By this Author: cssc

Had a pretty full on night. Quite an epiphany in fact. Its strange that not working can make a person like me quite out of sorts. Being a hard working person I have found it difficult at times to feel a sense of worth because I’m not working. Its such a strange place to be in. I know anyone reading this slogging away at their desk is probably going to be pretty annoyed at me thinking this, but it’s a strange place to be. After working so hard for years and years and years, it was such a relief to finish work (the right place in time) and spending time relaxing and doing other “stuff” for a while, but after a while, and now we’ve decided we really want to be somewhere else, its hard going having to wait around to be able to do it.

midget working really hard

So Kev, we really want you to sell our house in Mandurah for us ASAP, and Donna we really want you to sell our house in Midland for us ASAP.

Yesterday we booked flights back to Perth from Noosa so we could drop off the dog and van to mum and dad for babysitting. Today we decided that it was best to just drive back. We’ve been having problems with our tenant in Midland. He is behind on the rent and he won’t respond and let me know when he’ll be leaving. So we’ve decided its best to drive back so we have transport and accommodation in case we don’t have a place to stay.

We were going to put everything on the market, but when we’ve had enquiries to rent our Subiaco 2 bedroom unit for $900PW, its really hard to part with that sort of income. And when we’re also getting $700PW for our 1 bedroom units in West Perth, you really cant look that one in the mouth either… so best to leave them where they are and get rid of the two that are not able to make the big bucks.

I’ve really enjoyed my time in Mandurah and really feel that we’ve lived life to the full there. But I really want more trees and a garden and to get back to the earth and reality and nature and enjoy a more real lifestyle. We’ve even decided to go off the grid with our next house and be totally free of electricity ties. Will have to find some cheap candles.

We were listening to a show on the radio, where a town was concerned at the fruit and vege available in their town with Woolworth’s holding them to random with their crap unripened food. So they’re trying to make their town less dependent on these facilities. They’ve introduced free fruit trees and free vege and salad seeds to ALL residents. They’ve also started cooking classes and talks from people about making compost and other things to help make the community more self sufficient and self reliant. I was really taken aback at their approach.

I’ve spoken to the City of Mandurah on many occasions about their environmental policies. I sent an email to the Director of Environmental Management. Not only did I (eventually) get a 2 page letter! I can’t believe that in this day and age that people still insist on putting words on bits of paper, when legally emails have been acceptable in a court of law for over 10 years. But the response was bureaucratic and it was obvious they were doing the same old same old and no one wanted to move on. I’ve contacted the Mayor on many occasions and never even received a response. Its feelings like these that disempower people and pushes them away from a community that doesn’t value its public’s input.

This is why I want to move somewhere smaller and more caring towards its residents. I’m not saying that it will be perfect, but when a town gets too big, it doesn’t have the feeling of caring for its residents. That’s what I’m looking for in a new place to live. The feeling of belonging.

The other epiphany was the realisation that we’re on this planet to give. If we are not giving then we are taking, so what we do in life has to be of the giving end. This is more fulfilling and creates more than likely the feeling of “happiness”.

While I prattle on totally sober, I must let you know how enlightening in many ways our trip to Tassie has been. Just one week shy of 2 months, we’ve barely scratched the surface, yet we cant wait to get back!

We boarded the boat bound for Melbourne town quite sad we were leaving.

In the morning we awoke to a gorgeous heritage town being lovingly restored. They had just finished installing their larger than life cricket wickets about 20m tall! Steve met Mr West, a senior Westbury citizen who remembers playing Ricky Ponting on the oval in an A Grade local game before he was “famous”. They sure love their cricket in this town.

real potatoes!

We took a walk and loved seeing the old buildings, many of which are older than Melbourne. We then found ourselves at the White House – a traditional fortress style house and enclosed yard with bakery. The bakery is still operational and we couldn’t resist a yummy pie and sausage roll that had just come out of their nearly 200 year old wood fired oven! They had photos lining the wall of the complete rebuild that the oven had where most of the brickworks to the domed burner was replaced. Quite a job, and one I’m sure wouldn’t be undertaken in this day and age for any private commercial activity. It was just spectacular to see and enjoy. Such a great little town.

Decided we should move on, and as we passed through Deloraine, we should say another hello to it again! Stopped in the tourist office and Steve found a Truffle Farm for us to visit. We drove just 8kms out of town and were amazed at the facilities. We really enjoyed it and they were really helpful at answering all our questions. We had a private escorted tour in a 4WD through their two properties. They help people setup truffle farms and also sell trees (inoculated with truffle spores). It was a fascinating 2 hour tour. They also drove us past a 7 acre plot almost adjoining one of their properties with a half built stone house for sale for $66,000! Hmmmm food for thought! A great way to get into truffles.

a truffle ready for harvest in a couple of months

Decided to head into Wynyard before it gets dark.

Were awoken in the middle of the night to a domestic which later involved the police on the side of the road. I’m not sure if it was related to drink driving, but people pulled over in the deep of night and there was arguments and screaming at the tops of voices. It was difficult to know what was going on except there was lots of f$#% and others being exuded. We managed to go unnoticed for the whole hour or there about that it went on for.

With our sleep reduced we were quite tired by morning. Especially the dog who was almost wiped out!

Another cool start to the day and after a large coffee and muffin we were ready to face the day. We headed back the long way to Launceston and stopped at the next town out called Pyengana. This was home to the Pub in the Paddock. Where the legendary pigs that drink beer live. I know Wayne really wanted to get here, but you didn’t really miss much. It all appeared to be a profit making experience where you had to by the special “pig beer” from the bar and then feed it. I’m not sure what it was, but the two pigs were large.

We then headed back to the Pyengana Dairy and had a lovely bowl of cauliflower and cheese soup and some homemade herb & cheese damper – yum. We then sampled some cheeses and bought some cheddar with herbs as well as cheddar with caraway. Delicious!

We then moved on to Legerwood and the wooden carvings we drove past on the way in. It appears that they were planted in 1918 after the locals who died in the first world war. Ten trees in all. Not sure what they were but they had been sick for some time when they were finally told they were dead. Rather than pull them out, and loose the connection to the people who died for them, they commissioned an chainsaw sculptor who turned them into lovely memorials to the war, local hero’s and other things important to the community. They’ve done a great job of keeping them, and its obvious it’s a top tourist destination given the numbers stopping both times we’ve now been there. Given it was also 3kms off the highway too!

Enjoyed the lovely windy roads through the countryside back to Launceston. It was an interesting mix of rolling green hills and still quite a bit of forest. Very lovely.

Decided to keep going past Launceston and arrived in a town that we’d now driven past about 4 or 5 times and not stopped in called Westbury. Arrived in the dark and found a nice quiet spot around the sports ground to call home for the night.

Today started dark and gloomy and turned out to be really hot. I think I got burned again!

Midget enjoyed an early rise and a fishing expedition with Steve on the jetty right in front of our campervan. After Midget enjoyed almost taking the head of a Yellow-Eyed something or other that was supposed to be a good eating fish. We managed to save it from her, before we threw it back, but not before she ate the rest of Steve’s bait. She’s such a gutz!

We then enjoyed a walk into town and Midget met Bob and his brother, and we saw another staffie along the way. Its certainly a doggy town. Its really friendly and interesting, but its just a shame there is so much holiday houses as it really creates a great hole in the town, as we’ve found living in Mandurah. Its really hard to build a community when you’ve never even met some of your neighbours.

Time Capsule

Eventually we prised ourselves away from the bay and headed to Bennalong Bay and Bay of Fires – Travel Magazine; Conde de Naste (have I got that in any way correct?) voted this the best bay in the world! Not to mention Lonely Planet! So we trundled on out there to find the lovely white sandy beaches they’d promised as well as no camping throughout the town. But there were 5 camping spots between the two towns on a lovely pristine beach that were listed in the CAMPS4 book, but naturally they were chock-a-block and stuffed full of oversized caravans and 5th wheelers. So we decided to head back to the privacy of St Helen’s.

Midget was happy either way as she loved the fishing and beach where ever we were. Enjoyed the hot afternoon sun on the lovely soft grass under a shady tree.

Awoke late and took a walk into town to the health food shop for breaky. Enjoyed some great food and read some mags.

Wandered around and found St Mary’s to be much more lively that we’d previously seen. We have been having problems with our Midland tenant and decided to issue his breach notice. Found the Online Centre and printed out the stuff and posted it off. Seems our trip home next month is going to be work, work, work…

We headed through the St Mary’s Pass – the magnificent tree clad mountains that have narrow roads scrolling around the edges. Nearly got ran off the side of a cliff by a truck that was in the middle of the road when he took a blind corner. Luckily he moved back as I had no where to go!

Hit Scamander, Beaumaris and then St Mary’s. They almost merged into one as the cliff tops are all lined with varying degrees of beach house. Some scabby old Mandurah types, through to flashy new ones, and everything in between.

They seem to be suffering like most holiday spots, in that there are many houses but not many permanent residents, and they don’t have as many facilities as towns of half the size with a more permanent population, but they are gorgeous none the less. Having the sun out and it being a lovely day, always makes it even more lovely.

Arrived late in the arvo at St Mary’s. The hub of the area. There is even a cinema in this neck of the woods! Two video stores and several great junk shops. Its also a town filled with Staffies. We’ve actually seen more Staffies in town than we’ve seen other dogs! Midget played with Bob and his old brother (I forget his name). Bob was young and crazy and the old one was lovely and very placid. On the way back from the café we saw a tan coloured Staffie.