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The Long Road Home
  • JulieReganAdventures
kesäk. – marrask. 2021

The Long Road Home

Travelling the Outback with ute and caravan Lue lisää
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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Kapok tree
    Kununarra damView of Kununarra from Kellys KnobBales of cotton. Same size as hay balesLake Argyle

    Kununurra

    17. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The time zone change sure gives an early sunrise at 5.40am. Definitely the best time of day with cooler air and long shadows. We made the most of this and the fact that our bodies are still in the other time zone and walked around the town before breakfast. Kununurra was a purpose built town that didn't exist before 1961. It was built to house the workers on the Lake Argyle irrigation scheme. Viewing the valley from Kelly's Knob shows such a contrast in the green irrigated valley compared to the rocky hill surrounds.

    After breakfast we drove to the sandalwood factory and shop then back through the cropping region. It was the first time either of us had seen cotton growing. There was also sugar cane and sandalwood trees. We have also been seeing a lot of wild kapok trees. Yet another natural fibre. Is kapok still harvested? We don't know that answer. Man made fibres seem to have taken over.

    After lunch we drove the 70km out to Lake Argyle and the camp we didn’t stay at. Nice camp and almost full yet quiet and shaded. Lake Argyle is one of the largest man made lakes in the southern hemisphere. There is also a small hydroelectric station there. 30MW and built in 1996.
    The afternoon was pleasantly cooler and overcast with 28 degrees. A nice relief for us.

    We had some contact messages from WA police today confirming a few rules due to our arrival from NT. Luckily we had arrived in WA approximately 4 hours before the deadline. If we were later we could now be in isolation awaiting covid test results or could have been in 14 days self isolation in the caravan. That would have been fun for the blog!    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Ivanhoe Crossing
    Banana bread out of caravan ovenDriving through

    Ivanhoe Crossing

    18. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Our last day in Kununurra started early again with a bike ride after breakfast and before the heat. We don't think cyclists are very common in Kununurra going by some of the drivers who are going about their lives ignoring us. A couple of trails we were on had a lot of broken glass which was impossible to avoid. Sad that people treat their town like this with the expectation that someone else will clean up after them.

    As it's our last day in semi- civilisation we topped up at the supermarket and some laundry chores also. Julie also caught up on a few phone calls with decent cell reception. We also decided to explore a nearby ford called Ivanhoe Crossing. After watching a couple of vehicles negotiate it we gave it a go as well. There are two fords and the first one is quite long. As always we can't check depth as this is croc country plus the water is quite swift. A drowning earlier this year happened with a person wading across the ford and getting washed away.

    The heat was around today again so yet another swim in the camp pool and a quick clean of the ute after 6 weeks of dusty driving. The clean ute will last less than a day as we have dirt roads again tomorrow when we stay at the Bungle Bungles.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Sunset at Bungles camp. Note red dust
    Second Ivanhoe crossing from previous day

    Almost Bungle Bungles

    19. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Travelled 250km today heading mostly south east from Kununurra. Julie luckily drove wide roads nicely formed. When Regan took over the road narrowed and road trains arrived. Our drives are so unpredictable. This area is known as The Kimberly's which is rich in minerals. We passed a recently reopened iron ore mine. That explains the road trains taking the ore to Wyndham port for export. Still warm clear and sunny all the way.

    Our plan is to have a couple of nights around the national park. The campground is 1km of dirt road off the main highway. Really rough and dusty so any cleanliness we had in the caravan and car disappeared fast. The camp is just dust with little greenery. That is just the way it is, no reflection on the camp owners or upkeep. We set up camp and managed to stay outside for a couple of hours until the sun moved and our shade was reduced then it was inside to aircon again.

    We have researched tomorrows drive- into the Bungles is a 53km 4wd track which takes 2 to 3 hours. Going to be a bumpy ride for sure. Plenty of water and food to take. Hoping the walks at our destination are as spectacular as we have been told.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    A long spectacular road of nothing
    Our lunch time viewAccess road to Bungles

    Not quite the Bungles

    20. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    So far on the trip the fact we have not been overly planned about where we are heading has to been to our advantage. It allowed us to enter WA and continue the adventure. Unfortunately today we came slightly unstuck. We had not done any research into the Bungle Bungles. I had assumed from our camp we would be able to sit and watch the sun go down over the Bungles.

    I was quite surprised yesterday when we arrived to find out there was a 53km dirt road with river crossings between the camp and the national park. Our friends had organised to go on a tour but we decided we could do our own thing. Last night we caught up with Trevor and Di after their trip and they told us how rough the road was and they wouldn’t drive it. It made us a little nervous.

    We decided to give it a go and if was too rough we would turn around. Looking at the video you can see why we turned around after 10km. Note on the video sound the chiming. This is the dash cam dropping into emergency mode as it thinks it’s about to have an accident.
    We couldn’t wait for 2 more days to get into a tour due to commitments in Broome. So we decided to pack up and drive on.

    There is not much between the Bungles and Broome. The two towns are Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing, both of them are not known for being particularly safe. The road was excellent and easy to drive so we decided to drive until we felt ready to stop. At Fitzroy Crossing which was 400km along we decided to push right through to Derby which was another 250km.

    We arrived in Derby just as the sun was setting which was spectacular. Tomorrow night we plan to see it dropping into the ocean from the wharf. It was a beautiful evening to set up the site, have a beer and go for a camp walk. It was a long day in the car but so good to be here. After the temperature hovered around 35 all day it was great to walk the camp and streets in a pleasant 27 degrees.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Red sunset
    1Derby sunsetPrison BoabFast flowing tide

    Derby

    21. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    It was nice to have break from towing today. Leisurely start with some housework to remove red dust from the caravan, a never ending challenge. Walked into the town which was only 300 metres away. The CWA had a market which was small but there was music and a lot of locals. After walking a few more blocks we realised that this town is small with very few shops. The town is extremely well maintained and you sense there is a real sense of community.

    A drive down to the jetty to see the massive tidal movement in this area. It was first built in the 1860s and replaced in the 1970s. It is a curved wharf which I think is for the tidal flow. There is a 3km long causeway out to the jetty as there are miles of tidal flats. Today's high tide was just over 9metres which is one of the world's largest. The current flowing past was fast and dangerous. The signs warn not to swim. If the undercurrent doesn't get you the crocs will.

     A visit to the prison Boab tree where prisoners were placed inside it to rest before they were shipped away. The indigenous history up this way when Europeans arrived is very sad. Such a large clash of contrasting cultures caused so many issues. They estimate the boab tree is around 1500 years old. The Boab tree is protected up here so it is not uncommon to have a road diverted around a tree.

    Most of the afternoon was spent trying to make a itinerary for our time in WA. Sunset was back to the jetty to watch the sun move through the fire smoke of all the burn-offs that happen in the dry season in WA. A deep red colour across the water.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Large limestone cliffs
    Limestone tunnel1Ready for a swim?In the gorgeThese look like broad beansThe long straight road

    Windjana

    22. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Decided to try and beat the midday heat and get a walk in so we went to Windjana National Park. It is "just down the road". 120km of sealed Gibb River road then 30km of dirt road. By the time we arrived it was 30 degrees but the trail we chose was mostly shaded and meandered through the limestone gorge. The water was really inviting but the croc warning signs dampened the urge. Yes they are just "freshies" but they still have teeth.

    The track follows the Lenard River through the gorge. Not much flow at this time of year but there sure is evidence of how high the water would be in the wet season. We had real issues with large flies landing on us and biting and the insect repellent was almost useless to these determined insects. Quite painful bites so we really couldn't stay still for long.

    At the gorge there is also a camp which has water and toilets. It was quiet but a lovely place to stay if you can handle the dust and rough road. When we removed our shoes and socks our feet were filthy from the dust. It is so fine that it gets everywhere, including the back of the ute of course.
    Back to Derby in 35 degrees so into the caravan aircon for a break from the heat, making some calls to catch up with friends and family and then a pub meal for dinner to contribute to the local economy.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    The WA termites aren't good at building smooth homes
    Large BoabAnother sunset through bushfire smokeBotannical walk

    Last day in Derby

    23. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    We started early with a botanical walk on the edge of the town. The name suggested a nice paved path and pretty trees and flowers. It was slightly different with a small dirt track and scraggy natural bush. We copped heaps of cobwebs and startled by a couple of kangaroos in the first 100 metres. The walk was good and got to see a huge Boab tree.

    Back for a cooked breakfast and then a few jobs at the shops. We found a great second hand bookshop to top up the supplies and we made a donation to the local animal welfare group that runs the shop. More caravan and cleaning jobs which filled the afternoon. We biked down to the wharf for another spectacular sunset. I did make the mistake of stopping under a shelter on dusk and was bitten alive by midges. I think I am up to 20 new bites, so it is not all perfect in paradise.

    Tomorrow we drive 220km to Broome expecting a sea breeze and slightly lower temperatures. No such luck with a predicted high of 35 degrees .    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Sunset
    Cable beachDi and Trev on camel train

    Onward to Broome

    24. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Easy drive this morning across to Broome (220km). We arrived at midday and I was very excited to see the Indian Ocean again, we found the camp ground but could not check in until 2pm, so lunch was in the caravan on the street outside the camp in line with a few other caravans all waiting.

    We checked in and organised the caravan in a very tight site, Regan did very well. We found Di and Trevor and arranged to meet up later for dinner. We did a drive around the town and stopped at the visitor centre for more brochures.

    Next on the hit list was Cable beach, somewhere we have always wanted to see. It did not disappoint, a flat white beach with a calm blue sea. The beach was busy with swimmers, 4WD vehicles to the north and the camel trains were ready for their sunset tours. We both paddled and then I went for a swim which was fabulous.

    We walked up the beach, saw Di and Trevor take off on their camel ride and then sat down to watch the sun drop in the ocean. After a shower we met Di and Trevor again to go to the Mangrove hotel for dinner. The hotel was heaving as they had a special show with music for the Staircase to the Moon, More on that in tomorrow’s blog. We had a delicious dinner when it finally arrived and it was a nice way to say goodbye to them. They head off south tomorrow and we are staying up in this area for a few more days so won’t catch up again.
    Julie is still suffering from the midge attack from 2 days ago. The sea water will definitely help with the use of quite a few medications for relief.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Gantheaume Point rocks
    Gantheaume PointReddell beachStaircase to the moon1Camp entertainment

    Broome Day 2

    25. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Leisurely for us checking out the Broome shops in the morning. The town area has had a recent revamp with roads and footpaths. It is very much a tourist town with a few cafes and a lot of womens clothing stores. Back to the camp for a swim at the town beach. It's a safe beach but we didn’t go out too deep. There were a few others swimming already so we felt safer.

    Later in the day we went searching for a place called the 'Bingle Bingles'. As we missed seeing the 'Bungle Bungles ' a few days back we had to find these. A drive down a 4wd sandy track and we were at Reddell Beach. The Bingles are the cliffs along the beach we believe. Further along the sand track was Gantheaume Point lighthouse. The rocky point juts out into the Indian Ocean which has a colour all of its own.

    The camp had live music this evening so we grabbed a few drinks and joined a few others at the BBQ area to finish the day. This camp is located right on a beach front so the 'staircase to the moon' was viewed without needing to walk far. Broome is famous for this phenomenon and occurs each full moon when the moon rises over the mudflats at low tide.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Guess where?
    Part of the museumBroome style buildings of the early daysCable BeachTough life

    Broome - Cable Beach

    26. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    An early walk into town before breakfast and the heat of the day started our morning. We visited the Broome museum which had a lot of good down to earth historical facts. Pearls were the major industry here and there were a few stories about forced labour of the local indigenous guys to dive. It was interesting to understand the pearl shell was almost as valuable as the actual pearls as it was used for buttons, handles, and hair combs until plastic was invented.

     There was a video about the ladies who worked in the telephone exchange. It was a really interesting slice of Broome life through the 70s and 80's. One story tickled my fancy, they were often asked to be baby sitters, the parents would call the exchange saying the children were asleep and they were heading to the so and so's. The phone was left connected to the exchange and could they check for crying every so often and call them if needed. Not sure how that would go down now?

    In the restored sail making building was some now and then photographs. Looking at the main street in 1978 you would swear it was the wild west. No footpaths and numerous tin shacks for shops. It has had quite a facelift since then.

    Cable Beach was named after the second undersea Cable installed in 1889 to link Australia with the rest of the world. It was run to Java and only took 10 days to lay. What was fascinating was that there was a local telephone service quite early in Broome but to talk to the rest of Australia needed to be via Morse code until 1959. This town was truly a very isolated area for a long time. Even in the 1970s not many people ventured here.

    WW2 also saw Broome attacked by Japanese warplanes. Over 80 people were killed and all planes destroyed during the only attack. Most killed were civilians as at the time there were a lot of Dutch refugees that had fled Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) ahead of the occupation. They landed in Broome and were waiting for their planes to continue south the following day.

    After lunch it was time to feel the sea and sand of Cable Beach. The water was refreshing and clean with some good breakers that dumped us both a few times. There were lifeguards on duty too so a lot of eyes looking out for us.

    After a grocery shop and a shopping mall discovery we headed home to relax. The sun and sea does tire us.
    After dinner we walked down to the nearby town beach where the night market is on and also this week is the Shinju Matsuri festival. This celebrates culture, history and the beauty of Broome. There was a lot of people and food stalls with live music.

    Tomorrow is a very early start as we get picked up for a flight and 4wd tour to Horizontal falls.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Our float plane
    Cape LevequeLocating the pearlSharks come for a feed. Very docileIncredible rocksFlying back to Broome

    Horizontal Falls

    27. elokuuta 2021, Indian Ocean ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    After our day today I feel I should apologise to all our lovely readers who are currently in one of the many lockdowns happening. One of the things we were definitely going to do if we made it to WA was to book a day trip to the Horizontal Falls. In the King Sound north of Derby there are such large tides that in a specific spot where the tide change creates conditions like a waterfall. It was a full day with a pick up at 5:10am! It was incredibly foggy this morning which was a surprise.

    The first activity was a 2 hour drive to Cape Leveque which is at the top of the Dampier Peninsula. We were rewarded with an amazing beach with white sand and red cliffs. It made for fabulous photos. Next stop Cygnet Pearl Farm which was created by an eccentric Australian in 1945 who wanted to create an Australian business in competition to the all the Japanese owned farms.

    We had a full breakfast and then taken on a tour of the pearl operation including harvesting an oyster to hopefully find a pearl. It was so interesting to see the farm in action and learn more about how they place a value on the pearls. The oyster had a pearl but it was deformed and coloured so not worth anything. It also had a tiny natural pearl which was not created around the seed. It is called a Keshi pearl and it was worth $180. Of course we finish the tour in the shop with delicious pieces of jewellery. The price tags were pretty hefty for this unemployed girl so I left empty handed.

    On to the nearest airstrip for the first flight in the little sea planes. We were all seated carefully to make sure the weight was evenly balanced. This flight was 20 minutes and flew over the Buchaneer Archipelago which has a huge number of small islands off the coast. We also flew over the horizontal falls which was so cool to see them from the air.

    The planes landed on the water in Talbot Bay where the adventure company have created a floating hotel to use as their base. It was quite busy when we arrived as the fog has caused disruption. On our tour there was supposed to be another group who flew up and then drove back but their tour was cancelled due the fog. Also the overnight tours normally leave at 7:30am but they were still there and did not leave until mid afternoon.

    As soon as we disembarked we went out to the horizontal falls as the tides were perfect. The boat seated 30 and was well powered with 3 x 300hp outboards. The wide gap was 20 metres and the water falls 3m from one side to another. We played around in the rapids for quite a few minutes and then went to look at the narrow gap. This one is only 7m wide and the boat is 4m so not much wriggle room! As the tide was at the peak we could not go through the second gap but had some fun as the driver pretended to let the tide take us. It was as amazing as we expected.

    Back to the boat for a BBQ lunch and shark feeding. You could also swim in the next door cage and check out the sharks underwater. Regan and I decided to give this a miss. The final tour in Talbot bay was to Cyclone Creek which had amazing rock formations. Final flight was back to Broome, a little nervy to take off on the water. A door opened on the plane as we started to take off so a quick abort to close the door and off again. The flight was an hour and we were quite pleased to be dropped off at the camping ground.

    Easy tea and toast dinner and suspect it will be an early night.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Town Beach
    My view on Town BeachYesterdays view

    Extra day in Broome

    28. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    With yesterday’s action packed day we decided to extend out departure from Broome until tomorrow. This has given us a day to work out where we head next. Told you we don’t really have a plan!

    We went into town to get a few supermarket things and find another jar of this amazing natural bite cream I found. There were Saturday markets on which was a bonus and I managed to buy some more Midge Magic. All locally produced for the last 25 years and has been amazing to control the itching. On the whole the bites are finally settling down.

    Good old housekeeping with washing, toilet cassette emptying and rubbish collection. It doesn’t take long for the caravan to look a bit chaotic. As a reward we went to Town Beach for some swimming and enjoying the sun. The sea is very calm so it was gentle floating rather than the more active surf at Cable Beach.

    Lovely end to the afternoon catching up with friends on Zoom. We are ready to move on in the morning especially considering we are staying close to the beach at our next destination.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    80 mile beach
    Still plenty of scrub burnoffsSandfire roadhouseAnother sunset over the Indian oceanHeading south

    Eighty Mile Beach

    29. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Departed Broome around 9:30am and had a very uneventful drive down to our destination. The road was quiet, smooth and mostly straight. We had a couple of stops in picnic areas for lunch and then fuelled up at the Sandfire Roadhouse. Each roadhouse has a distinctive feel. This one was covered with old road signs and registration plates.

    Eighty Mile beach camp is part of Wallace Down Station and required a 10km dirt road to get to the site. We were rewarded with an amazing beach view when we dropped over the hill into the camp. It was much bigger than we expected with over 200 sites as well as cabins. It is immaculately maintained and lots of lovely shade at most sites.

    The camp is right on the beach but unfortunately you can’t swim there due to sharks. It is very popular with fishermen and there appear to be excellent catches judging by the fish in the cleaning area tonight. If fact when we went on to the beach for a walk someone had just pulled in a small shark using a surf cast. We also spotted a few jellyfish so think we will stick to paddling in the shallows.

    Of course there was another spectacular sunset as the sun dropped into the ocean. We are still not sick of watching yet though. Very quiet camp as I type this at just after 7pm the only noise is a child complaining about having to have a shower. Have booked for 2 nights so looking forward to exploring more in the morning.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Biking on the beach
    Pie dinner at sunsetThe first camp we have found with a WW2 memorialBook reading afternoon1The beach

    Holiday day

    30. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Eighty Mile beach is the kind of place you put your feet up and relax. There is the amazing beach for entertainment and not much more. We did a pre-breakfast walk up the beach and sat outside for breakfast. Regan had a few small jobs to do while I settled in with a new book and that was basically the morning. Today’s temperature was pleasant with a slight sea breeze.

    Each night in the camp the managers offer a different meal. Tonight was beef pie with mashed potato, peas and gravy followed by apple pie and ice cream. I walked up this morning to place our orders. In the afternoon I did some embroidery and Regan spent some time sorting accommodation for Port Hedland which is tomorrow’s destination.

    Later in the afternoon we took the bikes out on the beach and did a 15km ride along the flat sand which was fun. Up to the camp office for dinner watching the last of the sunset, such a stunning location. It has felt like a real holiday day and we thoroughly enjoyed it.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    The port building dominates the town
    Yes the lithium mining is big here tooPretty PoolThe harbour

    Port Hedland

    31. elokuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    As we only had 250km to drive today there was no hurry to pack up and get away. We enjoyed another beach walk before breakfast and were packed up and on the road by 9:30am. The dirt road out to the main road seemed much rougher than driving in. One quick stop on the way for bathroom and coffee break.

    We arrived in Port Hedland around midday. As we are only here for two nights we are taking advantage of some free camping on the edge of the race course. There are at least 30 other rigs and we all need to be self contained. Driving into Port Hedland you can really see the evidence of the mining industry everywhere. There was one of the giant automated trains heading back to the mine and you drive on past a massive salt mine on the edge of the town.

    In the afternoon we went into the tourist information to book a tour that will take us around the harbour by boat. We then walked around the corner smack into the port buildings - there is no escaping the main feature of the town. We then drove along the sea front which is really pretty and down to Pretty Pool. It’s an inlet where the sea comes in and you can swim, no crocodiles or sharks. Oh but wait make sure you wear shoes so you don’t stand on the stone fish as stated by the information. I mean …….seriously 😒.
    We then drive over to South Hedland that is a large town built in the 1960’s entirely as a new residential subdivision to service the large expansion of Port Hedland.

    Back to the van for a sundowner drink and dinner. The site could be a bit noisy as there are main roads close and we will potentially hear the trains.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    A full ship departing. Note how low it is.
    Pier hotel where a couple of our readers first met each other in the 1960'sOne of the tugs.Harbour by night

    The home of the white Hilux

    1. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    We awoke to fog and high humidity. The RV overflow park was busy quite early with departures. The service it provides to short term travellers is outstanding. It's a safe haven and supplies nothing but rubbish and recycling and a flat sandy site. It's all we need and everyone watches out for each other.

    After a walk to admire the beach view (fog) we headed to town for the seafarers centre harbour tour. We chanced our luck getting an urgent oil change for the ute and Pilbara Toyota gladly did the work for us with no notice. Well done to those guys. They washed the ute too! The seafarers tour took us through the history of the organisation, how it began as a Christian based society and now is a massive non profit organisation supporting seafarers world wide when they land in foreign ports. They usually have full contact with the seafarers but due to covid the seamen aren't allowed off the ships at all.

    Pilbara Port has 19 berths and takes Panamax and Cape class ships. Suggest you research these behemoths. They are the biggest ships around. The ships come in on low tide and leave full on full tide about 36 hours later. The port is dredged and some of these ships have less than 25cm of gap between the sea floor and their bottom. It's all electronically monitored as well. A fleet of tugs help maneuever the ships in and out of the Port. The main players (BHP and FMG) each have their own tugs. 98% of exports from Pilbara is iron ore. By far the largest ore export port. This place has kept Australia from recession with well over 500 million tonnes shipped annually.

    We toured by boat right around the harbour getting close to the ships while the kilometres of conveyors feed the ore into their hulls. The automated trains bring the ore from the mines. The trains are 2.9km long and have 4 locomotives and 268 ore carrying trucks. The trains and the ore loaders for the boats are all remotely operated from Perth. No drivers or operators as such anymore. Still a lot of people doing maintenance I would imagine. In a week or so we will be inland near the mines so hope to tour at that end as well. Salt and lithium are also exported. Lithium is presently 700USD/ tonne and iron ore is 200USD/tonne.

    After lunch we watched a ship leaving also. There are about 20 ships waiting to enter the port.
    Back to our free camp after shopping and fuel. We have found Port Hedland most interesting and well worth visiting such a dynamic working town. Tomorrow we are back on the road south along the coast to Dampier.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    The beginning of wildflower season
    Cossack courthouseCourthouseCossack customs houseRoebourne Post OfficeView of Dampier harbour

    Karratha

    2. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    After a slow start leaving Port Hedland due to a tyre replacement on the caravan, we made our way towards Karratha. Once again the roads became long, straight and devoid of changes. As we neared Karratha some small rocky hills greeted us to keep us interested.

    We took a turn off the main road at Roebourne which is an historic village. This was apparently the first town to be settled in the north west Pilbara region. It had some very old stone buildings and seems that there is quite a bit of pride in the history. Just out to the coast from there is an abandoned village callaed Cossack. This was set up as a pearling town as the europeans discovered a lot of the locals with pearlshell necklaces. Once again the settlers pretty much enslaved the indigenous guys and forced them to dive for the oysters. There were a few stories of the divers not coming back to surface after drowning or shark attacks. Back in the 90's the government took over the town and a lot spent on renovating the buildings. The courthouse building is spectacular and fully open to browse the historical artefacts on show.

    After a coffee and milkshake from the cafe we drove the last 40km to Karratha where we managed to secure one night at the camp. Unfortunately we can't stay any longer so tried at the nearby Dampier camp with no luck. So with that we took in the large Dampier harbour and the Rio Tinto iron ore ships. Another massive port with trains and conveyors and loading areas. Plus a lot of salt flats to export that as well.

    Along the road that we have taken from Kunanarra to Karratha we have seen two cyclists travelling along. Each time we remark at how fit and crazy they must be to do some of the longest and most boring roads. Tonight we met them in the camp. A father and son from Perth. They have completed their journey and will fly home tomorrow. Quite an amazing feat . They carry up to 40 litres of water each day to get them through the intense heat. The guy did remark at how some days how hard it was with nothing to focus on. No hills, bends in the road etc.

    After a refreshing swim at the camp (refreshing means it was a lot cooler than our last swims at cable beach) we retired to replan the next couple of weeks. WA is still really busy with travellers and due to covid a lot of west australians are staying in the state to holiday. Then there are all the other australians who have the privilege of staying away from their covid states and exteding their holiday.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Sunset. Fire in the sky
    Wildflowers at the campsiteRed rocks on the whole trip

    House Creek stopover

    3. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The drive to Tom Price is well over 600km from Karratha so we did a stopover. The forecast was for high winds and by lunchtime we were starting to get a few gusts which made the trip slower. We passed by a few mines with adjacent camps for the workers and also a couple of natural gas plants. This country is so rich in minerals.

    As we head further west the scenery changed which was good for us to avoid boredom. A few small hills with rocky outcrops. Still red rocks of course. We also noticed termites have reappeared. Haven't really seen any mounds for the last couple of weeks.
    Mobile coverage was pretty good today but as we have now headed inland we have nil reception which will explain this late blog post.

    We stayed at a rest stop called House Creek and were alone there for the first hour or so. Four other vans arrived before dark.
    Today's temperature stayed below 28 degrees which was a pleasant relief. Lunch at the turnoff to Onslow was a breezy affair with most of the caravan windows open while we enjoyed the warm wind. We are probably going to need the doona (duvet) overnight which was packed away when we were in Katherine weeks ago.

    With some clouds most of the day the sunset was going to be amazing which it was.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Jolly green giant at Paraburdoo
    JGG statsThe road to Tom Price

    Tom Price

    4. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    As we drove towards Tom Price it was pretty clear we were entering mining country. There were numerous mountain ranges of red rocks. It was a 300km drive today with a short stop in Paraburdoo which is a town built by Rio Tinto to support one of their mines in the early seventies. It has a population of 2500 but has plenty of worker accomodation villages which indicates a large fifo workforce. Tom Price built in the 60’s was the same so the housing and infrastructure are exactly the same.

    Tom Price is situated at 747 metres above sea level which is the highest town in WA and is consequently the same height as Arthur’s Pass township in NZ. The population is 6500 so quite a bit larger. Our camp ground is on the road to the Tom Price mine which is an enormous open cast iron ore mine. We hope to book a tour to look around one day.

    We arrived at lunchtime and after we had sorted out our site we headed into town to get some groceries. Again we found a purpose built town centre with all the essential things and not much more. We drove around the town to check out the housing and community facilities. All of these mine/ infrastructure towns have great community facilities and the schools are very well supported.

    Today was the second day in 2 months we were under 30 degrees and are expecting quite a cool night. Tomorrow we will drive out to Karijini National Park to explore. We are hoping for some nice walks after being on the road for the last 2 days.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Dales gorge
    Fern poolDown in the gorge1Circular poolOops.... wrong turnMt Nameless sunsetGot to have a sunset pic

    Karijini National Park

    5. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    The first chilly night for a long time and Julie had to be coaxed out from under the doona. A short drive of just over 100km into the east side of Karijini National Park. Today was a really windy day so was pleased the caravan was not trailing along with us.

    We walked into Dales gorge which is a 2 hour circuit dropping down from the ridge into the gorge below. As we started the walk there was a warning about blue asbestos. Way before the iron ore boom Lane Hancock was mining asbestos. There is an abandoned town close to here which had to be relocated once the dangers were discovered. You can see the blue seams in the rock.

    Plenty of rocky outcrops and we even met caravan neighbours from 80 mile camp. We did take a wrong turn and ended up clinging to a sheer rock face a few feet above the water. No danger, just a risk of wet feet. We were treated at the end with Fortescue falls but we were told to walk up the gorge a little more to Fern pool. A quick swim was very refreshing but a great treat after our walk. The water temperature was cool and the air was early 20's today. Climbing back out of the gorge was about 300 steps up a stairway back to the ute.

    We decided to watch the sunset from the top of Mt Nameless which is just behind the caravan park. It is a 30 minute full 4wd trip up a rocky and very rough track. We bounced up the track with all of the technology that Volkswagen gave us and by the time we headed back down the track the darkness had set in and we were super slow picking our way over the rocks. There were at least 4 other vehicles up at the top of the hill. Great views of the Tom Price area and also of the mine site that seems to spread out for kilometres. More about this mine tomorrow as we have booked a mine tour.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    View of mine from Mt Nameless
    Large machineryLooking down into the gorgeTwisted rocksSpa pool- the temperature wasn't like a spa!Gorge poolsView of mine workings. Very deep and we were 70 metres below original hill height

    Tom Price Mine

    6. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    This mornings trip was a tour of the Tom Price mine. We arrived at the info centre and the bus of 55 seats was full. We were all given hard hats and safety glasses that were to be worn when we left the bus. The safety rules on the Rio Tinto mine site was evident as the driver requested permission to enter and leave. These calls were back to the control room based in Perth.

    We viewed all the areas from the mining area through to the crushers and conveyors that load the massive trains. Very efficient and extremely dusty everywhere. There were massive loaders worth $4.5million with the tyres that were as high as our bus. They carry 240 tons of ore. Each train carries 28000 tons of ore and heads immediately to Dampier or Cape Lambert. We had an opportunity to leave the bus at a lookout point, there was plenty of wind today so we got a good red dusting. The bus driver was incredibly knowledgeable.

    After lunch we headed to Hamersley Gorge at the west side of the Karijini National Park. We walked down a very steep set of steps to two lovely pools. The rock formations are so fascinating in this area. The earth movement has created waves and rocks that thrust up side on. From the pools you clamber over very large rocks to find the better pools at the top of the falls. Regan went swimming but I decided to sit this one out.

    It took us about an hour to drive back to the caravan park on mostly dirt road.. Tomorrow we knock off the middle area of the park so more gorges and rock hopping I suspect.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    The swimming pool
    Joffre falls gorge viewReady to wade through the gapKnox gorgeMore impressive gorge cliffsWildflowersWaiting for the 260 wagons to pass. Didnt publish the whole vid.

    Joffre Falls

    7. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    We headed back into Karijini National Park to see yet more red rocks, gorges and swimming holes. We weren't disappointed as Joffre falls area was all that. The walk down to the water was quite rugged with lots of rock steps then multiple steel ladders to negotiate. Once at the bottom we had to wade through to the water hole.

    The water........well that was a few degrees cooler than normal. I think we got there too early before the sun could heat it. But as we have come all this way we felt that a swim was mandatory. Was more like a dip under then a dash back out to warm up. Quite a climb back to the ute for lunch then along a rough dirt road to Knox gorge.

    We walked to the lookout and checked out the gorge walk. This track came with a few warnings of the track quality where experience was needed, 2 litres of water each etc. We decided not to do this track and headed back to camp via supermarket and fuel as tomorrow we head west and will stay overnight somewhere. Today's trip was about 160km with about 20km of rough dirt road. The red dust here is so fine and dark and gets into every nook of the ute. Everything we touch is coated. We are looking forward to heading south away from the dust and probably replacing it with sand.

    We are really pleased we made the trip into Karajini however. The natural landscapes have been amazing and the rock gorges are incredible.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    Yellow
    LilacOur free camp siteTermites are backPinkThe river we have camped at. Nil water

    Yannarie

    8. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Yes you may ask where are we tonight. It's not a town but a roadside stopover. There are about 60 other caravans and campers here with us. This is quite a popular layover for the travellers. The government supply toilets, rubbish bins and dump stations which is fantastic. The area is beside a river that presumably has water in it sometimes. Surprisingly also we have 3G mobile coverage too.

    We left Tom Price by 9am and it was a quiet drive except for some big gusts of wind that car and caravan negotiated well. Coffee stop at Paraburdoo, lunch stop at House creek, fuel stop at Nanutarra roadhouse.

    We have dropped a few hundred metres in altitude so we are back into 33 degrees again. After 370km was time to park up. Only 200km to go tomorrow then we are on the coast at Exmouth. As the photos are limited today we have added a few wildflower ones from the last couple of days.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    1The town with the giant prawn
    Town beach. Park on the beach and jump straight inFlat drive to Exmouth

    Exmouth

    9. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Quick drive to Exmouth today and we could check in to our site as soon as we arrived. The park is large and still very busy. After setting up we walked into town which was a 5 minute walk. The town centre is a small open mall with a selection of tour booking offices, clothing and food stores.

    Lunch from the bakery was delicious. We got a few essentials from the supermarket and walked back to the camp. I was expecting the town to overlook the water but the shops along with most of the houses are actually built on the middle of the peninsula and away from the water. The information centre is across the road from the camp along with the giant prawn (see the photo) so checked out where everything is.

    Our first destination was Town Beach which you can drive down onto. The sea was very calm so a swim was essential. It was a great and then we chatted to a couple of locals. One of them said he was there as the whales come along around 4pm each day and sure enough we spotted two whales cruising past. Luckily we had the binoculars in the car so we spent 20 mins watching them cruise past, it was super cool.

    We drove around the rest of town and back to the camp. It was another sunny warm afternoon so perfect for a bit of reading with a pre-dinner drink. This holiday life is pretty good.    Lue lisää

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  • JulieReganAdventuresThe Long Road HomeMatkaaja
    View along the coast to Ningaloo Reef
    The massive towers. Note closed campground due for redevelopmentThe big towerThe towers close up

    Day 2 Exmouth

    10. syyskuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    A quiet day for us. The temperature was lower than what we have been experiencing but the sun seemed really fierce and bright.We went in search of a bike trail and ended up driving to Vlamingh Head lighthouse and lookout. This gives a full view of the surfing and the coastal reefs that we will head to tomorrow. This was a defensive area during WW2 with a radar installed as early warning.

    Nearby is a 1000 acre site with 13 massive radio towers that were built during the cold war to provide very low frequency communications to the American nuclear submarines. The towers are very deceptive as they are up to 389 metres high. The area is still fenced and gated so I presume it's still active. Because of this site Exmouth town was born in 1967 to house the workers. This is yet another recently built township that we have visited on our travels. They are all very similar in their practical design and similar house builds.

    On the way back to the caravan Julie saw a bike trail sign. This track runs through scrub with no shade or any excitement. Due to the heat and the signs warning about dingoes we decided a pool swim would be more for us. So a relaxing couple of hours poolside reading and cooling off in the water. Decided against a restaurant meal out so a drink and meal in the caravan before we drive a short distance to the Ningaloo reef area tomorrow.    Lue lisää

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