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

mars - mai 2023
  • McDermotts Travel Oz
Making memories one road trip at a time - Nullarbor Plain, Southern WA, Perth, Coral Coast & Wheatbelt Regions Les mer
  • McDermotts Travel Oz

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    Yardie Creek GorgeMagnificent Turquoise Bay

    Cape Range NP

    18. april 2023, 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...    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    The Waifs

    Nyinggulu (Ningaloo) Coast WA

    19. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023

    Total Solar Eclipse WA

    20. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    Naval Communication Station Harold E Holt

    Yinikutira WA

    21. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    1

    Coral Bay WA

    22. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort

    Monkey Mia WA

    23. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    Gently sous-viding in the 41-degree artesian waters of the Heron Heritage Precinct Hot Tub

    Shark Bay WA

    24. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023

    Geraldton WA

    25. april 2023, 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 xx    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023
    1

    Swan Valley WA

    26. april 2023, 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.    Les mer

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  • McDermotts Travel OzReisendeWA Road Trip 2023

    Hyden WA

    27. april 2023, 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!    Les mer

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