The long road home.......

After leaving Pemberton we stopped in Manjimup to shop and then drove on to Mount Barker where we stayed overnight in their RV Park.  It was still very cold, wet and windy.

The next morning we continued on bypassing Albany and driving straight to Cheynes Beach where we were staying in the caravan park for two days.

Last time we were here Bill tried to photograph the very elusive Noisy Scrub Bird with no success so he was ready to try again.  I’m very sorry to say that once more he has no photos.  He did see two of them crossing the road but other than a blur on the camera he couldn’t capture them.  They certainly are a challenge.  He didn’t see either of the other two species known to be here.  He did get some lovely pics of the Western Spinebill which is something he had been hoping to see.

Driving along the beach the next day we saw movement in the water and right before our eyes were a couple of whales just lazing around.  We watched them for a while before heading home.  The sun was shining but the wind was still bitter.

We left the next day and made our way to Esperance stopping overnight at a rest stop just before Ravensthorpe.  We stopped in town and had a look the next morning and loved the Silo Art and the ceramic work in the park.

In Esperance we shopped, stocking up with just enough fresh fruit and veggies to get us to the SA quarantine checkpoint at Ceduna.  Known as one of the windiest places in the country it certainly lived up to it’s name as we were hard put to walk in a straight line along the street.

Once the shopping was put away we headed towards Norseman stopping overnight at another rest area along the way.  The next morning we stopped just long enough to get fuel and then it was time to start our next ‘epic journey’ across the country.  As you’ve all done this with me before I’ll make it a fast trip.

We stopped at each of the roadhouses along the way to stretch our legs.  Our overnight stops were at Ten Mile Rocks, Baxter Rest Area, Jilah Rock Holes and West Yalata rest area.   Lots of people were camped with us each night as many people were travelling both ways to and from the west.

We stopped at each of the three lookouts along the Great Australian Bight and though we have been here before the view is just breathtakingly beautiful.  To know you are standing on the edge of the mainland is pretty amazing.

Stopping at Penong we bought fuel and then walked down to have a look at their windmill park.  This wonderful open air museum is home to many different types of windmills,  all donated or on loan to Penong.  This magnificent 35 ft Comet windmill is said to be the largest one in Australia.

Our next stop was at Ceduna where we passed through the checkpoint with a big tick.  Handed over just one pear and the banana peels from lunch.  I’m getting this down to a fine art now.  We stopped and shopped for more fresh fruit and vegetables here in Ceduna before making our way just out of town and settling in for the night at Punjabi East rest area.

I have to say that all these rest areas both sides of the border have been fabulous places to stay. They have all had plenty of room, lots of bins and some have had toilets.  With so many people travelling these days it is great to have the choice of where to stay.  All were well attended each night.

The next day we drove on stopping for morning tea at Poochera.  We parked at Centennial Park and found Peter’s Humpy.  Once the home of Peter Sheridan, it was built by him in the 1920’s from flattened kerosene tins and pine poles from local pine trees.  The furniture inside was made from kerosene boxes.  So hard to imagine anyone living like this now.

We continued on stopping at Kimba.  Their fabulous camp at the showgrounds was almost full but we found a spot for the night.  Since we were last here the grain silos have been painted by Melbourne artist Cam Scale and they look amazing.  The beautiful artwork is 25 metres tall and stretches to 60 metres wide.

The next day we continued on to Port Augusta where we stayed for two days at their great little motor home park at the sports club.  Bill got up early the next morning and went chasing birds at the Arid Gardens.  This Spiny Cheeked Honey Eater seemed to be enjoying breakfast.

As we had travelled across the country the weather had been improving each day.  Here in Port Augusta it was warm and sunny and almost time for short sleeves.  Bill’s cough was starting to improve so hope this warmer climate helps.  While here I caught up on the washing and shopping again.  It seems like a never ending circle but I guess it’s no different to home.  At least it dries quickly in the warm days.  We also watched the two semi final football games over the weekend.  Not happy with either result but can’t change it so I guess we fence sit for the final.  I’ll barrack for the Pies but Bill may not!

Leaving Port Augusta the next morning we made our way to Burra Gorge where we stayed for one night on our way to Morgan.  We were going to spend a few days at Gluepot Reserve before we headed home so filled the van with water at the Morgan Shire offices and made our way to the reserve.

Located 54 km from Waikerie the road into Gluepot is legendary.  Last time I thought it was the worst road I had ever been on but now I may have a different opinion.  Well, perhaps not the worst road but it is still pretty bad!

Once in the reserve we made our way to Sitella campground and set up.  Bill went out each morning  to the bird hides and walks to see what he could find.  It is very dry out here, with low rainfall this season, so the birds were spread far and wide making them harder to find.  Lots of Honey Eaters as the plants are starting to flower and plenty of Mulga Parrots but not as much variety as last time we were here.   The beautiful Major Mitchell made the early mornings worthwhile.  

The weather has been wonderful, blue skies and warm days.  We have both been in short sleeves for the first time since arriving in Perth.  Our four days here were wonderfully relaxing but now it was time to go, face that road again and drive the last few km home.  

We made it out, crossed the river at Waikerie and while Bill was pumping up tyres his phone rang. It was Stuart, a man that he had met one day in Gluepot, who owns a propety in the Barossa.  He invited Bill to come and have a look at the birds there including a pair of Peregrine Falcons.  Of course Bill said yes so we made our way to Greenock and camped at a wonderful camp ground in the park.

The next day we spent on Stuart’s propety and Bill was in seventh heaven with all the birds.

We took some time to have a look around the little town of Tanunda after lunch at The Red Door.

Back in Greenock we had a walk around the little village before night fell.

The next day we set off again and began our journey home in earnest - only 776 km to go now.  We enjoyed the drive through the beautiful Barossa vineyards and after that the Murrayland area of SA.

We stopped for lunch at Coonalpyn and found a very busy carpark as everyone stops now to admire the Silo Art there.  Brisbane artist Guido van Helten has painted this silo using images of five local primary school children.

He said the children represented the future of the town, and he hoped the giant art work might inspire those children and others "to a path through creative industries".  We also loved the new bright mosiac wall in the park as well.

Moving on after lunch we camped that night at a lovely little spot at North Serviceton Reservoir.

The next morning we crossed the border back into Victoria and soon after stopped again at Rupanyup to see another silo.

This silo art is a monochrome mural created by Russian artist Julia Volchkova on the huge metal grain storage bins. It was inspired by the local Rupanyup Panthers Football and Netball Club and the two young people featured are quite stunning.

From here we made our way through Victoria and camped for our last night at Potters Lane, a lovely spot beside the Campaspe River at Elmore.

A quick look around the next morning before we pointed the car towards home.  We enjoyed a coffee in Rushworth and an hour later we had arrived back home.

And so our journey was complete and our biggest adventure to date was over.  It is a trip we will never forget.  We have travelled 23,000 km and we have seen some amazing places.  Crossing six borders we have passed through drought ridden country in NSW and QLD, Tropical Rainforest in FNQ and the Cape York Peninsula.  Once again we were mesmerised by the mystery and grandeur of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.  We loved the adventure of crossing the country on ‘The Longest Shortcut’ and we enjoyed exploring some incredible new places in WA.

For now though its time to enjoy our time at home again.  Lots of fun things happening in our little corner of the world so watch this space.

until next time .......

Fun with family and friends.......

After setting up on the front lawn in Merriwa it was time to head inside and see our two youngest grand children again.  Noah at 4 and Ethan at 2 have both grown so much and are real little boys now.

Our previous visit was 18 months ago and we only saw them for short periods.  This time we are staying here for 11 days so will have a chance to really get to know them both.  We also met Sophia, their new au pair from Germany.

Taegan, Gareth and the boys welcomed us and we really enjoyed our time with them.  With Mum and Dad at work during the week we got to spend lots of time with Noah, Ethan and Sophia.  I’m now a full bottle on Play Doh, Slime, Dinosaurs and cars!

While there we took the opportunity to catch up with friends.  We had a fabulous night with Deb, John, Marg and Gunther.

Another great night was spent with Sandra, Vicki and Tammy.  We drove to Dawesville one day and caught up with old friends Julie and George.  Another day we played tourist and took a drive to Gin Gin where we found a lovely little park and a great little cafe next to it.

One morning we were up bright and early to have the windscreen replaced.  After having a couple of chips fixed in Alice Springs we thought we would be right but once back on the bitumen near Menzies we got hit again and this time had a growing crack through the middle.  Hopefully this one lasts the distance home!

On Thursday night we had dinner with David, Amelie and Corbyn.  Our two older grand children have grown up as well and are both almost as tall as me.  It was lovely to see them again.

On Friday night we stayed with Anne and Paul.  Both Anne and Bill’s footy teams, Richmond and Essendon, were playing that night and we had front row seats in front of the telly.   A great dinner and a few drinks lessened the blow when Richmond won.  Anne and Paul were smiling though.

We left after breakfast on Saturday and met David, Amelie and Corbyn at the shops and had lunch with them all before returning to Merriwa to take up play doh duties again.

Sunday morning was a hive of activity as everyone was getting ready for the ‘big event’.  It was Noah’s 4th Birthday Party.  The bouncy castle arrived early and kept the boys entertained until it was party time.  11.00 o’clock arrived and so did 10 little four year old boys and girls.  A fun time was had by all and we loved that we could be there to share the day with Noah.  We finished the day with a delicious meal and a lovely evening at Nancye and Bob’s place in Ocean Reef.

Monday was Noah’s actual birthday and we enjoyed our last dinner with the family.  During the day we had readied ourselves to move to David’s place the next day.  Thank you so much for having us and letting us share your home and life for the last week.

While here the weather had been very cold with some rain and Bill had been unable to locate those pesky leaks so we had organised to take the van in on the way to David’s to get it looked at.  We did that and they resealed a number of spots that looked like possible places rain could get in.  All but one spot seems to have been fixed so we’ll keep looking for that one.

We arrived at David’s place that afternoon and set up in his driveway.  It was great to see him again and be able to spend a few days with him and the kids.  They stayed over on Thursday night and we were given a sneak preview of their costumes for Book Week.

On Friday night we had a wonderful night catching up with Marg who has returned from the French Canals to live in Perth.  The view from her new apartment is sensational looking along the Swan River to the city and the new Perth Stadium.

Lorraine, Hans, Jill, Rob and Steve all joined us for dinner at a little Thai Restaurant.  It was so good to see everyone again and hear all about what they have been doing since last time we visited.

Saturday morning was spent with David and the kids and Bill helped David sorting out his reticulation.  Sunday morning they had another go at the reticulation and later in the afternoon we caught up with Pat and Russell for afternoon tea.

We had dinner with David, Amelie and Corbyn on Monday night and said goodbye to them again. We’ll see you next time.

On Tuesday afternoon Taegan brought Noah and Ethan down to meet us and say goodbye.  As it was still raining we met at MacDonalds and the boys had a wonderful time in the two storey playground. It was lovely to see them again and very hard to say goodbye.

Later that evening we caught up with our good friend Angelino and his two beautiful daughters, Tyler and River.  We all enjoyed the yummiest Calzone Pizza at the Rivervale Hotel.  So good to see you all again.  Hopefully it won’t be so long next time.

We enjoyed our last night with David at home and said our goodbyes before bed that night.  Thank you too for having us stay and we look forward to next time.

And so on the 30th August after almost three weeks in Perth with our families and friends it was time to hit the road again and begin our long journey home. There were still some friends to be seen but we were on our way.

Our first stop was at Dawesville where we were spending the night with Julie and George.  We had lots to catch up on as it had been many years since we saw them last.  We enjoyed dinner with them at the very quirky Friar Tuck, an Irish Pub.   It was good to see Lee again and meet Sandy.

Saying goodbye to Julie and George the next day we didn’t have too far to go before we stopped again.  We were camping at Herron Point with Anne and Paul for the weekend.  The campground is a nature based camp situated along the white sandy shoreline of the Harvey Estuary.

A totally relaxing place to spend a few days. It is also a Ramsar Bird site so Bill was even happier and spent time playing with the local Osprey and many other birds.  The little Southern Emu Wren was a lovely surprise and such a delicate little bird.

Anne and Paul arrived on Friday evening and we enjoyed a weekend with sunshine and a light breeze.  It was still a bit chilly though.  We left Anne paddle boarding and went and visited Jack and Gina in Mandurah for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon before returning for a final farewell to them as they returned home for work on Monday.  It was a great weekend, thanks for coming and playing with us again.  

One other feature of this little campground was the quirky artwork on the toilet walls.  I can’t show it all but here is one piece.

We stayed one more day and left on Tuesday morning.  From here we were on our way to Bunbury as we had to get something fixed under the car.  We found a home in a Caravan Park there and while Bill took the car to Toyota I got the washing done.  Undies and socks good for another week or so.  We set off the next morning and the forecast rain arrived as we left and it followed us for the next week.

We were on our way to Pemberton to stay with Jill and Rob but we had a few days to kill so we continued looking at places we hadn’t been before.  Our first stop was to Potters Gorge, a fabulous campground at Wellington Dam near Collie.  A National Park campground with all sights marked out.  A fire pit/barbecue and a table at each site.  Gas barbies and toilets right through the grounds. And all for $6 per person.  Kinda makes our $50 ish for National Parks in Victoria look a bit over the top eh!

We spent two days here but unfortunately it rained for the most if the time but at least we were warm and dry inside.  Leaving here we stopped at Collie for a look around and loved the old buildings which have been kept in good order.  The old Premier Hotel still holds pride of place in the main street with a modern sculpture of ‘The Bookmaker’ in front.

We left here and drove on to Boyup Brook where we spent one night in their little caravan park. Another lovely little village and Bill was happy as he found Western Rosellas and Red Tailed Black Cockatoos here.

The next day we made our way to Pemberton and our first stop was to see the local Dr.  While staying with the boys both Bill and I had picked up a nasty cold.  Both of us had seen the Dr there and had been given antibiotics.  Mine was gone but Bill’s cough had persisted and was now back with a vengence.  The Dr gave him some tablets and medicine and we hope to see an improvement soon. The cold damp weather is certainly not helping.

From here we made our way to Jill and Rob where we were welcomed warmly and all sat down for lunch together.  Marg arrived from Perth later in the afternoon and we all enjoyed a lovely weekend of good food, good wine and wonderful friendship.  No time on the verandah this visit as the rain and cold persisted for most of the days.  It didn't stop Rob and Bill from taking photos of the wonderful birdlife around the house.  This Splendid Fairy Wren seemed very happy to oblige.

We had a look around the fine wood gallery on Saturday morning and enjoyed a coffee with some local friends and on Sunday morning we went to their place at Donnelly Lakes for morning tea and a photographic session for the boys.  Such a lovely place and the lakes looked very tranquil.

The next morning we packed up once more, said our farewells to Marg, Jill and Rob and made our way out to the highway.  It was really time to head for home now.  Thank you once again for having us stay and sharing your little piece of paradise with us.

Google maps tells me that we have 3386 km to get us home so I guess we’d better get started.  I’ll let you know what we see along the way.

until next time........

Next stop Perth.......

Leaving Laverton on the 1st August we began our journey south to Perth where we were going to stay with our boys for a few weeks.  But first we were going to see some parts of WA that we had never visited before.

Our first stop was at Leonora where we had a quick look at the town before making our way to the Gwalia Museum where we camped for the night.  This wonderful free camp is situated on top of the hill overlooking the Sons of Gwalia goldmine on one side and the ghost town of Gwalia on the other.

The only problem with being on top of a hill is that if the weather is bad then you know about it.  And yes, you guessed it, the weather turned feral with a huge storm hitting the area that night.  The rain and the wind were very bad and we discovered a few leaks that were previously unknown.

The next morning we braved the weather and spent an hour or so checking out the museum and learning all about the goldmine and the old town.

The ‘Sons of Gwalia’ reef was first discovered in 1896 by Welsh prospectors Carlson, White and Glendinning. (Gwalia is one of the Welsh poetic names for Wales).  It was the most significant reef opened up in this area.

A young Herbert Hoover (later the 31st President of the USA) was sent to Gwalia to evaluate it’s prospects.  He noted ‘no other lode country in the world presents such an array of severe conditions which must be struggled against to do cheap mining’.

He designed, and had built, the Mine Managers house (Hoover House), the Mine Office and the Assay Office and in 1898 he designed the angled head frame, the only remaining wooden incline head frame left in the country. 

The mine closed in Dec 1963, but it reopened in 1983 after Sons of Gwalia NL was floated on the Perth Stock Exchange and Open Pit mining commenced.  2005 saw a change of ownership and a return to underground mining which continues to the present day.

Before we left we had a walk around the Ghost town of Gwalia.  It was once the home of around 1000 people in the late 1890’s.  People came from all around the world but most disappeared when the mine closed in 1963.

We enjoyed poking around in and out of the few restored huts.  Each one is adopted by someone and restored using only authentic methods of the era they were built in.  Such a wonderful way to keep history alive.  The old Hotel still stands proudly on the corner of the deserted town.

It was a real relief when we got back in the car with the heater on after the bitterly cold morning in the wind and rain.  The blue skies certainly did not equate to a summers day!  We are not used to days like this at the moment.  

We left Leonora and made our way to Menzies where after a quick look at their visitors centre we headed out to Lake Ballard, a large salt lake 51 km west of Menzies.

It is here at the lake that you will find a 51 sculptures, by Antony Gormley, across a 2 km area of this large salt lake.  The sculptures are all derived from laser scans of some of the residents of Menzies. Known as ‘insiders’ these figures depict men, women and children.  I wonder what the subjects thought when they saw the finished product.

Called ‘Inside Australia’ this art installation was commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of the Perth International Arts Festival in 2003.

We drove out to the lake in the late afternoon and camped overnight in the little campsite.  The next morning we woke to sunshine which lasted while we explored some of the sculptures.  After all the rain the ground was quite wet but the birds around the camp were loving the sun.  Bill enjoyed playing with this lovely little Crested Bellbird before we ventured on to the lake.

After all the rain the lake was very sticky but we were able to walk out a short way and get a close up look at about 5 of the figures. A very interesting sight and well worth the drive out to see them. It took days to get the salty mud of our boots though!

Once again the warm car was very welcome after another cold, wet and windy morning.  The sun didn’t last very long!  We left the lake and returned to Menzies where we had a look along the very tidy main street.  Lots of sculptures along the way telling the stories of the local area.

Back in the car we made our way to Kalgoorlie and spent the night in Centennial Park free camp.  We had a wander around the town before heading to the supermarket to do a proper shop, the first since leaving Alice Springs.

We returned home and arrived just before another nasty storm hit.   It rained all night and yes we still had leaks.  Guess it’s a job to get checked out in Perth.  The next morning it looked like we were in a shallow lake but we made it to the car and drove out of the car park.

After breakfast we drove the few km to Boulder and had a look at the Super Pit. What a truly amazing sight this ‘hole in the ground’ is.

The blurb tells us 'Stand beside Kalgoorlie’s Super Pit and gaze open-mouthed into one of the largest open-cut mines on earth and the biggest gold mine in Australia.  Today, 900,000 ounces of gold are harvested here each year, making a running total of 50 million ounces and a hole stretching 3.7 kilometres long, 1.5 kilometres wide and around 600 metres deep.  The Super Pit now incorporates the historic Golden Mile, marking the spot where Irishman Paddy Hannan first struck gold and sparked the great gold rush of the late 1800s'. 

We left Kalgoorlie Boulder and made our way to Southern Cross stopping along the way to see a beautiful Memorial for 3 men killed in the 2007 bush fires at Boorabbin.

We stayed in a lovely little caravan park at Southern Cross.  Our heater was not working properly again and this cold snap was bitter so once again we were plugged in and using the AC.  Even with 2 quilts on the bed we could still feel the chill.  Another job for Perth!

Next day we drove to Wongan Hills passing through the small towns of Bencubbin and Koorda. Nothing was open in either town on a Sunday.  Waking up to another cold morning we were soon on our way and stopped at New Norcia to have a look around this lovely little place.

On 1 March 1846, a Benedictine mission to the local native Aboriginals was started about 8 km to the north, led by the two Spanish Benedictines, Rosendo Salvado and Joseph Serra.  Within a year the mission was moved to where the town is today, and on 1 March 1847 the foundation stone of the monastery was laid.

Australia’s only monastic town, New Norcia is a unique place to visit.  The buildings are a Spanish style of architecture, along with some other historical sites.  Among these are the two old boarding schools, St Ildephonsus' and St Gertrude's, the Abbey Church (containing the tomb of Rosendo Salvado), an old mill, a wine press, a hotel and the monastery itself.

Leaving here we drove on having lunch at Moora before continuing on to our final destination of Cervantes.  We were visiting a friend on our way to Perth.  A few days rest will be very welcome.

The next day was sunny but cold and windy and we decided that we would take care of all the chores first.  I washed load after load of washing and then we both got stuck into cleaning the van inside and out.  After all the dust we had been through this was a mammoth task and while not all gone at least it was better than before.   Bill also had a look at the heater and discovered that the filter was clogged. The very thing the repair man in Alice Springs said was OK.  Great job and we are warm again.  He couldn't find any obvious leaks though.  We'll have to wait and see.

 Later that afternoon we had a drive around Cervantes and enjoyed a coffee at the little cafe on the beachfront.  A bit chilly but good coffee.

The next morning we drove out to the Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park and spent some time exploring here.  In all the years we lived in Perth we had never been to the Pinnacles.  Wow, another amazing sight.

The area contains thousands of weathered limestone pillars.  Some of the tallest pinnacles reach heights of up to 3.5m above the yellow sand base.  The different types of formations include ones which are much taller than they are wide and resemble columns—hence the name of Pinnacles—while others are only a metre or so in height and width resembling short tombstones. 

We spent a couple of hours driving and walking among these amazing formations and then we took a drive out to Stuart Reserve where Bill found this lovely little Variegated Fairy Wren.  From there we returned home for an afternoon out of the wind and increasing rain.  At least we were warm again.

With the weather still dodgy the following morning we drove out to Lake Thetis to have a look at the Thrombolites there.  These are ancient forms of microbial communities that photosynthesise.  A boardwalk around the lake allows you to get up close to see these very interesting formations.

 With the sky darkening fast we made a quick dash to the car and made it back just before the next downpour.  Another afternoon was spent warm and dry inside.

Waking to sunshine the next morning we decided it was time to head to Perth and begin the next part of our visit.  Family time with David, Gareth and their families.  Thank you so much to our kind host in Cervantes, hopefully we will see you soon.

We packed up and made our way to Gareth’s place in Merriwa where we set up and looked forward to some fun with the family.  More about that soon.

until next time.......