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Road trip to Darwin

June - September 2019
Could be our last big road trip to the top end. Ian and I hope to visit Lake Eyre, Darwin, Broome and all the bits between Read more
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  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 69

    Home

    September 3, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    There was a strange fog among the trees this morning in Bowman Park. However it cleared over us, and the sun shone through. We ate breakfast outside, basking in the growing heat of the morning. The sounds of the dawn chorus this morning was amazing...but it started before 6am!
    As soon as we started our journey home the fog returned. It was thick, and black in places. I saw on the news later that it covered the entire state, and was the worst fog in over 20years!
    So now this journey is over....but what a trip it has been.
    Unbelievable!!
    We travelled over 14000 kms in almost 10 weeks.
    Passed through 3 states, and saw and experienced so many incredable things.    Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 68

    Bowman Park Crystal Brook

    September 2, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Penultimate day. We packed up nice and early. Got into the car and it wouldn't start! Thank goodness this has never happened before and what a shock to have it happen now! Ian phoned the RAA, and before you know it, a big Tow truck arrived from Wudina. Andrew was perhaps early 50s with no front teeth. However, as Ian remarked later, very smartly dressed. The battery was flat, so we were jump started, and on our way to Kimba for a new battery. There, they charged us $205 for the battery, and $35 dollars to fit it! We didn't leave Kimba until after 1pm, but with a good tail wind, we made it another 300km by 4.30pm and arrived at Crystal Brook. Only one other van was parked in Bowman. The resident peacock met us in all his glory! The weather was beautiful and very mild for our last night in the van.Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 67

    Kyancutta

    September 1, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We woke to a beautiful clear blue sky in Ceduna. No wind and a warming sun. The woman who had given us chocolate cookies yesterday, came over with 2 vegetarian quiche for lunch. They were only tiny things, but what a lovely thought!.
    Her sister was travelling with the couple, and they had travelled over from Perth to watch the West Coast Eagles play .......the sister had spent 30years caring for her quadrapelegic husband, until his death a few years ago....so now she cooked!
    We were heading to Kyancutta, our free camp for tonight. We stayed here on the way to Karratha last year. We arrived in good time for lunch, and chose a site well back amongst the trees. Two lizards made an appearance...but no snakes thankfully.
    The sky was beautiful again tonight, and I relished sitting around our open fire, under the stars.    Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 66

    Rainy Saturday at Ceduna

    August 31, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Bought the weekend paper, and a magazine. Settled down and read this morning. It's still quite warm, but rain is forcast for this afternoon. Ian and I did go for a lovely walk along the beach, but otherwise we are just enjoying one of our final days before home. A caravanning neighbour brought some chocolate biscuits over. What a lovely thing to do!Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 65

    Shelly beach CP Ceduna

    August 30, 2019 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    This morning was our first day back in SA. We are heading for Ceduna tonight, over 400km away.
    On route we drove down to Head of Bight.
    49 whales have been spotted today many with calves. Two of the calves are white apparently. Around 5% of right whale calves are born white, but few adult white whales are ever seen.
    It was a glorious day, but very windy. I could see no more than 10 whales but that was okay! One of the calves played around a bit, practicing his breaching techniques. Ian got a couple of good photographs. It is certainly an experience not to be missed.
    At the SA quarantine station I was found to have carrots and a red capsicum in the car fridge...neither of which I was aware of! I was allowed to keep the carrot but lost my capsicum!
    We called into the Beachfront CP but they were full. We were instructed to go to the Shelly Beach cp as they had room. This park is out of town a fair way, but right on the beach. The forcast is for rain and strong winds tomorrow, but I think I would still like to stay another night. We have been travelling hard over the past week. So that is what we are doing. Leave here on Sunday!    Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 64

    Just before Head of Bight

    August 29, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    We drove pretty steadily across the Nullabor. Just stopping for lunch, and petrol. Where Diesel costs from $1.35 in Perth, because we are so far from anywhere here, we can pay anything up to $2 a liter or more. The clocks have gone back 1.30hrs, once we crossed into SA. To soften the blow, at the start of the Nullabor (yesterday) a road sign advised to put your watch back by 45mins. Ian would have none of that!! We ate the last of the tomatoes and cucumber with soup for lunch....we just stopped at a lay by at the top of Eucla Gap. What a view we had..amazing. To top it all, the sun was shining , and it was a glorious lunch. However, we now have minimal food left, and still another day- perhaps two to travel! We pulled into another 24hr stop about 30km from Head of Bight for the night.Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 63

    Moonera Tank rest area

    August 28, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We were now on the Nullabor, driving along 90mile straight...the longest stretch of straight road in Australia. Lots of road kill evident, and one or two eagles eating the fallen. Mostly Crows and Ravens though. They say that Crows and Ravens are the fastest growing bird group. Edging out the native Birds of Prey.
    We passed several spots where others were playing the Nullabor Golf link....the longest golf course in the world. We have our certificate from last year. We also met other travelers that we had crossed paths with along our journey. This time a couple from NSW.
    Ian drove just over 400kms today, and we got to our camp site just after 4pm.    Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 62

    Ten mile rock

    August 27, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Another free camp, but because we travelled less than 300km, we were there in plenty of time to set out the solar panels. They did a beautiful job charging the caravan battery. It was a lovely little camp, with lots of Salmon Red Gums, and native birds. There were 5 of us camped overnight. Only one long drop between us!
    I was astounded to find that I could receive phone calls and was able to speak to Julie. Her brother was very ill, but thankfully, now seems on the mend.
    Baby Red got an airing tonight, and we starting using all the vegetables before crossing the SA border. I made Ratatouille and Ian cooked chicken on the barbie, which we ate sitting around a fabulous campfire.    Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 61

    Kalgoolie Boulder.

    August 26, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Last one to leave by a long chalk....the rest were away about 8am!
    Lovely salmon gums line the roadside, and some of the gums have started flowering. I think we are probably a couple of weeks too early to see all the flowers in their glory. Apparently the season is late this year.
    We stopped for lunch just after one, at another 24hr stop, which had it's own 'pet' magpie. She would sit on the table and catch the crumbs that Ian would throw.
    We had another 200km to go, so we hit the road again after a pit stop.
    Kalgoolie Centenial park is the next stop. It has flushing toilets Yeh! It really is a very pleasant place with lots of green grass. The flags in the park were at half mast because the Rt Hon Tim Fisher was being buried today.    Read more

  • TravelerRoad trip to Darwin
    Day 60

    Merredin

    August 25, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We left Perth driving into the hills via the Golden Pipeline Historical Trail or Eastern Highway.We debated driving on toward Southern Cross, but the campsite at Merredin we had stayed at before, so settled there about 14.30.
    We were the first to arrive. It is a sprawling campsite amongst the gums, at the base of a granite hill. The railway used the rain runoff by channeling it into a reservoir beside our camp. On top off the granite hill wild flowers were starting to bloom. We saw some native orchids, but most were only just starting to flower. By the time we climbed the hill and returned to the campsite, 3 other caravans had parked.
    On the way here we stopped at Kellerberrin for lunch. It was a pretty quiet town. An IGA was open, but nothing else. However as we sat with soup and dip, next to the railway line, the Indian Pacific passed.
    This evening, black cockatoos circled above, squawking loudly. Luckily (or not) we had telstra coverage, so could watch TV on our phones. England won the test Cricket by one point.    Read more

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