The Long Road Home

kesäkuuta - marraskuuta 2021

Travelling the Outback with ute and caravan Lue lisää

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Uusi Seelanti
Australia

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17,7tajetut kilometrit

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Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 52
- tiistai 17. elokuuta 2021 klo 21.30
- ☁️ 21 °C
- Korkeus: 51 m
- Australia Kellys Knob -15.77052, 128.73135415°46’14” S 128°43’53” E
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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2 tykkäystä
Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 53
- keskiviikko 18. elokuuta 2021
- ☀️ 31 °C
- Korkeus: 21 m
- Australia Victoria-Daly -15.68845, 128.68763715°41’18” S 128°41’15” E
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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MatkaajaOMG that ford totally freaks me out , Judy here aka Mum mum (obviously) However ,,, the banana bread looks wonderful !
19.8.2021Vastaa
3 tykkäystä
Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 54
- torstai 19. elokuuta 2021 klo 19.00
- 🌙 24 °C
- Korkeus: 279 m
- Australia Spring Creek -17.4552, 128.01330617°27’19” S 128°0’48” E
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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Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 55
- perjantai 20. elokuuta 2021 klo 20.19
- 🌙 24 °C
- Korkeus: 24 m
- Australia Derby -17.306992, 123.62923417°18’25” S 123°37’45” E
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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2 tykkäystä
Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 56
- lauantai 21. elokuuta 2021 klo 21.24
- 🌙 24 °C
- Korkeus: 24 m
- Australia Derby -17.30699, 123.62921117°18’25” S 123°37’45” E
1
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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Matkaaja Great picture of you both
21.8.2021Vastaa
MatkaajaThe last sentence on the tree sign says it all!
22.8.2021Vastaa
3 tykkäystä
Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 57
- sunnuntai 22. elokuuta 2021 klo 13.00
- ☀️ 33 °C
- Korkeus: 88 m
- Australia Windjana Gorge -17.407431, 124.94586217°24’27” S 124°56’45” E
1
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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Matkaaja Water does look inviting but being someone else's lunch wouldn't be great🐊
22.8.2021Vastaa
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Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 58
- maanantai 23. elokuuta 2021 klo 20.29
- 🌙 26 °C
- Korkeus: 24 m
- Australia Derby -17.306976, 123.62916617°18’25” S 123°37’45” E
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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4 tykkäystä
Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 59
- tiistai 24. elokuuta 2021
- ☀️ 31 °C
- Korkeus: 11 m
- Australia Town Beach Reserve -17.971392, 122.23431417°58’17” S 122°14’4” E
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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3 tykkäystä
Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 60
- keskiviikko 25. elokuuta 2021 klo 21.52
- 🌙 22 °C
- Korkeus: 15 m
- Australia Town Beach Reserve -17.97118, 122.23445117°58’16” S 122°14’4” E
1
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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Matkaaja standing room only
25.8.2021Vastaa
Matkaajaoutstanding landscapes
25.8.2021Vastaa
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Matkaaja The Long Road Home
- Näytä matka
- Lisää toivelistallePoista toivelistalta
- Jaa
- Päivä 61
- torstai 26. elokuuta 2021 klo 17.00
- ☀️ 25 °C
- Korkeus: 16 m
- Australia Cable Beach Reserve -17.92842, 122.2099817°55’42” S 122°12’36” E
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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