pulls us off onto a ledge and in a hushed voice quietly tells us this is a place of initiation and then points up and we see some rock art.
PLACE OF INITIATIONWOOMERASCATHEDRAL GORGE
It about 10degrees cooler in the cathedral and you can see why it’s so named with the cavernous ceiling arching above. The pool is sacred and must not be stepped in or drank from according to cultural lore from the Djaru and Gija tribes that use these lands.
Rob and I walk around the pool to the rocks at the back for our lunch break.
It’s very peaceful and a good place for quiet reflection as we enjoy our meal.
LUNCH
After lunch we make our way out of the cool of the cathedral and back into the Gorge, heading back the way we came. On the bus we head back to Bellburn airstrip to drop four people off for helicopter flights before we make our way to Savannah lodge for afternoon tea of fruit and cake.
Once back at Bellburn we’re herded back onto the plane and are soon in the air. Our return flight takes us over the Northern part of the Bungles and Pickaninny Gorge. A grade 6 multi day hike.
We then fly over the Osborne ranges again and then the now defunct Argyle Diamond mine.
As we head into Kununurra the pilot swoops around to land over the Ord River and I take the photo below and then as I look down I swear I see a big crocodile in the water!!!
All in all it’s been a fascinating few days and a privilege to see so much of this unique part of the world.
A big thank you to my darling Rob whose idea it was that we take these tours.
Tomorrow we leave Kununurra and head to Mt Barnett via the Gibb River Road. our off road adventure begins.
Katherine to Saddle Rest Stop 339 km’s (100 East of Kununurra).
Total Trip kilometre’s: 4144
Temp 19 – 31 overcast, some showers
We set off about 9am with a longish day driving. Not far out of Katherine on the Victoria Highway west we pass several convoys of army vehicles.
The landscape is dry with sparse trees and termite mounds. I look up and see a Bustard right on the side of the road, on the left! Darn missed getting a picture. He was a big one too. Not long after on the other side of the road I see two more. Missed again!
As we approach Judbarra NP it starts to drizzle and we see puddles in the roadside. The air becomes sweetly scented by the native grassland, trees and a hint of ozone. Escarpments rise majestically as we come into Victoria River and the views are breathtaking beautiful. The teasing rain bringing the outback colours of ochre, russet, yellow and green to life and we start to see lots of Boab trees
We cross the Victoria River Bridge and stop at the Roadhouse to admire the ranges around us.
We continue on as we have for another 100kms or so to our camp for the night, Saddle Rest stop
We stop again just past Victoria River as the landscape is one escarpment after another and the views are non stop. The dry land has returned to grassland with many trees small and tall and some of the Boab trees are double, some triple with the girth of a small silo and the Victoria River is beside us on the right.
The rest stop when we arrive is nearly full but we fortunately find a spot and our backdrop is yet another towering escarpment.
SADDLE REST STOP
Rob gets out the Starlink to watch the Lions v Gold Coast in the second Q Clash for the season and I bake a loaf of bread and some sourdough crackers while we watch the game. A win for the Lions 🦁 yay! Eighth in a row I think?
Dinner is a pasta and salad as I use up the last of our fresh vegetables before the border crossing tomorrow.
Sunday 28 July 2024
Saddle to Kununurra 110 km’s
Total trip km’s: 4154
Temperature: 16 – 28
A hot night, eventually cooling with a breeze around 4:30am and we wake up to a cool drizzle gray morning. Not what I expected for up here.
We have a leisurely start with coffee, bacon and eggs before doing a final check on all things fruit and vegetables and I find a packet of slightly dried “fresh” basil hiding in the fridge. Darn I could have used that last night in the pasta sauce! Oh well.
We set off and the escarpment we were parked under continues for some way and morning showers again bring all the colours to life.
We cross into WA and the border quarantine check is quick and easy.
The only thing I didn’t think about was some frozen Thyme in the freezer which is a no no due to the woody stem. The officer appreciates my efforts though so no fine thankfully and then she offers us an extra 1.5hours today due to the time change!
Our first views on Kununurra are a Croc Wise sign and then a wetland as we come into town
We are staying in Kununurra for four nights as Rob has organise two tours, one to Mitchell Falls and a second to the Bungle Bungles. We check in, then do groceries and return and set up the van and as it’s still not quite midday decide to drive to Wyndham, another 200km’s there and back for the afternoon.
Wyndham is a port town in the gulf and the juncture of five rivers and we are told well worth a visit.
Molly Springs
22km from Kununurra towards Wyndham and down a rough 3km track is a lovely spot to swim with a little waterfall. Rob swims then gets out to take photos and moments after I get out of the water a fellow in the water start screaming “snake in the water”! Rob manages to get a photo when it clears the water at the tree just behind me in the third photo below and it looks like a brown!
Oh the fun of the outback!
MOLLY SPRINGS
We continue on and our next stop is The Grotto, a waterhole surrounded by 80m vertical cliffs. It has 140 stone and concrete steps you can take down to view it and of course we do. Imagining all the while what it would look like with waterfalls around all sides during the wet.
The Grotto
THE GROTTO
Back in the car, Rob and I both find an odd similarity in the landscape with Scotland! The road undulates through soaring hills that are sparse and dry, similar to some of the valleys we passed through in Scotland on the West 500 in 2019. The difference is the lack of wet green that you see in Scotland but it’s still eerily familar?
Maggie’s Valley
Approaching Wyndham we come around a bend and into a stunning Valley known as Maggie’s Valley. I can see why she loved it here so much.
The Big Croc
We arrive Wyndham and find the big croc! What a beauty!
The Big Boab
This tree is over 2000 years old!
Wyndham Port
Our next stop is Wyndham Port. Gazetted in 1886 the port serviced the cattle industry and gold prospectors and at one point was home to the biggest abattoir in the Southern Hemisphere at the time.
Five Rivers Lookout
Our next and last stop on our whistle stop tour of Wyndham today is the Five Rivers Lookout and a must see if you visit the area. The lookout is high with nearly 360 degree views of the surrounding area and it’s stunning with views over the Ord, Durack, Forrest, King and Pentecost Rivers.
FIVE RIVERS LOOKOUT
A great place for sunset but very overcast today.
Wow we have had a busy weekend and we are both delighted by what we’ve seen so far of the Kimberley and we are both looking forward to our tours this week very much.
We hope you all had a good weekend too. Stay safe and take care of each other.
We are due in Katherine by 2pm, booked in at the Discovery Park so we decide to visit Mataranka homestead for a morning swim before setting off.
At Mataranka homestead there is a replica of the old homestead used in the 1982 film, We Of The Never Never based on the life and book by Jeannie Gunn who lived in the region in the early 1900’s which we visit.
WE OF THE NEVER NEVER
We then enjoy our walk through the trees and our swim and an early lunch of Barra burgers before saying goodbye to Mataranka and traveling on to Katherine.
BYE BYE MATARANKA
The weather has continued to warm as we’ve moved North and by the time we reach Katherine the day is very warm. We set up our camp and take a dip in the very new resort pool. It’s very cold compared to the springs this morning.
Wednesday 24 July 2024
Katherine NT
Temperature: 18 – 32, hot, sunny
Today we visit the Katherine Springs. These springs are separated at each end of the current by barriers but there are still signs regarding fresh water crocodiles. The water is warm but not as hot as the 34 degree springs at Mataranka. Our dip is very refreshing and there is a small fall at one end that Rob playfully takes a swim over. He’s a big kid at heart. ❤️
KATHERINE SPRINGS
On the way back to the park we shop for a few groceries and I spend the afternoon starting to sort food for the NT/WA quarantine border crossing.
I pickle some of Hazel’s lovely daikon radish and carrot and start a new sourdough loaf while catching up on washing.
CAMP DINNERPICKLES & SOURDOUGH
Thursday 25 July 2024
Temperature: 24 – 33, hot humid
Butterfly Gorge Hike
Rob has found a nice hike, about 12km out to the 3rd Gorge on the Katherine River and you can swim so we set off early around 8:30am.
The hike is out and back in the Nitmiluk National Park which is about 20km from our park and part of the Baruwei Loop/Gurumal Trail a moderate rated trail.
BUTTERFLY GORGE MAP
The first 4 kilometres of the track essentially follow a fire trail from the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre. The track has a total elevation of 200m is very rocky, even slippery with loose shale at times, there are few patches of shade and we go up and down several times as we walk along the escarpment.
As we approach the next section of the trail we see a sign explaining where we are and from here the track gets very narrow and rocky, goes up again before going down into the gorge proper and as we head down we start to see lots of butterflies.
BUTTERFLY GORGE
The last section is a rocky scramble leading to a very narrow shelf above the river from which you can swim. When we arrive there are 3 others already there.
We remove our boots and I scramble to put my feet in and Rob gets ready for a dip.
DIPPING MY TOESROB IN THE GORGEOUR LEDGE
The views down the Gorge are amazing, we see people kayaking and I spot a turtle. It’s an amazingly beautiful spot. Well worth the hard walk to get here.
We find out the next day on our dinner cruise that this part of the Gorge is the deepest at 35metres and gets deeper each wet season due to a large whirlpool that develops here, causing the rocks to swirl and gouge the bottom further. We also find out this is a popular area for fish and crocs due to the depth!
VIEW DOWN THE GORGETURTLE
We spend about an hour before heading back. The day only gets hotter so it’s a tough walk back and we refill our water bottles several times at available rainwater tanks along the way! Thank you very much.
We deviate onto the Jadalep loop so that we can visit the Baruwei lookout extending the walk by about 2km to 14km.
Today we are doing two side trips. The first is a hike and swim at Edith Falls. Still in Nitmiluk National Park but 80 kilometres North of Katherine.
We set off around 8.30am, drive 60km North then turn right at the sign for Edith Falls and drive another 20km’s to arrive around 9:30. The National Park has a car park, kiosk and toilet.
The walk is a 3.9km circuit and we decide to walk anticlockwise. The walk has an elevation of 100m and the first part takes us past the bottom waterhole with a waterfall.
So spectacular!
LOWER POOL
The track then curves around to the left and becomes a rocky switchback straight up, followed by a scrambled rocky track for about 2km’s. There are very obvious signs of recent fire and I wonder if it’s management fire or from the NT fire last year? It’s hot today and I quickly become parched amongst the dry and blackened landscape.
We detour to Bermang Lookout for our first view of the upper pool. From here the waterfall is directly beneath us.
UPPER POOL AND EDITH FALLS
Another 500 metres of rock scramble which only gets worse and I begin to wonder how they graded this a moderate track? Reward looms though, as after a final rock scramble down we arrive.
There is a deep pool to swim across and we find a path across rocks to the falls, then a swim past them and around a pile of rock in the middle with a slight current that takes you over some slippery rocks and back around to the main pool! WOW!
EDITH FALLS
After a truly delightful swim we reluctantly dry off and put the boots back on for the walk back. Highly recommend you visit Edith Falls if you are in the NT. There is a camp so if you go to Darwin be sure to deviate that 20km’s off the highway. You won’t regret it.
On the way back on the outskirts of Katherine we see a flock of red tailed black cockatoo’s. Always a favourite.
Once back at the van we hop into some jobs, Rob maintenance on the water hose and starting to repair our step which has sheared away and I on food prep for the border crossing.
Katherine Gorge Dinner Cruise
After getting back to the van we both hop into some chores, Rob on van maintenance and I on food prep. I make a big batch of ratatouille, roast two sweet potato and some garlic and bake some sourdough crackers. It’s hot work so getting ready and showering for our dinner cruise tonight is welcome. We are both looking forward to the cruise very much.
The cruise is full, about 40 people I calculate and goes for about 3.5 hours and we have two boat changes ahead as we make our way up the gorge.
We set off and within minutes our pilot tells us to look towards the bank! There’s a freshie! A freshwater crocodile!
And on the opposite bank is a trap for a saltie! A saltwater crocodile… he assures as there aren’t any but there was last April. Apparently they investigate for six weeks after every wet season before opening (parts) of the Gorge for swimming.
The Katherine Gorge is stunning and everyone on board is mesmerized with its beauty and the witty commentary from our pilot.
And then there’s another freshie!
We continue up the Gorge to our first stop, where we need to disembark and walk up the Gorge to the next boat. As the dry season progresses the water level in the Gorge drops and the Gorge is separated into sections.
We disembark and there is rock art and towering cliffs to admire and a beautiful walk up the Gorge. The colours are amazing.
As we walk we chat to other guests, a young couple from France, an older couple from Germany and fellow Aussies too. We come to a wide plateau of rock that stretches out into the middle of the Gorge and it’s a great spot for photos.
Our second boat takes us up past Jedda’s rock and our pilot tells how the stone here is so old; 65 million year, that it contains no record of life, no fossils, nada.
The sun is starting to sink as we turn into the second Gorge and the colours and reflections are just so lovely.
We come to the third Gorge, our Butterfly Gorge from our walk the day before. You can see the ledge on the bottom right.
From here we turn back and retrace our steps. When we swaps boats the second time, it’s set for dinner and we enjoy a lovely three course dinner of local delicacies including crocodile, barramundi, eye fillet and mud cake for dessert with flavour’s of the top end, including Wattle Seed, Kakadu Plum and Lemon Myrtle.
Our dinner companions Matt and Amanda from Victoria are wonderful company and it is a very enjoyable evening.
Locations: Frewina Wetlands, Rockhampton Downs, Three Ways, Tennant Creek, Attack Creek, WWII Gorrie Airfield, Mataranka.
Regions: Barkly Tableland NT
Temperatures: 5 – 25
Thursday 18 July 2024
Barkly Homestead to Tennant Creek 212 km’s and 72 to Attack Creek
Total trip kilometres 2760
Temperature: 5 – 20 sunny, windy
We pass Frewina wetlands that stretch out from both sides of the highway and there are birds everywhere.
We pass Rockhampton Downs Station 10:25am (no pic) and there is evidence of fire on both sides of the highway at different times
About 60 km’s from Three Ways and the Stuart Highway we are constantly slowed to 60km/hr and we experience big sections of flood damaged road; from the NT flood earlier this year, and crews working on it so it’s a slow section.
FLOOD DAMAGED ROAD
We turn left at the Stuart Highway junction and head down to Tennant Creek, 24km’s for a bit of nostalgia.
We pass the Historical Telegraph Homestead and the Mini Pebbles turn but continue on. At Lake Mary Ann we turn so I can revisit. I have a picture of me under the sign on the highway, taken in 1988 and it was Mary Ann Dam in those days.
LAKE MARY ANNNEW PARKLANDMARY ANN DAMDAM / LAKE
The town feels familiar but changed of course after 37 years. We drive around as I try to hunt out past residencies but it’s too long ago. I can’t even remember which streets!
MAIN STREET
In the way back we stop at Three Ways, still on my nostalgic tour. There is a fellow tiling and a few people drinking. I remember the pool table and the juke box but I think the layout has changed.
We continue on and camp at Attack Creek 72km’s from Tennant Creek.
We both relax for an hour before preparing dinner, Steak, Corn on the cob and Broccolini done on the Ziggy and I bake my current loaf after its second proofing.
Friday 19 July 2024
Attack Creek to WWII Gorrie Airfield 431 km’s
Total Trip Km’s 3184
Temperature 7 – 25 degrees sunny
After a busy few days we agree to a slower start today and set off around 10am. I’m still unwell. I thought my cold was lifting yesterday afternoon but feel heavy with it this morning.
Found these interesting prints around the van… bird or something else?
MYSTERY TRACKS?
We are heading to a camp near Mataranka called WWII Gorrie Camp today.
Nearly as soon as we set off the landscape begins to green and every creek has water. Morphett Creek is absolutely full of birds and pelicans but I miss getting a photo. Oh well, then we see an escarpment.
Major roadworks just before Renner Springs slow us down a little.
ROADWORKS
We see Lake Woods Conservation Covenant off in the distance on the left as we approach Elliott. A large body of water.
We arrive Elliott and refuel, stretch our legs with a quick break and continue North. We pass Newcastle Waters rest area on a rise not long after with glimpses of a wetland in the distance to the right.
Continuing on we stop at the Sir Charles Todd Memorial and read about the Frew Ponds overland Telegraph Line. The last connecting piece joining North and South is about 4km West. The Telegraph, made possible by John Douall’s 1862 exploration was conceived by Charles Todd and constructed over 3 years connecting North and South and making communication that once took months by land and sea between Australia and Great Britain possible within minutes.
SIR CHARLES TODD MEMORIALOVERLAND TELEGRAPH
This is where we notice dragonflies, they are everywhere and as we travel we continue to see them for miles. The landscape continues to change. We now have tall trees, Eucalyptus and Wattle, russet grasses and pink button grass. And cattle on the highway!
We pass Larrimah Springs and pull into see the Historic Hotel and the Pink Panther.and our camp is just 10 km’s away.
LARRIMAH HOTELPINK PANTHER
A lovely quiet spot off the highway and another terrific sunset.
Lamb Shanks in Red wine and Cauliflower Mash for dinner.
Saturday 20 July 2024
WWII Gorrie Airfield to Bitter Springs, Mataranka NT 65 Km’s
Total trip km’s 3251
Temperatures 7 – 27 degrees
My cold is starting to lift so we enjoy a lovely morning walk up the airstrip and back. We see lots of little birds flitting about and about 8 kangaroos
WWII GORRIE AIRSTRIP
On the way back a young man, camping with 3 others; two couples from France as it turns out, stops us asking for advice on his tyre. We take a look and it’s showing signs of wear with a bit of balding, damage from Kakadu trails he thinks but he is also very loaded up in the back and has a rooftop camper. He wants to know if it will make it to Cairns?
It’s a good question. Maybe? If he takes it easier and reduces the tyre pressure a bit.? We check he has a spare and the other tyres. The other back one is showing wear too. We talk about the risk of blowout and suggest Mt Isa might be better to get them changed over. Talk turns to travel, they are all on working visa’s, have done their obligatory 88 farm days in WA near Kununurra and are now traveling across to and then down the East Coast. We wish them a safe journey and I hope the tyre holds for them until they can get it fixed.
We set down and as we are about to head off an identical Isuzu drives in towing a van. Margaret and David are from Sale, Victoria. They are also off to Bitter Springs tomorrow so we plan to catch up.
We head off and it’s a short drive to Mataranka. The day is warming up and we pass some large termite mounds and then wetlands.
As soon as we park up we change and head down to the springs, a short walk away about 500m. When we arrive at the viewing platform a fellow mention he’s just seen a crocodile! He is rattled and gotten his children out of the water. There are signs advising there are fresh water crocodile’s in the area but we are fairly confident they wouldn’t let people swim if there was much risk.
The water is a gorgeous turquoise colour and beautifully warm, about 34 degrees. We really enjoy a leisurely circuit on our pool noodles letting the current take us.
There are quite a few people here. I’ve managed to avoid most in the photos, thankfully.
BITTER SPRINGS
The afternoon is taken up with some washing and then we go for a late afternoon walk back to the springs. I’m hoping to take a picture of, or even see an Azure Kingfisher.
When we arrive a fellow with a tripod shows me a photo of a freshwater crocodile he’s just taken!
It’s a decent size and he’s sure it’s still about. We wait for a while at the lookout but don’t see anything and then follow the spring around. It’s quiet and the colours of the trees and the water are amazing but no Kingfisher’s appear. Oh well!
BITTER SPRINGS DUSK
On the way back the fellow says we’ve missed the croc moving down the spring and he points to where he thinks he is. Top right of my photo.
FRESHWATER CROCODILE?
An exciting day. We finish with an early dinner of leftover lamb shanks and an early night.
Sunday 21 July 2024
Bitter Springs.
Temp 7-23, cool overnight, sunny day.
Today we are heading to Mataranka homestead and the springs there followed by a walk. This is the spring I remember visiting during the time I lived in the NT in the late 1980’s.
It is a more formal pool now with concrete and fiberglass enclosing the pool with rocks. We enjoy a lovely dip.
MATARANKA HOMESTEAD SPRINGS
The one I remember was more like bitter springs with natural edges but round and not very big. After our swim we start our walk and we find a spring that fits my memory but no swimming allowed. It looks like there is a big thermal release happening so maybe that is why?
MATARANKA SPRINGS 80’s?LOTS OF THERMAL ACTION!
Continuing our walk we trek 1.2km’s through the tropical forest then out into arid bushland parallel to the Roper River and Stevie’s hole. No swimming her due to crocodile activity and currents.
SPRINGS FOREST500m AWAYSTEVIES HOLESTEVIES HOLE
On the way back I get a fair picture of a whistling kite. Our constant companion in the skies up here.
WHISTLING KITE
Monday 22 July 2024
Temperature: 12 -23, sunny
Today we are doing the Mataranka Falls hike, about 10km’s. My cold is continuing to improving so I’m hopeful of a good walk. The trail begins about 24 km’s from Mataranka near a campground and there are other trails nearby. The trail starts with a Crocodile safety sign which is ironic in a way because some of the walk is right on the waters edge – see first dot point on sign!!!
The track starts with a creek crossing then meanders through the bush cutting to and away from the Roper River.
MATARANKA FALLS TRACK
It’s a lovely sunny morning and the track is fairly easy to walk with tantalizing glimpses of the river and its creeks.
As the track meanders it changes from rock and packed clay to large sections of sand. I start looking for tracks and soon enough come across a section with lots of snake tracks!
SNAKE TRACKS!
I’m just thinking to myself that these look recent, when I look to my left and I’m just walking past a snake! I continue moving away and then turn at a safe distance and take a couple of pictures. What a beauty!
BLACK WHIP SNAKE?ZOOMED
Later I try to identify. I think it’s a black whip snake but missed seeing his tail which is red on this Venomous NT snake, so I’m not 100% sure?
We see so many snakes while hiking, I no longer get wobbly with adrenaline but rather excited and we both have a very healthy respect for them and our safety.
The next section of the walk takes us along cliffs and becomes tropical.
We reach the end of the walk and the falls are actually more like rapids, the area is very tropical and again we are very close to the water!
MATARANKA FALLS
We head back and on the way see our version of the famous Wanaka Tree in NZ. A tree growing in the middle of water!
MATARANKA TREE!!
I also see more tracks in the sand… maybe this one is a Goanna?
When we arrive back at the park I see a big Brahman cow who obviously is owned by the park. We’ve seen lots of these up here.
Locations: Longreach, Winton, Kynuna, Cloncurry, Mary Kathleen
Regions: Outback Qld, Barkly Tableland NT
Temperature: 7 – 25 degrees
Longreach to Winton
Saturday 13 July 2024, 180 kilometres
Total trip kilometres 1460
Temp: 7 – 23 cool morning, sunny
We are heading to Winton today but first up we attend to a bit of washing and cleaning in the van and getting it set to go. We keep a big 20 litre bucket under the van for waste water drips and while here we’ve had the waste water pipe out also and as Rob goes to pack it all away he finds 3 dead rats, drowned in the bucket!
Our last post mentioned the rat problem in the Outback at present and this is definitely one of the not so nice sides to camping. We think they crawled up the pipe and either fell or jumped in and then couldn’t get out.
DROWNED DEAD RATS!
After setting the van we head into town as the CWA have showers for a donation and there’s also a market from 9 – 12pm.
We meet Gwen at the CWA, she is 90 and volunteers 1 day a week to different aspects of the CWA. Today she’s looking after the showers and she has made scones.
We enjoy a quick shower then spend about half an hour enjoying Gwen’s company, her scones with jam and cream and a cup of tea. Gwen tells about her time as president, traveling the Longreach district and all about the Lake Dunn Sculpture trail. The Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail is a 200 kilometre circuit that loops between Aramac, Lake Dunn and Jericho. Along its route you’ll find 40 sculptural installations showcasing Outback elements and life, from emu families to jackaroos. Not for us this trip but something to consider if your headed out this way. Sounds awesome!
We head back to the van and are on the road by about 11am.
We arrive Winton mid afternoon and after setting up at our camp, meet our neighbouring travellers who advise there are rats here too unfortunately, more on that later…
We then head into town to see the Opal Festival. Unfortunately though we are latecomers and most of the stall holders have packed up. One fellow shows me a few samples of Boulder Opal though and they are entrancing. The red, green, gold and blue colours dance as if alive amidst the stone and I briefly wish I was in the market.
We then head out to the musical fence, a whimsical collection of metal objects and a fence that can be used to make music if you’re talented enough. We do have a go but neither of us strikes a chord. Nearby is a nod to the QANTAS history.
Back into town and we walk the Main Street and it’s charming with its beautiful old pubs and the Waltzing Matilda museum with the statue of Banjo Paterson out front. Across the road there is another statue of the swagman from his most famous poem, written not very far from Winton.
We visit Arno’s wall with its collection of everything engineering and then visit the Australian Hotel for Happy Hour and are lucky enough to catch bush poet Gregory North right before he recites that most famous poem – The Man from Snowy River and other famous works by Banjo Paterson including the story of the writing of Waltzing Matilda.
We return to the van just in time for another gorgeous sunset and after dinner we catch up with our neighbours Cheryl and Doug for a drink around their campfire.
Rob had booked our Age of Dinosaurs tour for 10:30 so we leave the van around 9:30 as it’s 24 kilometre’s from Winton back towards Longreach and we also camped about 5 kilometres out of Winton on the Jundah road.
The age of dinosaurs site is in the Blandenburg National park high up on an escarpment. After the turn off the A2 highway we see a flock of whistling kites and then two Wedgetail eagles tussling over some small prey. Maybe a rat!
The Age of Dinosaurs is a great place to visit. Everything from the lab; didn’t know you can volunteer and get training to work on dinosaur bones, to the collection room and March of the Titanosaurs it is a must see.
THE LABCOLLECTION ROOMMARCH OF THE TITANOSAURSHE IS BIGMOON SCULPTURE
On the way back we see a flock of emus and we take a picture of the Winton sign, there is a bolt behind the “I” which allows you to replace the I. Thought that was very cool and fun too.
EMUSWE ARE THE “I”
Monday 15 July2024
Winton to Cloncurry 440 km’s
Total Km’s 1938 including side trips.
Mary Kathleen (West of Cloncurry) to Mt Isa 65 km then on to Camooweal 180km
Temp 7 – 22, cool morning, sunny
Pass Ayrshire Creek, a series of plateaus.
AYRSHIRE CREEK
100km’s from Winton we see a tabby cat trying to cross the road and then a while later I see a black cat off to the side of the road with a huge monitor lizard less than a metre away. It’s a strange sight and I wonder if one is stalking the other? I also see another Australian Bustard standing alone in the grass.
We stop at Kynuna Roadhouse for a break around lunch and munch on sandwiches while watching four Brolgas casually strolling around.
Continuing on the highway we see several large flocks of kites, wheeling and circling on thermals above the highway usually over fresh road kill.
We pass through McKinnon and the Walkabout Creek Hotel, made famous by the movie “Crocodile Dundee”
Our camp for the night is at Mary Kathleen an abandoned and dismantled town 60 km South of Mt Isa, West of Cloncurry.
MARY KATHLEENOUR CAMPTHESTORYSUNSET MARY KATHLEEN
Tuesday 15 July 2024
Total trip km’s 2191
Temp 5 to 20 sunny
We drive into Mt Isa, 60km’s enjoying the hilly scenery on the way in.
We shop for groceries at the local Coles, visit the pharmacy and then have a pub lunch at the Mt Isa Hotel. Rob has a steak and I have a Korean poke bowl. The meals are very nice.
We then walk back through the town then visit the Caravan dump point and fill the water tanks.
We continue on, thinking to either stop at a WWII camp site 60kms out of Mt Isa or further on at Camooweal. 180km’s away.
The landscape begins to resemble an ocean of dry tufted grasses moving with the wind and it feels a bit like being ship in an inland sea. Smalltrees dot the horizon which shimmers in the afternoon sun.
The WWII memorial mentions the building of the Barkley Highway; previously just a dirt road, during WWII as part of the defensive effort to protect Northern Australia. The camp is just off the highway and already well occupied. It’s just before 3pm so we decide to continue on.
We arrive Camooweal around 5pm and camp literally on the Georgina River creek-bed. It’s a beautiful spot with lots of birds either side of the bridge resting on the riverbanks and the sunset is amazing.
CAMP IN THE RIVERBEDGEORGINA RIVER
I make a quick spiced pumpkin soup for our dinner and I relax in bed enjoying the Masterchef finale (no spoilers here) while Rob reads in frustration about the AFL Tribunal findings against Charlie Cameron. The consensus online is that it’s a rubbish decision and once again very Melbourne Centric!
The cold I started a few days ago is gaining momentum so it’s an early night.
Wednesday 16 July 2024
Camooweal to Barkly Homestead NT 260 km’s
Total trip km’s 2455
Temperature: 5 – 20, very cool start, sunny and a stiff breeze
After starting a loaf and making some discard sourdough cracker dough to bake later we set down and head off. My head cold is now raging and I have a roaring head and face ache which is a bit disappointing as it’s the SOO (State of Origin) decider tonight, our NRL ( National Rugby League) annual contest between NSW and QLD.
We set off and about 30km’s down the Barkly Highway we cross into the NT.
Over the border the landscape on both sides of the highway flattens to a sea of never ending sea of spinifex.
Another 80km’s on we pass Avon Downs station on the left and the Avon Police station on the right. There is no fuel or service here so no reason to stop.
The rest area just before the station has the stories of Thomas Guthrie’s establishment in 1882 and one of the longest sheep droving routes in Australia from Donald, Victoria to Avon downs, Northern Territory, 16 months and 3500 kilometres starting with 11,000 sheep and arriving with 4000! There’s more on this driving at the Stockman’s Hall of fame.
Another 60 or so km’s we pass Soudan Station and see Stockman preparing cattle for transport. We’ve seen many of these road trains with four, sometimes five carriages.
STOCK MUSTERREADY TO TRANSPORT
Next up and closer to Barkly Homestead we pass a wetland. Full of birdlife and the landscape is now peppered with Termite mounds. The are everywhere! Some as large as cars.
WETLAND
We arrive Barkly Homestead about 1:30 (1:00 NT time) and after set down we both shower which perks me up no end. Theres’s just something so relaxing; for me anyway, about having my head under water.
BARKLY HOMESTEAD
My cold is raging though so after lunch and a load of washing. I rest for a bit. We then go to happy hour and I catch up on the phone with my daughter Carly, always a treat. Then it’s another rest before a late dinner and SOO Final.
The mood is festive and there are many people dress in Blue and Maroon. About equal which I’m very pleased about. I set up chats with fellow Blues supporters Grant in Qld and Heather in NSW and Rob does the same with fellow Qldr Michael and his daughter Kat. The rivalry and banter is fun.
The game is a cracker with great defense from both sides and only a penalty goal to Qld right before the end of the first half. There’s a bit of biff and Rob I playfully argue about which side started it. Qld of course haha!
We enjoy our meal during half time, a Barkly burger for Rob and Calamari and salad with chips for me.
The second half continues to be a tussle but Qld starts to show signs of fatigue and NSW takes the lead with a try and then another with a conversion. NSW win the match hurrah!
We finish the night chatting to two NSW supporters sitting behind us and then talk turns to travel plans.
All in all a great night and the Barkly Homestead is a great place to visit if you’re travelling the great Outback. Be sure not to miss it. I have many memories of visits here when I lived at Tennant Creek during the late 80’s so it’s great to see that it’s bigger, better and thriving.
On to Tennant Creek tomorrow. Should be a blast from the past. Love to all. Stay safe and warm!
Regions: Darling Downs South West, Central and Northwest.
Temperature: 7 – 26 degrees
Trip A on the odometer is set to zero in the Isuzu. We have lightened the van load and checked everything in preparation for the journey ahead.
In the next two weeks we will be crossing regional and outback Queensland, diagonally almost, as we head for Mt Isa via Charleville and Longreach.
Monday 8 Jul 2024
Comminya to Muckadilla 470kms
Temp 7 – 21 degrees currently 17 degrees and sunny with showers earlier.
Two Roos practice boxing in the nearby paddock in the early morning light as we prepare to head off
The day warm’s and the farms around Coominya look moist and brown with new crops springing up a verdant green against the rich black soil, moist from recent rain. I’m sure the farmers will be grateful of the recent winter rains.
ROOS BOXING – COOMINYA
We travel West through Dalby, Chinchilla and Miles. As we pass through Miles we see the big Watermelon!
THE BIG WATERMELON – MILES
West of Miles we leave the Western Downs region and enter Maranoa region with a welcome sign to Outback Queensland.
A longish day on the road with stops at Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles and Roma.
We park up at the Muckadilla camp; west of Roma with toilets and hot showers for a donation.
Tuesday 9 July
Muckadilla to Augathella, 330 kms, Total trip kms – 800.
Temp 9 – 21, rainy then sunny then overcast.
Heavy rain overnight and a damp morning dawns. It’s showering so after morning stretches, coffee and breakfast and that hot shower we were looking forward to, we set to and are on the road by 8:30am. Good thing too as not long after the rain starts in ernest. Great to see the Outback getting a big drink.
We pass through Mitchell and on towards Charleville and the rain clouds break up and the day clears to sunshine which was fortunate as we planned to do the Riverwalk on the Warrego River.
We park in Alfred street, walk the Main Street and then follow signs for the Riverwalk. A lovely walk to stretch the legs and see the river and then we loop back to the van. About 3kms.
LEFT SIDE WARREGO RIVERRIGHT SIDE WARREGO RIVERYELLOW RUMPED THORNBILL?ROB WITH WELCOME TO COUNTRY SIGNALLTRAILS WALKING TRACKUNDER A UNIQUELY ARCHED TREE
Homemade salad rolls for lunch and we continue on to Augathella, our stop for the night. A great camp with near new toilet and shower facilities for a $10 donation per night and you can camp here for up to 8 nights!
AUGATHELLA FLOODSSUNSET BIG ANT COUNTRY
Wednesday 10 Jul 2024
Augathella to Barcaldine 330 kms
Total trip kms – 1130.
Temp 2.5 – 26 degrees
It’s a very chilly start but sunny and by 7:30 the sun is warm.
I set a loaf and do my stretches while Rob’s out for a run. We then have coffee and breakfast before heading to the showers. I really like rest stops with toilets and showers I must say, very civilized and a habit I would like to continue…
We see lots of vans; in fact we’ve seen more vans these past few days than we have previously. A lot of them have red dirt so probably coming from “The Big Red Bash” held out at Birdsville last week. An annual event on the Outback calendar, just like Boulia camel races, Ilfracombe horse races and Cloncurry rodeo scheduled this weekend. They had rain so it turned into “The Big Muddy bash” apparently and there are also a lot of vans going North like us. Every camp spot has been quite full too.
The land stretches out as we enter “Big Sky country” and there are a few puffy clouds. We start to see lots of Kites, most would be the Whistling Kite but perhaps a few Black Kites too.
KITEKITE ZOOMED
We pass through Tambo, famous for the “Tambo Teddy” My oldest daughter Riley received one of them as a baby from a close friend, Margaret who was born in Winton which is NW of here past Longreach.
We arrive Blackall and visit the famous “Black Stump” which has burnt down but there are two replica’s along with the story. I also spy another in the Main Street as we take a passing walk.
BLACK STUMPSTORYSTATUE OF JACKIE HOWE AUSTRALIA’S BEST SHEARER
Continuing on to Barcaldine the day starts to warm up. We arrive around 3:30 and the temp is 26 degrees. Positively Balmy!
Before heading to our free camp; no shower at this one, we visit the “Tree of Knowledge” in the centre of Barcaldine. So named for the reputed birthplace of the Labor Party!
Barcaldine has lots of interesting art along the Main Street and some Scottish history too. The name, originally Bar Call Din, was named after Barcaldine castle in Argyle by the Cameron Family and derived from Barr a challtuin or Hazel Knoll in Gaelic.
We didn’t go back to see the tree at night but apparently it’s stunning when all lit up.
Thursday 11 July
Barcaldine to Longreach 110kms
Total trip kilometres 1310
Stop at Ilfracombe and the Wellshot hotel. A Charming hotel with loads of character, from hundreds of old hats on the ceiling, including one of Lee Kernagan’s, to the barstools! (see photos) .
OLD FARTS CORNERHATS AND MONEY ON THE ROOFNOVELTY BAR STOOLSHEY COWBOY!LIADS OF HISTORYCHARMING TOWN
A great spot to stop and stretch the legs and take in the town’s rich history with many displays on the history of the town, wool scouring, ANZACS, farming equipment and old vehicles all freely available to explore along the highway.
Just outside Ilfracombe we see three of the strangest birds standing in the grass. At first glance, thought they were baby emus but the colouring and proportions were wrong. Later identified as the Australian Bustard. Photo not mine and courtesy of Australian Birdlife.org and taken by Andrew Brooks. Such an unusual looking bird and I’ve never seen one before so very cool.
AUSTRALIAN BUSTARD
Longreach Apex Park camp is busy with vans when arrive but we find a space and set down.
We were fortunate to find a potable water tap behind the van so I spend the afternoon washing, enjoying the local wildlife; brolgas no less, and meeting other campers like Bob and his pet cockatoo Laurie.
BOB AND LAURIEBOB AND LAURIE!BEAUTIFUL BROLGAS
Bob then tells us about the rats! Apparently the park has a bit of a problem and they’ve taken out four cars, just in the last few days. The little buggers get into the engines at night where it’s warm and destroy wiring and circuitry. The trick is to keep the bonnet up so the area cools and to keep a light on. Later our neighbour’s, a lovely couple; Sheryl and John from Sale in Victoria, tell us the same thing, so we follow the advice.
The sunset over the Thompson is full of colour and accompanied by a local country artist entertaining guests at the caravan park on the other side of the river. From afar he sounds a bit like slim dusty with his crooning country melodies.
THOMSON RIVERSUNSET
Later I rest and shape my dough and pop it in the fridge for its bulk prove overnight and it’s a simple pesto pasta meal for dinner.
The park has about 18 roosters roaming around, some of which are very large and yes they started crowing very early. I wonder who put them there?
APEX PARK ROOSTERS
Friday 12 July 2024
Temp 12 – 26 cool morning, sunny.
Today, after more washing; having taken advantage of the available water and with the van batteries keeping up from all the lovely sunshine, we head into town for a walk, a quick bite and then our allotted tour of the Stockman’s Hall of Fame.
Longreach is a thriving, bustling town of about 3,750 residents but likely servicing many more than that including graziers in the area. Tourists, van’s, campers and Winnebago’s are everywhere.
The town’s main Street, Eagle Street’s shops are all operating and the town is obviously well cared for.
Fun fact! All the town’s streets are named for birds. There’s Duck, Brolga, Emu, Wren and many more including Bustard!
The Stockman’s Hall of fame is well worth a visit and I’m sorry we missed the live part (not available on Fridays). The displays and history are thoughtful and informative. I continue to be amazed with the courage, strength and tenacity of our forebears. We may not have the buildings that are hundreds of years old, as the European countries have in abundance, but as we explore this wide brown country of ours I am humbled by the stories….
Imagine leaving the East Coast in a sulky (small horse drawn carriage) with a pair of horses and two young children. Imagine surviving on nothing but tea, damper and treacle for months. Imagine travelling into the unknown outback to a small parcel of land, starting from scratch. With only that which you had transported! My mind boggles.
STOCKMAN HALL OF FAMEBRILLIANT OLD PHOTOGENERAL STORE ON WHEELSREPLICA ORIGINAL HUTA JACK SAWYER PAINTING
A brilliant visit full of stories, art and artifacts. Very enjoyable.
The day finishes with another beautiful sunset and we are off to Winton tomorrow.
Hello lovely people, I hope this finds you all well and thriving!
I’m writing from our Housesit House in beautiful Mount Coolum on the Qld Sunshine Coast and pondering how time flies. It seems only days; not weeks ago, that we arrived and tomorrow we leave here.
Before we came to the Sunny Coast our first week in Qld was in Coominya, where we shared a few wonderful catch-ups with family and friends and we’ve had a couple up here at Mount Coolum too. It’s been wonderful to see everyone after being away this past 12 months.
You may have noticed I’m very behind with the blog. This is due to having struck an internet access issue back in April whilst in Victoria due to my VPN security program and it took weeks to sort out.
Never fear though, I’m planning to catch up a few posts over the next week before we hit the road again on the 8th July and will continue to post so more to come.
When we set off again, we have a relatively quick 5 week trip planned across to WA as we have a date with the horizontal falls off of the WA coast at Derby in mid August.
Our plan is to head West then North in Qld, making our way to Charleville, Longreach and then Mt Isa. Crossing into the NT at Three Ways we will then head North to Katherine then West into WA to Kununurra and across to Derby via the Gibb River track, hopefully spending a couple of weeks exploring the Gibb River area, weather & track conditions permitting of course as there is about 600km of gravel road.
All up about 4300 kilometres!
It’s been a lovely relaxing four weeks here at Mount Coolum looking after little Mogwai, a very cute Shih Tzu.
It’s such a great lifestyle, a quiet community and kilometer’s of quiet beach either way. Lots of doggies too which is nice.
Here’s a pictorial of our days…
Sunrise at Coominya Sunrise at CoominyaCatch up with FriendsMount Coolum BeachRob swims all year round!Watching National Roller Derby comp with MogsMy daughter competing in National Roller Derby comp on TV!Gorgeous MogsThe sand is great to roll around on!Cuba CoffeeWagtails coffeeBeautiful friendsGorgeous GirlsSunset at Mount CoolumWatching AFL with Mogs
The days have been made up of slow walks with Mogs on the pathways and on the beach. Lots of bike rides, reading, writing and lovely evenings listening to the waves lulling us to sleep. Thank you to Kathy and Gary for allowing us to housesit and look after their little dog Mogwai.
Rob has also been very busy spending quality time and helping his daughter with some bigger jobs on her property at Coominya. He is a wonderful dad!
If you’re in Qld I’m sure you’ve been enjoying the sunny winter weather. May and June have long been my favourite months of the year here.
Just one more thing before I go.
Go the Blues! Best of luck for the decider on the 17th July. Rob would also add Go the Maroons! Always a fun contest in our house.
Love to all. Stay safe, be kind and look after yourselves. xx
Locations: Halls Gap, Seppelt, Dunolly, Bendigo and Daylesford.
Dates: Wednesday 17 April – Sunday 21 April 2024
Regions:
Temperatures: 6 – 18 degrees
Wednesday 17 April 2024, 8 -14 degrees, cloudy, sunny, no rain.
Rob’s Birthday! We celebrated last night and have been every night since Saturday with both of us fully subscribed to the idea of a birthday week! One day not being enough 😄
Packing up early we are off to Rob’s birthday experience at Seppelts, an idea provided by Nick and Dee the previous evening, thank you, and we say goodbye to this lovely couple., new but wonderful friends.
We arrive Seppelt winery, about 30km from Halls Gap at 10:30, early for the wine tunnel tour at 11:00. Seppelt is separate but associated with Seppeltfield in the Barossa SA. Being early gives us time to explore the winery museum. A lot of history here!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!
The cellar tour is amazing and full of wine history. There are 3.7km of tunnel’s, 7 metres underneath the winery extending out and around the winery grounds.
Our host Colin, part of the Seppelt family is relaxed and informative. He has lots of stories and anecdotes to share as we traversed through the tunnels.
BALLROOMBIRTHDAY BOY FOR WEDDINGS OLD BARRELS FIRST GLIMPSE TUNNELSWOW!OLD BOTTLES
The tour is absolutely amazing and not to be missed if you are in the area and a lover of wine! I’m reading the book “The Widow Cliquot” at present. The first female entrepreneur vintner in France and founder of “Veuve Cliquot” one of the biggest and most successful family wineries in Champagne ever produced in France and set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The tour brings the book to life for me in some many ways. Just brilliant!
IAN HENRY’s PRIVATE COLLECTIONTHE TUNNELS COLIN OUR HOSTBIRTHDAY SAVIOURSSUSTENANCEGUEST HOUSEPRIVATE DINING CELLAR
We leave Seppelt and head towards Bendigo. We pass through Dunolly, an old goldfields town, full of history. We stop as the name is similar to that of the Clan seat of MacDougall in Scotland – Dunollie Castle, but we can find no link. Lots of beautiful old buildings though.
Our camp tonight is Pratty’s patch, a pub NW of Bendigo. The company is magnificent, we met Lyn and Andy from Ballina, and a local couple Val and her husband.
The food is amazing, Pork Bellly for Rob an Crumbed lamb cutlets for me which we share. Yum!
Lots of camaraderie and a great night!
Thursday 18 April 2024, Bendigo 6-18, cloudy, foggy then sunny.
Van Service today so we drop the van at All RV’s and campers, East Bendigo then head for the city and the Tramway museum and the Deborah pit which are located together.
The talking tram ride is full of the history of the trams, Bendigo and the Gold Rush era.
OUR TRAM TODAYCHARRING CROSSGEORGE LANSELLLAW COURTSTHE CONSERVATORY FORTUNATRAM EXCHANGE TRAM EXCHANGE RED HAT LADIES CATHEDRAL
Bendigo is an amazing city. We hop off the tram at the centre of town known as Charting Cross. Apparently lots of English names were reused here in Australia as most of us know, to help the early settlers from the UK feel at home.
We walk up the Main Street towards the Art Gallery, then meander out and around to the Sacred Heart Cathedral then do a loop on the other side of town and back to the tram terminus.
MARY MACKILLOP
After return to the Deborah Pit we spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the mine and reading all about the rich Goldfields history of Bendigo before taking one last tram ride. Fun fact: Gold was first discovered by two women in Bendigo creek sparking the gold rush of 1851!
Friday 19 April, 2024, Temp 9-17
We camped just outside Bendigo on a quite a noisy section of the road last night and set off early for Daylesford. The day is overcast, drizzling but clear late afternoon.
We camp at Mount Franklin, about 8km outside Daylesford and after set up, trip into Daylesford for the afternoon.
Locations: Penola, Casterton, Hamilton, Grampians, Halls Gap
Regions: SouthEast SA, Great South Coast and Central Highlands VIC.
Dates: Thursday 11 April – Tuesday 16 April 2024
Temperatures: 11-19 degrees
Thursday 11 April, 2024. 11-19 degrees Robe SA
A busy morning, up early to bake my latest Sourdough loaf in the camp kitchen before we set off today.
We leave Robe and head North East and our first destination is Penola a country town rich in grazing history and home to Australia’s only Saint Mary MacKillop.
We enjoy a stroll around town taking in the history of the Cameron family before visiting the Mary McKillop interpretive centre.
The centre outlined the history of Scottish families who came to Australia and then settled in and around the Penola area, the Cameron family and Mary’s association with them before starting her first school, St Joseph’s devoted to educating the most disadvantaged children and later her canonisation as a saint. Thought provoking and rich in detail. A lovely place to visit.
JAMES CAMERONCAMERON HOUSEORIGINAL SCHOOL
We leave Penola and within 30km’s cross over the Victorian Border. No quarantine here at all but I was extra careful using up all our fruit and veg so there would be no issue.
We enter the Southern end of the Grampians before long and the hills begin rolling with pasture and cattle again before we pass on through Casterton and then on to Wannon Scenic Reserve, our stop for the night. About 212 kms today
VIC BORDERBIG BULLSROLLING HILLSCASTERTON
Our camp is a lovely quiet spot with the falls a 5-10min walk away. It’s chilly and there’s a fire pit so after checking the safety signs, Rob sets a fire to start and we enjoy our dinner of Chicken and pancetta stew with rice sitting by a warm fire.
CAMP VISITORSFLUFFY MAGPIEWANNON FALLSWANNON FALLSLOVE A GOOD CAMPFIRE
Friday 12 April 2024, Southern Grampians, 7-18 degrees
We head off mid morning into Hamilton to shop for groceries, stow them and then have a walk around the town. It’s a bustling place with a busy Main Street and lots of shops including Coles, Woollies and Aldi. We have plenty of time today as we are only travelling 80km, 20km of which we have already done.
As we walk we see a sign for walk in flu jabs at a pharmacy so after enquiring and booking we have a couple of hours up our sleeve. Rob decides to get a haircut then we visit the local gallery and the botanical gardens.
The gallery exhibition – Emerging from Darkness: Faith, Emotion and the Body of the Baroque brings together National and International works from the 17th century showcasing three female artists alongside Rubens, Boulogne and Manfredi to name a few. A stunning exhibition, well worth the visit.
Next we walk to and around the botanical gardens before heading back to the chemist for our jab.
The drive out of Hamilton takes us further into the Grampians and the peaks begin to line up in front of us.
STHN GRAMPIANSMT ABRUPT AND MT STURGEON
Tonight’s camp is just as nice at Wannon Crossing with lovely mountain views in the late afternoon sunlight. Another camp fire tonight too.
Saturday 13 April, Mafeking 7-18 degrees, cool cloudy then sunny.
Hiked Mt Sturgeon, 4.7 km with 300 elevation. A great workout with spectacular 360 degree views of the Grampians National Park. The trail began from Mt Victoria Valley Road with a gradual ascent to the summit and back again, starting with a sandy track, then natural rock stairway gradually becoming steeper towards the top. Great hike, stunning views with a wallaby on the way down!
MT STURGEON SUMMIT
After a good hike you need a good meal so I prepped Osso Bucco for a slow cook over the campfire. Accompanied by Rossi & Pissi. (Rice and Peas) risotto.
Sunday 14 April, 2024, Temp 7-19, Lovely sunny day.
Made sourdough crumpets and started a sourdough loaf then cleaned the van while Rob did some maintenance on the van, checking tyres etc.
About 1pm set off for Halls Gap about 43km’s driving through the Grampians.
Went for a walk around town, visited the brewery then caught up with Nick and Dee, fellow Qld travellers for drinks in the late afternoon.
BREEZE C’VAN PARKICE CREAM COCKYBREWERYHALLS GAP VILLAGEKING PARROT
Monday 15 April 2024, 6-18 degrees foggy then sunny
Today we got the bikes out (love my new bike!) and head out on the bike trail to Lake Bellfield. Great ride and then walk over the dam wall.
LAKE BELLFIELD WALLMIRROR IMAGE!HALLS GAPSTUNNING VIEWON TTHE BIKE!BIKEPATHEMU’S
Tuesday 16 April 2024, 6-19 degrees cloudy to start, then sunny, then cloudy.
Today we are hiking the pinnacles and Rob has already done a run and hike up from the caravan park to one of the ridge lines below the pinnacles.
By 9:00am the sun is out and the day looks set to be a beauty and we stop to admire the valley.
We wanted to do the Grand Canyon walk but it is closed at the stair end due to structural issues. Nevertheless we hike about 300m up the canyon for a closer look.
The walk is picturesque and the rock formations never cease to amaze.
We turn on to the pinnacles walk and it is immediately up with lots of stone steps.
In the distance atop a hill I spy a lone gum seemingly sprouting from rock and it reminds me of the Wanaka tree in N Z which springs from the water.
Wanaka TreeRock formation Rock WallThe Valley
The climb meanders past Echo Cave and Rob goes in for a look. As the morning progresses we see more and more people. Taking the time to say hello means we meet people from all over Aus but also, France and Italy. Towards the top we go through another canyon and the trail gets narrow and steep.
Finally after a bit of a rock scramble at the top we arrive at the pinnacle.
View to Halls GapView to Lake Bellfield
The views are glorious, down to Halls Gap and back to Lake Bellfield that we visited yesterday.
The return walk is lively and again we pass lots of walkers, families, young and older walkers like us.
SelfieGreat view
Tonight we are off to dinner to celebrate Rob’s birthday with fellow travellers and Qld’rs Dee and Nick who we keep running into. Such lovely people.
Love to all, stay safe, be kind and most importantly in these turbulent times love one another and be humble…
Showers overnight and our first rain in months so it is a beautiful dawn at Walloway and the hills roll out all around us.
DAWNGOLDEN ROLLING HILLS
After breaking camp at RM Williams Way we head into Orroroo for a look.
We find our way to the Giant Red gum tree, said to be over 500 years old, nearly 11 metres circumference and over 60 metres high. What a beauty and home to 100’s of budgerigars.
GIANT RED GUM TREE – ORROROO
Next we walk around Orroroo, exploring the charming Main Street then further afield to see some of the heritage trail buildings.
MAIN STREETSETTLERS COTTAGEORROROO INSTITUTE 1880BUTTER FACTORYBLACK ROCK STATION WOOLPRESS 1840
Next we head to Peterborough our camp for the night at the Showgrounds.
Once setup we walk into town. In the 20th century, this town was once the crossroads geographically and a rich hub for locomotives, Peterborough; originally Petersburg after the original land owner, now heroes “steam town” with a rich historical collection of all things steam train.
PETERBOROUGH HOTELANOTHER GRAND DAME
Monday 18 March, 15 – 31degrees sunny
Heading for the Clare Valley today we pass through Jamestown, the birthplace of RM Williams. Reginald Murray, one of Australia’s most iconic figures has a much bigger presence in the stockman’s hall of fame at Longreach I believe but it’s nice to see his hometown honouring their local lad. Interesting to read about his involvement in the Nepabunna settlement which we passed to and from Arkaroola just days before.
Continuing on we arrive in Clare and park in long bay parking. We have one more night off grid tonight and our camp is out at Blyth (10km South) before coming back into Clare to the caravan park tomorrow.
We take a walk around Clare, exploring part of the Riesling trail on foot and finding a nod to Monica McInerney (favourite author of “Hello from the Gillespie”) in the form of artwork along the way. of Irish descent, Monica grew up in Clare and her childhood home is just across the road from the artwork. How amazing to stumble across and one of the reasons I love travelling- you just never know what you will find.
M MCINERNEY ARTWORKSHEEP ARTWORK
Returning to the van we see a seat in front of a big gum tree and it turns out the tree was a resting spot for the Camel Funeral with the remains of Burke and Wills on the way from Innamincka to Melbourne in 1862 as well as early explorers from as early as 1839!
Onward to Blyth and a Golden Sunset.
SUNSET BLYTH
Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 15-25 degrees and much cooler.
After starting a sourdough loaf and setting the van ready to move, we take a walk around Blyth. Quiet and full of beautiful old buildings and houses. It makes me think of the 1945 play, Blythe Spirit by Noel Coward.
We head into Clare, set down at the park and the rest of the day is taken up with washing and cleaning the van.
Wednesday, 20 March 2024, 9-20 degrees with our first chilly morning.
Morning hike – the Cascades Walk.
Short; 1.4km return, lovely walk with views of the gully below and out to Vincent Gulf through stands of Red Stringy Bark and Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees along the ridge line.
Referred to as islands from a conservation perspective, as the plains below were all but cleared of the same trees when the area was settled in the 1800’s.
THE CASCADES
After our hike in the hills we drive further down the valley to Seven Hills and the Skillogalee winery set in an historic cottage with views of vineyards and rolling hills. We enjoy a tasting while soaking up the Autumn sunshine. Our favourite, the sparkling Riesling.
ROB PERUSING THE TASTING LIST
On the way back we stop at Horrocks cottage, circa 1839 at Penwortham.
Thursday 21 March 2024, 9 – 26 degrees and sunny
We were planning to cycle some of the Riesling trail today but my bike is misbehaving with sticky brakes resulting in a spills and a skinned knee, so I decide to walk into town instead while Rob does a ride. Afterwards we head up to to do a ridgeline walk.
Great views but very windy!
After lunch we head out to on our favourite wineries – Taylor’s. We enjoy a fun filled tasting with lots of local stories from our host Robert!
A lovely few days in Clare for sure! Tomorrow we head to the Barossa Valley for the weekend.
Love to all, be kind, love one another and stay safe.
My sister Kay and her husband Jon met in Arkaroola in the 1970’s. Jon was a ranger and Kay worked at the Wilderness Sanctuary. They recently celebrated 50 years of marriage with family last December in WA and the family presented them with a gift voucher so that they could return to Arkaroola and reminisce those early years.
Rob and I planned to travel into the outback of SA so we had organised to meet them in Arkaroola for 4 days. From Copley it’s 125 km of gravel road for us with the van and Kay and Jon are driving from their home in Morgan, SA on the Murray River, about 7hours away.
DAWN FROM THE VAN
My ear has improved a little so I’m hopeful the antibiotics have done their job. Day 5 and last day today.
The gravel road is wide and well cared for so the drive is relatively straight forward. The scenery is stunning, stark and raw. Beautiful in its extremes and it feels like a real privilege to be here. We see a lot wedge-tailed eagles; very hard to photograph, but always a pleasure to see them, in their element.
We arrive, check in and go set down. Once organised we drive back to reception and Kay and Jon have arrived. We organise to meet for dinner, while Jon catches up with the owner of the resort, a fellow he knows from his time here then we take swim to cool off, it’s a hot afternoon in the 40’s!
After dinner we go see the rock wallabies feeding.
Wednesday 13 March, 21 – 37 degrees
It’s a beautiful sunrise after a warm night and after breakfast we meet up with Jon and Kay. 4WDing is not my favourite thing but it is Jon’s so we decide to drive the Mt Jacob back track. Kay and I want to catch up do it the girls in the Isuzu with me driving 😬 and the boys in the Landrover with Jon in the lead.
I know the pictures won’t show the roughness, steep angles, height, ruts and rocks on the drive but I managed it all, didn’t lose my nerve and felt like I had conquered something at the end of the day!
DAWNHERE WE GO!MT JACOBHOW TO TURN AROUND?VERY STEEP!
After a hectic morning, we relax in the heat then cook a roast dinner to share with Kay and Jon.
Thursday 14 March, 23 – 38 degrees
After another warm night and we are out 4WDing again. Jon wants to tackle the Echo backtrack (classed as extreme) and after some discussion Rob and I agreed to give it a go. We don’t get far though before we decide to bail at a very steep climb with washouts and agree to go around the longer way and meet at Paralana Springs.
Kay tells me later we wouldn’t have liked it so I’m glad we opted out.
The drive we took with Rob driving was challenging enough via Arkaroola Creek and Claude’s pass. Stunningly beautiful but very rough and hot! 46 degrees near Paralana. We did 70km’s over about 4 hours so the going was very slow.
ARKAROOLA CREEK
Friday 15 March, 24-38 degrees
Unfortunately my ear has stopped improving so I decide to drive back to Hawker to pick up the remaining antibiotics that were left out of my order, these were the duo forte part; stronger drugs of the doctors order so I’m hopeful this will knock the infection for good. Kay opts to come with me and so we leave Rob and Jon planning another drive.
The drive into Hawker is eventful with lots of animals. We see emus, goats, horses and even a Wedge tailed eagle lifting off from roadkill.
Best day ever from that perspective. It’s cool in Hawker too, 26 degrees which is welcome. After collecting the antibiotics, we have lunch at the Flinders providore before heading back, just under 600kms round trip!
LIFT OFFSWOOPEMU FAMILYEMU FAMILYWILD HORSESGOATS
Jon and Rob did a couple of drives, one out to an old copper mine and they had had a good day too.
These are some of the tracks we drove over the 3 days.
After dinner we spend some more time watching the beautiful rock wallabies.
Saturday 16 March, 22 – 37 degrees
Leaving Arkaroola today so we say goodbye to Kay and Jon and beautiful Arkaroola and drive back through Copley, stopping at Quandong Cafe as it’s open today and we share a huge pie!
On the way we have an encounter with a lizard whom we slowed for and he ended up under the car! Had to get the broom out to make him move but he was unscathed.
ARKAROOLA WINDOWSLIZARD!NEAR LEIGH CREEKRAILWAY LINE
We also saw another Wedgie on the highway back towards Hawker, again on roadkill. We slow and I manage to get a few pictures as they liftoff and fly to a nearby tree
After a quick refuel it’s on to Hawker, then left on RM Williams way toward Peterborough and Clare.
My ear is still blocked and the headaches continue but it’s a cooler 37 degrees top today.
We stop at the RM Williams way camp 13km out from Ororroo. 460Km’s today.
It’s been a wonderfully hectic week. Always great to see my big sister ❤️ and the great big outback too.
Next onto Clare Valley and the Barossa. Stay safe, be kind and love one another xx
Temperatures: 17 – 42 degrees, hot, sunny, some cloud.
Wednesday 6 March, 17 – 38 degrees
We are up early and I quickly add starter, salt and water to my flour prepped yesterday to start a loaf. I will do stretch and folds on the road today, always challenging and this is a high hydration loaf 85% so we will see how it goes.
We are away by 8:30am but stop in Tumby Bay to dump the chemical toilet and we run into the same historian we met at Elliston. Today he suggests we take the Igloo Road (gravel) off the highway, then left onto Beach Road (nice tarmac) into Cowell with great camping points along the coast. We take his advice and enjoy the nicest drive along the coast and into Cowell which is a lovely town full of historical buildings and silo art too. I put it on the list to revisit one day if possible.
SO MUCH SEAGRASS!CAMPER ON THE BEACHOLD JETTY?COWELL SILO ART
We continue on past Whyalla and Port Augusta, only stopping to refuel and to pick up a few groceries. Rob picks up new thongs too, having lost his Archie’s changing shoes for a walk in Port Lincoln NP!
Leaving Port Augusta we turn left onto Flinders Way and almost immediately the range start to unfold in front of us on the right, reminding us both of an Albert Namatjira painting.
We stop in Quorn, a gorgeous little town 40km from Port Augusta. We need to vote in Qld local council elections by phone and we are not sure of service next week so today’s the day. It takes a while and a local shopkeeper approaches, thinking something is wrong as we pace about in the heat on our phones. Love country people and their hospitality.
QUORN MILLQUORN HOTELQUORN RAILWAY STATION
We head on to Hawker, admiring the outback scenery as we go. We stop at the pub and sit in the cool for a while admiring all the local art, with a drink before heading out to our camp for the night, 10km out and when I check my dough the first rise is significantly higher than double so I think I’ve overdone it!
1ST PROOFHAWKER PUB
Our camp is by the highway with views East and West of the amazing Flinders. Ranges.
STOP ON THE WAYVIEW WESTVIEW EASTVIEW FROM VANSUNSETDAWN
Thursday 7 March, 24 – 36 degrees
Today we heard to Wilpena Pound. It’s been a hot night and overnight I developed an ear ache. This is concerning as I have a history and can get very sick with ear infections, I had some drops on hand which I’ve used but being in the outback and heading further out leaves me uneasy.
We drive back to Hawker and then turn onto Flinders Ranges Way with about 60km to drive to Wilpena Pound.
The name comes from the Aboriginal word for cupped hands, Wilpena and Pound the English word for enclosure. With the Ranges almost fully enclosing an area.
We take it slow to stay in the cool and enjoy all the lookouts along the way.
IKARA FLINDERS RANGES NPRAWNSLEY BLUFF
We arrive, set up and I rest in the aircon of the van on a powered site. We had planned to do some hikes but with the heat (38 at 1:50pm) and my ear that’s probably not going to happen. Rob will likely do some early hikes though.
Later we go to the pool, then stay to experience the welcome to country ceremony from a local Adnyamathanha man which is fascinating and full of history.
Friday 8 March, 24 – 42 degrees
After a bad night with my ear it’s back to Hawker we go and most of the day is taken up with seeing a doctor then getting scripts filled. I missed the cut off but Rachel the pharmacist phoned the scripts through to Quorn for filling and they were due back at 3pm. Unfortunately only half of the antibiotics were supplied but I’m hopeful that will be enough. Back to Wilpena and to bed for me. Rob goes for a swim and a late afternoon walk.
Saturday 9 March 24 – 42 degrees
Rob suggests we drive the loop through two gorges, essentially cutting through Wilpena Pound to the Outback Highway then down the highway to the Moralana Way and back across to the Flinders Ranges Way, about 100km’s.
We set out about 10am.
We head up Flinders way toward Blinman then turn left towards Bunyeroo Gorge. The drive is a postcard at every turn. We see lots of Wedgies, three, then a group of ten or more, the most I’ve ever seen together but too high to photograph, the Cazneaux Tree and a hikers hut on the Heysen Trail.
ST MARY’S PEAKCAZNEAUX TREEHEYSEN TRAIL HUT
The drive meanders through and across many creek beds and we wonder what it’s like when it rains!
Next up is Razorback lookout taking in St Mary’s Peak; the highest peak in the ranges. The scenery is amazing, raw and wild.
RAZORBACK LOOKOUT
Continuing on we pass into Brachinya Gorge, and the road gets even tougher, through many creek beds and rock formations. At one point I spy what I think is a Yellow footed Rock Wallaby sheltering in the heat in a small cave.
YELLOW FOOTED ROCK WALLABY?
Coming out of Brachinya, there is a very rough gravel road back the highway, then we turn left again and it’s 30km of highway past spectacular ranges before turning left again through the Moralana Way.
Once back at Wilpena I rest up for the afternoon and evening while Rob goes for a swim and I hope for a better night.
Sunday 10 March, 24 – 38 Degrees
A very quiet day. I catch up on washing and continue to take it easy, hoping the antibiotics will kick in. It’s unpleasant as my ear is blocked so I can’t hear, constant headache and discomfort. I’ve had worse though so it’s bearable.
Monday 11 March, 23 – 35 degrees
We leave Wilpena today, heading for Leigh Creek overnight before heading to Arkaroola on Tuesday. We decide to travel back to Hawker then up the highway, rather than out to Blinman and through the gorges on gravel. After our loop we are not sure how tough this would be so opt for the longer route on bitumen.
The heat is relentless and another rough night for me so it’s nice to be in the car…
OLD RUINSFAMILY EMUSFROM LOOKOUTPARACHILNA
We check out our overnight stay, just 5 kms south of Leigh Creek. Lovely view then head into Leigh Creek then Copley pub 5 kms on for dinner. The owner has two very spunky Staffy puppies which she brings out and the TBone and Fish n Chips were brilliant! Friendly and thought service.
Leaving Port Lincoln today, we have just a short drive up the East side of the Eyre Peninsula to Tumby Bay, about 50km.
We take the Redcliffe road off the Lincoln Highway about 20kms from Tumby Bay and 15km of gravel road to the Redcliffe camp, not too bad. Our campsite is right on the waters edge and we look forward to the waves sending us to sleep later.
On the way in we pass a charming old farmhouse set amidst dry fields. It reminds me of a similar house I saw in Scotland. So different but somehow similar? What do you think?
VIEW FROM VANREDCLIFFEFARMHOUSE NEARBYSCOTTISH FARMHOUSE
After setup we drive into Tumby Bay and explore. Tumby is a charming town with an excellent RV stop in town opposite the old jetty. The foreshore is lined with Pine Trees and the town has street art and silo art. The area has a marina and is known for fishing and beautiful beaches.
We visit the bakery which looks busy; always a good sign and I order two pies, plan for me, pepper steak for Rob.
The girl serving starts the order then turns to me and says the top on the plain pie has come off, I can have it for free or I can choose another. I say top off is ok, thank you. In all my years eating pies I’ve never heard of this and neither had Rob? The pie was nice, a little hard to eat as the top kept moving but that’s okay. 👍
TUMBY FORESHORETUMBY PUBSILO ART
Tuesday 5 March, 15 - 32 degrees sunny with showers
We decided to stay an extra day at Redcliffe camp. It’s so lovely to be right on the beach and the morning is sunny with just a breeze and we don’t have to be up at Wilpena Pound until Thursday so it will just mean a longer drive tomorrow.
Rob has an early swim and we otherwise have a quiet day so I feed my starter and spend the morning catching up on my blog, making muesli bars and chatting to my friend Liz in Brisbane for a while.
MUESLI SLICE
About lunchtime a shower comes across and we sit under our awning enjoying the sprinkle and watching how the sea changes colours.
RAIN SHOWERSUN SHOWERGEESE
Afterwards we walk around the beach to the point. We see sea snails, starfish, a dead baby Ray and lots of birds.
We also see two hooded plovers on the beach. These birds are protected in this area.
We also see Pacific Gulls on the rocks and on the vegetation. They seem to be eating red berries found along the coast here. I research but can find no reference for this behaviour?
About 3:30pm I looked out the window and saw a fin in the water then three dolphins surfaced. Rob then ran up the coastline trying to get photos as they made their way past but they were too quick.
As the evening closes in the sunset is once again a beauty.
We continue North/North East tomorrow travel up the remainder of the Eyre Peninsula and then on to the Flinders Ranges. Next stop Hawker.
We leave Coffin Bay around 10am after some cleaning and jobs this morning. I’ve given inside a good dust and also cleaned the outside of the windows. Rob has also been busy with some jobs so a productive morning.
Port Lincoln is only 50km from Coffin Bay so it’s a a quick trip today. The tourist holiday park is set on a hill overlooking the water so everyone has a lovely view. After setup we decide to walk into town for a few supplies following the Parnkalla Trail which runs across the foreshore of the park. It’s a lovely walk, around the point and past the huge Viterra Silos then through the Port to the town centre foreshore.
PARK JETTYON THE TRAILPORT LINCOLN FORESHORENOD TO TUNA FISHING
We wander along the foreshore and read all the tourist information about the tuna and fishing industry and see the statue of the racehorse Makybe Diva (owned by Tony Santi a local tuna fisherman). Interestingly the horse was named after 5 of his employees – Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane and Vanessa by using the first two initials of each of their names!We find our way to Coles for a few groceries then back to the Park via a very big hill!
MAKYBE DIVASUNSET FROM THE VAN
Friday 1 March, 15 – 25 degrees, partly cloudy.
The park has a camp kitchen so after coffee, I head up there with my dough, cast iron casserole dish, liner and oven pads to bake my loaf. I patiently waited 8 hours for this dough to double in size during its first proof and it’s had 36 hours for the cold bulk ferment so I’m hoping for a good loaf.
NICE RISE & COLOURCRUMB LOOKS GOOD
Afterwards, the day has cleared and we set out to explore Lincoln National Park. First stop though is L’Anse patisserie which does amazing croissants and pastries.
Pastry in hand we drive out to the National Park and visit Matthew Flinders monument. We walkout to the shore first of all and paddle around in the lovely clear water before Rob walks up to the Summit and the monument and reads about the search for water.
?SNAIL EGGSMATHEW FLINDERS MONUMENT
On the way back in we turn off to see Wanna lookout. It’s a 20km return journey on rough dirt road but Wow! The lookout is spectacular! Rob and I are both continually surprised by the sheer wonder of our coastline!
WANNA LOOKOUT
Friday evening g we enjoy happy hour with new friends Dee and Nic with whom we keep meeting at each stop since Venus Bay and another couple that Dee and Nic know, Debbie and Peter drop by for a while too.
Saturday 2 March, 19 – 26 degrees, partly cloudy
We have a quiet morning then head across Port Lincoln and out the other side to explore the lookout.
PORT LINCOLN LOOKOUT
After visiting the lookout we return to the van to relax for a while before getting ready for dinner with new friends Dee and Nic, Debbie and Peter. Such lovely people.
The restaurant of choice is Del Giorno’s and a fun night of good food, wine, stories and great company we had!
TUNA CERVICHEDEB & I SHARED A SEAFOOD PLATTER
Sunday 4 March, 13 – 24 Degrees
This morning we drove out to the National Park again to do 4km on the Investigator trail around surfleet cove headland.
We saw lots of birds, 28’s, Galah’s, Fairy Wren’s and a couple little dark green birds with big yellow eyes have a drink in a puddle on a rock.
After the walk we head out to stock up on groceries ahead of next week and our Flinders Ranges trip.
After groceries, we shower and head out to Teakle winery which we had spied from the lookout. We had tried the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc with dinner the previous evening, another reason for the visit.
The tasting is a mix of red and white wines, all very good and a couple exceptional.
Our host Matilda was very passionate and informative on all things wine too, having grown up the industry.
Port Lincoln and the Eyre Peninsula has been delightful. A wonderful area full of amazing landscapes, people and places to visit and enjoy.
We set off from Venus Bay around 10am, planning to stop at Elliston to drop the van and do the art trail before continuing on to Coffin Bay. About 175kms in total today and still heading South East on the Eyre Peninsula.
We arrive Elliston which is about 60km from Venus and unhitch the van at the jetty. The art trail is about 20km of dirt road and with a lot of stops it’s just easier to leave the van.
The art trail is along a stunning coastal cliff drive and is well worth a visit with the sculptures set high on the cliffs and the majestic Australian Bight as a backdrop.
There is no blurb for the art pieces unfortunately although there may be online.? There seems to me to be a strong connection between the land and the sea in the art and the coastline is not to be missed!
After the art trail, we fuel up and continue our drive Coffin Bay and arrive close to 5pm. We set up and enjoy Prawns bought in Venus bay and salad for dinner.
Tuesday 27 February, 18 – 36 degrees
This morning we do the drive through the National Park. It’s an attractive journey through towering sand dunes of white sand dotted with mallee trees and the coastal shrubbery is full of colour, red, green, russet and lime.
We stop at Golden Island Lookout and watched two seals playing in the waves below for ages; one of them trying to steal catch from a person fishing down on the beach, then chasing a school of fish in the shallows. So cool and fun to watch.
The area is stunning with Golden Island glowing in the sunshine and Almonta Beach stretching up to the left with huge sands pillowing in the distance.
GOLDEN ISLANDALMONTA BEACHSEALSEAL
After spending time watching the seals we start to head back as we have an Oyster tour this afternoon. We stop at Point Avoid lookout. The coastal views is amazing again.
POINT AVOID VIEW LEFT TO GOLDEN ISLAND
We also stop at Clayton’s lookout – view to the right of the lookout with lovely sandy beaches at the bottom of the cliffs.
The day is getting hotter and as 2:30 approaches the day is only getting warmer. At Oyster HQ we put on waders and immediately start to sweat. I’m glad we have both worn sun shirts as we will be in the sun during the tour.
ROB READY TO GOWADING OUT
We walk out and it’s immediately cooler in the Bay but the waders cling. It gets deeper and is an interesting walk to the pontoon. I give my phone to Rob as I’m more likely to fall over than he. 🤣😂🤣
We arrive at the Pontoon and our host from England “Rob” continued his presentation regaling us with history of the area, peppered with good humour while serving drinks.
We receive oysters and a lesson in shucking, complete with glove and sharp knife. It goes well and I manage to open my four oysters plus the extra two I earned from answering questions; pays to read brochures it turns out 😅 and they are beyond deliciousness! Best oysters ever, salty, briny and with that unmistakable metallic aftertaste! Amazing. The whole event is delightful, informative and entertaining.
We chat to Dee and Nic, a couple we met in Venus Bay and who kindly take a photo for us on the walk back in. After removing the waders we head into the restaurant for happy hour, joined by Dee and Nic.
While enjoying good company and a cool beverage we see two emus head down to the water and wade in for a dip. I’ve seen an emu wade previously at Streaky Bay but these two lay down and roll around!
They sit in the water, obviously enjoying it and cooling down for about 10 minutes!
What a sight!
The day is complete with a divine Seafood Platter that Rob had prearranged when he booked the tour. Starting with Oyster Shooters and Oyster pate, there isn’t a thing that is deep fried! The platter has Tuna sashimi, Kingfish sashimi, Vongole, Ceviche, Mussels, Prawns, Squid, Salmon, Scallops, Green Island Kawasaki, Pilchard, Garfish and a Morton Bay Bug!
What a way to end a fantastic day.
Wednesday 28 February, 15 – 27 degrees
It’s windy overnight and we wake to a cool start. First task today is to feed my starter as I’m making bread later. I set the discard aside for two quick crumpets and after breakfast and a tidy up we head out on the Oyster Walk. This walk goes all along the foreshore of coffin bay and extends on the approach to Coffin Bay out for about 20km including historical areas with the Oyster industry. Today however we take the walk starting from Oyster HQ; opposite the caravan park, and head out around the headland, past the mariner which is full of birds. We see ducks, galahs and lots of gulls of course as we walk out and the cool overcast day eventually morphs to sunshine on the return.
PACIFIC GULL
The rest of the morning is taken up with the first steps of bread making and I set a loaf for 1st proof before we head back out to the National Park for some Beach time at Almonta Beach. what a great place to relax.
ALMONTA BEACH
Another busy lovely day. Early in the evening I do the last shape and fold on the dough and tuck it into its banneton for bulk overnight proofing in the fridge before settling in for the night.
Location: Cactus Bay, Ceduna, Smoky Bay, Point Brown, Port Kenny, Venus Bay.
Region: Eyre Peninsula
Dates: Thursday 22 February – Sunday 25 February 2024
Temperatures: 15 -31 Degrees
Thursday 22 February, 25 – 36 Degrees
So we left Cactus Bay around 10am. I decided I needed to wash my hair as it’s started to go yellow! Apparently grey hair picks up all sorts from the atmosphere, water and the sun, and as I only wash my hair every 7-10 days (I’ve always done this) and it’s getting longer, all of these elements seem to be affecting my hair. I have this toning shampoo which I use irregularly so obviously I need to use it more often.
I head for the cold shower and wash it. Bearing in mind this shower is bore water, very salty and in order to preserve water I’m not conditioning but at least it feels clean and seems to be less yellow.
It’s a female thing, what can I say!
As we are leaving camp, Chris, who holds the maintenance lease pops by and we get to say goodbye to him and the dogs, Kelly who rides on the roof and Catup who enjoyed some steak fat the other evening.
Rob also gets a new blue Cactus T Shirt.
KELLY ON THE TRUCKKELLYKELLY AND CATUP
On the way back to Penong I catch the awesome sand dunes in the morning light and we pass the pink lake (still not very pink) but very salty.
PINK LAKEROB ON THE SALT
We continue back to Penong, on the very rough dirt road, then turn right on the Eyre highway towards Ceduna. We pass through border quarantine, no problem then visit a dump point and refuel. We head to the Foodland and pick up a few supplies, fresh fruit, yogurt, crackers and soda water, then hit the road. Next stop Smoky Bay.
Smoky Bay is small with lots of fresh oysters outlets and a caravan park right on the foreshore, one for another time perhaps. Rob and I are off grid and hoping to do 10 days in preparation for the Flinders Ranges. Day 7 today. We purchase some fresh oysters, 12 for $10 and head off. Our camp is at Browns Point about 8km out of town, then 20km down a very rough dirt road. Corrugates, ruts and rocks, worst road by far!
CORRUGATED HOLES
Very Rough! No kidding this is one of the roughest roads I’ve ever traveled and a true test for our Trax S3 off road Van. When we arrive, after much jolting, I’m very surprised to see that the only things that have moved in the van are the T towel and the bin! Amazing!
We set down then head out for a walk to explore the foreshore. It’s quite windy and there are loads of birds on the foreshore and up to and around the point.
TERNSTERNS & GULLSWINDY!
I spy a stingray in the shallows and we watch them flit about.
STINGRAY
So many birds… and with the tide out it seems a haven.
LOW TIDESANDPIPER?SWANS?BIG SHELL
Back at the van we enjoy our Oysters then Chicken and Roast Beetroot Salad, then sundown.
Friday, 23 February, 12- 22, Sunny, windy
I have a dough to bake so that’s my first task today. It’s been in the fridge since Thursday evening on a bulk prove.
READY TO BAKEFRESH LOAF
Rob has a nice hike planned so after baking and tidying the van we set off towards the point and some rock pools he’s read about.
WALKINGTRACKSPETREL?
The coastline is wild and beautiful and the tide has just turned and is coming in. We follow the coastline around and towards the point, eventually finding the rock pools.
ROCK POOLCOASTLINE
On the way back Rob steps on a baby brown we think. I’m not sure who got the bigger fright!
BABY BROWN
That evening the wind ratchets up and we are rocked to sleep. About 10:30 I’m woken by noise and headlights. Just another traveller in a small van, in late but I can’t imagine driving that rough road in the dark! Next day they left early without saying hello.
Saturday 24 February, 18 – 37 degrees
We pack up and set off around 9:30, the road has not improved in the two days and we take it very slowly back to the highway, 25kms in 1:45hrs I reckon.
At Penong we turn East and travel on past Streaky Bay, next stop Murphy’s haystacks which we missed, when exploring this area last August.
Only 3 kms off the Flinders highway on the inland side. Known as Inselbergs (a hill that looks like a rocky island rising sharply from the sea), they are the result of erosion and harrowing (a technique used to cultivate the land) and are located on Murphy’s property. It’s a lovely walk and a great opportunity to stretch the legs.
We pass on to and then through Port Kenny and on to Venus Bay. On the way we see several emu’s including two crossing the road in front of us, two snakes, also on the road and a lizard.
At Venus we set up and find out there is a comedy night – Fairy Floss & Chaos with food trucks at Port Kenny so we organise a seat. We share the courtesy bus with Chris and Rea of 4WDIVE safaris (tube) and enjoy a fun night with hilarious standup comedians. Marc Ryan the beautiful bogan, El Jaguar, Joshua Warrior and Dom Robinson. Great night! Thank you Port Kenny Hotel.
MARC RYANDOM ROBINSONEL JAGUAR.
We are home by 10pm and enjoy the bright new moon over the bay before turning in.
NEW MOON
Sunday 25 February, 15 – 25 degrees
Sunday morning we decide to hike the South-head trail which runs along the foreshore of Venus bay. It a lovely hike, about 6km with stunning cliff and ocean views along with crumbling cliff edges and loads of bird life.
THE NEEDLE
Afterwards we stop at the Cafe opposite the jetty to get beer and fish and chips for a late lunch! A great weekend at Venus Bay!
Tomorrow we continue South towards Coffin Bay and Port Lincoln.
Love to all, stay safe and be kind. x
Rob’s addition – as the Dalai Lama says
“Be kind whenever possible, it is always possible.”
Locations: Nullarbor, Cliffs of Bight, Penong, Point Sinclair
Regions: Alinytjara-Wilurara
Dates: Sunday 18 – Thursday 22 February 2024
Temperatures: 15 – 31 degrees, fog and sun
Monday 19 February, 15 – 29 degrees.
The night was cool and Rob and I are grappling with the time change. Yesterday the time had kept switching back and forth; four times, after we left Eucla. Starting at 11:50am WA time which changed to 2:20pm SA time then back again a short time later and then switching back and forth several times.
We arrived at the Bunda Cliff Camp 2 at 3:00pm WA or was it 5:30pm SA time? We decided to stick with WA time for the rest of the day and then SA time from tomorrow.
The night skies are amazing but I can’t get good photos with the iPhone… need to work on this!
Monday morning we wake at 3:30am WA time, 6:00am SA time just as the sky lightens. There has been a very heavy dew overnight and it’s a cool 15 degrees.
The sunrise is spectacularly beautiful.
PREDAWN EASTCLIFFS WEST
We anticipate a quiet day with a long walk but around 9:30 a fog rolls in… and continues until about 4:30pm and then starts to lift a little. We set up the Starlink and Rob relaxes with a movie – Oppenheimer and I catch up the blog and make some date scones. Yum!
FOG ON THE CLIFFSFOG ROLLING OVER THE DUNESEERIE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFFS!
We head out for a long walk about 4:30pm but the mist continues, rolling in as it gets later in the day.
CLIFF VIEWSTILL MISTYCLIFF VIEW – LOTS OF CALVING
Tuesday 20 Feb, 18-31 degrees
Tuesday dawned, still misty on the cliffs so we decided to cut our time here and move on. This is one of the main benefits of free camping – flexibility.
A couple we met from Mandurah, WA the previous day on the cliffs (sorry can’t recall their names!) recommended Cactus Bay, 270kms East and 20km South of Penong which is about 60km West of Ceduna on the WA/SA border so we thought we would check it out.
The journey is uneventful (always what we hope for 😀) with a few wide loads on trucks to navigate; 4.5metres wide the largest, and again the UHF is a must when travelling these roads, even if you aren’t towing.
Crossing the Nullarbor the only animal we see is a dingo, very casually crossing the road as we approach Nullarbor Roadhouse but I miss getting a photo. We stop for a coffee and I find a very similar hat to the one Rob lost last week as a gift for him.
Love you handsome. ❤️
NULLARBOR ROADHOUSEA STATION AT BOOKABIE, EASTERN END OF NULLARBOR
We stop at Penong for milk and greens to finish a roast beetroot and radish salad I have planned to go with steak for dinner and then turn South towards the Coast.
I’ve heard good things about this camp so I’m excited. The road out is tough with lots of corrugated ruts and holes so it’s a slow drive which is ok as there is lots to see. The pink lake at Point Sinclair may be pink in full sun, so maybe tomorrow, lake Mac Donnell stretches out on the left and towering sand dunes are both left and right.
MAP VIEW (Courtesy Google Maps) LAKE MACDONNELL
This is a private camp and first in, best served to find a camp spot. It looks reasonably full so we feel fortunate to find a nice, reasonably flat spot with a flushing toilet nearby! The facilities are amazing including many toilets, cold showers and a camp kitchen at a very reasonable day rate per person. Happy Days!
CAMP
The surfers beach is a short walk over the dunes and the point is just up the road. After setup we take a walk to explore the area.
CACTUS BEACH LEFTCACTUS BEACH RIGHTBIG BROWN?CAMP VIEW FROM BEACH TRACKSUNSET FROM THE VAN
Wednesday 21 Feb, 17 – 27 degrees
I start a sourdough for a loaf around 8:00am and after the folds set it aside for the 1st proof and Rob and set out for a cross country hike and a swim at Point Le Hunt.
We start the walk on Cactus Beach and then head for the rough coastal path which follows the point around to the left.
CACTUS BAYON THE EDGEA NAUTILUS CAUGHT IN THE ROCKGRANITE WALK
We follow the edge as long as possible but eventually need to go up and along the coastline before we come to a huge expanse of granite.
We continue to follow the Granite around the coastline until we can go no further due to the contour then head up and across the point til we find 4WD tracks which we follow, backtracking a few times until we reach the other side and Point Le Hunte.
We head down and explore the jetty and read about the shipwreck and the jetty and a the tragic loss of a young boy to a shark attack in 1975 before we take a dip in the shark protected netted area.
After our swim we walk back to camp along the dirt road admiring the huge sand dunes on either side of the point. We relax and once my bread has finished its 1st proof, I prepare for the bulk overnight proving in the fridge. Dinner is grilled fish and bean ragu.
SOURDOUGH READY FOR OVERNIGHT PROOF
This is such a lovely spot to relax and a credit to the original owner with such foresight to infrastructure in a remote outback area. Thank you. 🙏🏻
Our day is complete with another beautiful sunset. Complete with two surfers enjoying their last waves of the day.
We set off from Esperance at 9:30am and it’s already 26 degrees! We planned to drive North to Norseman 220kms, then turn East towards the Nullabor and stop at Woorbla roadside camp just past Balladonia 236km, hoping for a cooler night.
The drive is uneventful, we pass through Grass Patch and Salmon Gums on the way to Norseman. I fell in love with this gum tree while exploring the Southwest. It has the most amazing bark which is an exquisite salmon-rose gold and silver colour with a tall straight trunk and towering top.
SALMON GUMSMALLEE COUNTRY
A quick stop at Norseman for fuel; we tend to fill up in most towns to share the love so to speak, and we continue on to Balladonia and our campsite.
We’ve read if you put water out for the birds, you will soon have visitors and when we arrive, some travellers have thoughtfully left a container and a sign so we fill the container and very soon have visitors. It’s a hot evening, only getting down to 24 about 11pm, 20 by 3am and already 27 by the time we leave the next morning.
FRASER RANGETHANKS FOR THE WATERTHIS ONE WANTS TO COME IN!
Saturday 17 February 20 – 41 degrees
My left foot is still quite swollen from the March Fly bite, the swelling made my skin peel and it’s still uncomfortable on day 3.
We set off, headed for Eucla and the Old Telegraph camp tonight. about 500kms.
We pass Caiguna and then Cocklebiddy where we stop for fuel and a quick visit to Samantha and Bruce, two Wedgetail Eagles I’ve mentioned previously. They are held by special rehabilitation licence and help to educate drivers on their habits to prevent accidents. Wedgies are scavengers that often eat road kill. They are the largest raptor predator in Australia and due to their size; with a wingspan of up to 2.84metres, they lift off then swoop back down to catch wind-drafts so that they can gain height and this slow lift off means they are vulnerable to be hit by cars and trucks.
SORE FOOTCAIGUNA COUNTRYBRUCE AND SAMANTHAMADURA PASS
We pass Mundrabilla, about 1:30pm again stopping for a fuel top up, then arrive Eucla around 5:30pm. We don’t travel very fast, usually sitting on 90km per hour, mainly for safety and also fuel consumption. We don’t need to rush and the temperature in the car a/c is welcome as it hits 41 degrees at about 2:40pm.
MUNDRABILLA ROADHOUSE PARKED VANEUCLA – DRIVING DOWN TO OLD TELEGRAPH STATION CAMPDIRT ROAD TO THE CAMP
The camp is in front of sand dunes and the old Telegraph station sits just behind. It’s about 1km walk to the coast and once again it’s full of March Flies. I adopt a a silly “March Fly” dance, waving my arms and stamping my feet so they can’t land on me and thankfully I survive the walk out and back before escaping into the van!
OLD TELEGRAPH POSTEUCLA COASTOLD JETTY SUNRISECOAST TOWARDS FRASER RANGE
I spend the next few hours cooking up all the fruit and vegetables we have as we are about to cross the border into SA the next day. I stew apples and nectarines. I pickle cucumber and radish. With Rob’s help we roast beetroot, sweet potatoes, potatoes and garlic. I make a tomato sauce, a bean ragu to serve with fish and another version of ratatouille. I chop potatoes, zucchini and onions for the freezer and zest and juice lemons… the next day I find out the quarantine station is 490km’s away at Ceduna 🤦🏼♀️. Oh well, at least most of my cooking for the next week or so is done!
We set off, first back into explore Eucla before a short drive out to the cliffs.
EMU’SCOAST VIEW EUCLA MOTELEU LA WHALE3000kmTO BRISBANE
Sunday 18 Feb, 17 – 29 degrees
A cool start but the day quickly warms up. We pass through the SA border (no quarantine this side 🤦🏼♀️) and on to the 10km peg camp on the cliffs. The site is nice but the cliffs are a fair way back from the coastline so we decide to move on to Bunda Camp 2, 138km South.
We arrive at Bunda Camp, only short 4km’s off the highway and the road out to the cliffs is not too bad.
CLIFFS OF BIGHT SOUTHCLIFFS OF BIGHT WESTWEDGETAIL EAGLECAN YOU SEE AN OLD MAN’S FACE?
The cliffs are stunning and the air is pleasantly cool 26 degrees with a mild breeze. We take a walk along the cliffs and chat to many campers, from Qld, NSW and Vic. The sunset is amazing and we cook roast lamb to have with ratatouille and potatoes already cooked. An easy end to a lovely day.
VANS PARKED AT BUNDAOURS IS FAR LEFTSUNSET
More tomorrow. Hope you have had a great weekend. Love to all. Stay safe, be kind. xx
Tuesday is part jobs, part exploring so first up is starting a load of bread. Once all the folds are done and the bread is set aside for its first rise we head out to Lucky Bay Brewery; just outside of town, for lunch.
Before going to lunch we check out Wylie Bay. This piece of coast can be driven on, due to the crusty compacted white sand and its a 22km drive from there to Cape Le Grand.
Wylie Bay is beautiful, with some rocky areas and one you can cross a small inlet to. Once out on the rock we spy “Sammy”.
Sammy is the name used for every seal that visits Esperance. We spied Sammy cavorting in the shallows but they soon moved further out, presumably due to us. I was fortunate to get one reasonable photo of their little face peaking out of the water.
SAMMY AT WYLIE BAYWYLIE BAYLUCKY BAY BREWERY
Lunch at Lucky Bay was awesome. We enjoyed a Prosciutto, Tomato and Rocket Salad and a Hellfire Pepperoni Pizza!
Wednesday 14 February 15 – 26 degrees
Happy Valentine’s Day!
A cooler day today so Rob is taking me for a drive out to Wharton Bay; 100 km East along the Coast towards Cape Arid, on recommendation from a local fellow he met and had a chat with.
The drive is unassuming and the landscape could be outback in any state really, with a mix of low rolling pastoral land and scrub. There are more stands of trees between pasture blocks though, which is good to see.
Wharton Bay is just beyond Cordingup and it’s worth the trip. A beautiful Bay with that same stunning white sand. We climb a short trail up an overlooking rock formation for the most spectacular views.
WHARTON BAYTOP SPOTVIEW EASTVIEW SOUTH VIEW NORTH
We head down for a swim amongst the surfers and it’s very refreshing.
We sit on the beach to dry off and unfortunately I get bitten by a March Fly on the top of my left foot. My skin reacts badly to these bites so I know I’m in for a few days of swelling, itch and discomfort, even with antihistamines and SOOV a gel I got onto a while ago. These flys have been everywhere we have been lately and it seems the only deterrent is a slap as Aerogard certainly doesn’t work! If anyone knows of a good deterrent and or remedy for bites, please let me know.
We leave Whartons Bay and head to Condimgup Tavern for lunch.
BEAUTIFUL BANKSIA SPECIOSATABLE ISLAND DUKE OF ORLEANS BAYCORDINGUP TAVERN LUNCH
Thursday 15 February, 18 – 37 degrees
It’s a hot one today so I’m up early cooking, baking bread and washing clothes, then grocery shopping.
When we leave Esperance we plan to travel back up to Norseman then across the Nullabor fairly quickly as we will be off grid and are expecting a few hot nights with the current heatwave. Having a couple of meals ready will help reduce heat in the van and makes for an easy evening after a long day driving. Yesterday I made a batch of San Choy Bow, today Ratatouille and as most meals last two days that will get us through to Sunday.
My left foot has swollen during the mornings work so I elevate it for a while and we finish the day with a lovely swim at Twilight Beach.
Tomorrow we head off, back towards SA. Stay safe and be kind.
A cooler day today and Valentine’s Day so Rob is taking me for a drive out to Wharton Bay; 100 km East along the Coast towards Cape Arid, on recommendation from a local fellow he had met and had a chat with.
The drive is unassuming and the landscape could be outback in any state really, with a mix of low rolling pastoral land and scrub. There are more stands of trees between pasture blocks though which is good to see.
Wharton is just beyond Cordingup and it’s worth the trip. A beautiful Bay with that same stunning white sand. We climb a short trail up an overlooking rock formation for the most spectacular views.
WHARTON BAYTOP SPOTVIEW EASTVIEW SOUTH VIEW NORTH
We head down for a swim amongst the surfers and it’s very refreshing.
We sit on the beach to dry off and unfortunately I get bitten by a March Fly on the top of my left foot. My skin reacts badly to these bites so I know I’m in for a few days of swelling, itch and pain, even with antihistamines and SOOV a gel I got onto a while ago. These flys have been everywhere along the coast and it seems the only deterrent is a slap as Aerogard certainly doesn’t work!
We leave Whartons Bay and head to Condimgup Tavern for lunch.
Thursday 15 February, temp 18 – 37
On Sunday we head to the local market for an early breakfast, a shared egg, spinach and bacon wrap, a lamb roti and two coffees.
We explore the market stalls and purchase a dozen black figs and 10 green ones – we both enjoy figs with Gorgonzola as a treat.
During the midday heat we relax and I catch up on some washing and as the afternoon cools we head out to see the Pink Lake and explore Ocean Drive.
Despite its name Pink lake has not been the bubblegum pink of previous years since about 2017. This is due to changes in climate and salt levels. Hopeful it will one day be this pink again but today it is pale blue/green.
This picture courtesy Wikipedia.
How it used to look.
PINK LAKE PRIOR TO 2017
Ocean drive extends past Pink Lake, behind Esperance and to the Indian Ocean then back to Esperance
10 MILE9 MILE8 MILE4 MILEOBSERVATORY ISLAND LOOKOUTOBSERVATORY ISLAND LOOKOUTTWILIGHT BEACHSALMON BEACH
Monday 12 February, temp 18 – 24
Today we head out to explore Cape Le Grande National Park. About 12km out we visit Esperance Stonehenge. I had read about this place and was keen to visit. It doesn’t disappoint and it really is a wonder. Original started in 2002 but later stalled due to finance. It was taken up by a local farmer in 2010 and completed 2011. It is a complete replica of what Stonehenge was when built including lining up for summer and winter solstice but rather than Sandstone is made of Pink Granite.
Its quirkiness, set here in WA takes me and I feel complete as my visit to the original in 2019 was somewhat disappointing due to it being fenced off and not being able to wander the stones. For good reason no doubt but still… here we could wander at will, touch and admire the beauty of the design and concept. Awesome. Love it!
ESPERANCE STINEHENGE
Onward to Cape Le Grand National Park about 53km from Esperance.
First stop is Cape Le Grand beach. There is a camp ground here and a 18.5km coastal walking trail through to Rossiter Bay via Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove and Lucky Bay. Some parts are level 5 but it looks like an interesting walk. Perhaps for another visit.
LE GRAND BEACHMOUNT LE GRAND
We then head to Frenchman Peak, a 262m elevation level 5 walk Rob is keen to tackle. I sit this one out due to some tendinitis in my left foot, admiring the view and writing.
FRENCHMAN PEAK from lookout opposite
On his return we then head for Lucky Bay, so named by Matthew Flinders when he stopped there in the xx in 1798 and also touted to be the whitest beach in Australia with squeaky sand. It doesn’t disappoint and although the water is cool – estimate 15 degrees we enjoy a lovely dip.
A cooler day today so Rob is taking me for a drive out to Wharton Bay; 100 km East along the Coast towards Cape Arid, on recommendation from a local fellow he had met and had a chat with.
The drive is unassuming and the landscape could be outback in any state really, with a mix of low rolling pastoral land and scrub. There are more stands of trees between pasture blocks though which is good to see.
Wharton is just beyond Cordingup and it’s worth the trip. A beautiful Bay with that same stunning white sand. We climb a short trail up an overlooking rock formation for the most spectacular views.
WHARTON BAYTOP SPOTVIEW EASTVIEW SOUTH VIEW NORTH
We head down for a swim amongst the surfers and it’s very refreshing.
We sit on the beach to dry off and unfortunately I get bitten by a March Fly on the top of my left foot. My skin reacts badly to these bites so I know I’m in for a few days of swelling, itch and pain, even with antihistamines and SOOV a gel I got onto a while ago. These flys have been everywhere along the coast and it seems the only deterrent is a slap as Aerogard certainly doesn’t work!
We leave Whartons Bay and head to Condimgup Tavern for lunch.
Thursday 15 February, temp 18 – 37
On Sunday we head to the local market for an early breakfast, a shared egg, spinach and bacon wrap, a lamb roti and two coffees.
We explore the market stalls and purchase a dozen black figs and 10 green ones – we both enjoy figs with Gorgonzola as a treat.
During the midday heat we relax and I catch up on some washing and as the afternoon cools we head out to see the Pink Lake and explore Ocean Drive.
Despite its name Pink lake has not been the bubblegum pink of previous years since about 2017. This is due to changes in climate and salt levels. Hopeful it will one day be this pink again but today it is pale blue/green.
This picture courtesy Wikipedia.
How it used to look.
PINK LAKE PRIOR TO 2017
Ocean drive extends past Pink Lake, behind Esperance and to the Indian Ocean then back to Esperance
10 MILE9 MILE8 MILE4 MILEOBSERVATORY ISLAND LOOKOUTOBSERVATORY ISLAND LOOKOUTTWILIGHT BEACHSALMON BEACH
Monday 12 February, temp 18 – 24
Today we head out to explore Cape Le Grande National Park. About 12km out we visit Esperance Stonehenge. I had read about this place and was keen to visit. It doesn’t disappoint and it really is a wonder. Original started in 2002 but later stalled due to finance. It was taken up by a local farmer in 2010 and completed 2011. It is a complete replica of what Stonehenge was when built including lining up for summer and winter solstice but rather than Sandstone is made of Pink Granite.
Its quirkiness, set here in WA takes me and I feel complete as my visit to the original in 2019 was somewhat disappointing due to it being fenced off and not being able to wander the stones. For good reason no doubt but still… here we could wander at will, touch and admire the beauty of the design and concept. Awesome. Love it!
ESPERANCE STINEHENGE
Onward to Cape Le Grand National Park about 53km from Esperance.
First stop is Cape Le Grand beach. There is a camp ground here and a 18.5km coastal walking trail through to Rossiter Bay via Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove and Lucky Bay. Some parts are level 5 but it looks like an interesting walk. Perhaps for another visit.
LE GRAND BEACHMOUNT LE GRAND
We then head to Frenchman Peak, a 262m elevation level 5 walk Rob is keen to tackle. I sit this one out due to some tendinitis in my left foot, admiring the view and writing.
FRENCHMAN PEAK from lookout opposite
On his return we then head for Lucky Bay, so named by Matthew Flinders when he stopped there in the xx in 1798 and also touted to be the whitest beach in Australia with squeaky sand. It doesn’t disappoint and although the water is cool – estimate 15 degrees we enjoy a lovely dip.
We left Hopetoun around 10am and head back up the highway towards Ravensworth before turning left onto the Jerdacuttup Road.
Along the way we stop to see items of the Farm Gate Art trail exhibit that we’d glimpsed on the way in to Hopetoun.
With temperatures reaching 40 on the highway, once again as we approach Esperance and the coast, the temperature drops to a much more comfortable 27 degrees on arrival. We are staying for six days at the Esperance Bay Holiday Park which is at the end of the Esplanade adjacent to the Port Harbour.
After setting up we take a long walk along the Esplanade and the Jetty. The path is lined with towering pines – Norfolk I think and the esplanade has lots of interesting activities for children including a bike track, a mini railway, a skate park and several dedicated swimming areas, one with a pontoon and swimming lanes!
NEW TANKER JETTYVIEW ACROSS BAY TO CAPE ARIDESPERANCE TANKER PORTMURAL
Back at the van we finish the day with Lamb Roast and chargrilled vege then enjoy drinks with our neighbours Tony and Dale from Glebe NSW and Mark and Sue from Sunshine Coast QLD.
Sunday 11 February, temp 18 – 37
On Sunday we head to the local market for an early breakfast, a shared egg, spinach and bacon wrap, a lamb roti and two coffees.
We explore the market stalls and purchase a dozen black figs and 10 green ones – we both enjoy figs with Gorgonzola as a treat.
During the midday heat we relax and I catch up on some washing and as the afternoon cools we head out to see the Pink Lake and explore Ocean Drive.
Despite its name Pink lake has not been the bubblegum pink of previous years since about 2017. This is due to changes in climate and salt levels. Hopeful it will one day be this pink again but today it is pale blue/green.
This picture courtesy Wikipedia.
How it used to look.
PINK LAKE PRIOR TO 2017
Ocean drive extends past Pink Lake, behind Esperance and to the Indian Ocean then back to Esperance
10 MILE9 MILE8 MILE4 MILEOBSERVATORY ISLAND LOOKOUTOBSERVATORY ISLAND LOOKOUTTWILIGHT BEACHSALMON BEACH
Monday 12 February, temp 18 – 24
Today we head out to explore Cape Le Grande National Park. About 12km out we visit Esperance Stonehenge. I had read about this place and was keen to visit. It doesn’t disappoint and it really is a wonder. Original started in 2002 but later stalled due to finance. It was taken up by a local farmer in 2010 and completed 2011. It is a complete replica of what Stonehenge was when built including lining up for summer and winter solstice but rather than Sandstone is made of Pink Granite.
Its quirkiness, set here in WA takes me and I feel complete as my visit to the original in 2019 was somewhat disappointing due to it being fenced off and not being able to wander the stones. For good reason no doubt but still… here we could wander at will, touch and admire the beauty of the design and concept. Awesome. Love it!
ESPERANCE STINEHENGE
Onward to Cape Le Grand National Park about 53km from Esperance.
First stop is Cape Le Grand beach. There is a camp ground here and a 18.5km coastal walking trail through to Rossiter Bay via Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove and Lucky Bay. Some parts are level 5 but it looks like an interesting walk. Perhaps for another visit.
LE GRAND BEACHMOUNT LE GRAND
We then head to Frenchman Peak, a 262m elevation level 5 walk Rob is keen to tackle. I sit this one out due to some tendinitis in my left foot, admiring the view and writing.
FRENCHMAN PEAK from lookout opposite
On his return we then head for Lucky Bay, so named by Matthew Flinders when he stopped there in the xx in 1798 and also touted to be the whitest beach in Australia with squeaky sand. It doesn’t disappoint and although the water is cool – estimate 15 degrees we enjoy a lovely dip.
It feels sad to be leaving Perth after five months of it being our base. Especially hard to be saying goodbye for now, to family and friends.
BrunswickTuesday 6 Feb
Happy birthday to Lynda D for yesterday xx.
Rob and I set off for Brunswick, then leave the van at the towns RV stop on the oval and then drive to “Honeymoon Pool” a campground on the Collie river. Not suitable for caravans unfortunately but a great spot for camping.
The water is so clear you can see the bottom and the campground has a platform and steps down to the water. We swim and chat with other travellers during the heat of the afternoon before setting off to find Wentworth Dam wall and its famous murals, part of the Collie mural art trail.
View back to Bunbury, heading towards CollieHoneymoon PoolGreat spot to swimWentworth Dam Wall & MuralMural 2 UnknownRock pit for the wall – now a parkBrunswick Main Street (can you find Daisy?)Front of RV park
Collie – Dumbleyung Wednesday 7 Feb
Happy birthday Kay Fry xx. Temp 19-35.
Rob and I start the day with a quick trip to Bunbury farmers market. For a foodie like me, it’s an amazing place with some really great ingredients like Harissa and Za’ atar! After a quick breakfast of Rhubarb & Greek Yogurt Granola, spinach and Ricotta roll and coffee we hit the market. Beware though it’s a bit like IKEA – one way only. Take your time and enjoy 🤩.
Bunbury Farmers Market Entrance
Back at the van we load groceries and hitch the van , then set off for Collie and the art Trail walk.
The art trail is scattered around the centre of town and links to the murals at the Dam wall in the Ferguson Valley that we visited yesterday. We arrive at 12:30 and it’s 32 degrees which is hot but not too bad and so we do part of the walk. The murals are interesting and some of them are really stunning. A few of my favourites here.
MARINA LOMMERSE & MICHAEL PHILLIPS, THE GIRL IN THE SHOP WINDOW, 2020MARINA LOMMERSE & MICHAEL PHILLIPS, FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE THEATRE ROYALE, 2020AUDREY FERNANDES-SATAR & ARIF SATAR, GROUND, 2020DONALD COOK, JONES FAMILY 2020UNKNOWNUNKNOWN SHAKEY (JACOB BUTLER) WITH GUIDANCE FROM JOE NORTHOVER, BORONIA GULLY, 2021
Collie is a great town with lots of walking trails and the Munda Biddi bike trail passes through here. The town has a lovely park in the centre with toilets and showers and the Main Street on the other side of the rail line which runs through the middle is full of charming historical buildings that are still in use today.
Wish we could stay longer…
Our next stop is our camp at Dumbleyung, 160km East of Collie so round 200kms today. On the way we pause at Wagin to see the big ram. Wagin reminds me of Harden-Murrumburrah NSW, where I grew up as it too is wheat and sheep country with rolling hills and in late summer, dry as toast!
The Big RamWagin Community ParkRed Tailed Phascogale (on branch) at risk!Mitchell Hall 1895
Our camp tonight is at Dumbleyung oval and I bake bread before we set off the next day.
Dumbleyung is a small town in this vast wheatbelt. It has lots of history including the land speed record set by Donald Campbell in in his vehicle the Bluebird.
On December 31, 1964 a crowd gathered on the shores of Lake Dumbleyung to watch English speedster Donald Campbell break a world water speed record.
Mr Campbell clocked an incredible 444.71kph across the lake in his bright blue hydroplane, the Bluebird.
Earlier that year, Mr Campbell set a land speed record at Lake Eyre in South Australia.
Massey Hay Binder 1920G.O.D.I. Grande Olde Dumbleyung I. CWABluebird
Dumbleyung – Hopetoun Thur 8 Feb
Temperature 19 – 38
Still heading East, oOur drive today has lots of very straight roads and continuing wheat fields.
We pass through Lake Grace literally; which is mostly salt, as the lake is on both sides of the road. Lake King further on is mostly salt alsoand then we run towards the South.
Lake GraceLake King
Between Lake Grace and Ravensthorpe we moved into the South East region WA.
About 15kms out of Ravensthorpe the temperature at 38 starts to drop and by the time we reach Hopetoun it’s at a much cooler 25.
Hopetoun Thursday 8 Feb – Sat 10 Feb
Temps 17-27 – perfect 🤩
We were hoping to free camp with a beachside stay but on arrival it was full so luckily the local beachside caravan park could accommodate us. After setting down we spend the afternoon exploring the beautiful beach. The water is cool and the sun is warm.
Friday we spend the day exploring the Fitzgerald National Park. We visit Mt Barren and the lookout, then Cave Point and West Beach for a swim.
Mt BarrenRoyal HakeaMt Barren Lookout Lookout back to Hopetoun
Cave Point is awesome and we can see Mt Barren to the left and West Beach to the right.
Cave Point with Mt BarrenWest BeachThe Cave
West Beach is beautiful, wild and windy and we have the whole place to ourselves. We explore rock pools and find one sheltered from the wind, almost like a spa!
His own spa!Beautiful Rock formation Pristine white sand!
We finish the day with sunset on the beach after an early dinner. Hopetoun is lovely, isolated, quiet and cool. A great place to relax with a great National park to explore nearby. One to come back too I think.
Next stop Esperance.
Lots of love to all. Stay safe and be kind to one another.
Dates: Tuesday 23 January – Friday 2 February 2024
Temperatures: 14 – 36 (including Heatwave)
Swan ValleyWed 23 – Fri 26 January
This is our last trip out from Perth exploring this great state of WA. The weather has been hot and we were looking forward to some cooler weather heading South and time on the beach.
Originally when we booked Swan Valley Tourist Park (a while ago) we were imagining lazy walks and some winery visits. Instead we find ourselves doing van maintenance and weekly jobs of bread making and washing on the first day we arrive.
York Wednesday 24 January
Rob really wanted to see the historical town of York, the oldest inland town of WA so on our second day in the Swan Valley we head out there, about 1hr, 87km West of Swan Valley.
We spend the day following the heritage trail, visiting the sick factory and enjoying lunch at the Imperial hotel.
Avon RiverSelfieRib the Swing BridgeTown HallMouse Door!Main Street – Avon TerraceYork lookout towards Avon TceYork lookout Nth West
Our second day of Swan Valley is taken up with bread baking, more maintenance (Rob working on the Stone Stomper and me cleaning windows and more cooking) before we head out to Funk Cider about 500metres from the park!
We enjoyed lazy paddles of cider for me and beer for Rob before heading back and joining our fellow neighbours Ann and Kenny for dinner with other family and friends. A great night, thanks for the invitation Ann!
Pinjarra Fri 26 January
On Australia Day we left Swan Valley heading inland for the long weekend. We headed South West towards Pt Heron to hopefully catch up with my niece Lynda who was camping there with other friends. Along the way we passed through Pinjarra and I spied a sign for the best meat pie in Australia 2021! Of course we had to stop!
The Beef and Beef and Mushroom pies went down a treat and we also had a Vanilla Slice and tropical smoothie. All were very good!
Vanilla SliceBaby Galah resting in the shade
Waroona Fri 26 January
We’ve found most WA towns to be full of charm, history and often very RV friendly. Waroona was one such of these.
Overnight camp on the oval Friday 26th
Wahroona OvalShowgrounds Art History
Yarloop Sat 27 Jan – Mon 29 Jan
1.5 hour South West of Perth on the South Western Highway. Overnight in the towns RV stop with toilet and sink but no soap or hand washing facilities. 14-34 degrees.
Yarloop is a charming National Trust heritage town with ties to the wood milling industry. The whole town was severely affected by bushfires in 2016, losing 2 lives and 220 homes. The quiet town , now mostly rebuilt still shows signs of recovery. Rebuilding has included a new Heritage trail which records the history of the old milling town’s original characters and buildings with photos along a 3.5km walk taking in most of the town and the railway line.
A lovely stay not far from the coast but far enough to enjoy the beautiful night skies and the full moon over the long weekend away from crowds as WA enjoys the last weekend of the school holidays. A great spot to catch up with my niece Lynda and enjoy some quality time catching up over prawns, crab, roast lamb with ratatouille and chocolate cake!
Options to explore nearby include the towns steam workshops which provide guided tours and Logue Brook Dam sound good for a picnic & swim.
Full moon At 5am!Historical WalkOne Tree ParkHistorical Steam Engines
BunburyMonday 29 Jan – Wed 31 Jan
This is our third visit to Bunbury a thriving coastal community with beautiful beaches, coastal paths and lots to see and do.
Known as the “City of three waters” for the roaring Indian Ocean, nearby Koombana Bay and Leschenault estuary.
A heatwave is predicted Wednesday 31 January- Friday 2nd February so we were lucky to be heading to the Coast in the days leading up to this. We spent the days with early morning walks, swimming and long bike rides including a visit to Bunbury Farmers Market. One of the best ever so don’t miss it if you get the chance to go!
Sunset from our van on Ocean DriveWyalup Rocky Point Beach Bunbury
Australind Thursday 1 Feb – Fri 2 Feb
Another favourite place to stop is Christina Reserve on the Leschenault Reserve, a free council stay that requires booking for up to 48 hours either toilets nearby.
The day we arrive it got to 36 so we spent most of the day relaxing in the shade to avoid the heat. On the second day we walk out on to the Eco Discovery walk and watch crabbers, people fishing and enjoy the abundant bird life. The day is heating up though so on return we elect to drive back into Bunbury, (about 20km) for a swim, shower then lunch and a movie in aircon.
Sunset Leschenault EstuaryBreakfast!Blue SwimmerSth view estuary amSo many Black Swans2nd Sunset
Friday morning we head back to Perth for our last weekend before starting to head East again. We have a great time with my niece Lucy, her daughter Clare & Ryan and the beautiful Zoe and baby Dustin and catch up with Lynda too (Happy Birthday for next week).
So nice to spend time with family.
At the marketsStory time
A big thank you to Louise, a wonderful friend who hosted us each time we returned to Perth. We will miss you.
Temperature: 11-25 Sunny, overcast, very windy Wednesday.
Monday 11th September
Perth to Cervantes, Turquoise Coast.
Rob and I were looking forward to heading North, planning this part of our trip up the Coast as far as Monkey Mia, with some side trips covering the next three weeks. The weather has started to warm after what felt like a cold winter and we want to see some of the North Coast before it gets too hot.
Driving Nth from Perth we head through an area of eucalyptus and then the landscape flattens and becomes more coastal.
We decide to stop at Nilgens lookout. Walking to Nilgens lookout and a brown snake skitters across the path about 6M in front of us! No photo.
😬😳😱 first one of the season.
Nilgens lookoutIndian Ocean Road
We arrive and make camp at Cervantes Tourist park which is right on the coast. After setup we take a walk along the foreshore noting a strong sulphur smell which we attribute to the piles of seaweed along the shore but on closer inspection find bubbling holes in the white sand and under the shallow water of the foreshore so maybe there are natural springs beneath this area of the coast?
Cervantes Tourist ParkOn the beachCervantes Coast
After a quick dip we head out to check out the Stromatolites at nearby Thetis Lake.
Stromatolites look like rocks but they are one of the oldest living organisms and importantly contributed oxygen to the atmosphere on earth and are only found in a few places. Some of the oldest (3.5 billion years) are on WA’s coastline.
Stromatolites are formed through the activity of primitive unicellular organisms: cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and other algae. These grow through sediment and sand, binding the sedimentary particles together, resulting in successive layers which, over a long period of time, harden to form rock.
Lake ThetisA StromataliteMore StromatalitesHarnessing the sun for growth
After walking the trail around lake Thetis we head back into town in time to watch the sunset over the water.
Cute couple ❤️Cervantes harbour
Tuesday 12 September
On Tuesday we head out early to go see the Pinnacles in a Nambung National Park which is about 25km South of Cervantes.
The Pinnacles are amazing natural limestone structures, formed approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago after the sea receded and left deposits of sea shells. Over time, coastal winds removed the surrounding sand, leaving the pillars exposed to the elements. The Pinnacles range in height and dimension – some stand as high as 4.0m and the area where they are found is truly amazing!
You can drive the Pinnacles, recommended, as there is a lot to see and the park also has several walking trails crisscrossing the park.
Otherworldly landscape Aussie StonehengePinnacle up closeView to the coastEmu footprints Big one!White cheeked honeyeater?
After the Pinnacles we head for Hangover Bay and take a walk along the beach. We spy a group of seabirds in the distance and head that way.
We usually carry a bag on these walks as we collect rubbish off of every beach we visit. A habit we started years ago. Today we find a lot of rope, some too heavy to fully remove so Rob hauls it up off the beach as high as he can. Another long bit makes it back to the car for disposal. Rob also finds me a “sea flower”, he’s so sweet.
I snap a good picture of a pair of seabirds and with the help of a fellow named Jim from Bundaberg, Qld who is birdwatching, I am able to identify them. We had run into Jim and his partner at the Pinnacles too and he identified the honeyeater. Thanks Jim!
Hangover BaySeabirds on a rockBlack browned wing albatross pairHauling waste off the beachMore waste for disposal“Sea flower”
We head back to Cervantes for a late lunch at the Lobster Shack, an eatery on the bay not to be missed if you stop at Cervantes.
Seafood share platter! YumI want what their having!Cervantes
Wednesday 13 September
When you travel you are always watching the weather and my friend Louise had warned us that Sep – Nov can be very windy in WA, particularly on the coast towards Geraldton. We had been watching the weather forecast and Wednesday was forming as a rough, very windy and stormy day so we set off early from Cervantes aiming for Geraldton.
The weather and the storms tail is all the way to Geraldton. The clouds are racing with 25-30km/hr winds with gusts to 60 and 70km/hr.
We stop at Port Denison for a toilet break and the wind makes it hard to walk. The coast and the sea is wild and it’s a relief to get back in the car.
As we approach Geraldton the weather catches us and it feels like we are in a ship on the high seas rather than in a vehicle on the road as we rock and sway with wind.
We had planned to stay on the foreshore which on a fine day at Geraldton would have been lovely. With the wind and rain though it was quite unpleasant when we arrived with wind and rain increasing. The site wasn’t level either so between having to level the van in the weather and a chain fence nearby that was making a lot of noise in the wind, we decided to head off again in search of a more favourable spot.
We head East and about 20kms outside Geraldton fins a lovely free camp on a hill at Bringo.
My daughter Carly arrived from Brisbane late on Saturday night so after a leisurely start we took her to the Fremantle markets and then for a quick visit to Kings Park.
I love both of these locations, Freemantle markets are now only open Friday – Sunday but were as bustling as I remembered. We wandered the aisles and tried a few of the food stalls, amazed at the eclectic mix of cuisines and food options, everything from Vietnamese to Cronuts.
I bought Fire Cider, a potent mix of herbs and spices blended with cider vinegar, an old world remedy revisited for all things that ail us humans and Carly bought some Matcha Bau buns!
Kings Park is a long time favourite also and the great thing about it is that it changes every time you visit, depending on the season and the changing displays.
Both are an absolute must for first time visitors to Perth!
On Monday we set out early for a day trip to Rottnest Island, we had organised bikes to tour the island on and we were all looking forward to meeting the famous “Quokka’s”.
The day started out damp and with a drizzly wet walk from our car parked in Freo to the jetty and Ferry to Rottnest.
Fun fact – Rottnest is Dutch for “nest of rats“ which is what the Dutch first thought the Quokka’s were – giant rats!
Fortunately by the time we travelled over, about 45mins the weather had broken and we looked set for a nice warm day.
After disembarking at Thompson Bay we collected our hired bicycles and with helmets on set out to cycle around the island.
Large skinkReady to goFirst Quokka sightingGeordie BayThe BasinBathurst Lighthouse
The island is beautifully remote in its own way and has pockets of a accommodation scattered around the coastline.
We cycle anticlockwise taking in Little Armstrong, Catherine and Stark Bays. We then head inland in search of the “Pink Lake” we’ve read about. We find the lake but it is only vaguely pink, must be the wrong time of the year.
Our plan was to cycle the whole way round – 22km but we soon realised that the Quokka’s were really only to be found around the settlement so after cycling for a couple of hours Carly and I headed back, leaving Rob to explore the far side of the island towards Fish Hook Bay.
Wadjemup LighthousePink LakeCarly at Pink LakeView towards Fish Hook BayRob heading to Fish Hook BaySalmon BayCatching my breath!Taking in the view
Back at Thompson Bay we quickly find some very cute Quokka’s including a Mum and Joey and Carly and I take way to many photos.
The little Joey was very interested in Carly and spent ages checking her out and hanging with us. Mum stayed nearby and they eventually totaled off together.
Too cute!Mum and JoeyQuokka SelfieJoeyCarly and the JoeySleepy Quokka!Quokka selfieQuokka
Once Rob arrived back we checked the bikes back in and wandered through the village before sitting to have a snack.
One of the Quokka’s was very interested in my green backpack. We had forgotten we had stowed a banana peel in a pocket earlier and the little fella was very intent on checking it out, getting very insistent and close to both Rob and I. Even after we disposed of the peel he hung around wanting to get to know both of us.
We had a great day and we’re sorry to leave. You could sit and watch the Quokka’s all day and if you sit quietly enough, sometimes they will want to check you out too.
Once arriving back in Fremantle we headed back to Perth and finished off our special day with Carly with a trip into the city to go to Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King for a fantastic bowl of Ramen, Yum!
The next day we went to Hillary’s to catch up with family before farewelling Carly the day after as she headed off to Singapore on her first solo trip overseas!
Great great nephew DustinGreat great niece ZoeyMabel with her ballRelaxing with MabelBye Carly 👋
Rob and I will now spend a few days in Perth getting ready to head up into the Gascoyne region to Geraldton, Kalbarri and Monkey Mia!
Update 11 Sep. Carly had a great first solo trip and is back in Australia safely from her holiday.
Temperature: Northcliffe 8-21 degrees, cool morning, overcast, then sunny from late morning. Top of 20 degrees at Windy Harbour
Today Rob planned a day trip to Windy Harbour in D’Entrecasteaux National Park. The drive out and back is interesting as the landscape varies from soaring Karri forest to coastal scrub, then more forest then back to coast scrub.
We stop for a short hike up Mt Chudalup. 1.0km return with 187mtr ascendency so straight up with a steep rock climb to the summit.
The hike is relatively quick with a few slips on the pebbles as we go up stairs and slopes. The rock climb begins with pretty bridges and walkways over wet areas and the surrounds are filled with flowers. Amazing 360 degree views from the top all around of the coastline and surrounding country. The wildflowers are beautiful and there is so much colour in the lichen and flora. Very well worth the climb!
Walkways and WildflowersMossy sectionBridges upSummit NorthSummit WestSummit SouthSummit South EastSummit South EastSummit SouthSummit EastWildflowersWildflowersWildflowersMt Chudalup
After Mt Chudalup we continue onto Windy Harbour, a small holiday village with many beach shacks that are obviously used year round given the amount of chimneys and I hear that the tide is much lower than normal, perhaps due to the full moon two days ago?
We head straight out to Cathedral Rock and spend a while chatting with fellow travellers Alana and Wayne from Iluka in Northern NSW.
Next we drive out Salmon Bay lookout and then Natures Window. The views of the Southern Ocean are stunning and the overcast day has well and truly disappeared and the sun shines.
Salmon Bay WestSalmon Bay EastTo Natures WindowNatures WindowSouthern OceanNatures WindowSelfieCoastline CoastlineLooking down
We stop at Tookalup for a picnic lunch and a bit of whale watching and we were lucky enough to spot a Mum and Calf travelling along the coast.
PicnicTookalupMum and calfMum and calf
After lunch we finished our Southern Coastal visit with a walk on the of the Survivor’s Coastal pathway, 5.2km return from Windy Harbour and then Rob took a dip at Windy Bay.
Survivors Coast Walk towards Windy HarbourView back towards Mt ChudalupOld man’s beard?Survivors Coast Walk towards ClifftopSouthern Ocean SwimAhhh
A big hello to two couples we met over the last two days; Chris and Neil Woods wandering Australia from Adelaide in South Australia and Alanna and Wayne from Iluka, in Northern NSW. Both long term travellers and lovely people, very happy to stop and chat.
Location: Bruce Rock, Kokerbin, Quairading, Taopin Weir
Region: Wheatbelt
Date: Wednesday, 30 August – Thursday, 1 September 2023
Temperature:
We started the day with a wildflower drive just outside Corrigin, just a short drive and you could easily walk the drive if you wished. The flowers don’t disappoint, I’m just a bit sorry I don’t know all the names…
Yet another stopLookout to Corrigin
We return to Corrigin and collect the van and decide to follow the “Granite Way” to take in other local rock sites so we head to Bruce Rock. Nice day area but can’t access most of Bruce Rock as it’s on private land unfortunately.
Old Corrigin WaterTowerCorrigin pubWindmillRoad out of Corrigin
Next stop is Kokerbin rock; the 3rd biggest monolith in Australia. We take the walk around and past the Devils Marbles and spy an echidna on the way resting under a tree, then we climb to the top and take in the vista and back down again and then follow the path to visit the historic well.
On the way back we saw a “stumpy” aka blue tongue, warming himself in the afternoon sunshine.
KokerbinFloraEchidnaDevils MarblesFrom the topTowards the SummitHistoric wellWildflowerWildflowersStumpy (aka Blue Tongue)
We continue on granite way, past Mt Stirling to Quairading and then onto Toapin Weir to camp for the night. As we drive slowly along the gravel road we are surrounded by flocks of Australian Ring Neck Parrots (aka the Port Lincoln Parrot and the Twenty Eight parrot due to the sound it makes).
Mt StirlingQuairading BlossomsFloraPincushion resurrection plant (dies then resurrects after rain).Taopin WeirTaopin WeirFloraMoss
On Thursday 31st August we travelled back to Perth via York an historical town nestled in the foothills surrounding Perth.
My daughter Carly arrives this weekend for a 3 day visit before heading to Singapore.
Our plan while in WA for the next 5-6 months; with Louise kindly offering her house as as our base in Perth, is to explore the bottom half of the state by taking 1- 3 week trips away at a time. If you think of it like a daisy with Perth the centre, our loops will be like the petals. Due to our delay in leaving the East Coast it will be too hot to travel the far North this year so we will save that for next year.
We have my daughter Carly arriving on Saturday night on a short three day stay as she heads to Singapore so we decided to take a short trip and on Monday 28th August we head East from Perth towards Brookton then Corrigin where we will stay two nights, leaving the van and just taking the car the extra distance to Wave Rock, a total of 330 kms from Perth.
The drive out is filled with lots of green and gold pasture all the way from Brookton to Corrigin which surprises Rob and I; thinking it would be sparse and dry, but this region is known as the Wheatbelt and covers a vast area both West and South from Perth. It’s beautiful country.
We camp for the night at free camp in the centre of town. Nice and flat, quiet with public toilets nearby that are well maintained with soap and paper towel. It’s surprising how important well maintained facilities become when you travel like this!
Green and Gold PasturesPassing BrooktonCamp at Corrigin
On Tuesday we head out for Wave Rock, leaving the van at Corrigin. We can stay a max 72hours.
We pass through Kondinin, then stop at Kalgarin to admire some artwork and check out some wildflowers before heading on to and Hyden and Wave Rock.
Wave Rock is a now a chargeable experience for visitors and the park includes a cafe.
The rock is a short stroll from the car park and there is a bush tucker walk on the way. The face of the rock presents itself around a curve and it is a breathtaking sight. It’s darker than I thought it would be and the colours and sheer size of the curve are extraordinary to say the least. Rob and I goof around trying to sit on the curve and he tries to Surf it!
Wave RockHyden catchment On top of Wave RockMini Wave
We walk up the rock and across the top taking in the catchment and views. It has been quite interesting to discover so many outback areas originally used these large rocks to catch and contain water and many are still in use along with other newer systems. Wave rock still has many areas of the low walls originally built around it in evidence of this practice.
As we walk we see a Sandalwood tree which is rare as these were nearly all collected out of existence in this area due to their export value to Asian counties for joss sticks (incense). We also see lichens and a few wild flower growing in Gnamma holes on the top face of the rock.
Sandalwood TreeLichen and flowers in Gnamma holesMore LichenMore Flowers
We continue walking, making our way down and then across to take in Hippo Yawn and then further on to the salt lake which is near the resort.
Big cracksHippo’s YawnHippo’s YawnSalt Lake
We finish our walk around the park taking in the wildlife and as we go read about Mulka’s cave nearby. The cave has a very interesting story about Mulka which I will leave for you to discover if you visit and is thought to be one of the most prodigious examples of Aboriginal Art with over 200 hand prints in the cave. Worth a visit.
While we are in WA we are lucky to have a base in Perth, generously provided by my very good friend Louise. Her house, in Lynwood is very central with quick access to Perth, Fremantle and all the highways heading out of Perth and her driveway is big enough to accommodate the van and ute!
Our first few days in Perth are caught up with the usual chores after being on the road, washing, cleaning the van etc and some planning for the weeks ahead. Louise has a significant birthday coming up so there is also lots of activity around the festive event.
Louise has a Golden Retriever – Mabel, who is affectionately known as “Miss Mabel” who likes to walk, romp with the footy and play with family pal Lizzie (a Corgie) and it’s lots of fun walking with her and getting to know her very sweet personality.
Miss Mabel is also a typical dog who likes food very much so after the mysterious disappearance of a sticky bun, we quickly learnt food left on the bench may potentially get snatched 😂
Nap timePlaying with her ballReading with RobMore Nap timeStalking my latest Sourdough batch, cooling on the bench!
One particularly nice walk took us around and through the beautiful Canning River Park catching some flowers and the beautiful Port Lincoln Parrot, a ring neck, also known as the 28 parrot.
On our first visit to Freemantle this trip, we walked from the markets (closed that day and only open on weekends currently) through the beautiful old streets, taking in the sites to the Port area, then to lunch at Little Creatures Brewery.
Statue John CurtainThe RoundView from the RoundLittle Creatures Brewery
Another trip to Fremantle included a quick trip to the old prison.
The history of Fremantle Prison dates back to the early beginnings of Western Australia and its role in the development of this State is unparalleled. It is the largest convict built structure in Western Australia and the most intact convict establishment in the nation.
In 2010, Fremantle Prison became the first building in Western Australia to be included on the World Heritage list.
We did not have enough time for a a tour as we were only there for an hour but there is a lot to look at with several rooms providing photographic and video information on of the history of the jail, there is also a free gallery and cafe.
Fun pics of RobHe makes a good prisoner.
We also had a couple of family catch-ups, the first with my niece Lucy and her family, an ideal opportunity to meet my new Great, Great Nephew Dustin. Yes that’s correct and I’m aiming for Great Great Great Aunty status one day too!
Baby Dustin and IGorgeous Zoe
On yet another trip to Fremantle we caught up with another of my niece’s, Lynda. We met for dinner at the Norfolk (highly recommend the share platters) and had a great night!
The big event of course was Louise’s party. We had much fun planning outfits and a bit of pampering in preparation for the big event which was held at The Last Local hotel with 40 guests.
Girls ready to partyBirthday Girl LouiseRob and ILovely friendsSons Harry & CharlieGorgeous Cake! Love Friends from WorkMore FriendsMore FriendsMore Friends
We leave Norseman early with a shortish drive to Kalgoorlie (187 km). Not long after we leave we pass Dundas Rocks, then Lake Cowan so we pause for photos. The scenery is peppered by water which we weren’t expecting and the Great Western woodland continues for miles. I found out that this woodland covers over 16,000,000 hectares, a region larger than England and Wales!
Lake CowanDundas Rocks from a distanceRoad go Kalgoorlie
I’ve been looking forward to visiting Kalgoorlie – Boulder, two neighbouring towns that I’ve always thought of as frontier towns, both with rich histories steeped in the gold-rushes of Western Australia.
We chose to stay at the RV stop as we are only here one night. After unhitching we head for the town centre to stock up and have lunch somewhere. The day is warm and I look forward to the walk. We visit the information centre and pick up brochures on everything WA – so much to see and do in this large state!
Kalgoorlie is bustling and we decide to lunch at the Kalgoorlie Hotel, pictured below and very nice. Afterwards we walk Hannan Street admiring the early architecture and the towns obvious commitment to preserving many of the buildings.
“Patrick Hannan was a gold prospector whose lucrative discovery on 14 June 1983 set off a major gold rush. The resulting gold mine has been mined ever since and is renowned as “The Golden Mile”, the richest square mile in the world!” – ref: Wikipedia.
The modern open-cut mine is a vast, astonishing sight that we visited later in the day.
Patrick Hannam SculptureKalgoorlie HotelHannam StreetHannan StreetYork Hotel
Late in the afternoon we visit Mt Charlotte Reservoir and lookout, with views over the area and then race to the 5:00pm blast at the Superpit!
View from Mt Charlotte ReservoirView from Mt Charlotte ReservoirThe SuperpitThe Superpit blastBoulder late afternoon
I like Kalgoorlie’s vibrancy and wish we could stay longer to explore further but our next stop is Southern Cross then onward to Perth by Saturday to catch the next Matilda’s game with friends.
Southern Cross is another town with it’s history steeped in mining with the first major discovery of gold there in 1887. These days most of the workers in the surrounding mines are FIFO (fly in, fly out) so the town is much quieter than days gone by. Charming with historical pubs and an interesting museum.
“Its historic importance lies in the fact that in 1887 it became the first major gold discovery in the Eastern Goldfields and therefore, for a time, it was seen as the mother town of Coolgardie and the grandmother of Kalgoorlie.” Ref: AussieTowns.com.au
Another interesting snippet is in the name. “Southern Cross was reputedly named after the famous constellation which Thomas Risely and Mick Toomey, who discovered the gold which led to the settlement of the area, claimed had been led to their discovery. They named the goldfield Southern Cross and the name of the town followed.” Ref: AussieTowns.com.au
On the way into Southern Cross I received the news that my Great niece Clare had just given birth to her second child, a son named Darcy Allen Green so after we arrived and set down we went for a walk around the Main Street to find a pub to “wet the baby’s head”. Our first choice, The Palace was closed but The Club at the other end of the street was open. Congratulations Clare and Ryan on the safe arrival of Darcy.
Another fun fact about Souther Cross, most of the streets are named after constellations.
Palace HotelAntares StreetClub HotelCheers to Darcy
After our overnight at Southern Cross it’s onward to Perth. The drive continues through the Goldfields and into the Wheatbelt region that surrounds Perth. Soon we are met with stunning fields of Canola and Wheat.
We arrive safely in Perth just in time for the Matilda’s game against Sweden for third place. Sadly they lost the game but wow what effort. Well done Matilda’s
Region: Flinders Rangers and Outback, Eyre Peninsula, Goldfields & Esperance
Dates: 13 August – 16 August 2023
Temperature: 6 – 18 degrees
It was a cool morning when we left Streaky Bay but we were very excited to be heading out into the Nullabor, one of Australia’s truely great drives.
Fun fact, Nullabor loosely translated from Latin means “ no trees”. Null = None or No and abor = trees.
We drive through Perlubie and Penong to Ceduna our first stop where we had planned to pay to fill the water tanks and get fuel (Rob had found a good price on Petrol Spy) but on arrival found the town in the middle of a planned electricity outage, so the water and fuel station we planned to visit were shut! Fortunately we found the BP was still open and very busy, running on a generator and we were able to get both fuel ($$$) and water (free). Interesting the problems that crop up as you travel and the best laid plans of mice and men and all that goes with it!
Our camp for tonight Sunday 13/8 and Monday 14/8 is on the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight and it’s also our first 4×4 camp, driving off road and over dunes to the cliffs.
After finding the exit which is often tricky with Wiki Camps; being just a dirt track off the highway and no signage, we carefully drive the bumpy track and tight corners and the hump of the dunes with no problems and make our camp. The view of the cliffs is amazing to say the least, the power of the waves against the 120+ metre cliffs, the colours, the Great Southern Ocean are all awe inspiring. It’s nice to have a two nights here to take it in and explore.
PerlubieEyre HighwayStraight RoadsTraffic!The Bight CliffsOur camp in the background !
With our full day on the cliffs we plan a walk and later I’m going to bake bread. I had spent the previous day working the dough in the car as we drove, dutifully folding the dough every hour and it had proven slowly overnight in the fridge.
The day showed promise of being clear so we were hopeful of seeing some whales also. Our bush walk explored the cliffs and the incoming track, and we also hunted for wild flowers and the sink hole we had read about. Apparently there lots of sink holes all along the coastline.
To finish our day we set a hot fire to bake the bread, before cooking dinner in the camp oven, fennel and garlic sausages with roast veg. Unfortunately baking bread directly in the coals is too hot (lesson learned) but I was able to salvage most of the the loaf after removing part of the bottom crust.
The track from the highwayWildflowersWildflowers Lichen!Our campfire and viewFooty on the Bight!SinkholeThe Bight with sun
Later in the day Rob saw a Petrel over the sea and I saw a Sea eagle near camp.
Hot camp fireThe dough goes inLooks good but too dark underneath Campfire dinnerRelaxing at nightSunrise on the Bight
On Wednesday we left early and as we drove out saw hundreds of cobwebs covered in dew. It’s always surprising to find life in arid areas and by the amount of webs it’s obvious there are lots of spiders and insects.
The landscape continues to change and delight and we stop at every cliff and coast viewpoint enjoying the sights, stopping just outside Cocklebiddy to bush camp again. On Thursday we stop in to see the wedge tailed Eagles (thanks Kay 😍) Samantha and Bruce before heading off. I took a photo of the sign so you can read about them and how we must all take great care on the roads to prevent hitting them.
2nd SunriseCobwebs in the dunesCoastal cliff viewCoast Cliff viewCoastal Cliff ViewWildflower amongst the coastal rocksSamantha and BruceWedgetail information
Our third day of driving on the Nullabor is to Norseman. I’ve heard a lot about this town from my brother law Jon Fry who worked there for a period and has told me about the stunning Great Western Woodlands nearby.
As we leave Cocklebiddy, Rob spies an Emu dad with three chicks (no photo) close to the road. They are very cute with their stripped feather camouflage and we are delighted by the sight.
This drive has the longest straight stretch of road in Aus 246.6km. The last few days we have had lots of radio traffic from pilots of oversized vehicles and we are very glad to have the UHF as without warning it may be difficult to move off the road in time, due to the sometimes high and steep shoulders.
On the way into Norseman we had a shower of rain which changed all the colours in the landscape. On arrival we camped at Norseman RV park, very good and now has toilets (open 8:00-4:00) and close to the dump point.
After setup we visited Lyn Webb’s “Gallery of Splendid Isolation” and said hello as Kay and Jon know him. His outback photography is breathtakingly beautiful and not to be missed.
Later we had dinner at the local hotel and watched the Matilda’s in the Semi Final and while we didn’t get a win it was great to see the team advance so far in the World Cup and to see such great National support. Well done Matilda’s!
Australia’s longest stretch of straight roadSome treesRain in the woodlands.Beacon Hill Norseman lookoutNorsemanTin Camel Roubdabout
All in all the Nullabor has been a great drive with lots to see and do. We think we might even do the golf links on the return journey.
Tomorrow we are off to Kalgoorlie.
Hope you are all safe and well. Be kind to each other. xx
We left Minnipa with only a short drive today to Streaky Bay of roughly 100km’s from bush to coast!We decided to camp at the Islands RV camp which was recommended by a fellow camps at Tcharkuldu Rocks and a powered site will provide an opportunity to catch up with weekly washing. Our van has a washer and we can comfortably wash clothes while off grid and we could do sheets and towels but much easier in a big washer!
The Islands is 7km from Streaky Bay and on the way in we spy a bike path so as soon as we park and unhitch we grab the bikes and head for town. The ride is reasonably flat with enough hills to please Rob and make me wish I was fitter! 😂
After about 40minutes ride we arrive in town, explore the picturesque jetty, then visit the pub to book a bus and dinner for the Matilda’s Qtr final on Saturday. We enjoy a beer then ride back to camp to take in the sunset then fire up the Ziggy for roast pork dinner.
Our camp at the Islands View from across from our campStreaky Bay HotelThe swimming areaStreaky Bay JettySunset across the BaySunset from camp
On Friday after getting the washing done we set out to explore the first of two loop drives around Streaky Bay. The first is the Cape Bauer loop. We took sandwiches and enjoyed them with tea at the blowhole and whistling rock. We waited til high tide as we hoped for a real blow but other visitors mentioned you need an onshore wind for it to pump. There’s plenty of noise though and it feels like the rocky shore beneath you is breathing, especially at Whistling Rocks!
View from car parkBlowholeCape Bauer coastlineSpot the two lizardsOur drive today
On Saturday after a bacon and egg role at the local Drift Streaky Bay Cafe (very nice), we drive to Point Labett. As we drive past Baird Bay it appears streaky with lines of sea foam on the caps of the waves and I wonder if that’s where the name came from? The bay appears shallow and the edges had pillows of pure white foam. We stopped to watch a big flock of pelicans and other seabirds and admire the view of the wide bay.
On to the Seal Colony (51km’s from Streaky Bay), where we spied 30 seals including pups lazily enjoying the sunshine. The colony is very protected as you can only view from the platform high above which is good as it’s evident from the sign that the Australian Sealion is an endangered species. We stay quite a while but it’s cool, 18 degrees but with the breeze from the viewing platform above felt much cooler.
Baird BayBaird BayPelicansPoint Labatt Seal ColonyMum and Pups!Seal ColonyThe only active seal!
On the way back we drive the Westall Way Loop coming across a very cranky blue tongue lizard on the wayand taking in the amazing white sand dunes at Sceale Bay, rugged Perlubie Beach, and some early wildflowers at Westall.
Cranky blue tongue!Sand dunes of YanerbieSceale Bay from other sidePerlubie BeachRob on the Rocks!Chinamans HatsWestallWildflowersThe RoadWetlands
The area is remote and both loops were on unsealed roads which were very good and easy to drive on. The scenery in this area is so beautiful and we would love to visit again in the summer months to enjoy the beaches. We return to camp to get ready for our dinner in town and the Matilda’s game and to pack, for tomorrow we head out onto the Nullabor and five days at least of free camps.
Location: Morgan, Burra, Crystal Brook, Port Augusta, Kimba and Minnipa.
Regions: SA – Murray-Darling Basin, SA – Northern and Yorke, SA – Eyre Peninsula.
State: South Australia.
Time: 7 August – 9 August 2023,
Average Temperatures: -2.0 – 21 degrees.
Reason: Travelling Australia.
We left Morgan about 10am on Monday 7 August, aiming for Crystal Brook or Melrose. It was sad to say bye for now to my beautiful Sister Kay and Great nephew Darcy but we knew it would only be a few months until we see each other again. We headed North West towards Burra which has amazing pasture lands and the area is highlighted by the “Goyder Line” a boundary line across SA corresponding to rainfall believed to indicate the edge of the area suitable for agriculture. North of the line, the rainfall is unreliable and only considered suitable for grazing and not cropping.
Decals onKay and DarcyPastures around Burra
We pass Burra and head for Crystal Brook which is described as “Where the Flinders Begin” and is known as one of the most productive sheep and wheat areas of SA. The pastures are wide and so green, or yellow if it’s Canola and it’s all very healthy and lush so this claim looks reliable and it looks like the winter rains have been kind. We arrive at Crystal Brook and take a walk up the wide main street which is quietly bustling. Crystal brook has a long pastoral history and links with explorers. As we read the local tourist displays down the centre of the main street, I’m taken by the story of one explorer, John Horrocks who was supposedly shot by his camel Harry! I was quite surprised by this so I did some research later (ref Wikipedia) and apparently during his last expedition in the far NW of SA in 1846 while aiming for Lake Torrens and good agricultural land, Horrocks was accidentally shot while reloading his shotgun, one barrel of which was tripped by the packload of a kneeling camel known as Harry, who had been the first camel to arrive in Australia!
Horrocks lost the middle finger of his right hand and a row of teeth from the right upper jaw! Ouch! The expedition was abandoned and Horrocks died of his injuries some 22 days later. An extraordinary story of a man and his camel!
We continue on our journey taking a break at Wirrabara and take in the local Silo Art. This one painted by Australian Artist Sam Bates who goes by the name of “Smug”. The mural depicts the history of the are and important flora and fauna. Later make camp just outside Melrose with an amazing view of Mt Remarkable. We set a camp fire in our portable pit and enjoy lamb chops and grilled vegetables and later a small pot of “Gluhwein” which is red wine spiced with cinnamon, star anise, orange in a sugar syrup. Perfect for camping on a winter’s evening.
WirrabaraMt RemarkableMt Remarkable“Gluhwein”Sunset over Mt RemarkableEvening fireChilly morning in Melrose
The next day we head for Port Augusta. We are passing through but it’s an interesting city because of it’s strategic position at the junction of three major Australian Highways and two railway line. We stop in town for fuel and visit the water tower which has outstanding 360 degree views towards the Flinders Rangers, the coast and the outback. As we leave Port Augusta the land seems to stretch and dry out and we know we have left the rich pastoral lands behind.
We pass Iron Knob, a town I’m hoping to visit at a later time and our next stop is Kimba which is apparently “half way” across Australia and sports “The Big Galah” and some more remarkable silo art, this one by Cam Scale in 2017 depicting a young girl looking towards a stunning sunset and surrounded by lush wheat fields. The mural stretches over five and a half silos and is around 60m wide and 25 high! We leave Kimba with me in the driving seat, first time towing!
Leaving Port AugustaLeaving Port AugustaEyre HighwayKimba Silo ArtBig Galah
Rob found a great camp on WikiCamps about 17km over gravel road outside Minnipa at Tcharkuldu Rocks. My first drive towing the van from Kimba to Minnipa is uneventful and then I continue on 17kms NW of Minnipa on gravel before arriving at the large camp ground with camping access all away around the rocks and many spots to choose from. With few visitors at this time of year, it is an idyllically quiet and peaceful camp. We enjoy another night under the stars with dinner over a camp fire and our only visitor is a little mouse who ran up my leg and gave me quite a start, then he ran around under the van and over the wheel (underneath the pantry), several times until we set a light and then he disappeared. I can only imagine what it would be like with mice whilst camping during a plague!
View from topView from topAnother view from UptonLittle mouse!Old Tcharkuldu HutInside the hut!Outback Dunny
The next day we take a meandering walk around the rock speaking to a few other campers and hear about Pildappa Rock, or mini wave rock as it was referred to which is about 24 km’s out of Minnipa in the direction of the Gawler Ranges so we decide to spend a second night and explore this one also. We weren’t disappointed, Pildappa was stunning and like other more well known rocks has nearly 5 times the depth of rock underneath as that which can be seen on the surface. Pildappa has two waves one on the Southern side and and another on the Northern. It has easy access to the summit and has outstanding 360 views of the surrounding area.
Pildappa MapFrom the topFrom the topNthn WaveNthn WaveOur campPort Lincoln Parrot
On the 10th of August we head for Streaky Bay where we have 3 nights booked at the Islands RV Park based on another recommendation. We hope to catch the Matilda’s Qtr final game in The World Cup while we are there.
Location: Bathurst, Wombat, Bethungra, Hay, Wentworth, Morgan
Regions: Nepean – Blue Mountains, Central West and Far West NSW
State: New South Wales
Time: 24 July – 27 July 2023
Average Temperatures: -4.0 – 22 degrees
Reason: Travelling Australia – visiting family
After a lovely week in Bathurst we set out for Morgan in South Australia with about 1060 km of travel so we planned to take four days to get there.
First stop after leaving Bathurst was Wombat, which mainly consists of a pub! Wombat is about 20 km’s from my hometown of Harden and I had promised Rob a beer there one day so we stopped in and had a lovely chat to the owner who told us the pub was for sale. It had been closed the last time we went past so hopefully someone buys the charming country pub!
Wombat PubRoad to Wombat
Our first overnight stay was at a camp by donation at Bethungra which is between Cootamundra and Junee. A lovely little camp with a a great camp kitchen, organised by locals who have done a great job! We visited Bethungra Dam and the Rail Spiral the next day before leaving which was fascinating and well worth a visit.
Bethungra DamBethungra DamRail SpiralRail Spiral
The second day, saw us travelling to Hay, which is halfway between Sydney and Adelaide and a place I’ve always enjoyed travelling through, with the wide plains either side but despite promising Rob Emu’s and Camel’s we only saw 2 Emu’s (no photo though). At Hay we camped at Sandy Point on the Murrumbidgee River, part of the Murray-Darling system and still in flood after recent rain.
Sandy Point Reserve on the Murrumbidgee RiverPicnic anyoneBig tree huggerHug from a KoalaDriving the plainsHay Plains!
We aim to walk around each town we stay in and Hay has Silo Art which depicts images of those who fought in WWII. I was reading that Hay had an extraordinary amount of enlistment for a regional town and the subsequent number of lives lost deeply affected the area.
Out last overnight was at Wentworth just outside Mildura. Another free camp on the Murray just past the conjunction of the Darling River and Lock 5, a really lovely spot. We had a campfire too, which was a treat.
Regions: New England, Western NSW and Nepean – Blue Mountains
State: Queensland and New South Wales
Time: 15 July – 24 July 2023
Average Temperatures: -0.4 – 13 degrees
Reason: First week of travelling Australia – visiting family
After many years of planning we finally set off from Toowoomba early on 15th July 2023. First stop Bathurst NSW then Morgan SA to visit family and we then plan to head West to Perth for a special Birthday!
The first day of travel went well as we travelled from Toowoomba through Goondiwindi to Moree in just under 4 hours. We plan to travel slowly about 250 – 300 kms per day but as we were delayed due to the first service on the van we did about 330kms. We stayed at the Discovery park which was old but clean and with lots of hot water. The thermal springs (hot and cold) were a treat too. Moree has a lovely walking track along the river and an Art trail.
Off we go!Mount Kaputar National ParkToowoomba to Moree – Cotton Fields!
On the second day of travel we took an AllTrails walk in Pilliga National park on the Sandstone Caves Circuit (about 25kms outside Coonabarabran). A 1.7km loop medium grade circuit with some steps, past 5 significant caves, some with Aboriginal Art and a good lookout over the Pilliga State Forest.
Camped at Eumungerie, outside of Dubbo, very flat camp with power and water. Fires allowed and firewood available. Lovely clear starry skies and brilliant sunset and sunrise. Toilets and cold only showers. Clean and well kept.
Pilliga Sandstone CavesPilliga Sandstone CavesPilliga Sandstone CavesPilliga Sandstone CavesView over Pilliga State ForestView of Fire over Pilliga State ForestView over Pilliga State ForestEumengerie Campground SunsetEumengerie Campground Sunnrise
Our week in Bathurst was wonderful. Despite some very chilly temperatures (one morning was -4.6, feeling like -9.6!), catching up with my Uncle Tony, and cousins Michael and Mandy and their families was lovely. My sister Kay travelled over from SA too which was special.
During the week we met beautiful baby Jace the new addition to the family, visited Mandy’s co-op Art Gallery, travelled to Leura near Katoomba to help Michael pick up a railway scale he’d bought at auction, had many family dinners (thank you Mandy & Chris and Michael & Karren), visited Michael’s property at The Rocks for a bush walk, visited Mt Panorama, walked and enjoyed the lovely history and architecture of Bathurst including the Carillion which was a favourite landmark of my mum’s and even helped the “Booger Brains” win the local Quiz night!
Best of all we spent lots of time chatting and catching up with family and getting to know the younger ones.
Bathurst from Mt Panorama RandMRailway ScaleKoala!The RocksFrosty MorningMorning Mist at the ShowgroundsCarillion BathurstThe Gardeners Cottage Bathurst with Courts in background
Time: Two weeks in February and Eight weeks in April – May 2023
Reason: House Sitting
Coolum Beach, Sunset late May 2023
Rob and I experienced an idyllic five weeks in February/ March and then two months during April and May 2023 in repeat housesits at beautiful Mount Coolum looking after Mogwai a cute little Shi Tzu while housesitting as we awaited our van which has been delayed five times (originally due Oct 22, then Jan 23, then Apr 23, then Jun 23, then back to Apr 23, now expected mid Jun 23).
Oh what a magical 8 weeks! Living less than 300 meter’s from the beach felt like a dream come true.
In some respects it was, as I have always wanted to take leave in May, a month I consider to be one of the nicest months of the year in Queensland. The weather is milder as the season starts to cool to winter with temps between 10 – 25 which is great sleeping weather whilst the sea temperature still hovers around 20-22 degrees so you can still swim and the light at that time of the year is magical.
This relaxing period has been good for both of us after the very hectic 2022 finishing house renovations, but we have also been active, continuing our healthy approach with regular exercise everyday.
Every morning we do an 8 km circuit walking and running from Beachside, alternating the direction each day North then South from the lovely beach house which is approximately 300 metre’s from the coastal path and with Mount Coolum beach just over the dunes running parallel to the path.
We follow the coastal path and visit one of two coffee shops Cuba St to the South and Wagtails to the North; both on David Low Way and both serving excellent coffee, so we highly recommend a visit if you are up this way. We then return home with a walk along the beach admiring the view of Mount Coolum which sits directly opposite. Its a great climb too, especially at Sunrise or Sunset.
During this time we have enjoyed a mix of “Dolce far niente” (literally ‘sweetness of doing nothing) with some serious hikes, one around the Noosa Headland with Friends Liz and Dale a good 12km circuit with a lovely lunch after enjoyed at Sunshine Beach Surf Club; what a great day!
We are also continuing our education on all things caravanning, I’ve started making Sourdough bread and I’m also exploring pencil drawings and water colour painting. Mount Coolum is a wonderful place and really suits the outdoors lifestyle that Rob and I enjoy. Definitely one for the list for our forever home at the end of our roaming.
Friends Liz and Dale with us on the Noosa Headland walk
My first impressions as we cross the border from Germany to the Nederlands are that the land is very green, quite flat and that there is lots of farmland!
It was a rainy day for our drive from Koln in Germany and for the first 100 kilometres we stuck to the motorway. As we approached the border we exited for a slower drive to appreciate the local landscape.
The trees here show signs of winter with fewer leaves and as the land flattened out we start to see some of the dykes and canals this country is known for.
We see lots of windmills, the new tall, alien looking turbo kind and when I finally spot my first of the older kind, I’m not quick enough to get a photo.
We are staying in Almere, North of the city of Amsterdam and on the other side of the Amstel River. It is not far from the city as the crow flies but about 20 kilometres of freeway. We have three days to explore this amazing city.
Friday 29/11 – Amsterdam and Van Gogh Museum
After navigating one of the most extraordinary freeways (6 lanes each side plus ramps) and the tram system, it takes us about 45 minutes to enter the city. There are lots of roadworks around Central station but it’s obvious the tram system is highly efficient and before long we are at the Van Gogh Museum.
Van Gogh is my favourite of the old artists and it is an absolute pleasure to learn more of his life, writings, drawings and artwork.
This collection was started by his sister in law Jo shortly after his death in 1890 and cumulated in the opening of the gallery by his nephew; also Vincent in 1973.
Apparently Vincent painted himself repeatedly, often with different eye colouring as he experimented with colour and emotions in portraiture.
My old favourite!
Vincent painted many pictures of peasants both in the field and at rest as he continued to explore human emotion which he believed peasants embodied to a higher degree due to their life of manual work and daily struggle to survive.
My new favourite and one of his last works.
We finish the day with a stroll around the book market and the flower market which at this time of year is all bulbs.
Bicycles are widely used in Amsterdam and in the city centre there are hundreds.
Saturday – Sunday 30/11 – 1/12 Amsterdam
We spent the weekend exploring the city and on Sunday we took a canal tour of the lights, an annual art event that occurs at this time of year.
I like Amsterdam. It has a vibrancy like no other. It is widely known that is has a very liberal way of life with a thriving red light district and cannabis is legalised, sold and used everywhere. The city is also full of culture, with many museums and has lots of history too.
It took me a bit to get used to crossing the bike paths that flank the roads and don’t forget the trams too but I really enjoyed this city with it’s curious mix of old and new.
On Saturday we took a big walk loosely following a tour I found in the City Walks app starting from Central station. The walk took us through the red light district; where the madams display their wares behind glass doors and just around the corner is Oude Kerk, one of the oldest churches then on past Dam Square, the Royal Palace, Madame Tussaud’s and the Anne Frank museum to name a few. Everywhere we walk the scent of cannabis occasionally drifts by…
The Dam
Cannabis Muaeum. The Red Light district!
Cannabis ice cream anyone!
Gorgeous old tram near the royal palace!
West Kerk (Church)
Statue of Anne Frank
Happy couple on the canal!
Swings atop a sky scraper!
On Sunday we also visit Begijnhof. One of the oldest historic housing areas, situated at medieval level (a meter lower) than the older city centre. Originally a beguine, almost an enclave of holy women but not as strict as a convent.
One of the oldest wooden houses…
As the day starts to wane on Sunday we make our way to the canal where we board our Floating Amsterdam boat for our tour of the canals and the art light festival. Our tour guide tells us the light installations are representations of our changing climate. I’m not sure I understand all the messages in the art but the lights and the city by night are certainly a sight to see.
The bomb
The washing line
Heated blankets and hot wine!
What an awesome weekend!
Monday 2/12 – Drive to Bruge, Belgum.
Sunrise at 8:30am today, the short days continue as we enter Winter in Europe!
We are driving into Belgum today with a short two day stop plan in Brugge. On the way we will detour to visit the windmills at Kinderdijk.
This is a group of 19 monumental windmills in the Alblasserwaard polder, in the province of South Holland, Netherlands listed by UNESCO.
Most of the mills are part of the village of Kinderdijk in the municipality of Molenwaard, and one mill, De Blokker, is part of the municipality of Alblasserdam. (Ref Wikipedia)
The day has been patchy with rain til now but as we park for a walk along the canals and windmills the clouds start to clear and the sun smiles at us. Sometimes it feels like the sun finds the Aussie travellers and shines just for us :-).
Two boys are fishing and it looks like a fine catch but it’s catch and release as moments later the trout is released to live another day.
The windmills date from the 1700’s and their old world charm reminds me of the tales of Hans Christian Andersen that I read as a child and evokes images of children skating on ice past the windmills.
We left the Rhine late on Monday, checking out at midday and the rest of the day was taken up with driving, shopping and settling into our next stay at Rosrath about 20 minutes outside of Koln.
Tuesday morning we were up and into Koln, the day was grey and chilly but the promise of Christmas markets beckoned, there are six good ones in Koln I have read and they just opened on the 22nd.
We drove in and parked just off Siegburger Straße under the Severinbruck Bundestrasse bridge for €4 per day.
We walked over the bridge and straight into the…
1st Market – the Harbour market, on the Rhine and in the grounds of the Chocolate Museum nearby which we hoping to get to later. The market had just open though so there were only a few stalls operating.
We bought some hot roasted chestnuts – Maroni; my first ever try and they were delicious. We also found a small cooking cod over flames which smelt amazing!
Continuing onward we walk along the Rhine heading to the Cathedral who’s imposing outline dominates the Koln skyline. As we walk we take in the architecture and structures that make up the city of Koln
Koln Cathedral from the bridge!
Rhine Garden – Martin’s Viertel
We come to the 2nd market – Cathedral market but skip past to see the Cathedral.
It’s Gothic, dark and so big it’s difficult to capture close up. Inside is a vast space that is awe inspiring in it’s beauty and reverential and grand on a scale you can only imagine.
The Cathedral markets with approx. 150 stalls are also grand, bustling and busy. We ended up returning here later in the day just to take photos of the lights. So charming and whimsical, I’ll start with those.
Gluhwein- red and white! Yum!
The market stalls are filled with handmade products, Christmas decorations both glass and wooden, candles, jewellery, beanies and gloves and lots of food which is what Rob and I were most interested in, however I did manage to buy a few small gifts too!
The food was amazing, German potato pancakes, bratwurst and other sausage, waffles, strudel and Gluhwein of course! I’m hooked – Christmas in July at our place next year and I promise to make some!
Rob and I share the potato pancakes and bratwurst before moving on.
The 3rd Christmas market – Heinzelmannchen or Old Market has an ice rink a carousel and is just near the local Rathaus (town hall). So named for the little folk Heinzelmannchen of the Cologne legend that used to help with housework until some silly housewives tried to catch them, so they stopped as I recall from my childhood books!
The 4th market – Angels or Neumarkt is the original Christmas market.
A big day due to a second go round for night photos of the lights, we walked over 14 km!
Wednesday 27/11/19
Today we planned to visit the Chocolate Museum and the other two markets so another busy day.
The chocolate museum has several levels and provides information on the history, growth, cultivation and economic cycle of the cacao product and how chocolate has informed history and entered our culture. The museum also has a fully functional Lindt chocolate manufacturing plant so that you see all the steps in the process and you can even make you own special bar if chocolate. Plus they give you a few samples along the way. Yum!
Straight out of the mould.
Painting the mild with chocolate.
Chocolate processing
Samples… yum!
The history is fascinating and we really enjoy it. There are a few school groups in too we could see the kids enjoying it too. Who wouldn’t enjoy a chocolate experience!
Historical chocolate bars.
Next up we were off in search of the remaining two markets.
Market number 5 – Rudolfplatz in the city has a “Village of St Nicholas” Everything you could want for Christmas is here! The reindeer above the entrance moves and sings and as Rob and I munched through a stick of meat we watched a little girl sway and clap along with him. Just gorgeous and the pork was good too.
Market number 6 – Stadtgarten (city garden). It took us a while to find so we took some pictures along our walk and it was dark and drizzly by the time we found it so we grabbed a hot drink and sat under shelter until the rain passed. We ended up chatting to a lady who spoke English because her husband was from Oxford which was nice!
As we walked back over the bridge tired after another big day, about 14 km’s again, I took a few last photos of the city. We really enjoyed our visit to Koln (Cologne), a city well worth a visit.
A misty cold morning in Mannheim that promised a crispy clear day didn’t eventuate, although we did have a glimpse or two of blue skies on the drive up towards the Rhine region along the way after getting our new wheel fitted.
It’s not a long drive from Mannheim and as soon as we turn alongside the Rhine I see a castle and then another and another!
Kaub
Our stay for the weekend was in Kestert but as it was only just after midday when we arrived we thought we would find somewhere in the town for a local German cuisine lunch.
This proved harder than we thought as every Restaurant including the tavern was closed until 5pm! We had expected this to some degree as a few people along our travels advised that the further we would get into winter a lot of restaurants would be closed, so we just back tracked to Loreley; about 7km’s and after a few attempts found a charming restaurant overlooking the Rhine called the Cafe Rheingold. I had a Schnitzel with a crisp glass of Riesling and Rob had Sausages and Potato with a local beer.
After lunch and picking up some groceries in Loreley we checked in. Our stay in Kestert was a in a cute little apartment above the main residence. It had up and down steps and quirky sloping floors and lovely 180 views of the Rhine.
Friday was a very cold windy day staying at 1 degree above zero so we stayed in admiring the view, watching all the traffic on the river and catching up on washing.
View from our windows…
Beautiful fall tree
Train on the opposite bank.
Dusk on the Rhine
Saturday dawned bright and clear at 1 degree with a promise of 4 degrees, blue skies and sunshine too, so we decided to do a drive to Koblenz and then up to Cochem to see the Mosel and then do a loop back to Kestert.
A beautiful drive, we saw amazing castles, swans, little markets and lots of Vineyards! The Rhine banks are peppered with gorgeous Bavarian villages, grand churches and of course all the castles.
Cochem on the Mosel River is a charming medieval town with Celtic origins and mentions as early as 886!
Cochem Castle is high and imposing with views spanning both reaches of the Mosel. We climbed up for a look but then decided to do the tour which was well worth it, especially with an English guide.
After the castle we walked down to Cochem village to look for a warm drink. Castles are always cold and even with the blue skies it’s still only 4 degrees!
Cochem is cute, a classical Bavarian village. We find a lovely warm Gluhwein to keep us going back to the car.
Cochem Castle from the village.
Gingerbread house!
Street art!
Gluhwein- great on a cold day!
Beautiful Mosel River
As we drive home, cross country from the Mosel to the Rhine we saw Swans by the river, not castles and had the soft sunset light over the countryside before a magical sunset reflected in the magnificent Rhine River.
A really lovely day!
The next day Sunday also dawned bright, cold and fine. We were expecting rain so got out of the house straight away for an early run!
Back home, after 4 km’s and breakfast it was still fine so we decided on a hill walk. Good choice as it stayed fine and we had a great day! We found that above the Rhine there are many paths and that you can walk all the way along, ducking down to the various villages to stay overnight so you could do a significant walk. Food for thought for another trip perhaps…
Monday morning we had to deal with a flat tyre! An indicator had come on over the weekend but we hadn’t found any problem. Now we had found it… Rob tried to change it but the wheel wouldn’t come off so we rang the lease company for assistance which was included. A fellow arrived fairly efficiently but turns out it was more than the tyre, the rim was buckled!
The week before, when we left South Tyrol we had travelled some road that was storm damaged from all the recent rain and there were some big pot holes so we think that’s where the damage occurred.
So change of plan, we now have to get the whole wheel replaced. We decided to drive to Lindau as there is a dealer there and see if they can help.
On the way we spy this beautiful view of the Austrian Alps.
Up to 10 working days to order and get in a replacement wheel was the answer in Lindau so after some to-ing and fro-ing with Renault we decide to drive to a bigger centre to hopefully get it done quicker.
We decide on Mannheim which is on the way to Cologne, about half-way and as we had lost the morning there was only a few hours of daylight to drive in. I found accommodation on the way about 20minutes outside the city in Hanhoff and we arrived about 5pm. Along the way I took this pic of a German Autobahn and yes they drive very fast in the the far left lane!
Next morning we arrive at Renault early and they are very helpful but it takes some time as they basically have to reestablish the problem, talk to Renault, wait for them to come back etc but in the end the wheel is ordered and may be in by 2pm the next day, Wednesday. Not too bad!
We spend the next few hours doing a big walk, about 15 kilometres around Mannheim which was great fun!
Here’s what we found!
First up we head for the palace which is closed for renovations this year but still awesome from outside.
Then we cross the River Rhine and as we walk into Galleries a shopping centre looking for a warm drink we see a small Christmas market – our first one! They have a “Gluhwein” stand and of course we have to try one! Gluhwein is basically a sugar syrup with spice and OJ added and then reduced with red wine added to heat but not to a boil at the end (I made some later that week). The version we tried also had schnapps added so was very warming! Just the thing during a long cold walk.
Gluhwein
Rhine River
As we walk we see many beautiful spaces in Mannheim. We cross the Rhine again and walk thru an industrial patch and come across this huge artwork, about 4 stories.
Street art!
Later we pass through a green idyll in the heart of the city. Located around the water tower “Wasserturm” is one of the largest art nouveau complexes in Europe. Built to be one of the “most beautiful places in the world” it surprises you as it suddenly appears and yes it is very beautiful!
The Friedrichsplatz at the water tower “Wasserturm” would also be the perfect place to relax – if it wasn’t so cold out….
Mannheim water tower dated 1889
Friedrichsplatz – one of the most beautiful places in the world
Friedrichsplatz
Schwetzingerstadt
Statue of St Francis of Assisi by Martin Mayer
Light fading over the Rhine
City lights and Church Steeples
Tuesday we had a slow morning before going to the Technik Museum in Mannheim. The museum covers industrialisation in the Southern and Western regions of Germany. A great museum which would be even better if they included English in the information displays. Even so there where also lots of practical displays with English instructions so Rob and I had quite a bit of fun.
Finally got a call that they could fit our wheel the next day Thursday so we had to find a third night’s accommodation, this time we stayed in town close to the dealer.
Funny story about dinner. Rob and I had been eating in a lot so we thought we would try to find a typical German restaurant. Turns out there was a place around the corner from our stay – Gaststatte Odenwalder, reportedly the “best Schnitzel in town”.
So just before 7pm we head out – it’s freezing, the restaurant looks good, smells good and sounds busy, great! Great until we find they are packed, no tables.
No problem,we think we can wait a while so we go back to our place, wait another hour, really hungry now too, so once again we head to the restaurant… oh, no… still full.
The only other food nearby was Burger King…
That’s the way it goes sometimes.
Next day we get the new wheel fitted at 9am and we are off. Our next stop will be the Rhine region and then Cologne and the Christmas Markets.
Weiler-Simmerberg is a market town in the Swabian Lindau district.
It’s typical for a small town and it’s cold and dark when we arrive late Thursday afternoon so there are not a lot of people about.
Friday we did a walk up along the creek that flows through the town following a trail but had to turn back as it was barricaded. We later found out there had been a land slip due to recent heavy rain in the area.
Later we had the most spectacular sunset as we walked around town. Our last stop for the day was a visit to the local brew house where we sampled some German beer.
Weiler Simmerberg trail
Hotel der post Brauerei
Sat 16/11/19 Meersburg and Lindau
Meersburg is a picturesque town in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg and about 50km’s from Zurich in Switzerland.On the shore of Lake Constance (Bodensee), it’s surrounded by vineyards.
We visited Meersburg on the suggestion of our host in Weiler; Coralie, who said it is was a very pretty place with a Castle and several Museums. We got away late as it had been a very foggy misty morning but along the drive the day cleared to crisp sunshine and we got some great views of fall leaves, apple orchards and vines along the way.
Meersburg and Lake Konstance lived up to their promise of beauty with charming streets packed with Bavarian style buildings and the Castle overlooking the lake.
We walk around enjoying the streets, the lake and some interesting artwork but don’t visit the castle or museum’s as we also wish to visit Lindau.
On the way we see an airship!
Lindau
Lindau is a town also on Lake Constance (or Bodensee) in Bavaria, Germany, known for its old town on Lindau island. The harbor has a Bavarian Lion statue and a stone lighthouse with lake and mountain views.
On the harborfront Seepromenade, the 12th-century Mangturm is a former watchtower with a pointed, tiled roof.
Nearby restaurant-lined Maximilianstrasse, the Gothic Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) has a painted facade.
Rathaus
We reach the far side of the town and find a park with some very old trees, the fall colours blending with a small Japanese maple (I think) and also see a very fat little sparrow on the sidewalk who is not terribly shy at all, allowing me to get really close for her photo…
Circling back the town there are more charming streets filled with interesting shops including an antique toy store.
Today is Kat’s 21st Birthday!We hope she is enjoying celebrating the occasion with family and friends and send her all our love. Happy birthday darling! xxx
A lovely day out and on the way home we receive another spectator sunset.
Sunday 17/11/19 Sulzberger
The forecast was for snow overnight and today but we have woken to a very cold and overcast day. Rob has planned a drive to Sulzberger, a hike to Buchenegg Waterfalls and then a visit to the town of Immenstadt.
When we arrive at Sulzberger it is immersed in fog that started as we drove up so we won’t be able to walk there!
We push on for the falls and enjoy a very steep hike down through forest to the falls. I only go part way as we didn’t take poles and it’s very steep and slippery! Rob soldiers on though!
View of the falls from my seat
Mushroom Ring
After our invigorating hike and back in the car we drive on through Immenstadt and also Lindenberg.
Lindenberg Church
We have had an interesting few days in a typical German town. Next we are heading to Koln (Cologne) for the Christmas markets!!!
Today we drove from Italy, the province of South Tyrol to Weiler I’m Allgau in Germany passing through Austria.
Rob and I agree it was a postcard day, recent snow falls along with a crystal clear sky coupled with some of the prettiest mountains made for some stunning scenery. We both agreed it had been one of our nicest days driving yet.
Most of the photo’s are taken as we drove along but we still hope you enjoy these as much as we did.
Drive down the mountain from Villa Wohrerhof.
Vandoies
Campo di Trens
Brennero – Italy/Austrian border
Brennero outlet village – there’s a car under there!
Monday morning early we set out from Le Spezia for a long drive – 400 kilometres up to the South Tyrol region, our last stop in Italy. For the next four weeks we plan to tour Germany, up to the Netherlands and then down through France.
Rob had been checking the weather and had found it would be snowing in the Province of South Tyrol this week so we thought we would try to catch some real winters weather.
From La Spezia we head NE towards Parma and Mantova. Just outside Verona we leave the Autostrada so that we can drive up Lake Garda which runs for about 100 kilometres.
Lake Garda
Mountains tower each side of the lake which has wind whipped waves on this cold rainy day. At Gargnano on the opposite shore we see a village on a cliff top and a bit further on there is another under the cliff at Campione.
Campione
Assenza Mountains on our right
At the end of the lake at Nago- Torbole a gorgeous village then morphs into a rural vista of tightly packed fields of grapevines and fruit trees.
Back on the Autostrada we pass Castellano – which has a Castle high on the hill above the town.
Snow is predicted from 6pm. We exit the Autostrada at Bressanone and arrive at the village of Vintl Weitenal, grab a few supplies and head up the mountain to our destination, villa Wohrerhof. As we leave the village around 5pm, it starts snowing. Wow!
I feel like a child with the wonder of it. Our host Agnes meets us, speaking German and we quickly bring in our gear, then we are both out trying to catch the snow on our tongues, laughing and giggling.
On Tuesday we wake up to a smattering of snow that turns to sleet by about 10am. We go for a drive further up the valley to the village of Pfunder where it is -2 degrees and snowing. We visit the local church, go for a very slippery walk and then play in the snow for a bit before relaxing in the local bar with a warm drink.
Driving to Pfunder in the snow
Pfunder church
Wow it’s slippery out here!
Back in Vintl it’s still wet and the snow has all but disappeared. We take a walk around Vandois, the village below our villa, it’s very cold and there is no one about except the Poste lady and very little traffic. Rob and I ponder that from now til April next year, people in snow areas mainly live inside.
Village of Vandoies
Gorgeous Autumn colours.
Later in the day it starts snowing again and this time it snows all through the night going down to -7 degrees.
10pm – snow on the car
On Wednesday we wake up to a Winter wonderland.
7:00am – 20cm snow
Snow everywhere! Its very quiet and very beautiful. We go for a walk around the villa and up the mountain road beside us a short way.
Pine trees in the snow
View from villa down to Weitental village
Across the morning it keeps snowing and by 10:30am the wheels on the car are half buried. It’s supposed to stop snowing soon and we are hoping for a walk later…
At about 11:30am Agnes is outside shoveling snow. I kindly offer Rob’s help as my right hand is still not up to hard manual work although it is healing well. After snapping some pics and dodging snow thrown my way I start work on a snowman.
Rob and Agnes clear snow around the cars for about an hour and Agnes explains a tractor will clear the drive later.
Good job Rob – that’s a lot of snow cleared.
Clearing snow from around the car
My first ever snowman – Antonio!
It continues to snow for about another hour and stops around 1:00pm. We have had nearly 40cm of snow and Agnes tell us that this unusual for November but that it will be a clear tomorrow. Good to hear as we have to drive out then.
On the news today we hear that Venice has flooded and is under – 1.7metres of water and that other areas further down in Southern Italy have flooded also – so sad to hear. So challenging weather abounds.
Rob and I are also both very sad to hear about the devastating bush fires at home in Australia. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected.
Zoom on village Vintl Weintal
Pano of the valley.
Robs walk – love this shot
Valley by moonlight – 2am looking right!
I’m in love with this place and enjoying the photography immensely. A full moon on the 12th presents an opportunity to good to miss so I get up and take some shots at 2am from our balcony. It’s -6 degrees and I had read about a meteor shower due about now but no sign of it, just the lovely moonlight.
Moonlit valley to the left.
The next morning the sun is shining and it looks like a bonus day for our drive through Austria into Germany.
Our host Gianna has recommended visits to Portovenere and Lerici so we are keen to explore both.
Porto Venere is a village on the Ligurian coast of northwestern Italy. It’s known for Porto Venere Regional Natural Park, a protected area with trails and dive sites. The park encompasses Palmaria Island, dotted with beaches and caves. The Gothic-style Church of St. Peter sits atop a rocky headland. Nearby is the centuries-old Castello Doria, an imposing clifftop fortress with views of the Gulf of Poets.
So named as this region was popular with poets, Shelley drowned at Lerici, Byron swam between Porto Venere and Lerici. Before them, other poets, Dante and Petrarch lover the gulf also.
Just one more step back Rob!
We walk around the harbour admiring the pretty town and the views across the bay to Lerici before heading up to explore St. Peters.
Window with a view!
St Peters
The grotto
Apparently Lord (and poet) Byron was a keen swimmer and he swam from Porto Venere to Lerici often! We estimated this to be about 10km’s so a pretty sound effort!
After St. Peter’s we headed up the hill to view the church of San Lorenzo and Castello Doria.
Church San Lorenzo
Castello Doria
View from Castello Doria across to Lerici
That’s snow on those mountains!
The old mill
Storms coming
Window in Castello Doria towards Lerici
After another lovely day exploring we head home and later that night we get thunderstorms and lots of rain.
The next day as we are about to leave I spy this street art near our building. Could this be a Banksy style version of Klimt’s kiss perhaps?
Today we drive in the opposite direction from Portovenere to Lerici.
Lerici is a town and comune in the province of La Spezia in Liguria, part of the Italian Riviera. It is situated on the coast of the Gulf of La Spezia, 8 kilometres southeast of La Spezia. It is known as the place where the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned.
Lerici across to Porto Venere – that’s some swim!
Lerici
Lerici harbour
Lerici from the Castle
Grand villa on a hilltop.
After we leave Lerici Rob decided to drive to the end of the point. Ponta Bianca. The road quickly becomes very high, winding with lots of signs saying don’t go off the edge! The drop off is very steep and at times the only barrier is olive trees! Very hairy drive indeed!
Looking down on Lerici
Ameglia
Ponta Bianca
La Spezia is a great spot to visit. It has so many interesting places very close by including the Cinque Terre and Italian Riviera and is also ideal and not far from quite a few other places like Pisa and Florence. I loved this location.
View from our apartment.
La Spezia at night
La Spezia at night
Tomorrow we head North to our last stop in Italy before touring on towards Germany, to the province of South Tryol. We think there may be snow too so it’s an exciting prospect!
October/November in Europe is typically rainy with temperatures reducing and shorter days so you need to be prepared for it.
Rob and I check the weather a lot and we have been reasonably lucky as we can pick and choose where we go and move away from bad weather to some degree. We have been dodging a bad weather front for two weeks now!
There are varying weather reports for today Friday 8/11, one indicates rain from 12pm the other indicates rain from the evening.
Unfortunately the Cinque Terre hiking path is closed! This area is a UNESCO listed national park and they close for maintenance in November so we have missed this hike due to the delay with my hand injury (sad face)! Our other options are to catch the train along the coast and visit each of the five towns or drive so we chose the train.
The train is mostly tunnels with glimpses of coastline usually before/after each station.
Monterosso
We travel to Monterosso the fifth town and furthest from La Spezia and arrive with a rain shower. Over the next hour we have sunshine and another shower.
The coastline is lovely, the beach sand is black.
Monterosso beach
There is a small market near the Chiesa but the town is otherwise quiet. I can well imagine what it would be like in summer but it’s nice to enjoy the town in the quieter season.
The church of S. Giovanni Battista
Levanto
Not part of the five towns but due to train schedules we travel further on to have a look at Levanto, a bigger beachside town popular with surfers. We stop for a break in a spot of sunshine and next thing you know I’m chatting to friends in Australia. Happy birthday’s to both Leigh and Gordon over the next two weeks!!!
Afterwards we keep exploring and spy another old Chiesa and enjoy exploring the town on the way back to the train.
Venazza
Next stop is Venazza the fourth town. It has a busy market place and there is a hole in the rock wall through which we can see the sea surging!
Further on is the seafront with rocks and a wall where many people are getting wet and even putting themselves at risk!
Notice I don’t get too close!
Then we climbed up to a castle that had amazing 360 views that clearly show the famous terraces that the area is listed for.
It is for this reason, this human intervention of the landscape, painstakingly carved out over the last century, that UNESCO have listed it as a World Heritage site.
There are stairs everywhere, up and down. Rob and I have walked about 12kms today so far. Three towns to go!
Stairs up, stairs down, stairs everywhere!
An old olive press
It started 501 years ago!
Can you see the terraces!
Corniglia
The station is about a kilometre from town number three so to save my legs we wait for the bus. We miss the first two as people push and shove forward and I’m too polite unfortunately. Our time here is short but Corniglia is small and a quick go round is enough.
Manarola from Corniglia
Manarola
Town number two and very special. The beautifully coloured houses are all clustered together atop the cliff, sandwiched between the turbulent grey skies and the throthing aqua marine sea. It feels like a storm is imminent but it holds off as we do a circuit along Via Birolli.
Via Birolli
Manarola
Walking towards the bell tower
Looking up at the bell tower
Riomaggiore
Town number 1 and quite large, it sprawls from the coastline back up into the valley.
We walk a steep circuit up the hill passing L’oratorio di S. Maria Assunta o dei disciplinanti. This is the most charming little church, lit by chandeliers it holds two very old important statues of Mary, one in chains from the fourteenth century and one in wood of the virgin and child from the sixteenth century. It also has beautiful stained glass windows on the sides of the church.
After a quiet moment in the Chiesa we continue around and up the hill past the parish church of S. Giovanni Battista and towards the Fortress.
parish church of S. Giovanni Battista
Looking back up the valley.
Terraces all the way to the top!
Rob larking near the Fortress
High point looking across the valley
Down near the sea wall
Piazza Del Vignaiolo
The day fades and the lights start to come on and we agree it’s been a wonderful day on the Cinque Terre.
As we walk back along the tunnel to the train we admire the ceramics that decorate the tunnel then enjoy a silly race to the train. Tired out after 18+km’s, we look forward to the train journey back to La Spezia and some dinner.
We woke to a thunderstorm in Florence and a lot of rain.
After a slow start I took one more photo of our amazing view from villa “On Top of the World” and then we set off for Le Spezia, our next destination, which is near the more familiar Cinque Terre.
Beautiful Firenze
Rob had planned the route so that we could visit Pisa on the way and see “Le Torre de Pisa”
Only about an hour from Florence, we had lots of rain on the way and once we arrived and parked it was apparent from the swollen and fast flowing Arno River, that Pisa had received a lot of rain the last few days.
Arno River
Arno from the other side of the bridge
The famous Tower of Pisa!
Of course we had to do the corny photo too! Mine turned out best. 🙂
The Tower of Pisa is actually the bell tower of the Cathedral and along with the Duomo and the Camposata comprise the area that make up the field of miracles as it is so called.
Front view Cathedral
The Cathedral is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta.
Duomo
It really is an extraordinary sight, even for the beautiful Architecture but the tower has quite a lean to it.
Even more apparent when you get up close is how much it’s leaning! My next shot tries to show this but you may have to zoom in. On the left side of the pano shot there are one and a half blocks, on the right side, four and a half! Each block is about 50cm high so by my reckoning that’s 1.5 metres variation!
Walking back to the car we pass through Piazza Vittorio Emmanuel II which has a state of The first King of Italy, Vittorio Emmanuel, and another lovely arty sculpture.
Vittorio Emmanuel
Back in the car and heading to Le Spezia which is on the Coast we have storms chasing the mountains on our left all the way.
The next photo shows a mountain that is shaped like a caldera and as we got closer the sun broke through and a beautiful rainbow appeared.
We arrived Le Spezia around 5pm and after meeting our host Gianna and settling into our apartment for the next five days, the rain had cleared and we were able to have a walk through town. It’s a lovely place and we can’t wait to explore Le Spezia further and visit/hike Cinque Terre.
We arrived Firenze later than expected from Siena due to a breakdown on the motorway, it’s a long weekend in Italy, All Saints day Friday the 1st being a public holiday.
We were only a kilometre or so behind the accident which looked like two smaller cars had side swiped each other on a bend but who knows, the traffic quickly banked up and we were delayed about an hour. The days are shorter now too as they switched the clocks back an hour at the end of October so it’s dark around 5pm.
After settling in at Villa La Sosta we headed down the hill to Piazza Della Liberta for a “Florentine” at Perseus Ristorante as recommended by our host.
Viale Firenze
The restaurant was crazy busy, probably due to the long weekend and we had to wait a short while, even with arriving just after the restaurant opened at 7pm. But it was worth it!!!
Display at front of house.
Relaxing after a busy day!
pop on
Wow! What a beauty!
Cooked to perfection!
Chianti and Salad
Rob and I share a “Florentine” for two; which at home would be a two inch thick T-bone, aged and then cooked and seasoned to perfection.
It was delicious to say the least and the whole experience was lots of fun, in a very busy and typically Italian restaurant.
We finished the meal with biscuits and wine and then headed home. The walk back up the hill in a fine misty rain was okay too.
Sunday was a free gallery day in Firenze and as we had planned to visit the Uffizi Galleria, we thought that this was good; at first, until we found you couldn’t reserve tickets on line for this day. You had to line up on the day!
Nevertheless we headed out for the day after a lively breakfast shared at the villa with other guests from Argentina and Italy.
This time we caught the bus down to Piazza San Marco and then walked to see the Duomo and Santa Maria Del Fiori. So beautiful, it’s hard to describe. Florence is known for it’s art and beauty and for its statues of course!
Duomo
Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore
Gioto’s bell Tower
The square was busy as had been the streets since we left San Marco. The line at the Academy Galleria had been long as we passed by, snaking around the corner.
As we walked on to the Uffizi I wondered how long that line would be, the day was fine so far but rain was expected later so we thought we would walk on and up to Piazza Michelangelo before tackling the line at the Uffizi.
The lines for the Uffizi were both very long, one for tickets (door 3) and door one to get in so we decided to continue on.
A walk across Ponte Vecchio was a treat. The “river of gold” shops are well known and the jewellery extremely beautiful and very expensive.
Ponte Vecchio
Back towards Ponte alley Grazie
Once over the bridge we headed up towards Scala passing a house used by Galileo as an observatory and on to the gardens at San Niccolò.
Galileo stayed here
Galileo observed here
Gardens at San Niccolò
My hand needs all the help it can get but is healing well.
Piazzale Michelangelo
The views across Florence are stunning and there is free parking for 1 hour if you drive up and a couple of cafe’s for a coffee if you walk up like we did.
A shower of rain swept across the city so we dove into a small cafe and had a quick espresso at the bar. We then caught a beautiful rainbow.
We head back down through San Niccolò taking a slightly different route this time over Ponte ale Grazie.
As we cross the bridge it starts to get windy and before long it’s raining in earnest, thunder, lightning, the whole shabang so we dive into the nearest bar and while away an hour watching a female soccer game while drinking a beer and sharing a burger.
It’s about 3pm by now and the lines to get into the Uffizi is as long as ever. We check in at the information desk and are disappointed to hear the allocation for tickets for the day has gone, even with the gallery open for another 4 hours.
One of the good things about travelling as Rob and I are is flexibility, so we decided to extend our stay in Florence for two days as the Uffizi us closed Monday’s, leaving Florence Wednesday rather than Monday. That decided, we spent the next hour enjoying the sights before grabbing some Chinese and heading back to our villa.
Piazza Della Signoria
Museo San Marco
I love carousels
Monday 4/11
Rob had found us an amazing apartment for the next two days so we spent Monday as a down day; visiting Fiesole, (original Roman settlement around 283BC) and perhaps Florences oldest and most wealthy city, and moving apartments.
View from our bedroom. Just stunning!
Loo and what a view!
Tuesday 5/11
Sunrise over Firenze
Today we have tickets for Uffizi and Pitti Palace and it’s off to the Uffizi we go.
The building itself is 16th century and it houses vast collections of Renaissance art, Masterpieces and sculptures. A must see if you visit Firenze!
We both took way too many photos but here’s just a few that we both enjoyed seeing. I’m sure you will recognise a few.
The time got away from us at the Uffizi, we spent 5 hours and could have stayed longer we enjoyed it so much.
After a snack and a cup of tea we headed on to the Pitti Palace.
The Pitti palace dates back to the mid 15th century, was home to the de Medici family for over 100 years and it has several import museums as well as the Boboli gardens.
We visited the Palantine museum and it too was amazing, over 500 artworks including masterpieces and we were able to join a free private tour of the kitchens.
Again we took way to many pictures… the interiors and ceiling frescoes impressive enough and then there was the art. Here’s a few.
Me in the kitchen about to be scolded for touching!
One of the many ceiling frescoes
White room
An absolutely fabulous day! We pick up supplies for dinner and head back to our amazing apartment with its view to enjoy our last night in Florence.
We are of to Le Spezia (Cinque Terre) tomorrow via Pisa.
If you had a bet on the Melbourne cup today I hope you backed a winner and Happy Birthday to my nephew Kenny. xx
We arrived Firenze later than expected from Siena due to a breakdown on the motorway, it’s a long weekend in Italy, All Saints day Friday the 1st being a public holiday.
We were only a kilometre or so behind the accident which looked like two smaller cars had side swiped each other on a bend but who knows, the traffic quickly banked up and we were delayed about an hour. The days are shorter now too as they switched the clocks back an hour at the end of October so it’s dark around 5pm.
After settling in at Villa La Sosta we headed down the hill to Piazza Della Liberta for a “Florentine” at Perseus Ristorante as recommended by our host.
Viale Firenze
The restaurant was crazy busy, probably due to the long weekend and we had to wait a short while, even with arriving just after the restaurant opened at 7pm. But it was worth it!!!
Display at front of house.
Relaxing after a busy day!
Wow! What a beauty!
Cooked to perfection!
Chianti and Salad
Rob and I share a “Florentine” for two; which at home would be a two inch thick T-bone, aged and then cooked and seasoned to perfection.
It was delicious to say the least and the whole experience was lots of fun, in a very busy and typically Italian restaurant.
We finished the meal with biscuits and wine and then headed home. The walk back up the hill in a fine misty rain was okay too.
Sunday was a free gallery day in Firenze and as we had planned to visit the Uffizi Galleria, we thought that this was good; at first, until we found you couldn’t reserve tickets on line for this day. You had to line up on the day!
Nevertheless we headed out for the day after a lively breakfast shared at the villa with other guests from Argentina and Italy.
This time we caught the bus down to Piazza San Marco and then walked to see the Duomo and Santa Maria Del Fiori. So beautiful, it’s hard to describe. Florence is known for it’s art and beauty and for its statues of course!
Duomo
Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore
Gioto’s bell Tower
The square was busy as had been the streets since we left San Marco. The line at the Academy Galleria had been long as we passed by, snaking around the corner.
As we walked on to the Uffizi I wondered how long that line would be, the day was fine so far but rain was expected later so we thought we would walk on and up to Piazza Michelangelo before tackling the line at the Uffizi.
The lines for the Uffizi were both very long, one for tickets (door 3) and door one to get in so we decided to continue on.
A walk across Ponte Vecchio was a treat. The “river of gold” shops are well known and the jewellery extremely beautiful and very expensive.
Ponte Vecchio
Back towards Ponte alley Grazie
Once over the bridge we headed up towards Scala passing a house used by Galileo as an observatory and on to the gardens at San Niccolò.
Galileo stayed here
Galileo observed here
Gardens at San Niccolò
My hand needs all the help it can get but is healing well.
Piazzale Michelangelo
The views across Florence are stunning and there is free parking for 1 hour if you drive up and a couple of cafe’s for a coffee if you walk up like we did.
A shower of rain swept across the city so we dove into a small cafe and had a quick espresso at the bar. We then caught a beautiful rainbow.
We head back down through San Niccolò taking a slightly different route this time over Ponte ale Grazie.
As we cross the bridge it starts to get windy and before long it’s raining in earnest, thunder, lightning, the whole shabang so we dive into the nearest bar and while away an hour watching a female soccer game while drinking a beer and sharing a burger.
It’s about 3pm by now and the lines to get into the Uffizi is as long as ever. We check in at the information desk and are disappointed to hear the allocation for tickets for the day has gone, even with the gallery open for another 4 hours.
One of the good things about travelling as Rob and I are is flexibility, so we decided to extend our stay in Florence for two days as the Uffizi us closed Monday’s, leaving Florence Wednesday rather than Monday. That decided, we spent the next hour enjoying the sights before grabbing some Chinese and heading back to our villa.
Piazza Della Signoria
Museo San Marco
I love carousels
Monday 4/11
Rob had found us an amazing apartment for the next two days so we spent Monday as a down day; visiting Fiesole, (original Roman settlement around 283BC) and perhaps Florences oldest and most wealthy city, and moving apartments.
View from our bedroom. Just stunning!
Loo and what a view!
Tuesday 5/11
Sunrise over Firenze
Today we have tickets for Uffizi and Pitti Palace and it’s off to the Uffizi we go.
The building itself is 16th century and it houses vast collections of Renaissance art, Masterpieces and sculptures. A must see if you visit Firenze!
We both took way too many photos but here’s just a few that we both enjoyed seeing. I’m sure you will recognise a few.
The time got away from us at the Uffizi, we spent 5 hours and could have stayed longer we enjoyed it so much.
After a snack and a cup of tea we headed on to the Pitti Palace.
The Pitti palace dates back to the mid 15th century, was home to the de Medici family for over 100 years and it has several import museums as well as the Boboli gardens.
We visited the Palantine museum and it too was amazing, over 500 artworks including masterpieces and we were able to join a free private tour of the kitchens.
Again we took way to many pictures… the interiors and ceiling frescoes impressive enough and then there was the art. Here’s a few.
Me in the kitchen about to be scolded for touching!
One of the many ceiling frescoes
White room
An absolutely fabulous day! We pick up supplies for dinner and head back to our amazing apartment with its view to enjoy our last night in Florence.
We are of to Le Spezia (Cinque Terre) tomorrow via Pisa.
If you had a bet on the Melbourne cup today I hope you backed a winner and Happy Birthday to my nephew Kenny. xx
Wednesday 4th September. Happy Birthday my beautiful daughter Carly! Thinking of you lots today. Love you so much.
Wow! If I wasn’t already in love with Croatia, I certainly am now. The drive from Plitvice Lakes to Dubrovnik was amazing and Dubrovnik, well, I’ll get to that later!
The topography of this country continues to surprise me. I can see why Brad Pitt recently described Croatia as “the most beautiful country on the planet”! We left Plitvice about 10am and for the first hour the drive was very green and hilly.
As we pass through Lovinac the terrain changes, less green and more stone and then we see this amazing range pop up in front of us around Lovinac.
The road takes us towards and then left and then through the Stone Mountain – the area known as Velebit! There are lots of tunnels in Croatia as there is so much limestone. The view and the change to landscape on the other side is more like a desert, dry and lots of stone. We end up back near the Coast at Jasenice.
The road turns slightly away from the coast to the left and we are now heading towards Zadar. The dry landscape continues and we pass through tunnels that have been built to allow wolves and bears to pass over above!
The highways here are amazing by the way. Very well done. Lots of Gabion (rock basket) walls on the high passes and lots of tunnels too.
As we sweep through Vrgorac the landscape gives way to soaring mountains and then a beautiful green valley that we seem to drive all the way around, swinging left before heading right… and we are back on the coast again..
We pass through Ploce and their are many colourful market stands, produce from the valley I think. Some even have little water fountains keeping the produce cool.
The drive along the coast is known as the Croatian Riviera. The road hugs the cliff tops as it winds along and the beautiful coastline opens up before us.
Klek
I found out the next day that this super yacht; the Elysian (I think) belongs to the owner of one of the big English football teams. Nice way to travel I must say!
We arrive Dubrovnik about 4pm, locate our B&B in Babin Kuk and immediately head out for a walk. Our host has supplied a map that takes us around the headland with some local tips for bars and restaurants, we catch the sunset and then find dinner. Great day and an excellent bottle of wine that we enjoyed with dinner.
We are off to Dubrovnik old town tomorrow. I’ve been looking forward to this since hearing about my friend Alison’s trip last year!
We have had seven idyllic weeks in Bale so far, enjoying a summer like none I have ever known. Our time in Croatia is drawing to an end however so we have embarked on a week long trip exploring outside of Istria into Dalmatia.
The first destination is across to Plitvice (Plit vizza) and specifically the National Park. This is a UNESCO listed area of natural beauty about 3.5 hours drive from Bale.
We leave Bale Monday 2nd Sept in the afternoon, it has been hot; in the 30’s for weeks with no respite, so we are looking forward to some cooler weather in the mountains as the season turns towards Autumn (Autunno).
As luck would have it we drive straight into a strong weather front that tails us all the way as we drive through Kanfanar, Pazin and the Ucka tunnel towards Sagreb…
We bypass beautiful Rijeka still heading towards Zagreb and Split before deviating off towards Split, stilled tailed the whole way by stormy weather.
Our journey continues west and then turns South as we head towards the middle of Croatia. The storm catches us and there is lightning, thunder, heavy rain and hail and I’m so grateful for Rob’s excellent driving skills!
The drive through the mountains during a storm on narrow winding roads is exhilarating to say the least, but there is little traffic thankfully and we arrive safely at Plitvice around 7pm.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
The park is 295 sq km of designated forest reserve; since about 1949 and it’s easy to see why. Comprised of a chain of 16 lakes cascading into each other with inspiring walkways around and over the lakes including up and down waterfalls this place is truly one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.
Rob and I spent the whole day starting out on Programme C (about 8 km’s) but we enjoyed the park so much we extended our walk and did over 18km’s with a full circuit including some crisscrossing and also returning to favourite spots.
The park caters well to all with ferries and shorter walking programmes including boat rides and is well catered with cafes, picnic areas and toilets.
We arrived early, just after 8am to get ahead of the bigger groups and to get some photos of the bigger spaces without to many people in them which I would highly recommend.
Our day stared out cool and wet after the heavy rain the night before which made the waterfalls even bigger! By the afternoon the sun was out and the sky’s blue again.
Between us we took about 300 photos. I’ve included our favourites here for you.
Map of the park showing all the lakes.
From the start of the walk looking down and across to the big waterfall.
Amazing walk way up a waterfall!
All the walkways were made of wood from the reserve!
One of the first waterfalls.
View From the other side looking back at the first 3 lakes.
Beautiful blue acqua from all the limestone.
Limestone cliffs.
My favourite waterfall. Over 30 cascades.
Another of the beautiful cascades between lakes.
Reflections.
Arty pic!
Water so clear you can see the fishies.
Google Map
If you visit Croatia please ensure the Plitvice Lakes is part of your itinerary! I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Plan to spend the whole day, go early and take your time. So beautiful it made my heart sing!
Interesting too that the lakes form only about 1% of the total National Park Reserve. A big nod to Croatia for recognising and protecting these very special places of Natural beauty and what a great job they have done with the walkways that showcase the lakes to their very best advantage And allow people to enjoy them so closely. I never thought I would walk up and down waterfalls.
I love this place!!!
Next up we are off to Dubrovnik which is a big drive, about 5.5hours and we plan to visit Pag Island on the way back to Bale so that we can catch up with Rob’s cousin Ervin.
Summer is drawing to an end so the regional festivals are all but over. This week we have Rovinj nights to look forward to and a visit to Pazin.
Pazin
Jules Verne inspired by the travel writings of Charles Yriarte included Pazin as a location in his book Voyages Extraordinaries, Mathias Sandorf and some say it was also inspiration for Journey to the centre of the earth!
Pazin Castle features in the book as does the Abyss. Pazin, located in central Istria is built on top of two underground rivers that join to create a siphon with a large valley adjacent to the town.
It’s unique characteristics today ensure it is a popular tourist attraction which includes an annual event in celebration of Jules Verne and other writers and a zip line criss crossing the valley.
Across the valley to Pazin
An old building opposite the castle.
One of the castle walls
Looking at the chasm from the castle wall
Across the valley and the zip line from the castle wall
Old castle from opposite and across the valley
Walking down into the valley
The two castles and the town from across the valley
If you zoom on some of the wider shots you will see the amazing zip line that traverses the valley in two directions. As we walked around there were many shouts of “Yahoo” and I was almost tempted to have a go! One of the instructors; I think, even went across upside down!
Rovinj Nights
Across the last weekend in August, Rovinj celebrates summer with Rovinj Nights with free musical performances for its visitors. There was also mention of grilled sardines so we were keen to go.
The first night Friday was so much fun!
We had a simple meal of Sardines for Rob as you may have guessed and grilled Calamari for me and salad to share. Just watching the two older gents grilling the sardines was such a treat and they smelt divine!
We shared our table on the wharf with a couple from Germany, Matthias and Annette, and had a lovely conversation with them including lots of suggestions for our time their in October and even an invitation to visit!
After dinner we went our separate ways and Rob and I enjoyed one of the bands, dancing the whole set!
Rovinj Harbour sparkles!
Our view from the wharf during dinner
Grilling sardines
Enjoying Sardines
The next night was a repeat performance only this time there were even more people and lots of band performances including a Marching band and fireworks at about 10pm.
Dinner at Steak House Rovinj
Big band performance
Enjoying the music
Marching band
Let’s paint a fishing boat!
Rovinj harbour
Rovinj awash with people
I love this spot where 6 streets converge!
Croatian Fast Food – Pizza anyone!
Thank you Rovinj, we have had a lovely time celebrating the end of Summer 2019!
On Saturday 17 August, Lucia came down from Trieste. Rob and I had planned to visit Galizana for the Festa Od Puzi (Snail festival), so we invited Lucia to go with us.
Lucia accepted but as it turned out is not a fan of snails for eating…
Rob skylarking as a snail
Snails for dinner
The snails were served with polenta and cooked in a tomato/beef broth. Large and chewy they were very different to the snails you would receive in a good French restaurant. Not exactly to my taste, a little to earthy perhaps but they were ok. Lucia to her credit had a taste but declined her portion which Rob and I then shared so lots of Puzi!.
The rest of the evening was very enjoyable with two bands and the three of us enjoyed the music and the dancing.
First band
Big Crowd
Lucia and I
Rob and I
Walking back to the car through beautiful Galizana.
On the weekend of 18/19 August Bale under the stars occurred, including an annual night time bike race – The giro de Bale and assorted music events too.
The bike race was enjoyed by about 50 contestants and the racecourse included some of the main streets through town and the small valley (Valle) that the town is built around and gets its name from.
I found out recently that these valleys; some as small as 5 metres wide some as large as 500 metres, occur all over Istria due to the mix of cast and limestone that make up the landscape and also lots of underground rivers. Apparently over time soil drops away and these unique valleys are formed.
The next night there was a lovely classical concert in the Piazza with two excellent female vocalists accompanied by very good strings and keyboard too.
During the week we had more beach days…
Not sure if I have mentioned these little trains before? Most towns we visit have them and they are really cute and so much fun. In Bale, this one does regular trips through the centre of town, out to Il Mare (the sea) and back, about 6km’s there and back..
This week I also gained access to a small oven so I whipped up a lasagne. I think the pan is as old as I am but it still works wonderfully well!
On 22nd August we drive (as Italians would say) to the Eastern side of Istria, about 30kms as the crow flies and about 55 to drive. Our destination today is Labin and then Rabac.
Driving is slower due to most roads being quite windy and there are many small villages dotted the countryside. We are both enjoying this slower pace, I must say.
The landscape in Croatia is rugged with mostly dense medium height foliage and some trees in the interior. On the coast and in the mountains you see taller trees and sometimes forests of taller trees but mostly it has this very lush compact foliage which is everywhere. I imagine settlement in days gone by would have been very tough in this landscape.
We visit Labin first up, a gorgeous town high in the mountains overlooking Rabac.
This is a stunning part of Croatia and well worth a visit.
Mountains surrounding Labin
Town arch
Otherside of Town arch, circa 1438
Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Labin surrounded by mountains.
Near the church in Labin looking down towards Rabac
Labin piazza
After a walk around Labin we hope back in the car to go find a sculpture park on an Estate nearby that I have read about.
The sculpture park turns out to be huge and we have to drive through it as it’s so big!
The sculptures are all large and very “contemporary”. Not quite what we were expecting but interesting nevertheless.
Back in the car and on to Rabac. The drive down to the bay is steep and winding and the valley at the bottom is lush. There is a cute little town; Rasa I think, tucked into the the last pass just above Rabac that looks like it has a mining site.
Rabac, also known as the “Pearl of Kravner Bay” is stunningly beautiful and very busy. Apparently the town, formerly a fishing village, now hosts up to 11,000 visitors a day during summer and this is quite evident as it takes us quite a while to find a car park. Leaving the car we stroll towards town and then find a shortcut, about 200 steps down to the seaside, then find a cute little Konoba (Restaurant) Lino for lunch.
Kravner Bay and Rabac
If you zoom on this photo you can just see the Labin church tower on the left side, on top of the mountain.
Lino Konoba with a view
Lunch!
View across the bay. Historic cable car!
View back into Kravner Bay
After lunch we roam the mariner for a while before heading back to Bale. What a great day out exploring we had.
Friday 23 August we have another productive day at the beach and by now we have tans worthy of my childhood summer days 🙂 before we head to Sv Petar u Sumi (St Peters in the forest) for a Sausage festival.
The sausage festival had a sausage stuffing competition and Rob and I considered registering for a moment. I’m glad we didn’t in the end as this region is very reknowned for its sausages (think Salamis). I think we would have been laughed at!
We had a great night though enjoying local dishes and salami, traditional music and a very good rose!
Another great week in Istria Croatia.
Thinking of my lovely mum today. Gone from this world but forever in my heart.
Lots of beach days and we both have quite a tan even though we spend most of the time at the beach under the shade. The beach at Cologne has clear water and is lovely to swim in, so each visit I swim across the bay and back for exercise and with goggles explore the seabed for large Adriatic clams and sea cucumbers that live about 6 metres down and often follow amazingly large schools of iridescent fish as they swim above the rocks.
Out of the water I have taken to to the art of constructing piles of balancing rocks. It takes patience and I see lots of little crabs too as I hunt for the next perfect rock. The other day as I lay on some of the big rocks drying I felt something tickling my belly, when I sat up a crab quickly scuttled away and out of sight! I’m not sure who got more of a start!
My rock art!
And the next day!
Signor crab!
More rock art!
A close up
Balancing act and our possie under the tree.
Another days work.
Amongst our many beaches days Rob and I continue to explore Istria. It feels like a big beach holiday but when I look through our photo journey we are still packing in quite a bit of exploring.
On 8 August we visited Medulin near Pula and specifically the remains of a Roman villa. The archeogical park was fascinating with the ruins of quite an expansive Roman villa on the waters edge of two thirds of the park. With fantastic views across the bay and back towards Pula it is obvious the the original owner was someone of wealth and influence in the area.
On 11 August we visited Fazana again for another Sardine festival. This one turned out to be a competition for the best filleting!
No gourmet sardines as part of the fiesta so we went and found dinner at a restaurant that looked good and Rob found Grilled Sardine heaven!
Beautiful Fazana
Rob at our table. The streets awash with people!
Beautiful Sunset
Grilled Sardines, salad and Grilled Calamari
Locals Dancing in the square.
14 August – Umag
Rob’s cousin Sylvia and her husband Andre and daughter Ilaria were holidaying in Umag so we travelled up to spend the day with them. We had lovely time with them enjoying the delights of Umag which included a train ride from Stella Maris; an amazing, sprawling holiday water park on the coast, into Umag and back, a swim and energetic game of Frisbee with Ilaria and a very relaxing dinner before returning to Bale.
Ilaria is learning English at school and as I am learning Italian we had interesting conversations about grammar, Italian articles and gender in language. A very smart, well mannered and lovely young lady, it was a delight to spend time with her.
Please excuse me as I look back here and catch up on some interesting places and travel days I missed posting at the time….
Travelling from Leicester to Chilton Trinity 24th May, we decided to detour to Oxford and Avebury. A little out of our way but both worth a visit.
Oxford is one of those places that if you love books, learning and architecture you can’t but help be drawn to and for me it was one of the places we visited that made me truly feel that I was fulfilling life long dreams during this trip.
We parked outside Wadeham College and went for a walk around passing the Sheldonian Theatre, the covered market, Brasenose, Hereford and Trinity Colleges.
I think it’s Semester break as we see few actual students but we do see a few open Colleges with busloads of visitors and think perhaps these may be future students?
Wareham College
Sheldonian Theatre
Oxford
Covered market
Brasenose College
Trinity College
Hertford College
As we walk around I feel the timelessness of this place and how it would be so much fun to be part of this community.
We even see a student protest which is to be expected :-). This one supporting our planet so no argument from me. It’s interesting to note that climate change regularly appears on the news over here; both UK and Europe and seems to be widely accepted as an ongoing issue we must attend to!
The covered market is bustling and I even buy an Oxford T Shirt and also few bits for dinner later.
The streets of Oxford are lively and the architecture continues to astound me. I feel privileged to be here and grateful again to Rob for helping me make this trip a reality. Thank you my love!
Avebury
Rob and I had visited a few stone circles by now and Avebury is considered as one of Britain’s best sites, over 4,500 years old and some say better even than Stonehenge. I reserve my opinion on this until we visit Stonehenge, planned for a few days later…
Situated in the Kennet Valley near Wiltshire, Avebury certainly doesn’t disappoint!
Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, in southwest England. One of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain, it contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world.Wikipedia
The three circles span a large area. It’s so big in fact that it’s impossible to get it all into one photo unless of course you have a drone! A great walk though, through green fields skirting the village. The village of Avebury has a tearoom and museum so is also okworth a visit. You could easily spend the whole day here.
Rob feeling for a mystic hum!
Burial mound
We arrive Chilton Trinity tired after a busy day. Our accommodation for the next few days is a small cabin in a park, similar to what you would find at a beach side park. Small but with all the necessities.
Croatia is an amazing country with a turbulent history. It has a population of approx. 4.5 million and receives around 4 million visitors a year. Tourism is obviously a big part of the economy, contributing around 15% to the GDP.
In summer, it is easy to see why it is so popular with both UK and European visitors with it’s beautiful Coast and safe waters to swim in
It has been very hot the last two weeks so we alternate days at La Mare (the Sea), relaxing in the shade of the trees on the waters edge at Cologne about 6km from Bale, and swimming in the turquoise water, with days exploring local surrounds.
I’m reminded of those long hot summer holidays when I was a child doing nothing much more than reading and swimming and relaxing. We are both sleeping more and napping also, probably due to the extra sun.
Just in case your wondering, to combat all this laziness, Rob and I have started an early morning run session and we also walk around Bale village most days doing daily messages or just for the sake of it.
Summer in Istria is also festival time. On Saturday 27 July we went to the cow festival at Kanfanar, about 6km from Bale. The festival has an annual pretty cow parade of 20 odd beasts of burden and it was amazing! The cows were huge, most taller than me at the shoulder with big horns but also quite docile and yes very pretty and happy to be petted to.
My favourite was number 8, so we named him Otto (Italian for 8) and I gave him a few comforting scratches to keep him calm before and during the judging! Not sure I can take any actual credit but he won!!!
After the cow judging we enjoyed the delights of the festival with local dishes of Chevacipci and Bratwurst Sausage and Kapuzi (Sauerkraut) before bolting for the car as a storm came across.
Last week we drove back to Trieste in Italy for a few days.
While we were there we took the opportunity to catch up with Rob’s other Aunt, Maria and cousins Oriella and Sylvia and their families.
Lucia, Rob, Maria, Oriella and Rosario
Sylvia, Liana, Rob, Lucia and Andrea.
Lucia, Rob’s Aunt Irene’s daughter is lovely and was very kind and took us on a drive to see the sights of Trieste by night. A beautiful city with the largest piazza in Europe and the only one with a seafront, we had a lovely time and as Lucia said, the city looks very different at night. Thanks Lucia!
James Joyce loved Trieste
What a sunset.
One of the many official. Buildings in the piazza.
While in Trieste Rob and I visited Miramare on July 30, an area of the coast about 20km from Trieste City that has been preserved with a Castle and parklands built by Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife in the 19th Century.
On the terrace. A cool spot on a hot day.
Miramare and the start of the parklands.
The next day we drove to Sistiana Bay a popular swimming destination about 25km from Trieste passing through Prosecco on the way.
Last Saturday we visited Fazana for the sardine festival. Bale was having a festival the same day but in the evening so we thought we would attend both!
Fazana is about 15km from Bale and the pretty village is right on the shore and opposite Brijun (Briony) island which was a favourite of Tito’s in his day!
We hung around as long as we could but this was as close to the Sardines as we got! Rob was very disappointed to miss out on a freshly grilled one!
Back in Bale we checked out the Jazz and then the local concert.
These guys, Klapa Rispet are Croatia’s version of our backstreet boys. Hugely popular and everyone was singing along. The second act was a another popular band Jasmin that came on at 12:30am! We walked home around then. The lead singer reminded me of Sir Cliff Richard, another ageing rocker.
On Monday we visited Pula which was a popular holiday destination of Caesar! So much so that he built his own Colosseum and Roman Theatre there. Pula has quite a few historical sites including a Roman arch and mosaics all dated BC! The colosseum is well preserved and in better condition than the one in Rome! The history of Croatia continues to amaze me.
Saturday, we had a slow day in our Cabin and only ventured out for a Sunday Roast dinner at local pub, the Malt Shovel. Rob can be seen here drowning his sorrows over the Lions 1 point loss to the Freo Dockers…
The next day, Bank holiday Monday in Somerset. A lovely sunny day, we decided to do a longish walk.
TheQuantock Hillsis a range of hills west ofBridgwater in Somerset, England. The Quantock Hills covering only a small area, 19 kilometres long and 6 wide were declared England’s firstArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty, being designated in 1956, and consist of heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands and agricultural land.
Rob found a 7 mile (13.2km) walk for us to do and along the way acted as my guide, so romantic, reading me the history of the area including anecdotes about Coleridge (writer) and Wordsworth (poet) who were good mates in the late 1700’s and spent about a year in the area.
The walk was a loop from Holford Village bowling green going up and past the Holford Combe House Hotel which had a 130 year old water wheel last in use in the 1950‘s and into the first Combe (deep narrow valley).
The walk meandered, steadily upward through a leafy laneway towards Holford Combe and the Dingly Dell.
Fun fact – my “guide” told me that parts of the 1991 Robin Hood movie starring Kevin Costner were filmed in this area.
Dingly Dell
Climbing steadily and looking up the hills on either side, through beautiful forest, this area reminded me of the last day of our Overland Track walk in Tasmania 2016; so green that you almost feel like you are walking underwater.!
Still climbing upward we came to one tree frog hill and could finally see the Quantock Moors.
Black Hill and the Pack Way
It was really interesting to see how quickly the landscape changed from the temperate lush greenery to the starkness of the heather and gorse of the moors. The weather changed too, across the top of the moors we head a strong Easterly accompany us as we walked.
We turned right on pack way towards Higher Hare Knap with an outlook to the channel.
View from Higher Hare Knap looking North towards Kilve where we did the Coastal walk
We then walked down again into Shepherds Combe then up again along Lady’s edge following a stream all the way up until it disappears.
Tiny flowers in the Heather
Further up we get to Bicknoller Post which marks the meeting way of several pathes. Fantastic views towards Minehead and Exmoor and the Bristol Channel from here.
View towards Exmoor and the Bristol Channel
Heading East again
On the way down Lonstone Hill we passed areas of moor that had been burnt, a process known as “swaling”.
The Moors after swaling or burning.
We arrived back in Holford about 2.5 hours after setting out.
Rob and I arrived Bale Friday 12th July and have settled somewhat into the village life with a busy week of socialising and beach activities…
I am surrounded by people speaking Italian, some Croatian and various dialects too. Shopkeepers speak Croatian and many tourists also speak German and French. At home it is all Italian so I am in a constant Italian lesson. Rob’s Zia (Aunty) Irene has the patience of a Saint and is determined to correct and educate me. “Capisco” is the most common expression (do you understand?).
Although holiday season with many tourists about, the little village of Bale remains charming.
Called the Stone City by Casanova when he visited in 1743 – 47 and fell in love with Bale, the original Castello (Cadtle) still exists with the newer village surrounding it. By newer i should say this is also hundreds of years old.
Dating back to the 800’s with Venetian influence in the architecture it is easy to see the attraction.
Last week we spent quite a lot of time at La Mare (Beach/Sea). Mon Perrin a 4 star “glamping” establishment has two areas, San Polo and Cologne. I like the beaches here as there is no sand but la rocche is a little difficult on soft feet :). The water is lovely and clear and just the right temperature after laying in the warm sunshine for a while.
We visited local Rovinj last Monday (Lunedi). About 3 times the size of Bale it was bustling with “touristi”. Roberto and I walked around the original Castello – similar to Bale in this way and the via’s were full of small markets. I brought la Sac and was pleased that it was all made from recycled material.
Roberto’s cousin Gabrielle and wife Claudia are also vacationing in Bale this week with their Bellissimo daughter Kiara. Both Rob and I are captivated by her, she is a truly delightful “bambina”. Claudia’s papa Vittorio and partner Louisa visited on Tuesday and we went to a local Macedonian restaurant called Lav where we had mixed Mezze grill and salads.
Vittorio speaks a little English and we talked of a shared passion for cooking so he promised to cook an Italian specialty for us the next day “Perdoci” spaghetti with mussels. There was also a surprise at the end of the meal with traditional Italian and Croatian music performed by a friend of Gabrielle’s and Vittorio. Bravo gentleman, what a splendid evening.
Last Friday Gabrielle bought a huge amount of Peschi (fish) caught that morning from the Lemska canal behind Rovinj.
Rob and I collected seawater and Irene cleaned the fish. Cooked on a BBQ and served with Aglio (Garlic) and Prezzemeteo (parsley) and Olio (olive oil) it was delicious!
Rob is excited that the Lions are doing so well, winning again on Saturday. My team the Swans quite the opposite this year unfortunately.
Today Monday we are back in Rovinj exploring the Park Suma Zlatni Rt which is opposite Rovinj proper and the marina.
Currently sitting in a cafe, this is the view. Hard work I know but someone has to do it. 🙂
Not sure if my photos are all loading in each post? If you can’t see them could you please let me know with a comment. GRAZIE!
Big shout out to my sister Kay for her hip surgery tomorrow! Thinking of you with lots of love, hoping it goes really well. Love Maryann and Rob.
Rob had planned our drive from Paris to Bale across three days. Day two would see us move from France across Switzerland and into Italy around Como which is North of Milano.
We set out from Ribeauville about 8:45am and headed for Colmar where we joined the Motorway and then onto Basel where we crossed the Swiss Border. We had to stop here to purchase a vignette (pass) which is required for Swiss highways travel.
Almost immediately across the border we could see Alpine ranges in the distance on both sides. If you zoom on the photo of Rob driving you will see the snow caps. Also most of my photos today are taken while moving so apologies in advance for the quality. 🙂
We travelled towards and past Luzern and then onto St Gotthards pass. There are lots of tunnels on this route, the longest being the Gotthard at 17km’s. The scenery was amazing and I took way too many photos!!!
Piotta
We stopped for lunch at a rest stop at Piotta. The above photo looks back towards Piotta and the amazing Alpine mountains.
We passed through Switzerland to Italy around 4pm crossing the border at Chiasso near Como. Rob’s plan had been to drive around the spit and Lake Como stopping at Lecco. Good thing we hadn’t booked accommodation as we were thrust into very chaotic Italian traffic and the route to Lecco became very narrow. We took a wrong turn which wound up and around a steep mountainside with nowhere to turn around. It took 11km’s before we found a place to turn back. We returned to Como and found another route out of Como and accommodation.
Como traffic!
Heading up the wrong road! What a view.!
It was like a movie where the Westerner is completely overwhelmed by the Italian traffic, people were whizzing past in their cars and it felt like a collision was imminent the whole time. Rob kept his cool though and we made it through safely. 🙂
The road heading back down
View across Lake Como.
Too close!!!
We were only stuck in the crazy traffic around Como for about an hour and we found accommodation at nearby Albaville, arriving around 5:45.
Accommodation Albaville
Enrico our host, referred us up the road to a local pizzeria and ristorante “Elvis ” near the local supermercato!
I took this photo as I know this word well from an Italian lesson on grocery shopping and it’s my very first visit to one!
After a long days driving, over 400km’s, it was nice to sit back and relax over a glass of vino Rosso which comes chilled in a carafe with a choice of “House” or nothing else. It was Moulto Bene however and ideal to celebrate our first Italian meal together in Italy.
mi Amoro
Rob was hungry so ordered Antipasto hot and cold plus a Seafood risotto for secondi! The antipasto ended up being three plates plus we received a complimentary pizza bread. I ordered Linguini Vorgola (seafood) and that was huge too so all up way too much food but it was all deliciosa!
Friday 12th July
We woke early to a beautiful morning – view from the flat’s balcony below. After a typical italian breakfast of cafe, biscottis, fruit and yoghurt we said arrivederci to Enrico and we’re back on the road by 7:40am.
View from our BnB
Some days are great for photos, some aren’t. This was one that wasn’t with a cloudy heat haze hanging low on the horizon most of the day.
I couldn’t resist trying to get a photo of the Dolomites though. This is how they look on a clear day, courtesy of Google.
The very tips of the mountains slipped in and out of view for about 50 km’s. This my photo taken from Podere Pustot at 1:00pm when we had to stop for roadwork. The dark blue areas that look like clouds are actually the tops of several mountains!
Dolomites swathed in clouds
We passed from Italy into Slovenia and then about 30 minutes later we crossed the Border into Croatia and before long, around 4pm we arrived at Bale. We will be staying here for the next couple of months, on and off as we continue to travel Croatia.
We left Chateau Thierry early as we had a big day of driving ahead. Rob had booked us in at Ribeauville for the night and as fortune would have it the Tour de France would be going through Frapelle and Ribesuville; both on our way today, so we just had to get to Frapelle, the first spot to see it, 382 kilometres away before 1;30pm!
As we drove I was able to catch those wheat fields I mentioned in my last post and a bullet train, though not quick enough to snap the front aha!
We arrived at Frappell with 20 minutes to spare and with just a few minutes walk to the road closure. We even had a brief chat to a local that knew a smattering of English.
When they came through they were so close and so fast! It was all over in a few seconds.
Awesome! Great planning Rob.
We then jumped back in the car and headed for beautiful Ribeauville. Near Strasbourg, this picturesque town has many charming medieval houses and is surrounded by the ruins of three castles.
Our BnB on Rue de Chateau was just off the Grand Rue (main Street) and very charming it was.
Our BnB on Rue de Chateau
At the top of the street and above the BnB on the nearby Rue de Temple the church bells rang on the hour which was really charming.
The town was like a postcard at every turn. This picture shows St. Ulrich castle high on the hill in the background.
One of the many hotels
Rob and I checked in, had a quick lunch of banquet, salad and terrine, stowed our gear and then headed out to catch the next leg of the Tour.
Once again it was an invigorating experience so I bought Rob a T Shirt as a souvenir and we headed back to the flat so that he could watch the end of the days race.
Meanwhile I headed back out to torment the local shopkeepers with my dreadful French! I had a wonderful hour wandering the shops and exploring the town. I only bought one thing – a lovely Tisane for Rob’s Sia (Aunty) Irena and all of the shops attendants were very kind to me.
Later in the evening we went out for dinner, again we opted for local specialties. This time – snails to share, charcuterie for Rob – 5 meats with Sauerkraut and a flambeau (bit like pizza) for me but we shared both.
After dinner we had a last walk around beautiful Riveauville which also has some rather amazing crane nests, complete with Cranes! One of which was a top this house.
And another had it’s own spire, no birds in this one thoughand we also saw a second one just like this which was also empty.
Beautiful Pinot noir vineyards embrace the village which has a long history of winemaking.
Vineyards surrounding Ribeauville
Town Arch with medieval clock
Historical Ribeauville
I couldn’t have asked for more from my first day in France. A real beauty, and on the way back up the Grand Rue we spied some very cute Mud Swallows.
Rob and I left the UK today after 9.5 weeks travelling through England, Scotland and a short trip to Ireland all of which was amazing.
With a few stays of 4-5 days we were moving around a lot, cramming in as much as possible each day. Due to this and poor or no internet in the remoter regions my blog has suffered so my apologies and I will catch up on all the missing posts! Promise!
Today we flew to Framce, after a small delay, landing at Charles de Gaulle airport around 3:30pm which with the hour difference became 4:30pm.
Shortly thereafter we collected our Renoit Darcia Duster to be known as “dusty”.
Dusty will be our car for the next six months and is brand new.
I’m so proud of Rob for tackling the driving, new car, steering wheel on the left, gear stick on the right and driving on the other side of the road today and what a great job he did too. That is the right side, not to be confused with the wrong side… 🙂
We are driving to Croatia,so this visit to France is fleeting as we drive through over the next few days.
Nevertheless the French countryside is enchanting with fields of wheat and corn in this area heading West from Paris. Some harvested, some fully grown and about to be. Some parts remind me of home; the colours and the blue skies on this warm sunny day of 23 degrees are like country NSW in Summer.
No photos though as I’m busy navigating with the Sat Nav so Rob can fully concentrate on driving.
We arrive at Chateau Thierry about 7:30 in the evening and what a pretty French Village it is.
We find our BnB for the night Studio Royale L’abbe, drop our bags and head into town for dinner. Rob has found a “beer hall” that does Tapas and we find a fairly traditional French evening ripaste which was amazing!
Immediately I am overwhelmed by the French language but smile and nod, say Bounsour and Tres Bon Merci at the conclusion of our meal and I feel I have gotten away with it. I must admit I miss the friendly banter and enquiry we received during our UK time a little though but hey, that’s what travel is all about isn’t it, new experiences.
The host is very keen to start teaching us French at the til, which was very kind and rather hilarious too.
After dinner we visit the marchet and I marvel at all the French groceries.
On the way home we visit the banquette vending machine!!! Grant, you never mentioned those!!! Two Euro later I am two baguettes to the wind, one for breakfast, one for lunch tomorrow.
I couldn’t resist though and had to have a small piece when we got home, with French butter of course. OMG! So good!!!
The walk home includes a peak at Chateau Thierry and a walk through the streets…
Our plan for tomorrow is to catch the start of the Tour de France at Saint Die Des-Vosges and then again at Ribeauville.
If you have heard of the Cliffs of Moher, you may be aware that they are stunning! I agree wholeheartedly, this was an amazing day. Happily the sun shone for us all day and we enjoyed this day immensely! The pictures speak for themselves, rising over 200 metres from the sea the cliffs are spectular to say the least!
All up I think we walked about 13 kilometres from one end of the cliffs to the visitors centre. Tip – if you happen to visit it’s much cheaper to stop and park at the nearby farm than it is to on further to the visitors centre.
We interspersed our walk with lots of stops and even a wee nap in the Sun after a picnic lunch. We also stopped at the visitors centre for toilets and they have lots of interesting information about the cliffs.
We set off for Cork via a circuitous route through Kilkenny to Waterford and then to Cork via the Coast.
Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle
Such beautiful crystal.
Dinner anyone
The countryside is as beautiful as I expected. Kilkenny castle is very busy with lots of school groups (last week of Semester) so we pass on a lcloser visit.
Waterford Crystal was stunning but we decided to forgo a tour for a walk as the weather is so lovely.
We stroll around the Viking Triangle taking in Christ Church Cathedral, GreyFriars, the Dragon Slayers sword and Reginald’s Tower.
Dragon Slayer’s sword. Can he lift it.
Reginald’s Tower
Grey Friar’s.
After a lovely couple of hours we hopped in the car and took the coastal route to Corke.
Coastal route
Nod to Hazel, Rob’s mum who also lives in Newtown.
And Annestown! No kidding Annie!
Annestown
Annestown
Annestown
Dungarvan – Abbeyside
Ireland is so lovely yet I still got a sense of the hard life Meghan had spoken of in her talk at the Museum the day before, in some places…
Onwards to Corke. We particularly wanted to visit County Corke as Rob’s mum Hazel’s Family has ancestral ties to this area.
We visited beautiful St. Fin Barre’s, the old fort and did a small walking circuit that we happened across.
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral
Labyrinth walk
Elizabeth Fort Clarke’s Bridge
Gotcha!
Greenmount walk
Busy day! Dinner at Mrs Fish’s (yum – top 5 in Cork) then about an hour’s drive back to our accommodation.
I spent the whole drive home trying to capture the beautiful light flooding across the hills…
Our flight was originally scheduled at 8:30am but left late due to a medical emergency. The flight was incredibly short 42 minutes. We were literally up, parallel for 20 minutes, then down.
Selfie – cute couple!
First view of Ireland from the air.
Rob and I were very excited to visit Ireland as it wasn’t on our original itinerary. Being sick had opened up some time though, so we had four days to enjoy Ireland’s beauty.
After passing through customs and arranging to collect our hire car we headed for Dublin city.
Local traffic on the way in.
We parked and walked to a hop-on-off green bus stop for a tour. As we were walking to the bus we saw this little guy.
How much is that doggy in the window?
The bus tour was great taking us along the River Liffey and across O’Connell Bridge. we saw the birthplace of Guinness.
Milk truck? Nah that’s a beer truck!
We hopped off at the bus near College Park and Trinity College to walk around to see the book of Kells, c 800 AD it is an illuminated manuscript book in Latin containing the four Gospels of the New Testament. You have to book to see it though so we missed out as the day was fully subscribed, pics from the museum slideshow only.
Trinity College.
Book of Kells.
So we moved on, next stop the Little Museum of Ireland. What a great place! Meghan our tour guide was charming, articulate, lyrical and very self effacing in her presentation of Irelands history. Sobering at times but very entertaining!
Meghan holding centre stage!
Next stop was Temple Bar to have a true taste of Guiness! Complete with Irish hats no less.
Temple Bar
Guinness – yum. My first one ever!
Rob’s an old hand!
After sustenance we took a walk around Dublin City. We walked past a couple of really nice restaurants – Marco Pier White and Carluccio’s then past Dublin Castle.
Marco Pier White – would like to eat here!
Carluccio’s – would like to eat here too…
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Then we walked past the Cathedral and though the East Inner City, popped into the Clarence for a drink (Hotel owned by U2) and then over the Millenium Bridge.
Famous Octagon Bar!
Selfie on the Bridge
Dublin is a beautiful city. Lots of tourist on this Sunday afternoon, a rain shower or two to keep us on our toes and history everywhere you turn.
We had an early dinner at Murray’s Hotel – 2 for 1 special included in our tour tickets.
After dinner we headed out of Dublin for Clough in Bellacolla, county of Laois, West of Dublin. We stayed at High Nelly Cottage, which had a thatched roof and was named after a Bicycle for the previous owner who fixed Bicycles. So cute and rustic and where I first start to run into internet and wi-Fi problems. None here!
Rob really did hit his head and I did the same thing the next day!
Loft bed
Aga for cooking.
Black stave for heating and cooking.
Downstairs was one room and bathroom. Stairs either end to two loft beds. It was fun to stay there and experience life as it would have been in times gone by.
We left Wirksworth Friday morning and headed to Leicester to visit Rob’s friends Fi and Rob.
Before we left we popped into St. Mary’s as Rob wanted to find “T Owd Man” an early medieval carving of a miner, that was “borrowed” from Bonsall in the mid 1800’s and never returned. A small tile; only about 20 x 30cm, it took a little while to find…
St Mary’s also has some very beautiful lead lighting.
Back on the road and on the way to Leicester we stopped at Bolsover Castle in the North East of DerbyShire.
Holding a commanding position the castle has stunning views across DerbyShire. Built in the 12th Century the original Norman fortress has changed many hands and been extended and added to to through to the 16th Century and is now a Grade I listed building.
The surrounding Castle or fortress is mainly in ruins but the little Castle built as a “party palace” has some incredibly maintained interiors.
6 metre doorway with views to the outer windows.
Looking out into the forecourt. Who’s that peeking in?
Amazing interiors
Painted ceiling fresco
The Tower known as “Little Castle”
Curious water fountain with the buttress walkway behind
Fun fact: Bolsover has a reputation as one of the “spookiest” by English Heritage staff, with mystery footsteps, a boy holding visitors hands, muffled voices and unexplained lights! Not that we experienced any of this.
The views from the fortress walls high over DerbyShire were second to none.
This beautiful tree was roped off as there was a family of owl nesting.
After leaving Bolsover we made our way to Leicester to Fi and Rob’s, friends of Rob.
We had a lovely evening with Fi as Rob had a function on and the next day we all went for a lovely walk to Bradgate Park.
Bradgate Park is a public park in Charnwood forest in Leicester and it covers 850 acres. When we arrived a group we’re gathering, on horseback and in period costume! We saw them again later about half way through the walk.
16 hands and side saddle!
All four riders in the distance
As we walked we passed Deer, Old John (a folly), 500 year old oak trees and the ruins of Bradgate House.
Old John
Deer
More Deer
Fi and Rob and Rob inside the tree!
Gorgeous old Oak tree.
The two Rob’s!
We had a lovely morning and it was such a nice visit. Rob is very fortunate to have such wonderful friends. We left Leicester for Manchester late in the afternoon after a long delicious lazy lunch as we were travelling to Dublin, Ireland first thing the following day, Sunday.
My intention was to blog everyday and to some extent I have been as I journal everyday. Internet connections, wifi availability and some times phone battery have hampered my efforts however and I have fallen behind with my posts.
I’m so excited to have finally arrived in my beloved Scotland; a lifelong dream, that I just have to share it so I promise to catch up with earlier travels, including the days in Ireland very soon but I just have to share this today!
Ron I travelled up from Dover to Carlisle on Sunday and then after visiting Carlisle Castle and Hadrian’s wall yesterday, we arrived in Scotland at about 6:30 last night.
We are staying Fascadale Croft in West Lothian, which means we are situated approximately halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh which is ideal for exploring the central Scottish belt. Our Croft is very comfortable, probably the best BnB Rob and I have found to date and very good value!
Today we visited Linlithgow Palace, Blackness Castle (where some of Outlander was filmed) and Hopetoun house. Our first full day has been a brilliant day, the weather is cool but we had no rain until we just arrived home earlier this evening.
Linlithgow palace
We parked near the loch to walk around to the castle you can see in the background and the greeting party arrived to meet us! Swans, ducks and other water birds started swimming towards us. It was quite surreal and a very sweet moment.
They were expecting food of course and we’ll trained they were too but we were a an empty handed disappointment!
So beautiful!
The palace was outstanding! Four towers in tact and I felt like a child exploring tunnels, walkways and the rooms of Kings and Queens gone by.
Friendly pup on the walk.
View from a window.
St Andrews Church spires from the very top of the West tower
I counted over 110 steps in each tower. Who needs a Stairmaster when you can go exploring instead 😄.
Lots of Stairs
Top of the 113 stairs!
Each of the towers branch off at five different levels and the outer walls are a maze of tunnels and rooms.
View from the East tower over the loch.
View from an internal window
The lower levels were for the servants and guards and as you go up there are halls, bedrooms, a chapel and even a very tiny room at the the top of the highest tower.
The central courtyard also had a very decorative fountain.
On the second level there was a display of items found when restoration excavation works where carried out. Most were pottery but one of the cases held the remains of a child’s shoe.
Blackness Castle
On the Firth of the Forth sits the ship that never sailed… A medieval fortress that was more recently used as a setting in “Outlander” tv series.
Heaviest gate ever!
The Keep
Prison scene from Outlander!
Hopetoun House
17th century stately country estate. We decided not to go in as only a very small portion is open to the public. Very impressive from the outside I must say!
Queensferry Crossing
One of three bridges that cross over the Forth. I caught the cable stays in the afternoon sunlight and it reminded me of thr sails on a ship, stunning!
Rob and I have had a brilliant day. Couldn’t have asked for better for our first day in Scotland!
Exploring the Peak District was on the agenda today so we set out for Stanton Moor that had a walk that also took in the Nine ladies stone circle.
The day was lovely and sunny with a gentle breeze and when we came to this pretty glade I could appreciate why this place had been chosen as a gathering place in times past.
We have seen a few stone circles now and burial mounds also. Relics from pagan times they are much more prolific than I had thought.
Stanton Moor walk was lovely with many tracks Criss crossing.
I think we took a wrong turn as this is what the track became for a while…
Ahhh, that’s better, I think were right now.
I love how the landscape can so quickly changes on the moor from heather and gorse to temperate forest, complete with fungi!
This rock is known as the Cork Stone, another megalith.
We found this rocky outcrop so we scrambled up for a better view. Rob, King of the Mountain!
Looking out across Stanton Moor, so beautiful.
After we finished our walk we were looking for a refreshment so we visited nearby Bakewell. While we were there we had to try the famous Bakewell pudding, not to be confused with the Bakewell tart! Sorry no picture and I must say both Rob and I were underwhelmed by it. A concoction of puff pastry filled with an almond custard and a ting of pink, perhaps rose water?
To be fair it may have been better warmed up.
On the way back To Wirksworth we visited another stone circle – Arbor Low, a Neolithic stone circle and henge.
We finished the day with a lovely meal at local French restaurant Le Mistral. Mussels for Rob and the daily special Baked Chicken for me but of course we shared. Yum!
On the way home I snapped the sunset, heading up our street. It’s 9:00pm and twilight will linger for about another hour which means you can pack a lot into each day!
Wirksworth is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire. It contains the source of the River Ecclesbourne. The town was granted a market charter by Edward I in 1306 and the market is held still today on Tuesdays in the Memorial Gardens.
Wirksworth town is a series of steep intricate lanes, alleyways and steps. It seems the town has been built into the very valley walls!
Its past fortunes were built on lead mining, a key commercial activity dating back to Roman times, quarrying and textiles – introduced by industrial pioneer Sir Richard Arkwright at Haarlem Mill, considered by some to be the mill in George Eliot’s novel The Mill on the Floss.
Wirksworth town circuit, about 12 kilometres in length gives you great views as it circles the entire town with new and historical featured along the way. After breakfast Rob and I set out to explore.
From Cosy Cottage we walked up a nearby laneway that was very steep. To give an idea of how steep, following is a photo of Greenhill street looking down towards our cottage.
We walked up and up eventually turning on to a lane and continuing up we came to StarDisc which is close to where The Wirksworth Circuit starts.
StarDisc is a 21st century stone circle and celestial amphitheatre created by Aidan Shingler. It spans 12 meters (40 ft). Carved into black granite is a star chart that mirrors the northern hemisphere’s night sky. The surface of the stone circle is inscribed with the constellations, their names, and a depiction of the Milky Way. Contrasting with the star chart is a perimeter of silver granite on which 12 seats are positioned. The seats denote the months of the year. Dark skies sensitive lighting illuminates StarDsic powered by our nearest star the Sun.Courtesy StarDisc Org.
We had a lovely sunny day for our walk and at the StarDisc I was able to find my birth sign constellation Libra which we don’t see in our Southern skies. 😀
The surrounding vistas of the countryside were pretty good too!
From the StarDisc we walked across the road and onto the public footpath marked with the circuit mark then across fields and roads, passing many quarries which are everywhere in this district!
Today we packed up and left the Yorkshire Dales, we have really enjoyed this area and are excited to now be heading for the Derbyshire Dales, which is South of Yorkshire.
Another bright sunny day today and on the way we planned to stop and visit Rievaulx Abbey at Helmsley, which was recommended by one of the staff at Whitby Abbey and is well worth a visit if you get the opportunity.
Interestingly we spoke to one of the staff who told us that her cottage has Rievaulx stone in it, so this practice seems to have been widely adopted.
Rievaulx is a big site!
Mosaic still existing today!
You can imagine how grand it would have been.
After we left Rievaulx we made our way South and along the way spied a castle at Helmsley.
We decided to take a look and found a 900 year old castle turned Tudor mansion!
Behind the castle was an estate so we drove up for a look and found Duncombe Park, a very fine example of an historic house and still owned by the Duncombe family. Would have been great to view but no time today unfortunately as the day is getting on. Interesting how it’s the things you stumble across some days that grab you.
Duncombe House
Pheasant on the lawn.
The drive to Wirksworth in Derbyshire was enjoyable and didn’t take too long. Our accommodation at “Cosy Cottage” a tiny 3 story dwelling looked comfortable and functional so we headed out o explore…
Our last day in the Yorkshire Dales and a beautiful sunny day. Rob and I decided to travel back into Richmond to see the Castle there, as we had missed it on the way in as it had been too late. TIP – last entry at heritage sites is a 1/2 hour before closing, usually at 5:00pm.
The top of the Buttress
Selfie on the Grass in the Sun
View from the Grass down to the River Swale
The day took a twist due to the following photo. Can you spot the two boys on the roof?
Richmond from the Castle
I spotted the two teenage boys larking around on the roofs of adjoining houses while taking photos of the surrounding town and market place. I stopped watching after a few minutes as I was concerned they may fall!
When we left the castle and returned to the car, we found it surrounded and parked in by four police vehicles! We quickly found out that the boys had pushed over a chimney which had crashed into the market place about 10 metres from our vehicle. The police had then given chase and now had one boy in custody with the other still giving chase!
I felt compelled to assist so spoke to the nearest officer, offering my photo. Officer Amy seemed more interested in our holiday and mentioned it again later in reply to my email with the photo, which she remarked would be very useful! I hope the boys don’t get into too much trouble!!!
We went and had coffee while we waited for the police to leave. Costa coffee has the best cappuccino we have found as a lot of cafes use auto push button machines but Costa uses espresso machines and the coffee is quite good!
When we were able to leave we set out for Middlesham Castle. The ruined castle commenced in 1190 is best known as the childhood home of Richard III, although he actually spent very little of his reign there. After it was allowed to run to ruin in the 1700 and like many other castles and Abbey’s we have seen, much of the stone was removed and used in other local village dwellings.
Driving from and back into Richmond we passed Catterick Garrison a large military base. On the way back we were swooped, quite literally by a Boeing chinook helicopter. Too quick and fast to get a photo but a thrilling to experience!
Back in Richmond we parked and took a lovely walk to Easby Abbey and back, enjoying a Jersey Ice Cream along the way.
On the way home we stopped at the local pub which we had been passing for the last few days, curious about the name we got chatting with the publican Mick who had no idea where the name originated. We had a fun hour though, sharing stories of spiders and snakes 😄.
Cracker of a day!
A folly! A fake castle built for the landowners pleasure!
We had looked at quite a number of ruined castles by now so I had been looking for one that was “more operational” and as luck would have it, I found a brochure for Bolton which is two thirds intact, birds of prey and wild boar demonstrations and had guest historical tour guides on this weekend so off we went.😄
Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle located in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England. It has never been sold and is still in the ownership of the descendants of the Scrope family.
Apparently Mary Queen of Scotts was held prisoner at Bolton for six months in 1568.
Eric gave a fascinating talk on the history of the castle.
In January 1569, Mary was removed from Bolton Castle for the last time, being taken toTutbury in Staffordshire where she would spend much of the 18 years before her execution in 1587.
Liam the bird handler with a Red Kite named Eric.
Liam with an owl named Cleo.
View of the garden maze from a tower.
Fun fact – In fortified castles, internal stairs were set in a clock wise direction so to advantage the right handed defender and equally disadvantage the right handed attacker!
Stairs worn by time.
View over Yorkshire from the top of the castle
View from the top of the castle
Coin from the 1100’s!!!
Costrell holy water vial from 1100’s
Period head gear!
Shot with edge (used shot) thought to be from the battle of independence on 2/7/1644 found on master moor outside York.
Now that’s a sword!
Both Rob and I put these on. Very empower information!
In the Dungeon.
In the steps of Mary Queen of Scots.
Rob and I had so much fun at Bolton Castle. The tour with Dave was excellent with lots of history and interesting anecdotes, the coins, shot and Cottrell are his own too.
Colin in the armory was a hoot too. Both men very passionate and patriotic about England!
On the way out we visited the boar too but didn’t stay for the feeding…
Forgot to add this picture. A beautiful example of Yorkshire Moors.
Barnard Castle in the town of the same name is about 10 minutes drive from Newsham the village we are staying in for a few days.
Barnard also has the Bowes Museum which we visited twice, Thursday 9/5 and again on Saturday.
Barnard Castle was founded in the 12th century and provides gorgeous views of the Tees Gorge; which remarkably is the colour of Tea, and I found out later that it’s coloured this way due to the peat that grows in this area.
The ruined mediaeval castle is also on the fringe of the busy market town, affectionately known as Barney’s so is easy to access.
Barnard Castle
View of the Tees
Bowes Museum was a big surprise. It is a private museum created by Josephine and John Bowes. It captured my imagination as Josephine could not have children and she and her husband, both avid lovers of the Arts, set about collecting some 15,000 works including paintings, textiles, ceramics and local historical items in just over a decade with artistic work from El Greco and Francis Goya.
A big attraction is the Silver Swan automaton which was favoured by the Queen Mother who was also a patron.
The museum has three floors and your pass is annual so you can revisit. I fell in love with the romance of the Bowes couple I must say, obviously devoted to each other and their life’s work. I read that John Bowes stopped looking for Art for the Museum shortly after Josephine died so he was obviously grief stricken. Very interesting historical family story too with close ties to the royal family.
BFG in the garden
Bowes from the Garden walk
Silver Swan 2pm everyday
We missed the Silver Swan on our visit so we returned on Saturday to see it and Also the the 1st floor that we missed on our first visit.
Garden walk
After the museum Rob wanted a haircut so we visited a traditional Turkish barber we had seen earlier. Rob got a great haircut and also had his ears “flamed” and the inside of his nose waxed! Ouch!
Handsome!
We then did a walk from Barnard to the Egglestone Abbey. Along the way we chatted with a two people walking there dogs, Candess and her dad Nigel and their dogs. Great walk with friendly conversation. Candess also helped me identify some of the flowers we saw and the dad gave us directions to a great local ale house – Firkin Ale. They also ended up walking all the way to the Abbey with us and then all the way back to town to the bar!
Everyone has been so friendly, it has been really lovely. Mind you I have been careful to say G’day as much as possible which immediately identifies you as an Aussie. 😀😀😀
Weather wise it started as a beautiful sunny day and the drive across to the East Coast from Newsham, about 1 hour 45mins was lovely.
Whitby Abby was grand, ethereal and amazing. Just thinking about how they carried out such detailed work in those days is mind boggling and makes me want to read more history, particularly about Henry VIII.
Whitby Abbey
Whitby itself looks to be a thriving seaport, split by the River Esk with Gothic Whitby Abbey on the East Cliff. The Abbey was apparently Bram Stoker a inspiration for Dracula” and the is an original sign first print copy of the book in the museum at the Abbey. The museum newly opened in March this year so we were fortunate to see it.
I wish we had longer to walk around and explore the town to find it’s hidden gems which I’m sure are there including Captain Cook’s memorial and Museum as he lived in Whiby for a time but we wanted to go to Robin Hood’s Bay today also so off we go.
Whitby
Robin Hoods bay is a picturesque old fishing village with a long history of smuggling and delightful with a steep descent from the cliffs to the village centre.
We discovered a cluster of houses in the centre of town, that wound up the cliff face and that you could wander from top to bottom through a maze of twisted cobbled streets and narrow alleyways passing rows of cottages with quiant names and colourful tubs of flowers. Many were self catering so it would be a magical place to stay for children I think. It certainly captured my imagination.
We did part of the last days walk from Whitby to Robin Hoods bay, walking a loop on the Cleveland/Cinder Way. A lovely walk along the cliff tips on a probably our best day weather wise so far. On the way back we stopped on a seat to have a late lunch and enjoy the view of the North Sea.
On our return to Robin Hoods Bay we had a quick stop for a pint at the smugglers bar. Rob had the Black Death and I had a cider.
Suitably refreshed we walked up the cliff again via the cottages maze as I’ve come to think of it and then back in the car and off to Scarborough.
The days are long here with a twilight that extends to nearly 10pm so we decided to stay out later today. Unfortunately though most Heritage sites close at 6pm with last entry half hour before so we arrived at Scarborough Castle too late. We did enjoy a walk around the castle perimeter though and the views across Scarborough Esplanade and the coastline were well worth the drive.
I had bought Squirrel food for the red squirrels and staff at the hotel suggested 7:00 am as the best time to feed them, so we got up and downstairs early for this purpose. The day was set in with rain though and very chilly so after spreading the nuts and seeds I sat waiting in the drizzle for an hour – not great for my persistent cold and no sign of squirrels either but thank goodness for Rob and the cup of tea he bought down for me. I did see some little birds – tits I think but not sure.
After a lovely breakfast, perfectly boiled eggs with toast soldiers for me, full Cumberland for Rob, we grabbed our packs and headed back downstairs. As we came into the lobby I noticed that people were at the windows in a sitting room off to the left and to our delight two squirrels were enjoying the food I had put out earlier. So cute!
Rob and I then enjoyed about twenty minutes observing and photographing the squirrels. We also got chatting to a lovely English couple too which is always nice.
Shap
In the car and off again we travelled to Shap. The C2C comes into Shap via the Abbey so that was a must see and to our surprise we ran into three Americans – JJ, Marg and Gray, we had met walking on Day 1 St.Bees to Cleator. We had a lovely chat, catching up on their walk for a few minutes and Marg shared some Gingerbread with me from the little shop in Grassmere (closed when we were there) which was very kind.
we then drove onto Kirkby Stephen were we made a stop to go to the Post Office; hope everyone is receiving our postcards. The day is really cold and wet so our visit was brief. We visited the local Church which was beautiful and had an original Loki stone, then a quick walk through the market. Feeling really cold we decided to grab a hot Cornish pastie; which was amazingly good and a pie to warm us up, then onto Richmond for some groceries before heading to Newsham.
Kirkby Stephen Parish Church
Looking towards the Nave
Merok Cottage Newsham
Up til now we had been using pre booked accommodation for the walk. As we now had a car we decided to book a cottage in a central location towards the end of the C2C walk so that we could do day trips aound. This would mean I could cook which would also give us a break from pub food! 😄
Rob found Merok Cottage in Newsham.
When we arrived on this cold afternoon it was a very welcome sight. As you can see above it is very comfortable. Rob immediately set a fire and I whipped up a creamy chicken carbonara and started a beef stew too. The Rayburn (like an Aga) provides heating for the house and is always ready to cook on. It reminds me of the black stove we had when I was growing up, except it was wood fuelled and the Rayburn is fuelled by oil.
So a great end to a cold day! A lovely bottle of French Bordeaux stle wine, hot pasta and a lovely fire followed by a comfy bed.
We left Patterdale for Haweswater our last pre booked accommodation on the walk. This destination was slightly off the C2C as at the time of planning, I was attempting to shift two long days of walking into three easier days.
Leaving Patterdale, we drove to nearby Glenridding as Rob had planned a walk around Aira Force, a lovely waterfall with another association with Wordsworth.
Some say he wrote “Daffodils” about this area and “Somnabulist” also, the sad poem about Lady Emma and Sir Eglamore… the first stanza for you.
“List, ye who pass by Lyulphs Tower At eve; how softly then Doth Aira-force, that torrent hoarse. Speak from the woody glen! Fit music for a solemn vale! And holier seems the ground To him who catches on the gale The spirit of a mournful tale, Embodied in the sound.”
Look it up if you have time, a beautiful poem.
A bit of a wet day but we were hopeful of a a good walk and it was really lovely.
A natural gorge at Aira Force
View over Ulswater
View back to Helvelyn
Lunch on our toast boards from David Linton Galleries!
After a lovely walk and lunch we were off to Haweswater via Shap, once again as the crow flies not that far away but to drive we had to go around mountains. We also decided to pop into Penrith as check in wasn’t til 5pm.
We travelled from Grassmere to Patterdale today. By road it takes more travel as we have to go around the mountains, not over them 😂 and we visited a few places on the way.
We stopped at Ambleside and did some washing while we had breakfast and then we travelled on to Windermere.
Along the way we got sidetracked by a sign for Townend historical house. So lovely to be able to side track on a whim I must say, to have the time to do so is really lovely and we spotted these houses also.
Townend at Troutbeck was built in the 1600 and was in the Browne family for eight generation’s up until the last, George Brown in the early 1900’s. It is now in the care of the national trust and the house is open for tours once a day. The barn is still in use by the resident caretakers.
The garden has a lovely range of plants and flowers used in years gone by and some still in use today no doubt. There were also a few examples of “recipes” from a family cookbook that I just had to snap.
After leaving Troutbeck we travelled on to Windemere, a really lovely destination. Very busy today by the lake for the bank holiday today but still very chilly and rainy too.
The streets of Windemere are very quaint with some lovely examples of cottages. Most towns have a marketplace which the streets stem from – bit like a wheel and then there are random alleys and laneways, some of which have the cutest shops and old pubs.
We then walked down to the lake for a walk and got completely sidetracked by all the birds, swans, ducks, mandarin ducks and more.
So friendly and well fed from hand feeding. Of course we had to join in and had the best time. So beautiful.
Windermere is lovely and on of my favourite places in the lakes district so far.
Driving on we arrived at Patterdale, our next night of pre-booked accommodation, a very small town in a valley.
This is town we would have arrived at if we had continued walking down from Grisedale Tarn from Grassmere from the hills below.
We stayed at the YHA and walked into town for dinner at the White Lion. Had a lovely chat to a local – fun fact, nearly everyone we have spoken to so far, knows someone or has a relative in Perth!
Internet has been very intermittent up til yesterday 9/5.
Our accommodation at the Travellers Rest was very close to the C2C trail so Rob planned a circuit walk called the Great Tongue up to Grisedale Tarn and about 1/2 way to Patterdale.
Travellers Rest Hotel.
Grisedale Tarn is at an elevation of 600metre so it was all up! A lovely walk though, that starts with public footpaths past houses then farms with a stream running on the left. As you head past these you come to a footbridge and the bridle path gives way to a track and as you rise higher the views back towards Grasmere were well worth the effort and it was lovely to see all the baby lambs too.
This Waterfall marks the top of the tongue and a Cairn marks the alternate route which we took on the way back.
Abit further on after quite a few stone stairs and as you reach a stone wall and step through, Grisedale Tarn appears with Helvelyn in the Background.
We stopped for a break at the Tarn and then walked on past Helvelyn towards Patterdale, then doubled back and did a lap around the Tarn before heading home.
This is Rob about a 1/3 of the way round. If you look carefully you can just see a line which marks the path around the tarn.
On the way back we took the alternate route down the stairs and then on the Northern side of the tongue.
Looking back down the Valley towards Grasmere.
Lovely sheep but where is the path? Very different route with no clearly defined path on the way down…
Tadpoles in a puddle!!!
Great walk – about 13km’s 😅
We arrived back at the hotel about 2pm, had a lovely Sunday Roast lunch – Chicken for me and Beef with Yorkeshire pud for Rob and a bottle of Montepulciano.
Tuckered out we relaxed for the rest of the day, I did some writing and planning too 😄.
We left YHA Borrowdale and headed to Grasmere via Keswick. The mountain scenery continues to astound us and it was close to freezing, about 3 degrees when we set off about 8:30am and there has been snow overnight!
We stopped to take this photo in front of Borrowdale hotel, Rob’s face tells the picture of how cold it was but otherwise a beautiful day.
Keswick is gorgeous but a bit busy, especially today, part of the bank holiday weekend. We also found out that they have “Light the lakes” on Sunday night, where hundreds of walkers walk up “Scafell Pike” and the trail is lit by their lights. I wish we had found out about it as it sounds like a really special thing to do.
Courtesy, Light the Lakelands festival flyer, 2019.
Keswick village, taken from Hope Gardens on the foreshore of Derwent water.
The flowers are out despite the cold.
Derwent Isle in the middle of the lake. This photo is the reverse of the one taken from the village – absolutely stunning area!
Keswick market, bustling on a Saturday long weekend. Lots of sweets, clothing and food stalls.
Lunch at the Oddfellow arms, Keswick. Rob found this pub by watching the locals. Both meals, Beef and Ale stew and Haddock, Peas and Chips were under £6, about $11.00. My first taste of Yorkshire pudding! So good on such a cold day!
Castlerigg standing stones, just outside of Keswick. surrounded by peaks – a very special place.
I’m totally blown away by how close everything is here, so much to see and all of it so close.
Fell in love with this stone bridge, again in Keswick.
We arrived Grasmere mid afternoon and immediately set out for a walk, we followed this lane, public footpaths around the village as it follows the C2C. Our hotel, travellers rest is the white building on the left of the photo.
Grasmere is another lovely village and home to William Wordsworth’s Swan cottage which is currently under restoration.
We visited his memorial which is in the Church surrounded by a daffodil garden, his favourite, (not yet in bloom). A lovely and fitting resting place for a man who left the world with so many beautiful poems…
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
And all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodills;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze…” from, I wandered Lonely as a Cloud, William Wordsworth.
Maryann writing. Another night at the Ennerdale Country House and Hotel having cancelled YHA Black Sails due to my head cold. Feel quite unwell but hoping it’s just a bad cold and now dosing up with Cold & Flu, Honey & Lemon Tea plus lots of rest. Rob has been wonderful and so supportive despite the abrupt change to our plans and I feel very grateful to have him by my side on this journey. His kindness and loving attention has stopped me from feeling too low about missing our the full walk and we hope we can still do parts of the walk.
As Rob pointed out we have 31 weeks out of 32 to walk and driving the lakes we can see so much more.
Today was amazing! The lakes district is so beautiful. As much as possible we have followed the two days of walking we have missed, from Cleator to Ellendale Bridge and then to Borrowdale in the middle of the Lake District.
Ennerdale Bridge.
A view over Ennerdale Water.
Driving up and away from Ennerdale water, looking back down the valley. The air is clear and it is so quiet.
One of the many beautiful country roads we drove on.
The roads are all very narrow, in some places just one lane wide, so a lot of care is needed when driving and you have to constantly lookout for other cars.
Loweswater, another lake between Ennerdale and Buttermere.
Buttermere, a tiny village in the hills. We stopped for a cup of tea at Skye Farm tearoom and three of the working dogs came out to say hello. One little guy, a terrier I think, was so old he could barely walk more than a few steps at a time. A cold day he hobbled into the sunshine then sat and refused to move, even when a car came in and had to turn around as there was no parking.
Buttermere Tarn and Honister pass. So beautiful and we wouldn’t have seen half of this if we had walked so am feeling a bit better about the change of plan today. Still full of cold too…
YHA Borrowdale, our accommodation for the evening. After check in we walked down to the local pub, the Scarfell.
Public footpaths over here follow meandering paths through fields, laneways and roads and across properties, this one was typical through the little village of Seatoller.
The pub had a charming fire and like most other public places was dog friendly 😄.
Rob and I had a lovely meal including a serve of “dripping chips” Yum!
Then a chilly walk back to the YHA, hot chocolate and some chat with other walkers on the C2C, then bed.
Rob writing. Maryann woke Thursday still feeling unwell so I decided to change our plans to allow her to rest and recover. We were both disappointed but with more bad weather coming we thought of hiring a car so we could continue to accommodation we had previously booked as possibly the best course of action.
We investigated other options “packhorse” who will carry your bags but Maryann was not up to walking far and will need a few days to recover. So missed out on our night at the blacksail yha and it was 4 bus changes and 6 hours to our next booked accommodation at Borrowdale.
So car hire we did but nothing available til Friday so that mean’t another day in Cleator.
To make the most of the time here we caught a bus into Whitehaven just before lunch.
Ennerdale Country House & Hotel
Lolly shop Whitehaven
Lonsdale Castle whitehaven
We walked the streets of Whitehaven and harbour and bought a few supplies from the local stores – Aldi; a lot more choices than ours including alcohol and Home Supplies for a corkscrew for a bottle of French Wine (from Aldi) I found that needed a corkscrew! Lots of Australian wine on offer including Hardy’s, Banrock (Kay!) and Penfolds. After shopping we sat in the town square and had some lunch, Maryann feed most of her roll to a big fat Seagull!
We then walked a bit more visiting the Yellow Earl Bar, named after the Earl of Lowther. Quite a chap apparently, who inherited the family mining fortune which he then squandered on gambling, drink, women and bad business decisions. He always wore yellow and was quite a character despite leaving his family in debt they have never recovered from. The owner of the Yellow Earl, Mr McLean, enjoyed recounting the Earls many business ventures including founding the AA because his Rolls Royce kept breaking down and of course his many misdemeanor’s also!
Across the road was Michael Moon’s bookstore.
Maryann stopped to chat to Mr Moon about the curious store sign and 40 mins later and many stories about his books, we realised we had missed our bus and had to wait another hour for the next one so another lap of the harbour and then back to the Yellow Earl to wait as the day began to cool off.
Back to Cleator and to the local pub – The Brooke, for dinner and then back to the hotel for a long soak in the tub for both of us.
Looking on the bright side, a good day considering we had to change our plans, enjoyable and an opportunity to see Whitehaven and have experiences we wouldn’t otherwise have had.
It’s raining and did I mention I have a cold! A Frenchman coughed on me at Windsor Castle on Saturday and I started a cold that evening. I’ve been trying to ignore it ever since.
We had a good night’s rest, though, sleeping about 8 hours I reckon and after breakfast at St. Bees Beach Cafe we headed out for the first days walk, about 14 km’s, an otherwise easy distance for Rob and I, with the packs though and wet, cold weather we needed the wet weather gear from the outset and it ended up being a fairly tough day, especially for me.
This little guy was on the cafe window and you can see beyond the start of the walk, up and over the cliffs above St. Bees.
Me at the starting point, took a picture of Rob also but no one about to assist with a good shot of both of us.
It was a steep climb up the cliff from St. Bees and we missed all the good views out west to the Isle of Mann due to the weather.
Round the cliffs was very pretty especially seeing the baby lambs but I enjoyed the changing views further inland later in the day much more as they constantly changed and the weather was less extreme.
At least half of the walk was along the coast line and at times, with the wind blowing it was bitterley cold and eye wateringly strong. I was really looking forward to a break and a cup of tea at the Dog and partridge in Sandwith but when we got there it wasn’t open. We found a seat and rested but it was too wet to make our own tea so we didn’t stop for too long.
The rest of the walk was through fields, country lanes and public footpaths sometimes across working farms and took lots of turns, ups and downs. I was feeling quite unwell by this point and didn’t take too many photos.
About 2pm the sun came out and it warmed up which was great but I think I overheated a bit as I started to sweat.
I was really pleased to see Ennerdale Country House and Hotel at about 3pm and spent the rest of the day in bed.
Fast train from Euston Station to Preston (even tilted a bit on the corners) 😳. Then two small trains with another change at Barrow in Furness
Air BnB accom at the Hayloft has been very comfortable and we did a reconnaissance walk to the beach and picked out obligatory pebble to carry from the West Coast to the East to Robin Hood’s bay. You can see the cliff start to the walk in the background of this photo. So we are all set.
Sitting in the Queens Arms as I write, Rob has just ordered our dinner, grilled Sea Bass & Veg for me and Meat Feast Pizza for him with jalapenos!!!
Pics of the Abbey Chuchyard (dating back to Norman times) and St. Bees below.
When we walked up the street is was clogged with cars waiting to cross the train tracks at the bottom of the street. After dinner though the street was very quiet with no one in sight… Where is everyone you may ask?
The Answer, in the pubs which are well frequented by the locals Who are very friendly and curios about “walkers” as we are referred to.
Rain is forecast for tomorrow so our walk from St. Bees to Cleator looks like it will be a wet one!!! A big day awaits us.
Can you visit all of London’s best attractions in 36 hours?
Rob and had a good crack at it that’s for sure! After a whirlwind afternoon on Sunday we bought tickets for “The original red bus tour” which allows you to hop on and off at many tourist destinations.
There are three main routes – Yellow which is the original, Blue – Royal Route and Orange – Museum Route. We started from our hotel and after we walked a few minutes to Russell Square, got on at the British Museum on the Orange Route. At Leicester square we hopped off to try to get half price West End tickets but the Harry Pinter play – Betrayal that we had hoped to see was not available so we opted to see the Avenger’s movie at the Odeon Luxe instead. Tickets for the evening organised we walked over to Piccadilly Circus to hop on the Yellow line. Rob and I continue to be blown away at the old architecture at every turn, trendy but also with an underbelly.
Minutes from hopping on the bus again we arrive at Trafalgar Square which is very impressive with the National Portrait Gallery.
Then along Downing Street where I wasn’t quick enough to take a pic of the Royal Horse Guards but did get the Death memorial.
Over Westminster Bridge, York Road past the Eye, then Waterloo Bridge, Aldridge Street past the Royal Courts then Fleet Street to St Paul’s, we hopped off to explore and had a glass of wine at a bar opposite St Paul’s, a very nice place to sit back and watch the world go by. I also good deed after watching a guy try to take a selfie with a red phone booth. I waved at him offering to help then dashed outside to take his photo for him. Must have done a good job too, as I was then waylaid by a group of girls as I came back in, asking for the same help. 😄
Back on the bus we travelled across London Bridge and the monument which is the tribute to the Great Fire of London and then on to the Tower of London where we stopped for a tour. quite somber and a lot of people there.
Back on the bus we went past Big Ben which is mostly under wraps for refurbishment – apparently it was starting to lean!!!
We hopped off the yellow tour to cross to the Blue Royal Tour at Buckingham palace but backtracked to visit a pub we had passed called “The Royal Albert”, previously known as the Blue Coat boy (after one of the original schools). Second pic.
Disappointingly these cute pubs all have the same menu!!! This was our third… We decided it must be a chain. The Albert did have the original etched glass and moulded ceilings which made up somewhat though.
Refreshed with food, we walked back to Buckingham palace for a pic and then back on the bus.
Crowds everywhere today after the Marathon and apparently it’s a long weekend for Italy following Easter break…
Back on the bus we decided to hop off in Whitehall as we had reached overload.
We sat in Trafalgar square for a while, soaking up the atmosphere for a while then walked to another pub we had passed that looked like a local – Walkers in Whitehall were we enjoyed a glass of Cotes du Rhone red wine.
We then walked back to Leicester square for dinner at the Blue Moon under the Water and then we were off to our movie which was amazing….
We caught a London taxi home. Big day! About 15km walking.
We travelled into London yesterday by bus. Very efficient and quick service and even with all the road closures for the London Marathon we made it into Hyde Park in less than an hour.
We than had to navigate the underground and thank goodness for Rob’s navigation skills as we used the underground to criss cross London for the rest of the day. If it had me navigating the network, we may have gotten lost!
We used the underground to travel to Goodge station and then walked about 300 metres to our hotel. Gower house and dropped our packs.
Our room is small but clean and will do well for a couple of nights.
We headed out again and used the underground to travel to Leicester square. We walked around and tried to get some half price theatre tickets but due to the Marathon there were limited offerings, will try again tomorrow. We then found an old English pub to have the obligatory pint!
Back on the underground we travelled to The Embankment station were we found we had come out at mile 25 for the London Marathon. It was a very festive atmosphere with lots of people about.
We walked over a footbridge and past The London Eye, then over Westminster Bridge with the view of parliament and then past Westminster Abbey and up to James St station.
History at every turn, our pocket tour today certainly does not do London justice but it is a lot of fun to see all these historic places, albeit briefly.
On the tube again to Tower Hill were we ran into the Marathon again and due to this we were able to walk over Tower Bridge via the middle of the road which was closed to traffic for the day. Hoping to return here tomorrow for a tour.
We then walked along the Queen’s walkway past the Shard and up to London Bridge with stunning views of the city all around. Up past the monument we hopped on the tube again at Monument station. 3 line hops later we arrived at Russell St with a pub, The Swan, round the corner! Dinner was a red wine and beef pie and a glass of Shiraz, then a short walk home. All up a fantastic day in London!
Lovely first morning in Stoke Poges. Rob and I went to bed on Friday about 9:30 after a lovely evening with Doreen and David. Doreen made a great chilli and we shared a bottle of Grant Burge Petit bubbles and another GB Miamba Shiraz. Full of good food we sat down to watch a football game between Liverpool and Huddersfield and promptly fell asleep!
We woke around 5am and after chatting for a while, sorting out chargers and gear we showered and dressed and went down for breakfast of tea and egg on toast. No jet lag to speak of, thankfully.
After a very relaxing morning, David and Doreen took us to Windsor.
Driving in England is a unique experience, as the roads are very narrow and there are lots of cars zipping around, so that will take some getting used to.
Windsor is very pretty, we parked behind a friend’s garage and walked down Blexley Street which has a lot of charming terrace houses. We had lunch at the Vansittart pub (sausages and mash for me 😄) and then cut through to Peascod Street where there are lots of shops, checked out the The Queen – a very old train engine that was used to pull the Queens train in days gone by and then we visited Windsor Castle.
Here’s a few pic’s. Look for the Fortescue coat of arms, diagonal white stripe on blue with gold trim.
We flew Etihad on 25/4/19 with a short; less than 1 hour, stopover in Abu Dhabi which meant a total of 23 flying hours. The views from the plane between Abu Dhabi and London over Irag and Iran; I think we’re amazing
We planned to arrive in London and Stokes Poges in the afternoon so that we only had to get through the evening and then sleep to try and manage jet lag. This morning that theory seems to be working but we will see…
Stokes Poges is a beautiful village not far from either Heathrow or Windsor and David and Doreen, friends of Rob’s very kindly picked us up. The only delays were check in with Etihad in Brisbane; 1.5 hours and Border control; 1.0 in London.
After tea and Doreen’s excellent scones, David took us for a lovely walk to see Thomas Gray’s (poet) memorial as they have an Arbor; one of several that were built in the area around Thomas Grays original property, in their front garden.
We walked through side streets, public lanes, fields and then a road to visit the St Giles Church and Thomas Grays resting place.
Rob and I are already blown away by the history and age that you find at every turn and my first impression of England is that the air is the same, the sky is just as blue, people are friendly, it’s cooller and very green and pretty.
Oh and I found bluebell’s blooming… white ones too.
PS. Now sharing via Fb so it’s easier for everyone to see my posts too. 😀
Good Friday and six days to go! Rob and I put our packs on and walked about 5km’s this morning around the hills of Kedron. Intermittent rain showers had as testing our packs again and our jackets. It’s still very warm in Brisbane so as soon as the rain passed and the sun came out we started to sweat!
We have no doubt that we will appreciate the good equipment in the UK though, where it will be significantly cooler and wetter. Just like we did in Tassie in 2016.
What do we have in our packs? First cut includes safety and cooking gear, and rule of two for clothing. One set on and two in the pack.
As you can see from the second pic I have already culled once.
As we walked Rob and I talked of the many good wishes for safe travels and “Bon Voyage” that we have received and what a lovely night last Saturday was with family and close friends. Thanks again to everyone for contributing to such a good night and celebrating Rob’s birthday too.
One of the cards Rob received from work this week sets the scene for our walk across England week after next…
Moving Coco today to my good friend Willie’s loving family care for the duration, excitement is tinged with sadness as the farewells continue.
Wishing everyone a peaceful and relaxing Easter break and if you are on the roads, please take care.
Rob and I visited the Barossa Valley in early November 2016 and this was also an opportunity for Rob to meet some of my family for the first time.
Leaving Adelaide we headed up Mt Barker towards Harndorf as our first destination. Harndorf founded in 1839 is a beautiful town, settled by 19th century Lutheran migrants and it is best known for it’s strong ties to German culture, architecture and artisanal food. Well worth a visit.
Great food, great beer!
After a great lunch and walk exploring Hahndorf we headed off towards Nurioopta and on to our accommodation in Tanunda! We spent a couple of days at this lovely B&B and explored lots of good wineries
1/2 Packet Dried Mushrooms (Asian section of most supermarkets) soaked in water 30 mins
2 Beef Stock Cubes
Rice – 1/2 cup per person uncooked
Dried herbs – oregano, parsley & tyhme plus dried red chilli
Butter/Oil
1/2 cup dried veg
Parmesan to serve
Method
Boil the smaller of two cooking pans with water.
Heating Large Cooking pan and add 1 tbsp butter or oil.
Add onion, cook til transparent, add herbs and chilli, cook til fragrant.
Add rice and cook to coat rice (will pop and sizzle a little).
Add 1/2 cup off wine if using, water if not, add stock cubes crumbled and stir.
Continue to add water and stir frequently until rice is cooked.
Add mushrooms with their water and vege during final stage.
Serve in eating pannier, add parmesan and stir through before eating.
You can swap mushrooms for dried biltong or salami or omit the meat entirely and just use the cheese and vege for a vegetarian option. Make sure you swap the beef cube for a vege stock cube though.
I made this dish for Rob and I on our first night at Windermere hut while hiking the Overland Track in Tasmania in December 2016. Before the trip I spent quite some time researching, resourcing and testing recipes for carrying in 5 – 6 days of food and carrying out also. I had to consider safe food handling – what would keep for five plus days without refrigeration, what would pack well in terms of space and weight and what would provide the required nutrition and fuel levels for the long hiking days.
The tip for carrying in the eggs came from a fellow walker whose name I don’t know, during a chance conversation on the Powerful Owl Track on Mt Coot-tha some months before our trip.
Ingredients
1 Cup Short Pasta
2 French (or brown) shallots
(Onion will suffice but flavour is better)
300g bacon or speck.
1 Egg
(Wrap in paper towel and slide into the centre of a toilet roll for transport).
Parmesan, slice1 cup of milk made from powder
Dried parsley
Chicken Stock Cube
Salt & Pepper
Method
Fill smaller pot with water and bring to boil while preparing other ingredients.
Chop shallots and bacon, slice Parmesan.
Make 1 cup of milk.
Crack egg into a cup and whisk with salt and pepper.
Add bacon to the larger of two cooking pots and then bring to heat over your burner.
I always cook bacon from a cold pan as it renders the fat faster and results in a crispier finish.
When the bacon starts popping and has started to brown add the shallots and cook until transparent.
Add 1 – 1.5 cups of boiling water with stock cube, stir and return to boil, stirring to separate pasta for about 8-10 minutes.
Add milk, stirring continuously.
Once the pasta is cooked, serve into two ramekins and stir through Parmesan until melted.
The UK and Europe are generally about 9 hours behind Brisbane time. This page will continue to update as we decide and book accommodation and workaway (volunteer work for food and board).
If you need to contact us, please use the following email addresses.
Rob: rob.chersini@gmail.com
Maryann: mmcdougall77@gmail.com
Date
Country
25th April – 27th April
Australia to UK (Arriving Heathrow at 12:50pm) Staying with Dorreen and David (friends of Rob’s) Stokes Podges, not far from Heathrow
28th April – 30th April
Gowes House Hotel, Euston London Exploring London 28th and 29th. Travel to St Bees 30th April via Barrow in Furness Popping in to see Marion Evans (Clare’s Grandmother and family friend).
1 May – 21 May
Hiking the Coast to Coast (Wainwrights Walk) West to East across England through Lakes District and Pyreens 30/4 Day 0 St. Bees. Accom: Hayloft AirBnB 01/5 Day 1 Cleator. Accom: Ennerdale Ctry House & Hotel 02/5 Day 2 Ennerdale Bridge. Accom: YHA Black Sail 03/5 Day 3 Seatoller. Accom: YHA Borrowdale 04/5 Day 4 – 5 Grassmere. Accom: Travellers Rest 06/5 Day 6 Patterdale. Accom: YHA Patterdale 07/5 Day 7 Haweswater. Accom: Haweswater Hotel B&B’s should be easier from here. We had to book the first week of accommodation due to the bank holiday, first Monday in May which I found was a popular destination for long weekends in the lakes district. 08/5 Day 8 Orton 09/5 Day 9 – 10 Kirkby Stephen 11/5 Day 11 Keld 12/5 Day 12 Reeth 13/5 Day 13 Richmond 14/5 Day 14 Danby Whiske 15/5 Day 15- 16 Ingleby Cross 17/5 Day 17 Clay Bank Tip 18/5 Day 18 Blakely Ridge 19/5 Day 19 Glaisdale 20/5 Day 20 Little Beck 21/5 Day 21 Robin Hood’s Bay
22 May
Robin Hood’s Bay to Manchester by Bus (3-4 hours) 22/5 Overnight Manchester
23 May – 30 May
Pick up Car and Head towards Scotland 🙂 Planning to drive from Manchester to Edinburgh up through Leeds, York towards Newcastle upon Thyme (5 hours driving) We will take a few days to do this. (Summer half term 24/5 – 27/5 in Edinburgh)
31 May – 8 July
Scotland
9 July
Flight Manchester to Paris Pick up lease car in Paris and drive out of Paris same day. Heading towards Bale, Croatia
11 July 11 Sep
Bale, Croatia Rob has family here so we plan to spend the Summer (July/Aug) here. We may do some work stays but will mainly stay in Rob’s family holiday home, relax, get to know the village culture (Maryann can get good Italian practice) and do day trips
I developed the random roaming blog to share with family and friends, the amazing journey that Rob and I shared on as we travelled and hiked across the UK and around Europe from April to December 2019. I hope you have enjoyed sharing our adventures and the stories.
2020 – 2022 has seen as back home in Australia sharing the COVID Pandemic along with the rest of the world, whilst working and renovating our house.
In January 2023 we hope to be embarking on the next phase of our travels, caravanning around Australia so lots more stories to come and we are also working on a lifestyle business incorporating Rob’s Physio.
We hope you continue to join us a we travel the great Island that is our home Australia and as we search for our forever space for the next stage of our journey – our lifestyle retreat. We will be working along the way – Rob with his physiotherapy and myself with writing, cooking and hopeful some remote work (payroll and accounts) and who knows what other interesting jobs will pop up along the way.
Cheers, Maryann and Rob
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
One of the oldest wooden houses…
pop on
Then along Downing Street where I wasn’t quick enough to take a pic of the Royal Horse Guards but did get the Death memorial.
3 line hops later we arrived at Russell St with a pub, The Swan, round the corner! Dinner was a red wine and beef pie and a glass of Shiraz, then a short walk home. All up a fantastic day in London!
Physio my way 
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