Thursday 27 December 2012

Christmas in the bush.

Travelling towards Port Lincoln we passed through Coffin Bay for a quick look; a nice little coastal town with great camp spots in the national park (so we’re told).  It’s a place we’d like to visit again some other day to explore more (like a lot of places we’ve shot through) as we chose to push onto Port Lincoln just 30kms away.
Port Lincoln is on the tip of the Eyre Peninsula, and it’s quite big and has a lot of the main stream shops.  The Lincoln National Park is 20kms further on from the town, so nice and convenient.  With lots of camping spots dotted along its beaches and bays, we ended up finding a great spot at Surfleet Cove in a sheltered bay area.  Setting up the camper, we had a beautiful view to the water.
The view...
While we set up camp the kids were finally able to get the Christmas decorations out and they were happy decorating our dwarf Xmas tree and camper with the few bits of tinsel we had.  We thought it looked pretty good in the end.
Santa's Elves
Home sweet home
We spent a lot of time at ‘our’ beach that we had on our front doorstep and found that the few other campers there must be allergic to the water as we had the beach to ourselves.
'Our' beach
Oh what a feeling... Port Lincoln.
Hours to make, one high tide to destroy.
Being close to town we made a couple of trips back into Port Lincoln.  One was for a civilisation fix of a Maccas breaky, (yum), and we also had lunch at the water front ‘Pier pub’ to escape a stinking hot day (bigger yum).

Port Lincoln - Home of Makybe Diva
We also took a look around the rest of the National Park and found a 4wd track (the Investigator Trail) that gave some nice pin stripes to the side of the Patrol.  We ditched that quick smart as the constant screeching (from the kids also) was a bit ‘nails down a blackboard’. We also ventured up to a beautiful bay called September beach.  Again the other water phobic campers from there allowed us to have the place to ourselves, so we swam in the calm waters (another sheltered bay) and explored around the rocks.  We liked that beach so much that we decided to go back the following day (Xmas day) for a picnic lunch. 
September Beach
Xmas at September
"Ben, I know you're not dead"
So the big day arrived and we were all happy that the big bloke in red had found us the night before.  Geez he and his helper were really quiet putting the kids toys in their Santa sacks (green eco shopping bags!) to not wake them ;-)  Anyway we had a very relaxing Xmas morning with the kids playing with their new toys... no hustle and bustle of rushing around.  
Prezzie time
For the car trip
Shark tooth necklace
Exchanging the loot
After our visit back to September beach in the afternoon, we returned to camp to cook up our Xmas pork belly in the Weber... Dee-lish-us. God bless Webers!
Xmas dinner, bush style... with crackers.
We ended up camping at Lincoln NP for 5 nights (God bless solar power), and when it was time to move on, it was another sad moment.  Sad to leave such a beautiful spot, and sad that our time travelling is drawing to an end.

BUT... before reaching home, we decided that the Clare Valley must be a good place to visit this time of year.

The Never ending Nullarbor

(Warning: the following blog contains copious amounts of sarcasm using ‘Sarcastica’ font)
Crossing the Nullarbor is one of the quintessential travels of Australia.  It has to be... there are only two bitumen roads into/out of WA.  The other is 2000kms north near Kununurra!
Leading up to our crossing (makes it sound like some epic journey doesn’t it) there was a fair bit of pessimistic talk from those we’d spoken to who had done the crossing.  “Boring”, “It goes on and on”, “There’s nothing to see”.  Some people cross it in two days! and I think that’s where a lot of its reputation starts.  Driving anywhere for that long each day with the scenery flashing by will eat away at anyone’s sanity.
...so we did it in three and a bit days!
Day 1:
We left our camp site at Lucky Bay (in Cape Le Grand National park) with our fellow travellers Anne & Ron and headed back into Esperance before heading north to Norseman and then heading east across the infamous ‘Nulla’. We had heard that taking the dirt track from Cape Le Grand north east to Balladonia was pretty rough and slow going and wouldn’t save us any time, so we opted for the longer but far more comfortable journey via Norseman.  (We’ve had our fair share of corrugations from the Tanami thanks very much).  So after lunch at a play ground in Norseman and a bit more afternoon driving, we had our first night at a road side rest area (Woorlba Homestead) where you just pull in and find a spot in amongst the bush to set up.  We thought we’d chosen well as it was a huge area and only a couple of other cars/caravans were there.  That was until nightfall and the never ending road trains kept going past all night...  They’re lit up like Christmas trees and can be heard through the still of night from a far distance.  Some pulled in for rest breaks, one even kind enough to leave his truck running for over an hour while he slept.  Mmmmm, not much sleep that night for the adults... kids were fine as they can sleep through an atomic bomb!  This was also our first (and last!) over night stay at a road side rest area for our whole trip.
Woorlba Homestead Rest Area. Is that a truck I hear?
Day 2:
Waking up bleary eyed from our restless night, we brushed our teeth with coffee! and packed up for more of the Nulla.  Not long after starting we finally reached the infamous 90 mile straight sign... and that was the best entertainment for the day!
Max Entertainment
Lunch at Madura... bit more entertainment, and then we finally reached Eucla and stayed at the only accommodation in the area at the caravan park (that’s stretching it a bit).
Eucla was a bit surprising, as it sits up on the bluff and gives some magnificent views of the surrounding ‘flatness’ and the beautiful view of the southern ocean from about 5kms away.  You can just see it on the horizon.  Anyway we managed to get a spot on the edge of the camp ground/cliff so we were happy campers that night.  Great way to end an action packed day.
Day 3:
Leaving the highlight town of WA (heavy sarcasm there), we reached the WASA border. This was a bit momentous for us after having spent over 3 months of our trip in WA.  SA was warned to keep up to the benchmark set by WA.  For the next 100 odd kms, the road actually runs very close (100m or so) to the coast line.  And the coast line (when approachable) is actually breath taking (no sarcasm).
The Great Australian Bight
Our third night was a great camp spot at Cactus beach, south of the little town of Penong.  (#793 in the Camps 6 book!)  Keen surfers may know this beach for its great left and right breaks (I googled that) so the camp ground was full of blond haired, tanned waifs. 
Cactus Beach
We had a nice big campsite that we shared with Anne and Ron.  We spent the later part of the afternoon swimming and collecting shells.  That night we enjoyed drinks and music with Kimberley Moon (our favourite song of the trip) and Neil Diamond on high rotation.

Song Sung Blue...
Here’s an interesting note:  Going from WA to SA, you don’t go through the fruit and veg quarantine until 480kms later at Ceduna (we were going through it the next day).  So that night at Cactus beach, we (and Anne & Ron) had copious amounts of vegies for tea (poor kids).  In fact, what we couldn’t cook and eat we gave away to the other campers.
Day 4:
We could have spent a while at this well appointed camp at Cactus beach, but feeling the urge to move on to get to our destination of Streaky Bay to set up for Xmas, we packed everything up again and moved on.
I don’t think there’s an official ending to the Nullarbor (which by the way is Latin for Null – no & Arbor – trees) but reaching Ceduna town seems like the common thinking.  We’d passed many little towns/roadhouses on the way and the scenery along the way is certainly not all boring and flat barren land... it does have some redeeming features.
So anyway we went through the quarantine check point at Ceduna and felt duped when the inspector didn’t even bother checking the containers in the trailer (just a glance in the fridge)... we could have kept some fruit and vegies!  So needing to re fill the pantry we stopped at Ceduna for food, fuel and water before heading off the Eyre hwy onto the Flinders hwy to Streaky Bay.
We initially had plans to bush camp at Perlubie beach (#722) having heard nothing but good things about it, but after finally finding it (after countless side tracks) we were very disappointed with it so drove into Streaky bay town (am I the only one who’s thinking of bacon?).  After being disappointed by another beach/bush camp at Sceale bay (#718) we opted to stay back at the one and only town caravan park for 2 nights.  (Xmas will have to be somewhere else!!) 
Anyway the caravan park was a big hit with the kids as they were in their element.  TV room, games room and pedal go-carts to hire. Plus we all went for a paddle/swim in the beautiful, shallow, wave less, sheltered warm waters of the bay.  That night (being a bit warm and warn out from rushing around trying to find a bush camp) we enjoyed dinner at the pub (with the great company of Anne and Ron of course).
Hells Angels are in town
Need a tow?
Two nights wasn’t enough for the kids, but we had to move on and find a spot to spend Christmas.  As Ron and Anne had to be back in Melbourne before Xmas, we once again said farewell (again!... but this time for good) and headed south to check out the National Park at Port Lincoln.
A sad farewell.
Fingers crossed to find a nice spot, where Santa knows where we are.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Heading east where everything’s up.

Leaving Margaret River we now find ourselves travelling in an easterly direction rather than south.  Unfortunately that makes us feel like we’re heading home, but we still have a long way to go to get there, many more sights to see and lots of towns to visit ending with the word ‘up’.  Those that have visited or live in WA know what we mean...
Passing through Peerabeelup, Milyneannup NP and Beedelup NP (getting the ‘up’ picture yet?) our next tourist stop was at the Bicentennial Tree in amongst the tall timber Karri forests near Pemberton.  It’s one of a few trees in the area you can climb.  Originally used for fire spotting, they are OH&S nightmares.  Anyway we all had ideas of climbing this huge tree but after arriving and seeing just how dangerous it could be if you slipped through the rungs we had to tell the kids it wasn’t safe for them.  There were a few tears but better to be safe than sorry.  Kaz however did a quick scurry up to the first viewing platform with white knuckles gripping on tightly.
Bicentenial Tree
After checking out a few campsites in Warren NP (Pemberton) and deciding they didn’t make the grade, we moved on through Northcliffe down to Windy Harbour back down on the coast.  This was just for one night (it lives up to its name) and we moved on to Walpole the following day.
After the obligatory visitor info centre stop, we decided to pop in to the Big Hair shop on the main street to say hello to Ivan whom we’d previously met up at King Edward River in the Kimberley.  Back then he was travelling with his mates delivering much needed beer to The Kimberley Coastal Camp and we’d had a drink with them all after all it was 10 am! (photo featured in one of our previous blogs).  He gave us a business card which we’d hung onto, but didn’t really need it as his shop was one of only a hand full in this small town.

Ivan's Big Hair Shop (He's big as well)
Anyway he came out and greeted us and offered us the backyard of his shop to camp in which turned out to be great.  Like a full service caravan park but with only one site we had our own laundry, toilet and washing machine, fresh vegies from the garden to choose from, a fire pit, fresh eggs, lush grass to camp on and a garage complete with tv, couch and dart board. 
Camp site with all the best amenities (one site only!)
We visited circular pool and did the Valley of the Giants TreeTop Walk through the tingle trees.  Reaching 40m high the walking platform gave an unnerving sway while you walked along.
Circular Pool
Valley of the Giants Treetop walk
Apparently in days gone by, people used to park their cars inside the tingle trees for shade while they picnicked and had a look around. Unfortunately this damaged the shallow roots and caused a few to fall over.  So nowadays they treat them like the dolphins at Monkey Mia!

Car parking... Tingle tree style.
The next day we checked out some fishing spots and beaches but ended up at the good old faithful town jetty.  The kids enjoyed their first experience of catching fish (little black bream and trumpeters), and although they caught lots of them they were all a bit small to keep.
Walpole fishing
We spent our last night at Walpole round the fire pit with Ivan enjoying some drinks and in the morning before leaving Kaz took advantage of Ivan’s skills and got some much needed foils and a haircut.
Driving through Denmark we stopped at Albany for lunch before deciding that our next stop was to be at Fitzgerald National Park just north of Bremer Bay.  It was at Point Ann/St Mary’s Inlet and it was a beautiful camp spot in amongst the bush right by a pristine beach and inlet.  How it’s not in the Camps 6 book is beyond us, perhaps that why it’s so nice not having all the tourists go through it?  Anyway during the months of June to October it’s where the female whales come in to give birth.
Point Ann/Marys Inlet Camp site
Burning off the car trip stored energy.
Marys Inlet
Ashley the giant walking on water.
We stayed just the one night (but would have liked to stayed a few more days) as we were heading to Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance to meet up with Ron and Ann again.  Again, the beaches along this part of the coast are pristine, with the fine white sand and blue clear waters. 
We spent a day at Hellfire Bay catching the waves in.  The kids had a ball in the water, as did the adults, and lazing around on the rocks.  Lee and Ron tried some fishing but no luck unfortunately.

Having a hell of a time at Hellfire bay
Rock fishing at Hellfire bay... no luck.
Hellfire Bay
The rock lobster
We did the walk/climb up to Frenchman’s peak which was quite a steep climb, but worth the view from the top!  There was plenty of vegetation up at the top and even a goanna had made himself at home up there. At the top of the peak there is a cave that is open both ends which was quite unusual.
Frenchmans Peak at Cape Le Grand
The peak of Frenchmans peak
We met up with Mark & Megan and their boys Zac & Josh at this campsite as well that we’d been running into along the way, so we all enjoyed our own happy hour each night with lots of food, drinks and laughs!  Although the campsite was more like a parking bay the kids still enjoyed riding their bikes around and Ben made his own awesome tree house, which he proudly showed anybody and everybody.
'Ben Grylls' survival hammock... away from the snakes
After staying four nights, it was time to move again and head up to Norseman before turning right and heading off across the Nullarbor...ing rd.

Sunday 16 December 2012

Drinking Margaret River dry.

We left our friends Grant & Kelly in Narrogin and headed off to stay at a lovely farm in the Margaret River region called Big Valley Farmstay for a week.
On the way (just before Busselton) we called into the ‘South West Museum’ (which really isn’t anything more than an elderly ladies big garage), but it was full of display tables of all different types of gems and minerals her and her late husband had collected over the years.  Alex was in his element, and came away with a bag full of different coloured polished gemstones.
Alex's nirvana
When we got to Big Valley we ran into a couple of families we’d met along the way; Paul & Linda and Mark & Megan and had a catch up with them and swapped stories of the places we’d all visited.
Big Valley is a ‘working’ farm and the kids enjoyed feeding the sheep and holding the cute baby goat.  The camping area was a little cramped given it’s a 600acre farm, but the camp kitchen was well equipped nonetheless and had a fireplace that was the evening meeting place. 
The view from our camp
Do you like Alex's marshmallow 'stick'
Alex, Josh & Zac
Amongst the many campers there were 3 Italians, and they made for interesting conversations with their flailing arms and ‘their-a talking-a like-a that-a’. One of the guys (who is apparently a Michelin chef back home), came out of the showers one morning parading through the camp ground in his saggy undies, telling (shouting) anyone who would listen ‘there’s-a no-a hot-a water’.  Quite a funny spectacle. (Sorry no photos!)
There’s plenty to see and do in Margaret River and surrounds, and our guide map got a good working over.  We visited some beautiful wineries in the area up and down the infamous ‘Caves rd’.  It would’ve been rude of us to visit the area and not partake in their wines, so we enjoyed plenty of wine tasting and meals while the kids played on their playgrounds and gardens.  Killerby wines/Cheeky Monkey brewery was definitely one of our favourites.
Killerby/Cheeky Monkey
Laurance Winery

Table for 1...
When we didn’t have a wine glass in our hand, we did some sight-seeing around the area.  Down near Augusta at the south end is Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, where we did the lighthouse tour with Mark & Megan and their two boys.  It is situated where the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean crash together.  We all enjoyed the history and stories of the lighthouse and being able to go up to the top with its views.
Cape Leeuwin lighthouse
Right hand side - Indian Ocean, left hand side - Southern ocean, front - Boofhead
Ben the 'cow whisperer'
We also went to Calgardup Cave which was a fantastic experience.  It’s one of many along this coast as it has something to do with the limestone and erosion.  We headed underground down the ladders with hard hats on and torches at the ready to enjoy the wonders of the caves.  There were thousands of stalactites hanging from the roof and a bit of water around, usually a lot more during the wetter months.  At one end point we tried turning the torches off and sitting in silence to hear only dripping water.  That lasted only 5 seconds before one of the kids starting giggling.  Mission impossible...!
Calgardup Cave
Mission Impossible (both for silence and camera focus)
Up at the northern end, near Dunsborough at Cape Naturaliste we also visited the beaches which were very pretty (but had a lot of flies at one of them; Bunker Bay) and spent a day at Yallingup maze.
Bunker Bay
Yallingup Maze

Canal Rocks

Canal Rocks
After nearly a week and all the nougat tasting, cheese tasting and more wine tasting we thought it was best to move on before we drank the place dry... lots more places to see along the South Coast of WA.  Our next destination is Walpole and the Big Hair Shop!!