• Andrea McClure
  • Andrea McClure

Year off around Australia

Roger and I setting off in the Dmax Ute with our Goldstream caravan in tow to explore our country Les mer
  • Alkoomi Wines Cellar Door Albany

    10. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We have parked across the road from here, at the Albany Museum - where we'll check out after we've done our wine tasting at this place.
    Arrive in time for our 2pm booking - to find we're almost the only customers at this time. Lucky us! Have a lovely time being looked after by Kate, who serves us up a lovely platter of cheese, paste, biscuits, bread, olive oil and salt to enjoy while she runs us through our 6 sampling wines - a Riesling, Sauv Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cab Sauv and Shiraz. We enjoy all of them, so Rog settles for getting a bottle each of the reds we tasted, and I go for 1 Sauv Blanc and 2 Sparkling (we didn't get to taste). As we're leaving Roger recognises a man, with his family, as they're arriving. Someone from Hamilton way - have a brief chat, then away we go.Les mer

  • Tom Curtain's Good Life Tour

    10. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    5.30pm to 9pm tonight here at Albany Equestrian Centre.
    So great that we're camping here for $20 tonight. Works perfectly for us to just be able to walk to and from the show.
    Well, friends and other people we're meeting along the way, have recommended if we get the chance to see this show......it has not disappointed.....
    Really terrific family entertainment, if I get the chance to see Katherine Outback Experiences in action again - I will happily.
    Les mer

  • Albany Farmers Market

    11. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Roger was keen to head straight to the Whaling Station this morning, but I've asked him to bring us here first. Roger goes and finds a Automatic Teller Machine as we require some cash, while I start checking out the market. It's a good one with a good selection of fresh local produce to choose from. It's a shame we're pretty well stocked up on our fresh fruit and vegetables - these would be nicer selection I'm sure. I end up purchasing, to try local stuff, a fresh blueberry juice and blueberry muffin $8. I share the muffin with Roger. Roger gets some green beans, cauliflower and a capsicum. I buy some strawberries $6 - and then get some pork and marron dumplings, 5 for $20, for Roger and I to try - delicious.Les mer

  • Albany's Historic Whaling Station

    11. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Another attraction included in our 'flexi pass'. This is such an amazing display of our Whaling past - the time just disappears as we wander about looking. I vaguely remember having been here before, Rog and I came here with Tegan and Robert when they were children. Certainly the type of place you could visit over and over again - and kept learning and appreciating.Les mer

  • Blowholes Albany

    11. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    As we head back towards Albany we call in at some points of interest on the way - this is one of them.
    Lovely walk to and along the amazing coast line to get to the blowholes. People we met returning from them as we were walking to them, were letting us know that the blowholes weren't blowing at this time. We are happy to go and look anyway.
    Turns out that we did get to see a few slight 'blows' and could certainly get close enough to the blowholes to hear the noise of air rushing up through them.
    Les mer

  • Farmstay Albany

    11.–15. jan., Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After collecting our caravan from the Equestrian Centre, getting fuel and going shopping in Woolworths, we drive to here.
    What a terrific spot, it's so convenient to Albany but feels 'rural' with great views out to the sea and to the town of Albury. Roger has been forewarned that he's required to back the van onto this property - he does in is usual 'no hassles' way. Ian, our host, comes out to greet us - very welcoming. Assures us we're settling where we should, and leaves us to it. Does say we're to come along later and help feed their animals if we feel like it.
    We settle in, I get drinks and nibbles happening, while Roger gets tea going - a stove top chicken and vegetable casserole.
    We sit outside to enjoy the views while we have our drinks. Later while I'm inside the caravan I hear Roger chatting to someone so go out and find it's feed time for the alpacas (3) sheep (3) and chooks (2) as Ian and his partner are about to do that. They've also got 2 gorgeous brown Labradors - Cash and ? We enjoy a nice chat while they're feeding the animals, before we retire back to our caravan to have our own tea. The chicken casserole is followed by strawberries and banana with yoghurt. Roger has his shower, I do the dishes, and we relax until bed.
    12/01/25 Sunday. Roger gets up just before 6am, I get up as well as I know he has plans for us to go for a walk (drive there first) so I best keep things moving. We're going to go to a laundromat today to do our washing so I strip and remake our bed with our clean sheets and doona cover. We have our breakfast, which I follow with my shower, while Roger organises food to take for our lunch. Once I'm ready we head off after 8am.
    Arrive back with our washing done - do have some washing that needs to get hung out to dry. So Roger puts up our clothesline around a nearby tree to our caravan to the fence and back to the van again. Plenty of hanging space! There's a good breeze and this warm afternoon so it dries in good time. Relax about camp, again sitting outside with drinks and nibbles enjoying the view. Get to chat with Ian and Tonya as they go about on their property. Later in the day, I get a nice phonecall from Stacy - she is looking into booking flights for her and Robert to go visit Tegan and Lev in Calgary. Stacy has found some good flight prices - enjoy a chat before tea time. Tea tonight is reheated chicken and vegetable casserole, followed by banana and strawberries with yoghurt. By this time we've got the message that Stacy and Robert have flights booked now. Yay!! This gets Roger going - he uses his phone to jump online and book his flights for Canada as well! Going great - he's got his return flights the same as Robert and Stacy. I do the dishes, then it's my turn to get busy online - booking some Airbnb accommodation in Calgary for while we're all visiting - Tegan and Lev don't really have room for us all, and it's nice to give everyone some 'space'. Roger has his shower and heads to bed. I'm just doing this, then updating our budget books and I'll be ready for bed too. Very happy tonight - plans for our family reunion coming together ❤️
    13/01/25 Monday. 6am I get up and go for a run, while Roger gets organised to cook us breakfast. Enjoy our bacon and eggs with our favourite trimmings, then get organised to go out for the day - Roger packs food for lunch. We leave before 9am and go to the RV dump and water refill to do some 'housekeeping' and top up the ute's water storage - where I realise I've left my phone behind! Back to our camp we go - the take 2 as we head off for the Anzac Centre.
    We get back around 4.30pm. Roger straight onto cooking tea in the BBQ, chicken and vegetables getting roasted. I get our drinks and nibbles - bubbles and white chocolate coated freeze dried strawberries. You can guess who ate most of the nibbles lol! While tea's cooking Roger lets me know the Canada flights he booked yesterday have been cancelled and a refund is pending...Whoops, plans not as in place as we thought. By the end of the evening I'm realising we've got plenty of time to get it sorted - I'll wait to get the refund before we try again. Tea is great, roast with some boiled vegetables, we have yoghurt and fresh strawberries for dessert. Roger has a chat with our hosts while outside, then comes in for his shower, then bed. I've been booking an Airbnb for Calgary - as that will take the pressure off Tegan and Lev's unit. Then I do the dishes, writing this up before bed.
    14/01/25 Tuesday. Good down pour of rain last night. Cooler day today - both of us back in long pants. Get a call from Tegan - excited like us to be making Canada visit plans. We have to confess Roger's flights still need to be reorganised - this opens up opportunity to fit in with Tegan's camping plans......After Tegan's call we get up 7am and have our breakfast. Then I have a shower and we get ready to go for a drive back to Denmark - which we drove through on our way here from Peaceful Bay. We leave around 9am.
    Return from a lovely day out at around 5pm. We have our evening drinks sitting outside enjoying the views, and chatting with our hosts Ian and Tonya, and their young granddaughter (guessing 7 or 8?). Enjoying pats too, with their 2 lovely choc Labradors, Cash and Bowie. Tea tonight is leftover chicken and salad, followed by fresh strawberries and yoghurt. Roger has his shower and does the dishes while I get online and rebook his flights to Canada through Flight Centre. Goes smoothly - and Tegan gets her wish - Roger going earlier, 19 June, to fit in with camping plans. Then I get his travel insurance sorted too. I'll update our budget books and this write up, then bedtime like Rog.
    15/01/25 Wednesday. We get up around 6.30am, I decided to go for a run - do the same track I did a couple of days ago - 3 laps around the block. Come back to find Roger has my porridge ready for me so I enjoy my breakfast before getting changed and ready to leave. We had a lovely time at this Farmstay. Off we head at 9am. Going to the nearest supermarket - Woolies- to get a few grocery items and the Bakehouse for bread - where we get ourselves a coffee scroll and custard scroll as well.
    Les mer

  • Castle Rock Porongurup NP

    12. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    This is our morning walk destination. I'm told/reading that it's a challenging walk - not in length, in grade - as there is some rock scrambling and ladder work with heights involved. I'm hoping I can do it. Yay, with Roger's quiet support, we both manage this walk with its 'climb' no worries, and of course the views make it so worthwhile.Les mer

  • Mount Barker

    12. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    After our morning walk, we drive here to have a look. We stop and go to the Vistor Centre which is situated in the restored railway buildings. Lovely centre full of local art and craft, local produce for sale. We gather that the main things to visit as tourists are the walking trails (Roger's had enough for the day) and the vineyard cellar doors/cafes/restaurants (we're well stocked at present) so we decide we'll just drive about Mt Barker and look at it's shopping area. I do purchase a couple of items from the Visitor Centre - as gifts for Rael's birthday. Local artist Sue Cadoo's bird work - cutting in wood "Magpie's party" and a pkt of local freeze dried fruit.
    Lovely place with nice array of shops - we end up driving to the town's scenic lookout - and that it was!
    Les mer

  • Narrikup Recreation Ground

    12. januar, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    This is our today's lunch spot, on our way back from Mt Barker returning to Albany.
    Roger read about this sports ground as part of it's boundary fence is made up of cricket bats. Novel idea for their cricket ground.
    We park in the shade of a tree beside the oval and make up our salami, avocado and tomato sandwiches, followed by fresh apples.
    Looking at the Recreation Ground - it is well maintained.
    Les mer

  • National Anzac Centre Albany

    13. januar, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    This is included in our Tourist flexi pass - so we've covered all our entitlements with it and got good value from it.
    Well, what can I say, this is just an amazing exhibition. Very emotional - reading and learning about Anzac experiences. Truly, Lest We Forget.....
    Roger and I spent a few hours wandering about here - very easy to do.
    Les mer

  • Chainsaw Sculptures Albany

    13. januar, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Before driving here we go to Aldi and do some grocery shopping. Then before heading back to our caravan we realised we were close for a drive to this.
    These must be on private property - where during the day you're allowed to drive around the owners block (signs stating please remain in your vehicle) and check out all his chainsaw creations - there are so many! There is a collection mailbox to post $5 per adult (no charge for children). We're happy to pay our $10 - honesty system.
    I didn't take many photos - so many sculptures!
    Les mer

  • Handasydes Cafe Albany

    13. januar, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Final stop today - lady at the Tourist Centre mentioned this is a good place to check out. Happy we did - magnificent gelato they make! A flavour was tried by each raspberry for me, caramel for Roger. Also stocked up on some fresh strawberries, and I couldn't resist white chocolate coated freeze dried strawberries 200g bag.Les mer

  • Denmark

    14. januar, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Arrive and go straight to the Visitor Centre. While having a look about in here, I get a lovely phone call from Michelle McKenry - birthday best wishes and see how we're going.
    By this time Roger has all the pamphlets we need - and a plan to start us off on our Denmark and surrounds explore. Off we go driving....Les mer

  • Denmark Farmhouse Cheese

    14. januar, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Beautiful drive in the countryside to come here. Perfect spot for our morning tea (which we don't often have) - having a cheese sampler - 8 different Cheeses with water Crackers and fruit for 2 $25, with a cappuccino for Rog and a pot of lemon and ginger tea for me. We liked all the Cheeses - so made it difficult to choose our purchases, but we came away with a nice selection of cheese and some duck (with pork) sausages.Les mer

  • The Dam Denmark

    14. januar, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Drive to here, thinking it would be our lunch spot today. Didn't turn out that way, beautiful venue, but we're not hungry enough to pay their prices $32 for a Burger - from the casual outdoor dining menu. They have a different menu for dining inside - very flash.
    Have a nice look about, use the toilets and off we go.
    Les mer

  • Demark Good Food Factory

    14. januar, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Come here thinking it might just be toffee, fudges and lollies, but it also has a cafe and ciders to try.
    I have fun having a tasting paddle of 4 different ciders - none of which I particularly liked! This became our lunch spot and we did enjoy our burgers! Barramundi one for Roger, and a chicken one for me. Different and tasty.
    Nice to look at all the treats and goodies but didn't feel the need to take any 'home'.
    Les mer