• Alisha Smellie
  • Alisha Smellie

Big Lap

A year exploring Australia in our Caravan Read more
  • Marble Bar

    October 7, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    It holds the record as the hottest town in Australia, and it's pretty hot today 🌡 but loving the dry heat (not humid), makes it feel like being in a Wagga summer!

    We had a wonderful afternoon fossicking and exploring the sights around town. We found some jasper for our collection but sadly not enough water at Chinaman's Pools for a swim, but checked out the views of the town from the Water Tank Lookout.Read more

  • Exploring Marble Bar

    October 7, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    We drove out to the Secret WW2 Airbase at Corunna Downs (Olivia actually had a car sleep 😴), checked out the Jasper "bar" across the Coongan River and visited the Comet Mine Museum.

  • Mt. Meharry - Top of WA

    October 8, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Today was an adventure afternoon for Dad, with a tough 4x4 track up Western Australia's highest mountain - Mount Meharry. It was a tough, steep track with step ups, it was only for the experienced driver. The views from the top were spectacular, and was amazing to think we were the highest people in WA at that moment in time!Read more

  • Kalamina Gorge

    October 9, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    After arriving at Dales Gorge Campground, we decided to drive out to Kalamina for a short walk and swim. We had the whole gorge to ourselves and it was very pretty.

  • Dales Gorge Walk

    October 10, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    We had the whole day to tackle the Dale's Gorge Walk. Starting with a spectacular but hot gorge rim walk, followed by a rocky descent into the gorge and a stroll through paperbark lined creek beds (we got a bit wet and miss Oli slipped several times which caused a right tantrum). But to end up at Fortescue Falls for a swim was worth the hard effort!Read more

  • Dales Gorge - Fortescue Falls

    October 10, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Fortescue Falls was the perfect place for a cool swim after a hot hike. There was still plenty of water flowing and it was fun to swim over to the waterfall. The rock steps made the perfect place for our picnic lunch too.Read more

  • Dales Gorge - Fern Pool

    October 10, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    WOW! One of the most beautiful swimming spots in a gorge to date. A short 5 min walk upstream from Fortescue Falls brings you to this beauty! The bonus was you got to climb up and sit behind the waterfall in a fern lined cave! Loved it so much we relaxed, enjoyed a couple of swims before the big Ascend up the ladder stairs to the top of the gorge!Read more

  • Hancock Gorge

    October 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    After dropping Mabel off at the Karajini Eco Retreat, we headed off into the NP to do the Hancock Gorge Walk, combining ladders, rock scrambles, water walking, the Spiderman Walk and ending at Kermit's Pool. This was definitely our favourite Walk of Karajini so far. At 1.5km it wasn't too long, but being grade 5 it was a bit of a challenge. Our super hiker Oli took it in her strude and loved it too!Read more

  • Oxer Lookout

    October 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    Where four gorges converge at the Junction. Cool lookout, beautiful cliff faces and deep chasms. Spectacular scenery once again at Karajini!

  • Joffre Falls

    October 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    Our 2nd walk of the day, a 1.3km return grade 4/5 walk and then a 400m return swim in beautiful refreshing water. Again, Olivia was amazing despite a rest, she hiked, scrambled and climbed the ladders and except the swim she did the whole walk herself! Our little trooper!

    We forgot the floaties and go-pro for this walk, but were lucky enough to see another travelling family (from Barn Hill Station) we had met before just leaving and they lent us one of the boys life jackets that made the swim much easier.

    The sheer height of the cliffs is amazing and the photos don't do it justice. The colours, rock formations and landscape are mind blowingly beautiful.

    Tonight we are camped at the Eco Retreat where we enjoyed a warm, flowing shower and we are ready for a good night's sleep!
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  • Tom Price

    Oct 12–14, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    A few days in Tom Price for washing, cleaning and getting our Rio Tinto Road Access Pass. There was big mine machinery to see, locals to say hello to and another big mountain to drive up.

  • Hamersley Gorge

    October 14, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 34 °C

    One of the most accessible gorges in Karajini, this was the perfect end to this area of Aus. Hamersley Gorge & the Spa Pool were gorgeous and well worth the grade 5 scramble to get here. The rock formations were incredible and the colours amazing, but 2 cool swims were perfect of a really hot day!Read more

  • Millstream National Park

    October 14, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 39 °C

    Our last day in the East Pilbara Region, a very hot Millstream (40+ degrees), but a welcome afternoon swim at Deep Reach Pool. Lots of big catfish in the reeds - Olivia certainly didn't like swimming back to the steps through it all!

    Onwards and westward from here!
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  • Rolling into K. Town

    October 15, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 37 °C

    Today we rolled past the many ore trains into Karratha. It's hotter here on the coast, so we dropped into the local brewery for a cool, refreshing ale and a bowl of chips.

  • Exploring & Lookouts

    October 16, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 35 °C

    A lookout is always on our list, so we checked out a few to get our bearings after a morning of fixes, shopping and the mundane bits of travelling life.

  • Burrup Peninsula

    October 17, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    A visit to Ngajarli to view the rock engravings, Withnell Bay followed by Hearson's Cove for a swim and a 4x4 Adventure. A packed day discovering the Burrup Peninsula around Karratha.

  • Dampier

    October 17, 2023 in Australia

    Its an adventure to discover the old stomping ground of Olivia's Uncle Adam, Aunty Marissa and Cousin Aleya. Dampier was a delight for lunch, the most amazing playground overlooking the water and discovering the Red Dog Trail! 🐕Read more

  • Hello Uncle Adam!

    October 18, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 29 °C

    We have been planning our trip to Karratha around the arrival of Adam into Karratha for the beginning of his month on at work. Given timing was difficult we picked U. Adam up from the airport and dropped him to his "work home" in Wickham to maximise our time spent for a long overdue catchup. It has been a year since w3 saw each other in Sydney, and only the 2nd time Olivia has had the chance to give her Uncle big cuddles ♥️Read more

  • Historic Cossack

    October 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    Once the North West's first pastoral, gold rush and pearling port, today Cossack is a living ghost town. It was a great spot to see a beautilly restored town to give us an insight into 19th Century life in Northern WA.

    The flies were out in force today, so thank God for the flynets!
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  • Point Samson

    October 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    We headed further around for a spot of lunch at the Tavern with the most spectacular views! The best thing was we were lucky enough to catch an ore ship coming in so we could see Uncle Adam hard at work!

    After a quick swim at Honeymoon Cove it was back to Mitch for more discovering.
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  • Wickham

    October 19, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    We'll always think of Wickham as Uncle Adam's Work Home, but we stopped to see the only other things in town! Great you be able to get up close to the ore piles and machinery along the road to the Yacht Club!Read more

  • Onslow

    October 20, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    Our next town on our journey south (West actually) brings us to Onslow, known for its massive salt production and apparently the Paparazzi Dog's! We will remember the crazy swarm of flies at 4 mile Creek and enjoying a cold drink through the fly net (great idea to stop there mum 🤣).Read more

  • Old Onslow Town

    October 21, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 38 °C

    We ventured out to Old Onslow to discover where the town originated. There are few remnants remaining but was great to get to explore from the car as it was a very hot 49 degrees 🥵