• Michael Sharpe
  • Julie Sharpe
  • Trevor Sharpe
  • Michael Sharpe
  • Julie Sharpe
  • Trevor Sharpe

West Trip

Coffs to Melbourne, South Coast of Vic, SA & WA. Up through West Coast WA, then across the Kimberley. Read more
  • Trip start
    April 27, 2025
  • Jugiong showgrounds

    April 28, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Coffs to Jugiong today. Torrential rain between Taree & Sydney, hevy holiday traffic meant Newcastle freeway was 60 kph tops, all the way!
    Better after Sydney, both rain & traffic wise. Looking forward to a good pub meal & sleepRead more

  • Melbourne

    Apr 28–May 2, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    4 nights in Melbourne to get ready & catch up with Mum

  • Port Fairy

    May 2–4, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Left Melbourne around 9.45, a late start to avoid the city traffic. Had a good run down the Geelong road and eventually found ourselves in Port Fairy. Weather is so good tomorrow that we will stay and explore this place!
    A feed and a few beers will be great, after the shed caught us last night 🍺🍺🍺
    Read more

  • Port Fairy day 2

    May 3, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Much better place than I imagined. Walked around Griffith Island, had a beer at the Caledonian pub, the fish & chips for tea. Off to Robe tomorrow.
    Credit to Trevor for the video as my phone was flat..Read more

  • Robe

    May 4, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    After a windy (all natural) and bumpy drive across, we arrived in Robe about 2.30pm SA time.a look around town and dinner at the pub before heading somewhere else a bit more west tomorrow. Great beer and excellent meal at the Caledonian pub, highly recommend!Read more

  • Lower Light free camp

    May 5, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Left Robe this morning after a brisk 5.8km walk around the wharf and jetty area to start my new regime 🙄
    After a strong headwind ate into the fuel consumption for most of the day (6km/litre), we stopped short of our destination at Lower light free camp. Basically a old pub car park, but it will do for the night.
    Stopped for an excellent coffee and foccasia at Meningie.
    Still working out where we're heading for tomorrow, but we'll work that out...
    Edit. Looks like we're heading to Whyalla tomorrow to help celebrate Cuttlefest, the annual winter migration of the giant cuttlefish.
    2nd edit. $12 Schnitzels and $5 pints of coopers. How could you go wrong?? See food pic, just the salads we're awesome
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  • Whyalla day 1

    May 6–10, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    A dry & dusty drive from Lower Light thru Port Pirie and Port Augusta to Whyalla. Hope it rains here as soon as we leave, they need it!
    We're staying 2 nights here as Trevor is a bit crook with a cough and sore throat.
    Got an excellent site at the foreshore caravan park here, it's really cheap off season.
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  • Whyalla day 2 & 3

    May 7, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Spent most of yesterday doing the shopping, washing etc. Installed the new plug for my 12v sandwich toaster, I'm calling it a winner!
    Due to Trevor's Covid, we have decided to stay here till Saturday and really get into Whyalla....
    Today, Julie & I went on a glass bottomed Harbour cruise to try and get a glimpse of the much talked about giant cuttlefish. While learnt a lot about the iron ore and steel manufacturing business on the cruise, didn't spot any cuttlefish. We did see an impressive amount of snapper and bottle nose dolphins, though!
    Went up to Hummock Hill this arvo for the view.
    Might have a fish tomorrow as they seem to be catching a lot of whiting of the beach in front of us.
    Read more

  • Yangi Bay, Coffin Bay NP, SA

    May 10–12, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Moving day today as we said goodbye to Whyalla and tracked down the Eyre Peninsula. Through Port Lincoln and down to Yangi Bay camp in the Coffin Bay National Park.
    Very impressive waterside camp with emu, kangaroos and heaps of bird life.
    Some good 4wd tracks for tomorrow and maybe some fishing
    Got the fire going and it will be lamb chops on the BBQ tonight
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  • Yangi Bay day 2

    May 11, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    After a good but cool night, we set off into town for some beer, wine & bait.
    Did some excellent 4wd down the dunes to Gunyah beach, dropped a line, and were rewarded with a few Aussie Salmon. We'll eat them tonight sitting by the fire.
    Can recommend Coffin Bay. I'm looking forward to to oysters tomorrow!

    All in all, it was an excellent day!
    Read more

  • Ceduna

    May 12–14, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Moving day again. 1 week at Coffin Bay would be just about right, but the road calls...
    Emus everywhere in Coffin Bay township.
    Up through Streaky & Smoky bays to Ceduna, where we'll camp for 2 days as Julie gets over her Covid.Read more

  • Ceduna - Denial Bay

    May 13, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Spent the morning restocking at the most expensive Foodland store in South Australia. I know, I sound like an angry old grey nomad, but..
    Went out to Denial Bay and had a fish of the jetty. Best result was a mid size leather jacket that was returned. Trevor spent a while wrestling his unidentified catch in, but it was worth the struggle.
    Saw a large Pacific gull and a couple of oyster catchers
    Tomorrow is off towards Eucla & and the Nullarbor.
    Read more

  • About 100km east of Eucla

    May 14, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Travelling day today, heading west from Ceduna towards Eucla along the Nullabor.
    Stopped off at the head of the Great Australian Bite and had a bit of a walk along the Bunda Cliffs.
    Squally rain was the first bit of inclement weather for the trip, but they certainly need it out here. Most of the paddocks are just dust and no feed.
    Stopped off at a roadside free camp, we'll back from the highway.
    Chops and a bottle of red on the menu!
    Well continue heading west tomorrow.
    Credit to Julie for the last 3 photos
    Read more

  • Nullabor day 2

    May 15, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Another travel day, another free camp! Travelled through Eucla, Madura (Where we stopped on August 24th 2019 Variety bash.)
    Pretty boring country except for the odd glimpse of the bight. A couple of rain showers on the way.
    Had all our veges and wood stolen by the border guards at the WA crossing. Good redwood, too!
    Julie has made some new friends.
    Looking forward to more campfire cooking and maybe finishing off that bottle of red.
    Read more

  • Esperance

    May 16–18, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Long drive through Norseman, then left turn southwards through the wheat fields to Esperance. Amazing how quickly the landscape changes from scrubby desert to rolling wheat fields in about 100km.
    Not much else to report but should be good tomorrow as we do a day trip into Cape Le Grand National Park.Read more

  • Cape Le Grand

    May 17, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Went out to Cape Le Grand today. What a great place with turquoise crystal clear waters and super white sand. Not sure if the pics do it justice but it was pretty spectacular.
    Well worth a few nights if you could get past the WA National parks booking system 🤪
    Spent the day looking at the different bays and took a shortcut home. By driving 23km along the beach, we saved about 30km, and, as luck would have it, we pulled in at the Lucky Bay Brewery!!
    Great little Brewery that uses local grains and hops to produce some mighty fine beer.
    Read more

  • Bremer Bay

    May 18–20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Another travel day as we left Esperance and headed down to Bremmer Bay. Nice little Caravan Park as no free camps 😕.
    At least we can have an open fire here!
    Maybe some fishing tomorrow 🤞
    Edit: Great bbq chops and an attempt a s'mores. Can only improve but they tasted great!Read more

  • Bremer Bay day 2

    May 19, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    What started out as a beautiful day quickly deteriorated as the wind picked up, and the rain started.
    Funnily enough, this all happened as soon as we started fishing 🙄
    Got some lovely fresh WA pichards for bait, tide was perfect, then it all went south.
    So, after persisting for an hour or so, we really had no choice but to head to the local Brewery.
    We'll head to Albany tomorrow.
    Read more

  • Peaceful Bay

    May 20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Travelling day again as we left Bremer Bay and headed through to Albany .
    A quick look was enough for us and we moved on and ended up taking a walk though the Valley of the giant Tingle gums ( both the red and yellow of the species)
    I'm not a great admirer of heights in any situation, but 40 metres up on a swaying walkway was enough for me.
    Ended up for an overnight stay in Peaceful Bay, which is true to its name.
    Will probably head to Busselton tomorrow for a couple of days.
    A few beach pics from my morning walk on Bremer Beach.
    Edit: some pics from Peaceful Bay this morning (21 May)
    Read more

  • Bussleton

    May 21–24, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Arrived at Busselton this afternoon and will stay here as a base while we explore Margaret River, Augusta, and Cape Leeuwin.
    Drove through some serious forrests on the way in, including jarrah forests.
    More pics tomorrow!
    Read more

  • Margaret River

    May 22, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Spent today travelling down to Margaret River and the area.
    Dropped into the Raptor centre and saw raptors (Owls, Kites and eagles) close up.
    Followed up with lunch in Margaret River, visits to Brown Hill and De Liotte wineries, as well as Cheeky Monkey Brewery.
    On the way back to Busselton, we called into Ngilgi Caves and did the tour. About five thousand stairs and 40% more C02 made some of it hard going, despite the last 3 days of walking I've done.
    Tomorrow is washing day, but there is a rumour that there is a Brewery at the start of the Busselton Jetty (longest jetty in Australia). Might have to check that out..
    Read more

  • Busselton day 2

    May 23, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Another big day in Busselton. After the washing, shopping, and general clean-up, we're off to the longest wood pile, white painted, solar powered train carrying, cyclone affected jetty in the southern hemisphere
    1.8km long, so we caught the train out to the underwater observatory at the end of the jetty. It was pretty good, so we had a good look around, then retired to the Shelter Brewery for a very late lunch.
    Finished off the day by watching the almighty, all conquering Bombers demolish Richmond on the new TV setup. This new setup provoked a severe case off campsite envy from our fellow travellers. (See last pic)
    Off to Lancelin bypassing Perth tomorrow
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  • Lancelin

    May 24, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Left Bussleton for a wet drive around Perth to Lancilin.
    Nothing too exciting but not a bad place for the night.
    Beach smells pretty badly from all the weed.

  • Sandy Cape

    May 25, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    A quick 120km trip up the road to Sandy Cape, a National Park type of camp in the sand dunes of the Cape. And it's sandy, too..
    It rained most of the way, and although there's a cool wind, it's noticeably warmer.
    Went fishing in the hugely challenging conditions and got the same result as our previous expedition - zero fish.
    Just as well, we have lamb chops on the fire tonight 🥩😋
    Off to around Geraldton tomorrow.
    Read more