• 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 Читать далее
  • Ngilgi Cave Yallingup

    2 января, Австралия ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Come here and pay to do the underground self guided tour, which costs $32 each. I wasn't sure about the price for a self guided tour - but turns out to be very worthwhile. The cave is extensive - amazing - and there has been alot of infrastructure put in to make it work well. There are knowledgeable staff at the entrance - ensuring we understand how to behave in the cave - and other staff in the cave to answer any questions we may have. Happy we did this for sure.Читать далее

  • Cape Lavendar Tea House

    2 января, Австралия ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    Stop here on our way back from checking out Canal Rocks. Lovely spot for afternoon smoko.
    We have Devonshire scones - oh my, they are delicious. Roger has a thickshake, and I have a gin and tonic.
    Before leaving we check out the lavendar products they sell here, as well as lavender themed gifts. I can't resist buying a bottle of bubbles and trying the lavendar icecream.
    Читать далее

  • After Hours Wine & Gin

    2 января, Австралия ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    This is our last stop before we head back to our camp. I've chosen this winery to check out (there are so many) as they also do gin, and they're conveniently just down the road from where we're staying. No need to rush....
    Very enjoyable tastings here, we had the owner looking after us, along with others (they're having a busy day), so we're getting a great run down on his wines and gins. Enjoyed all we tried. Rog settled for a couple of bottles of their Cab Sav and I chose their Pink Gin.
    Читать далее

  • Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse

    3 января, Австралия ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Busy here. Find a park and pay $7.50 each entry fee to the grounds. We don't manage to get tickets to do the lighthouse tour (get inside and climb stairs to the light) as the next couple of tours are fully booked - and we don't want to wait until 1pm for the next availability.
    We enjoy walking about here - reading the information in the displays, especially at the Head Lightkeepers cottage. Perfect day to enjoy strolling and taking in the views (mild with no strong winds). The kind guide taking the light house tour let Rog and I come into the lighthouse with her group (as she knew we missed out on this session) so we got to hear her 'at the base' talk, before we left to leave the group to complete the tour.
    Читать далее

  • Margaret River

    3 января, Австралия ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We actually drove through here this morning on our way to Augusta, but decided we'd stop and check out on our way back as we need to do some grocery shopping. There's a Woolworths (and Coles, and IGA). While Roger goes and starts our shop, I go for a quick look down the main street area. Very busy (of course school holidays) and lovely array of shops.Читать далее

  • Yahava Koffee Works Margaret River

    3 января, Австралия ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We happily discover - looking at the Tourist map we're using- that there is another Koffee Works we can check out here in Margaret River (we enjoyed the one in Swan Valley). So we do. Again have a beaut time tasting different coffees. Roger purchases some more filter papers for the Aeropress I gave him and he buys a coffee (Kwik his favourite).Читать далее

  • Wow Illusions

    3 января, Австралия ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    We're heading back towards our camp now - but happily detour to check out this spot. Roger not so interested, but I had a lovely time sampling chocolate (all yummy) and had to buy a couple of blocks (milk and dark - would've bought their white as well but they'd sold out and wouldn't have any more ready for a couple of days re: the processes to make). $22 spent.Читать далее

  • Margaret River Chocolate Co

    3 января, Австралия ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    Our last stop for the day, before heading 'home' to our camp. We have seen these delicious chocolates and other tasty products before when we were in Swan Valley Perth. So we just enjoyed their sample choc buds and wandered about - so busy, we felt bad for the staff member, young man, having to try and clean the floor while everyone walking about. Children have scattered the 'tasting' choc buds all over the place.
    We are strong, don't need anything as we are already 'chocolated up' in the caravan (thanks to my purchases at Taffys and today's Wow Illusions).
    Читать далее

  • Nannup

    4 января, Австралия ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    1st town of the day as we head to Pemberton. Stop here for a look - lovely town with it quaint and quirky shops and lovely shady trees.
    There is a Market on for this Saturday morning, so plenty to look at and enjoy live music being played.
    This town was founded as a timber milling town - it is now having to reform itself with the closing of it's timber mill in 2023.
    Hopefully tourism is helping it along.
    I have a lovely time here having a 'shop' - I get some gift wrap and card sets, sheep Camembert, crocodile chorizo and venison kransky.
    Rog and I also have a lovely morning tea at Nanna's Pantry - Devonshire scone each and cappuccino for Roger and Iced tea for me.
    Читать далее

  • Pemberton Caravan Park

    4–6 янв., Австралия ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Go to the office and find out our site and get the run down from the lovely lady in reception as to what's about in the park and town.
    Go settle in on site 24 - plenty of room as big sized sites in this section. My priority is to get our washing going - which I do, but it takes hanging out the 2nd load for us to realise I've missed 'the bag' with our underwear and dirty clothes - whoops 3rd load it is! In amongst this washing caper we have our lunch - toasted sandwiches using our new microwave toastie maker. Works a treat. Next go for a walk together. Return and relax in between getting washing packed away. Enjoy a bottle of the red we got the other day, while sitting outside watching neighbouring campers feeding the local parrots birdseed they've purchased. Parrots happily sitting on folk to be given feed. Our tea tonight is reheated sausage surprise - followed by fresh strawberries and custard (thermie). Roger showered before tea, so we both get the dishes all done and relax before bed.
    5/01/25 Sunday. Get woken with a call from Tegan - don't mind as all is well, just love to hear from her. It was around 5.30am. Roger gets up around 6am, but I have a lie in until about 8am. Get up, have breakfast and then get ready to go for a drive - Roger has a circuit in mind before coming back for an afternoon swim/paddle board. We head off just before 10am. Turns out to be a perfect day for walking - and Roger has us driving around a beautiful walking trail area! First time on this trip I felt that Rog has really missed the mark - if I'd known (of course I have to acknowledge I did no checking of Rog's plans) that we were going close to such a beaut walk trail (10km of moderate standard hiking in a forest) I would have been prepared to do it! Anyway, move on and tried not to cry (suceeded). Drive did not take long and we're back at our camp in time for lunch. Roger uses the microwave toastie maker for a toasted sandwich, for a change, as the bread is so nice and fresh (from Pemberton Bakery this morning), I have a meat and salad sandwich. On our return from our drive this morning stopped in Pemberton and got some fresh bread and dropped off our no longer required tourist brochures at the visitor centre. While here noticed that there's a tram running today - so we go get ourselves tickets. We go do this after we have had our lunch. When we return from this, Roger is keen to go for a stand up paddleboard. I'm not warm enough to want to join on this, so he heads off (walking carrying the board) to the nearby pool, while I stay at our camp and relax. He's gone an hour - and comes back very happy from a nice time at the pool. We continue to relax about camp. Before tea tonight we enjoy feeding the local birdlife (approved birdseed purchased from park office) - parrots and ducks. Our tea tonight roast pork fillets with roast vegetables and boiled vegetables. Followed by fresh strawberries and thermomix custard again (yum). Roger has his shower, now in bed. I'm writing this up before tackling the dishes - then bedtime too.
    6/01/25 Monday. Get up just before 6.30am and go for a run. I use the 'Skills Loop' bike trail as my path - do the loop x 4 to cover 7+ km. Meet up with Roger, who's had his breakfast and come along to the pool to have a stand up paddleboard. Once he's finished, I do a lap around the pool area on the paddle board too. We then head back to our camp, I have my breakie and then go for a shower - while Roger continues to get us ready to leave this park. We leave just before 10am. Heading for Shannon National Park today.
    Читать далее

  • Northcliffe

    6 января, Австралия ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We stop here as Roger wants to go to the General Store here to get some milk. We go and park in the Visitor Centre carpark. Then walk about. We do call into the Visitor Centre - where I did make a couple of local produce purchases. Tea and chocolate 🤗
    Wander about the town - end up having morning smoko before going and getting the milk Rog was after.
    Читать далее

  • Shannons National Park Campground

    6–9 янв., Австралия ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Arrive here to a good surprise.... With school holidays happening we've been struggling to find available camping sites - you have no chance at popular WA coastal towns at present that's for sure (and if you did you'd be paying the likes of $90 per night!). So we have been going with inland places - and doing day trips to the coast if we feel the need. Roger booked online for here and managed to get 3 nights (what we wanted) $40 per night unpowered (in a National Park the unpowered is normal). Before arrival, Roger was wondering what size site we'll be dealing with, previous National Parks we've stayed at being busy, small and odd shaped sites and tricky for us to set up on. Not the case here! We have a huge, easy drive in/out site and we about have the place to ourselves. On checking the facilities- they are clean and functional (flushing toilets yay). Roger has us set up in no time - mat, awning and side wall in use. We now have our lunch - sandwiches for Roger - meat and salad, and I make a salami, relish, avocado, tomato and cheese toastie with our new gadget. As it's quite warm, we happily relax under our awning - catching a nice breeze, reading. Later in the afternoon we go for a drive to Shannon's Dam - 5 minutes away- thinking we'll have a swim. Once we get there - we find it cool enough to just go for a walk around instead. Come back to camp. Roger 'light's up' the donkey style heater at the amenities block to have his shower. Then we have left over cold pork with a mixed salad and boiled potatoes. Some 'bear claw' chocolate to follow. Roger has made the call that we don't have many dishes tonight so we'll leave them to wash with the breakfast dishes tomorrow. Now relaxing - thinking of getting into bed to read before sleep.
    7/01/25 Tuesday. Get up around 6.30am and head off for a walk - I'm keen to try out my All Trails app I've just subscribed to. Haha - I obviously need some practice with it, I walk 8.5km to do the 4.9km trail. Get back to camp, Roger's waiting for me to get ready to go out for a drive. He's doing great - very patient - as I have my breakie and get myself organised. No rush today! We head off around 9am, and return around 3pm. We just relax about camp - we were the only ones here when we got back today - now watching as a few other campers are rolling in for the night. Roger lights up the 'donkey' heater to have his shower. I'm happily reading my book. After his shower, Roger cooks up steak and onions on the nearby camp BBQ and serves this up with mixed boiled vegetables for our tea. We finish off the 'bear claw' chocolates then have some yoghurt and fresh fruit. I do the tidy up and dishes. We're now relaxing in our caravan before bed.
    8/01/25 Wednesday. Get up and decide to go for a run - similar track to what I did yesterday morning. Get back to find Roger has lit the donkey heater for me over at the amenities block - so it's ready for me to go and have a hot shower. I make up my porridge and leave it cooking on the stove - under Roger's watchful eyes while I go have my shower. Return and have breakfast, tidy up and get organised to go out for the day - checking out Walpole and surrounds. We leave around 9am, and get back around 4.15pm. Roger goes and gets the donkey heater lit - ready for his shower. I relax in caravan, reading my book. After Roger has his shower he cooks up mince tacos for tea. We follow this with a cuppa and some Taffys rockyroad. I do the dishes - time to update the budget books and write this up. Roger reading in bed. Then sleep time.
    9/01/25 Thursday. Roger's out and about 1st this morning around 6am. I get up at 6.30am and decide I'll go for a walk - query Rog if he'd like a walk and he said yes. So off we go on the 5km walk around the campground. When we get back I have my breakfast and get organised for us to leave. Roger has everything to do with outside packed and on our way out we stop and use the dump point provided here and get rid of our rubbish too.
    We're underway by 9am.
    Читать далее