The Big Trip

Week 40

As our sight seeing and photography has been replaced by socialising, eating and drinking I have decided to make this my last blog. So I will try and do an overview of our Big Lap.

By the time we get home we will have travelled around 45,000 klm, spent almost $9,000 on fuel. We have stayed at 95 different locations for a cost of $7,800, which means we have done lots of parking and hitching back up and I often wonder just how many marriages have ended as a result of this. We have taken six and a half thousand photos. We spent $4,300 on the Jeep which included six tyres after a poor choice was made early in the trip, a new battery and three services. We have had two flat tyres, both on the Jeep, one completely wrecked. We have been extremely happy with the fuel consumption, as we have averaged around 14 litres per hundred kilometres, with some conservative driving.

After nine months we have finally worked out how most things work on the van, finding out this week how to run the hot water on electricity, from our neighbours also with a Jayco. We have been more than happy with the van, but I think now that I could survive with a combined shower and toilet, as we haven’t used the shower all that much, and I could put the extra space to better use.

Knowing what we know now we would certainly do it differently. Although the time has passed really quickly we feel that four months at a time is probably enough. It has been quite tiring and as a result I don’t think we have done justice to all there is to see in Queensland and should have come home and kept it to another time.

 We were quite happy travelling clockwise as it fitted in with the dry and our time frame. We were lucky with the wind when we crossed the Nullarbor but travelled into a head wind most of the way up the west coast. 

We have regretted not spending the extra money and seeing the Horizontal Falls and El Questro, both in the Kimberleys. It was just so expensive to see and do everything you wanted to do, but in the scheme of things what is another two thousand dollars.

We have been asked many time what were the highlights and we thought that The Great Ocean Road and the Otway National Park were spectacular and certainly lived up to their reputation. The Pilbara and the Kimberleys were also very impressive, mainly because they are just so different to anything we had seen before. The standout would have to have been Karijini National Park; so beautiful it bought tears to my eyes.

We certainly won’t miss boom gates, amenity keys and the weekly battle for the washing machines. I could have purchased two machines with the money it has cost me to wash.

Mick has done an amazing job with the driving, battling a bad back for month or so, contending with months of coughing and putting up with my whinging on more than one occasion and never complaining once.

The most valuable pieces of equipment were the computer and Internet, Muriel our GPS, the Ipod, the thermos, a good road atlas and the Natural Lolly Companies fruit jellies. Next G phone service was useless once you drove a kilometre out of town and we had two hiccups with the Internet.

We have had an amazing journey not always as glossy as you read about in the caravan magazines, but the good times certainly make up for the not so good. We would like to thank everyone who has kept in touch each week and kept the homesickness at bay and look forward to catching up with everyone soon.

I have attempted to select a few of our favourite photos for this final blog.

Week 37,38,39

 Finally back on line after three weeks without Internet access, Telstra living up to their usual reliable reputation.

We have been travelling at a snails pace as we edge closer and closer to the Gold Coast. We had intended to have at least five days at Hervey Bay but after booking in to a park between the water and a main thoroughfare we only lasted two. Hervey Bay was certainly a lot bigger and busier than we expected and we weren’t really impressed.

We headed off to Maryborough, a lovely town with plenty of history. We did the town walk with Mary who gave us a good overview of the town. The author of the Mary Poppins books, Pamela Travers, was born there and they have a lovely statue outside the house.

Next stop Rainbow Beach. We had stopped there six years ago when we went to Fraser Island and I wouldn’t have recognised it now. Lots of new apartment blocks have gone up along with cafes and restaurants. The caravan park was in a great spot opposite the beach and across the road from the shops. It was really good to be able to walk everywhere and not having to get into the car. We had a drive out to Tin Can Bay and Cooloola Cove and once again they were bigger than what you would expect. The camping areas along the beach at Inskip Point where very popular with the fishermen but it would have been difficult getting the van into most as they were extremely sandy.

The drive from Rainbow Beach to Noosa via Gympie was lovely with rolling hills and pine plantations for as far as the eye could see. We even saw a pack of wild brumbies, which we wouldn’t have expected to see so close to civilisation.

Noosa, still a favourite of mine as I have had such a good time every time I have been here. On our first night we were able to catch up with Kerry, Bryan and Daniel, who drove up from the races at Caloundra for the night and we went out for dinner. It was so good to see familiar faces after all these months. We had a great night and were bought up to date with the wedding plans. Being in Noosa has also meant that we have been able to catch up with Sharon, our matron of honour from our wedding, and Wayne. Lots of talking, laughing and browsing the shops. We both decided that we would need to win Lotto to be able to afford the prices here. Sharon and Wayne bought their motor home to the park for the weekend and we had a great time. We did get to have a browse at Eumundi Markets, which are now a lot bigger and twice as busy.

After ten nights at Noosa we moved to Dicky Beach at Caloundra. It is a little closer to Sharon and Wayne so we are able to spend more time with them before we head to the Gold Coast. We have had a very social week and we made the trip to Bribie Island to visit Wendy, a friend from the doctor’s surgery, and her husband Bill who moved up about twelve months ago. They have settled in very well and we were introduced to some of their friends over wine tasting at the local golf club. We had a great night and would like to thank them once again for their hospitality and allowing me to have a shower without thongs. You don’t know how good it felt.

I had wanted to wish Mark best of luck with his HSC but it is probably just about over. I hope all went well.

Peta and Matt are back safely from Bali, thank goodness. We spent a couple of anxious days there for a while after we heard they were going to execute the bombers on Friday. They had a really good time.

Congratulation to Sue and John celebrating the arrival of grandchild number six, Riley Patrick.

Week 36

1770 seems to be one of the coastal towns that everyone has to visit, unfortunately with the huge turnover of tourist the caravan park was a dusty bowl and we were much too close to very anti-social neighbours. It was such a shame as it spoilt the whole experience. We did get to see the grand final and it was disappointing that Melbourne couldn’t put up a bit more of a fight.

Moving a little bit further south, we next stayed at Bargara, on the beach, a few kilometres from Bundaberg. Once again we weren’t expecting this area to be anywhere near the size it was and a lot of new sub divisions are popping up everywhere. Being in Bundaberg we had to visit the Bundy Rum Distillery but it didn’t spot any drop bears luckily. The tour was interesting. 1.8 billion dollars of rum is stored behind electrified fences. The government takes two thirds of this in tax. The taste testing was lost on us though.

The lovely weather came to an abrupt end this week with us experiencing rain and cooler days. Our first day at Woodgate Beach was spent in the van, which tends to be a bit boring. We did get to walk along the lovely long beach and wetlands before it started again. It was a quiet little town, outside of holiday time, but I’m sure it won’t be long before it takes off as well, being less than four hours from Brisbane.

On our way to Hervey Bay we stopped off and had a walk around Childers. The backpacker hostel has been rebuilt by the council and now houses the Tourist Information, an art gallery and a very moving memorial to the young people who lost their lives. The town has tried to preserve its historic roots and has a really nice feel about it.

Arriving at Hervey Bay around lunchtime Bathurst took precedence over sightseeing.

Birthday wishes go to our sister-in-law, Debbie.

Pete and Matt are off to Bali for ten days. Have a great time. 

Week 35

Our last few days in Yeppoon were very leisurely, I joined Mick for a game of golf on Monday at Emu Park and he played again on Thursday at Yeppoon. I’m still not convinced that I will ever be any good, but I’m starting to hit the ball a bit further, sometimes. With Rockhampton only a short distance away we did a day trip and checked out the sights. It must have been a very prosperous town in its day judging by the size and grandeur of some of its buildings and houses. A very pleasant walkway has been built along the Fitzroy River and on the other side of the road were some great historical buildings. The banks, courthouses and custom house have always been a standout in every town we have visited. I can’t imagine we will look back in a hundred years time and admire half of today’s architecture the same way. Some of the older style houses would look magnificent if only you had the money to restore them.

Once again we had been told to visit the Botanic Gardens in Rockhampton, which covers ninety-six acres of well-matured plants and was also the home to a small zoo. Whilst it didn’t have the vibrant colours of the one in Cairns it certainly had a very nice Japanese garden and the exotic fruit trees with their sweet fragrance were impressive. I tried very had to get a photo of a Cassowary, as I guess not too many people have seen one, but I had limited luck.

On our way to the town of 1770 we detoured and took a quick look at Gladstone. Rio Tinto has a huge presence there, owning one of the three aluminium smelters. It would be a nice town if you took away the industry.

We thought that by the time we arrived at 1770 most of the school holiday crowd would be on their way home but guessed wrong. The park we are staying in is right on the water and full of families, all camping. I have never seen such huge set-ups in all my life. Bought back memories of our Patonga days and even those pale to insignificance compared to these. Just as well they all have boats in which to stack their gear.

1770 is a really beautiful spot. The water is warm and crystal clear and a couple of kilometres south at Agnes Water there is actually a bit of surf. The first we have seen since Geraldton in W.A. I guess this area is pretty perfect with a small exception, no television reception. This wouldn’t normally be a problem on any other weekend except when you want to watch the league grand final. We are now off to try and find a hotel. Should be fun.

Week 34

We have travelled three quarters of the way around Australia without seeing an accident, a snake and being bitten by any sort of bug, but in the last week we experienced all three.

I think that the Bruce Highway is notorious for it’s accidents but it comes as a surprise when you round a bend to find both a car and caravan lying on their side. We don’t know if anyone was hurt, as it wasn’t reported on the news. It was the second such accident involving a caravan in two days.

We should have know better than to stay at a place called Midge Point but we were assured that there were no more midges there than anywhere else. Guess they were wrong and as we were surrounded by bush it came as no surprise to have a yellow belly black snake crawl in front of me on the way to the amenities.

The highlight of this week was a boat trip through the Whitsundays. We booked on a smallish boat that firstly took us snorkelling in Mantaray Bay. The tide was fairly low and I was a bit anxious about knocking the coral after the warnings we had been given. The water was beautiful and the coral amazing but there wasn’t a lot of fish.

Next we were dropped ashore to walk to the Hill Inlet Scenic Lookout. What an amazing view, with the blue of the water and the white silica sands. We were then taken to Whitehaven Beach for lunch and a swim. It was a real shame to see hundreds of people being tendered to the beach, somehow spoilt the whole experience. We did also get to see a whale in the distance and I thought the driver could have made a bit of effort for us to see it more closely. He was a bit of a show pony. On the way back to Airlie we passed Hamilton, Long, South Molle and Daydream Islands. It seems totally out of place seeing the high-rise on Hamilton.

 Mick thought that someone had told him that Sarina just south of Mackay was good to visit and as it wasn’t on the coast we opted for Armstrong Beach. We should have kept driving after we sighted the park but thought we could just bear it for two nights after we had originally booked for three. Mackay, like most other mining towns, is in the middle of a boom and the shortage of accommodation has resulted in the mines taking over a lot of the parks. After a park was been purchased all sites are filled with dongas, so you can imagine what they are like. Armstrong Beach was up for sale and will end up the same very shortly. The area has two coal loaders and they are presently building four electric rail lines to service them. New electricity lines are also going in and the town also has a big sugar mill. Plenty of work for electricians, fitters and turners and boilermakers with all earning big money.

We are now spending a week at Yeppoon. It is a really lovely spot. When we first arrived the water was very grey as we have had a few windy days but it has started to clear to a lovely blue. We are getting a nice view of the Keppel Islands. We have been surprised by the length of the very scenic Capricorn Coast, which takes in Keppel Sands, Emu Park, Kinka Beach, Causeway Lake, Rosslyn Bay, Yeppoon, Bangalee through to the Capricorn Resort. Mick is still looking forward to some good surfing beaches; you still have to walk a mile to get to the water. Today we drove through some very nice country, pineapple and pine plantations to a great pottery gallery just near the Byfield National Park. It was the best gallery we have seen so could have spent a fortune.

Mick is still trying to perfect his golf game and is now getting a bit more practice. I might even get a game in this week, Wendy.

Some very exciting news this week as Philip and Debbie and Noel and Wendy have become grandparents for the first time. Both Jodi and Leigh and Michael and Erin have given birth very early to baby boys. Mitchell and Chase are both doing well and I’m sure will thrive will all the love they will be given. Mitchell is also the eleventh great grandchild to nanna Brogan.

Week 33

The Strand along the foreshore at Townsville was a buzz last Sunday as we walked along watching the big and little kids making the most of the weather, the great play areas and swimming in the lagoon. A lot of money has been spent here and it looks great and attracts a lot of people. The lookout at Castle Hill gave us a 360-degree view of the city. The city was bigger than we expected and extremely busy. Unfortunately the town centre is dying as lots of shopping centres are popping up in the suburbs.

We booked a tour of Magnetic Island as it was just off the coast and after a short ferry trip that took us to Nellie Bay where we were met by a bus for the tour. The group on the bus was by far the worst we have encountered and we thought that hiring a car would have been a better option. At the conclusion of the tour we were dropped off at the beach of choice and then continued on by the local bus, stopping where we wanted. The island looked very tired with the exception of the new Peppers and Mantra Resorts on Nellie Bay. I would have been disappointed if I had booked a holiday on the Island and I think the pictures make it look better than it actually was. If you look closely at the photo of the rock wallabies with the arm there is a Joey in the pouch on the one on the left.

Driving into Bowen we first thought it was a bit average, but we were proved wrong once we started exploring the coast. The bays and beaches were a lot nicer than Magnetic Island and the view from Flagstaff Hill was stunning. The best part of staying in Bowen was finding out our next door neighbours were Jennie and Hector, a couple that we met in Ceduna in May with whom we got on famously. We spent two days talking and laughing. They are one couple we will probably keep in touch with when we get back.

With the school holidays starting on Friday in Queensland we had to make decisions and book our accommodation for the next three weeks. We booked at Midge Point, which we thought was a bit closer to Airlie Beach than the forty-five minutes it takes to drive. The caravan park is lovely and quiet but there is nothing to do here. As you can see from the photos, it’s not suitable for fishing or swimming. I think you walk half a kilometre to get to the water at low tide. You can play golf just up the road at Laguna Quays but at ninety-five dollars a round I think we will pass. We drove back up to Airlie and drove to Shute Harbour and then Mick had a swim in the lagoon while I had a wander around the shops and the markets. New developments are popping up around the town and it was very busy and very popular with backpackers.

As we are now in the Whitsunday’s the water is stunning.

Week 32

Our last couple of days at Mission Beach brought back memories of our stay in Huskisson, our first stop at the beginning of our trip, ankle deep in water. Being so close to Tully, the wettest town on the mainland, you can understand why. On our way to have coffee at the beautiful Elandra Resort, set high on the hill overlooking Dunk Island, we finally spotted a Cassowary and it’s chicks. I wasn’t fast enough to get a photo but they are certainly a beautiful bird.

We travelled a little bit further down the coast to our next destination, Rollingstone Beach. We didn’t know that half of these places existed a few months ago. The beach again was not suitable for swimming; it will be nice to finally get to some nice water. We had a couple of leisurely days there. We drove up the Paluma Range along a very narrow and extremely windy road, built by hand during the depression, through the World Heritage listed rainforest. Little Crystal gorge was the site of the first masonry arch bridge in Queensland and it was really beautiful. Large granite boulders and the waterfalls completed the picture.

Mick had a game of golf at Mystic Sands Resort at Balgal Beach. As usual he played good and bad.

Inland again to Charters Towers, a town with a rich heritage. Once extremely large with the discovery of gold, the town still has some grand buildings today. I particularly like the Stock Exchange Arcade, which housed one of Australia’s few regional Stock Exchanges. At sunset we went to Tower Hill to see the Ghosts of Gold video. It was a very novel way to learn the history of the area. The town also played an important part in the war with a number of American airmen based there. Quite a few bunkers remain around the town. The parks around town are lovely and some have good sculptures. The Boer War Veterans Memorial Kiosk was the feature at Lissner Park. We were disappointed to find that vandals had smashed most of the headstones at the Pioneer Cemetery. Such a thoughtless act.

Week 31

We drove down to Mission Beach to have a look and thought it might be nice to have a few days there as well so after leaving Kurrimine Beach we drove the forty kilometres and set up at South Mission Beach. Mission Beach is still very small but has a nice village atmosphere. Just off shore sits Dunk Island. Mick has been really keen to start swimming but the beach was closed due to a crocodile sighting. The beaches aren’t really appealing and with the overcast conditions the water is a horrible grey.

With Mission Beach being so close to Tully we thought we would have a look at Tully Gorge. All the drives we have done since arriving in the wet tropics have been stunning and this was no exception. Banana plantations, lovely streams, the misty mountains and the Tully River, where we spent a bit of time following the white water rafting. The groups were mainly made up with Japanese and they were having a ball.

Far North Queensland has certainly surprised us with its beauty.

Happy Birthday to Pete and Kelly, both turning twenty- eight on the eleventh. I hope you also have a good holiday, Kel.

Week 30

We were pleased that as we passed the last of the rainforests that the scenery didn’t deteriorate on our way to Cooktown. Hillier than we expected, the drive was quite picturesque with the Great Dividing Range and the giant piles of black granite boulders that form Black Mountain.

If Cooktown isn’t the windiest town in Australia then it must run a close second. We had been told that it blows between the months of May and October, but we haven’t yet met anyone that has been there when it’s not. After the discovery of gold it became the second largest town in Queensland but after fires, cyclones and war the population plummeted and now relies on tourism. With Captain James Cook having spent forty-eight days in the harbour in 1770 repairing the Bark Endeavour you can imagine that a lot of the town revolves around this. The James Cook Museum is housed in the old St Mary’s Convent for the Sisters of Mercy, a very beautiful building. They are really fortunate to have one of the anchors and a cannon from the Bark Endeavour. I think they have covered a few bases with a couple of monuments along the water as to the actual landing site. At Grassy Hill lookout where Cook climbed to chart his escape we were almost blown away and the view was spoilt by a lot of smoke haze.

The cemetery was extremely interesting with graves dating back to 1874. The Chinese Shrine built in 1877 was extremely well preserved. Mary Watson and her son Ferris, who survived an Aboriginal attack on Lizard Island in 1881 and later died after escaping in a boiling tank to an island where there wasn’t any fresh water, are also buried there. A water fountain in the main street is a fitting monument.

The furthest north we went was to Endeavour Falls and not really significant. We did go to the historic Lions Den Hotel near Helenvale, another one of these outback hotels with lots of atmosphere.

Atherton was our next stop. The Atherton Tablelands has it all. Usually good weather without the humidity of Cairns, incredible rich volcanic soil with coffee, tea, banana, pineapple, mango and sugar cane plantations as well dairy farms producing some good cheese. With the area producing ninety-eight percent of Australia’s coffee they have some good outlets and we did the ultimate coffee tasting experience at Coffee Works with twenty-one varieties on offer. They also had an amazing display of anything and everything remotely related to coffee.

Mareeba was celebrating their Multicultural weekend so we decided to have a look. Lots of different nationalities presented food and entertained us with dance routines.

Noel, we have found something for you to do in your retirement, the Dutch dancers were short a male and it looked soooo much fun.

During the war the Tablelands became the largest military base in Australia with between 200,000 and 300,000 troops stationed in the area. At Mareeba, the site of the 3,000-bed hospital complex, the largest field hospital in the southern hemisphere, now stands the very impressive Rocky Creek War Memorial Park.

The Barron River was dammed to create Lake Tinaroo and it is an amazing recreation area. Lovely campgrounds are spread all around the lake and the fishing is supposed to be quite good. You drive through lovely rainforests and pine plantations and come across bare spots where logging has occurred. What a mess they leave behind.

We have seen some amazing waterfalls and the Cathedral and Curtain fig trees have to be seen to be believed.

Week 29

After months and months of red dust it was so nice to drive through the forests and lush farming land of the Atherton Tablelands on our way to Cairns. Not having a reliable spare tyre we made the decision to go straight to Cairns and get that sorted before heading up to Cooktown. We will also send time at Atherton on the way back as it certainly is extremely beautiful.

We have been fitting in sightseeing between selective Olympic events. A lot of money has been spent on the foreshore in Cairns and we were both very impressed with the city. A lovely swimming lagoon has been built near the water and is now the focal point of the city. Boardwalks along the waters edge go for kilometres. Winter had arrived this week and the locals were having trouble dealing with it. High winds had stirred up the water and it certainly spoilt the appearance. It’s very obvious the area caters for a large number of tourists with a huge amount of restaurants and tour companies.

We had no real expectations as we boarded the Skyrail for the trip above the Barron Gorge National Park. We stopped twice along the seven-kilometre trip to walk around the treetops in the dense rainforest. The Skyrail ends at the village of Kuranda and after some lunch and a browse around the many tourist shops we hopped onto the original Kuranda Scenic Railway. Judging by the large number of tourists aboard the train, Mick thinks it must be one of a few trains actually making any money. The trip back to Cairns takes us around and through the McCallister Ranges (the Great Dividing Range) stopping for photos at Barron Falls. This trip was certainly worthwhile.

We also enjoyed The Flecker Botanical Gardens with an incredible range of tropical plants a lot with very vibrant colours.

We have been in Port Douglas for the last three days and although it’s full of tourists it has a really nice feel about it. It is such a shame the beaches aren’t a bit more appealing. Girls, start saving, it would be a great place to celebrate our ?? birthdays.

We drove through the Daintree National Park to Cape Tribulation but we were very unfortunate to have the weather change on us and the clouds and rain rolled in making the visibility very poor. This was the first rain we have encountered in nearly three months. The Daintree was very beautiful and with an average rainfall of four and a half metres a year the vegetation was very green and dense. It would have been lovely to have a splurge and visit one of the many spas.

On our way to Mossman Gorge we stopped off at the Saturday morning produce markets and stocked up on some great fruit and vegetables. The walk along the Mossman River through some amazing rainforest was very enjoyable until I decided to try and take an artistic photo and slipped on a very slippery rock and fell into the water bumping my head on a rock and almost knocking myself out. I think the only thing that saved me was my backpack, which cushioned my back. I have been so careful and couldn’t believe how quickly it happened. I was very lucky. Rob, I now know how you felt.

We finished off the week by browsing the Port Douglas markets, one of the better ones that we have been to, with lots of local craft.

We hear that the Eels have shot to Premiership favourites after their thrashing of the Bulldogs.

Chris, hope you have a great birthday.

Week 28

Leaving Cloncurry we drove north to the Burke and Wills Roadhouse then headed back west almost to the border to take a look at Boodjamulla National Park (Lawn Hill). We had heard some varied reports on the road so we opted to leave the van at the Gregory Downs Hotel and drive the 80kms to Adel’s Grove and spend our second night in twenty-eight weeks away from the van. After booking into our safari tent we headed off to the National Park and commenced one of the many walks. Lawn Hill gorge is like an oasis and is in stark contrast with outback bush. The spring fed emerald water with its banks lined with pandanus trees is home to a variety of wildlife including freshwater crocs. We found the best way to view the gorge was by canoe although the two hour paddle proved to be a bit strenuous as you have to take the canoe out at one section and drag it along for a few hundred metres before returning it to the water. At one stage I ended up in the pandanus. We won’t be rushing out to buy one. When we arrived back at the campground we found that we had sliced through one of our tyres on a section of the road with sharp rocks. Our overnight accommodation included dinner and breakfast and we had a great night with some people that shared our table. Once again we were entertained by country and western singers this time Barry K and Lyn Chandler. I have to tell you that I’m seriously considering taking up line dancing when I get home. I was lucky enough to win second prize in the raffle ‘The Balladeer Bulletin’ Volume 8 Issue 1 January 2007 and I think that this was better than the CD that was first prize. We had a good laugh.

We then continued on to Karumba, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, via Normanton. This week we experienced our first single-lane roads and we were glad we didn’t come across too many road trains. Karumba is one of these little towns that come alive in winter as hundreds of fisherman flock there to escape the cold. Mick threw in a line one morning but as high tide was about 4.30am sense prevailed and he stayed in bed the remainder of the mornings. At one stage he counted a least fifty boats just off the shore. This is one town I wouldn’t rush back to and the caravan park was probably the most cliquish we have stayed at and I could have jobbed a lady in the laundry (laundry rage). We opted to try a patch on the tyre as we didn’t think we could stand to stay there for a week until a new one arrived from Townsville.

 We moved on to Mt Surprise, a town of sixty residents, a one teacher school with five students and is a popular stop off point to see the Undara Lava Tubes and to fossick for gems. We booked to do the tour of the Undara Volcanic National Park, which included a walk around the Kalkani cone, with views over the McBride Volcanic Province, and three of the lava tubes which turned out to be fascinating. The tubes are huge with ceiling heights of up thirteen metres with the most incredible colours. This lava flow, one hundred and sixty kilometres, is the longest in the world. The caravan park, we thought was one of the best we have stayed in and they offer meals each night and it was nice to have a couple of nights off cooking. We should have stayed a bit longer and tried our hands at the fossicking.

To Bron and Jenny, have a great holiday and I look forward to seeing the scrapbook on your return.

A few birthdays this week, firstly Sue on the 22^nd, Alicia on the 23^rd and most importantly also on the 23^rd Andrew who celebrates his 30^th.

Week 27

We have really found out what visiting the outback was all about this week. Fran, who was quite a character, ran the Devonshire Tea House at Larrimah. Covered in flour from her scone and damper making she stands at her side door and takes the orders. Not once in the time that we were there did I see her come outside. Everyone sits together under the shade and it’s quite an experience. She makes a good scone, but you do have to laugh. Next stop was Daly Waters and the famous pub. You should see the number of tourists it attracts. I’m not sure what the overseas travellers make of it. We had arranged to meet some people that we met at Mataranka for dinner and we had one of the funniest nights we have had for a long time. We weren’t sure what sort of meal we would end up with, as you had to order when you booked in. As they had sold the 8,000^th beef and barra meal for 2008 we felt we had made the right choice. We were entertained by Frank and his Northern Territory Wedge Tail Eagle (chook). We sang along with all the Johnny Cash songs and laughed at all the jokes and then all the women ended up on stage singing Waltzing Matilda. It was a great night.

We arrived at Tennant Creek to find the whole place closed due to the public holiday. We soon found out that there wasn’t much to see and do there. One of the main attractions was The Pebbles, which I have taken a photo, why I do not know. We had a look at Mary Ann Dam, the main recreation area and the lookout. We wanted to try the coffee at the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture centre but the staff had gone walk-a-bout.

We crossed the Northern Territory- Queensland border late on Wednesday afternoon and stayed the night at Camooweal. The only thing I can tell you about this was Mick had a beer at the pub for old times sake as he stopped there on his way to Darwin forty years ago. I don’t think the town has changed much although the pub has been updated.

Having followed the Agricultural Show around the top of Western Australia and into Darwin we arrived in Mount Isa to find we were now about to be part of the biggest rodeo in the southern hemisphere. The town was booked out and we could only manage to stay one night. Mick had been coughing for over two months and the last week he had become much worse. After trying to get into a doctors without success we headed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with Travellers Cough; very common with tourists not used to the dry air, although he thought that exercise-induced asthma was a better diagnosis. Can’t say we were sorry to leave Mount Isa.

The drive to Cloncurry was very pleasant through the Mt Godkin Ranges, such a change from the flat landscape that we have driven through. I will make this our last stop for the week as, we will be off air for the next few days. Qantas made its first scheduled flight from Charleville to Cloncurry in November 1922 and the airport still uses the original hanger today. A little bit of history for the week.

I would have to admit the outback doesn’t do a lot for me and we are looking forward to heading back to the coast.

Happy Birthday this week to Rob. Hope you have a good day on Tuesday.

Week 26

Kakadu National Park covers almost 20,000 square kilometres and driving through it looks very similar to Litchfield National Park. There was the same large burn offs happening, the smell of smoke and the ever-present smoke haze. We started by doing the attractions that were easily accessible by sealed roads. At Nourlangie Rock we walked through rock shelters and met with a ranger that was giving a talk on the seasons and the traditional way of life of the aborigines. He then explained the significance of the many rock paintings.

 We walked around Anbangbang billabong and although there wasn’t a lot of water, it is still the home to quite a few water birds.

 The East Alligator District was the next stop where we walked through the Mangarre Rainforest along the East Alligator River. Colonies of flying foxes make their homes in the trees and there were lots of crocodiles along the muddy banks. We walked through some amazing sandstone pillars on the Bardedjilidji walk. I really enjoyed this walk.

 We made out way to Ubirr Rock for the sunset. Here would have to be the best rock art gallery you would ever see, very impressive and dating back at least 30,000 years. Most of the drawings were used to communicate with other tribes to what food sources that were in the area. We climbed to the very top of Ubirr Rock where we were blown away with the 360-degree vista. With the Arnhem Land escarpment as a backdrop, you really begin to appreciate the beauty of the area. The sunset was probably a bit disappointing but I’m sure the couple of hundred people seated on the upper and lower rock levels were glad that they had made the trek.

We booked a bus trip to take us on the more challenging four-wheel drive tracks to Twin and Jim Jim Falls. This was when we realised that you need a good level of fitness and agility to really see Kakadu. A short boat trip down Jim Jim Creek and a clamber over rocks and along rock ledges brought us to the magnificent falls. They are spring fed so they flow all year and the pool looked very inviting but swimming is out of the question due to the crocs. We had a great group on the bus, most about the same age as us, and we were all pleased with ourselves when we made it back to the bus. Little did we know what was ahead. I have included a photo of “the walk” to Jim Jim Falls and if you look really close you will see the little orange triangles indicating the way. The falls were a mere trickle but the beach was declared safe after they had removed nine crocs early in the season. The two youngsters in the group walked a little further to the plunge pool. It certainly gives you a great sense of achievement when you complete something like this.

For something less strenuous, we did the famous Yellow Waters cruise on sunset. The Yellow Water billabong flows into the South Alligator River and is extremely beautiful with an incredible silence. The boat unfortunately didn’t go very far down the river and concentrated mainly on the billabong. We saw many large crocs but the highlight would have to have been the bird life. I would be surprised if you would ever see any better as magpie geese, egrets, jabiru, sea eagles and an estimated 60,000 ducks inhabit the area. We were able to see young birds in their nest in the pandanus trees and new chicks, just born, walking on water lilies.

We would have liked to have gone to Arnhem Land as some say that this is the pick but it would have meant another tour and you just can’t do everything.

So we have completed the Darwin loop and had another night in Katherine. The alcohol laws in Katherine are extremely tight with liquor outlets not opening until 2pm. You have to show your licence to make sure that you are not on the blacklist and sales are restricted to small limits. Mick had to queue for more than half an hour to buy a carton of beer. It is certainly another world.

Last stop for the week was Mataranka, probably better know for Elsey Station and “We of the Never Never”. We visited the historic cemetery and the sight of the original homestead. We stopped at both the thermal pools. Mataranka was extremely popular again with busloads of tourists but Bitter Springs was lovely. The water is an unusual shade of very clear blue and we were able to float downstream with the current.

We are now off the watch the rugby with our Kiwi neighbours which should be interesting.

Word has filtered through to the N.T. that Sonny Bill has done a Jamie Lyon. Commiserations to a couple of Bulldog supporters.

Week 25

 Adelaide River is a small town 200klm north of Katherine and was the base for 30,000 Australian and American troops during WW 11. The 434 servicemen and 63 civilians who lost their lives in air raids over Darwin are buried at the War Cemetery, the third largest in Australia. This was a very moving place with beautiful gardens. It was so sad to see so many young lives lost.

 Litchfield National Park 115 km south of Darwin was one of the parks that we were really keen to visit. Litchfield is probably best known for its waterfalls and pools. We swam at Buley Pool, which Mick thought was very special, then walked a bit further along to Florence Falls and then along the creek through a monsoon forest. It was a lovely walk even with the temperature hitting 33^o and 100% humidity.

 A trip to the Bamboo Creek Tin Mine made us aware of the hardship that the miners had to endure. Walker Creek was another pretty spot and we thought we would walk to the plunge pool, but after a couple of kilometres up hill and in the heat and with no pool in sight we turned around and went back only to later find out we were only 220 metres short of it. There were great little isolated campsites all along the creek and a great place to get away from it all. We then made our way to Wangi Falls, which were stunning, but it was sad to see the car park full of coaches and tour groups. Mick had a swim but there were just too many people. We were going to go to Tjaynera Falls over a four-wheel drive track but turned around when we reached a watercourse lapping the one metre mark. Tolmer Falls also cascades over a high escarpment with a pool but has restricted access and is viewed from a platform at the top.

 An unusual sight was the magnetic termite mounds, reminding me of the Pinnacles, with their thin edges pointing north south.

 Although the falls were great I would have to say that we were a little disappointed with the park. The bush is really uninteresting with the exception of some beautiful grass trees and cycads. The aborigines are instrumental in huge burn-offs and a lot of bush is dead and there is a constant haze.

We arrived at Berry Springs early in the morning and managed to beat the crowds. We virtually had the pool to ourselves and they were just warm and very relaxing.

Doing it hard, aren’t we?

We have now spent six nights in Darwin. As usual we have been very busy trying to see as much as we can. We have been to the Military Museum, the WW11 oil storage bunkers, the Museum and Art Gallery, the Wharf Precinct, Cullen Bay, the Botanic Gardens, Parliament House, the casino, Fannie Bay, Mindil and Parap markets.

You don’t realise just how little you know of the war history of Australia until you visit the northwest. The damage done to Darwin, the boats sunk, the lives lost all very emotional. It has been really lovely walking around the town and having water in view constantly. The Northern Territory is home to only 212,000 people and has some good infrastructure. The new developments around the harbour are impressive and the houses are well camouflaged by the huge number of trees.

We had been told that the Mindil markets were very busy but nothing could have prepared us for the sight on the beach as thousands gathered to watch the sunset. As the sun set there was a loud applause and then they all made their way back to the markets. A few too many people for me. We had also been told to watch the sunset from the pool area at the casino and this was just amazing. We are really going to miss these sunsets as we head east again.

Mick finished his week off by going on a fishing trip and as you can see from the photos did quite well. We will be eating Spanish Mackerel for the rest of the week.

Week 24

Still at Kununurra for the first part of a very busy week. We took the bus to Lake Argyle Village to view to dam, which holds 23 times the water of Sydney Harbour and then travelled by boat down the Ord River to Lake Kununurra to view the sunset. This was a trip recommended by Pam and Doug and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The guide was a passionate environmentalist and we were given a thorough commentary on the whole irrigation scheme and lakes and we thought we might have to pass a test to get off the boat.

Next big adventure was a flight over Lake Argyle and the Bungle Bungles to the Purnululu National Park where we landed and walked through the Bungles to Cathedral Gorge, the Domes and a short walk along Piccaninny Creek, before heading back to Kununurra via the Argyle Diamond mine. I was extremely nervous about doing this trip in a light aircraft but I would have to say it will probably be one of the highlights of the trip. The sandstone structures of the Bungles are amazing as is Cathedral Gorge. Unfortunately it was so large it made it impossible to photograph. Mick was delighted to be able to sit in the co-pilots seat on the way back.

We decided to drive out to Wyndham, as it is the most northern town in Western Australia. It has a rather large port but the town itself resembles a ghost town with all but two of the shops closed. They have some rather lovely Dreamtime statues in one of the parks, where we were approached by a local aborigine to buy one of his carved boab nuts. I must say though the drive to Wyndham was certainly worth it when we arrived at the five-river lookout where the Ord, King, Forrest, Pentecost and Durack rivers converge in the Cambridge Gulf. It was quite spectacular. On our way back to Kununurra we stopped at The Grotto and after a scramble down 140 steps and over some large boulders we reached a swimming pool that was estimated to be over one hundred metres deep. We watched as some young Germans jumped off a rope into the water.

After having five very enjoyable days in Kununurra and we were all hitched up and ready to go when the car wouldn’t start. After a service call from the local road service we were advised us that our battery had died so we then had to try and find one that would fit the Jeep. I thought we might be stuck there for a few more days until one was flown in from Darwin but we managed to find a very resourceful young man and with the help of an angle grinder made one fit. We were extremely lucky that it didn’t die in the middle of nowhere.

 So with the wallets very empty after the last week we crossed the Western Australia- Northern Territory border. I have to say that I could have easily turned back around and headed back down the west coast. The Kimberleys have to be seen to be believed.

We have spent to the last few days in Katherine and I must say that it was a lot better than I had expected though you certainly hear lots of conflicting reports. It is also good to be back in rugby league country and to be able to see the games at a decent hour. We stayed at a nice park with a bistro and bar with nightly happy hour. We were entertained each night by a bush poet and a musician. We also caught up with Lynn and Alan from Echuca, a couple that we met whilst we were in the Barossa. They have been a week ahead of us for most of the trip. They were the couple that we had our first happy hour with.

From Katherine we drove out to Edith Falls where there are a number of falls and swimming holes. We decided to walk to the top pool and half way up the climb I was beginning to regret the decision. It was extremely hot and I was exhausted by the time we made it to the pool. It was lovely to cool down in the beautifully clear water. The bottom pool is the larger of the two and also the busiest as not a lot of people make the climb. We were sorry that we didn’t bring the caravan out and stay at the campground.

 At Nitmiluk National Park we booked to do the boat trip through three of the thirteen gorges (Katherine Gorge). You would not believe how busy it was, one boat after the other.  The gorges are once again spectacular but the cliff faces not as dramatic as others that we have seen. This was one trip I thought was probably a bit too long (four hours) and I was pleased when it was over.

It has been an exhausting week.

 Pam and Doug have become grandparents once again, congratulations to Brendan and Veronica on the birth of Archer Edward.

Very special birthday wishes go to Vicki. Hope you have a great day.

Week 23

It was with great sadness that we moved on from Broome; we could have easily fitted in quite nicely with the lifestyle and weather. We did get to go to The Sun Pictures, which is the Guinness Book of Records holder for the longest running garden cinema, now 92 years old, on our last night. It bought back fond memories of my time at Quirindi when going to the movies was our only source of entertainment. As the Broome airport is right in the middle of town we did get quite a shock when the Qantas jet nearly landed on top of us.

Next stop not that much further up the road was Derby. We were expecting the water to be a little like Broome, but it was on the opposite end of the scale, muddy brown. Derby doesn’t have a lot to offer, the town highlights include Australia highest tides with variations up to eleven metres, the southern hemispheres second longest cattle trough and the Boab Prison Tree, where it was supposedly used as a staging point for prisoners being walked to Derby. The Boab trees are really amazing and it is as if they have their own personality.

We had decided to drive from Derby along the Gibb River Road to go to Windjana Gorge and then to Tunnel Creek. We did the walk at Windjana and had our first encounter with crocodiles, up close and personal. All the gorges we have visited have been totally different and all stunning. The drive from Windjana to Tunnel Creek was the worst we have driven on and Mick said if he had known it was that bad we would have given it a miss. As we drove into the car park one four-wheel drive had lost one of its front headlights. I had been a bit apprehensive about Tunnel Creek as the brochure advised that you need to take a torch, wade through cold knee-deep water with the chance of fresh water crocs and has a least five species of bats. Anyway another fear to conquer and after climbing over large boulders and plunging into the icy below the knee water we made our way into the cave. It was truly amazing and only found out after we returned to the car that there were freshwater crocs in the water.

Fitzroy Crossing was our next stop to do the Geikie Gorge boat trip. It was a beautiful way to make the most of the late afternoon cruising through the gorge. We saw quite a few crocs on the banks. I must say I thought a few of the rocks didn’t look all that stable and wouldn’t like to be around when they fell. In some of the photos you will notice the white mark on the rocks, this is the watermark and hard to imagine the water actually getting that high.

We passed through Halls Creek and I must say these towns are nowhere near as bad as I would have imagined. All very tidy.

The days have been quite warm but the night we stayed at the 24hr campsite by the side of the road it was 2 degrees. It was pretty cold in the van when you don’t have any power.

After a lovely drive through the King Leopold Ranges we arrived at Kununurra. We had been looking forward to seeing Kununurra and it you stay away from the main shopping area it is very attractive with lots of lovely parks and waterways supplied by the Lake Argyle Diversion Dam, which feeds the irrigation systems. There are large farms growing vegetables, bananas, stone fruit and the new industry is sandalwood plantations. The “highlight” would have to be the show. Mick was keen to have a look at the livestock, why I don’t know as we have seen so much on the road. We watched the Tug-O-War, the wheelie bin race and the melon Olympics; all very funny.

We can’t believe the number of vans, motor homes and camper trailers that are on the roads up here. They are outnumbering cars and trucks about six to one. The parks are all busy as are the overnight stops. The fuel doesn’t seem to be having an impact at all.

Great to hear Wendy and Noel had a good holiday in New Zealand and have returned safe.

Happy birthday to Katie for the 15^th, the big day is getting close, Matt for the 17^th and to Michelle for the 18^th.

Week 22

We put the caravan to the test as be bumped our way along nine kilometres of very corrugated, dusty red road to reach Eighty Mile Beach, the fishing spot we had been hearing about all the way up the coast. As you walk into the office the wall are adorned with photos of huge threadfin salmon and the date on which they were caught. The latest was only a few days ago, so Mick was very eager to get into the action. Well I have to say it turned out to be the usual story, wrong moon and tide, should have been here last week etc, etc.

Eighty Mile Beach is full of fisherman up north for the winter months and a good stopping point for tourist driving between Port Hedland and Broome. It is very remote and relies on diesel generators for power. They use 1,000 litres a day without any concessions from the oil companies. I was really surprise to find out a market runs on Sundays during the peak times. The women have craft mornings and hold stalls with the proceeds going to the Royal Flying Doctors. I was sorry I didn’t do some baking as I think I could have made a tidy profit.

So after four days of fishing, shell collecting, socialising and with the batteries recharged we made our way to Broome.

You hear so many conflicting reports on Broome you really don’t know what to expect. It was certainly different to how I had pictured it. The town area I thought was pretty low key, lots of the usual souvenir shops and jewellery shops all selling the most beautiful expensive pearls. We went to Town Beach at low tide and it looked very ordinary but on our return visit at high tide it certainly looked a lot better. Cable Beach is definitely the place to be with lots of new resorts, bars, restaurants and most significantly the sunsets. I don’t think I have ever seen so many people on the beach so late in the day, not to mention the four wheel drives further along the beach. I had been really looking forward to having a camel ride at sunset and I must say it was pretty good. Seeing I was on my own I was put with a lovely young man who was in Broome to film a new kids TV show. You can be lucky.

We had a browse around the markets and they were slightly alternate, very Byron Bay. They had the usual market stalls but the highlight was the Asian food stalls, very hard to resist and we ended up having lunch at 10.30am.

We also visited the visually impressive Japanese cemetery, simple in its layout with the headstones made from the different colour rocks from the area and with Japanese writing. It was surprising to learn so many had died while pearling in the area.

We had heard so much about Cape Leveque and we were keen to take a look and with the reputation of the road we decided to book a bus tour. We were privileged to visit the Beagle Bay aboriginal community to see the Sacred Heart Church, with its mother of pearl altar, built by the Pallotine Monks. It was the last day of the school term and the children were having their break up mass with a young priest from Tanzania. It was very moving. At the conclusion the headmaster rewarded eight students out of one hundred and twenty that had turned up for school each day of the term with a $50 voucher. There was also a special blessing for the three young people that were going to Sydney for World Youth Day.

The other community we visited was Lombadina where the aborigines work for the dole and show so much pride in their environment.

 Cape Leveque beach was lovely, but the pick was the Western Beaches with the stunning pindan cliffs.

It was a very long day, twelve hours, and whilst the scenery didn’t quite live up to expectations we were please that we went.

I’m still hoping to get to the outdoor Sun Pictures before we leave.

I have really enjoyed Broome, Mick would like a bit of surf, and whilst it is very touristy, it certainly has great atmosphere.

Great to talk to Sharon yesterday on her birthday. Best wishes to Jane for the 12^th and mum who turns 87 on the 13^th. There are not too many people at this age that can learn the Internet so she can follow our travels. We are very proud of her. Have a very happy birthday.

Week 21

We are reminded that we are now travelling in remote areas by the billboards advising ‘the papers are due to arrive at 2.30pm’, the price of fuel hit $2.29 a litre and the only service station in town runs out of fuel causing havoc for a large number of tourist passing through.

We had our first free camp on the way to Tom Price and Karijini National Park. I’m now convinced it’s the only way to go sitting around a campfire with a couple of other travellers whilst cows graze nearby. Incredible.

We had always intended to follow Highway 1 from Exmouth to Karratha and Dampier, but after hearing people rave about Karijini we decided to cut the corner. The Hamersley Range surrounds the mining town of Tom Price and whilst I would hate the isolation of living there it is very scenic. It also has a very good hospital I believe.

We then spent the next two nights at Dales Campground in the Karijini National Park. The sites are great and well spaced out and you feel as if you are the only person there. It is extremely dark at night and you hear the dingos howl. Words can’t describe Karijini and it’s many gorges and incredible walks. Most very difficult. I have to say I was very proud of myself as I climbed up and down rock ledges, down a steep ladder and stepped on rocks to cross water courses to get to Circular Pool. We then made our way back to Fortescue Falls and finally Fern Pool where Mick swam out to the waterfall where the he was amazed to find the water cascading down was warm. This was in contrast to the icy pool at Hamersley Gorge the day before.

We met some really nice people and had a great time. Karijini is a place not to be missed.

The drive from the National Park to Auski Roadhouse is one of the nicest you will ever see as you make your way through the gorges.

We have finished this week at Port Hedland and it is the only place where I haven’t taken a photo. Our site at the caravan park over looks the railway line in the distance and the ore trains constantly going to the port. We also watched the racehorses being worked on the sandy wasteland below the caravan park. I must say it does look lovely at night with all the lights. It is a dismal place and will be glad to leave.

We are now going fishing for four days before heading to Broome mid-week.

Happy 30^th birthday Leigh. Hope you have a good night.

Week 20

Watching the sunset on Ningaloo Reef, drink in hand, after a day of swimming, sunbaking and snorkelling. Sound good? You bet it was. This is what we have been waiting 5 months to do.

Coral Bay is a small town with a few houses, a handful of shops, a couple of cafes, a hotel, two caravan parks and several tour operators. It attracts a lot of southern Western Australians for the winter months, just about every grey nomad and every backpacker. The attraction is the Ningaloo Reef which starts just 300 metres off the beach and is a marine delight with just about everyone snorkelling, including me can you believe, viewing the coral, the amazing array of fish and for those more adventurous, swimming with the whale sharks. The water is crystal clear and quite warm. I did a coral viewing on the Sub Sea Explorer, thanks Joanna, which I really enjoyed. We stayed four nights and it was great not to have to get into the car.

We moved on a little further up the coast to the slightly larger town of Exmouth and no comparison to Coral Bay. We should have made a few more inquires before booking the caravan park as the best spots are over 60 kilometres out of town.

Exmouth was only established in 1967 as a joint communication station between Australia and the USA. It has massive towers some higher than the Empire State building. It was funny seeing an emu walking down the main street on the day that we arrived.

We did the cruise down the Yardie Creek gorge and were lucky enough to see a few rare black-footed rock wallabies. Egrets and corellas were nesting in the rock ledges.

The Ningaloo Reef extends just past Exmouth and the pick of the beaches would have to be Turquoise Bay. Mick has been having a great time snorkelling and he couldn’t believe the size and variety of the fish and the coral was so much better than Coral Bay. It also has a great current drift making the experience even more enjoyable.

Broome has the Staircase to the Moon, Exmouth has the Ladder to the Moon and as our timing is wrong for Broome we spent two nights checking out the ladder. It wasn’t very successful as the mud flats weren’t long enough, but it was great seeing the moon rising.

It was great getting a message from Brendan and Yvette and if you read this can you send us your email address. Hope you are still keeping up the Friday arvo golf.

Week 19

Since leaving Perth and for the first time in the trip we have felt a long way from home, past the point of no return. Having said that we are finally starting to enjoy some warm weather, and I have managed to get my swimmers wet, be it in a hot tub, but it’s a start.

On our way to Kalbarri we stopped to have a look at the Catholic Church in Northampton. It was one of many in the area that was designed by Monsignor John Hawes, the architect turned priest. It was so different to the one at Geraldton, but still with his signature stripes inside.

 As we are now seasoned caravanners we are stopping off to sightsee with the van in tow. We drove through Port Gregory to have a look at the Pink Lake. What a sight. The pink is caused by bacteria in the salt granules and is a rich source of beta carotene, which is harvested for medicinal purposes.

 The coastline just south of Kalbarri is pretty spectacular, Natural Bridge, Island Rock, Shell House, Eagle Gorge, Pot Alley and Red Bluff. We were fortunate to meet two couples from Victoria at one of these lookouts and arranged to have dinner with them that night. We had heard about the world famous Finlay’s tin shed fresh fish bbq and it was really good to have a bit of company for a change. The place really has atmosphere and the no frill approach makes it very relaxing. A couple of grey nomads entertained us with some great music.

We had planned to visit the National Park the following morning but couldn’t believe it when the road was closed due to the overnight rain. We were able to drive on the sealed road to Hawkes Head Lookout and at Ross Graham Lookout we walked down to the Murchison River. We were lucky that we didn’t have any overnight rain and the Loop, Natures Window and Z Bend roads were opened. I don’t know how to adequately describe the beauty of the Murchison River gorges. You have the feeling that you are on top of the world. It must be spectacular when the wildflowers are in full bloom.

We are certainly seeing some great scenery at the moment but we seem to be covering a lot of kilometres and not getting too much further north.

We headed to the World Heritage Area of Shark Bay and stopped off at Hamelin Pool to look at the stromatolites, the earliest form of life still alive today. On the way to the beach we passed the remains of the shell quarry. The depth of the shells on the beach, up to 10 metres was such an unusual sight. It was had to believe that they could actually use these as blocks for building. It looked very similar to limestone. We stopped at a few of the lookouts hoping to see a shark or two without any luck.

We stayed at Denham and the whole caravan park was white as they used the shells to cover the whole area. We didn’t have sunset until after six and I’m not sure if it was partly due to the reflexion of the shells.

Monkey Mia was our next outing and we were surprised to find a lovely place, not as commercialised as we would have expected. It is run by CALM and they really do their best to look after the dolphins. Mick, who does not usually show much interest in animals, was totally taken with them. He was selected to feed Piccolo but he wasn’t interested in being fed. We were lucky enough to see two feeds.

We wanted to go into the Francois Peron National Park but again you need to let the tyres down to drive down the sandy corrugated roads. We settled for a long soak in the hot mineral spring tub at the Station.

I have been trying for the past 24 hours to think of something nice to say about Carnarvon, but I can’t. Not even its produce markets could redeem it. You all might think it’s funny but we are staying at the Retiree and Seniors Tourist Park, where you aren’t allowed to drive out of first gear, for fear of collecting someone with a walking frame or mobility scooter. I felt like I was back at PCMP. It is one of a few parks in W.A. where they actually have liquid soap and towels in the amenities.

 It seems funny that it’s the only point of the Australian coastline where the central desert reaches out to the sea, but it also supplies W.A. with a large percentage of bananas, vegetables, mangos and stone fruit. Its seafood industry is also very prosperous.

We finished this week by driving to Quobba Station, the blowholes and Quobba Point where we were finally able to sit in the sun and Mick had a snorkel. He couldn’t believe the colours of the fish, purples and yellows some almost seemed like they had a little light inside them. There was also a good display of pink and mauve hard coral.

We are really looking forward to our next week as we head to Coral Bay and Exmouth. I have even bought a snorkel set.

I forgot to mention that we clocked up 20,000klm this week.