South-west Western Australia

31st May 2011
Continuing on the scenic coastal drive this morning we stopped in at Shelley Beach (seems every town has one). A lone beach fisherman had landed a couple of large salmon. This stretch of coast is where the salmon pass on their return from spawning. Their wasn't much of a salmon run this year due to the El Nina effect. The surf here was very rough and unpredictable and had gouged out part of the beach which Jayden used to demonstrate the effect of avalanche.






Our next stop at the western end of West Cape Howe National Park was to Lowlands beach. Pounding the huge granite boulders the Southern Ocean was demonstrating it's power today. We clambered over a few boulders before deciding that the granite was too steep and slippery to continue. Denmark was our lunch destination and Jay was thrilled to see the Bakers waving us down as we pulled into town. We picked up some lunch from the award winning bakery and joined them in the park for lunch. More sad farewells and we were moving again. Past the lookout at Ocean Beach, a quick run around the Denmark bush maze and into Williams Bay. I imagine this would be an ideal family location in summer. More massive granite boulders a little way out to sea make a protected pool called Greens Pool. A pleasant rock hop around the point brings you to Elephant Cove.








Here the granite outcrops look like the backs of elephants wading in the calm waters of the bay. I wish we could have stayed longer but with the light already starting to fade it was time to find our camping spot for the night. Nestled in the eucalypts behind Parry Beach we settled in for the night. Jay went searching for any other kids in camp and I headed to the caretakers cottage, which is run by a string of volunteers throughout the year, to pay our dues. On my return Jay had found a young family and was playing with their five year old daughter, puppy and playstation.

1st June 2011
Whatever you do don't buy a used 4WD from WA. Word was out this morning that the surf was up in William Bay and all the locals were making tracks along the beach to catch the perfect wave. Trouble was there was a particularly high tide and as they scooted along the beach the waves were coming right up to the edge of the beach leaving no sand to drive on. Heedless to the effects of salt water on the workings of their vehicles they splashed through the waves along the beach and out to the breaks. As I stood and marvelled at the stupidity of surfers for their sport a familiar face returned along the beach. In a borrowed 4WD at least Tim had had the sense not to punish his own car in the salt water. With plans made to meet up at the tree top walk he speedily headed back to town to help with the morning pack-up. At a more leisurely pace we broke camp and headed for The Valley of The Giants, home of the 400 year old tingle and karri trees.








In stark contrast to the low coastal heath I'd become accustomed to, the tingle and karri forests which are amongst the tallest trees in the world, tower over the surrounding farmland atop the hills behind Nornalup. The reasonably priced tree-top walk gives a possum perspective to the forest. Home to many marsupials I've never even heard of like the quokka, quenda and woylies this ancient forest must be a hive of activity once the sun goes down. Having fitted our walk into gaps in the showers as we hit the road again the rain started in earnest. On reaching Shannon National Park where I'd hoped to spend the night, and seeing the slippery dirt road winding it's way up the hill, I opted to keep going to a little Eco caravan park at Quinninup. With hot showers, no overhanging trees, kangaroos galore and only $2 more per night than the national park it was a good choice. The rain continued to bucket down most of the night but inside Frankie we were dry and warm.

2nd June 2011
Looking out the bedroom window this morning at the mist shrouded kangaroos I mentally planned our day. The sun eventually put in an appearance and began burning off the fog to reveal a fine sunny day. First stop was Diamond Tree, one of several large Karri trees which were used as fire spotting trees from the 1940's until about the 1980's. On occasions when the spotter planes are unable to patrol the forests they are still used. Metal spikes wind their way up the tree to make a ladder whereby the spotter could ascend to a fire tower in the uppermost branches.








And there they sat, surveying the area for a hint of smoke. Bushfire is an ever present threat in these highly volatile eucalypt forests. It was somewhat daunting scaling the rungs of the ladder towards the canopy. Jay was pretty rung out emotionally when we reached the halfway platform being a little scared of heights. A sign warned that it only got harder from here so I instructed him not to climb any further, much to his relief, and continued the climb to the top of the tower some 56m above the forest floor. I'm somewhat amazed that they allow tourists to scale these trees without supervision or an indemnity waiver. On a clear day, which it was, you can see a good 50km into the distance. From here we headed into Pemberton and the Gloucester National Park. Before we were even out of Frankie a Western Rosella had alighted on the side mirror next to Jayden and was singing for his supper. This was the first Western Rosella we had seen and he sucked us into feeding him some Ritz biscuits even though we know we shouldn't.








Before long he was joined by a twenty-eight parrot, a white-breasted robin, and two other birds which I've struggled to identify but may have been a rufus treecreeper and a spotted pardalote. Boldly the parrots approached, taking the biscuits out of our hands whilst the smaller birds hopped around and between our legs picking up crumbs. Having already scaled the Diamond tree we chose not to climb the slightly taller Gloucester tree but continued on our way to our campsite at Windy Harbour in the D'Entrecastreaux National Park. With patchy squalls of rain hitting the coast we took the tourist drive around the cliff tops. Over the ocean we saw the most amazing rainbows. A double rainbow that made a full circle across the sky and over the wet tarmac. Never before have I seen a full 360 degree rainbow. Frustratingly my camera was recharging at the time and I was unable to capture it's brilliance. We pottered around at the boat ramp watching the fisherman as the sun set. The waves were surging and sucking quite erratically which caught the resident sting ray unawares, beaching it until another big surge freed him back into the water. Windy Harbour lived up to it's name overnight blowing up a gale and leaving the campground looking like a shallow lake.

3rd June 2011
With an extra night already paid for we were able to take the day at a more leisurely pace. After school we set of for a 10km walk across the beach at Cathedral Bay, up to the lighthouse and then along Pupalong walk to the Tookalup lookout where we enjoyed a picnic lunch as we scanned the ocean for whales without success.








The return walk was much easier being mostly downhill. Back at the boat ramp a young boy was fishing off the rocks so Jay attempted to throw his line in too. It wasn't very successful as the line just kept getting washed back into shore. As we headed back to camp I spotted some Fairy Wrens. Fishing out some Ritz from my backpack we fed the fairy wrens who boldly came right up to my hand and took a nibble at the biscuits. The wind had settled down by evening making for a much quieter night.

4th June 2011
We headed into Augusta this morning with the intention of picking up some bread for lunch and heading off. Our plans were thwarted when Jay spied the Whale Song festival welcoming the Southern Right, Humpback and Blue Whales to this part of the coast. We stopped in for what I hoped would be a brief visit and to use the Porta-Loo. The lady exiting the loo as I went to enter recognised me as a fellow traveller in Tasmania. We were both on Bruny Island at the same time and I think we met up a in few other places as well. She was now home and had a stall at the festival. Donna is a very crafty person and makes beautiful beaded jewellery and the most gorgeous handmade bears from old pelts. On the stall were mink, angora rabbit and fox fur bears. Absolutely beautiful but sadly outside my price range. Considering there is about 28 hours of work in each one and the fur is real they are actually very reasonably priced. Some customers request heirloom bears made from old coats and stoles. If anyone is interested in getting one made I'd be happy to pass on her details. Another stall at the fair was promoting whale watch tours in Flinders Bay. As whales had been active in the harbour already I purchased tickets. Meaning we wouldn't be able to make the campsite I'd earmarked for that night Donna kindly offered for me to come and camp in hers and hubbie Tony's driveway. Tony had been lovely to Jay on Bruny Island, teaching him how to fly fish. So with our accommodation sorted we headed to the boat ramp to board our vessel. As they shuffled us out in an oversized tinny to where the boat was moored in deeper water, they regaled tales of the huge white pointer that had been spotted in the bay waiting for the birth of the whales. We didn't have to travel far out to find the whales.










Soon the calls of 2 o'clock, 7 o'clock rang from around the boat as we spotted the telltale spout as the whales surfaced for breath. Before long we were surrounded by whales arching out of the water. Treating us to a real spectacle a couple of the humpbacks breached, shooting up out of the water to land with a huge splash. It was all over too soon. As we began the trip back to shore they popped up right next to the boat. Apparently they often do this as the boats speed off. Nearing the shore a sea-lion, which are only just making a comeback into the bay after being almost wiped out by sealers in the past, was riding the bow waves. Meeting up with Donna and Tony back in town we followed them out to Molloy Island on which they live. A small punt carried us to the quiet little island. Combining resources we shared dinner together. Jay watched Finding Nemo, a real treat after a couple of weeks without any TV. I was amazed to learn that they had built the house themselves right down to hand making every single brick. The workmanship involved and the beautiful timber work were inspiring. With a clear sky and a billion stars blazing we retired to a very chilly night in Frankie.

5th June 2011
Before leaving Molloy Island we took a bicycle tour around it with Tony. Not only had he built his own home but also many of the wharves that dotted the edge of the island. Strict building codes mean that most of the homes on the island blend in with the landscape making a very natural oasis. Back into Augusta we bid farewell to Donna who'd left early for the festival again. Some of the local Noongar aborigines were performing and we hung around to watch. We took a drive out to Cape Leeuwin lighthouse but it was very crowded being the long weekend and with Frankie's hand brake playing up I couldn't find a safe park so we continued onto Jewel Cave. Much of the stretch of land between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste is riddled with caves. The fine white sand dunes that are believed to have formed the limestone in this region make for very fine white formations in the caves. We've visited a few caves in our travels now and I would have to say that the caves in the Margaret River area are the best we've seen.








My favourite formation was the flow stone that resembled the Karri forests that surround the caves. Back at Frankie the fairy wrens were playing and I got to see a red-winged fairy wren. On the advice of the caretaker at Windy Harbour we stopped in at Hamelin Bay. Another spot which would be amazing during the summer months, the bay is home to a huge variety of marine creatures.








Some kids who were spear fishing pulled in a cuttlefish and sting rays swam around the boat ramp. It would be a perfect spot to go snorkelling in the warmer months. Tonights campsite was Conto's field. Very popular with the WA locals it was well attended over the long weekend.

6th June 2011
Just up the road from our campsite Lake Cave was our first stop today. This beautiful cave had some magnificent reflections. As the lake level has receded over time one of the formations has been left suspended in mid-air.








The water level is dropping and scientists are unsure of the cause, so water is now pumped in each night to maintain the water level. Next stop was Mammoth Cave a self-guided cave. Unusually for a cave which is open to a constant airflow Mammoth Cave is still active. The caverns are enormous and have formations of mind-boggling proportions hence the caves name. As paths were being made to make tourist access easier, a treasure trove for palaeontologists of extinct fauna and mega-fauna was unearthed.








Having been warned that Margaret River is home of the LOMBARD we just dropped in briefly for lunch before heading back to Caves Rd. Finally we reached Cape Naturaliste where we stretched our legs and took the Coastal loop track around the lighthouse. Frankie's handbrake problems had me tired and stressed and with dusk fast approaching I gave up on making the free-camp site and pulled into a caravan park in Busselton.

7th June 2011
With some local advice from the park reception I made a bee-line this morning for GT Brake and Clutch repairs. With instructions to return at 1pm they pointed me towards the Auto-electrician as Frankie has fussed around on starting the last few days. With an appointment made following the handbrake fix they pointed me towards O'Briens windscreen repair. They at least were able to fix the star crack on the spot. We then ducked down to the wharf area for some fish and chips before returning for the handbrake repair. As they had to await a spring, Phil, the owner, offered to allow us to camp in the workshop to save putting all the bits back together only to have to pull it all apart again next day.








With a couple of hours to kill we rode back to the jetty and booked our places for the train ride and underwater interpretive centre at the end of the Southern Hemisphere's longest pier for the following morning. Our workshop campsite is definitely our most unusual and least scenic.

8th June 2011
With Frankie being attended to, Jay and I cycled back into town for the train ride out to the end of the 1.6km Busselton Pier. Storms and fire have hampered efforts to restore the pier but once completed at 1.8km it will be the longest pier in the Southern Hemisphere. At the end of the pier is an observation chamber allowing you to view the 8 metres of pylon sunk into the sea bed.








A myriad of corals, fish and invertebrates make their home under the pier making for an ever-changing window into life below the surface. As we searched for lunch back in town I got the call advising that Frankie was ready to roll again. Passing through a stand of Tuart trees which are only found in WA's south west we continued onto Bunbury. We had hoped to go to the Dolphin Discovery Centre there and were disappointed that they closed just as we arrived at 2pm. With the hope of other dolphins up around Monkey Mia the decision was made to give it a miss and so we arrived early at our campsite at Belvedere on the Leschenault Peninsula. A wide variety of waterbirds call this area home. Black Swans, kookaburras, spoon bills, large egrets and white ibis were just a few of the birds we spotted. The campsite was most notably a hippy commune in the 1960 and 1970's. A walk shows photos and the remains of the humble dwellings of people from all walks of life who came here for the peace, quiet and alternative lifestyle they craved.

9th June 2011
Arriving in South Fremantle nice and early gave me time to throw on a load of washing before we rode along the port area into Fremantle for a look around. Fremantle has the feel of an area that was old and shabby but is trying to move up-market. With a "Cappucino Strip" along the main street and lots of new development I think it will be quite a trendy area in a few years time. I was planning on going to Rottnest Island but the cost to get Jay and I there on a half hour ferry trip with our own bike is over $150. Hopefully we'll get to see some Quokas on the mainland.

10th June 2011
Day two saw us heading into Perth on the train. With a free bus loop at both Fremantle and Perth running every 10 minutes, getting around on public transport is simple and reasonably cheap. Armed with a map from the tourist information centre we wandered down the mall through a quaint area that looked a bit like Diagon-Alley. Drawn towards the Swan River we encountered The Bell Tower.








Opened in 2000 and purposely built to allow safe viewing of the bellringers practicing their art, the worlds largest musical instrument houses the twelve Bell's of St. Martins made famous in the "Oranges and Lemons" nursery rhyme. It's also home to the oldest bell in Australia dating back to about 1550. Looking for somewhere to grab some lunch we walked up to the Perth Mint. Built to accommodate the booming economy during the WA gold rush, the Perth Mint is the only state run mint. Each day they conduct gold pours to demonstrate how gold bullion used to be made. Interestingly when the pour room was being refurbished as a tourist facility the walls and ceiling were scrubbed down with a wire brush and the dirt sent off to the refinery where they recovered $20,000 worth of gold from the roof alone.








Home to the second largest existing gold nugget in the world, the Golden Eagle was unearthed by a prospector in WA with a metal detector in 1995. The 26 largest nuggets ever discovered worldwide all came from Australia. Sadly the biggest, the Welcome Stranger, was cut into 3 pieces because there wasn't a scale that could weigh it in one piece. It was subsequently melted down for the gold value. We jumped onto the free CAT bus and headed to the other end of the city in search of a playground. After dodging the fitness freaks jogging up and down Jacob's Ladder we wheezed our way up the 267 steps and enjoyed the tranquility of King's Park.








With the sun getting low we found a bus route to take us back to Fremantle. It was dark as we grabbed some dinner from Coles to take back with us to Frankie.

11th June 2011
Having already booked three nights in South Fremantle we were able to take today a bit slower. I'd hoped to make use of the Hoyts or Greater Union vouchers Jay got for Christmas. Only the capital cities have these cinemas. Frustratingly neither had any movies showing other than M and MA rated movies. The break was sorely needed by both of us but I'm looking forward to heading north to the Coral Coast and, hopefully, some warmer weather.

- Posted using BlogPress from Julie and Jayden's iPad

Esperance to Albany Western Australia

21st May 2011
As we travelled from Norseman to Esperance the landscape changed dramatically, from the striking polished orange trunks of the coral gum, through mallee scrub and the wide open plains of the farming region to the pine lined coast. With Colin Buchanan playing on the stereo and joy abounding in my heart we sang of life in the real Australia as we passed through outback and rural towns.




The rain was falling on the newly planted crops and rainbows materialised out of nowhere. You know you're back in civilisation when you spot the golden arches. Having skipped lunch we couldn't resist treating ourselves to an early dinner at Maccas. We then settled into the foreshore caravan park for the night.
22nd May 2011
My googling took us to an AoG church this morning. It was quite a bizarre service which defies description here but suffice to say that God can speak to you through his servants even in the most surprising ways and places. Gladly accepting a lunch invitation we enjoyed an afternoon at Kay's with about a dozen other members of the church. It was very interesting hearing first hand of life on the land. I was surprised to hear that many of the farmers work amazingly long days, out on the tractor long after the sun has set with 4 hours sleep being deemed fairly normal. After lunch we enjoyed the Great Ocean Drive which winds it's way along the coastline.




Magnificent granite outcrops and islands set amid azure blue waters and the whitest sandy beaches I've ever seen were complimented by brilliant rainbows so clear and close you'd think you could touch them. After a perfect Sunday it was back to the caravan park for pumpkin soup and a load of washing.
23rd May 2011
With schoolwork out of the way we wandered down to the pier. Keeping a lookout for Sammy the sea-lion who lives around the pier I caught a brief glimpse of him shooting through the clear waters under the walkway. Another top-up of groceries and then it was down to the port area and an adventure park for lunch. As I was keen to be settled before dark we moved on towards Lucky Bay. Our first stop was La Grande beach. The area was named in honour of a young ensign on L'Esperance, one of two vessels on a French expedition commanded by Admiral D'Entrecasteaux in 1792. La Grande is purported to have climbed the masthead during a severe storm and guided the ships to a safe anchorage west of Esperance. An encounter with St. Elmo's fire during the storm named our next destination, Hellfire Bay.




Clambering around the granite headland we had a lovely view back to the pristine white sandy beach. Every bay we enter provides another contestant for my favourite Australian beach. The only downer to the day was a rock that has left a large chip in my windscreen right at eye level. With so much windscreen to hit why did it have to crack directly in my line of sight? Grizzle, grumble! Excitement abounded as we pulled into Lucky Bay campsite to see the Bakers van. Parking next to them the kids quickly reignited their friendship. As Vivi said, friends made on the road are extra special as they fill the gap of missed friends back at home.
24th May 2011
God spoke to me last night. It sounds strange to put that in words but I believe to my core that it's true. In the still, quiet hours of early morning as I lay looking at the expanse of the Milky Way he whispered gently to me through the words of a song. I hope Colin Buchanan and Troy Cassar-Daly will forgive my tweaking of their words but this is what I heard as the song which I didn't even know I had, and had inadvertently added to a playlist just before retiring, repeated itself seven times over.
"I have been your long companion,
You have never been alone,
I was there for every footstep,
For I Am the Lord.
It was I who made you restless,
For horizons, open skies,
Beckoned over hill and mountain,
For the Lord Am I.
I have made you friends forever,
Comrades who can share the load,
I see every weary drifter,
For I am The Lord.
I Am hard and I Am tender,
I Am lonely I Am free,
Every mile you'll ever travel,
You will share with me.
And I'm calling, calling,
And I'm calling, calling to you.
I will be your long companion,
You will never be alone,
I'll be there for every footstep,
For I Am The Lord."




I then awoke this morning to this prayer in my daily devotions.
"I praise you Lord for totally understanding me and being the God of compassion." What an immense comfort this has been. God knew the road I would take long before I took the first step, he has been with me all the way and will continue to travel the road with me. He knows me more completely than I know myself. As I struggle to discover who I am, where I'm going and my purpose in life he will gently and compassionately guide my every footstep, my every decision and my every plan. He will walk with me until the journeys end and then lead me home. What a great and glorious God we have.
The Bakers decided to stay an extra night while we were in camp so I was able to leave Jayden playing this morning whilst I went for a hike from Lucky Bay towards Thistle Cove. This was without a doubt the most spectacular scenery on a hike I have ever encountered.




Every few steps brought another breathtaking picture perfect scene. I finally figured out how to use the panorama function on my new camera although it really drains the battery quickly.




After lunch Tim offered to watch the kids so that Kirsten and I could make the longer walk to Rossiters Bay. Whilst not as breathtaking as my morning walk it was still very enjoyable with a vast variety of unusual vegetation and wildflowers.




We joined forces tonight for dinner, with Tim and Kirsten cooking up fish, calamari and veggies whilst I contributed the much coveted by Vivi and Alex, golden syrup dumplings.
25th May 2011
As dawn broke the day looked promising but soon the rain that had been sitting out at sea moved onto the coast and Lucky Bay turned damp and dreary. So we hit the road back to Esperance where we had the chip in the windscreen repaired and attended to a few other errands in town. It was then another few hours of driving before stopping for the night at Fitzgerald River (Jacup) rest area. We met some new travellers and reacquainted ourselves with others we'd met crossing the Nullarbor. Some of the fauna we have seen on the journey today include some Australian ring-neck or twenty-eight parrots, red capped parrots, two huge wedge-tailed eagles dining at the roadside butchery, kangaroos, and emus running through the cattle paddocks.




26th May 2011
My Camps 5 book misled me into thinking there'd be toilets at our overnight stop. Discovering there wasn't, we made an early start to Jerramungup Lions Club Park for breakfast and schoolwork. With that out of the way we continued to Ongerup and the Mallee Fowl Centre. "Up" is the local Aborigine word for "place of" and "gnow" is the word for the Malleefowl hence Gnowangerup is "place of the Malleefowl".




The information in the centre was very interesting, as was seeing four of these unusual birds in the aviary. One of the unique behaviours of the Malleefowl is their nest. They spend between 9 and 11 months of the year building and maintaining a large mound of soil twigs and leaves. Each egg is carefully buried in the mound and incubated by heat from composting leaf litter. Over generations of use mounds may grow to an incredible one and a half metres high and 22 metres in circumference. As we moved south, the Stirling Ranges gradually grew out of the flat plains to dominate the landscape. Seemingly out of place we stopped into an authentic Dutch Windmill at the base of the ranges. Wanting to do some hiking but without enough daylight left to tackle the more ambitious walks we settled ourselves into the Stirling Ranges Retreat.




Wildflowers abound here in the spring and during a walk around the edges of the National Park it was easy to see the wide variety of plants which provide the spectacle. We spotted a few small flowers and were excited to spot a Regent Parrot. After dinner we tried our hand at spotlighting again but without success. However the stars were amazing again so the iPad came out for another tour of the night time sky.
27th May 2011
Jay was let off schoolwork this morning so we could make an early assault on the climb up Bluff Knoll. This 6.8km hike rises 656m to the 1094.97m peak, the tallest in South West Western Australia.




A strenuous but very rewarding and satisfying climb offered spectacular 360 degree views back across the plains to the north, and south to the ocean near Albany. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day, warm and sunny and brilliantly clear for as far as the eye could see. We were rewarded at the summit by two wedge-tailed eagles circling the cliff tops intent of finding prey far below.




The return walk was decidedly easier and we enjoyed lunch in the carpark with a beef farmer and his wife from Victoria. Everyone we meet have such interesting stories and unusual lives from the perspective of a city girl. Increasingly I'm feeling like a frustrated country girl stuck in a city lifestyle. Our last stop for the day was Porangorup National Park. Still feeling the strain of the morning's climb we only walked as far as the "Tree in the Rock" 100m down the path before continuing onto Normans Beach for our overnight stop. Arriving at sunset the still waters of the lagoon made some beautiful reflections in the golden light.




28th May 2011
Into Albany we headed making a brief detour to the Sandalwood factory. Sandalwood is a native Australian desert tree with an aromatic heartwood and seeds from which sandalwood oils are extracted. With a maturation age of 50 to 75 years the native tree isn't very commercially viable but the Indian Sandalwood tree which is under threat from over harvesting in India and takes only 20 years to mature thrives in the warm humid conditions in the Pilbara region of North-West Western Australia. Arriving at the caravan park around 10:30am I had ample opportunity to get lots of washing and cleaning done.
29th May 2011
We joined in worship with Albany Baptist church this morning. Fortuitously we arrived at the same time as the assistant ministers wife Jenny who offered to sit with us and invited us back for lunch. Her husband David who had trained for four years at Moore College before returning to Albany to take up a ministry posting gave the sermon. Back at their house for lunch we were surprised at the number of coincidences in our lives. Both of us have four boys with a big gap between 3 and 4. They also have a 15 year old Cameron. As we chatted many more similarities kept surfacing. After a very filling lunch we headed out to Whale World where we ran into two families who had been in camp at Lucky Bay with us. Whale World was the last active whaling station in Australia. It closed in 1978 as financial increases, a drop in the use of whale based products in favour of petroleum and the weight of political and public opinion moved against commercial whaling.




We joined another travelling family for the guided tour which was very interesting, especially the four video presentations set up in the whale oil tanks. The highlight of the tour though had to be the spotting of a juvenile humpback whale who breached at least three times not far from shore as we watched. It was the first sighting of the season in this location so we again were very fortunate. The drive to our campsite was a bit further than I'd anticipated and darkness made finding a spot in the overcrowded site difficult. A chance spotting of an owl on a signpost in the camp area with either a mouse or small marsupial in it's claws made the long drive worthwhile.
30th May 2011
With a storm lurking I decided to escape Cosy Corner early, just in case, as the spot we were crammed into was very tight and tricky. So back to Albany we headed for a big shop. Once the cupboards were restocked we toured the Amity Brig, the boat which brought the first European settlers to these shores from Sydney in 1826.




Although Swan Hill colony, later to become Perth, was looking promising, the British were keen to establish other settlements to prevent the French from colonising the area. The local Minang people were at first wary of the new settlers after some very negative experiences with the rough sealers who occasionally frequented the coast. We spent a pleasant couple of hours doing some craft activities at the WA Museum before heading back to Cosy Corner after the storms didn't eventuate.




- Posted using BlogPress from Julie and Jayden's iPad

The Nullarbor Plains

18th May 2011
One last trip to the Streaky Bay library to return a book and bid farewell to newfound friends and we were on our way towards the Nullarbor. Our first stop was Ceduna where we stocked up on a few things I hadn't been able to get in Streaky Bay and had a bite of lunch overlooking Smoky Bay and out towards The Great Australian Bight. Our first day's drive was pretty uneventful. We pulled into Nundroo Roadhouse around 3:30pm and on learning that no whales had been seen that day decided to stop the night in the hopes that the whale watching at Head of Bight might be better tomorrow.




Jay putted Wombat Hole on the Nullarbor Links golf course, the longest golf course in the world at 1365km in length. Described as "a unique must-do" and the "quintessential Australian experience" we just had to have a go, be it small, at this 18 hole par 72 golf course.
19th May 2011




A mild morning greeted us as we moved on. Our journey took us past the Dog Fence one of the longest continuous fences in the world built to keep wild dingoes out of pastoral lands. Starting in Queensland this 5 614km fence extends to the Great Australian Bight in South Australia. Not far beyond the fence we entered the Eastern end of the true Nullarbor Plains.




Flat and treeless for as far as the eye can see in all directions but with a unique and awe-inspiring beauty. Deviating off the highway we went to the Head of Bight. I can't believe how many travellers refused to pay the $5 entry to go into the observation platforms. In the middle of nowhere with toilets and pleasant facilities do they not realise how expensive it is to run even a small operation such as this. We gladly paid our money and were rewarded with a sighting of the first two whales to have entered the shallow sheltered bay. Later in the season up to one hundred magnificent Southern Right whales will make this stretch of coastline their home as they mate, give birth and prepare the calves for the long journey back to the Antarctic waters for the summer.




It was thrilling to see even one of these beautiful mammals so close to the cliffs. Back to the Eyre Highway we only ventured a little further today to Bunda Cliffs. These majestic limestone cliffs tower ninety metres above the pounding Southern Ocean. Another viewing spot for the whales, the waters here are much deeper and we didn't sight any along this stretch.




My main reason for stopping here was to cook up all the vegetables I'd bought, before hitting the Quarantine at the border, where they would have been destined for the bin. We whiled away a pleasant afternoon cooking up vegetable soup and listening to the radio play of "The Lord of the Rings" with the azure blue waters of the Southern Ocean as a backdrop. When evening fell we ventured out to gaze at the dazzling night sky. Two female backpackers, a German and an American, joined us and were blown away by the Star Walk app on the iPad. Disappointingly it ran out of batteries very quickly and we had to continue our astronomy session using my meagre knowledge. We were even treated to some meteors from the Eta Aquariids, an area associated with Haleys Comet that is know for it's meteor showers. If it hadn't been for the mice scuttling around the bins, and the fact that it probably got down close to zero overnight we would have dragged out the sleeping bags and slept under the stars. As we prepared to retire, the moon arose amid an orange glow, dimming the spectacular vista. As we drifted off to sleep the haunting call of a whale broke the eerie silence.
20th May 2011
Having seen their car and van drive through our campsite the previous evening Jay was keen to catch up with the Bakers whom we'd met in Streaky Bay. As we re-entered the highway a huge wedge-tailed eagle was sitting in a bush not metres from the road. I swung around to try and get a photo but as we approached from the other side he took flight. During the day we saw many more of these huge birds of prey, often feasting upon the fresh roadkill from the previous night. In the early morning light I was amazed by the variety of greens in the low shrubs that comprise the Nullarbor Plains. We found the Bakers at the next campsite and amid squeals of delight made plans to try and finish at the same campsite the coming evening. Along this stretch we reached the end of the true Nullarbor Plains. I was surprised by how short the actual stretch is, although it does extend hundreds of kilometres inland from the highway. Soon after, we reached the Border Village, a rather generous term for a roadhouse and quarantine station.




After having a photo with Rooey II and the signpost to the rest of the world we went and straddled the Border to SA-WA. Passing through quarantine I only had to relinquish one lemon and half a jar of honey. Not far beyond we took another side trip to see the ruins of the old Eucla telegraph station. Opened in 1877, the Eucla telegraph station helped link WA with the rest of Australia and the world. Just 33 years after Samuel Morse invented the telegraph the first message was sent to Perth on the 8th December 1877 and stated "Eucla line opened. Hurrah!"




I was excited to see some Major Mitchell cockatoos in a large tree behind the station. These beautiful cockatoos are smaller than a sulphur-crested cockatoo with delicate pinks and yellows under their wings. With determination we then set our sights towards our overnight destination only stopping for fuel and a very brief lunch break. At Mundrabilla roadhouse we learned that two children resided there who were schooling via the School of the Air. I would have liked Jay to be able to speak with them and see how their schooling worked but they had just returned to classes after recess and were't allowed to see us. My preconceived ideas of the Nullarbor Plains have been smashed having now made the trek. I was surprised by the diversity of vegetation. I found the drive to be very interesting.




The Nullarbor Plains is home to the one finger wave. There is an unspoken code amongst the drivers. Motorcyclists don't wave, their hands are frozen to the handlebars. Cars will occasionally raise a finger non-commitially. Truckies give a lazy one fingered wave if they are actually watching the road. Caravaners and other motor-homers give a more hearty wave even using the whole hand at times, and other Toyota Coaster drivers give an energetic and enthusiastic full blown wave. After a massive ten and a half hours of driving we pulled into a rest area on the Fraser Range. Surprisingly I wasn't especially weary after all that driving with very few breaks. Perhaps I've become conditioned to the driving after 3 months on the road. Jay was disappointed that the Bakers didn't quite get as far as us and we had the rest area to ourselves.
21st May 2011
Finishing our crossing we pulled into Norseman around 10:30am. We quickly toured the major tourist attractions of the town. Beginning with the bronze statue of Norseman, the horse credited with finding gold bearing quartz as he pawed the ground with his hoof, and after whom the town is named. Next were the tin camels. They stand as a tribute to the early camel trains which brought freight from the east coast and are the reason for the wide streets which allowed the camel trains to turn around. Our town tour has brought us to the end of this leg of our journey.




- Posted using BlogPress from Julie and Jayden's iPad

Eyre Peninsula

Eyre Penninsula
It is with a degree of sadness that I find myself having to rewrite this blog. After attempting a simple edit to correct the spelling of a word, the whole blog vanished, possibly due to the fact that my operating system hadn't been updated (another story in itself). So from the very brief notes in my travel diary, sometimes as few as three or four words, and from photos taken each day I'm going to attempt to reconstruct the events. The facts are easy to reproduce, the feelings and thoughts that accompanied them, and which were of more significance to me are harder to recall.

25/4/11
Anzac Day this year happened to fall on Easter Monday so as we left Adelaide the streets were all but deserted. On the advice of a lady from church yesterday we detoured into the St. Kilda Adventure Park. A huge park of forts, tunnels, flying foxes, giant swings and slides and unusual apparatus kept Jay busy for a couple of hours before we reluctanly continued on our way. Stopping for lunch at Port Wakefield Jay joined some other children for a paddle in the pond. Bypassing the Yorke Penninsula we headed north to Port Pirie. After helping a drunken cyclist who crashed heavily in front of the information centre we went in and were directed to Port Flinders and Weeroona Island free camp. Accessed by a long causeway Weeroona Island earns it's name from the fact that a couple of times a year the high tides surround the land. Port Flinders is the port that never was. Plans were underway to develop the area as a port but the cost of building a jetty a couple of kilometres over the mud flats to deep water was cost prohibitive and Port Pirie won out for development. We spent a relaxing afternoon cycling around Germein Bay where rusty wrecks glowed in the setting sun over the Spencer Gulf. "The Surf Shack" is one of the better free camp locations we've stopped at with clean toilets, cold showers for those brave or desperate enough and a lovely BBQ area and kids playground.



26/5/11
We awoke to a lovely golden glow over the South Flinders Ranges before breaking camp and moving on. Arriving early in Port Augusta we spent some time investigating the Wadlata Outback Centour attached to the tourist information centre. Tracing the history of South Australia and Outback Australia from pre-historic times through the early European settlers and explorers to present mining and agricultural history the centre was a great introduction to this unique corner of the planet.


The cafe, run by some local indigenous folk, had some interesting traditional foods done in a very upmarket way. Jay enjoyed a kangaroo burger, whilst I satiated my need for a hearty serving of fresh vegetables by choosing the soup and damper roll. We indulged in a quandang cheesecake a small native fruit that grows in the desert. After lunch we continued onto Point Lowly where we had to fight the crowds for a spot in the freecamp area eventually settling for a spot in the boatramp carpark. It was very blustery as we walked around the point and past the lighthouse as the day faded.



27/4/11
Getting off to an early start we headed into Whyalla in the hopes of joining the tour of the steel works tour. As it was booked out they booked us into an afternoon tour which left us with some time to kill. We explored the maritime museum including the battleship bearing the towns name. Interestingly when the town was first established the town's water supply came by barge as no natural water exists in the region. Now water is piped 350km to Whyalla. The tour itself was a bit long winded for my liking. The other two participants worked in the production of aluminium and so the tour guide pitched the talk to them which put it above Jay's and my heads. Areas of the plant were inactive adding to the disappointment. The highlight of the tour was seeing the slag being poured out and the coke furnaces being emptied. After the tour we picked up some groceries had a play in the foreshore playground and settled into the Whyalla Sports Club, a very reasonable club run campsite with hot showers and clean facilities.

28/4/11
In a wonderful display of community spirit and generosity lovely Kay who had welcomed us yesterday sent us off this morning with a goody bag stuffed full of homemade treats. Without access to an oven I'd been craving some home baked biscuit or cakes. Especially welcome were the ANZAC biscuits. First stop this morning was Cowell, jade capital of Australia. After much agonising Jay selected a lovely Jade pendant souvenir.
Lunch was spent at Port Neill where we were buffeted about by a very strong wind. I was loathe to drag Jay away as he had met up with some other children and was having a great time playing. We took a look around town stopping in briefly at the Australian Eucalypt Collection where copper plated jewellery and memorabilia are hand crafted using a unique technique. More mechanical problems continued to plague us so Frankie was taken to a mechanic in Tumby Bay for diagnosis. We stopped overnight in a free camp site opposite a cemetry just out of town where a weird red glow sat on the horizon.

29/4/11
This morning was spent sitting in the mechanics at Tumby Bay awaiting his repairs whilst Jay completed the day's schoolwork. Back on the road by about 11am we stopped at Louth Bay for lunch. Jay happily befriended a young boy out fishing on the pier. He'd caught a squid and was hacking it to pieces to use for bait. I left them to it and went for a bit of a wander, but never quite losing sight of them. Keep moving seems to be my catch cry so off we headed again making Port Lincoln by mid afternoon. We made some enquiries at the information centre and booked into a Swim-with-the-sealions tour. In most of these little coastal towns the local pier seems to be the main attraction so that's where we headed to spend the remainder of the day before making our way to Billy Light's Point freecamp. Here is where we first discovered we'd picked up a hitch hiker in Tumby Bay. A small grey mouse could be heard scratching around and lead to much grizzling and pursuing as I tried to work out where he was. A couple of lightening fast dashes across the floor pushed him towards the front of the bus. Between him and the 12 year old hoons who came causing mischief by knocking on all the motorhomes in the middle of the night, I didn't enjoy much sleep.

30/4/11
A dreary, grey, wet day greeted us this morning necessitating the postponement of the sea-lion tour. We topped up the shopping, did some bike maintenance, visited the laundromat and finally plonked ourselves in the Maccas carpark for the night. I figured with it open until late and then again early next morning we'd access the loos and feel a bit safer from the local yocals closer to town. Having visited the hardware store during the day I set up my peanut butter elbow trap and endeavoured to move all the perishable food that the mouse was likely to get into. I couldn't believe how much damage one little mouse had managed to cause in just two days.

1/5/11
It was looking a bit brighter and more inviting for our tour today, so after attending Unity Hill United church where we were again welcomed in like family, we headed for the mariner and joined our tour. Of great concern to me was one of the other tours that runs in this area. Swim with the sharks puts tourists into shark proof cages whereby the water is berlied up to attract the dreaded Great White sharks. It seems to me that this is just conditioning the sharks to view wetsuit clad humans as a food source. Given that their natural food source is fur seals and sea lions and we were about to jump into the ocean to go swimming with same gave me cause for some consternation. In a part of the country renowned for devastating and deadly shark attacks particulary on surfers it seems a pretty irresponsible practice. On reaching Hopkins Island we donned our wetsuits, flippers and snorkels and were unceremoniously tossed in the deep end.


Despite having filled in a survey declaring a lack of snorkelling experience no instruction was given and alsmost as soon as he'd hit the water Jayden panicked and attempted to cling to me for dear life. With very little experience myself I wasn't much help and eventually got the attention of one of the guides to help me out with him. Unfortunately the bay that is usually calm had some surf breaking near the shore which prevented us from going in and standing up which can often be done. Also despite a full wetsuit it wasn't long before Jay was shivering and between fear and cold needed to clamber back onto the boat. Determined to get my money's worth I stayed in until the bitter end and enjoyed a few close encounters with the sea-lions. Given that he was the only child on the tour I think they could have done more to prepare him and assist him to get the most from the once in a lifetime experience.


The return journey saw dolphins jumping the bow waves in the wake of the boat. Safely back on dry land we set off towards Coffin Bay. I hate driving these country roads at dusk, so it was a pretty stressful drive along roads potentially abounding with wildlife. We arrived safely at the caravan park however. After we'd hit the sack the now familiar rustling began in the pantry cupboards. Finally I heard the sound I'd been waiting for. The trap was sprung and I collected our little stowaway and released him as far away from Frankie as I could manage. I just couldn't bring myself to use a traditional mousetrap, way too much blood and gore for my liking. I just hope I didn't create a problem for another traveller.

2/5/11
I would have liked to explore more of Coffin Bay as it looked very pretty but most of it was only accessible with a national parks pass which we hadn't needed up to this point in time and just for a quick sticky didn't seem worth it. Instead we spent some time in the well equipped local park where we met two other travelling families. After comparing notes about future plans and past experiences, as well as swapping a few homeschooling tips, we hit the road again.
Stopping at Elliston at luchtime where we'd been advised there was a reasonable bakery, Jay was delighted to again meet up with a couple of boys from the park that morning. As we are travelling the same direction we are likely to meet up again along the way. Colton is famous for it's roadside bakery. Wood fire baked bread has been on the menu here since 1861. With sliding glass servery, you collect your bread in brown paper bags and deposit your money into the honesty tin. I'm led to believe that homemade country pies are also in the offing but as it was mid-afternoon as we pulled in, all the best pickings had been snatched up.


Another detour took us into some remarkable formations along this stretch of the limestone coast. Talia Caves, The Tub and The Woolshed are all the result of the ferocious roaring forties waves and weather crashing into this part of the Great Australian Bight. By this time Frankie was playing up again and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find the gears. One last detour for the night to see Murphy's haystacks and I was done for. Despite Jay's protests because he wanted to keep up with the family we'd met earlier in the day who were headed for Streaky Bay, I called it quits and we roamed around the giant monolithic granite outcrop enjoying the golden sunset which lit up the boulders and unusual shadows being cast onto and by the rocks.


3/5/11
With great trepidation, and glad that there were other well equipped travellers on hand, I headed off with a grinding of gears and a great deal of prayer. We limped into Streaky Bay at 60km/h in 3rd gear as I could no longer get the others and made a bee line for the mechanic. Whilst he inspected the clutch and gearbox we rode our bikes into town for a look around. The local Shell roadhouse boasts a replica of the largest shark ever caught on a hand line. Having all but exhausted the attractions of Streaky Bay we headed back to the mechanic. He suggested I head down to the caravan park until the parts needed arrived from Adelaide. One minor problem, I was unable to get into any gears so he kindly drove Frankie down to the caravan park and got him onto the site for me. Fish and chips in newspaper from park kiosk made a delicious dinner.

4/5/11
There are certainly worse spots to be stranded than Streaky Bay. It is a very laid back little community. The local council keeps it meticulously tidy and the locals are very friendly and welcoming. Jayden met a nice redheaded Jaden the same age as him travelling home to Perth with his grandparents. He joined us for an afternoon of fishing off the local pier.



The boys were delighted to pull in 2 fish including a 45cm flathead which we brought home for dinner. Of course this meant that I had to finally bite the bullet and learn how to clean and fillet a fish. I took it down to the fish cleaning station by the waters edge and asked an obviously seasoned fisherman for a lesson. He was glad to oblige and showed me how to scale and then filet the flathead, warning me to be mindful of the spikes behind the fins. Dusted in flour and pan fried in a little butter Jayden declared it to be the best fish he's ever tasted.

5/5/11
A beautiful sunrise greeted me this morning as we settled into what would become our routine for the next couple of weeks. The school library doubles as a community library so we would take Jay's schoolwork across the road where he could be a bit more comfortable completing the days works. Once complete we headed home for lunch and spent the afternoon with Jayden fishing off the pier whilst I caught up on some reading.

6/5/11
I allowed Jayden and Jaden to spend some time playing together this morning before he had to head off to begin the Nullarbor crossing. Whilst they played i had a go at repairing a puncture in my bike tyre. Everyone is always keen to help in the travelling culture so it wasn't long before I was spotted and an offer of help was made. Rather than let my knight in shiny armour do the work for me I asked instead that he instruct me in what to do but allow me to do it myself so I'd be capable of repairing any future holes myself. With the satisfaction of having done the job myself and Jaden gone it was back to the library to complete the schoolwork.
In the morning i'd asked at the caravan park office if i could post a request on their notice board to join someone else who was planning a tour of Westall Way. One of the ladies who worked in the caravan park office offered to show us the attractions herself once she' knocked off and we gratefully accepted her offer. She was very gracious, driving us around the sandy tracks in her 4WD, telling us stories about the locations and allowing us plenty of time for self exploration.


She and her husband hadn't long lived in the area having moved from Clare Valley near Adelaide after spending many years holidaying in the town. There home was a tin shed until such time as they could build their dream home on the site. She told us of the mouse plague when they first moved in during which mice would scuttle all over the ceiling and floor of the shed as they sat at night watching TV. Getting back late after a lovely afternoon we gave the kiosk's pizza a try. It was delicious!

7/5/11
Being Saturday I gave Jay the day off his schoolwork and we went for a ride around the foreshore to another boatramp and pier. It was a tough long ride into a head wind and Jay wasn't impressed. Almost every time we through in out line we pulled out a fish. Whilst not big enough for us the pelicans thought they were perfect and crowed around as we took the fish off the line catching everything we attempted to throw back in.


We didn't catch anything worth eating ourselves but were given some fish as one of the recreational boats docked. As we made to head back Jay managed to run headlong off the sloped ramp, landing hard and taking a chunk out of himself. The screaming attracted the attention of some other fisherman loading their boat back on the trailer. As they were also camped at the Caravan Park they offered to load our bikes into the boat and drive us back. I managed to filet the fish myself this time but they weren't nearly as tasty as the flathead.

8/5/11
I always hold great hopes for Mothers Day. Having my family treat me like a princess, and serving me lovingly. Needless to say I'm always disappointed and this year I was more solemn than usual as I missed my big boys terribly. Jay and I went to the local Anglican church where I was invited to do the Bible reading. I think Jay and I lowered the average age of the congregation by a few decades at least. It was a very traditional service with a read sermon as the minister was away. We returned to town for lunch at the Streaky Bay hotel.


The day had turned rainy and grey and looked as miserable as I felt. Back at the caravan park later that afternoon the sun finally came out treating us to and amazing sunset with rainbows arcing over the bay.


9/5/11
With the parts finally in Frankie was taken up to the mechanics and as guests of NRMA Premium care we moved into a lakeside cabin. My Mother's Day present to myself was a back and shoulder massage which I desperately needed after all the driving and associated stress of Frankie's repairs.

10/5/11
It was back to our usual routine today. School library in the morning then down to the pier after lunch. I caught a big parrot fish and, not knowing any better, asked another fisherman if they were edible. On his advice I threw it back only to subsequently learn that they do make good eating. We joined the owner of the caravan pack who just happened to be the local Cub leader at the scout hall tonight. As they are in desperate need of more leaders all sections meet on the same night so she can supervise them too. There were certainly plenty of Cubs, some of which Jay recognised from school. I ran a couple of games which the leader seemed very grateful for.

11/5/11
I had a bit of a meltdown today. I'd been reading a book about Rahab and was reduced to tears. I can't remember much of the details but experienced a very real sense of God's peace in the midst of my troubles.

12/5/11
Same old same old in Streaky Bay. Library, lunch, fishing off the pier. We saw some dolphins and a sealions in the bay this afternoon.


13/5/11
I was really crook today with achy joints and spent most of the day in bed or moping around the cabin. Jay was somewhat more industrious collecting shells and then going around all the caravans and selling them to unwary grey nomads. He raised $7.85 which we used to buy some ice creams and biscuits to share with some other children who had joined his business venture.
14/5/11
It was a great day for fishing today with us pulling in 2 flatheads, a leather jacket and tommy ruffs. Two young local men wen went diving around the pier for razor fish. Shaped like a tear drop they imbed themselves in the muddy bottom with only a small amount of shell protruding. As the name suggests they are razor sharp and will cut feet to shreds if trodden on. They pulled out enough for a decent feed for themselves and headed home with their delicacy. Streaky Bay is one of only a few places around the Australian coastline in which the tidal conditions for razor fish are just right. A mother dolphin and her calf gently cruised around the bay this afternoon.



15/5/11
Another Sunday in Streaky Bay. It was back to the Anglican church. The minister was back and his wife was delighted to have Jay and another child in the service. Apparently she comes prepared every week with a kids message although doesn't very often have the opportunity to make use of it. She pulled the two of them up the front and was so excited to have a captive audience. When we returned to the caravan park Jay made friends with Vivi and Alex. After seeking mum Kristen's permission we took them fishing with us. I was in constant fear of 5 year old Alex falling in. Vivi and Jay got on like a house on fire and spent a great afternoon on the pier. It seemed like every local in Streaky Bay took a walk on the pier this afternoon. Unless you're a keen surfer with a shark death wish or an avid fisherman there's not a lot else to do. The kids and I pulled in a flathead and 4 trevally. With such a haul we invited the Bakers to dinner. Dad Tim cooked up some chips and I fried up the fish. It wasn't the most hearty meal but I enjoyed the company of new found friends. After they'd left I went to wash up only to find that the hot water tap wouldn't turn off. I thought I'd pulled out the plug but the water must have sucked it back in and it wasn't long before water was cascading over the rime of the sink onto the floor. After searching for the main hot water tap without success I had to leave Jayden to make a dash to the office for help. I went via the Bakers van and asked Tim to head back over to keep an eye on Jay and see what he could do. Little did I know I'd probably picked the least handy man in the entire park. After rousing the owners they called a plumber and drove me back to the cabin. By this stage Tim and Jay were sloshing around as we began lifting things up out of the water including most of my sodden groceries. The on-call plumber got to us pretty quickly and got the water off. Tim returned to his family as I began the big mop up. The owners offered to send a cleaner around in the morning but I could hardly go to bed with a few inches of water sitting in the living room. It was close to midnight before I finished off and got to bed. I felt like a right drip once I learned that the plug had still been in the plug hole the whole time. Mind you I'd have suffered 3rd degree burns had I tried to plunge my hand into the sink. On the upside the cabin has probably never had such a good clean.

16/5/11


Before sunrise this morning the planets were aligned over the bay and really bright. We stuck to our usual routine however the fishing was really quiet this afternoon. There was a sea-lion hanging around the pier which could explain the lack of fish.

17/5/11
We started the day in the usual way at the library. It was great to finally get the call to say that Frankie was ready to go at last. The afternoon was spent reloading everything back in. Jay has been enjoying Vivi and Alex's company all week and is please to know that they are going to be heading the same way as us. Hopefully we'll catch up with the family again as we travel.