Rocked in to Port Augusta last Monday, late. Headed for the visitors centre and 20 minutes later we were completely revising our travel options: even ‘good’ dirt roads were looking ominous. Continue reading →

Bit of a crisis this week. The driver wants to sack the navigator. About 390km of dirt roads again this week! Trouble is that whilst the relief driver was performing her duties the trainee navigator identified Mt Connor as Uluru Continue reading →

Rocked in to Alice Springs on Sunday 26 June. Rest day Monday – much needed break with a few minor repairs done – though the sliding door still continues to beat us. Tuesday was spent ‘doing’ Alice. Continue reading →

Well here it is Sunday night at Jabiru,  8.30pm and still 28.2C with  forecast 20-32C. Continue reading →

Monday (18th) morning 6am. Roadside camp beside highway in the Eastern Kimberleys. Morning has broken; birds (black?) singing; shorts and T-shirt already. One of the benefits(?) of reaching WA is the sun now rises before 6am and it is dark by 5.30pm. Continue reading →

We were cold last night!…. Thank you fellow Tasmanians for that groan of sympathy.

Here we are in Derby, on the coast about 200k north of Broome, so how did we get cold? Well we attended a community ‘Long table dinner’ on the mud flats at the Dinner Tree; a huge boab where the old time drovers used to rest for dinner before the 5km cattle drive up to the port. We did think to wear long trousers, shoes and socks, but a jacket – of course not; we put them away about 3 weeks ago. As for the people from Darwin in shorts, thongs and t shirts!
It was a very good night; good meal, good entertainment and a huge bonfire, but still we had to head home about 9pm to thaw out.

Last week we left you as we were heading in to Halls Creek. Oh dear, another testament to the failure of Europeans to come to grips with the isolation and weather of northern Australia.

Quickly on to Fitzroy Crossing and a boat trip up Geike Gorge. Gorged out we might have been; but this gorge is carved out of a Devonian (200m years ago?) reef so presented a picture of weather and water carved limestone. You start to realize how ‘small’ Sydney Harbour must be – we keep getting interesting comparisons. For example the water flow through Geike Gorge last wet would have filled it in 12 hours! In the attached picture you will note a distinct change in colour of the cliffs. Up until about 10m above the current river level the cliffs are basically white. This is the average river height during the wet. The recent wet was around 1m above that!

At least Fitzroy Crossing offered some of the trappings of civilisation, including a good tourist information centre (the IC at Halls Creek was a shambles). As a result we have made our booking for the ‘Horizontal Falls’ trip on Tuesday 2 August (first available date) and also back tracked about 100km to see the Mimbi Caves.

We were the only visitors to the caves that Thursday, and got the full treatment from our aboriginal guide, Ronnie. Terrific morning! They are located in the same Devonian reef and is an important aboriginal site – so we found not only interesting geology, but also saw rock paintings and were told stories of the aboriginal heritage. We also enjoyed a couple of songs from Ronnie over our morning tea of tea and damper.

Arrived in Derby (population 5000) on Friday, and here we are resting until Tuesday. Not a real lot to the town; I am thinking the 5000 consists 1500 tourists; 3000 aboriginals and 500 other. Biggest tidal range of any Australian port (11.8m). Our list of little repair items grows, but they won’t get looked at here – “Oh, you can probably get that done in Broome” is the catch cry.

Only one planned item next week – The theater production ‘Jandamarra’ in some nearby gorge! Google him if you can not wait until next week! Week after is the Horizontal Falls ex Derby. So we will be hanging around here for another 10 days or so.

A number of vans have names on them – many associated with Spending the Kids Inheritance. But we really liked one we have seen here; ‘What Inheritance?’. With apologies to Nathan, Ryan, David, Alison & Simon!

The navigator blew it again! Fair dinkum, we had around 400k of dirt this week. And what did we get out of it? A play, a creek, and a riverside camp. Not forgetting more little broken things, and our hairiest river crossing to date.
The play “Jandamarra” was the aboriginal perspective of a young aboriginal leader  in the late C19th. He killed a white police officer and then led the settlers a merry dance for a few years until his ultimate shooting at Tunnel Creek in 1897. This was an open air production in another magnificent Gorge- Windjana.
Next day we visited Tunnel Creek. Sue actually followed the underground water course for some .5km or so – she reckoned it superb.
About 30k short of the bitumen we came to THE river crossing! Onwards or backtrack 180km of dirt?  The driver actually felt the wheels slip for a very long 5 to 10 seconds! Or maybe it was 1-2 seconds,but still – all you can do is  nothing except keep calm, keep it straight and maintain constant revs on the engine!

Back to the bitumen and overnight at The Boab rest area. Possibly the biggest we have seen to date. But next day we were in the dirt again to Myroodah Crossing on the Fitzroy River. This was not one we were game to tackle – think we have done our last one, at least until the driver can afford new underwear. Across the river mustering was in full swing on two properties; so we were treated to a stream of 4 wheel drives and road trains tackling the crossing. We just watched whilst Geoff tried his hand at barra fishing (nil result).
Overnight Friday was at Willare Station. Geoff tackled a Kimberley scotch fillet steak. Bloody big and bloody beautiful. Thought of Dale & Ross as he consumed it. Noticed a slashed sidewall on a tyre in the morning. Reckon we must have been within a mm or two of a blow out.
Saturday we hit  Broome (population 13200; July average 12-27C]. It is a bit of a reconnoiter as we have to back track to  Derby (240k) for the Horizontal Falls  adventure on Tuesday.  It is race weekend this weekend so many retailers, including tyre dealers, are shut!  Already checked out Cable Beach, the dinosaur footprints and the weekend markets. Also trying to arrange some accommodation for later next week – not easy! Today (Sunday) we had a swim at Cable Beach and then watched the famous sunset.

Had thought we might hang around here for a week or so; but Sue is still suffering from the night life – apparently it is midges which cause her rashes – so maybe we will have to head a little more south instead.  But hopefully the cooler overnight temps in Broome might do the trick anyway.
Still can not buy casks of wine here, none since Alice Springs (which was in the process of banning them when we were there) and none likely before Geraldton – 1000k or more south.

But at least in Broome there is some wine in bottle shops at bottle shop prices not restaurant prices! All this rubbish about limiting supplies and/or trading hours plus ludicrous service rules is a futile attempt to limit the supply of alcohol to a subsection of the aboriginal population. Thought society had already learnt a number of times over the years that attempting to control this kind of problem by limiting supply does not work.   No wonder the locals get a bit stroppy on the subject. (And by all accounts there are a few Al Capones out there making their fortune.)

Still having a fantastic time over here; but August is nearly upon us already! Heard you had a warm one in Hobart today. Hope you enjoyed it.

Imagine. You are sitting in a 12 seat, twin hulled speed boat powered by 2 x 300hp outboards. Top speed is 60 knots, current speed is  34 knots. But you are not moving forward, just rocking & rolling from side to side. On either side, a mere 3m away, are towering cliffs! Welcome to the Horizontal Falls. Continue reading →

Why would 7 people leap off a perfectly good boat located 200m off shore?
Because we were over Ningaloo Reef, south of Exmouth; and we were all set up for some snorkelling off the glass bottom boat. A fantastic interlude in what has been a quiet week for us.
As well as the reef life there were also whales, dugongs, sharks and turtles to be seen. In fact Sue brought the snorkelling to an end by claiming
(correctly) to have seen a large shark. She did exit rapidly. We actually saw the shark through the bottom of the boat, a 2.5-3m white-tipped reef shark. Harmless unless provoked – hmm, how do you avoid provoking a shark?
Our week started and ended in Exmouth (31C today), a very civilized town where you can buy a 4 litre cask! On a Sunday! We  had 4 nights at Exmouth. Geoff finally got in his deep sea fishing trip. No success with the trolling; too many dolphin. however he caught maybe 2 dozen off the bottom. He kept a few schnapper but most of the fish that came on board were released as no one on board wanted a huge supply; they only kept the best.
The big attraction here is Cape Range National Park; about 40km of peninsula and coast line protected by Ningaloo reef. It is an area where both marine and land tropical and temperate regions meet. This results in a proliferation of all kinds of birds, animals and plants.  Unfortunately we just missed the end of the whaleshark season, as swimming with them is one attraction to which we had looked forward. There were actually a few still about, but two of the main trip operators had ceased and we could not get a date for a reasonably priced trip.
There are maybe 60-80 campsites along the whole of the coast; administered by the Department of Environment & Conservation. Each morning from 7am you can join a queue at the entrance (about 40km from Exmouth) to see if you can get a spot. After plenty of horror stories about many days of queuing  we decided not to bother, simply to take day trips in. On our second day  trip the ‘park full’ sign was not up; so we checked, and lo and behold we secured a place at Osprey Bay.  (Reason probably was that the whaleshark season had officially ended) Only little hiccough is that we had not topped up our water tank for the ‘day trip’ so we either had a 40+km  trip to refill or leave after 3 nights. The 4th morning was very windy, so we decided to quit after 3 terrific days.  $14 per night with toilet and rubbish removal but no shower; simply 40km of warm seawater! Tough life.  Sue has never snorkeled before in her life, but has taken to it with gusto. A very pleasant couple took her in hand and really helped her out.
Sad occurrence this week, we have booked our return trip on the Spirit of Tasmania; on 22 October. We always knew we had to, but the actual doing of it brings home the reality.  So with our arrival in Gin Gin timed for 8 September and a departure date from Melbourne settled, the end looms.
However we actually have something of a challenge coming. Time in Gingin; time in Perth; a trip way down south to  Denmark to catch up with Allen & Marilyn; and we do not intend to sprint across the Nullabor – there is a lot to see on the crossing if you take the time!
We are only a short distance from the Tropic of Capricorn, so we may find ourselves ‘over the line’ in Carnarvon before the end of winter. How sad!

Well it had to happen. Managed to divert ourselves to Coral Bay (via more b*@!^ gorges) for the balance of the ‘southern’ winter. Then on 1 September we swept south across the tropic line to meet a cold front sweeping in from the ocean. Our first rain since 8 June; and it bucketed down. Red rivers pouring down the windscreen (we had not been able to wash the top of the van since mid July), water leaking profusely in around the driver’s window; visibility 20 meters maybe.  Fortunately we were only 2 km from a roadhouse when it reached it’s peak; that took us some 5 or
6 minutes to reach.

Anyway, back to Coral Bay for a paragraph or two. A true tourist resort in an idyllic location!  if we had known more about it, we would have spent less time at Exmouth. Sue spent a good part of the 3 days there just kicking around in the water looking at the fish. This is still in the Ningaloo reef conservation area so you have 60+ cm, extremely edible, fish swimming around between your legs. There is a feeding of the fish at 3pm each afternoon; with a cast of thousands fronting up to be fed. Surely, many of us thought, they would not miss just one or two! Lashed out for diner at the local pub.
Pleasant setting, warm night, cool beer. Only problem was the chef’s special sauce for the Beef and Reef. Nearly wrecked a good steak with local prawns.

We went on a quad bike/ snorkeling safari one afternoon; we were talked in to having a bike each – what a great idea. Sue managed to perform well, much better than one other older guy who had to give up riding and go pillion with the  leader. Geoff got the job of tail end Charlie, so it gave him an opportunity to hoon a little by dropping right back then booting it!  He thinks those days are over – 60 kph up the beach was plenty fast enough for him.

Down south of the border we are tonight about 120km inland from Geraldton in Mullewa, which puts us about the same latitude as Noosa.  An overnight at Carnarvon did not inspiring a longer stay there, despite an excellent little caravan park.  The one mile jetty was duly walked, hum! The list of 10 or 12 things to do in and around Carnarvon mostly involved trips of up to 600 km return (Karajini National Park!  – been there done that about two weeks ago).

Geraldton, which we visited last year, merited a quick spin around the main town area, refueling and shopping then out towards Wildlfower Country. Oh dear, we might only be 200-300 km from Gingin but I may have to dig Sue out of here to be down there by Friday latest! Wildflowers by the thousands, photos by the thousands. Heaven help the Garden Club if it wants a slide show. Geoff is thinking of giving Sue the car keys and finding a nice pub to hole up in for a few days!

Geoff Shaw has very kindly set up a website for us, and has posted links to all of our weekly emails and photos  https://sueandgeoff.austvic.com/. We have also a Picasa linked website with a number of photos already up. There is a link on the first website to the Picasa site in the “Photos Galore” section on the main menu.
Anyway, we can not even hope to select only five photos this week. So we will try to set up a gallery of wildflower photos on one of these two websites whilst we are in Gingin. (no doubt with technical advice from Geoff S.) Will keep you posted.

As i write this, big bertha is throwing a hissy (but iPad is back). All of our electronic equipment (phones, cameras, computers) are all throwing occasional tantrums. I’ll just get on and send this, though there was more to say.

Touchdown in Gingin was achieved on Thursday, after only 3 days amongst the Wildflowers! Sue reckoned this was not enough, Geoff enjoyed it for nearly one day; so not a bad compromise really.

Last Sunday night we were in Mullawa, basically at the northern edge of the self proclaimed Wildflower Country.   As we worked our way southwards there were many interesting little towns and localities and plenty of opportunity for free camping in beautiful locations.

Sue got on an orchid kick; for some reason she joined the group who rated them more highly than the other flower types. Geoff had to agree that the little snail orchid at around 2-4 mm in size was an interesting little critter, but there were plenty of pretty good looking non-orchid flowers about; and most were much easier to find.

Today we are celebrating our granddaughter’s seventh birthday with a party and BBQ. Great weather  ( bit cool for the natives at around 23C).

Still not really decided what to do next. Attending some of the CMCA rally at Kalgoorlie is now looking likely. We have heard many good things about Kalgoorlie and the  brothel tour sounds like a really interesting one! Have to get a definite tentative plan organized before Nathan returns to work on his 8-6 swing  on Thursday morning.

Said last week that Geoff would try to put up a wildflower selection on the web. Family, especially three grandchildren have of course precluded much spare time to arrange it. Try again this week.

You will have to put up with some of the other things we saw over the past week. Fascinating church at Mulluwa designed AND BUILT by Msgr John Hawes; Who remembers Neptune petrol?; World famous (again self proclaimed) wreath flower – Lechenaultia macrantha  can reach 50 cm in diameter;

Not long on the road this week. We returned from Quairading on Sunday night to Gingin in just a day and a half; probably would have been less had Navman been able to distinguish between a road and a fire track! Continue reading →