Jun 2008

Day 6
Drove back into Exmouth after a leasurly breakfast. Drove through out to the point where the Submarine communications are located. These are the most massive masts suspending huge arials across large spans in the mud flats. Coming around the cape by yacht last year, we could see these from almost 20nm away. The looked like they were out in the water. An amazing thing to look at.

We then cornered the point and headed out to Vleming Lighthouse. A great view was to be had from the top, 360o as far as the eye could see. We carried on further along the coast to Juralbi Turtle Centre. This is where you can go to view the Turtles during their laying season. Exmouth provides almost year round something to watch. At the moment its Whaleshark watching season, next month sees the start of the Whale watching season, and then onto the Turtle laying season. Decided not to risk camping in the “no camping” zone, so headed back to the new shortcut sealed road to the highway (wasn’t here on our last visit).

Exmouth's impressive new canals in progress. They've already built a 5 star resort - don't know why, as its just so far away from anywhere!

Arrived in Onslow just in time for Sunday Roast at the pub. We tried to get into the lovely restaurant overlooking the ocean, but it was closed. Met some nice people travelling across from QLD. Said they had noticed the smaller numbers of caravaners on their travels; and that they's spent $9,000 in fuel since they left home!

Having said that we'd forgotten about the nautorious Nanutara Roadhouse and were stung $2.289 for diesel!

Day 5
Saturday morning joined the hustle and bustle of chaotic uggbooted Carnarvon to get some supplies before heading further north. Refueled and stopped at the Gasgoyne River (which was dry). Had a nice lunch under a huge shady tree.

Arrived mid afternoon at Coral Bay and enjoyed a lovely swim with the ever-so-friendly fish, that scared the hell out of Corinne, and Midget didn’t know what to make of them. Went snorkeling around the tranquil but busy bay and saw smaller coloured fish, brain coral, stag horn and shelf coral. Apparently Ningaloo’s claim to fame is that this is the only place in the world where all three varieties grow on top of each other. Once the cloud came over we headed for the showers. Since Coral Bay is all “no camping” we decided to head on to Exmouth. Arrived at 7pm on Saturday night to find the restaurant booked out that we went to, but then found a great little spot called Seachange Café which did great local fish & chips, and hamburgers and was BYO!

Had a nice meal then started on the hunt for a “no camping” free zone, but none was to be had. Drove out 10kms out of town to find Pebble Beach and camped there for the night, under the “no camping” sign. Awoke to find a glorious beach complete with pebble and coral in amongst the sandstone rocks. Very pretty water, and incredibly calm.

Day 4

OH! We've updated all the previous pages with pics, so please pop back and check them out!

We spent the night at Moore Point lighthouse. We found a “campervan friendly” park where we could stay the night that seem to be bogan free. We went to sleep watching the lovely Victorian lighthouse swathe the bay in light, and awoke to find a lovely Osprey nest that had been installed by the “friends of something” group and they’d bought a brand new wooden light pole, and installed a platform on the top with what looked like a whicker laundry basket on top. The male was on the nearest light pole gutting and filleting breakfast for his mate who was busy renovating the nest ready for breading this year. Apparently they normally breed at Houteman Abrholos Island, but this pair have been hanging around for some time so they built them a nest.

We then ventured on to the HMAS Sydney Memorial, that Jenny recommended we visit. Quite an awe inspiring site, and sight, with stunning views from the hilltop out across the ocean, as well as a world class memorial.

The rain has now stopped and apart from a brisk start to the morning, we’re well into T-shirt weather now. We refueled on our way out of Gero, and on my brother’s recommendation, we’ve been driving 80kms/hour as with the kayaks on the roof we are over 3m tall (not attractive wind resistance at the best of times – but managed to do 9.6L/100km, so we’re really happy with that.)

We crossed the Murchison around lunch time today. We watched the dirt turn from yellow sand to the light red pindan dirt of the pilbara. We are surprised how many flowers there are around, as well as how green the countryside is.
There was lots of free-standing water around in low lying pathes along the road.

We arrived late afternoon into the exciting town of Carnarvon (not). Surprisingly they’ve installed a mini canals, and had a few nice restaurants to choose from. We chose one that was entertaining a bus load of piss-poor-pensioners, so we had to wait for them to leave before we could get served. While waiting, Steve got chatting to this lovely crazy woman on the beach who has been traveling around Australia with her little dog and living out of her car. She was from Glebe in Sydney and had just rented a little house in Carnarvon for $55/wk and was enjoying staying put for a while, but she said it was getting too cold and she’d have to head north again soon. She slept in the seat of her Hyundai Getz! She had been all round Australia, and probably had been traveling for many years!

Enjoyed a great cheap meal and found a “no camping” free zone in the fishing boat harbour, which of course, woke me up early in the morning as they went out for fishing.

Steve recommends by-passing the HMAS Sydney II Drive. Full of short little palm trees with war memorial name plaques under, but recommends visiting the Jetty Museum.

Day 3

Headed up to Guilderton (Moore River). Our neighbour in Midland, Juanita, used to holiday there all the time. We can see why. What a cute little spot. If we had have had a ladder for the kayaks and it wasn’t raining, and was 10oC warmer, we would have been in there kayaking. The mouth of the river didn’t join the ocean as the tide was low, but the contrast between the rough angry sea and the calm pristine river was astonishing.

Next we moved on to Lancelin. Yet, another place we’d never been. My brother goes up there often and I can see why. What an amazing place! Also another great place for kayaking. Surrounded by huge reef, the place looked treacherous to try and get a boat into, well at least one a draft such as ours, but one lovely large island which looked terribly inviting, and the reef, gave incredibly protection to the calm white beaches at our feet. The dog was beginning to think every day was just get in the car, drive to the next beach, get out, play around and do it all again…

We then decided it was time to get serious and drive to Geraldton. We then took the turn off to Port Dennison, a quiet fishing village in need of fixing its sea dead memorial, round to the gorgeous town of Dongara. There is a lovely new walk that they’ve installed at the top of a cliff giving an excellent view across the water to the Port Dennison side of the river down to where it almost joins onto the sea. It’s a pretty little spot, brimming with classic gold-rush-era architecture. Rich bauxite rock & limestone buildings, bull nose verandahs and square timber verandah posts with the edges chamfered off. The trees in the town are some of the most spectacular I’ve ever seen. Large, shady, established, and rooting the community to its rich history.

Geraldton seemed to be going through a bit of a re-birth of its own. The magnificent Museum of WA Geraldton Branch was opened in the new Docklandesque looking area. Surrounded by cute 3 storey trendy looking modern buildings, it looks like it has inspired the rest of the old parts of the city to be removed and rebuilt to get rid of the daggy 60’s buildings and mix in some lovely modern well designed buildings into the gold-rush-rich-architectural display. I must say last time we visited Geraldton, we weren’t inspired to want to spend much time there, but their main streetscape upgrades are showing a new level of pride in Geraldton. Now all they have to do is get rid of the bogans! Also found it difficult to find a place to stop that didn’t have a “no camping” sign, and where drug deals weren’t going down… 131444 – Steve has memorised the number!

Day 2
Thanks Janine & Wayne for hospitality, hangover and breakfast! We were good for nothing, but luckily the coffee and toast did the trick and at least allowed us to pull out of the driveway, but really I could have stayed there all day!

Still miserable cold and wet outside, we headed off to Midland to continue in our quest for a ladder (to reach our now unreachable kayaks off the roof of the van) and to finish dropping off the books to Leanne in Midland. Went to Bunnings in Midland and found that the ladder that Steve saw in Mandurah (with the missing foot), was the only one left in the state, so we had to return to Mandurah to pick it up. We popped into the Vet’s to have Midget checked out for travel. (We discovered you need to have special heart worm tablets administered by a vet at least 2 weeks prior to arrival in Tasmania, and paralysis tick injection before we reach QLD. We will have to research NZ further before venturing there!) While at the vet’s we received a call (luckily) from Bunnings saying the ladder they’d put aside, had been recalled. Although we’d been saved a trip back to Mandurah, we still had no ladder. [go to * to read more about our ladder.]

Desperate to get out of the metro area and go ANYWHERE, we finally left Midland around 3pm. We headed off up to Yanchep to check out what was happening up there. Sad to see this place falling apart that someone has high expectations for. Found out there wasn’t much more happening in Two Rocks, but they had a large well serviced marina (even though it was old and run down), but were knackered after all the weeks of cleaning, packing and chucking! We found a gorgeous little park on the beach with toilets and water, and it was so beautiful to wake up overlooking the two large rocks and stunning white sand beach. Have to say we’re both really rapt with the van. The bed feels like a kingsize bed. Probably because you can’t roll of the edge, no matter how hard the other person tries! Still haven’t dared used the toilet, because it still full of junk!

[i]* We wanted a telescopic one that is 2.7m tall and that will fit in the van (no small feat). Anyway luckily we didn’t drive all the way back to Mandurah. After spending $125 to ¾ fill the 80L tank we weren’t looking forward to the prospect of spending $50 to drive back to Mandurah and back to Perth. So we pulled out the laptop and logged into wireless broadband and surfed for telescopic ladders. Managed to find one for $30 less than Bunnings and they’ll post it to Broome into the bargain!

If you’re looking for an amazing telescopic ladder that you can take any where – folds up to less than 1m – check out www.supa-sales.com. They are located in QLD but offer great service! [/i]