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WA Road Trip 2023WA Road Trip 2023
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WA Road Trip 2023

March - May 2023
Making memories one road trip at a time - Nullarbor Plain, Southern WA, Perth, Coral Coast & Wheatbelt Regions Read more
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  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023

    Welcome to McDermotts Travel Oz

    July 26, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Welcome to McDermotts Travel Oz - our very own holiday journal where we will attempt to capture the joy, excitement and special meaning that our travels bring to our life and family. And because we’re not all perfect, it will likely also document (some of) the tears, fears and ‘frustrations’ we inevitably experience along the way.

    This chapter will narrate our epic trans-continental road trip, with the excuse of celebrating both Anthony and Daniel's 50th birthdays (the original Hawaii 5-0 proposal was an early victim of the Covid-19 pandemic). Domestic travel for the win!

    It's evolving as a 'half-lap' of Australia from east to west (and back again), covering an estimated distance of more than 10,000 kilometres, where we will visit and witness some of our country’s most famous regions and places as we go, including:
    • Riverina Region of south-western NSW
    • Rural Riverland areas of VIC and SA
    • Far-west Coastal Region of SA
    • Great treeless Nullarbor Plain
    • Amazing sea cliffs of the Great Australian Bight
    • Goldfields-Esperance Region of WA
    • Coastal and cultural beauty of the Great Southern Region of WA
    • Majestic old-growth forests of south-west WA
    • World-renowned food, wine and beaches of the Margaret River Region of WA
    • Perth and Rottnest Island WA
    • Coral Coast Region of WA
    • Wheatbelt Region of WA
    • "Crossroads" of Australia
    • Outback NSW

    Our itinerary is shaping up nicely, though I am astounded how far ahead some places are booked out. Who knew WA’s Coral Coast is so in demand that accommodation and tours need to be booked 12 months in advance! It doesn’t help that astronomers have pinpointed Exmouth as the best land-based place in the world to witness the alignment of the sun, moon and earth in the upcoming April 2023 Ningaloo Eclipse, attracting umbraphiles (eclipse chasers – aka science nerds) from everywhere to the region. But more about this highly anticipated 1 minute, 16 second event later…

    Fortunately for now, our partners in travel crime, Daniel Giffney and Helen Budd, have us sorted for the Perth to Exmouth return leg of our adventure, booking in accommodation and several of our 'bucket list' activities including swim tours with Whale Sharks, Manta Rays and Dolphins.

    We also continue to refine our Sydney to Perth route - including the scenic south of WA, and confirm our return ‘sprint’ from Perth to Sydney - mixing it up via Wave Rock, Kalgoorlie, Streaky Bay and Broken Hill.

    Our adventure hasn't officially started yet and is still a way off. We will not be leaving until March 2023. But that doesn't mean there's not lots to plan and get excited about in the meantime.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023

    The Journey starts here

    September 7, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Today is an exciting day as we take possession of our new home away from home. The faithful old ‘Panda’ (Expanda) has been sold to make way for our shiny new ‘Journey’.

    We will no doubt miss the generous space and versatility of the tardis-like Expanda, but it’s time to go longer and further and to more remote places, so we’ve gone all-in and upgraded to full travel luxury, comparatively speaking of course. With no pop-outs or build-it-yourself parts (even the awning is automatic!) we hope that even less time and effort spent setting up the caravan means more time enjoying our trip – although our travel buddies may miss the spectacle of a good domestic during the setting-up-of the-campsite process. 😉

    There’s a few things that are new to us with this van that we’ll need to get used to and figure out as we go – like how many pies will fit in the oven at once, how many socks and undies can we squeeze into a single washing machine cycle, how do we empty the grey water tank and most importantly how to avoid splashback at the dump point!

    The challenge now is to pack and figure out where everything goes. It’s more involved than it first appears. This van is heavier than our last, so we’re necessarily more conscious of weight and the need to pack appropriately. Its easy to do and we’re all a little bit guilty of packing more than needed ‘just in case’. I was amazed how much stuff we had accumulated in the Expanda! There will definitely be a cull as we re-pack the Journey in favour of the pragmatic ‘less-is-more’ philosophy.

    To the boys’ amusement, I have channelled my inner nerd and created a spreadsheet to calculate the weight of each item that goes back in – from BBQ (16 kg) to 5 x toothbrushes (0.02 kg) and everything in between. Of course, a few things are non-negotiable like coffee machine (9 kg) and case of wine (14 kg) – ok maybe two cases, we are going to Margaret River!

    So far, we’re theoretically under our ATM with full water tanks and gas bottles, but with food and clothes still to come… I’ve also calculated our GVM and GCM with all five of us in the car. Again, we’re looking good and dare I say even have capacity to put on weight, which I’m pretty sure is inevitable. Regardless, a quick roll over a weighbridge is on the agenda before we head off, just to be sure.

    It’s not for everyone, but we’re excited for where our ‘Journey’ will take us. Now it’s off to K-Mart to ‘Marie Kondo’ it with storage solutions.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023

    Ready to Roll

    March 23, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    After 12 months of planning and anticipation, tomorrow is finally D-Day!

    Our home for the next (nearly) 8 weeks is packed and ready to go - not to mention probably the most organised it will ever be.

    Featuring:
    * 4 ‘bedrooms’ with built in wardrobes
    * Combined bath/laundry
    * Open plan kitchen & dining
    * Expansive outdoor living
    All in an easy to maintain layout offering comfort and versatility in convenient locations with ever-changing views.

    Let the adventure begin!    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    Day 1

    Narrandera NSW

    March 24, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    It’s good to be in our happy place on the road again.

    We had a smooth run through Yass and Wagga Wagga to Narrandera for the night, staying at Lake Talbot Caravan Park where we scored a beautiful grassy (drive-through) slab site overlooking the lake.

    Our reception couldn’t have been better. At check-in we were greeted with a surprise gift (and I dare say preferential treatment) courtesy of our amazing neighbours who call Narrandera home. Happy hour was sorted for night one and we couldn’t be off to a better start to our holiday!

    Our new mate Chris at reception then gave us a hot tip for dinner at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club and even sorted us a courtesy bus. The steak was delicious. It just keeps getting better.

    Sadly just a short overnight stop in this lovely country town before we head west again in the morning.

    Already we’re missing Josh and Ryan but take comfort in knowing they’re in good hands and look forward to reuniting with them in Perth in a couple of weeks time.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    1
    Day 2

    Renmark SA

    March 25, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Three states in one day - NSW, VIC and SA!

    We cruised through Hay, Balranald (where we stopped for lunch by the
    Murrumbidgee River) and Mildura, passed inspection at the SA Quarantine Checkpoint, then onto Renmark for the night, where we stayed at the magnificent BIG4 Riverfront Caravan Park. Dusk overlooking the river was magic.

    We will definitely remember Renmark for the nail-bitingly narrow bridge into town. With a total width allowance of just 3m, there’s not much wiggle room either side for the caravan. I’m proud to say our driver handled it like a pro.

    Dinner at Club Renmark was also spectacular overlooking the mighty Murray River. Interesting to hear the December 2022 flood peaked at just below the height of the balcony where we were dining, which itself is about 4-5 meters above normal river level.

    Morning coffee and a quick dip of our toes in the Murray River and we’re off again towards Port Augusta.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    Day 3

    Port Augusta SA

    March 26, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    An interesting travel day today as we zig-zagged our way to Port Augusta via a string of little towns, some quaint and historically charming, others lucky to warrant a dot on the map.

    We stopped just outside the town of Burra at a worn out old homestead made famous on the cover of Midnight Oil’s Diesel & Dust album.

    We learned about Goyder's Line as we crossed it - a line that runs roughly east-west across South Australia and, in effect, joins places with an average annual rainfall of 10 inches. North of Goyder's Line, annual rainfall is usually too low to support cropping, with the land being suitable only for grazing. Who knew?

    We also navigated past our first quadruple road train. Yikes!

    South Australia is clearly leading our nation in renewable energy as we passed two giant solar farms and multiple wind turbines. Plus we discovered Port Augusta has our only SunDrop which uses solar energy to desalinate water.

    Tonight’s accommodation is at Discovery Park Port Augusta, which I’m pleased to say is punching above its weight for this town. It’s pretty full too and we’ve met some fellow travellers from all states. Wish us luck with the ‘locals’ tonight…

    Fun fact: Port Augusta is known as the Crossroads of Australia. If you head north on the Stuart Highway, some 2,722 km later you will be driving into Darwin. Head west on the Eyre Highway and 2,390 km (after you have crossed the Nullarbor Plain) you will reach Perth. Head east, via Broken Hill, and 1,561 km later you’ll be in Sydney and, almost as an afterthought, you can head south and in a mere 310 km you’ll reach Adelaide. Port Augusta really does sit at a crossroads and, by strange serendipity, the roads really do head to the primary points of the compass – north, south, east and west.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    3
    Day 4

    Ceduna SA

    March 27, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    A drizzly and frustrating morning stuck doing 60km/hr behind an oversized load - a train on a truck of all things (a literal road train) - between Iron Knob and Kimba, just outside of Port Augusta. On the plus side we had plenty of time to refine our car karaoke skills and to take in the practicality prehistoric landscape we were travelling through.

    We stopped in Kimba at the Big Gallah Bakery, marking the halfway point between the east and west coasts of Australia. The pies were good but we know for our return trip not to bother with the coffee.

    Meanwhile the oversized load crawled past and once again we were stuck behind doing 60 km/hr. However it was interesting listening to the chatter and guidance from the pilot vehicle on the UHF radio as we patiently waited for the all-clear to overtake.

    Tonight we’re staying at the BIG4 Ceduna ‘Classic’ Caravan Park. It’s neat and tidy and almost completely full. I’m glad we booked ahead as people were being turned away as we checked in.

    Ceduna is a lovely town. It’s like we popped out of the vast lands of SA to a little seaside oasis (all two streets worth at least).

    After a wander around town we indulged in a delicious SA seafood platter at the Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel. It did not disappoint. We will sleep well tonight ready to hit the Nullarbor tomorrow.

    Today’s lesson: Always fill up with diesel when you can as there’s no guarantee the next mapped fuel stop exists or even has supply!

    Fun Fact: Ceduna is known as the ‘Gateway to the Nullarbor’ (at least on approach from the east) and is somewhat famous as the opening hole of the ‘Nullarbor Links’ – the world’s longest golf course, where you definitely need a car to get across ‘the green’.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    Day 5

    Eucla WA

    March 28, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    Today has been a real bucket list highlights package. Everything as good if not better than imagined. It was also a day of BIG things: Big Windmill, Big Whale and Big Rooey II.

    Just past the big windmill (Comet) at Penong we commenced our first epic crossing of the Nullarbor Plain. We are amazed at how busy the highway is. We’re continually passing and being passed by caravans, road trains and cyclists would you believe!

    We explored the Head of the Bight Visitor Centre where a series of boardwalks and viewing platforms hang out over the cliffs providing views in all directions. We then stopped at the iconic Nullarbor Roadhouse with the big whale.

    But the absolute highlight of the day was venturing out to the Bunda Cliffs (the longest uninterrupted line of sea cliffs in the world) where we pulled up literally metres from the edge of the continent. The coastline here is spectacular and we even spotted a pod of dolphins playing in the sparkling blue water below. Amazing!

    We pushed on through our second quarantine checkpoint to cross the border into WA. The WA inspection was very relaxed compared to SA. They took our word about no fresh food and were really only concerned about no honey entering WA, whereas at the SA border they literally checked every bag and cupboard in both car and caravan!

    Just beyond the WA border we quickly checked out the ruins of the Old Eucla Telegraph Station, once a pivotal link in cross-country communications now slowly being reclaimed by the sand dunes, before settling in at Eucla Caravan Park for the night.

    Who knows what time we’ll go to bed tonight - having passed through three different time zones today our devices are scrambling to keep up. But who cares - we’re on holidays. What a day! 😊    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    Day 6

    Balladonia WA

    March 29, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Today we continued our crossing of the Nullarbor, including the iconic 90 Mile Straight – Australia’s longest straight road (146.6 km). Anyone who thinks this is a boring drive with nothing to see or do must be travelling with their eyes closed. We’ve loved every bit of it and could have even spent an extra day just hanging out at the cliffs! There’s just so much to appreciate about this beautiful country.

    The scenery has changed several times as the highway moved from within a few hundred metres of the coastline to alongside a small mountain range (something we didn’t expect), through pockets of green shrubbery (and dare I say trees) to the iconic treeless plains by which the Nullarbor gets its name. And it’s not entirely flat either, there’s some beautiful lookouts and views. Who knew?

    There’s also other interesting finds, like the emergency landing strips for the Royal Flying Doctor Service down the middle of the highway, random electric vehicle charging points, and all sorts of crazy travellers!

    It’s apparently been quite wet out here recently and puddles are aplenty. Consequently Lachlan is obsessed with driving through mud. He even draw a picture of his dream at dinner last night.

    Tonight we headed for Balladonia, made ‘famous’ as the crash site of NASA’s Skylab space station in 1979. We set up in the Caravan Park beside the roadhouse before exploring the museum and braving the ‘Skylab’ hole of the Nullarbor Links Golf Course. As we found out this is a genuinely challenging Par 3 where accuracy is everything! We were not accurate and spent the next 10 minutes looking for our ball while donating blood one giant mosquito at a time.

    Fun Fact: There was much hilarity when the local Shire Council sent a littering fine to NASA to clean up the fiery chunks of debris that had landed around Balladonia as Skylab re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere. It is also claimed that President Jimmy Carter subsequently rang the roadhouse to apologise for littering the local area.    Read more

  • TravelerWA Road Trip 2023
    Day 7

    Esperance WA

    March 30, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Today we officially left the Nullarbor and started our tour around the beautiful south of WA.

    First rest stop on-route was Norseman at the junction of the Eyre Highway and Coolgardie-Esperance Highway. It was a hive of road-train activity including a massive quadruple, the biggest we’ve seen. Fortunately they mostly headed north towards Kalgoorlie - we’ll encounter them on our way home no doubt.

    Today was an easy travel day and relatively uneventful compared to the previous few we’ve had, with nothing particular to report.

    We rolled into Esperance and checked in at the RAC Esperance Caravan Park. Wow! The facilities are spectacular, up there with some of the best we’ve experienced. Our site has its own ensuite bathroom with a huge double sized shower, while the camp kitchen is fully equipped to commercial standards and embarrassingly perhaps better than our own kitchen at home. Plus it’s right opposite the beach. Lucky we booked ahead (9 months ago!) as there’s a big sign stating no vacancies for caravans.

    We drove out to look at ‘Pink Lake’ just out of town. Unfortunately, the information boards at the lookout confirmed it hasn’t been pink since 2007. This intel would have been good before going out there. However, they say it may become pink again when the water temperature and salinity levels create the correct circumstances. I doubt we’ll be back.

    We explored around town and along the waterfront before retreating for the night. Looking forward to exploring Cape Le Grande NP tomorrow.    Read more

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