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Travelling Oz in our PearcyPod
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  • Brad and Mandy Pearce

Travelling Oz in our PearcyPod

We have the van and now the plan is to travel around our great land. From East to West and North to South we hope to take our time exploring all the states (and territories) in 2025. Read more
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    🇦🇺 The District Council of Grant, Australia
    Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    View from our caravan park at Moonta Bay
    Our view (should have opened the screen)Jetty - Moonta BayHuge mounds of sea grass on the beachMoonta Bay jetty (on a windy day)Brad's surf n turf chicken schnittyPort Hughes jettyPort HughesPort Hughes jetty - nearly got blown off this oneJetty at Port BroughtonPort BroughtonBeautiful hotel at Port BroughtonRed Devil monoplane - Minlaton

    Yorke Peninsula - North

    Oct 21–24 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    Leaving the Eyre Peninsula behind, we moved onto the smaller Yorke Peninsula. We stayed at Moonta Bay and loved the location overlooking the Gulf although the wind has been pretty shocking. There are many, many jettys - most towns in the area have one and they seem to be a tourism drawcard - we certainly wandered along many of them.

    Apart from walking upon jettys, we rode our bikes to Port Hughes, into Moonta and out to the lolly shop where the mining museum is (copper). Love the towns that provide wonderful bike paths. It was the one nice day we had for doing that. We also drove around the neighbouring towns of Wallaroo and Kadina (this is the main shopping centre for the area)

    Only 3 nights at Moonta, then we moved to the Southern Yorke Peninsula. On the way, we stopped at Minlaton and read an interesting story about the Red Devil Monoplane captained by Harry Butler (a Minlaton local). He was a WW1 pilot and there were very few of these planes made. This is the only one in existence in Australia. I love these little stories about local characters. I'll cover Southern Yorke in next footprint.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Coffin Bay
    Views over Coffin BayOyster leasesEmus wandering around the caravan parkCoffin Bay National Park - Golden IslandCoffin Bay NP - lovely beachHad to get one of BradKing George WhitingTumby Bay silo artTumby Bay jettyMy artistic photo - ha!Tumby BayCowell silo artCowell jettyWhyalla circular jetty

    Eyre Peninsula - part 2

    Oct 15–20 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    We spent a few nights at Coffin Bay - drove out to the National Park - as few nice beaches and off shore islands. Coffin Bay is famous for oysters... but as neither of us like oysters, we cannot comment on whether they are good or not. Brad had a go at fishing and managed to catch 2 King George Whiting - fresh fish for tea. They were nice, but we were going to buy some fresh fillets from Port Lincoln (in case Brad was unsuccessful in catching any) and were surprised to find they were almost $80/kg.

    Visited Tumby Bay - on the eastern side of the Eyre Peninsula - a nice town with a jetty (all the towns seem to have a jetty), pretty cool silo art and a great bakery. Stayed at Cowell - another jetty, another silo art, and a million flies, not to mention strong winds all night.

    Finally, we closed the loop and finished a half lap, arriving back in Port Augusta where we were in early June. We called into Whyalla on the way (you guessed it, another jetty - this one circular), but the weather had turned quite cold and windy. We move away from the Eyre Peninsula and start to explore the Yorke Peninsula.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Streaky Bay jetty - the statue is Kevin McEvoy - Melb Cup jockey
    Jetty at Streaky BayMurphy's HaystacksSame rock from the sideInfo board about how they were formedCliffs at Point LabattSeal colonyView from our caravan parkWestell loop driveThe GranitesNice coloursWalkway to the whistling rocks / BlowholesVolume up - you can hear the whistle (ignore finger over lens)

    Streaky Bay

    Oct 10–15 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    It's nice to be back on the coast and away from the dusty area we have been in for the past week or so. On someone's recommendation, we stayed at a great caravan park (about 7km out of Streaky Bay), which would be almost perfect if it wasn't for the flies. Huge sites and the amenities were individual ensuite that were spotlessly clean.

    The day after we arrived, there was a big celebration for the reopening of the jetty, which had been closed for maintenance for over 12 months. This was a pretty important event for this small town.

    There are a few drives to see the see the sights within a 50km radius of Streaky Bay, and for once, the dirt roads were in very good condition. We did a loop that took us to Murphy's Haystacks - large rocks (inselbergs) that are weathered away into unusual shapes. From there, it was to Point Labatt, where there was a seal colony - and we saw dozens lounging around on the rocks below the cliff. The coastline is pretty spectacular too.

    The next day, we did the other 2 drives. The Westell loop took us to the Granites and some cliff top lookouts. The Cape Bauer loop had Whistling Rocks and Blowholes which was a pretty impressive stop.

    Overall, it was a good place to visit - did some sightseeing and also some relaxing. Brad got a game of bowls in, and I caught up on some reading, craft and this blog.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Bunda Cliffs Scenic lookout #2
    Cocklebiddy greenCocklebiddy Nullarbor links greenCocklebiddy - our stop for the night - pretty wetOne of the wedgetail at CocklebiddyScenic lookout #3Bunda Cliffs - scenic lookout #1Bunda CliffsBorder VillageA short par 3The old Nullarbor RoadhouseIconic signNullarbor Roadhouse holeBig whale (Nullarbor Roadhouse)Head of the Bight - looking eastHead of the Bight - looking westThis is the whale nurseryPenong windmillsThey are trying to have one of every type of windmillThis is the big onePenong windmill hole

    Crossing the Nullarbor

    Oct 4–10 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 38 °C

    Crossing the Nullarbor was not as arduous as I thought it would be. We took our time and surprisingly found various points of interest along the way - some of them spectacular!! Below is where we stopped and what we saw.

    Norseman - western gateway to the Nullarbor. Turn left, go to Esperance, turn right, go to Kalgoorlie and Perth. Norseman was established in the 1890's after a man was visiting his brother, and his horse went lame. Found a gold nugget in his hoof, which started a gold rush. The horse was called Norseman.

    Balladonia - in 1979, parts of Skylab fell in the area. 2 The 90 mile straight is not far from Balladonia but couldn't get a photo because it was raining and we had a truck right behind us. A very uninteresting sign anyway.

    Cocklebiddy - funny name, funny time zone (had to move clocks forward 45 mins). It was wet, and when we checked out the Nullarbor links hole, it was so slippery we decided to give it a miss. There are a couple of wedgetail eagles in captivity there. They were hit by a truck on the Nullarbor and rescued. Their injuries mean they cannot be released back into the wild.

    Border Roadhouse - goodbye WA, hello SA. Played our first hole on the Nullarbor links. Lost my ball, found 3 others and then found my ball. This is where we see the spectacular Bunda Cliffs - and we had a great day for it too.

    Nullarbor Roadhouse - this section that is very flat and during the height of summer I imagine very dry and dusty, but at the moment it is somewhat green. We played another hole and Brad managed to lose 3 balls in the scrubby bushes. He wasn't searching for them because we had seen a snake on the way to the tee. The Head of the Bight is also nearby. The Southern Right Whale congregates here to have their babies although it is a little late in the season. We did see a few spouts.

    Penong - into farmland now. Penong has a windmill museum and is home to the largest windmill in the Southern Hemisphere (I think it had a diameter of 35 feet). Played our last Nullarbor Links hole - only did 3 of the 18. They were pretty rough fairways and the tee and green were astroturf, but it was a bit of fun.

    Final port of call was the quarantine station at Ceduna - no fruit and veges unless they had been peeled and /or cooked, or honey. Onward to Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Wave rock
    With perspective... and with BradHippo's YawnView from the top of the rockIt's quite greenEchidna on top of the rockSalt poolLake MagicBlack swans and cygnetsBeautiful colours in this golden Chinese pheasantNot sure what this bird and the next one areSilo art we saw along the way (near Lake Grace)A few of the tin horse sculptures near KulinSuper pitClose up of one of those trucks

    Wave Rock ... (and Kalgoorlie)

    Sep 30–Oct 3 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Leaving Albany, we headed north through the Stirling Ranges to Lake Grace overnight and then via the tin horse highway (see pics), onto Wave Rock. It's another place we have been to before, but I wanted to see it again. Eighteen years ago, we stayed in villas in the Wave Rock Resort, which were about a 1.5km walk to the Rock. This time, we were right next to the Rock (about 100m) and there were a lot more facilities in the area.

    After visiting the Rock and Hippo's Yawn (where the mozzies nearly took us away), we walked out to Lake Magic and the salt pool (this was new), although the weather wasn't warm enough for a swim. We also walked across the top of the rock and were surprised to see an echidna there.

    There are several museums and a wildlife park which were all worthwhile checking out ( $20 for entry into all 4). The Lace Place had displays of vintage wedding dresses and other lace items; the Toy Soldier museum had 100's (probably 1000's) of miniature toy soldiers ready to do battle in the American Civil War, or The Battle of Waterloo for example. The Pioneer Museum showed household items from yesteryear - it shows how old you are getting when you can remember some of these items such as Bon Ami cleaning powder and the old Arnotts Biscuit tins. The Wildlife Park was surprisingly good - mostly birds, but quite a few we had never seen before.

    After Hyden (Wave Rock), we made our way to Southern Cross and onto Kalgoorlie. The reason for going to Kalgoorlie was to start the Nullarbor Links - the longest golf course in the world. However, when we arrived, it was blowing a gale, and the temperature hit 41°C so we decided it really was going to be unpleasant. So, we photographed "The Super Pit" and that is all we did in Kalgoorlie.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Walkway into the canopy
    Pretty highAlmost at the topRing neck parrotThe grandma tree ( can you see the face? )These trees are often hollow - can walk through this oneFrom the other sideMysterious little doorGreens Pools (on a grey day)What the expectation was1Elephant Rocks (they look like elephants wallowing)And the tourism photo (enhanced)Where the river meets the ocean at DenmarkFrom a higher view point

    Denmark - more tall trees

    September 26 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We had intended to spend a few days at Denmark after Manjimup but school holidays and the long weekend meant we couldn't get accommodation there. So we stayed at Albany and did a day trip back to Denmark and the Valley of the Giants treetop walk.

    As with other recent entries, we have visited here 18 years ago, but things have certainly improved in that time. I enjoyed walking up amongst the canopy and there was quite a lot of birdlife. On the way back to Albany we called into Greens Pools and Elephant Rocks. Unfortunately the day was grey and cold so not as beautiful as it can be. I've included a couple of tourism style pictures so you can see the difference.

    We quite liked Denmark - it seems to have a lot of character. We enjoyed a couple of award winning pies, then drove to a couple of lookouts in the area. When we returned to Albany we met up with some other caravanners- one couple from SA and another from Murwillumbah - ha! For the next 3 evenings we enjoyed drinks and nibbles and chats. That was fun!    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    We stayed at caravan park at Emu Point (centre right)
    Anzac Hill where the panoramic pictures were takenGreat views over the bay. This is where the ships left bound for GallipoliView from Anzac HillAnzac displayWalkway overlooking The GapLooking down from the GapNatural BridgeSame area as The GapChainsaw sculptures... just some of the many designs

    Albany - lots to see here

    Sep 25–29 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Last time we visited Albany we only spent a couple of nights and really remember very little about the city. I remember visiting the whaling museum so we skipped it this time although I'm led to believe there have been improvements to the exhibits.

    Quite interesting were the lookouts and museum/war memorial on Anzac Hill. Albany was where the soldiers sailed out from, bound for Gallipoli. The museum focused on this event and the stories were brought to life through hand held audio. The various lookouts showed fantastic views over the port and bay areas - it was unfortunate that the weather was not showing it at its best.

    There are a couple of great natural rock formations - the Gap and Natural Bridge - which once again have been made very accessible so everyone can enjoy. There is also a place where a guy makes sculptures using a chainsaw. They were pretty good and I've included a few photos.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Fonty's Pools - ŵhere our caravan park was - very pretty
    Pemberton tramCascadesScenes from the tram tripGloucester tree - lookout tower at topImagine climbing thisDave Evans Bicentennial Tree - you can climb this........ just like Brad did (Not!)Beedelup fallsSwinging bridge at Beedelup Falls

    Manjimup - south west forests

    Sep 22–25 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We stayed at a delightful caravan park called Fonty's Pools near Manjimup. We did a little tourist train trip to cascades set amongst forests of tall Karri trees. This was pleasant enough. Also checked out some of the tallest trees in WA - the Gloucester tree used to be used as a fire lookout tree and people were still able to climb it until only fairly recently. There is one tree that you can climb to the first level (about 20m up), but it looks a bit scary to me. Visited another waterfall with a swinging bridge which was a nice walk too.Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Busselton jetty
    Same place but on a cold windy dayPerfect day...... windy, grey dayWalking out to the endWe didn't catch the trainMade it... then had to walk back againBrad found a seagull with baby chickCanal rocksA bit like a mini horizontal fallsCape Naturaliste lighthouseA very windy placeSugarloaf Rock1Calm waters in Geographe Bay and a surf school

    Busselton and surrounds

    Sep 20–22 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    While based in Cowaramup (Margaret River), we visited areas to the north of us such as Busselton and Dunsborough. Busselton of course is well known for its jetty which is the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere at 1.8km long. We walked to the end just as we had done 18 years ago when we visited the area, but this time it was cold and very windy, so the experience was not a nice as it could have been. However, we returned a couple of days later for a bike ride on a beautiful sunny Sunday and the area was picture perfect.

    In the area, we also visited Cape Naturaliste lighthouse, Sugarloaf Rock and Canal rocks. Some very dramatic coastline and the local authorities have done a great job in making these areas to lookouts etc. very accessible.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Pirate cow at the lighthouse - pretty funny
    One of the many cows at CowaramupInfo about the cows including the world recordMargaret River - quirky buildingsPleasant riverside trailTowards Cape LeeuwinInteresting museum hereWhere the oceans meet - was cold and windy this dayWhere Margaret River meets the oceanSurfers at Margaret River beach breakRandom statue - didn't see what it was aboutHamelin Bay - often stingrays around but the stinky seaweed probably kept them away1At CP - the owner knows our neighbours

    Cowaramup (Margaret River) and south

    Sep 15–22 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    We based ourselves in Cowaramup, a short drive north of Margaret River for a week. Managed to secure a great deal - powered site for$20/night - bargain! Even though we had been to Margaret River before, it was 18 years ago and we barely scratched the surface. The area is very lush and green with many wineries and other agricultural type products (olive oil, coffee and chocolate). A lot of artists live here too.

    Cowaramup is a quirky little town with several gift/trinket shops and lolly shops. It is a hard name to pronounce (cowara = type of parrot, and up = place of), so it is often referred to as "Cow Town". There are lots of cow sculptures around the town and several years ago the town was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the most people dressed up in a cow onesie. I think there were over 1300 people - hilarious!

    We spent a day exploring the Southern coastline down to Cape Leeuwin at the most south western spot of mainland Australia and where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. The lighthouse museum was very interesting and it is obvious a lot of money has been spent to attract tourists to the area.

    We also checked out the famous surf break at Margaret River (Prevelly) as well as Hamelin Beach where stingrays are often seen at the shore line, but not today. The washed up seaweed absolutely stunk here too.

    We also did a full day wine and food tour which was very enjoyable. There was only Brad and I, plus a young German couple and we started with coffee tasting, followed by two separate wineries, lunch at another winery, an olive oil place where they make skin care products as well as infused oils and vinegars and other condiments, finishing off by sampling chocolate at the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. It was a very enjoyable day.

    The Northern and NW area were also explored but I have included it in a separate footprint.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Jyttes Hytte -
    Brad finally is included in a pictureSeba's Song - front on can only be achieved by boatSantiago Ikto - over looking the oceanYaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone - lying down because he ate too many crabsLittle Lui - couldn't get close because surrounded by water (from all the rain)1Bille Bob - this is the one in Subiaco (Perth)

    The Giants of Mandurah

    September 9 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    While staying in Perth, we took a run down to Mandurah to search for the Giants. Created by Danish recycling artist - Thomas Dambo - there are 6 Giants hidden around the area (and one in Perth).. The locations are discovered by collecting a mud map from the visitors centre and driving to the various spots. There is a sixth "hidden " giant whose location can be found by recording a symbol on each of the other 5 Giants and retuning to the visitos centre to decode.... or, you can be lazy like us and they will provide the address on a separate card.

    The search involved a considerable amount of driving and then walking from place to place. Some Giants were obvious, while others hidden in the forest. The Giants are rather amusing characters made from recycled timber (think fence palings). We were quite tired at the end of the day after visiting 5 of the Giants. The one in Perth we visited on a separate day. This activity was great way to explore Mandurah.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    The 1 million dollar coin
    It was struck mainly for promoting Perth MintOne of the large gold nuggets that came from the WA regionPouring melted gold into mouldTurning it outThe gold barElizabeth Quay - Swan River. Pretty murky brownThe Bell TowerWe were there on March for Australia day. Very peaceful hereCity skyline from river cruiseThis is Gina Rinehart's houseCurrently the most expensive real estate in Perth (@ $60M)Cottesloe Beach pavilionCity views from Kings ParkFederation WalkwayOriginal Swan Brewery in foregroundWar Memorial at Kings ParkElizabeth Quay3The crocheted dresses

    Out and about in Perth

    Aug 29–Sep 15 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    We have just spent a bit over 2 weeks in Perth which gave us a chance to catch up on some essentials - caravan and car service - a bit of relaxing, and some sightseeing. Weather was a bit of a mix of some beautiful Spring days and some horrible, awful, cold wet days.

    We stayed in the Swan Valley area of Perth and it was convenient to the train for our trips into the city. Some of our excursions included:

    The Perth Mint - home of the largest solid gold coin in the world. Weighing one tonne, it has a face value of $1 million, a gold value of over $181 million, and as a collectors item.....priceless. We saw a gold pour to create a gold bar (value around $800000), and picked up a gold bar worth $2 million. It was an interesting tour, unfortunately they didn't hand out free samples.

    Swan River lunch cruise - a pleasant cruise from the city to Fremantle and return with a nice lunch included.

    Kings Park - lovely botanical gardens and the elevated Federation Walkway gave great views of the city. Also, check out the crocheted dresses in the info centre ( see photo)

    Cottesloe Beach - this was OK but not what we expected. Quite a small beach with a lot of (smelly) weed. Possibly it is the lovely old pavilion that it is renowned for.

    Would have liked to do a bike ride around the Swan River, however, the replacement bike battery for Brads bike (that we ordered when we were in Broome) only arrived a couple of days before we left and the weekend weather was lousy. We also had a day down at Mandurah but will cover that in another footprint.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    The Pinnacles
    Tried a panoramaA couple of galahs found a nice nest1Seaweed near jetty at Cervantes - really thick2Sunset at the caravan parkJurien Bay2Cervantes weather vane

    Cervantes - gateway to the pinnacles

    Aug 27–29 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Cervantes is a very small town on the Turquoise Coast about 200km north of Perth. It is the closest town to The Pinnacles but also convenient to Jurien Bay. We had a bike ride at Jurien Bay which has a pretty cool bike path halfway to Cervantes (with plans to extend it all the way)

    The Pinnacles are thousands of weathered limestone pillars up to 3m tall, scattered over a sandy desert. We have been here before in 2007 so it was nice to revisit. There have been some improvements with a Discovery Centre (gift shop/ information) and lookout areas.

    Cervantes claims to be the lobster capital of the world (several other places also make this claim), and is home to the Lobster Shack. We partook off a lobster meal ( well, snack - hot lobster roll, and small lobster tacos - pretty expensive at around $30 each meal)

    There is a large weather vane at the entrance to the town with a sailing ship, Don Quixote and his side kick. What has this got to do with Cervantes? Well, the town was named after the sailing ship Cervantes that was wrecked off the coast and in turn, the ship was named after Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. I found this interesting.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    1Hutt Lagoon - pink lake
    Colourful farmlandWheat and Canola1Memorial HMAS Sydney IIThere are 645 seagulls in the domeThe waiting womanThe waiting womanSt Francis Xavier CathedralUnusual interior1In the crypt - the ship was a light made from kerosene tins (I think)The Horizon BallHorizon Ball featuring Brad1... and featuring MandyPoint Moore lighthouseYellow submarine near jetty - originally for catching crayfish but failedForeshore area where sealions can be found - not today thoughReplica of Batavia longboat (the Batavia sank off WA in 1629)Geraldton foreshore

    It's Pink... colourful Geraldton

    Aug 25–27 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    We debated whether we would leave Kalbarri or wait and see if the wind would ease, but as we had already booked for Geraldton we headed off. On the way we passed by Gregory with its pink lake (called Hutt Lagoon). It most definitely is pink, like strawberry milk, although it shows up better with blue skies and sunshine. The pink is caused by a salt loving bacteria and an algae that produces a red pigment. It was nice to see some farmland with green wheat crops and the brilliant yellow of flowering canola crops.

    Spent a couple of nights at Geraldton. Even though it is quite a large place, there isn't any real tourism drawcards and I think we saw most of them for the time we were there. These included;
    Memorial to HMAS Sydney II - this was the ship that was sunk by the German ship Kormoran (which was disguised as a merchant ship), off Carnarvon. Quite impressive dome structure with 645 seagulls representing the number of sailors that perished.
    St Francis Xavier Cathedral - designed about 100 years ago by the priest Monsignor Hawes, a rather striking if somewhat unusual interior.
    Horizon Ball - a novelty art sculpture like a huge crystal ball, very popular at sunset (we didn't get there at sunset)
    Point Moore lighthouse and a nice marina foreshore area which has been developed into a nice recreation area with quite a few points of interest, some included in the photos.

    One thing that Geraldton has that we haven't seen since May is an Aldi - none in most of SA, NT and the top half of WA. It was good to get an Aldi fix.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Natural Bridge
    Rugged coastlineIsland RockIsland RockBoardwalk through the coastal shrubs (not sure what they are)Pot AlleyKalbarri Skywalk (one of 2)Looking across to second skywalkView from Kalbarri SkywalkYou can see the 2 skywalks from a distanceNear the Nature's WindowNature's WindowView of the Murchison RiverZ-bend lookoutZ - bendA small kestrel eating something that Brad managed to photograph1Carpet of wildflowers - everlastings? They came in pink and yellow tooThese coastal shrubs are covered in small pink flowersA type of Grevillea 'pink poker' ?

    Kalbarri - a natural beauty

    Aug 23–25 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Considering we didn't see Kalbarri in its best light, it certainly is spectacular. There are 2 quite different scenic areas - the coastal cliffs and the inland gorges - all within 20km of the town.

    It was extremely windy for the days we were there but we managed to see the sights while dodging showers. The coastal cliffs are awesome, especially Natural Bridge and Island Rock. National Parks have done an excellent job of building boardwalks and paved walkways so all can access the areas.

    In contrast, Kalbarri National Park is also spectacular. They have constructed 2 skywalks that protrude over the gorge and Murchison River. Nature's Window is another frequently photographed site in Kalbarri. Z- bend lookout is another of the lookouts we went to, but persistent rain showers put an end to our exploring.

    We have come to the area and the season for wildflowers. At some sections along the highway the plants looked like a beautiful native garden. I wish we had taken photos of it but it isn't always practical to stop, especially when towing a van. I have included some wildflowers in the photos.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Shell Beach
    Dunes at shell BeachShells (and Brad's foot)Close up of shells on Shell BeachThey are quite smallAt least the shells don't stick to you like sandInfo about the areaWhalebone Point.. and againBoardwalk at Eagle Bluff (top of photo)Views from Eagle BluffThe shark we spottedMonkey Mia (dolphin feeding happens on the other side of this Wharf)Monkey MiaThe only dolphin we saw

    Denham - Shark Bay - Monkey Mia

    Aug 19–22 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    For the first time on our trip, the weather has spoiled our plans. We had booked a tour to Dirk Hartog Island, leaving from Denham, which unfortunately was cancelled due to strong winds and rain. Oh well, you can't do everything. (We also wanted to do the
    whaleshark swim at Exmouth but couldn't get accommodation, so we skipped that town)

    Denham is the closest town to the most westerly point on mainland Australia but to actually go there it is either by boat (which we would have seen on the day at Dirk cruise) or by 4WD over a hundred and something km. It's not something we were keen to do. We did find some other interesting things to do.

    We travelled down to Shell Beach, appropriately named as the beach is composed entirely of small white cockle shells - no sand - apparently the highest concentration of cockle shells in the world. Eagle Bluff, just south of Denham, had a great boardwalk along the cliff, and we managed to spot a shark in the water below.

    We drove out to Monkey Mia, which is the main draw card of the area. This is where the dolphins come in to feed. In recent years, it has become over commercialised, named conservation park rather than a national park, so charge an entry fee not covered by the national parks pass. So, we didn't go to see dolphins being fed but wanted to see the area anyway. I must admit it is a very pretty area - calm and peaceful.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Eclipse sculpture - total eclipse in 2023
    Carnarvon waterfrontCactus garden on the fruit loop1Moon shot at Space MuseumLunar module replicaIconic sign near Quobba BlowholesQuobba BlowholesA couple of short videosCoastline around QuobbaMemorial cairn to HMAS Sydney IIThis kangaroo was almost white

    Carnarvon - an interesting assortment

    Aug 15–19 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

    There is a variety of things to see and do in Carnarvon that make it quite a unique coastal destination.

    Carnarvon supplies over 80% of WA's fresh fruit and veg. They have a fruit loop trail that takes you past the farm gate sellers. We picked up most of our fresh veggies from these places. Not necessarily cheaper but probably fresher than the local supermarket. Also picked up some nice relishes and jam. There is also a cactus farm on the route, which was worth a few photos.

    There is a space museum here. Originally, it served as a major communications link in the 60s and 70s for Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions from NASA. It closed down in the 80s and has reopened as a very good interactive museum with a mini planetarium, a replica of the command module capsule where we sat / lay in as the astronauts would have done, and experienced the actual recording of the take off to the moon. Lots of videos and props, including the actual footage of the first ever live TV cross from Carnarvon to the BBC in London. Got a photo of us standing on the moon, and there were quite a few interactive games like space invaders and asteroids that the kids (and adults) were enjoying. Spent over 2 hours here.

    We headed back north (75km) to visit the Quobba Blowholes - a bit of rugged coastline. There is a memorial to HMAS Sydney II that was sunk in a battle with the German ship Kormoran during WWII off Carnarvon. All 645 sailors on the Sydney died, while on the German ship (which also sunk), there were only about 60 casualties. Also got a picture of the KING WAVES KILL sign that all travellers in the area seem to post a photo of.

    Finally, the caravan park we are staying in has its own bowling green, so Brad and I had a game of bowls. Brad's aim is to play bowls in every state (NSW, NT & WA - ticked off the list)    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    2Staircase to the moon
    ... and againOverlooking Karratha... and againRed Dog statue at DampierInfo about Red DogDampier Foreshore... and again1Dampier portHearson's Cove ( where we watched the moon rise)Unusual landscape in Karratha / Dampier regionArea where Petroglyphs are foundQuollEmuGoannaKangarooBlurry photo but this is why you need a UHF radio2 of these in the highway measuring over 8m wide

    Staircase to the moon @ Karratha

    Aug 10–13 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Living on the east coast it is not unusual to watch the full moon rise over the ocean, however, in certain parts of WA, the full moon rising over low tidal flats creates a phenomenon known as staircase to the moon. It is really only seen 3 days of the month (around the full moon) and only from March to October. It doesn't occur in the summer months because the low tides do not line up with the lunar cycle.

    We are at Karratha, which is the main city for this area. Once again, Karratha is not very old, being built to service the mining industry and has all the facilities a city needs, including an airport, probably mainly for FIFO workers. Even though it is on the ocean, the city doesn't really hug the shore like most other coastal towns or cities.

    A short drive from Karratha via a causeway, is the island of Dampier - a pretty little town that has a port for exporting iron ore (from Mt Tom Price) and other industries such as Dampier Salt and a gas plant. It is from the eastern side of this island that we witness staircase to the moon. Dampier is also the home of Red Dog - the kelpie that wandered the Pilbara in the 1970s - and there is a statue there in his honour. I had never seen the movie so I found it on Stan and watched it. Nice movie - bit of a tearjerker.

    The other interesting sight in the area are the petroglyphs (rock art), estimated to be up to 40,000 years old. It was fun trying to match the particular image on the sign and finding it in the rocks. There was even one believed to be the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger). Another picture, thought to be made by a sailor whose ship - the Mermaid - had run aground, is dated around the early 1800's. (However, when I went to add the photos, Brad had not taken one of these - Thylacine or ship - he said they were too faint on the camera or some excuse)    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Beautiful sunset
    Dampier saltBulldozer working the salt pileClose upSalt evaporation pondsThis (empty) iron ore train had at around 270 cars1The big wheelbarrow - every town has gotta have a big thingThe Su May coming in for loadingLoaded ship departing Port - see how much lower it sits in the waterLow tide at the beach in front of our caravan parkSunset over Port Hedland1Tower at the lookout nicely lit up

    Port Hedland - in the Pilbara now

    Aug 7–10 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We spent 3 days at Port Hedland which is a major industrial port in the Pilbara region of WA. Iron ore from places like Tom Price is transported by massive trains that are almost 3km long to the port which is then offloaded into iron ore carriers (ships). The operation operates 24/7 and there is always about a dozen ships waiting off the coastline for their turn. We were able to watch the ships both coming and going from quite a close range - really massive.

    The other industry here is Dampier Salt and is somewhat of a tourist attraction in itself. Huge mountains of salt being pushed around by a bulldozer, surrounded by the salt evaporation ponds.

    The city itself is quite modern (well, it really only grew in the 1970s when mining and the port were established). The marina precinct is only a couple of years old and the Foreshore parks are very attractive. There is also a spot where you can witness the phenomenon "staircase to the moon," but we are leaving a day too soon. Hopefully we will catch up with it in Karratha.

    Port Hedland is probably the most cyclone prone city in Australia. Even the caravan park we were staying in had anchor points in the slab to tie down the van if you happened to be there when a cyclone came through. It could be one reason why there is a satellite city about 15km from Port Hedland called South Hedland where the main shopping and services are. It could also be because they ran out of suitable residential land due to tidal flats etc.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    First view of 80 mile Beach
    80 mile BeachDriving on the beach seems to be the thing to doStraight roads, featureless landscapeOur campsite at Sandfire RoadhouseSandfire RH - caravan line-up for fuelThere were heaps of these kites at Pardoo Road house1Cape Kedrauden1Strange rock patternsLots of beautiful wildflowers are starting to bloomCape Kedrauden rugged coastline

    The bits between Broome & Port Hedland

    Aug 3–7 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The Great Northern Highway (aka Hwy 1) from Broome to Port Hedland is around 550km through pretty uninspiring landscape but we took our time staying at a free camp (Stanley) and a couple of roadhouses along the way (Sandfire and Pardoo). The main bit of excitement was almost running out of fuel before arriving at Sandfire - down to one bar and flashing. This was due to the strong wind, which really chewed through the fuel. (We did have jerry cans of diesel... just in case)

    We spent 2 nights at Pardoo and took a run back to Eighty Mile Beach, which is a very popular destination in this area. I can see why it is popular - very pretty, white sand and turquoise water. Great for people who like fishing , driving on the beach, or collecting shells. While there we caught up with Barb and Graham (from Potty) who were staying at 80 mile Beach caravan park. It was nice to catch up with someone from home.

    Also, while at Pardoo, we visited Cape Kedrauden. That was quite a surprise. Very pretty and the rock formations are most unusual. Lots of people camp out there too. (Unfortunately the photos don't really show how vivid the colours are for the Cape or Eighty Mile Beach)    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    1First look at horizontal falls
    Different angle - wide gap at top, narrow at bottomOur mode of transportPontoon and seaplaneZodiac from cruise ship near entranceOne of our tour boats passing throughOur turnBit bumpy but you get the ideaYou can see the tide marks on the cliff1Water is trying to push us backNarrow gap - look at the wall of water trying to pass throughNarrow gap close up1Just to prove we were hereVery calm now (this was a few hours later)Tawny sharksFlying over the archipelago to Cygnet BayBeautiful coloursThe pearl from the oyster opened - valued @ $600Catholic Church at former mission near Beagle Bay1Inside decorated with mother of pearl shell

    Horizontal Falls and Dampier Peninsula

    July 29 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Our tour to the horizontal falls started with a 5am pick up to take us to the seaplane for our flight to the Falls. Landing at Talbot Bay (our first ever water landing) we were quickly whisked aboard high powered speed boats to the Falls because they were at their absolute best (according to the skipper).

    It was quite exhilarating travelling through the gap as the force of the water is trying to push you back. There are 2 gaps - the one we went through was about 20 odd metres wide while the narrow gap is only 7 or 8 metres wide. Tourists are no longer permitted to traverse the narrow gap - I'm not sure if this is because of an accident several years ago, or whether it is because it is an area of cultural significance to the Aboriginals, or a combination of these things. As it was, the tour company were the only ones with permits to pass through the larger gap. There were zodiacs from a luxury cruise ship and they could only observe, not travel through.

    After our several passes through the Falls, we came back for a cooked breakfast before taking another cruise around Talbot Bay. Back on the pontoon, after morning tea, there was a marine show where they feed some of the local fish - mainly tawny sharks. If you wanted you could get in the water (cage) with the sharks, but as it was quite a cool day nobody took up the offer.

    Half a day gone and we were back on the seaplane for a flight over the archipelago to Cygnet Bay for a barramundi lunch and tour of the pearl farm. An extremely well run tour, very informative about how pearls are cultured and ended with opening an oyster to find the mystery pearl.

    Then it was the 200km journey back to Broome, stopping off at Beagle Bay, a former mission, to have a look at the Catholic Church that had been decorated with pearl shells.
    It was a long day but very enjoyable.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Camel ride on Cable
    This was our camelWe are the 7th camelTurnaround pointThese are the sunset camelsTown jettyMemorial to Dutch refugeesView to the PortPort jettyArea where the are dinosaur footprintsCast of the printsCable BeachSunset over CablePearl lugger (I think) at sunset

    Broome - camels on Cable and more..

    Jul 27–Aug 3 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    A couple of hundred km down the road from Derby and we arrived in Broome, our home for the next week. The town itself reminded Brad of Byron Bay, similar vibe, although instead of surf shops, there were pearl stores as pearling was one of the main industries in the early days. The industry was important not for the pearl itself as natural pearls were hard to come by, but for the shell which were used for buttons. Once plastic was invented, pearl buttons became more or less obsolete.

    So, in Broome we did the iconic camel ride on Cable Beach. Didn't do the sunset one because it was booked out, but the late afternoon ride was fine. Fairly sedate, it was a pleasant experience.

    We visited the museum, which apart from the pearl industry, told stories of when it was bombed during the war (a few weeks after Darwin was bombed). I didn't know this part of history (but of course Brad did). The Japanese bombed a number of Catalina flying boats that were carrying Dutch refugees from Dutch East Indies. There is a memorial on the foreshore near the town beach jetty to these refugees.

    There is also an area south of Cable Beach where there are dinosaur footprints although they can only be seen at very low tide. Couldn't find them but there is a cast of the prints, and the surrounding rock formations with the colour of the water and contrasting sand was interesting to look at.

    The main reason for going to Broome was to do a tour to the horizontal falls. As it was a big day, I'll include it in a separate footprint.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Sunset over Derby jetty
    Same place during the dayLooking backLove the lightingInfo about the Boab prison treeThe prison BoabThe long water troughSculptures by the marsh (titled Contemplation)AFL playersBrolgas (one of my favourites)The ringer (Aboriginal stockman)The familyCrab and stingrayKimberley Moonrise Girl and brolga to the rightStingrayThe ringer with fingernail moonThe family after the sun set2Freshwater croc at Mary's Pool (only 1.5 - 2m long)

    Derby.... and the journey to.

    Jul 26–27 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We left Kununurra in the east Kimberley to travel across the top of WA to reach the west coast at Derby. It's quite a long journey, and we needed 3 overnight stops where we free camped (along with about 30 other caravans also free camping). There are only 2 major towns along this route - Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing - and while we fuelled up at each, the general impression was not somewhere you wanted to stay. One of the few camps we stayed at was Mary's Pool and we actually saw several freshwater crocs on the banks of the river.

    Arriving in Derby it was nice to have a decent shower (we had to conserve water not knowing how long it would last free camping) and also be hooked up to power so we could use our 240V appliances. There is not a great deal to see in Derby but there were a few points of interest - the prison Boab tree, long water trough, the jetty and the sculptures on the marsh.

    The prison Boab was reported to hold Aboriginal men who were stolen / kidnapped from East Kimberley to work as pearl divers on the coast. The sign board gives information about this. Nearby is a long water trough (120m - longest in the Southern Hemisphere) that could water almost 1000 bullocks at a time.

    The jetty is horseshoe shaped and is a place that experiences huge tides of 11m. It was nice enough to look at during the day, but at sunset it was just spectacular. Along with the sculptures that depicted different aspects of life/people/animals of the area, it really was a highlight of our visit to Derby. Hope you enjoy the photos.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Lake Argyle from the air
    Dam wall from the airDam wall and edge of power stationOther side of the wallView of power station on rightA small part of Lake ArgyleArgyle Homestead Museum

    Lake Argyle

    July 21 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Our last day excursion was to Lake Argyle, about 70km SE of Kununurra. The Lake, created by damming the Ord River, is the largest man made freshwater Lake in the Southern Hemisphere with a water capacity of over 9 times Sydney Harbour when it was opened in the early 1970s and then almost doubled that when they raised the dam wall in the mid 90s.

    Lake Argyle stretches 70km to the south and 40km to the east. We went to various viewpoints and tried to get onto a cruise, but they were booked out. We visited the Argyle Homestead Museum - home of the pioneering Durack family. Many may be familiar with the book "Kings in Grass Castles" by Mary Durack, which chronicles the story of her family. The story of the family was very interesting and it was actually the grandson of the original Durack that recognised the area to be rich agricultural land and was the catalyst for creating the Ord River Irrigation Area.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceTravelling Oz in our PearcyPodBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Our mode of transport
    Ord RiverIslands in Lake ArgyleBow River (Yes! From the Cold Chisel song)Bungle BunglesStriped domesOne of the gorgesLove the patternsMore gorges and crevices1People hike up these gorges - can take daysArgyle Diamond mineAgricultural areas

    Bungle Bungles from above

    July 20 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The original plan was to drive to the Bungle Bungle caravan park and pick up a 4WD tour into the national park as the road in is inaccessible to tandem axle vans and by all reports, the 50km trek is very corrugated with several water crossings and takes 3 or more hours to travel in (and then another 3+ hours to return). However, the company that offers these tours is awaiting the permits, so it is currently not operating. As we don't want to drive in ourselves, we did the next best thing and did a 2 hour flight from Kununurra. I think we made the right choice.

    The flight left Kununurra, followed the Ord River down to Lake Argyle and then onto Purnululu (Bungle Bungles) where we got a good look at the striped beehive shaped domes the area is renowned for. I guess we missed the Cathedral Gorge and Echidna Chasm, but you can't do everything.

    The return took us over the Argyle Diamond mine famous for its pink diamonds (as well as others). The pilot told us that they took out $60 million in diamonds every 10 days. We flew over the agricultural areas made possible by the Ord River Irrigation Area. What is incredible is only about 10% of the water is used for irrigation - the surplus is discharged out to sea.

    Anyway, I'll let the pictures tell the story.    Read more

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