WA Road Trip 2023

Making memories one road trip at a time - Nullarbor Plain, Southern WA, Perth, Coral Coast & Wheatbelt Regions Read more

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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Kalbarri WA
April 13, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Watching the local news tonight we’re not sure if we’re heading north to Exmouth for a solar eclipse or WA’s biggest cyclone party! Either way it’ll be a cultural event to remember. But that’s for another day…

Today we visited the outstanding Kalbarri National Park where the Murchison River has cut a magnificent 80km gorge through the red and white banded sandstone. I had been looking forward to this and it didn’t disappoint.

First stop - Kalbarri Skywalk. Wow! Perched right on the cliff top two enormous platforms jut out over the gorge providing incredible views up and down the valley and of the river below.

Just down the road, we climbed out to Nature’s Window, a natural rock arch formed from layers of Tumblagooda Sandstone. No wonder it’s one of WA’s most iconic natural attractions. It was truly spectacular!

We also walked out to Z Bend overlooking a sharp bend in the gorge - us and a million flies! The boys inventively made swatters using fallen branches. The river was officially in flood and we could see and hear it rushing through the valley below.

Back in town the kids enjoyed a swim and made themselves comfy in the camp kitchen with their beloved game of Settlers of Catan, while Dan, Helen, Anthony and I took ‘happy hour’ to Red Bluff. A perfect end to yet another great day.Read more
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Wooramel River Retreat WA
April 14, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 23 °C
Today as we continue to head north we crossed the 26th parallel officially welcoming us to the north west. Thankfully we’ve seen no signs of TC Ilsa which reportedly made landfall near Port Headland and is now dissipating inland.

What we have seen today is a whole lot of nothing! The landscape out here is perhaps even more sparse than the Nullarbor. In contrast, the highway is quite busy with signs announcing ‘major event in progress’, which we understand to be the upcoming total solar eclipse. The Billabong and Overlander Roadhouses on route were doing a cracking trade with crazy long queues for fuel.

Tonight we made camp at Wooramel River Retreat, a working cattle and goat station and outback station stay. Usually the Wooramel River flows upside down with water running on the surface only 2-3 times a year for a couple of weeks at a time after good inland rain. We were lucky enough to experience this phenomenon. It was beautiful wading through the cool water in the warm afternoon as the setting sun highlighted the big river gums.

After a competitive thong float race down the river we retreated to the hot bore baths for a relaxing soak. Natural pressure pushes the artesian water some 240m to the surface with a constant temperature of around 33 degrees. The high mineral content of the water is said to have therapeutic qualities but all we got was a weird orange glow like a bad fake tan. But we were relaxed 😎

After a campfire dinner we sat back with another Margaret River red to watch the stars (including the best shooting star we’ve ever seen) and appreciate just how small we are in the context of the universe. As it turns out, we also happened to be gazing upwards at the perfect moment to witness the fuel plume from the second stage of the Ariane 5 rocket carrying the European Space Agency's JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission, beginning an ambitious voyage to uncover the secrets of the ocean worlds around giant planet Jupiter. Very cool!

Sometimes life without power or internet is bliss xxRead more
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Exmouth WA
April 15, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 25 °C
We’ve made it to Exmouth, the half way turn-around point of our trip. We’re also officially in the tropics having crossed the Tropic of Capricorn somewhere along the way.

It’s a bit surreal finally being here. Almost 18 years ago our besties and partners in travel crime, Dan and Helen, came to Exmouth for their honeymoon. They loved what it had to offer, especially the beaches and Ningaloo Reef, but the timing wasn’t right for Whale Sharks so they vowed one day to return when their kids (then not even conceived) were old enough to appreciate the experience. That just so happens to now coincide with Dan and Anthony’s 50th years and what better way to celebrate together! And so this epic trip evolved…

Today was a long travel day. We stopped briefly in Carnarvon for groceries and fuel before once again hitting the open road. Fellow travellers had warned us that between towns there’s a whole lot of nothing. They weren’t wrong. However nothing can be interesting if you choose to see the beauty in it.

As we left the main highway and headed out along the Minilya-Exmouth Road the landscape was scattered with giant termite mounds in all directions as far as the eye could see. Some of them were really tall, others really wide, and I read that they can last upwards of 100 years!

As the road continued on (and on) we were teased by a sign saying ‘Welcome to Exmouth’ - a mere 90 kms away! I guess it’s all relative.

We also saw the setting up of the ‘live site’ for viewing the solar eclipse out near Learmonth in the direct path of totality. Whilst we didn’t plan our trip to coincide with the eclipse, we’re embracing the experience and learning the lingo as this highly anticipated astronomical event draws near (we’ll be umbraphiles by the end of the week) 🤓

The Exmouth Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort will now be our home for the next week while we relax and explore this part of the Coral Coast. It’s a lovely park, predictably full with caravans and motorhomes but with a friendly and relaxed vibe.

After a long day in the car we enjoyed dinner at the on-site Italian restaurant before retiring early in preparation for Whale Sharks in the morning!Read more
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Whale Sharks WA
April 16, 2023, Indian Ocean ⋅ 🌬 26 °C
Today was exactly what this trip was all about. The catalyst for being here. A bucket list dream years in the planning. We swam with Whale Sharks at Ningaloo Reef and it was fantastic. And to top it off we were joined by a pod of dolphins for the experience!

Our vessel for the day was called ‘Blue Strike’ operated by Exmouth Dive & Whalesharks. After a short practice snorkel at the inner reef, we headed out to begin our search for the big fish. It took only half an hour or so for the spotter plane to find our first Whale Shark and we were quickly into the water. We got a glimpse, but this guy was a juvenile with a case of the zoomies and just too quick to keep up with. So back on the boat and off to find a slower one.

After not too long we found a big Whale Shark (approx. 7m long) that was happily cruising near the surface - the perfect candidate for us to swim along with. We spent quite some time getting up close and personal with this magnificent creature as it casually swam by only a few short metres away. Immersed in the water alongside it we could see every detail of its spotted skin and truly appreciate the scale of this gentle giant as it cruised the crystal waters of Ningaloo Reef.

Heading back to the wharf we dropped anchor in the calm waters of the inner reef to enjoy an on-board lunch and snorkel in the warm shallow waters off the back of the boat. The water was a stunning 26 degrees and the day-time temp was sitting at around 28 degrees. Just perfect.

Another magical day in WA was topped off with woodfired pizzas and a tasting paddle at the Whalebone Brewery - an Exmouth institution.

We all agreed that today has moved to the top of our highlights list. It's going to be hard to bump it from here, but we still have a few weeks and many adventures ahead so who knows...Read more
TravelerSo Miss Fiona was it any good???
4/17/23Reply
TravelerIt was 😊
4/17/23Reply
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Coral Coast WA
April 17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
While Dan, Helen and Claire departed early to scuba dive the outer reef, we enjoyed a much needed sleep-in and ‘down day’.

We explored the town centre, including an obligatory visit to the bakery and coffee shop, and necessary stock up at the IGA. Ten minutes later, we drove out to Town Beach and through the impressive marina housing estate where a single block of land was selling for $750k!

What was interesting to see is all the temporary infrastructure and event planning that is being set up around town in preparation for the solar eclipse and anticipated influx of some 20,000 visitors.

There’s food trucks everywhere and live performance stages at key locations in town and down at the beach. They’ve also installed a giant water bladder to boost supply to the town. Plus we learned today that 40 extra police have arrived in town for the 4 day event - we’ve already been waved through two RBTs in a day!

We checked out the Welch Street temporary overflow campground on the outskirts of town where the Shire is literally selling an unserviced patch of desert for $320 for 4 nights! We’re very grateful to be in the premier caravan park in town with lovely manicured sites and a full range of amenities. Thanks Dan for being on the case more than 12 months ago to secure our bookings.

It’s been getting busier by the day but so far the town seems well prepared.Read more
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Cape Range NP
April 18, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 29 °C
Exmouth is really turning it on for us. It’s a big call but there’s even a chance that Lucky Bay might be pipped at the post for title of ‘favourite beach’.

Today we explored the coastal highlights of Cape Range National Park, starting with a boat tour up Yardie Creek where we learnt some interesting things about the local region and got to see some of the unique flora and fauna (including Black-footed Rock Wallabies and Ospreys) in their natural environment.

We then made our way back up the coast stopping at the magnificent Turquoise Bay for a picnic lunch on the beach and of course to snorkel ‘The Drift’. With the Ningaloo Reef only a few hundred metres from shore it was the perfect place for us lazy snorkellers to float effortlessly watching the corals and fish as the current took us along the beach.

Heading back into town we stopped at the Milyering Visitor Centre before heading up to the Vlamingh Lighthouse for another stunning sunset happy hour. A perfect end to a relaxing day in tropical paradise.

Today’s reflection: We’re impressed with the way the town is managing this ‘major event’ (the solar eclipse). So far we’ve had no issues and have to say all the locals are super friendly and welcoming of us visitors. The shops are well stocked and event management is in full swing. We have been issued with ‘access passes’ for the caravan park and were ‘checked’ into the National Park this morning with a special issue day pass. Let’s hope the positive vibes continue...Read more
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Nyinggulu (Ningaloo) Coast WA
April 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Another great day in Cape Range NP. We started at ‘Lakeside’ which is supposedly an ideal spot for snorkelling from the shore. It was pretty, but not as good as Turquoise Bay yesterday.

So we moved on and ventured out to the highly recommended ‘Oyster Stacks’. Here the Ningaloo Reef is just 300m from shore, the narrowest section of lagoon along the entire Ningaloo Coast, which means there’s a high concentration of marine life.

A few minor war wounds later we learned that Oyster Stacks should only be snorkelled during high tide when there is sufficient water over the reef. We had commented at the time that it was very shallow but naively assumed this added to the experience LOL. In any case it was pretty special and we agreed we should come back again at the appropriate high tide!

Tonight we embraced ’SolFest’ - the free three-day festival of music, food and astronomy being staged on the town oval opposite our caravan park. We rolled out our picnic rugs in front of the main stage and ‘enjoyed’ dinner from at least three of the many food trucks on site while we waited for the headline act The Waifs to start their set. They were great, us ‘oldies’ singing along to forgotten favourites. The kids weren’t convinced but did enjoy the previous support act Boox Kid.

Fun fact: Originally from Albany, after forming the band in Broome, The Waifs got their start in the local PotShots Bar just down the road here in Exmouth.Read more
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Total Solar Eclipse WA
April 20, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 26 °C
Two ‘happy hours’ in one day!

Today we witnessed a rare total solar eclipse. We were front and centre as Exmouth was plunged into darkness as the sun, moon and earth perfectly aligned. We experienced first hand the brilliant moment of ‘totality’ when the moon completely eclipsed the sun.

The spectacle commenced just after 10 am. We set up beside the caravan watching and waiting in anticipation, raising our eclipse goggles every few minutes to catch a glimpse of the rare phenomenon.

At around 11:37 am a collective cheer was heard across town for the moment of totality. An eerie ‘darkness’ followed and the birds all took to the sky flying in confused circles. It was noticeably cooler and the preceding wind dropped and changed direction. Then just as quickly as it went dark, it grew light and we watched on as the moon continued its path across the sky until once again the sun was shining brightly upon us.

The whole town was buzzing with excitement and people from all over the globe, many with some very fancy telescopes and camera equipment. One guy we spoke to was chasing his 15th eclipse! It was certainly an experience we’ll remember. Not sure we’d travel around the world for it but can understand why people do.

We celebrated our unique experience with a delicious tapas dinner at Exhale Blue Lips restaurant before dancing our way through the decades to Hot Dub Time Machine at SolFest.

Eclipse reflection: We all agreed we thought the total eclipse would be darker (like midnight) whereas it was more like late twilight or just before nightfall. Still it was a weird and intriguing experience (all 58 seconds of it) that we’ll remember for a long time.Read more
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Yinikutira WA
April 21, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Our final day in Exmouth so we made sure to repeat our favourites.

First on the list - Oyster Stacks at high tide. Notwithstanding the complexity of the entry (a scramble over sharp rocks hindered by surging waves) we snorkelled around and saw some pretty cool sea life. But despite the hype, for us it didn’t compare to Turquoise Bay so we moved on. And wow, this time we were rewarded with everything from White-tip Reef Sharks to Green Turtles, blue star fish and the illusive BFG (big friendly Groper), all in the magical turquoise waters by which it gets its name.

Heading back to camp we checked out the wreck of the SS Mildura, a cattle steamer that was wrecked in 1907 during a cyclone - subsequently prompting the construction of the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse. We also checked out (albeit from afar) the Naval Communication Station Harold E Holt, a joint Australian and United States naval communication station with its 13 tall radio towers which were for many years the tallest man-made structures in the Southern Hemisphere.

We had a quiet night cooking dinner at the van and recounting the highlights of our amazing week in Exmouth while preparing for a very early departure in the morning.

P.S. ‘Yinikutira’ are the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the Country along the Ningaloo Coast in the area of the Exmouth Peninsula.Read more
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Coral Bay WA
April 22, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 26 °C
Today we officially started our return journey heading south.

A very early departure from Exmouth had us in Coral Bay by 7:30 am, just in time for coffee and breakfast at the bakery before boarding ‘Utopia’ for a day on the water snorkelling with Manta Rays (the fourth of our ‘swim with’ experiences).

It didn’t take long for the spotter plane to find our first Manta and for us to slide into the water and swim over the top and alongside this graceful creature. Interestingly Mantas have unique markings on their underbelly enabling them to be individually identified.

In addition to the Mantas, throughout the day we spotted dolphins, turtles, bull rays and a shark attack - actually two Bronze Whalers snacking on a defenceless bait ball.

Once back inside the shelter of the reef we enjoyed snorkelling the ‘Mazes’ with its calm crystal clear water and abundance of corals and tropical sea life. I even saw a shark! The kids (and kids at heart) also had great fun jumping off the top deck of the boat.

We rounded off yet another great day exploring the Ningaloo Reef with a delicious seafood platter at the local cafe.

Our accommodation for the night is the Ningaloo Coral Bay Caravan Park which is packed full of caravans, motor homes and tents, even more so than Exmouth. The caravan park is literally bigger than the town itself and definitely the centre of activity.

Although we’ve only experienced a very small part of what Coral Bay has to offer, it has certainly impressed - especially the immaculate aqua water with perhaps our best reef snorkelling experience so far. It's definitely on the list of places to come back to one day.Read more
Traveler Great photo.
4/23/23Reply
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Monkey Mia WA
April 23, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
A long travel day today retracing part of our way back down the highway to the Shark Bay turnoff where we again headed northwest towards Monkey Mia.

We passed back below the Tropic of Capricorn and crossed the 26th Parallel (twice), which we’ve subsequently learned is the horizontal mid point of Australia (ie. if you folded Australia in half lengthwise it would be the line of symmetry). Hence we’re officially still in the northwest but not quite in the tropics anymore.

There’s evidently an exodus of visitors from the region heading south following the Total Solar Eclipse and the highway patrol are out in force. We encountered no less than three on route today, plus an RBT. Of course we passed no problems. However, upon noticing Anthony’s newly acquired West Coast Eagles cap one patrolling Officer joked that he had expected we would have been drowning our sorrows LOL. We pleaded ignorance and pointed to our NSW licence plates!

As we cruised along, Anthony finally got to see a big Western Red Kangaroo (on his ‘bucket list’). Sadly it was roadkill but as consolation he also got to tick off seeing a Wedge Tail Eagle (reliving a childhood memory) albeit feasting on the roadkill! Moving on we saw several more Wedgies soaring overhead.

As we recrossed the Wooramel River we were surprised to see all the water had receded and it was once again running upside down, making our stay there only a week earlier all the more special.

On the Shark Bay Road out to Monkey Mia we stopped briefly at Shell Beach, which as the name implies is made up of trillions of tiny shells from one type of animal - the Fragum cockle.

Finally, just before dusk we rolled into the jewel in the RAC crown - the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort which will be our base for the next two nights. We have a fabulous site right opposite the beach entrance, complete with a well-appointed little ensuite.

After a long day on the road we enjoyed a casual dinner at the on site ‘Monkey Bar’ before sitting back with a round of Butterscotch Schnapps and Baileys to plot our adventures for tomorrow.Read more
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Shark Bay WA
April 24, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
An echidna, a kangaroo and an emu crossed the road…. Welcome to Shark Bay World Heritage Area where the wildlife is abundant!

This morning we were down at the jetty by 7 am for the famous Monkey Mia dolphin feeding experience. We lined up along the beach with our toes in the water waiting for Piccolo (and her calf Oboe) and Kiya to come into the feeding area. We were fascinated by how they eye-balled the crowd before witnessing up close their playful antics as they were each fed just enough local fish to reward them for coming in to see us but not so much as to deter them from still having to hunt their own in the wild. Despite the many people it was a great viewing experience.

Following the dolphin feeding we sat down for breakfast at the Resort’s signature Boughshed Restaurant and enjoyed one of the best coffees we’ve had yet along the Coral Coast, plus bacon and egg burgers and waffles for Lachie!

With full bellies we headed out to explore the World Heritage Area starting at Eagle Bluff, featuring a boardwalk extending out over the spectacularly high cliffs overlooking the Denham Sound and across to the Useless Loop salt pile. From there we also spotted some of the Shark Bay wildlife loitering in the warm shallow waters below (including sharks, a turtle and rays, but unfortunately not the illusive dugong). Definitely a highlight.

Next stop was the Ocean Park Aquarium showcasing Shark Bay’s endemic marine life. Sadly the facility seemed rundown and we generally felt sorry for the poor creatures confined to their small tanks. Definitely not a highlight.

Given it had been at least 2 hours since breakfast the boys were keen to explore the town of Denham for lunch before venturing into the Francois Peron National Park. We made it as far as the Peron Heritage Precinct before the already disconcertingly sandy road became high-clearance 4WD only! Dan and Helen did well to get the motorhome this far but none of us were keen to have to dig it out should we have ventured any further. Plus we found another artesian hot tub so we were very happy staying put to relax and soak our tired bodies.

Monkey Mia and the Shark Bay Area were places I had been especially looking forward to visiting, having conjured up spectacular visions of the outback meeting the sea. However, in reality you need a serious four wheel drive adventure deep into the Francois Peron NP to truly experience the beauty of the area and certainly to capture that iconic red white and blue money shot. Notwithstanding, the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort was fabulous and we could easily have spent more days soaking up the glorious beaches and chilling with the friendly resident emus.Read more
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Geraldton WA
April 25, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
As the sun slowly appeared over the horizon we gathered in silence on the Monkey Mia beachfront to acknowledge ANZAC Day and remember those who have served to defend Australia. It’s always a moving experience and so unique this time to reflect and show appreciation for our ‘Diggers’ with Australians from all over the country. Whilst not a conventional service, the early start was rewarded with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and freshly baked Anzac biscuits courtesy of the Resort.

We hit the road early and pushed on to the BIG4 Sunset Beach at Geraldton for the night, arriving in time for a late lunch. Whilst very little was open in town (not even Coles or Woollies) due to the public holiday, we visited the memorial for the crew of HMAS Sydney II. This year will mark 80 years since the sinking of the HMAS Sydney II and the legacy of Australia’s greatest naval tragedy.

On returning to camp, the kids finally won us over to join them for a game of 'Dugong Wars' - a highly creative card game they've been busily designing the past few weeks (loosely based around the concepts of Top Trumps vs Unstable Unicorns). We all had a good laugh - and who knows, one day it might even make it into production...

Tonight is bittersweet as we come to the end of our amazing west coast adventure and savour our final night together with Dan, Helen, Claire and Michael. It’s been absolutely fantastic and we’ve loved sharing every moment. “No road is long with good company”.

A glass of celebratory Moët and St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon were a fitting finale and especially appropriate for the coldest night of our trip so far (a chilly 20 degrees LOL).

Safe travels home Giffneys. See you back in Sydney in a couple of weeks xxRead more
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Swan Valley WA
April 26, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
A long and frustratingly slow trip south from Geraldton back to Perth. The main Brand Highway was closed south of Cataby due to a serious crash sending us on a picturesque detour through WA’s Wheatbelt Region - all well and good until we encountered oncoming road trains and an oversized load also detouring along the narrow country lanes.

Back on the highway we were again slowed by long stretches of roadworks with contraflow arrangements in place.

We stopped on route at the Windmill Roadhouse, Regans Ford, for possibly the two worst coffees and ‘hot’ chips of the trip so far. Such is roadtrippin’.

Our base tonight is the BIG 4 Perth Midland Tourist Park in the pretty Swan Valley. The wineries were tempting but we had other essential business to attend to - the boys all needed haircuts before they blended in with the East Perth locals!

With suave new looks we dined at a random Thai restaurant complete with our own little cabana before retiring early for some much needed sleep.Read more
Traveler Nice looking street
4/26/23Reply
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Hyden WA
April 27, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We’ve officially started our homeward journey, heading east for the first time as we rolled over the hills out of Perth.

A few quirky finds along the way including some fancy paddock art sculptures, giant Wedge-tail Eagles, a dog cemetery and part of one of the Rabbit Proof Fences - apparently there’s three! Who knew?

But our main adventure today was at Hyden, a small wheatbelt town which has become a tourism magnet as a result of the remarkable Wave Rock.

After finding the Wave Rock Caravan Park we set off to explore the Rock itself, arguably one of WA’s most recognisable landforms. Rising 15 metres from the ground and more than 100m long, the rock looks like a giant surf wave of multicoloured granite about to crash onto the bush below. It’s believed this amazing formation was more than 2,700 million years in the making. Of course, we posed for the obligatory ‘surfing’ photos before heading off to explore the nearby Hippo’s Yawn, a 12m high rock formation aptly named for its resemblance to a yawning hippo.

On the way back to the caravan we ventured out to the Lake Magic Swimming Pond, a 20m round, 6m deep swimming pool-like gypsum pond with buoyancy and therapeutic properties greater than those of the Dead Sea. Anthony and the boys all braved the chilly afternoon, plunging in for the unique experience, bobbing and floating like corks in the super salty water.

Tonight was the coldest we’ve experienced yet on the trip and a stark contrast to the warm northwest where we’ve spent the past few weeks. We’ll definitely be pulling out the doonas for tomorrow.

Fun Fact: The Rabbit Proof Fence was once the longest continual barrier on the planet and was built at a stupendous cost for the time. All because an English settler by the name of Thomas Austin released twenty-four wild rabbits on his property in Victoria so that his guests could entertain themselves by hunting. He nearly destroyed the continent!Read more
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Kalgoorlie WA
April 28, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
10,000 km day! Big shout out to our tireless driver 😍

We’ve officially clocked-up 168 cumulative driving hours (that’s 7 x 24 hr days in the car). Not that it feels like it (at least from a passenger’s perspective). Over the past 36 days we’ve travelled so far, seen so many different landscapes and towns, and had so many unique experiences, that each day has been an adventure in itself. That said, there are big adventure days and travelling adventure days. Today was the latter.

After a disappointing breakfast from the Bush Bakery at Hyden (credit to the coffee though), we trekked cross country to Southern Cross and onwards towards Kalgoorlie, waving to the Giffneys as they flew home overhead.

A feature of WA that we simultaneously appreciate and curse is the investment in infrastructure. Every day it seems we’ve encountered extensive roadworks in progress. Today was no exception. A necessary inconvenience but we do admit the overall road quality throughout WA has been excellent.

We passed the No. 1 Rabbit Proof Fence, now known as The State Barrier Fence of Western Australia. Despite its good intention, the fence was an irredeemable failure. Intended to keep rabbits to the east of Australia, it proved entirely useless and there ended up being more rabbits on the west of the fence.

Tonight we were treated to a fancy ‘happy hour’ complete with complimentary wine and antipasto courtesy of our hosts at the Discovery Park Kalgoorlie, before heading into town for a quality pub dinner at the York Hotel.Read more
Traveler OMG your boys are wearing long pants - must be chilly!
4/28/23Reply
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Goldfields WA
April 29, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
What a hole!

Actually it’s a 3.5km long, 1.5km wide and 600m deep open cut mine known as the Kalgoorlie Super Pit. It’s enormous - roughly equivalent to the length of 6 soccer fields and can be seen from space!

From our vantage point at the lookout even the largest dump trucks, measuring a giant 20.6m long, 8.16m high and 9.87m wide, looked like tiny matchbox cars driving up and down the tiers of the Super Pit. Fascinating to watch.

Interestingly the Super Pit was only created in 1989 which is why I have no recollection of it from my previous visit to Kalgoorlie in 1987 - that and the fact we arrived in the middle of the night and only spent an hour or so here (a pit stop for the Indian Pacific). And with a life expectancy of just 11 more years it probably won’t be a thing if I ever return again either!

Disappointingly the Hannans North Tourist Mine was closed today. The site of the original Golden Mile, this was something that had been highly recommended and we were keen to explore. Who would have guessed Saturday would be the only day it’s not open 😬

Alternatively we checked out the Museum of the Goldfields, recommended to us by fellow travellers at last night’s meet and greet ‘happy hour’. It was actually very interesting with some great history of the area.

We also drove up to the Mt Charlotte Reservoir for some of the best views of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The reservoir is the end of a 563 km epic pipeline from Mundaring Weir in the Perth Hills which has brought water to the Goldfields since 1903. ‘The Golden Pipeline’ as it’s known is recognised as one of Australia’s most amazing engineering feats.

Fun Fact: Each truck on site at the Super Pit will use approximately $8 million of fuel and $3 million worth of tyres. Truck tyres can weigh up to five tonnes and it takes two people 45 minutes to change one!

Kalgoorlie is much bigger than we expected, laying claim to one of Australia’s largest inland cities. It’s got some new housing estates and arguably a better Coles than Kellyville - but you still couldn’t pay us to live here!Read more
TravelerRoger would be in heaven 😊Safe travels home x
4/29/23Reply
Traveler nice to see the good camera getting an outing!
4/29/23Reply
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Cocklebiddy WA
April 30, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Here we go again… Nullarbor crossing take two! (Although first time for Josh and Ryan).

Already it’s much quieter than our previous experience. The roadhouses are empty, there’s no queues for fuel and we’ve been able to go at least 10 minutes without encountering another vehicle.

We left Kalgoorlie early and cruised through Widgiemooltha (stopping briefly to check out the giant Eagle Nugget) and Norseman (stopping again to pose for a photo with the town’s namesake), before rolling into Balladonia by lunchtime. This had been our intended overnight stop, but having made good time we pushed on in a very long straight line (the 90 Mile Straight) eventually making it to Cocklebiddy, where we pulled into the campsite beside the Roadhouse for the night alongside Bruce and Samantha the resident (rescued) wedge-tail eagles.

You know you’re a seasoned traveller when ‘another 120 km’ feels like just down the road and you dismissively say “that’s nothing, we’ll be there in an hour!”

It was a long travel day (over 620km) but worth it to cover more of this ‘less exciting’ part of the crossing in anticipation of a big day out at Bunda Cliffs tomorrow.Read more
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Nullarbor SA
May 1, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
This morning as we continued heading east, we revisited some of the key sights along the highway, starting with a quick fuel stop and morning tea at Eucla (beside the big whale), before again posing for pics with Big Rooey II and crossing the border back into SA.

As the highway edged closer to the coast, we were all on the lookout for the ‘green ribbon’ that had marked the track out to the cliff top campsite we discovered a few weeks earlier on our way to WA. Despite all eyes on the job, we could not locate the marked track. Some 25 km or so past where we expected it to be we abandoned the search and doubled back to find another track that appeared popular with the grey nomads. After navigating a rather sharp turn off the highway we made it out to the cliffs to discover (albeit after some dubious directions from a fellow camper) a rather fabulous location to set up for the night. Stay tuned for more details…

It's funny the things you notice along the way. At the iconic road sign at the Nullarbor Roadhouse, heading west drivers are warned to be wary of the camels running along the road (refer to photo in 'Eucla' footprint). However, at Border Village on the WA border, heading east those camels are walking (refer to photo overpage). I reckon I'd stop running by the time I'd done 96 km across the Nullarbor and was psyching up for the return trip too! 🤣Read more
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Bunda Cliffs SA
May 1, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
#livingthedream. Happy hour on the edge of the continent 🥰

We gambled on the weather and it paid off. Free camping on the edge of Australia (Bunda Cliffs Campsite 2 according to WikkiCamps). Bucket list big ✅

What an amazing experience. We could literally see the curvature of the earth from our ‘living room’ overlooking the Great Southern Ocean.

Beautiful blue sky, a gentle breeze, sitting back watching the rolling waves wash onto the coast below. A sea eagle soaring overhead, glass in hand as we sipped our last Margret River Rose. All we needed were a few seasonally misguided whales to top it off.

As the sun set the boys scrambled together a hasty campfire as best they could from a ‘treeless plain’. Needless to say it didn’t last long. Regardless, we sat outside to take in the expansive night sky. Whilst the near full moon illuminated the cliffs brilliantly it wasn’t so conducive to star gazing so we quietly retreated to the warmth of the van.

Having read so many reviews about how windy it can be overnight and people being rocked and shaken inside their vans, we experienced none of that. It was absolutely calm and still all night long and we awoke to another stunning morning with a gentle sea mist rolling onto the cliffs. Truly magical.

This stop has definitely been one of our trip highlights, proving sometimes the best things in life really are free xxRead more
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Streaky Bay SA
May 2, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Today we officially completed our second epic crossing of the Nullarbor Plain. Strangely it seemed a lot quicker this time.

Contrary to common belief, the ‘treeless plain’ is actually quite short (no more than 100km) and only in SA. However, the full Nullarbor experience is understood to be the ‘nothingness’ between Ceduna SA and Norseman WA.

We suffered our most expensive fuel so far and encountered several slow vehicles and oversized loads with some interesting passing experiences. At one point we even spotted a guy walking the Nullarbor for mental health. An admiral cause and credit to him but surely that in itself would send you crazy. 😝

We passed through another quarantine checkpoint as we approached Ceduna. We had been surprised at the ‘no requirement to stop’ upon re-entering SA from WA. Makes sense they let us keep our fresh food for the Nullarbor and only have to dump it once returning to civilisation - not that we had any food to declare or dump - the boys had already eaten it all!

A welcome change of scenery as we left the Eyre Highway at Ceduna and headed south towards the Eyre Peninsula with its picturesque farmland and backdrop of clear blue water.

Tonight we’re at the Islands Caravan Park, Streaky Bay. It’s a fantastic set up, just out of town with generous sized private tree-lined sites overlooking the beach.

Exploring around town we saw two people snag decent sized sharks while fishing off the jetty - from the swimming enclosure no less 😳. That was our cue to retreat to the Streaky Bay Hotel for an early dinner and congratulate ourselves for successfully completing a double crossing of the Nullarbor.

Fun fact: Lachie has developed a remarkable skill of spotting oncoming vehicles at a distance. While Anthony and I struggle to determine if it’s coming or going, Lachie has already correctly identified the make and model of both car and caravan, or the number of trailers attached to a roadtrain. He can even pick the difference between a Landcruiser, Ram, Chevy or Ford F Series up to half a kilometre away! #lifeskill 😜Read more
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Eyre Peninsula SA
May 3, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
We didn't know what to expect from Streaky Bay, but it's actually been pretty cool and definitely whet our appetite to return to the Eyre Peninsula one day to explore it's full glory.

We started the day slowly with a lazy coffee at the local bakery before browsing the main street. From there we drove around the Cape Bauer Loop Road through some very pretty farmland to discover a few hidden gems - Whistling Rocks and the Blowholes. Through no planning of our own we jagged high tide which meant the blowholes were pumping! Amazing to see and hear the ocean at its most powerful.

Back in town we splurged on a delicious local seafood platter at Drift Restaurant in a cosy little setting with poll position overlooking the Bay. We've learned that the area was in fact named Streaky Bay because of the actual streaks visible across the water caused by the reflection of light and seaweed.

However, today's highlight (up there with the seafood lunch of course) was witnessing the resident sea lion colony lazing in the sun on the rocks below Point Labatt. It’s apparently the largest mainland population of Australian sea lions in the world. The colony varies in size but is estimated at around 50 sea lions. The rocky edge of the shore is also home to both Australian and New Zealand Fur Seals, Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. We may have seen a few of these too.

Not a bad day for somewhere we knew very little about before coming here - other than it was somewhere different to break up our return trip home. We wish we had another week to head down to Port Lincoln but that adventure will have to wait for another time. We'll definitely be back...Read more
TravelerSounds like a trip should be planned which includes a shark cage! 🦈
5/3/23Reply
TravelerAbsolutely. #5 'swim with' experience - Great Whites 🙃
5/3/23Reply
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Port Augusta SA (return)
May 4, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
We’re back at the ‘Crossroads’ - an uninspiring yet unavoidable stop-over on our return trans-continental journey. The only positive in having to repeat a stay here in Port Augusta is that approaching from the west you get to appreciate the stunning backdrop of the prehistoric Flinders Ranges.

Today exemplified the sheer size of our country. We’ve been driving for 6 days since we left Perth and yet only just reached the halfway point! Another round of happy snaps with the Big Galah at Kimba and we can all officially now claim to have driven halfway across Australia.

Despite retracing our steps for a big part of the day it wasn’t all the same. This morning as we left Streaky Bay we stopped to check out Murphy’s Haystacks, an ancient rock garden as old as time itself. Of course they’ve nothing to do with haymaking and are in fact great examples of weathered granite inselberg formations (German for “island-mountain”). Gradual weathering over the past 30,000 years has unearthed and shaped the granite to reveal the weird and wonky pillars and boulders that now stand proudly in a paddock overlooking Sceale Bay.

This afternoon as we pulled into the same Discovery Park as we stayed at on our way to WA, we were ushered to the exact same site as we had last time. What are the chances!

Tonight we’re ‘dining’ in Port Augusta’s No.1 restaurant according to Trip Advisor - KFC 🤦🏽‍♀️ At least the boys are full and happy. And in a nod to the class of the town there’s a queue at least 10 cars long for the drive-through.Read more
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
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Broken Hill NSW
May 5, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Driving out of Port Augusta this morning we saw our first sign to Sydney - via Broken Hill. It’s a welcome call to home after nearly 8 weeks on the road but also a sad reminder that our awesome trip is coming to an end.

As the highway wound its way towards Horrocks Pass we admired the graceful rotations of the wind turbines at the foot of the Flinders Ranges - so much nicer than the coal fired power stack that accents the Blue Mountains from the west at Lithgow. Urgh!

We cruised through the historic railway town of Peterborough and on through some very barren grazing land before crossing the border back into NSW, landing in Broken Hill. East of the border almost instantly the road quality deteriorated, the surface became bouncy and potholed and the shoulders narrowed and crumbling. Not good - up your game ‘Premier’ State!

We had already spent a few days exploring the highlights of Broken Hill on a previous trip so this time we tried something a little different - the nostalgic Bells Milk Bar, a Broken Hill icon for over 100 years.

Bells is known as one of the longest continuously running businesses in Broken Hill. Originally it was called Fenton’s confectioner and cordial maker in 1892, and has endured several major renovations over the years, now preserved in time with 1950s decor and memorabilia.

The boys were in milkshake heaven with over 50 flavours to choose from! They eventually decided on Choc Turkish Delight (Anthony), Butterscotch (Josh), Bells Signature Malted Vanilla with Nutmeg (Ryan) and Coconut Rough (Lachlan), while I had a Bells Signature Sundae with Cherry Ripe topping 😋 You know they’re good milkshakes/thickshakes when the straws stand up by themselves and were so big not even the boys could finish them!

Tonight we’re staying at the Broken Hill Outback Resort on the site of the original Mount Gipps Hotel, just east of town. After years of neglect, the heritage building has been restored to its former glory and is now the centrepiece of the caravan park, which incidentally has perhaps the best layout of amenities we’ve seen (LOL small things excite us in the outback).

We enjoyed a lazy evening on the veranda as the sun set and the full moon took its place between the big old gum trees growing along the creek.Read more
TravelerLovely written Fi!
5/6/23Reply
TravelerThanks Dan - not a patch on the eloquence of yours and Helen’s posts 😊
5/6/23Reply
Traveler Nice!
5/6/23Reply
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WA Road Trip 2023 Traveler
Cobar NSW
May 6, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
The moment the boys waited more than 13,500 km for…

In 2018 we stopped here in Cobar on the way home from our SA road trip (Adelaide, York Peninsula and Flinders Ranges). We chanced the most memorable pub dinner ever at the Great Western Hotel, for no other reason than the meals were enormous. I’m talking schnitzels and steaks hanging off all sides of the plates, piled high atop a mountain of chips and veges. The boys have talked about it ever since. We couldn’t not attempt to repeat the experience - even if it meant sitting in the Bistro watching the Coronation of King Charles III 🤦🏽‍♀️

Predictably, the memory exceeded reality. Not that it was bad. In fact I’d say the quality has improved. It was actually very nice. But it just wasn’t the huge meal that had wowed us the first time. The boys’ disappointment was easily overcome with icecream 🤣

Tonight we’re at the Cobar Caravan Park. We had a lovely conversation during happy hour exchanging travel tips and advice with a friendly grey nomad couple behind us. We now have at least another three more trips worth of places we need to visit! We also received some ‘interesting’ caravan hacks and ‘how to’ advice from a well-intentioned but socially inept fellow traveller missing all but two teeth. They’ve got all sorts out here!

Fun Fact: The Cobar Great Western Hotel (1898) in the Main Street is the most interesting and the most prominent building in town. The pub's timber veranda with cast-iron balustrades and lacework balcony is 100m long and, as such, is reputedly the longest cast iron veranda and balcony in Australia.Read more
TravelerWhere’s your meal Fi?
5/6/23Reply
TravelerI had lamb cutlets 😋
5/6/23Reply
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