The Tong Family Travels through Australia
Where are we now?
The Planned Travel Route (give or take a few thousand kilometres)
This is the expected travel route that we have planned, however this could change depending on what we encounter and see. We will travel through central west New South Wales into South Australia and then proceed north through the heart of Australia towards Darwin. Once we have completed our trip in Northern Territory we will be heading west to Western Australia and particularly the Kimberley's and Broome. The plan is to then work our way around the Western Australian coast until we reach the southern areas of Western Australia. Then we will embark on crossing the Nullabor and back into Adelaide the Barossa Valley. It is here then we will assess our time available and decide the remaining part of our trip which is getting home...we could head along the Great Ocean Road or head towards the Blue Mountains and Sydney or head straight home in the fastest route possible. It is a plan but it may change!
Our Travelling Home
Our home for the 5 months of our trip is a recently purchased Jayco Expander (18.57-6) which contains a comfortable living space for our family of four. It contains a fold out queen size bed and double bunks for the two boys. It has as features:
Our travelling home has already been to Cairns and back, but this trip will be the ultimate test!
- air conditioning
- internal shower and toilet
- 3 way fridge
- microwave
- television
- Smev 4 gas griller
- 12v lighting system including bed lights
- roll out awning
Our travelling home has already been to Cairns and back, but this trip will be the ultimate test!
To blog or not to blog?
This trip is by far the largest and most audacious that we have ever attempted as a family.
We first discussed this trip 4-5 years ago and now with almost 24 hours to go we are almost on our way on a trip of our lives thus far. In the past 6-8 months there has been countless hours of discussion, several draft travel routes created, endless hours of online research trawling through blogs, YouTube videos, travel and caravanning online forums, tourism websites and photo websites such as Flickr. In addition to this we have engaged in as many travel discussions with people who have done part of or all of this journey before. The knowledge that people shared (the word of mouth) has been invaluable and I am grateful to others for sharing their experiences, pearls of wisdom and their highs and lows that they experienced on their travels throughout our great country.
In essence, I have been consumer of their personal thoughts and experiences and it is in my opinion only right to give back to others who maybe inspired to undertake something like this themselves with their family. Therefore, through this process of blogging I hopefully will be contributing to others in their possible future plans and travel endeavours. To me this is the right thing to do!
If you enjoy our blog visit often and share your thoughts either through the form below or through the Trip Forum.
Happy and safe travels!
We first discussed this trip 4-5 years ago and now with almost 24 hours to go we are almost on our way on a trip of our lives thus far. In the past 6-8 months there has been countless hours of discussion, several draft travel routes created, endless hours of online research trawling through blogs, YouTube videos, travel and caravanning online forums, tourism websites and photo websites such as Flickr. In addition to this we have engaged in as many travel discussions with people who have done part of or all of this journey before. The knowledge that people shared (the word of mouth) has been invaluable and I am grateful to others for sharing their experiences, pearls of wisdom and their highs and lows that they experienced on their travels throughout our great country.
In essence, I have been consumer of their personal thoughts and experiences and it is in my opinion only right to give back to others who maybe inspired to undertake something like this themselves with their family. Therefore, through this process of blogging I hopefully will be contributing to others in their possible future plans and travel endeavours. To me this is the right thing to do!
If you enjoy our blog visit often and share your thoughts either through the form below or through the Trip Forum.
Happy and safe travels!
Day 1 May 22, 2010 - Gold Coast to Warren
Many people wouldn’t do it but when I travel in my caravan I prefer to get out of the city as soon as possible, hence the 3am start this morning to be on the road by 3.30am. We travelled 900km today and have made it to just outside Warren in New South Wales. We travelled through many landscapes starting with heavy fog dominating the first couple of hours, then onto cotton country and then onto wool country.
In terms of natural wildlife there was not much seen apart from the odd emu and kangaroo. There was plenty of sheep and birdlife particularly crows.
Tonight we are experiencing our very first free camping at one of many rest sites along the designated route. We are the only ones at this rest site and I much say it has been very relaxing. This type of camping will be utilised as much as possible on our trip.
Long drive tomorrow to Broken Hill.
In terms of natural wildlife there was not much seen apart from the odd emu and kangaroo. There was plenty of sheep and birdlife particularly crows.
Tonight we are experiencing our very first free camping at one of many rest sites along the designated route. We are the only ones at this rest site and I much say it has been very relaxing. This type of camping will be utilised as much as possible on our trip.
Long drive tomorrow to Broken Hill.
Day 2 May 23, 2010 - Warren to Broken Hill
This morning we woke up to a crisp morning of 4 degrees and hit the road again before the sun had risen. Even though we were travelling in the car it was an amazing sunrise full of an array of colours that appeared over-saturated and vibrant. The sunset last night was equally amazing and I have no doubt this is one of the magical qualities of being in the bush away from the city lights. As the sun rose this morning the effect it had on the numerous types of grasses interweaved with the red dirt and the greens of the foliage of the trees and shrubs was brilliant.
Today was a 7 hour drive with a few hiccups experienced...it appears we have a slow leak in one of our tyres and hopefully tomorrow we shall have that fixed. Also my wide angle lense for my camera is triggering a communication error and I will seek to have that addressed somehow.
We have arrived in Broken Hill and we are experiencing intermittent rain so we have decided to settle in and relax until tomorrow. Tomorrow we hope to venture out and experience the many artistic qualities of this historic town and hopefully better weather.
Today was a 7 hour drive with a few hiccups experienced...it appears we have a slow leak in one of our tyres and hopefully tomorrow we shall have that fixed. Also my wide angle lense for my camera is triggering a communication error and I will seek to have that addressed somehow.
We have arrived in Broken Hill and we are experiencing intermittent rain so we have decided to settle in and relax until tomorrow. Tomorrow we hope to venture out and experience the many artistic qualities of this historic town and hopefully better weather.
Day 3 May 24 - Broken Hill & Silverton
My original impressions of Broken Hill were that it appeared to be run down and almost squalor-like. However, throughout today as we explore Broken Hill and the surrounding areas it has really grown on me and I am becoming quite a fan of the town.
Today I set out before sunrise for photo opportunities but the sunrise was clouded out and when I arrived back at the caravan park I took the opportunity to teach Harrison about taking photos using an SLR camera. He is very inquisitive and has enjoyed his first full day of taking photos with my old camera, albeit without the wide angle lens (I have had to purchase a new one that arrives tomorrow from Adelaide therefore for today I have used my original lens much to Harrison’s disgust).
We set out for our very first day of exploring and it was a most productive day indeed. To begin, we visited the Miner’s Memorial and the Broken Earth Cafe that oversees the Broken Hill town. We sat in a large seat (designed to mimic the feeling that a small child has when sitting in an adult seat). We viewed the Miner’s Memorial which commemorated the death of hundreds of people from over a hundred years ago to an individual who died as recent as 2007 in Broken Hill mines. This area was particularly windy and for us from Queensland a little bit chilly.
We visited many artistic galleries today but the highlight was in my opinion Pro Hart’s gallery which illustrated the brilliant talents this artist had. He was a former miner of the Broken Hill mines and his art was dominated by the town of Broken Hill, insects, mining, cards and many bright colours.
We also visited the quaint town of Silverton that is 25km from Broken Hill. This location is a photographer’s canvas and I enjoyed the challenge of shooting some photos in ordinary weather. I am hoping to go back to this location in better weather...fingers crossed. I also had a beer in the Silverton Pub that has been filmed in numerous movies, TV shows and commercials. Silverton is best known for the movie “Mad Max” and there is a replica of the Mad Max’s “Interceptor” car right out the front of the pub.
Today I set out before sunrise for photo opportunities but the sunrise was clouded out and when I arrived back at the caravan park I took the opportunity to teach Harrison about taking photos using an SLR camera. He is very inquisitive and has enjoyed his first full day of taking photos with my old camera, albeit without the wide angle lens (I have had to purchase a new one that arrives tomorrow from Adelaide therefore for today I have used my original lens much to Harrison’s disgust).
We set out for our very first day of exploring and it was a most productive day indeed. To begin, we visited the Miner’s Memorial and the Broken Earth Cafe that oversees the Broken Hill town. We sat in a large seat (designed to mimic the feeling that a small child has when sitting in an adult seat). We viewed the Miner’s Memorial which commemorated the death of hundreds of people from over a hundred years ago to an individual who died as recent as 2007 in Broken Hill mines. This area was particularly windy and for us from Queensland a little bit chilly.
We visited many artistic galleries today but the highlight was in my opinion Pro Hart’s gallery which illustrated the brilliant talents this artist had. He was a former miner of the Broken Hill mines and his art was dominated by the town of Broken Hill, insects, mining, cards and many bright colours.
We also visited the quaint town of Silverton that is 25km from Broken Hill. This location is a photographer’s canvas and I enjoyed the challenge of shooting some photos in ordinary weather. I am hoping to go back to this location in better weather...fingers crossed. I also had a beer in the Silverton Pub that has been filmed in numerous movies, TV shows and commercials. Silverton is best known for the movie “Mad Max” and there is a replica of the Mad Max’s “Interceptor” car right out the front of the pub.
Day 4 May 25, 2010 - Broken Hill
Today was a fantastic day!
Weather was much improved today as we started the day off with a visit to a 1950’s traditional milk bar called Bells Milk Bar. Here you are served traditional milkshakes in a traditional setting just like it was in the 1950’s. Barb and I had a hot jaffa milkshake with a dollop of ice cream with Braiden having a fruit tingle spider and Harrison having a choc caramel mars bar milkshake.
After this we headed back to the caravan so the boys could complete some school work (yes...the boys still have to do some school work) and to have some lunch. Once our appetites were satisfied we headed off for an adventurous afternoon. Firstly we visited the Geocentre to learn about the geology that is native to Broken Hill. Here we saw the Silver Tree and saw many other colourful rocks.
We then headed off to the Living Desert Reserve which captures the semi-arid landscape with magnificent views. It is here we saw the flora and fauna unique to this area up close whilst also seeing aboriginal displays. We saw the unique Sturt Desert Pea and also got to see kangaroos and wedge-tailed eagles soaring above. The walk is mildly challenging and lasted about 2 hours.
We then rounded off the day with a visit to the Sculptures Symposium. Here you will find 12 sandstone artworks which highlight the skyline that were created by artists from around the world in 1993. This was another fantastic photographic opportunity and Harrison and I enjoyed being creative with lighting and image composition. We stayed until at least ½ hour after sunset before heading home to some dinner.
Tomorrow I hope to go back there for some sunrise shots!
Weather was much improved today as we started the day off with a visit to a 1950’s traditional milk bar called Bells Milk Bar. Here you are served traditional milkshakes in a traditional setting just like it was in the 1950’s. Barb and I had a hot jaffa milkshake with a dollop of ice cream with Braiden having a fruit tingle spider and Harrison having a choc caramel mars bar milkshake.
After this we headed back to the caravan so the boys could complete some school work (yes...the boys still have to do some school work) and to have some lunch. Once our appetites were satisfied we headed off for an adventurous afternoon. Firstly we visited the Geocentre to learn about the geology that is native to Broken Hill. Here we saw the Silver Tree and saw many other colourful rocks.
We then headed off to the Living Desert Reserve which captures the semi-arid landscape with magnificent views. It is here we saw the flora and fauna unique to this area up close whilst also seeing aboriginal displays. We saw the unique Sturt Desert Pea and also got to see kangaroos and wedge-tailed eagles soaring above. The walk is mildly challenging and lasted about 2 hours.
We then rounded off the day with a visit to the Sculptures Symposium. Here you will find 12 sandstone artworks which highlight the skyline that were created by artists from around the world in 1993. This was another fantastic photographic opportunity and Harrison and I enjoyed being creative with lighting and image composition. We stayed until at least ½ hour after sunset before heading home to some dinner.
Tomorrow I hope to go back there for some sunrise shots!
Day 5 May 26, 2010 - Broken Hill
Today was very much a catch-up day after being on the go (either travelling or sightseeing) for 5 days straight. We restocked on our water supplies, caught up on the washing and recharged our numerous electrical devices in the expectation of several days without power and water. In addition to this we restocked on some groceries and purchased those items you forgot or you just didn’t know you needed until now.
The other major task of the day was to use as many of our potatoes, onions and vegetables in meals as we are about to head into South Australia and they have a strict Fruit Fly quarantine therefore we would need to dispose of these. We expect that we will have similar issues at each state border from here on in so timing on consumption of these foods will be necessary.
Tonight is State of Origin night and it is a very strange feeling being this deep in New South Wales country not because we are Queenslanders but there is very little excitement at all in Broken Hill. As Broken Hill is closer to South Australia and Adelaide it appears this town is very much an AFL town in fact the State of Origin didn’t rate a mention in the news tonight and I can’t get it on Broken Hill television. Thank god for ABC radio!
Today our major excursion was to the Railway and Migrant Museum...this complex was full of nostalgia and memorabilia not only of the railway type but also of many day-to-day items used from yesteryear. The boys enjoyed this excursion particular seeing the old train carriages and engines.
The boys completed some literacy and numeracy activities and we have quickly realised that doing any work like this in the afternoon or night is just not productive, therefore for the last few days the boys have completed some school work in the morning.
On the photography front it was a little disappointing as the weather was very cloudy and counterproductive to the landscape photos I was hoping to achieve...this is part and parcel of being an enthusiast photographer.
Tomorrow we are headed to Woomera via a short stopover at Port Augusta!
The other major task of the day was to use as many of our potatoes, onions and vegetables in meals as we are about to head into South Australia and they have a strict Fruit Fly quarantine therefore we would need to dispose of these. We expect that we will have similar issues at each state border from here on in so timing on consumption of these foods will be necessary.
Tonight is State of Origin night and it is a very strange feeling being this deep in New South Wales country not because we are Queenslanders but there is very little excitement at all in Broken Hill. As Broken Hill is closer to South Australia and Adelaide it appears this town is very much an AFL town in fact the State of Origin didn’t rate a mention in the news tonight and I can’t get it on Broken Hill television. Thank god for ABC radio!
Today our major excursion was to the Railway and Migrant Museum...this complex was full of nostalgia and memorabilia not only of the railway type but also of many day-to-day items used from yesteryear. The boys enjoyed this excursion particular seeing the old train carriages and engines.
The boys completed some literacy and numeracy activities and we have quickly realised that doing any work like this in the afternoon or night is just not productive, therefore for the last few days the boys have completed some school work in the morning.
On the photography front it was a little disappointing as the weather was very cloudy and counterproductive to the landscape photos I was hoping to achieve...this is part and parcel of being an enthusiast photographer.
Tomorrow we are headed to Woomera via a short stopover at Port Augusta!
Broken Hill Video
Day 6 May 27, 2010 - Broken Hill to Port Augusta
An interesting day started with the Tong Family being subjected to the first episode of caravan park rage. It appears that we were a little too noisy this morning (I have no doubts that we were) and the bloke next door blew up like fire cracker on a Chinese New Year celebration. It was a timely reminder to us that our caravan is not soundproof and as a result of this we quietened down and left a little later in the morning. Braiden slept through it all and was most appreciative for the extra sleep.
The QLD Maroons jersey was out for all to see as the mighty Maroons had a BIG win last night. It was a little strange listening to it on the radio rather than watching it but it was still great! The down side of my showboating today was that I was only in New South Wales until mid-morning and South Australians have no idea about this game!
The drive from Broken Hill to Port Augusta was rather uneventful (more flat semi arid landscapes) until we reached the Flinders Ranges. This is our first time into South Australia and driving through the Flinders Ranges was a real treat. The ranges are very striking and were most dwarfing as we drove through the steep surrounds.
This afternoon we visited the Wadlata Outback Centre that is a multimedia-saturated environment for learning about the South Australian Indigenous and Early Explorers as they grappled with this unique landscape. The family spent at least 2 ½ hours walking through this complex and the boys were totally engaged the whole time.
Tomorrow our goal is to reach Woomera after we complete a few extra tasks in the morning and also visit the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens!
The QLD Maroons jersey was out for all to see as the mighty Maroons had a BIG win last night. It was a little strange listening to it on the radio rather than watching it but it was still great! The down side of my showboating today was that I was only in New South Wales until mid-morning and South Australians have no idea about this game!
The drive from Broken Hill to Port Augusta was rather uneventful (more flat semi arid landscapes) until we reached the Flinders Ranges. This is our first time into South Australia and driving through the Flinders Ranges was a real treat. The ranges are very striking and were most dwarfing as we drove through the steep surrounds.
This afternoon we visited the Wadlata Outback Centre that is a multimedia-saturated environment for learning about the South Australian Indigenous and Early Explorers as they grappled with this unique landscape. The family spent at least 2 ½ hours walking through this complex and the boys were totally engaged the whole time.
Tomorrow our goal is to reach Woomera after we complete a few extra tasks in the morning and also visit the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens!
Day 7 May 28, 2010 - Woomera and Pimba
Today we headed north for the first time during this trip as we travelled to Woomera and Pimba. It was also the first time we encountered a headwind and some decent rain. The scenery changed regularly throughout the trip from landscapes containing no trees as far as the eye could see to sweeping landscapes which captured the best views that this country can provide. The headwind was pretty fierce and has a major impact on your fuel economy and this coupled with some heavy showers made the trip a little more ardous than normal. Later in the day Barb spoke to a man who claims that in the past 20 years driving up and back from Adelaide to Uluru that that was the worst headwind he had exeperienced. The rain was a welcome change and gave the environment a different perspective to what I had been accustomed to. On this trip we saw several cows that had been killed presumably by trucks and several more emus roaming the countryside...surprisingly we have seen no kangaroos on our travels apart of the odd roadkill.
We arrived at Woomera and immediately went to the rocket park and the Woomera Military Museum. Woomera is famous for the rocket testing/launching that occurred in the past and is still occurring to this day. It was pretty obvious the area was a military base and apparently it had 6000 people on site in its prime but only houses about 600 people now. Woomera was pretty cold due to the rain and wind so we were keen to go to our camp site for the night which was Spuds Roadhouse 6km away at Pimba. This was a pretty good setup for a free camping site with toilets and a shop/restaurant if you so desired. I took this opportunity to have my first nanna nap of the trip which was very refreshing.
Tomorrow we hope to reach Coober Pedy hopefully without a headwind.
We arrived at Woomera and immediately went to the rocket park and the Woomera Military Museum. Woomera is famous for the rocket testing/launching that occurred in the past and is still occurring to this day. It was pretty obvious the area was a military base and apparently it had 6000 people on site in its prime but only houses about 600 people now. Woomera was pretty cold due to the rain and wind so we were keen to go to our camp site for the night which was Spuds Roadhouse 6km away at Pimba. This was a pretty good setup for a free camping site with toilets and a shop/restaurant if you so desired. I took this opportunity to have my first nanna nap of the trip which was very refreshing.
Tomorrow we hope to reach Coober Pedy hopefully without a headwind.
Day 8 May 29, 2010 - Coober Pedy
Well today when we travelled to Coober Pedy we again encountered strong winds but this time it was largely behind us and this made the trip far more relaxing. There was less caravans on the road today but this did not stop the usual caravan etiquette of acknowledging each other as we pass in opposite directions. This tradition was a little surprising to us when we first started caravanning but it is almost mandatory practice now.
On the trip north we passed some fantastic scenery in particularly scenery surrounding some of the lakes such as Lake Hart. Also in our travels I came across a Wedgetail Eagle on top of a roadkill that I tried to photograph but he was a little shy and flew away...maybe next time! We arrived at Coober Pedy in time for lunch and then set off to go on one of the underground tours. This underground living is rather fascinating and makes so much sense in this harsh landscape...Barb loves it! We also went to an underground church and had a drink at an underground bar. Tomorrow we hope to go to the Breakaways just north of Coober Pedy and do some four-wheel driving and also view the dog-fence.
On the trip north we passed some fantastic scenery in particularly scenery surrounding some of the lakes such as Lake Hart. Also in our travels I came across a Wedgetail Eagle on top of a roadkill that I tried to photograph but he was a little shy and flew away...maybe next time! We arrived at Coober Pedy in time for lunch and then set off to go on one of the underground tours. This underground living is rather fascinating and makes so much sense in this harsh landscape...Barb loves it! We also went to an underground church and had a drink at an underground bar. Tomorrow we hope to go to the Breakaways just north of Coober Pedy and do some four-wheel driving and also view the dog-fence.
Day 9 May 30, 2010 - Coober Pedy & The Breakaways
Well it has been cold but I feel it is about to turn really cold as we start to head further north tomorrow. It was 5 degrees this morning and it is predicted to be colder as we head closer to Uluru in the next few days. We are not sure where we will be tomorrow but I hope to travel as far as we can in the hope to make the following day's journey to Uluru much shorter. We will consult our travelling bible at present which is the Camps Australia Wide 5 for our next free camping site as we inch closer to the spiritual heart of Australia.
Today we ventured into some unbelievable landscapes as we explored "The Breakaways" just north of Coober Pedy. Barb's father tells me that this is where they filmed parts of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the movie and it is spectacular. To explore this fully we took a 70km round trip that included crossing the World's Longest Fence - The Dog Fence. This fence spans 5300km in an attempt to prevent dogs/dingoes/foxes getting into sheep country. I have uploaded many photos from The Breakaways under the Coober Pedy link.
This afternoon we turned our attentions towards noodling through the dirt looking for opals in the public noodling area in Coober Pedy. The boys really enjoyed this and got excited by anything that glimmered in the sun. Barb bought a opal pandora charm for her bracelet as she attempts to collect something unique to each significant area for her bracelet.
We finished the day by visiting a kangaroo orphanage where they raise kangaroos that have lost their mothers through roadkill and indigenous hunting. The boys were fascinated by the orphans as they were bottle-fed a specially prepared milk.
In summary, Coober Pedy was a terrific place to visit as it is just sooo unique! Our next major adventure will be Uluru...which is the main reason why we started planning for this trip!
Today we ventured into some unbelievable landscapes as we explored "The Breakaways" just north of Coober Pedy. Barb's father tells me that this is where they filmed parts of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the movie and it is spectacular. To explore this fully we took a 70km round trip that included crossing the World's Longest Fence - The Dog Fence. This fence spans 5300km in an attempt to prevent dogs/dingoes/foxes getting into sheep country. I have uploaded many photos from The Breakaways under the Coober Pedy link.
This afternoon we turned our attentions towards noodling through the dirt looking for opals in the public noodling area in Coober Pedy. The boys really enjoyed this and got excited by anything that glimmered in the sun. Barb bought a opal pandora charm for her bracelet as she attempts to collect something unique to each significant area for her bracelet.
We finished the day by visiting a kangaroo orphanage where they raise kangaroos that have lost their mothers through roadkill and indigenous hunting. The boys were fascinated by the orphans as they were bottle-fed a specially prepared milk.
In summary, Coober Pedy was a terrific place to visit as it is just sooo unique! Our next major adventure will be Uluru...which is the main reason why we started planning for this trip!
Day 10 May 31, 2010 - Uluru
The goal of today was to drive as far as we felt comfortable with in the direction of Uluru. We drove until midday and held a family conference to ascertain how everyone was feeling. We were 3 hours away from Uluru and the overwhelming consensus was to carry on towards Uluru in the hope that we reach it before sunset. As you can see from the photo...we made it!
In the lead up to this trip I have watched hours and hours of YouTube videos of people's adventures at Uluru and the videos were terrific...but seriously they just don't catch the sheer size of the rock. It is dwarfing and mindblowing in its size!
We arrived at the sunset viewing area about 40 minutes before sunset. In this short time the rock went through many colour changes but the fluorescent colours just before the sun sets was the most striking. The viewing area was full but not bustling and everything was orderly and spacious. After the sunset we travelled around the rock in the car and it was the sheer height of the rock that impressed me most. As the light faded and we headed back to the campsite we could see the amazing Kata Tjuta (Olgas) silhouetted against the post sunset colours. Brilliant!
We intend staying here for 4-5 days to enjoy the Red Centre and recharge.
I can't wait for sunrise.
In the lead up to this trip I have watched hours and hours of YouTube videos of people's adventures at Uluru and the videos were terrific...but seriously they just don't catch the sheer size of the rock. It is dwarfing and mindblowing in its size!
We arrived at the sunset viewing area about 40 minutes before sunset. In this short time the rock went through many colour changes but the fluorescent colours just before the sun sets was the most striking. The viewing area was full but not bustling and everything was orderly and spacious. After the sunset we travelled around the rock in the car and it was the sheer height of the rock that impressed me most. As the light faded and we headed back to the campsite we could see the amazing Kata Tjuta (Olgas) silhouetted against the post sunset colours. Brilliant!
We intend staying here for 4-5 days to enjoy the Red Centre and recharge.
I can't wait for sunrise.
Day 11 June 1, 2010 - Uluru
Today was action packed and very rewarding! We rose early to capture the sunrise over Uluru and despite trying to find the designated viewing area we settled on a section of the road and enjoyed the scenery. We returned to camp and had breakfast before setting out on the day's adventures at Uluru. The weather was terrific and the Uluru climb was open to the public. We decided that we would attempt this climb immediately. The climb is very steep in sections hence the need for a chain for the first section of the journey and even completing a very small section of this climb will reward you with terrific views. On the climb there were children, young adults, old adults,very fit people and some people I wondered how they would get up a flight of stairs let alone something that stands so tall on a landscape. The family plodded on in a methodical manner and despite some early jitters...once completed the first section (which is the hardest) enjoyed the challenge of climbing. The views are amazing particular towards Kata Tjuta (Olgas) and the surrounding landscape. We enjoyed a good 15 -30 minutes on the top and then started our descent which although easier...it required greater concentration. We returned to camp for lunch and little rest before heading back to view the Cultural Centre which provided information about the creation stories and traditions of this land. This informationwas to come in handy as took some leisurely strolls around the base of Uluru in the late afternoon.
To finish off the day we had some dinner cooked at lunchtime in the Dreampot whilst watching the sunset create a stunning silhouette of Uluru (see the photos).
Everyone is now very tired and in need of some sleep!
To finish off the day we had some dinner cooked at lunchtime in the Dreampot whilst watching the sunset create a stunning silhouette of Uluru (see the photos).
Everyone is now very tired and in need of some sleep!
Day 12 June 2, 2010 - Uluru
They say there is no rest for the wicked and there was definitely no rest here. Today we set out to enjoy Uluru via the base walk which is over a 10km walk around the rock and circumventing many sacred sites to the Anungu people. We were able to see many of the physical markings on the rock that the Anugu creation stories refer to and see the many changes in landscape that occurs. When we arrived it was interesting to see that the rock climb had been closed due to high winds at the summit which the ranger told us today can be up to 8 times what the winds can be at the base. I suppose rising almost 350 metres can have that affect! The base walk was long considering that our muscles were becoming sorer (from the climb yesterday) as the day progressed, but we all made it andwe comfortable that we achieved many of things we set out to achieve with Uluru. After the walk we returned to Ayers Rock Resort camping ground and did some regular chores such as doing the laundry. This resort is very spacious and can cater for large groups and we are very impressed with the standard of facility and in particular the tone of the caravan park. Definitely 2 thumbs up from the Tong Family!
Tomorrow we set out for Kata Tjuta (Olgas) which is located about 50km away. We intend spending the whole day at Kata Tjuta from sunrise to hopefully sunset!
Tomorrow we set out for Kata Tjuta (Olgas) which is located about 50km away. We intend spending the whole day at Kata Tjuta from sunrise to hopefully sunset!
Images of Uluru
Message for Nanna and Pop
Day 13 June 3, 2010 - Kata Tjuta
Today we ventured out to experience Kata Tjuta or as some of us recall being called the Olgas after spending several days at Uluru. Kata Tjuta often plays second fiddle to Uluru which is in many ways justified but in other ways Kata Tjuta offered more than Uluru. Yesterday we completed the 10 kilometre Uluru base walk which was special but today's walking through Kata Tjuta was personally more satisfying. The special feature that Kata Tjuta has was the scenery was so dynamic as Kata Tjuta is made up of 36 domes. The gorges in particular were spectacular!
We started the day with sunrise shots over Kata Tjuta and then we had breakfast at the picnic area. Once completed we set off on the Valley of the Winds walk and with Harrison and Braiden's bodily functions doing overtime gave a whole new meaning to "Valley of the Winds". Barb had a fall soon into the walk as she slipped on some loose rocks but was up soon after determined to finish the walk. We completed two separate walks with Harrison avidly taking photos and Braiden took over the video camera for the first time...took to it like a duck to water!
Tomorrow we are having a rest day as we recharge the batteries for our next adventure which is Kings Canyon on Saturday!
We started the day with sunrise shots over Kata Tjuta and then we had breakfast at the picnic area. Once completed we set off on the Valley of the Winds walk and with Harrison and Braiden's bodily functions doing overtime gave a whole new meaning to "Valley of the Winds". Barb had a fall soon into the walk as she slipped on some loose rocks but was up soon after determined to finish the walk. We completed two separate walks with Harrison avidly taking photos and Braiden took over the video camera for the first time...took to it like a duck to water!
Tomorrow we are having a rest day as we recharge the batteries for our next adventure which is Kings Canyon on Saturday!
Day 14 June 4, 2010 - Uluru
Tomorrow we leave Uluru and Kata Tjuta as we head towards Kings Canyon for 2 nights. It will be sad leaving Uluru as we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Barb said today if she had to go back home now she would still be happy after the two weeks we have already had...amazingly we still have another 17 weeks to go!
Today was a relaxing day pottering around and just enjoying this stress free lifestyle. We stocked up our groceries and popped in to the local Australia Post. Before we left for our trip we had our mail redirected and we were informed by our lovely neighbours that mail was still being delivered (therefore not being redirected). After two phone calls and the visit to the Australia Post office it appears that all was good with processes by us and Australia Post...except for the person doing the mail run who was not doing his job properly (basically being slack). I was informed that the local supervisor will be taking up the issue with this employee! Hope our letterbox doesn't get blown up!
During this visit we came across aDidgeradoo musician who was playing and he was brilliant...so much so I bought his CD.
This afternoon I headed back out to Uluru for the last time to try and push myself creatively with a different aspect of the rock...whilst trying to capture a desert image that I have in mind. This part of my stay here at Uluru...the creative part...is one of the reasons I have enjoyed this stay.
In the day-to-day monotony of work I miss the creative aspect and this trip has reignited this. I find myself looking at landscapes and even small things and wondering how best to shoot that with my camera...the beauty of it is I can...no hassles!
They tell me Kings Canyon is amazing and I am looking forward to exploring another part of this fantastic Red Centre!
Today was a relaxing day pottering around and just enjoying this stress free lifestyle. We stocked up our groceries and popped in to the local Australia Post. Before we left for our trip we had our mail redirected and we were informed by our lovely neighbours that mail was still being delivered (therefore not being redirected). After two phone calls and the visit to the Australia Post office it appears that all was good with processes by us and Australia Post...except for the person doing the mail run who was not doing his job properly (basically being slack). I was informed that the local supervisor will be taking up the issue with this employee! Hope our letterbox doesn't get blown up!
During this visit we came across aDidgeradoo musician who was playing and he was brilliant...so much so I bought his CD.
This afternoon I headed back out to Uluru for the last time to try and push myself creatively with a different aspect of the rock...whilst trying to capture a desert image that I have in mind. This part of my stay here at Uluru...the creative part...is one of the reasons I have enjoyed this stay.
In the day-to-day monotony of work I miss the creative aspect and this trip has reignited this. I find myself looking at landscapes and even small things and wondering how best to shoot that with my camera...the beauty of it is I can...no hassles!
They tell me Kings Canyon is amazing and I am looking forward to exploring another part of this fantastic Red Centre!
Day 15 June 5, 2010 - Kings Canyon
Today we drove just over 3 hours to reach Kings Canyon which is part of the Watarrka National Park. Thus far we have not pre-booked any section of trip apart from Uluru (where there is only one location to stay anyway) and Kings Canyon was no exception. We just drove until we came across Kings Creek Station which is located about 35km from the canyon and decided we book in there. We were given the last powered site in a secluded area with our own covered area with outdoor sink and tables to seat class of about 30...luxury really! We are located within 40 metres of the amenities block and our nearest neighbour is 40-50 metres away. The one downside has been there is no mobile reception therefore internet access so obviously we are offline until our next stop which is Alice Springs.
Kings Creek Station is a working property with quad bike and camel safaris and helicopter flights of the canyon on offer. The owners have been on the ABC show Australian Story for their work in supporting the local aboriginal community in particularly supporting aboriginal youngsters to gain a quality education. With the support of the local elders they have worked to send youngsters to boarding school in Adelaide at a cost of $40,000 per student. In many ways I feel happy we are supporting their goals by staying at this property.
With the drive completed we arrived just after lunch and after a quick setup and lunch we set out to tackle the Kings Canyon Scenic Rim walk. Kings Canyon is made up by a variety of sandstones that have been eroded, split and shaped over thousands of years into this amazing chasm. The walk itself is 6 kilometres long and has some particularly steep and uneven ground sections. The views are amazing and the sheer red rock face that towers over 100 metres above the cycad gardens below are awe inspiring. The boys coped with little concern with the walk and are becoming quite adept at these longs walks. The landscape provides some ample opportunities photography which I enjoyed.
Tomorrow we intend returning to the canyon to again walk the Scenic Rim Walk but this time in the morning therefore lighting up a different section of the canyon.
Kings Creek Station is a working property with quad bike and camel safaris and helicopter flights of the canyon on offer. The owners have been on the ABC show Australian Story for their work in supporting the local aboriginal community in particularly supporting aboriginal youngsters to gain a quality education. With the support of the local elders they have worked to send youngsters to boarding school in Adelaide at a cost of $40,000 per student. In many ways I feel happy we are supporting their goals by staying at this property.
With the drive completed we arrived just after lunch and after a quick setup and lunch we set out to tackle the Kings Canyon Scenic Rim walk. Kings Canyon is made up by a variety of sandstones that have been eroded, split and shaped over thousands of years into this amazing chasm. The walk itself is 6 kilometres long and has some particularly steep and uneven ground sections. The views are amazing and the sheer red rock face that towers over 100 metres above the cycad gardens below are awe inspiring. The boys coped with little concern with the walk and are becoming quite adept at these longs walks. The landscape provides some ample opportunities photography which I enjoyed.
Tomorrow we intend returning to the canyon to again walk the Scenic Rim Walk but this time in the morning therefore lighting up a different section of the canyon.
Day 16 June 6, 2010 - Kings Canyon
Today we returned to the canyon to again tackle the Scenic Rim Walk and complete the smaller walks such as the Garden of Eden and the Kings Creek Walk. At the canyon we saw very little animal life of significance over the past two days (just insects, pigeons and finches) but we did see the Peregrine Falcon on both days and today it was pursuing a pigeon...that was a highlight as it flew past Harrison and I at eye level and only a few metres away. The Scenic Rim Walk was exactly the same terrain but this time it was in the morning and the difference in lighting gave Kings Canyon a different element as things that were in shadow yesterday afternoon were in full or brighter light today.
The boys continue to amaze me with their fitness and ability to keep enthusiastically going. Barb and I discussed over lunch that they are both at the right age for such a trip and reinforced our decision that this year was the correct year to do this.
We returned back to the caravan determined to have a deserved relaxing afternoon after we have walked approximately 40 kilometres of sometimes steep terrain over the past week. I had my second nanna nap of the trip and as always took a little while to wake up.
Tomorrow we travel to Alice Springs where we will use this as our base to explore the East and West MacDonnell Ranges and the many other things to see in the surrounding areas. We also hope to see the Finke Desert Race whilst we stay in this region therefore we have booked in for 7 nights.
The boys continue to amaze me with their fitness and ability to keep enthusiastically going. Barb and I discussed over lunch that they are both at the right age for such a trip and reinforced our decision that this year was the correct year to do this.
We returned back to the caravan determined to have a deserved relaxing afternoon after we have walked approximately 40 kilometres of sometimes steep terrain over the past week. I had my second nanna nap of the trip and as always took a little while to wake up.
Tomorrow we travel to Alice Springs where we will use this as our base to explore the East and West MacDonnell Ranges and the many other things to see in the surrounding areas. We also hope to see the Finke Desert Race whilst we stay in this region therefore we have booked in for 7 nights.
A Video of our Travelling Home for the 5 Month Trip
Day 17 June 7, 2010 - Alice Springs
Before this trip if you had asked me what would be the likely animal that we may hit or encounter in the early mornings or late evening I would have said kangaroos, kangaroos, and more kangaroos...and oh perhaps a wallaby, but so far this couldn't be any further from the truth. In fact I have seen very few kangaroos at all and just the odd road kill (often with a large wedgetail eagle on top). This morning was a perfect example of this trend...we headed off from Kings Creek Station just before dawn and we came across 4-5 groups of wild horses all standing in the middle of the road as if they were having a caucus meeting prior to an election. They all moved swiftly away but all the same it makes us very wary when driving at those times. We also have encountered at various stages large numbers of feral goats and of course we see rabbits regularly. Two days ago was the first clear sighting of a dingo despite hearing them howling the night before.
Today we drove over 4 hours to reach Alice Springs which we plan to use as our base for the next section of our adventure. We booked in at the Big 4 Caravan Park and it has become rather obvious that many competitors of the Finke Desert Race are using this as their Alice Springs base as well. The Finke Desert Race is apparently the top desert race in Australia and I suppose to get an idea of what the race is about...consider it as Australia's version of the Dakar Race. I spoke to one of the competitors today who told me about where to go to catch some of the action and give me a few pointers about safety...for example he told me that the dune buggies can and will travel upwards of 200km per hour through the desert and he told me to watch from the top of the crests as they often roll them when they land and they can go in any direction...bugger me...these guys are lunatics! Apparently the motorbikes when travelling over these crests can be airborne for upwards of 30-40 metres! Tomorrow it is practice for the competitors so they can get used to the track and the terrain! We will be going out to check the action about mid-morning and Braiden in particular is very excited.
Today we drove over 4 hours to reach Alice Springs which we plan to use as our base for the next section of our adventure. We booked in at the Big 4 Caravan Park and it has become rather obvious that many competitors of the Finke Desert Race are using this as their Alice Springs base as well. The Finke Desert Race is apparently the top desert race in Australia and I suppose to get an idea of what the race is about...consider it as Australia's version of the Dakar Race. I spoke to one of the competitors today who told me about where to go to catch some of the action and give me a few pointers about safety...for example he told me that the dune buggies can and will travel upwards of 200km per hour through the desert and he told me to watch from the top of the crests as they often roll them when they land and they can go in any direction...bugger me...these guys are lunatics! Apparently the motorbikes when travelling over these crests can be airborne for upwards of 30-40 metres! Tomorrow it is practice for the competitors so they can get used to the track and the terrain! We will be going out to check the action about mid-morning and Braiden in particular is very excited.
Day 18 June 8, 2010 - Alice Springs
Apparently there is over 500 motorcyclists in town at present and I think most them are here at the BIG 4 Caravan Park that we are staying at. That being said...a few of them have been a wealth of knowledge to us about the Finke Desert Race and yesterday one of the competitors told us about practice that would be occurring today and a nice spot where they become airborne. With this knowledge we set out this morning to watch a few of these competitors get in some last minute practice. We would have seen about 40 motorcyclists and several quad bikes navigate their way through section that we set ourselves up in and we were lucky enough to speak to a few of the competitors. We spent close to two hours at the track and then decided it was time to move onto another activity.
Our next stop was the Alice Springs Desert Park which strives to give visitors a greater understanding of the fauna and flora of the desert. Here we saw a terrific nocturnal precinct and a "Birds of Prey" show that highlighted some of the many birds we have seen on our travels. However the one bird that was not on show was the wedgetail eagle and that was the bird I was most looking forward to seeing up close. We have seen several of these feeding on kangaroo carcasses throughout our travels but once you try to get close they have flown off...they are a truly powerful and majestic bird and one that is a true apex predator.
We arrived back at the caravan camp in the late afternoon and started preparing dinner as we planned to attend an astronomy night within the park. As with our luck it became cloudy late this afternoon and astronomy evening became a talkfest as there was nothing to see in the sky.
Tomorrow we intend to see the West MacDonnell Ranges.
Our next stop was the Alice Springs Desert Park which strives to give visitors a greater understanding of the fauna and flora of the desert. Here we saw a terrific nocturnal precinct and a "Birds of Prey" show that highlighted some of the many birds we have seen on our travels. However the one bird that was not on show was the wedgetail eagle and that was the bird I was most looking forward to seeing up close. We have seen several of these feeding on kangaroo carcasses throughout our travels but once you try to get close they have flown off...they are a truly powerful and majestic bird and one that is a true apex predator.
We arrived back at the caravan camp in the late afternoon and started preparing dinner as we planned to attend an astronomy night within the park. As with our luck it became cloudy late this afternoon and astronomy evening became a talkfest as there was nothing to see in the sky.
Tomorrow we intend to see the West MacDonnell Ranges.
Kings Canyon Images
Day 19 June 9, 2010 - Alice Springs
Today we set out to explore the West MacDonnell Ranges and it was quite a scenic drive driving along the range. We drove to Glen Helen Gorge approximately 130km away as the first stop then followed this with Ormiston Gorge. I must say with the various ranges we have seen thus far we have seen many gorges and each and every one has a unique feel about them. We followed this with a visit to the Ochre Pits...these were spoken about by the Anungu people at Uluru as a source of their ochre which they required for their cave paintings. They obtained this ochre through trade opportunites and it was interesting to see such a large amount of ochre with several colours on display. The boys obviously were intrigued by this and couldn't help but crush a tiny amount and mix it with spit to see that is actually works. We then travelled to Serpentine Gorge and then set out to find an Auto Electrician here at Alice Springs. Since Coober Pedy we have had an issue with indicator and brake lights to the caravan not working and this needed to rectified before leaving here. After visiting several locations I have an appointment tomorrow morning to have it looked at...the Finke Desert Race has complicated this as everyone is working towards this and with so many vehicles in town bashing around in the dirt the Auto Electricians are overloaded with work. Fingers crossed this will not cost too much!
The day was finished with bush ballads surrounded by 3 campfires in the caravan park...something I would never believe would happen on the Gold Coast but happens weekly here during peak season...kids loved it!
The day was finished with bush ballads surrounded by 3 campfires in the caravan park...something I would never believe would happen on the Gold Coast but happens weekly here during peak season...kids loved it!
Day 20 June 10, 2010 - Alice Springs
Today was a day of a couple of firsts on our trip so far...firstly the family succumbed (really I mean Barbara) to the fast food temptation and we devoured our first fast food in almost 3 weeks of travel. For those wondering what fast food captured our (I mean Barbara's) attention it was Red Rooster...the story behind this is...you see in the many Holiday and Visitor's Guides an advertisement for Red Rooster and eventually it wore us down and we succumbed to the temptation. The second first...was we entered Alice Plaza Shopping Centre which is a relatively new shopping complex and Harrison needed to go to the toilet. I was stunned when an employee stated to me that to use the toilet it would cost 50 cents per person per entry...I replied "you got to be joking" and promptly left to find a public toilet. The public toilet was a little high tech...flashing buttons, music and instructions everywhere...the buttons something like entering a train!
We recieved good news today with the car being fixed for a paltry $44 with a fuse being replaced...however it took 45 minutes for the auto electrician just to locate the problem and the problematic fuse...he stated at one stage "why don't they make cars like they use to!"
With this good news we headed out to the Alice Springs Reptile Park and the kids really enjoyed handling a snake, bearded dragon and a blue tongue lizard. There were many other reptiles and even a salt water crocodile!
After this we headed to get a little culture into our trip by visiting Araluen Cultural Precinct. Here we saw many of the paintings of famed Albert Namatjira, we visited Museum of Central Australia and the Aviation Museum.
We finished the afternoon by doing a little shopping and a roast lamb dinner! Tonight we will be attending a photographic slideshow on local fauna and flora.
We recieved good news today with the car being fixed for a paltry $44 with a fuse being replaced...however it took 45 minutes for the auto electrician just to locate the problem and the problematic fuse...he stated at one stage "why don't they make cars like they use to!"
With this good news we headed out to the Alice Springs Reptile Park and the kids really enjoyed handling a snake, bearded dragon and a blue tongue lizard. There were many other reptiles and even a salt water crocodile!
After this we headed to get a little culture into our trip by visiting Araluen Cultural Precinct. Here we saw many of the paintings of famed Albert Namatjira, we visited Museum of Central Australia and the Aviation Museum.
We finished the afternoon by doing a little shopping and a roast lamb dinner! Tonight we will be attending a photographic slideshow on local fauna and flora.
Day 21 June 11, 2010 - Alice Springs
I don't think we will forget the East MacDonnell Ranges soon!
Today we got a flat tyre (the same one we got repaired at Broken Hill) at Trephina Gorge and whilst getting ready to put the spare on some lovely people offered to assist me. While I was jacking up the car the other two men jumped in and removed the flat tyre and started putting on the spare...Barb chipped me about not doing this part of the job but these two guys were straight in it was half finished by the time I could blink. With the job finished and all tools put away we decided to settle down for some lunch with the people who assisted us. With lunch finished I said to Barb I wish I had down the tightening of the nuts as he was an older person (perhaps 55-60 yrs of age) and I would have felt more comfortable doing it myself. Well to cut a very long story short the people who helped us cross-threaded the nuts and the car had to be towed to have the wheel repaired properly. With the Finke Desert Race this weekend everything involved with engines and vehicles is overworked or the employees are going to or racing themselves in the race. We could be here for a few more days and have an unwanted cost ahead of us.
Trephina Gorge by the way was pretty nice!
Today we also visited Alice Springs Telegraph Station which has a steep history...the tour guide based there was one of many young aborigines forcibly removed from his family (otherwise known as the Stolen Generation) and he was fascinating with some of history and stories he shared. He showed us the pool of water which Alice Springs is named after and even pointed out himself as a 4 year old in a photo.
Today we got a flat tyre (the same one we got repaired at Broken Hill) at Trephina Gorge and whilst getting ready to put the spare on some lovely people offered to assist me. While I was jacking up the car the other two men jumped in and removed the flat tyre and started putting on the spare...Barb chipped me about not doing this part of the job but these two guys were straight in it was half finished by the time I could blink. With the job finished and all tools put away we decided to settle down for some lunch with the people who assisted us. With lunch finished I said to Barb I wish I had down the tightening of the nuts as he was an older person (perhaps 55-60 yrs of age) and I would have felt more comfortable doing it myself. Well to cut a very long story short the people who helped us cross-threaded the nuts and the car had to be towed to have the wheel repaired properly. With the Finke Desert Race this weekend everything involved with engines and vehicles is overworked or the employees are going to or racing themselves in the race. We could be here for a few more days and have an unwanted cost ahead of us.
Trephina Gorge by the way was pretty nice!
Today we also visited Alice Springs Telegraph Station which has a steep history...the tour guide based there was one of many young aborigines forcibly removed from his family (otherwise known as the Stolen Generation) and he was fascinating with some of history and stories he shared. He showed us the pool of water which Alice Springs is named after and even pointed out himself as a 4 year old in a photo.
Day 22 June 12, 2010 - Alice Springs
I am so glad we have RACQ Ultimate Care for we really needed some of the benefits and we accessed some of these today. I was contacted early this morning by an RACQ employee assigned to my predicament. He organised a hire car for me, extra nights due to the car not being ready till Wednesday, rang a taxi for me to collect the car and liaised with the towing company and the eventual repairers...all at no cost as this is a part of the benefits. With all this organised we were able to relax and unwind today...play some family card games, catch up on washing and generally relaxing. I also set out to get Braiden's birthday present as it is his 10th birthday and I know he will be very excited tomorrow (he thinks we have no money to purchase a present due to the car). It is a little strange to know he will 10 years of age tomorrow...I am very proud of him (and of course of Harrison as well). I am looking forward to tomorrow as we will be starting with free pancakes and we will be visiting Standley Chasm and Simpson's Gap...oh and course seeing Braiden's reaction to his birthday present!
Day 23 June 13, 2010 - Alice Springs
It's not everyday you turn double digits, so today was a special day for my youngest boy Braiden as he turned 10 years of age. We always said we would like to get something of significance to our travels and obviously something that Braiden would love. Since our trip to Cairns Braiden has always wanted a quality didgeridoo to learn how to play and we have always resisted as it maybe a passing phase. This year Braiden has shown a great interest in music by taking guitar lessons each week and throughout our travels he has also reignited his desire for a didgeridoo. Alice Springs has just the right place for purchasing a Didgeridoo and also receiving free lessons at the Sounds of Starlight Theatre. Braiden was most surprised and excited about his present! He will need lots of practice and persistance but as he has shown with guitar practice he can do it!
Today we visited Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges and then spent the latter part of the afternoon lazing about. It is our opinion that the West MacDonnell Ranges is more impressive than the East MacDonnell Ranges even from a visual driving experience. However, to be fair we did not get to fully explore the East MacDonnell Ranges so our opinion might just be a little warped.
Tomorrow it is the Queen's Birthday Holiday so we will be chilling out!
Oh by the way this morning was the coldest so far on our travels with the mercury bottoming out at zero degrees!
Predicted minus one in a few days time!
Today we visited Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges and then spent the latter part of the afternoon lazing about. It is our opinion that the West MacDonnell Ranges is more impressive than the East MacDonnell Ranges even from a visual driving experience. However, to be fair we did not get to fully explore the East MacDonnell Ranges so our opinion might just be a little warped.
Tomorrow it is the Queen's Birthday Holiday so we will be chilling out!
Oh by the way this morning was the coldest so far on our travels with the mercury bottoming out at zero degrees!
Predicted minus one in a few days time!
Braiden's Birthday Video
Day 24 June 14, 2010 - Alice Springs
Well today was a day of two distinct halves! Firstly we arose to a minus 1 degree morning and we set out to give the inside of the caravan a decent clean. To assist in this and to give the boys a break from all things electronic...we banned them from inside the caravan! The boys readily took off to explore and play in the playground whilst we got under way giving the van a clean. After a while the day became a little frantic when Braiden returned with a chipped tooth from the playground...of course it's Queen's Birthday Holiday and no dentists! Only option was to take him to the hospital to get it checked out and with no pain we were quickly advised to take him to a dentist (after the long weekend). So tomorrow's agenda will be starting with dentists!
The rest of the day was taken up with restocking our groceries and relaxation. We went for a stroll through the caravan park whilst the boys rode some go-karts. We often enjoy a stroll through the various caravan parks as it shows you some of the ideas others have when setting up camp, the modifications they have made...and of course the various types of caravans right up to the biggest (and there is plenty here with the Finke Desert Race in town).
The rest of the day was taken up with restocking our groceries and relaxation. We went for a stroll through the caravan park whilst the boys rode some go-karts. We often enjoy a stroll through the various caravan parks as it shows you some of the ideas others have when setting up camp, the modifications they have made...and of course the various types of caravans right up to the biggest (and there is plenty here with the Finke Desert Race in town).
Day 25 June 15, Alice Springs
Each morning I am the first one awake within our caravan (roughly about 5 o'clock AEST) and I wander off to the toilet. Most mornings the first thing that hits you in the morning is the smell of smoke as if the locals have had a burnoff close by. During our stayI have gradually worked out that it is the local indigenous who camp by the nearby Todd River (which is bone dry) around a campfire throughout the night. I have been in many places particularly in North Queensland where some of these locations have considerable indigenous populations, but I must say that I have never been so shocked at the plight of some of the indigenous population I have encountered here in Central Australia.
I am not going to pretend I have an understanding as to why this is the case or am I going to start to analyse who is responsible for this situation but merely highlight how to me this is so, so disturbing. I have never been to an area where all aromatics have been removed from unleaded petrol (to prevent petrol sniffing) and in some instances you have to request that the premium unleaded be unlocked to prevent inappropriate access. I also have never been to an area where there is very large signs on major roads leading into major areas such as Uluru highlighting alcohol restrictions but also pornography. Some of the local indigenous are just too hard to ignore as some congregate outside entrances to shopping centres in various states of awareness. Today we entered a shopping centre from a nearby car park where we encountered a middle-aged indigenous male obviously affected by something dragging himself along the concrete on his bottom...somewhat like a dog does as if they have an itchy bottom. It is hard to explain to a 10 and 11 year old boy what is going on here, whilst trying to maintain some dignity to what is an incredible indigenous culture. What is most striking to me is just the lack of hygiene many of these indigenous have...it is no wonder their health and wellbeing is so poor.
I am sorry for this post being so morbid but it would not be right not to mention their state...in my belief whatever improvements that happen in the future, it will take lots of time and in my opinion several generations.
This visit has definitely highlighted to me the importance of education for indigenous people regardless of where they are located...in many ways it may be their only hope...even on the Gold Coast!
I am not going to pretend I have an understanding as to why this is the case or am I going to start to analyse who is responsible for this situation but merely highlight how to me this is so, so disturbing. I have never been to an area where all aromatics have been removed from unleaded petrol (to prevent petrol sniffing) and in some instances you have to request that the premium unleaded be unlocked to prevent inappropriate access. I also have never been to an area where there is very large signs on major roads leading into major areas such as Uluru highlighting alcohol restrictions but also pornography. Some of the local indigenous are just too hard to ignore as some congregate outside entrances to shopping centres in various states of awareness. Today we entered a shopping centre from a nearby car park where we encountered a middle-aged indigenous male obviously affected by something dragging himself along the concrete on his bottom...somewhat like a dog does as if they have an itchy bottom. It is hard to explain to a 10 and 11 year old boy what is going on here, whilst trying to maintain some dignity to what is an incredible indigenous culture. What is most striking to me is just the lack of hygiene many of these indigenous have...it is no wonder their health and wellbeing is so poor.
I am sorry for this post being so morbid but it would not be right not to mention their state...in my belief whatever improvements that happen in the future, it will take lots of time and in my opinion several generations.
This visit has definitely highlighted to me the importance of education for indigenous people regardless of where they are located...in many ways it may be their only hope...even on the Gold Coast!
Day 26 June 16, Devils Marbles
At long last we have moved on from Alice Springs albeit two days later than expected. We received good news regarding the car by mid-morning that it would be ready by about 11am. So we set out to do as much pack up as possible...so that when we received the car we just had to latch up and go. We were able to leave Alice Springs just after midday and we drove for 4 ½ hours to get to Devils Marbles. We arrived at Devils Marbles by just after 5 o’clock and the camping ground was basically full apart from a few spots. We took the best of what was left and decided that we would move to a new location in the morning. Our neighbours (a German couple from Cairns) invited us to their campfire and we obliged by bringing some marshmallows to roast.
I was so glad to be back on the road and see countryside that we have not seen before. The skyline here at sunset is amazing.
I was so glad to be back on the road and see countryside that we have not seen before. The skyline here at sunset is amazing.
Day 27 June 17, Devils Marbles
I woke to quickly get out for some sunrise photos and whilst climbing a series of rocks was just amazed at the vibrant colours of this countryside as the sun rose. The Spinifex and colouring of the rocks just lit up in the simmering light. After breakfast we were amazed to see that almost the whole camp ground had been emptied out by 9am. By 11am there was only two other caravans than ourselves left in the campsite that I believe would of had at least 40-50 campsites the afternoon before when we arrived. By 3 o’clock they started rolling in and again the campsite is jammed packed. I was lucky that today a fellow camper offered to cut up some fire wood for me and I was most appreciated for his generosity. The stars and in particular the Milky Way just light up the evening sky and it is just so serene. Tomorrow we will seek out new rock formations and prepare for the next part of journey the following morning.
Day 28 June 18, Devils Marbles
Watched one of the best sunrises this morning! As soon as I got up I went looking for a variety of rocks for a nice silhouette image and was happy with several images I was able to get...the colours on the horizon prior to the sun rising were amazing. I returned for breakfast and was able to wear a singlet for the first time these holidays (yesterday was the first time I could wear a pair of shorts). The day was largely taken up with menial tasks such as testing out hand-driven washing machine and doing odd jobs, however we did take some time to climb one of the nearest rock structures to relax in the sun and do some reading. It was a fantastic view from above and was a terrific vantage point to watch the caravans drive in and get set up...again the camp area filled up rapidly from about 4 o’clock onwards. We have new neighbours again and tonight we had a campfire where we invited them and others to converse and discuss our travels and travelling plans for the future. This is also a brilliant time to discuss how they set up their vans (particularly with power in mind).
We will be leaving Devils Marbles tomorrow morning but not before getting up early and watching the sunrise. We hope to travel to Banka Banka Station tomorrow but not before we do some grocery shopping in Tenant Creek.
We will be leaving Devils Marbles tomorrow morning but not before getting up early and watching the sunrise. We hope to travel to Banka Banka Station tomorrow but not before we do some grocery shopping in Tenant Creek.
Day 29 June 19, Daly Waters
With a little disappointment we have left Devil's Marbles to move on and have arrived at Daly Waters and in particular the famous Daly Waters Pub! I watched a few YouTube videos about this place where people have stapled items of personal belongings all over the pub to signify they were there...there is thongs, photos, driver's licences, t-shirts, hats, undies, bras and flags just to name a few. With this knowledge gleened from YouTube I decided before we left to bring one of our Gold Coast Titans Flags with us to sign as a family and staple up in the pub. We arrived at the pub after lunch and paid our huge $10 camping fee and proceeded to go and explore the pub. It is an amazing pub and the place was buzzing with people! The boys loved it as it had some unique stuff inside the pub but also they were given an activity book and if they completed part of it they got a free ice-cream. The family signed our flag and armed with a staple gun I erected our flag along with the other flags from previous people. We stayed for happy hour which when you ordered a drink you had a 50/50 chance of heads or tails and a free drink...for the record I never lost! We had a Beef and Barra dinner which was fantastic! A great way to end a terrific day at Daly Waters.
Day 30 June 20, Mataranka
We were up with the sparrows this morning and set out for our relatively short trip to Mataranka adament on getting a powered site to recharge the numerous batteries and devices that we are travelling with. The landscape here reminds me much of our stay at Mount Molloy north west of Cairns as there is many termite mounds (albeit a different shape...here is more pointed as opposed to rounded at Mount Molloy) and large areas of burn-offs or controlled fires. In this trip was a marked increase in roadkill...not excessive but noticeable and we would have passed at least 4-6 wedgetail eagles having breakfast on fresh carcasses. We arrived at Mataranka around 9'ish and set up camp at the Territory Manor. After doing some washing we set out for the thermal springs and was somewhat disappointed at the heat of the springs...they just didn't feel hot like we experienced at Moree previously. Having said that it was just brilliant to soak in water as opposed to showers and I felt surprisingly clean and refreshed after our swim at the springs. In addition to this springs we also went to the Bitter Springs which was also very nice. To round off the day we have a roast chicken dinner and watched a littlebit of television something we haven't done for over a week! Oh I would also like to acknowlege how happy I was to hear that Queensland and the Titans had convincing wins!
Tomorrow's agenda will involve more soaking!
Tomorrow's agenda will involve more soaking!
Day 31 June 21, Mataranka
The environment at Mataranka reminds me so much of Mount Molloy. The wildlife particularly the birdlife is very much consistent with past experiences however there is the presence of the Thermal Springs which sets it apart. Today we experienced Barramundi feeding which Harrison and Braiden both got to feed pilchards to...they were a pretty decent size approximately 90 centimetres in length. In addition to this they gave a talk about cane toads which are in plague proportions (at the caravan park alone they have caught and disposed of over 1000 toads in the past month) which everyone but us was intrigued by (we were the only Queenslanders there). We again visited the Thermal Springs and took a walk done to Stevie’s Hole (which is a waterhole...possibly with fresh water crocodiles). I purchased some beer today and as is the case in Northern Territory you have to have your driver’s licence either scanned or details entered onto some sort of database...apparently you can only purchase one cask of wine per day however you can buy 10 slabs of beer...work that one out!
I have enjoyed my stay at Mataranka but we will be moving on to Litchfield National Park tomorrow.
I have enjoyed my stay at Mataranka but we will be moving on to Litchfield National Park tomorrow.
Day 32 June 22, Litchfield National Park
We were again on the road at 7am in order to reach Litchfield National Park before lunchtime. The terrain was pretty similar to the drive to Mataranka however the termite mounds are much taller and impressive than previously...many of them standing over 2 metres tall.
It is amazing to see so many caravans on the road and I have wondered how the locals of the small towns view this annual migration. Personally I don’t thinks it is too different to watching the annual migration of whales...first there is just a few whales...then it increases in number until it becomes a flood of whales and then trickles away again. We are travelling with the masses of white caravans all going in one direction...to Darwin!
Litchfield National Park is best known for its waterfalls and swimming holes and today we visited Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole...gee they were beautiful and very refreshing. Today got to about 31 degrees so the dip in the water was brilliant.
We also visited the Magnetic Termite Mounds which was very interesting and we be going back there on Thursday for a Guided Ranger Talk about these structures. Tomorrow I will return to Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole for some photos (minus the crowds) and we will be visiting Wangi Falls.
It is amazing to see so many caravans on the road and I have wondered how the locals of the small towns view this annual migration. Personally I don’t thinks it is too different to watching the annual migration of whales...first there is just a few whales...then it increases in number until it becomes a flood of whales and then trickles away again. We are travelling with the masses of white caravans all going in one direction...to Darwin!
Litchfield National Park is best known for its waterfalls and swimming holes and today we visited Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole...gee they were beautiful and very refreshing. Today got to about 31 degrees so the dip in the water was brilliant.
We also visited the Magnetic Termite Mounds which was very interesting and we be going back there on Thursday for a Guided Ranger Talk about these structures. Tomorrow I will return to Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole for some photos (minus the crowds) and we will be visiting Wangi Falls.
Day 33 June 23, Litchfield National Park
Harrison and I got up before dawn to head out to Florence Falls to try to take an image minus the 100 or so people that were there the day before. When we arrived there were reminders of a night of backpacker fun the night before with several backpackers sleeping soundly amongst their empty wine casks in the car park. We were able to head down the approximate 130 stairs to the falls and we greeted by numerous black footed rock wallabies who did not feel too concerned by our presence. These animals are incredibly agile as they navigate the rocky terrain but also go down steep slopes with significant speed too. The falls area was completely clear of human life so we were able to take our time experimenting and I was able to teach Harrison a little more about photography. He is like a sponge with this new knowledge and asks lots of questions. We returned back to base satisfied with our efforts.
The rest of the morning was spent watching the movie Australia as a precursor to our imminent arrival at Darwin. The purpose to watching this is for the boys to realise that we Australians were attacked many times by the Japanese in World War II and this occurred in the city of Darwin. I understand there are many war related things to see in Darwin and I wanted the boys to have some sort of understanding of what it may have been like.
In the afternoon we set out to see Tolman Falls, Wangi Falls and Walker Creek. Wangi Falls is a beautiful waterfall which when safe you can swim at but with recent rains and no certainty that an Estuarine (Saltwater) Crocodile hadn’t taken up residence it was closed. The salties as they are often referred to can move extensively during flooding during the wet season and can go undetected for long periods of time...hence the caution shown...quite frankly I prefer when they err on the side of caution!
Tomorrow we will be listening to a ranger talk about the magnetic termite mounds and I am hoping to go back to visit Adelaide River to view the War Cemetery which is the only cemetery of its type in the Northern Territory.
The rest of the morning was spent watching the movie Australia as a precursor to our imminent arrival at Darwin. The purpose to watching this is for the boys to realise that we Australians were attacked many times by the Japanese in World War II and this occurred in the city of Darwin. I understand there are many war related things to see in Darwin and I wanted the boys to have some sort of understanding of what it may have been like.
In the afternoon we set out to see Tolman Falls, Wangi Falls and Walker Creek. Wangi Falls is a beautiful waterfall which when safe you can swim at but with recent rains and no certainty that an Estuarine (Saltwater) Crocodile hadn’t taken up residence it was closed. The salties as they are often referred to can move extensively during flooding during the wet season and can go undetected for long periods of time...hence the caution shown...quite frankly I prefer when they err on the side of caution!
Tomorrow we will be listening to a ranger talk about the magnetic termite mounds and I am hoping to go back to visit Adelaide River to view the War Cemetery which is the only cemetery of its type in the Northern Territory.
Day 34 June 24, Litchfield National Park
We started today with a Ranger Talk about the Magnetic Termite Mounds...these ranger talks are regularly held throughout the popular natural attractions throughout the Northern Territory and have been very informative and interesting. The termite mounds are definitely something you cannot miss as they scatter the landscape in the top end...most of them are Cathedral Termite Mounds (they are the really tall ones - over 2 metres tall) but the Magnetic Termite Mounds are particularly unique.
After this we headed back to Adelaide River which was a very important location during the World War II battles against the Japanese. We visited the Adelaide River War Cemetery which is the only war grave in the Northern Territory which contains 434 military servicemen and 63 civilians (many of which were killed on the first attack 19th February 1942). This was a rather sombre place reading the grave stones with the youngest being a 16 year old and the oldest a 66 year old. Hopefully it will be a start of an understanding in these important battles in Australian history as we venture into Darwin.
To finish off our visit to Adelaide River we had some Barramundi at the Adelaide River Pub which contains the stuffed remains of "Charlie" the buffalo who was made famous from the Crocodile Dundee movie. The boys found this pretty cool as the movie is a family favourite!
Tomorrow we head towards Berry Springs where we will be staying 2 nights and visiting the Wildlife Territory Park.
After this we headed back to Adelaide River which was a very important location during the World War II battles against the Japanese. We visited the Adelaide River War Cemetery which is the only war grave in the Northern Territory which contains 434 military servicemen and 63 civilians (many of which were killed on the first attack 19th February 1942). This was a rather sombre place reading the grave stones with the youngest being a 16 year old and the oldest a 66 year old. Hopefully it will be a start of an understanding in these important battles in Australian history as we venture into Darwin.
To finish off our visit to Adelaide River we had some Barramundi at the Adelaide River Pub which contains the stuffed remains of "Charlie" the buffalo who was made famous from the Crocodile Dundee movie. The boys found this pretty cool as the movie is a family favourite!
Tomorrow we head towards Berry Springs where we will be staying 2 nights and visiting the Wildlife Territory Park.
Day 35 June 25, Berry Springs
In the past week and a half we have had no mobile phone access apart from driving through Katherine. It is during these times you wish you were with Telstra as it has had coverage in many of the places we stayed at or passed through whereby Optus simply does not...when I purchased my wireless internet modem there was no doubt that Optus definitely had the best deal (money wise) but now that we have been travelling into more remote areas there is no doubt that with Telstra you are paying for the coverage. I suppose you have to weigh up what is best for you!
Today we drove a short distance (considering the drives we have done) to Berry Springs. Our primary intention in travelling here was to visit the Territory Wildlife Park but our visit to the waters of the real Berry Springs (not the suburb) today was definitely a highlight. The water here was an aqua-green colour and crystal clear with fish life. The water was not too cold and not too warm...it was just right! Unlike Florence Falls at Litchfield National Park the Berry Springs had plenty of room for many people and the surrounding shady grassed areas were brilliant.
I am really looking forward to the Wildlife Territory Park tomorrow and the endless photo opportunities it will provide.
Today we drove a short distance (considering the drives we have done) to Berry Springs. Our primary intention in travelling here was to visit the Territory Wildlife Park but our visit to the waters of the real Berry Springs (not the suburb) today was definitely a highlight. The water here was an aqua-green colour and crystal clear with fish life. The water was not too cold and not too warm...it was just right! Unlike Florence Falls at Litchfield National Park the Berry Springs had plenty of room for many people and the surrounding shady grassed areas were brilliant.
I am really looking forward to the Wildlife Territory Park tomorrow and the endless photo opportunities it will provide.
Day 36 June 26, Berry Springs
Today we visited the Territory Wildlife Park which is owned and run by the Northern Territory Government. Here we were able view several shows namely the Whipray Feeding, Barramundi and Pelican Feeding and a Birds of Prey Show. Today's Bird of Prey Show had a very naughty Kite who refused to do what he has been trained and chose to fly around by himself well after the show had finished...his name was "MJ" and I wondered whether he was just showing some emotion as yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. Anyway they finally caught him after he was very beligerant somewhat like a stubborn young child can be! The park also has an aquatic area with aquariums highlighting the aquatic life from the river system to the ocean. This included "Graham" the 4 and 1/2 metre saltwater crocodile which moved stealthly in his swimming area and many fish life and turtles. The park also has an extensive aviary system which starts with small environment based aviaries and then opens up to a big main aviary. We had a Behind the Scenes Tour where we got to see some male Northern Quolls up close and hear how they are trying to improve their current status as endangered. It was a BIG day but very rewarding...tomorrow we head for Darwin and possibly the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets.
Day 37 June 27, Darwin
Who would have thought we could spend 6 hours at the one markets and only spend money on food and drink...this is exactly what we did at the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets today.
We reached Darwin this morning and headed straight for Woolworths to top up our groceries. It is amazing what an absence from a sizeable supermarket can do to our family because the boys were hyperactive and excited by the sheer range (nothing different to what we are used to at home, but different to what we have been experiencing as of late). It was just great to have the range and the foods that you love to purchase and ultimately eat and the best part was we took our shopping trolley full of groceries straight to the caravan door.
We arrived at our caravan park before lunch and once settled in we headed to Darwin's largest shopping centre in the hope of getting a haircut but unfortunately it was too late in the day to get in. As a result we headed off for the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and arrived at 3 o'clock. These markets are famous for their foods on offer and in my opinion it is deserved...I had the best red chicken curry! The boys took full advantage of the international variety in foods by having a hot dog and a pizza...hmm!
The other highlight was watching the sunset over the water with about 1-2 thousand other people. For a person who has lived on the east coast for my entire life it was just great to see the sunset over the water as opposed to rising. Throughout the evening we settled down and enjoyed several street shows in particular with fire...the boys were enthralled!
Not sure what we are doing tomorrow but it is highly likely we will go downtown to the heart of Darwin City.
We reached Darwin this morning and headed straight for Woolworths to top up our groceries. It is amazing what an absence from a sizeable supermarket can do to our family because the boys were hyperactive and excited by the sheer range (nothing different to what we are used to at home, but different to what we have been experiencing as of late). It was just great to have the range and the foods that you love to purchase and ultimately eat and the best part was we took our shopping trolley full of groceries straight to the caravan door.
We arrived at our caravan park before lunch and once settled in we headed to Darwin's largest shopping centre in the hope of getting a haircut but unfortunately it was too late in the day to get in. As a result we headed off for the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and arrived at 3 o'clock. These markets are famous for their foods on offer and in my opinion it is deserved...I had the best red chicken curry! The boys took full advantage of the international variety in foods by having a hot dog and a pizza...hmm!
The other highlight was watching the sunset over the water with about 1-2 thousand other people. For a person who has lived on the east coast for my entire life it was just great to see the sunset over the water as opposed to rising. Throughout the evening we settled down and enjoyed several street shows in particular with fire...the boys were enthralled!
Not sure what we are doing tomorrow but it is highly likely we will go downtown to the heart of Darwin City.
Day 38 June 28, Darwin
Today we learnt more about the Attack on Darwin whilst being victim of another attack...the attack of the Darwin ants!!!
Well it had to happen sooner or later...we arrived home after 9 o'clock last night from the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and found that fresh buns and a loaf of bread had been attacked by ants. We sprayed throughout the van where we saw the ants and then went to bed satisfied that all was done to prevent a repeat attack...but we were wrong and this morning I woke to find more ants in the van. When daylight took full effect I was comforted in knowing that nearby vans had obviously similar issues as we saw talcum dust spread around their vans and any possible entry points for ants (up hoses, caravan legs etc.). They are persistent creatures and this afternoon I located two possible nests and proceeded to undertake my own retaliatory attack. Hopefully with this escalation in the war against ants I am hoping to tame the beasts at least until we leave Darwin in the near future.
We headed into the heart of Darwin to find that there is not much to see in the heart but rather around the wharf and nearby beaches. We found an Information Centre and a couple of French Tourists came out and one said to the other..."zee found out there is not much to do in Darwin". We found that rather amusing!
We drove looking for the Darwin Fish Market as I determined to purchase some fresh barramundi to have on the barbeque tonight and we stumbled across a United States Navy Ship in town loaded up with fighter planes and helicopters. The boys found this worth the drive especially as we saw a couple of the helicopters flying overhead yesterday when we arrived at Darwin. We purchased some nice BIG barramundi steaks from Mr Barra and then went to the Wave Pool at the Darwin Waterfront. The boys had a great time getting wet and enjoying the waves!
To round off the afternoon we visited the World War II Oil Tanks that were built to store oil and withstand constant attack from the Japanese as they were successful in destroying many oil holding tanks. This was fascinating stuff!
Tomorrow we might go to Fannie Bay!
Well it had to happen sooner or later...we arrived home after 9 o'clock last night from the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and found that fresh buns and a loaf of bread had been attacked by ants. We sprayed throughout the van where we saw the ants and then went to bed satisfied that all was done to prevent a repeat attack...but we were wrong and this morning I woke to find more ants in the van. When daylight took full effect I was comforted in knowing that nearby vans had obviously similar issues as we saw talcum dust spread around their vans and any possible entry points for ants (up hoses, caravan legs etc.). They are persistent creatures and this afternoon I located two possible nests and proceeded to undertake my own retaliatory attack. Hopefully with this escalation in the war against ants I am hoping to tame the beasts at least until we leave Darwin in the near future.
We headed into the heart of Darwin to find that there is not much to see in the heart but rather around the wharf and nearby beaches. We found an Information Centre and a couple of French Tourists came out and one said to the other..."zee found out there is not much to do in Darwin". We found that rather amusing!
We drove looking for the Darwin Fish Market as I determined to purchase some fresh barramundi to have on the barbeque tonight and we stumbled across a United States Navy Ship in town loaded up with fighter planes and helicopters. The boys found this worth the drive especially as we saw a couple of the helicopters flying overhead yesterday when we arrived at Darwin. We purchased some nice BIG barramundi steaks from Mr Barra and then went to the Wave Pool at the Darwin Waterfront. The boys had a great time getting wet and enjoying the waves!
To round off the afternoon we visited the World War II Oil Tanks that were built to store oil and withstand constant attack from the Japanese as they were successful in destroying many oil holding tanks. This was fascinating stuff!
Tomorrow we might go to Fannie Bay!
Day 39 June 29, Darwin
Today we had a slow morning with just rest and relaxation on the agenda but we then set out to explore Fannie Bay after lunch. On first viewing of Fannie Bay what struck me was the colour of the water which had an aqua tinge. The bay is obviously home to some of the wealthier population of Darwin when you see some of the homes but has a community feel about it with barbeques and shelters lining the shoreline. We visited the old Darwin Gaol which has been closed for many decades and where the last individuals were hung in the Northern Territory. We then headed up to Darwin Military Museum but were disappointed to hear that their eftpos was down and we could not purchase tickets. As a result of this we explored the entire Fannie Bay by car seeking out a possible spot to return for a barbeque dinner whilst watching the sun set over the water. With a quick visit to a shopping centre to purchase some new books (everyone is doing lots of reading) we then headed back to Fannie Bay for hamburgers while watching another terrific sunset.
Day 40 June 30, Darwin
What a terrific day today was! The weather was brilliant (been averaging 33-34 degrees all week) and we got to see and do many exciting things.
Crocosaurus Cove was probably the highlight of the day as the boys (me included) got to swim with crocodiles (being juvenile ones and with some pretty solid glass separating us from the crocs). In addition to this the boys were able to feed the very same juvenile crocodiles using specially designed fishing rods. The crocodiles were pretty hungry and boys teased them and were able to get them to leap out of the water for their food. The crocs housed in this complex were pretty big (in excess of 5 metres) and for the right sort of money you can swim with one of the biggest and naughtiest (sorry I thought the cost was a little steep). We also got to taste crocodile deep fried in a cajun bread crumbs and I must say it was a little tough...not bad tasting but I wouldn't eat it regularly.
The other BIG activity of the day was a visit to the Darwin Military Museum which is located at East Point where much military activity occurred in World War II. The museum was jammed packed with memoribilia from the war and I was pleased at how it was presented. I am now pretty confident that the boys have a good understanding of just how close Australia was to being invaded. The short 15 minute video about the Darwin bombings was very good as well.
The other major activity for me was to capture a few more images of Fannie Bay! Fannie Bay in my opinion is one of the most beautiful bays that I have seen and I was keen to photograph a particular section that I saw yesterday. With low tide in mind I returned to this location and shot about a dozen photos of mangroves bordering some of the cliffs near Dudley Point. If I had more time and if I could return here at various times of the day I believe I could shoot 100's images that were all unique and eye-catching! Maybe for the next long service trip!
Tomorrow we are going to feed fish at Aquascene and enjoy the Territory Day festivities at Mindil Beach!
Crocosaurus Cove was probably the highlight of the day as the boys (me included) got to swim with crocodiles (being juvenile ones and with some pretty solid glass separating us from the crocs). In addition to this the boys were able to feed the very same juvenile crocodiles using specially designed fishing rods. The crocodiles were pretty hungry and boys teased them and were able to get them to leap out of the water for their food. The crocs housed in this complex were pretty big (in excess of 5 metres) and for the right sort of money you can swim with one of the biggest and naughtiest (sorry I thought the cost was a little steep). We also got to taste crocodile deep fried in a cajun bread crumbs and I must say it was a little tough...not bad tasting but I wouldn't eat it regularly.
The other BIG activity of the day was a visit to the Darwin Military Museum which is located at East Point where much military activity occurred in World War II. The museum was jammed packed with memoribilia from the war and I was pleased at how it was presented. I am now pretty confident that the boys have a good understanding of just how close Australia was to being invaded. The short 15 minute video about the Darwin bombings was very good as well.
The other major activity for me was to capture a few more images of Fannie Bay! Fannie Bay in my opinion is one of the most beautiful bays that I have seen and I was keen to photograph a particular section that I saw yesterday. With low tide in mind I returned to this location and shot about a dozen photos of mangroves bordering some of the cliffs near Dudley Point. If I had more time and if I could return here at various times of the day I believe I could shoot 100's images that were all unique and eye-catching! Maybe for the next long service trip!
Tomorrow we are going to feed fish at Aquascene and enjoy the Territory Day festivities at Mindil Beach!
Day 41 July 1, Darwin
Territory Day + Fireworks = Insanity!!!
Even as I type it is almost 10 o'clock and there is the sound of fireworks going off all around the local area...constantly! July 1 is Territory Day and here you can purchase fireworks (my understanding is only on this day) and you can set them off from anytime between 6-11pm. After watching some of the locals firing off some their fireworks tonight I can now see why they are banned virtually everywhere else in the country...I am surprised no one was seriously injured (who knows maybe someone did). The professional fireworks at Mindil Beach Sunset Markets were terrific but some of the locals attempts were quite frankly a little scary!
Today we visited Aquascene Fish Feeding where you are able to feed wild fish namely mullet, milkfish, sunfish and a few catfish as well. The fish are rather ravenous and are in huge quantities and are fed bread. The boys enjoyed this experience as they were able to touch the fish and get close to some very BIG fish...some up to 1.2 metres.
The other event of the day was going to watch Karate Kid at the movies. This movie is no different in general story to the original, but with different characters, settings, training and moves...the boys loved it!
Tomorrow is our last day in Darwin before heading into the Kakadu National Park and it is our Wedding Anniversary! A rather quiet day ahead with the Deckchair Cinema and some odd jobs to do!
Even as I type it is almost 10 o'clock and there is the sound of fireworks going off all around the local area...constantly! July 1 is Territory Day and here you can purchase fireworks (my understanding is only on this day) and you can set them off from anytime between 6-11pm. After watching some of the locals firing off some their fireworks tonight I can now see why they are banned virtually everywhere else in the country...I am surprised no one was seriously injured (who knows maybe someone did). The professional fireworks at Mindil Beach Sunset Markets were terrific but some of the locals attempts were quite frankly a little scary!
Today we visited Aquascene Fish Feeding where you are able to feed wild fish namely mullet, milkfish, sunfish and a few catfish as well. The fish are rather ravenous and are in huge quantities and are fed bread. The boys enjoyed this experience as they were able to touch the fish and get close to some very BIG fish...some up to 1.2 metres.
The other event of the day was going to watch Karate Kid at the movies. This movie is no different in general story to the original, but with different characters, settings, training and moves...the boys loved it!
Tomorrow is our last day in Darwin before heading into the Kakadu National Park and it is our Wedding Anniversary! A rather quiet day ahead with the Deckchair Cinema and some odd jobs to do!
Day 42 July 2, Darwin
Today was our 16th wedding anniversary and what better way to spend it but by cleaning the caravan inside and out. We washed all the bed sheets, pillow covers and used clothes and washed the external surfaces of the caravan. In addition to this we also hosed down our external flooring and chairs. The boys entertained themselves and we generally relaxed and did odd jobs.
The big event of the day was a visit to the Deckchair Cinema in Darwin. This cinema as the name suggests has deck chairs for all seating and is held outside in a natural setting surrounded by 20 metre trees...it even warned us not to feed the local possums as they are on a diet. We saw Nannie McPhee as it was the only movie all week that was suitable for the boys and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the movie. This was the last event for our family in the city of Darwin and although it has been terrific being in Darwin I am looking forward to hitting the road and getting back into the Aussie bush. Next stop Kakadu National Park!
The big event of the day was a visit to the Deckchair Cinema in Darwin. This cinema as the name suggests has deck chairs for all seating and is held outside in a natural setting surrounded by 20 metre trees...it even warned us not to feed the local possums as they are on a diet. We saw Nannie McPhee as it was the only movie all week that was suitable for the boys and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the movie. This was the last event for our family in the city of Darwin and although it has been terrific being in Darwin I am looking forward to hitting the road and getting back into the Aussie bush. Next stop Kakadu National Park!
Day 43 July 3, Kakadu National Park
Today was a really enjoyable day!
We started early by packing up and hitting the road towards Kakadu National Park. As has been the case with the vast majority of this holiday we had no real idea where we would be staying but we knew the direction we were going and what we wanted to achieve for the day. The first event of the day was a cruise on the Adelaide River Jumping Croc Cruises to see some very BIG crocs in their natural environment. There are many companies now doing these cruises but we chose to go with the original and I must say I was thrilled with the outcome. When we recently visited Cairns we travelled up to the Daintree River and went on a croc spotting river cruise and we were lucky enough to see a 4 and 1/2 metre croc...but we had to find it as they do not feed their crocs! Here on Adelaide River they are able to be feed the crocs if the crocs want to be fed. The result is when the crocs hear or feel the vibrations of the boat approaching they just make a beeline for the boat and hence we saw over a dozen crocs (all over 4 metres) all wanting some breakfast somewhat like a buffet on water. These crocs do have to do a little bit of work for their tucker and this is where the jumping part comes in. These crocs almost jump 3 to 4 metres out of the water to get some meat and of course put on a pretty impressive show for us. The highlight of the trip was no doubt "Agro" who is over 6 metres and the alpha male of his 3 kilometre territory...he was extremely BIG! We were able to get so close to him as he beached himself on the mudbank sunning himself. To finish the hour long trip they fed some of the local raptors and this just blew me away. There was at least a dozen raptors sweeping down to catch meat and eat on the fly and some of these swept passed within a metre of my face...trying to take a photo of them during this period was pretty difficult!
With our crocodile trip complete we headed off to visit the Window on the Wetlands display which highlights the many aspects of the nearby wetlands. This has a pretty impressive view of the surrounding wetlands and was a good start for the boys to understanding one of the vital ecosystems of Kakadu National Park.
Next stop was Jabiru where we have decided to stay for the next two nights. Once set up we drove to Ubirr to acqaint ourselves with some very impressive Aboriginal Rock Art. Ubirr has some quality rock art and we had some terrific ranger talks that help explain the animals displayed in the art and how it was done. Aboriginal Art will be a strong theme in Kakadu National Park and I am looking forward to seeing more of these visual histories. To finish off the day we headed up to the escarpment at Ubirr to the lookout made famous by the Crocodile Dundee movie...this is where Mick Dundee explains to the American journalist..."just down there...that's where the croc got me." It is such a beautiful view as you have 360 degree views of wetlands, grasslands and billabongs but also rock formations. The only downside of this was the sunset was drowned out by cloud but even so the views were magnificent!
We started early by packing up and hitting the road towards Kakadu National Park. As has been the case with the vast majority of this holiday we had no real idea where we would be staying but we knew the direction we were going and what we wanted to achieve for the day. The first event of the day was a cruise on the Adelaide River Jumping Croc Cruises to see some very BIG crocs in their natural environment. There are many companies now doing these cruises but we chose to go with the original and I must say I was thrilled with the outcome. When we recently visited Cairns we travelled up to the Daintree River and went on a croc spotting river cruise and we were lucky enough to see a 4 and 1/2 metre croc...but we had to find it as they do not feed their crocs! Here on Adelaide River they are able to be feed the crocs if the crocs want to be fed. The result is when the crocs hear or feel the vibrations of the boat approaching they just make a beeline for the boat and hence we saw over a dozen crocs (all over 4 metres) all wanting some breakfast somewhat like a buffet on water. These crocs do have to do a little bit of work for their tucker and this is where the jumping part comes in. These crocs almost jump 3 to 4 metres out of the water to get some meat and of course put on a pretty impressive show for us. The highlight of the trip was no doubt "Agro" who is over 6 metres and the alpha male of his 3 kilometre territory...he was extremely BIG! We were able to get so close to him as he beached himself on the mudbank sunning himself. To finish the hour long trip they fed some of the local raptors and this just blew me away. There was at least a dozen raptors sweeping down to catch meat and eat on the fly and some of these swept passed within a metre of my face...trying to take a photo of them during this period was pretty difficult!
With our crocodile trip complete we headed off to visit the Window on the Wetlands display which highlights the many aspects of the nearby wetlands. This has a pretty impressive view of the surrounding wetlands and was a good start for the boys to understanding one of the vital ecosystems of Kakadu National Park.
Next stop was Jabiru where we have decided to stay for the next two nights. Once set up we drove to Ubirr to acqaint ourselves with some very impressive Aboriginal Rock Art. Ubirr has some quality rock art and we had some terrific ranger talks that help explain the animals displayed in the art and how it was done. Aboriginal Art will be a strong theme in Kakadu National Park and I am looking forward to seeing more of these visual histories. To finish off the day we headed up to the escarpment at Ubirr to the lookout made famous by the Crocodile Dundee movie...this is where Mick Dundee explains to the American journalist..."just down there...that's where the croc got me." It is such a beautiful view as you have 360 degree views of wetlands, grasslands and billabongs but also rock formations. The only downside of this was the sunset was drowned out by cloud but even so the views were magnificent!
Day 44 July 4, Kakadu National Park
During this time of year it is the burning season and there is plenty of evidence of this as you travel throughout Kakadu National Park. You see so many bush fires that is just becomes an accepted part of the scenery. The downside for me has been the sunsets have been drowned out in a thick layer of smoke on the horizon...but I understand this has been an accepted part of the management of the land for thousands of years.
Today we returned to Ubirr to view this area in a different light and it didn't disappoint...I just love the outlook from this area! When we travelled to Ubirr we made a short detour to see Cahill's Crossing where apparently people go fishing for the elusive barramundi. We heard yesterday that there were some BIG crocs spotted down there and we also saw a salt water croc on our visit today...just another reminder NOT to go near the water in this area of Northern Territory! There were several people fishing when we visited today but all doing so from about 4 metres from the water's edge.
When we returned from Ubirr we spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool as it was rather hot today. Tomorrow we head to Cooinda where we will be spending two nights and going on a Yellow Waters Cruise on Tuesday. Along the way we will be visiting Nourlangie which also has a rich collection of aboriginal rock art and another lookout.
Apparently there is no Optus reception at Cooinda so we will be offline for a few days until we get to Katherine.
Today we returned to Ubirr to view this area in a different light and it didn't disappoint...I just love the outlook from this area! When we travelled to Ubirr we made a short detour to see Cahill's Crossing where apparently people go fishing for the elusive barramundi. We heard yesterday that there were some BIG crocs spotted down there and we also saw a salt water croc on our visit today...just another reminder NOT to go near the water in this area of Northern Territory! There were several people fishing when we visited today but all doing so from about 4 metres from the water's edge.
When we returned from Ubirr we spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool as it was rather hot today. Tomorrow we head to Cooinda where we will be spending two nights and going on a Yellow Waters Cruise on Tuesday. Along the way we will be visiting Nourlangie which also has a rich collection of aboriginal rock art and another lookout.
Apparently there is no Optus reception at Cooinda so we will be offline for a few days until we get to Katherine.
Day 45 July 5, Kakadu National Park
Nourlangie was our first stop today as we set off for Cooinda. Nourlangie is one of two places in Kakadu where you are able to view Aboriginal Rock Art and in my opinion has the greater diversity and quality. We were told today that in Kakadu National Park alone there are over 500 sites of Aboriginal Rock Art and as I stated above only two are open to the public. Many of these tourist sites throughout the Northern Territory cater for caravans and Nourlangie was no different. We drove right up to the site and parked in the caravan parking area to view the rock art. The rock art located here was rather more graphic than at Ubirr and definitely more interesting.
We spent about 2 hours at Nourlangie than continued to Cooinda where we will base ourselves for tomorrow’s trip cruising Yellow Waters. Once set up we ventured down to Yellow Waters to see the process for tomorrow and was pleasantly surprised to see a permanent walking structure over a section of the Yellow Waters Billabong. Of course we took off to explore this further and within 2-3 minutes of being there a 4 metre saltwater crocodile cruised past us within 20 metres of the walking platform...he unfazed by us and was just gliding through the water...truly a magical sight! The Yellow Waters area is saturated with life and in particular bird life and for as far as the eye can see you could see birds flying. The noise is also overwhelming with all types of birds squealing and screeching. This short visit definitely whet the appetite for tomorrow’s cruises.
To finish the day we watched Bran Nue Dae at the resort we are staying at!
We spent about 2 hours at Nourlangie than continued to Cooinda where we will base ourselves for tomorrow’s trip cruising Yellow Waters. Once set up we ventured down to Yellow Waters to see the process for tomorrow and was pleasantly surprised to see a permanent walking structure over a section of the Yellow Waters Billabong. Of course we took off to explore this further and within 2-3 minutes of being there a 4 metre saltwater crocodile cruised past us within 20 metres of the walking platform...he unfazed by us and was just gliding through the water...truly a magical sight! The Yellow Waters area is saturated with life and in particular bird life and for as far as the eye can see you could see birds flying. The noise is also overwhelming with all types of birds squealing and screeching. This short visit definitely whet the appetite for tomorrow’s cruises.
To finish the day we watched Bran Nue Dae at the resort we are staying at!
Day 46 July 6, Kakadu National Park
Yellow Waters is one of the most amazing natural environments that I have had the pleasure of seeing. We spent 3.5 hours out on the water today on 2 separate cruises and I took just over 300 photos...but to be honest my photos do not do Yellow Waters justice as it is the over saturation of wildlife in all directions that is just amazing.
Today we started with a sunrise cruise where we headed to Yellow Waters before dawn and waited for the light to take effect. We were told by several people that it was best to drive to the site rather than wait for the courtesy bus as it becomes a dog fight to get a good seat (the front row we were told was best and they were definitely right). The birdlife was going ballistic at this time of the day and we were served a visual feast as the sun rose over the horizon. We saw many saltwater crocodiles but unlike at Adelaide River these crocodiles chose to sink under the water once the boat became too close. The birdlife was abundant with the highlights being the White Crested Sea Eagles, Jabirus and the Wild Geese.
Out of the two cruises there is no doubt that the sunrise cruise was far more enjoyable and the wildlife is far more active at this time of the day. Tomorrow we leave Kakadu National Park behind us as we travel to Katherine to the famous Katherine Gorge.
Today we started with a sunrise cruise where we headed to Yellow Waters before dawn and waited for the light to take effect. We were told by several people that it was best to drive to the site rather than wait for the courtesy bus as it becomes a dog fight to get a good seat (the front row we were told was best and they were definitely right). The birdlife was going ballistic at this time of the day and we were served a visual feast as the sun rose over the horizon. We saw many saltwater crocodiles but unlike at Adelaide River these crocodiles chose to sink under the water once the boat became too close. The birdlife was abundant with the highlights being the White Crested Sea Eagles, Jabirus and the Wild Geese.
Out of the two cruises there is no doubt that the sunrise cruise was far more enjoyable and the wildlife is far more active at this time of the day. Tomorrow we leave Kakadu National Park behind us as we travel to Katherine to the famous Katherine Gorge.
Day 47 July 7, Katherine
Well, we were eventually were able to watch a game of State of Origin in 2010...we have travelled over 9,000 kilometres...gone through countless towns and thus far missed 2 games and more importantly Queensland wins. We are tonight in Katherine where tomorrow we will get to see the famous Katherine Gorge. The caravan park was pretty quiet until the MIGHTY QUEENSLANDERS came roaring home in the 3rd game. All of sudden there were eruptions of cheering throughout the caravan park...obviously Queenslanders. The day time temperatures here are consistently over 30 degrees but somehow I will have to get out my Queensland jersey and wear it with pride albeit with a few sweat beads! QUEENSLANDER!!!
On the way to Darwin we drove straight through this sizeable town knowing that we will return as we will be travelling west from here in a few days. We have spoken to many travellers in recent weeks who all speak highly of the Katherine Gorge Cruise so we are really pumped about it. Katherine also is a place we have decided to stock up as much as possible before we travel west as we predict costs will be much higher and availability much lower. The trip from Cooinda took around 3 hours and we spent some considerable time grocery shopping...with the rest of the day relaxing and listening to a bush poet. It also gave us some time to upload blogs, photos and YouTube videos as we have been without mobile access for a few days.
Thanks to everyone who has sent us comments through the website it has given us some added inspiration to keep engaging you through our adventures and also keeps us in the loop to what is happening back home!
On the way to Darwin we drove straight through this sizeable town knowing that we will return as we will be travelling west from here in a few days. We have spoken to many travellers in recent weeks who all speak highly of the Katherine Gorge Cruise so we are really pumped about it. Katherine also is a place we have decided to stock up as much as possible before we travel west as we predict costs will be much higher and availability much lower. The trip from Cooinda took around 3 hours and we spent some considerable time grocery shopping...with the rest of the day relaxing and listening to a bush poet. It also gave us some time to upload blogs, photos and YouTube videos as we have been without mobile access for a few days.
Thanks to everyone who has sent us comments through the website it has given us some added inspiration to keep engaging you through our adventures and also keeps us in the loop to what is happening back home!
Day 48 July 8, Katherine
Katherine Gorge is located approximately 30km away from the Katherine town centre and today we had the pleasure of spending 4 hours cruising and/or exploring the gorge. We were told today that there is 13 gorges intotal but we only saw 3 of those today as the rest are not accessible by boat but rather by canoe. Our guide was an Aboriginal from the local area and was a fountain of knowledge particularly about the flora and fauna of this unique gorge system.
The first gorge was rather wide but as you got further along the gorge and into subsequent gorges it became more narrow and the walls of gorge became much taller. The strength of this cruise is just the sheer scenery as opposed to the wildlife we experienced at Yellow Waters. However, the area was not deviod of all animal life with freshwater crocodiles on display and we were a lucky audience to a once in a year experience with masses of Rock Swallows preparing their nests with mud...our guide told us that it is highly probable that the swallows will finish their hive of activity by the end of the day. There were many canoeists on the water and in hindsight it would have been great to do this with family as an addition to the cruise. One of the highlights of the gorge trip was a cool swim in the second gorge which was very refreshing and very picturesque.
We returned to the caravan after a short shopping stint to have lunch but we were not still for long as we headed out to the Katherine Hot Springs. These hot springs are rather narrow as compared to Mataranka and Berry Springs but worth the visit regardless.
The caravan had a new addition as Barb arranged for a peronalised sticker (from a mobile sticker man) to be placed on the rear of the van.
To top off the day we had a roast lamb in our portable convection oven.
Tomorrow we head west and some free camping so we will be without mobile access intermittently.
The first gorge was rather wide but as you got further along the gorge and into subsequent gorges it became more narrow and the walls of gorge became much taller. The strength of this cruise is just the sheer scenery as opposed to the wildlife we experienced at Yellow Waters. However, the area was not deviod of all animal life with freshwater crocodiles on display and we were a lucky audience to a once in a year experience with masses of Rock Swallows preparing their nests with mud...our guide told us that it is highly probable that the swallows will finish their hive of activity by the end of the day. There were many canoeists on the water and in hindsight it would have been great to do this with family as an addition to the cruise. One of the highlights of the gorge trip was a cool swim in the second gorge which was very refreshing and very picturesque.
We returned to the caravan after a short shopping stint to have lunch but we were not still for long as we headed out to the Katherine Hot Springs. These hot springs are rather narrow as compared to Mataranka and Berry Springs but worth the visit regardless.
The caravan had a new addition as Barb arranged for a peronalised sticker (from a mobile sticker man) to be placed on the rear of the van.
To top off the day we had a roast lamb in our portable convection oven.
Tomorrow we head west and some free camping so we will be without mobile access intermittently.
Day 49 July 9, Victoria River (Gregory National Park)
Today we left Katherine behind and started to head west towards Western Australia. Before we had packed up we decided that our destination would be Timber Creek as it was recommended to us by several people as a terrific free camping location. The countryside on this drive particularly once you reach the Gregory National Park is just beautiful...so much so that we decided to stay at Victoria River Roadhouse and take some time to explore the area. Once set up and we had lunch we set off on an escarpment walk so that we can absorb and view this great countryside.
The escarpment surrounding us had these strong red colours that lit up in the light. It was a brilliant viewing site of the area below in particularly the Victoria River that apparently is great for fishing but does contain saltwater crocodiles.
We trekked the 3 kilometre steep walk just after lunch so it was pretty hot...in fact we drank 5 bottles of water before we had even turned around on our return journey. The view at the top was just amazing and despite being there at the wrong time of day it was worth the walk and of course us stopping and exploring rather than driving past.
Tomorrow we will be heading towards Timber Creek and perhaps going out to see the Gregory Tree.
The escarpment surrounding us had these strong red colours that lit up in the light. It was a brilliant viewing site of the area below in particularly the Victoria River that apparently is great for fishing but does contain saltwater crocodiles.
We trekked the 3 kilometre steep walk just after lunch so it was pretty hot...in fact we drank 5 bottles of water before we had even turned around on our return journey. The view at the top was just amazing and despite being there at the wrong time of day it was worth the walk and of course us stopping and exploring rather than driving past.
Tomorrow we will be heading towards Timber Creek and perhaps going out to see the Gregory Tree.
Day 50 July 10, Campground 10 km West of Timber Creek
“Bloody heck it’s hot!”
Well today was definitely the hottest day we have encountered thus far. It was 37 degrees in the shade at 4pm but talking to a lady nearby she said her thermometer earlier in the day was reading 40 degrees in the shade and 45 degrees in the sun. This along with swarms of flies made this day pretty unbearable! This was a shame because it was a terrific place to camp as we were amongst masses of boab trees. This was the first time we have encountered these in their natural setting and to be camping amongst so many was pretty special. During the day we ventured out to see Gregory Tree which was made famous by the explorer Gregory. The day was taken up with relaxing and trying to cope with the elements and our feelings by late evening was to get away as soon as possible in the morning. We have now decided to put in a BIG day of driving tomorrow in our endeavours to get to the Western Australian coastline as soon as possible.
Well today was definitely the hottest day we have encountered thus far. It was 37 degrees in the shade at 4pm but talking to a lady nearby she said her thermometer earlier in the day was reading 40 degrees in the shade and 45 degrees in the sun. This along with swarms of flies made this day pretty unbearable! This was a shame because it was a terrific place to camp as we were amongst masses of boab trees. This was the first time we have encountered these in their natural setting and to be camping amongst so many was pretty special. During the day we ventured out to see Gregory Tree which was made famous by the explorer Gregory. The day was taken up with relaxing and trying to cope with the elements and our feelings by late evening was to get away as soon as possible in the morning. We have now decided to put in a BIG day of driving tomorrow in our endeavours to get to the Western Australian coastline as soon as possible.
Day 51 July 11, Mary Pool (108km West of Halls Creek)
Today we encountered a couple of milestones amongst many hours of driving. First we entered Western Australia which is the last mainland state that we hadn’t set foot into and we have now driven over 10,000 kilometres.
Today was very much about maximising distance travelled as we set out just after dawn. We drove for a couple of hundred kilometres before we reached the Western Australia border and had our customary family photo taken in front of the sign. We drove the 100 metres to the Quarantine Station and had our caravan thoroughly searched by the quarantine officer. We were told prior to leaving that the Western Australia checkpoints were the most thorough and stringent in policing and enforcing their borders...and they were correct. He went through the car, the cupboards in the caravan, the fridges and even the boot of caravan before we were allowed to move on.
We arrived soon after at Kunannurra for a quick breakfast of cereal and we filled our petrol tank here and also our water tanks at the Coles Petrol Station before heading off once more. We gained an hour and half by crossing the border but that had no effect on the temperature as by just after 9 o’clock the temperature had hit 31 degrees. With this knowledge we were keen to stay in the air-conditioned car for as long as possible today.
We reached the 10,000 kilometre mark by the afternoon and the car erupted into bellows of noise and yahooing as it was proudly announced!
Tomorrow we will get closer to Broome with a possible stay at Derby!
Today was very much about maximising distance travelled as we set out just after dawn. We drove for a couple of hundred kilometres before we reached the Western Australia border and had our customary family photo taken in front of the sign. We drove the 100 metres to the Quarantine Station and had our caravan thoroughly searched by the quarantine officer. We were told prior to leaving that the Western Australia checkpoints were the most thorough and stringent in policing and enforcing their borders...and they were correct. He went through the car, the cupboards in the caravan, the fridges and even the boot of caravan before we were allowed to move on.
We arrived soon after at Kunannurra for a quick breakfast of cereal and we filled our petrol tank here and also our water tanks at the Coles Petrol Station before heading off once more. We gained an hour and half by crossing the border but that had no effect on the temperature as by just after 9 o’clock the temperature had hit 31 degrees. With this knowledge we were keen to stay in the air-conditioned car for as long as possible today.
We reached the 10,000 kilometre mark by the afternoon and the car erupted into bellows of noise and yahooing as it was proudly announced!
Tomorrow we will get closer to Broome with a possible stay at Derby!
Day 52 July 12, Broome
Our destination for today was Broome and we were able to reach our destination by mid afternoon.
We set out early as the caravan remained latched up over night. As is custom for us we drove for a couple of hours before he had our first stop and had breakfast at Fitzroy's Crossing. We then set off westwards towards Broome but before that a short detour to Derby to see a Prison Boab Tree. This tree was very big and obviously old and you can see how it could have been used as a primitive prison. After having lunch at Derby we drove the final two hours towards Broome. The boys travelled brilliantly by watching videos and odd iPod game or two.
We arrived in Broome mid-afternoon and my first impressions of this place was nothing flash...lots of red dirt and typical housing and has left me wondering what's all the fuss about this place. Unfortunately for us there were no spots available for us at any of the caravan parks as they were fully booked (we were warned of this prior to our arrival) but due to this we were directed to an overflow destination being the Broome Pistol Club. We have an unpowered site for tonight but a strong likelihood of being moved to a powered site in the morning. We have left the caravan latched up in the expectation of us moving to a better site in the morning.
Tomorrow we explore Broome and hopefully find out what's all the fuss about!
We set out early as the caravan remained latched up over night. As is custom for us we drove for a couple of hours before he had our first stop and had breakfast at Fitzroy's Crossing. We then set off westwards towards Broome but before that a short detour to Derby to see a Prison Boab Tree. This tree was very big and obviously old and you can see how it could have been used as a primitive prison. After having lunch at Derby we drove the final two hours towards Broome. The boys travelled brilliantly by watching videos and odd iPod game or two.
We arrived in Broome mid-afternoon and my first impressions of this place was nothing flash...lots of red dirt and typical housing and has left me wondering what's all the fuss about this place. Unfortunately for us there were no spots available for us at any of the caravan parks as they were fully booked (we were warned of this prior to our arrival) but due to this we were directed to an overflow destination being the Broome Pistol Club. We have an unpowered site for tonight but a strong likelihood of being moved to a powered site in the morning. We have left the caravan latched up in the expectation of us moving to a better site in the morning.
Tomorrow we explore Broome and hopefully find out what's all the fuss about!
Day 53 July 13, Broome
Last night I said I wasn't sure what all the fuss was about this place they call Broome! Today I now realise what the fuss is and it's best summed up in two words "Cable Beach".
This morning we received good news in that a powered site had become available and we were able to move in by about 8 o'clock. With the van set up we ventured off to explore Chinatown. Here we found many Pearl shops and a variety of other stores. We also located the famous "Tong's Chinese Restaurant" which was in the movie "Bran Nue Dae" and received some rave reviews from the locals about their cuisine. On the way back to the van we thought we might just pop in and see what this Cable Beach was all about...boy did the view blow me away. It was high tide and the water was crystal clear blue and there was thousands of people on the beach surfing and swimming. The water can rise and fall over 8 metres with the tides and with this in mind we went straight to Woolworths to purchase some cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and crackers to watch the sunset with on the beach. By mid-afternoon we had our four-wheel drive positioned on the beach (along with hundreds of others) ready for the sun to set over the water with refreshments at hand. Then the camel rides started as the sun dipped before our eyes over the water. Brilliant!!!
This morning we received good news in that a powered site had become available and we were able to move in by about 8 o'clock. With the van set up we ventured off to explore Chinatown. Here we found many Pearl shops and a variety of other stores. We also located the famous "Tong's Chinese Restaurant" which was in the movie "Bran Nue Dae" and received some rave reviews from the locals about their cuisine. On the way back to the van we thought we might just pop in and see what this Cable Beach was all about...boy did the view blow me away. It was high tide and the water was crystal clear blue and there was thousands of people on the beach surfing and swimming. The water can rise and fall over 8 metres with the tides and with this in mind we went straight to Woolworths to purchase some cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and crackers to watch the sunset with on the beach. By mid-afternoon we had our four-wheel drive positioned on the beach (along with hundreds of others) ready for the sun to set over the water with refreshments at hand. Then the camel rides started as the sun dipped before our eyes over the water. Brilliant!!!
Day 54 July 14, Broome
Cable Beach is a very diverse stretch of sand! At high tide the water has this incredible turqouise colour and the water is just fantastic to have a swim or ride a few waves. At low tide you can take your four wheel drives onto the sand at the northern end and set yourself up for a period of time. Currently the high tide is at midday so it is great for cooling off in the heat of the day and low tide is at sunset and therefore brilliant for driving your four wheel drive and watching the camels and the sunset. The northern end of the beach is allowable for dogs and also as we found out tonight...NUDISTS. Not everyday you see an old couple walking past completely nude apart from their hats!
Before dawn this morning Harrison and I took some images at Gantheaume Point and also saw some dinosaur footsteps in the rocks. Then we set off to view the Japanese and Chinese Cemetries which highlighted a certain part of Broome's history.
The rest of the day we relaxed and absorbed the highlights of Cable Beach...it occured to us today that it is highly likely that this will be one of the last locations we will be getting wet as we will venturing back into colder weather.
Tomorrow we will taking a camel ride on Cable Beach and then we shall follow this up with dinner at Tong's Chinese Restaurant.
Before dawn this morning Harrison and I took some images at Gantheaume Point and also saw some dinosaur footsteps in the rocks. Then we set off to view the Japanese and Chinese Cemetries which highlighted a certain part of Broome's history.
The rest of the day we relaxed and absorbed the highlights of Cable Beach...it occured to us today that it is highly likely that this will be one of the last locations we will be getting wet as we will venturing back into colder weather.
Tomorrow we will taking a camel ride on Cable Beach and then we shall follow this up with dinner at Tong's Chinese Restaurant.
Day 55 July 15, Broome
Gee...there is nothing like the sound of gunshots reverberating around the neighbourhood! Well we are staying at a Pistol Club after all and it's Club Night...guns are firing off every 5 minutes or so in short bursts. Definitely is something you don't see everyday!
Today was our best day thus far at Broome with us on the go most of the day. Firstly, we went back to Gantheaume Point this morning (at a higher tide and at mid-morning) and the colours of the water contrasting with the red sandstone was amazing (photos will be up with tomorrow's blog). Then we hit Cable Beach for a swim and boogie boarding for a few hours. After the swim we had some real coffee at McCafe and then got ready for our highlight of the day...a Camel Ride at Sunset on Cable Beach!
Well we did the iconic thing to do at Broome and went for a Camel Ride at Sunset. This is an hour long ride where you are being watched and photographed by hundreds of onlookers as you meander down the beach. The camels are very tame and the hardest part of the ride is when the camel is getting up and down...otherwise it is a very leisurely experience.
To round off the day we had dinner at "Tong's Chinese Restaurant" where the waitresses didn't bat an eyelid when we booked ourselves under the name of TONG! The restaurant has been highly praised by the locals and I must admit the food was very yummy!
When we returned to the caravan Harrison fell asleep very quickly but Braiden is up madly reading "The Lord of the Rings". Both boys have been prolific readers throughout this trip!
Today was our best day thus far at Broome with us on the go most of the day. Firstly, we went back to Gantheaume Point this morning (at a higher tide and at mid-morning) and the colours of the water contrasting with the red sandstone was amazing (photos will be up with tomorrow's blog). Then we hit Cable Beach for a swim and boogie boarding for a few hours. After the swim we had some real coffee at McCafe and then got ready for our highlight of the day...a Camel Ride at Sunset on Cable Beach!
Well we did the iconic thing to do at Broome and went for a Camel Ride at Sunset. This is an hour long ride where you are being watched and photographed by hundreds of onlookers as you meander down the beach. The camels are very tame and the hardest part of the ride is when the camel is getting up and down...otherwise it is a very leisurely experience.
To round off the day we had dinner at "Tong's Chinese Restaurant" where the waitresses didn't bat an eyelid when we booked ourselves under the name of TONG! The restaurant has been highly praised by the locals and I must admit the food was very yummy!
When we returned to the caravan Harrison fell asleep very quickly but Braiden is up madly reading "The Lord of the Rings". Both boys have been prolific readers throughout this trip!
Day 56 July 16 - Broome
Today marks the end of our stay at Broome as we head south tomorrow morning...and in addition to this it has been 8 weeks since we left home. Throughout the day we discussed how well we are coping with living in a caravan thus far and what it will be like living back on the Gold Coast (how quick will we fall back into our old ways). We farewelled Cable Beach one last time by watching the sunset and the camel rides go past! Broome is definitely a must do place with its beautiful turquoise waters offset against the red dirt and sandstone. Our next stop is not too far south as we intend to go to Barn Hill Station which is only a little over an hour away but I dare say we will be again without mobile phone access.
Day 57 July 17 - Barn Hill Station (approximately 130km south of Broome)
We have arrived at Barn Hill Station after a short drive from Broome. Several people spoke about this location to us on our travels and although it is only about 130km from Broome we were not going to bypass it. It is a special location being on the coastline with clear waters and red cliffs but the open air toilets have been the biggest hit with the family thus far. The toilets are general flushing toilets (not pits) and have corrugated iron walls but no roof. Tonight the family went together to the toilet block and of course you can look up at a crystal clear night filled with stars and a crescent shaped moon. As one is doing their business a shooting star lit up the sky above and the family goes “wow”. The day was filled with a walk along the beach and several swims in the cool water. Tomorrow we will stay another night here as it is a 3 course roast night before heading off southwards. Hopefully I shall get up for some dawn photos tomorrow as I slept through sunset.
Day 58 July 18 - Barn Hill Station (approximately 130km south of Broome)
Barn Hill Station is a working cattle station that just happens to be located on one of the best coastlines in Australia. To get to the station and subsequent caravan park section of the property you must first drive the 9 kilometres of dirt and on our occasion mud puddles from the main road but once your there it is just so worthwhile. The coastline is fantastic for this enthusiastic photographer and his keen son who seems to be a sponge about taking images.
Today Harrison and I were up before sunrise to capture some images before relaxing with a bacon and eggs breakfast. This was followed by odd jobs and several games of barefoot lawn bowls which the boys really enjoyed and the odd swim at the beach.
Here on a Sunday there is a 3 course dinner with some entertainment which we could not refuse. It was rather amusing to see everyone coming together on the lawn with their tables and chairs as it appears they have morphed into different individuals. You see for the days we have been at Barn Hill Station everyone has been very laid back walking around with shorts (no shirt) and pairs of thongs at all times of the day...but mention a 3 course dinner and all of a sudden there is ironed polo shirts, manicured hair and make-up...it is truly a BIG event! There would have been about 200 plus people scattered across the lawn where soup was served at your seats but the second course was a sight to be seen. Picture this...the teacher releases the students from the eating area and children charge to the tuckshop to get as advanced as possible to the front of the line (as if food is about to run out)...now picture these same students but about 50-60 years later and you have the oldies at Barn Hill Station charging to get to the front of the line for their roast dinners...it was a recipe for a coronary! Rest assured Harrison and Braiden made sure they were at the front of the line for dessert! The entertainment was a very talented aboriginal family band who have been supported by the station for many years and it has been a real winner.
Today Harrison and I were up before sunrise to capture some images before relaxing with a bacon and eggs breakfast. This was followed by odd jobs and several games of barefoot lawn bowls which the boys really enjoyed and the odd swim at the beach.
Here on a Sunday there is a 3 course dinner with some entertainment which we could not refuse. It was rather amusing to see everyone coming together on the lawn with their tables and chairs as it appears they have morphed into different individuals. You see for the days we have been at Barn Hill Station everyone has been very laid back walking around with shorts (no shirt) and pairs of thongs at all times of the day...but mention a 3 course dinner and all of a sudden there is ironed polo shirts, manicured hair and make-up...it is truly a BIG event! There would have been about 200 plus people scattered across the lawn where soup was served at your seats but the second course was a sight to be seen. Picture this...the teacher releases the students from the eating area and children charge to the tuckshop to get as advanced as possible to the front of the line (as if food is about to run out)...now picture these same students but about 50-60 years later and you have the oldies at Barn Hill Station charging to get to the front of the line for their roast dinners...it was a recipe for a coronary! Rest assured Harrison and Braiden made sure they were at the front of the line for dessert! The entertainment was a very talented aboriginal family band who have been supported by the station for many years and it has been a real winner.
Day 59 - July 19 - Port Hedland
For those who know me and our travelling trips you will know I like to be very well planned and have our days mapped out well in advance but this trip has been difficult as we don't know how long we will stay in each place. This has caused a few problems at Broome and here at Port Hedland as all caravan parks are at capacity and as result we have ended up at an overflow location...today we are at the Port Hedland Golf Club and before you get grand ideas of beautiful views overlooking the 18th green...we are in the car park!
One thing we have learnt about north west Western Australia at this time of year is that it is very popular and supply does not meet demand...this to me is just unthinkable on the east coast but I suppose that is because locations are closer together...here it can be hundreds of kilometres till the next caravan park. My general feelings (right or wrong) is rather negative when some of the locals tell me this is the same, year in, year out...something has got to better than putting tourists in a golf course car park and charging them $25 to do so. The argument I suppose is to be better planned but there is so many things to see and do that I am not sure what we will be doing in a few days time let alone booking weeks in advance.
Tomorrow we will move on with very little memories of Port Hedland apart from a golf course car park and the BINGO being played as I type this blog at the golf club.
One thing we have learnt about north west Western Australia at this time of year is that it is very popular and supply does not meet demand...this to me is just unthinkable on the east coast but I suppose that is because locations are closer together...here it can be hundreds of kilometres till the next caravan park. My general feelings (right or wrong) is rather negative when some of the locals tell me this is the same, year in, year out...something has got to better than putting tourists in a golf course car park and charging them $25 to do so. The argument I suppose is to be better planned but there is so many things to see and do that I am not sure what we will be doing in a few days time let alone booking weeks in advance.
Tomorrow we will move on with very little memories of Port Hedland apart from a golf course car park and the BINGO being played as I type this blog at the golf club.
Day 60 July 20 - Nanutarra Roadhouse
I suppose if you are going to travel around the Western Australian coast there is going to be days which will be consumed with driving...today was one of those days. We left early from Port Hedland and travelled over 500km throughout the day. The countryside was as always very picturesque with ranges, spinifex, red dirt and rocks once again dominating the landscape.
The area we travelled today is mining country and you are constantly reminded of this with never ending road trains and numerous mining sites. It is easy to see how BIG and IMPORTANT mining is to these local areas in particularly employment and infrastructure. We have settled down for the day at a roadhouse as a stepping stone to tomorrow’s destination which is Carnavon. Today’s picture was taken in the nearby Ashburton River which of course at this time of year is bone dry!
The area we travelled today is mining country and you are constantly reminded of this with never ending road trains and numerous mining sites. It is easy to see how BIG and IMPORTANT mining is to these local areas in particularly employment and infrastructure. We have settled down for the day at a roadhouse as a stepping stone to tomorrow’s destination which is Carnavon. Today’s picture was taken in the nearby Ashburton River which of course at this time of year is bone dry!
Day 61 July 21 - Carnavon
For the first time in a little while we were able to explore rather than consume our adventures with driving. We had reached Carnavon about lunchtime and immediately set out to see some of the local sites. To start with we visited the Information Centre (always a good start) to gain a local's perspective and headed off to see One Mile Jetty. This jetty has a unique place in the Carnavon history and although it is in less than pristine condition there have been attempts in recent times to maintain this icon. After this we set off to see the Sugar Spoon as the locals call it...this is the communications dish that was actually used in the Apollo Moon Landing Mission. We have seen a much larger and more impressive dish in Parkes but this still was worth viewing.
Carnavon is also known for its produce and for our next stop we were able to sample and purchase some of this at Bumbak's Preserves and Ice-Creams...Yummy!
To round off the day we visited the Blowholes which is located 75km north of Carnavon. These blowholes shoot salt water over 20 metres into the air and the whole family were rather amazed at its sheer power...also the coastline was pretty impressive here and particularly rocky.
Carnavon is also known for its produce and for our next stop we were able to sample and purchase some of this at Bumbak's Preserves and Ice-Creams...Yummy!
To round off the day we visited the Blowholes which is located 75km north of Carnavon. These blowholes shoot salt water over 20 metres into the air and the whole family were rather amazed at its sheer power...also the coastline was pretty impressive here and particularly rocky.
Day 62 July 22 - Denham
We have driven into Shark Bay territory today and have landed ourselves at Denham for the next three nights. This area is particularly impressive with crystal blue waters and majestic views over the water.
We travelled 300 odd kilometres from Carnavon today and I am continually surprised by this great country. Today when driving towards Denham we came across a Scenic Lookout with beautiful views towards the water...but it wasn't the view that was surprising. On top of this scenic lookout were two mounds of rocks with each rock containing a message about a loved one who has passed onto the afterlife. Some of the messages were quite touching and poignant with even one professional plaque in place on the hillside. This lookout was in the middle of no where and the area clearly does not have the population of dead people to justify so many rocks...so I imagine people travelling through must leave their own special message to a former loved one.
The second surprise was seeing Shell Beach near Denham! With a short walk from the car park it becomes clear this is no ordinary beach as it is covered in millions of white pea-sized shells...there was no sand...only smaller broken parts of shells. The water was the cleanest I have ever seen...it was crystal clear but freezing! This area Shark Bay is just a litany of beautiful views as we took each corner or rose above a crest on the road.
Tomorrow we are travelling over to Monkey Mia to visit some very friendly dolphins...the kids can't wait!
We travelled 300 odd kilometres from Carnavon today and I am continually surprised by this great country. Today when driving towards Denham we came across a Scenic Lookout with beautiful views towards the water...but it wasn't the view that was surprising. On top of this scenic lookout were two mounds of rocks with each rock containing a message about a loved one who has passed onto the afterlife. Some of the messages were quite touching and poignant with even one professional plaque in place on the hillside. This lookout was in the middle of no where and the area clearly does not have the population of dead people to justify so many rocks...so I imagine people travelling through must leave their own special message to a former loved one.
The second surprise was seeing Shell Beach near Denham! With a short walk from the car park it becomes clear this is no ordinary beach as it is covered in millions of white pea-sized shells...there was no sand...only smaller broken parts of shells. The water was the cleanest I have ever seen...it was crystal clear but freezing! This area Shark Bay is just a litany of beautiful views as we took each corner or rose above a crest on the road.
Tomorrow we are travelling over to Monkey Mia to visit some very friendly dolphins...the kids can't wait!
Day 63 July 23 - Denham
A close encounter with some wild dolphins of Monkey Mia was the highlight of today.
Today we headed to the famous beach of Monkey Mia to see the dolphins that they have fed for decades. These select few dolphins return daily to this beach and are fed a small amount of fish...apparently decades ago people could just come down and feed them themselves but now it is far more regulated and controlled process. The dolphins were treated to 3 separate mealtimes and we were there for all three with the second being the highlight. We were able to get within a metre of the dolphins and Braiden was lucky enough to be chosen to feed one of these beautiful animals. The dolphins are all female (the males are apparently a little too aggressive and silly) and many of them had young with them frollicky around the shallow waters about 10 metres away. We spent several hours at Monkey Mia before returning to Denham for lunch.
This afternoon Harrison and I took a walk along the beach to capture some photos and explore the area. We encountered emu tracks, a blue tongue lizard and what we believe was a juvenile shark in the shallow water.
Tomorrow we will explore some of the many Shark Bay area locations.
Today we headed to the famous beach of Monkey Mia to see the dolphins that they have fed for decades. These select few dolphins return daily to this beach and are fed a small amount of fish...apparently decades ago people could just come down and feed them themselves but now it is far more regulated and controlled process. The dolphins were treated to 3 separate mealtimes and we were there for all three with the second being the highlight. We were able to get within a metre of the dolphins and Braiden was lucky enough to be chosen to feed one of these beautiful animals. The dolphins are all female (the males are apparently a little too aggressive and silly) and many of them had young with them frollicky around the shallow waters about 10 metres away. We spent several hours at Monkey Mia before returning to Denham for lunch.
This afternoon Harrison and I took a walk along the beach to capture some photos and explore the area. We encountered emu tracks, a blue tongue lizard and what we believe was a juvenile shark in the shallow water.
Tomorrow we will explore some of the many Shark Bay area locations.
Sunset Camel Ride at Broome, Western Australia
Yellow Waters Cruise, Kakadu National Park, NT
Day 64 July 24 - Denham
Denham is the most westerly town in mainland Australia and we just happen to be staying in the most westerly caravan park in mainland Australia, but this is not what makes this place special...it is Shark Bay.
Today we went exploring a few places surrounding Denham and it is easy to see why Shark Bay is a World Heritage Listed Location. Firstly we headed to Eagle Bluff where you had views over to Eagle Island where thousands of marine birds (mainly seagulls) roost but also from your elevated boardwalk level you can see many marine animals such as sharks, turtles and stingrays...just for the record we did not see any from the boardwalk today. However, we did encounter a Blue Tongue Lizard relaxing in the middle of a nearby dirt road and we guided it off to safer areas nearby.
After this we visited Little Lagoon which is a saltwater lagoon with plenty of marine life. This lake is largely only knee deep however it does get deeper in the middle and estimate the circumference would be 3-4 kilometres. We decided to walk around the lake and were amazed to see about half a dozen ray sharks, a stingray and aquatic birdlife all within 10 metres of the edge of the lagoon...with the water being so crystal clear they were easy to spot and watch as they took off to deeper water. To walk the circumference it required a water crossing of 200-300 metres but the water never got over your knees.
Our Denham experience will be over tomorrow as we head south to Kalbarri National Park for a few days, but it is one place I think would be brilliant to retire to...so beautiful.
Today we went exploring a few places surrounding Denham and it is easy to see why Shark Bay is a World Heritage Listed Location. Firstly we headed to Eagle Bluff where you had views over to Eagle Island where thousands of marine birds (mainly seagulls) roost but also from your elevated boardwalk level you can see many marine animals such as sharks, turtles and stingrays...just for the record we did not see any from the boardwalk today. However, we did encounter a Blue Tongue Lizard relaxing in the middle of a nearby dirt road and we guided it off to safer areas nearby.
After this we visited Little Lagoon which is a saltwater lagoon with plenty of marine life. This lake is largely only knee deep however it does get deeper in the middle and estimate the circumference would be 3-4 kilometres. We decided to walk around the lake and were amazed to see about half a dozen ray sharks, a stingray and aquatic birdlife all within 10 metres of the edge of the lagoon...with the water being so crystal clear they were easy to spot and watch as they took off to deeper water. To walk the circumference it required a water crossing of 200-300 metres but the water never got over your knees.
Our Denham experience will be over tomorrow as we head south to Kalbarri National Park for a few days, but it is one place I think would be brilliant to retire to...so beautiful.
Day 65 July 25 - Kalbarri
One of the advantages of travelling for so long is you get to talk to a lot of people who have had greater travelling experiences or have just travelled from the place you are hoping to go to!
Kalbarri National Park was a location several Western Australian travellers recommended to us as a must do as we head southwards towards Perth. We arrived at Kalbarri just before lunch and we were surprised on our travels to see so many Photo Signs of what appeared to be rather boring outlooks...however we were able to work out that these are the areas to view the wildflowers when they are in full bloom (unfortunately for us there is no wildflowers at present).
We quickly ate lunch and headed off into the National Park to explore...first location was Hawks Head and Ross Graham Lookout which was beautiful. We then headed off to Natures Window and the Z Bend and views from both of these destinations were simply spectacular. Natures Window is a rock formation that wind has eroded a window that perfectly frames the Murchison River and the gorges below. The trip out to Natures Window and Z Bend was on a 25km dirt road which was rather corrugated and bumpy however the scenery was particular nice.
Tomorrow we shall explore some of the coastline contained within Kalbarri National Park!
Kalbarri National Park was a location several Western Australian travellers recommended to us as a must do as we head southwards towards Perth. We arrived at Kalbarri just before lunch and we were surprised on our travels to see so many Photo Signs of what appeared to be rather boring outlooks...however we were able to work out that these are the areas to view the wildflowers when they are in full bloom (unfortunately for us there is no wildflowers at present).
We quickly ate lunch and headed off into the National Park to explore...first location was Hawks Head and Ross Graham Lookout which was beautiful. We then headed off to Natures Window and the Z Bend and views from both of these destinations were simply spectacular. Natures Window is a rock formation that wind has eroded a window that perfectly frames the Murchison River and the gorges below. The trip out to Natures Window and Z Bend was on a 25km dirt road which was rather corrugated and bumpy however the scenery was particular nice.
Tomorrow we shall explore some of the coastline contained within Kalbarri National Park!
Day 66 July 26 - Kalbarri
The goal of today was to explore the numerous coastal cliffs of the Kalbarri National Park!
This morning I awoke before dawn and headed out to capture some images and was rewarded with watching pods of whales whilst photographing Natural Bridge. Throughout the day we must have seen at least 100 whales heading northwards to warmer waters with many breaching several kilometres out to sea...many of the whales were within a couple hundred metres from the coastline. In many ways it was a whale superhighway with up to a dozen whales being watched at any one time. The coastline in this area reminds us greatly of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and many of the walks were equally rewarding with brilliant views of aqua water and immense cliffs. Kalbarri National Park was well worth the visit and one that I would definitely do again in the future.
Tomorrow we head to Geraldton for the day before locating a free camping location closer to Cervantes where we will be visiting the Pinnacles!
This morning I awoke before dawn and headed out to capture some images and was rewarded with watching pods of whales whilst photographing Natural Bridge. Throughout the day we must have seen at least 100 whales heading northwards to warmer waters with many breaching several kilometres out to sea...many of the whales were within a couple hundred metres from the coastline. In many ways it was a whale superhighway with up to a dozen whales being watched at any one time. The coastline in this area reminds us greatly of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and many of the walks were equally rewarding with brilliant views of aqua water and immense cliffs. Kalbarri National Park was well worth the visit and one that I would definitely do again in the future.
Tomorrow we head to Geraldton for the day before locating a free camping location closer to Cervantes where we will be visiting the Pinnacles!
Day 67 July 27 - Geraldton
Hats off to the designers behind the HMAS Sydney Memorial located at Geraldton because the symbolism and synergy was fantastic.
We arrived at Geraldton about 10 minutes before a scheduled tour of the memorial and we were blown away by this memorial. The tour led by a volunteer was informative and the boys enjoyed it as well. We visited the Western Australian Geraldton Museum where we learnt about the wildlife native to this area and the Batavia vessel. We also took the opportunity to catch up on a few groceries at Coles Supermarket as we have depleted some of our stocks. We decided to free camp tonight so our intention was always to spend a day exploring before driving an extra hour to our designated free camp on the water. We are literally 20 metres from the water's edge and with an early start tomorrow we shall have plenty of time to explore the Pinnicles from our next destination which is Cervantes.
We arrived at Geraldton about 10 minutes before a scheduled tour of the memorial and we were blown away by this memorial. The tour led by a volunteer was informative and the boys enjoyed it as well. We visited the Western Australian Geraldton Museum where we learnt about the wildlife native to this area and the Batavia vessel. We also took the opportunity to catch up on a few groceries at Coles Supermarket as we have depleted some of our stocks. We decided to free camp tonight so our intention was always to spend a day exploring before driving an extra hour to our designated free camp on the water. We are literally 20 metres from the water's edge and with an early start tomorrow we shall have plenty of time to explore the Pinnicles from our next destination which is Cervantes.
Day 68 July 28 - Cervantes
I first heard about the Pinnacles many years ago whilst watching a Billy Connolly TV show about his travels on a pretty wild motorbike throughout Australia. The show was hilarious and ended with Billy waltzing through the Pinnacles whilst butt-naked! All that aside I was rather intrigued by this place they call the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. When you arrive at the Pinnacles as was the case with other tourist landmarks in Western Australia we were charged $11 to enter and view the thousands of limestone formations. These formations can reach in excess of 3 metres tall and reach out skywards from the yellow sands found here. There are several theories to their creation but either way they make for an impressive view. The boys enjoyed running around and exploring the vast open spaces here and with lots of places to hide it was like one massive limestone and sand playground! We visited the area twice with sunset being a bit of a fizzer as clouds dominated the horizon but I hope sunrise will be a little more kind to me!
Day 69 July 29 - Cervantes
The weather has been Melbourne-like here as we experience 4 seasons in a few hours...but I suppose it is nothing like what is happening back home on the Gold Coast.
Today we saw some stromatolites which is believed to be one of the earliest forms of life. These are not the most stimulating living thing to see as it is largely bacteria on rock-like formations in saltwater...none the less we are here and it was worth the look. We returned to the Pinnacles for an hour this morning before returning to the caravan to organise and plan activities in Fremantle and Perth. We are looking forward to getting back to a city albeit for only 5 days...of course this area will be the start of some trips to wineries as it does contain some of Australia's best which Barb is very excited about and equally the boys are dreading!
The internet has been crucial in our plans as we are able to research, book and pay for activities/accomodation in advance and having a wireless 3G router has made this gadget reliant family more easily connected. By having this 3G wireless router the boys can keep in contact friends and family through their iPods with ease as they are continually connected and we are also able to be connected at the same time with the laptop computer and iPhones.
Tomorrow we leave Cervantes and will arrive at Fremantle by lunchtime and all going well we shall absorp some local markets and take in an interesting torchlight tour.
Today we saw some stromatolites which is believed to be one of the earliest forms of life. These are not the most stimulating living thing to see as it is largely bacteria on rock-like formations in saltwater...none the less we are here and it was worth the look. We returned to the Pinnacles for an hour this morning before returning to the caravan to organise and plan activities in Fremantle and Perth. We are looking forward to getting back to a city albeit for only 5 days...of course this area will be the start of some trips to wineries as it does contain some of Australia's best which Barb is very excited about and equally the boys are dreading!
The internet has been crucial in our plans as we are able to research, book and pay for activities/accomodation in advance and having a wireless 3G router has made this gadget reliant family more easily connected. By having this 3G wireless router the boys can keep in contact friends and family through their iPods with ease as they are continually connected and we are also able to be connected at the same time with the laptop computer and iPhones.
Tomorrow we leave Cervantes and will arrive at Fremantle by lunchtime and all going well we shall absorp some local markets and take in an interesting torchlight tour.
Day 70 July 30 - Fremantle
In our previous travels we as a family have done plenty of Old Gaol Tours such as Old Dubbo Gaol and Old Melbourne Gaol but nothing thus far comes close to the Fremantle Gaol Torchlight Tour we did this evening!
We arrived at Fremantle by midday today and proceeded to hit some of the local markets...being E Shed Markets and the Fremantle Markets. These markets although worth seeing were pretty much nic nac stuff and rather uneventful...however they do say that it is much bigger on the weekends. We also took the opportunity to restock our groceries as our supplies had been depleted. One of the things we have noticed in our very short stay thus far in Fremantle is that you have to pay for your parking in many places...obviously parking spaces is at a premium and they want a quick and regular turnover.
However the highlight of the day was without doubt the Fremantle Gaol Torchlight Tour. The tour had a terrific guide who shared many of the spooky, factual (with a few ghost stories thrown in) and historical elements of this famous gaol. There was suspense and a few scary moments with actors and actresses bursting out at particular times throughout the 1 and a 1/2 hour tour. We were so blown away by the quality of the tour that we are seriously considering doing the two other daytime tours...apparently the institution finds out overnight whether they have been successful in being World Heritage Listed...no wonder it was brilliant!
Tomorrow we hit the wineries of Swan Valley!
We arrived at Fremantle by midday today and proceeded to hit some of the local markets...being E Shed Markets and the Fremantle Markets. These markets although worth seeing were pretty much nic nac stuff and rather uneventful...however they do say that it is much bigger on the weekends. We also took the opportunity to restock our groceries as our supplies had been depleted. One of the things we have noticed in our very short stay thus far in Fremantle is that you have to pay for your parking in many places...obviously parking spaces is at a premium and they want a quick and regular turnover.
However the highlight of the day was without doubt the Fremantle Gaol Torchlight Tour. The tour had a terrific guide who shared many of the spooky, factual (with a few ghost stories thrown in) and historical elements of this famous gaol. There was suspense and a few scary moments with actors and actresses bursting out at particular times throughout the 1 and a 1/2 hour tour. We were so blown away by the quality of the tour that we are seriously considering doing the two other daytime tours...apparently the institution finds out overnight whether they have been successful in being World Heritage Listed...no wonder it was brilliant!
Tomorrow we hit the wineries of Swan Valley!
Day 71 July 31 - Fremantle
Wine, wine, wine and more wine as the Tong Family visited a series of wineries in the Swan Valley. Today was a day for Barbara to indulge in exploring some of the Western Australian Wineries and for me to be the Official Driver with the boys coming along for the ride. The highlight of the day was arguably the Margaret River Chocolate Company where the family were able to sample free chocolate and basically make ourselves squirmish with an overload of sweet confectionary. The Swan Valley area is best known for Verdelho but also has a strong representation of fortified wines or dessert wines. With many bottles of wine now ready to drink we returned to the caravan to relax for the afternoon where the boys played for a couple hours at the playground.
Tomorrow we intend to visit the Western Australian Maritime Museum where the Australia II yacht is on display and perhaps explore a submarine.
Tomorrow we intend to visit the Western Australian Maritime Museum where the Australia II yacht is on display and perhaps explore a submarine.
Day 72 August 1 - Fremantle
"Silence is Golden"
That is the motto of the HMAS Ovens which is a submarine that we took a tour through today at the Western Australia Maritime Museum. The submarine is obviously decommisioned but the tour showed all aspects of submarine operation and lifestyle which was particularly interesting. What I found most surprising is how confined the living quarters were and how surprising the length of the submarine was...89 metres in length. The other highlight of the Maritime Museum was getting to see the Australia II yacht which won the America's Cup after they held for 132 years in 1983...I still remember watching the final race in the early hours of the morning when I was 12 years of age!
With the Maritime Museum completed we undertook the Fremantle Prison "Doing Time" Tour which highlighted different aspects of the prison to what we experienced on the Torchlight Tour. It was announced over night that Fremantle Prison along with other convict buildings became World Heritage listed which is most deserving.
By mid-afternoon we walked through Fremantle and enjoyed a coffee along the famous Cappuccino Strip which was a hive of activity.
Tomorrow our car will be receiving a well earned service as we venture into the city of Perth for some sightseeing and shopping.
That is the motto of the HMAS Ovens which is a submarine that we took a tour through today at the Western Australia Maritime Museum. The submarine is obviously decommisioned but the tour showed all aspects of submarine operation and lifestyle which was particularly interesting. What I found most surprising is how confined the living quarters were and how surprising the length of the submarine was...89 metres in length. The other highlight of the Maritime Museum was getting to see the Australia II yacht which won the America's Cup after they held for 132 years in 1983...I still remember watching the final race in the early hours of the morning when I was 12 years of age!
With the Maritime Museum completed we undertook the Fremantle Prison "Doing Time" Tour which highlighted different aspects of the prison to what we experienced on the Torchlight Tour. It was announced over night that Fremantle Prison along with other convict buildings became World Heritage listed which is most deserving.
By mid-afternoon we walked through Fremantle and enjoyed a coffee along the famous Cappuccino Strip which was a hive of activity.
Tomorrow our car will be receiving a well earned service as we venture into the city of Perth for some sightseeing and shopping.
Day 73 August 2 -Fremantle
What does it say when you go to the Information Centre in downtown Perth to make enquiries about what to see and do...and the very first thing she recommends is to go to Fremantle?
We spent the day walking throughout Perth whilst our car was being serviced in a nearby suburb. Perth I suppose is like most cities with plenty of shopping and food malls but for us it didn't overly impress us. We headed up to Kings Park which was a beautiful grassy area overlooking the Swan River and spent more than hour just relaxing on the grass. We also were pretty impressed with the London Court which I believe was created to mimic downtown London from a previous time...it reminded me a little of the Harry Potter movies. We were able to visit a few shops such as the Apple Store that we haven't been able to for a few months now.
Tomorrow we hope to relax for the day before our last day in Fremantle on Wednesday.
We spent the day walking throughout Perth whilst our car was being serviced in a nearby suburb. Perth I suppose is like most cities with plenty of shopping and food malls but for us it didn't overly impress us. We headed up to Kings Park which was a beautiful grassy area overlooking the Swan River and spent more than hour just relaxing on the grass. We also were pretty impressed with the London Court which I believe was created to mimic downtown London from a previous time...it reminded me a little of the Harry Potter movies. We were able to visit a few shops such as the Apple Store that we haven't been able to for a few months now.
Tomorrow we hope to relax for the day before our last day in Fremantle on Wednesday.
Day 74 August 3 - Fremantle
The Tong Family had a relaxing day in and around the caravan which was a very nice change. The highlight of the day was the boys enthusiasm in cooking dinner and generally being helpful around our mobile home. The boys set out to cook porcupines with mash potato and they did an outstanding and more importantly a very tasty job of it! In addition to this they took on a restaurateur role with taking orders and setting out a 3 course dinner. Today's photo was the boy's entree for Mum which was made out of pink marshmallows!
Tonight Harrison and I are going to attend the Fremantle Camera Club which is having their club night as a way to expose Harrison to a wider range of expertise and enable him to see that there is a lot more to photography than taking photos.
Tomorrow is our last day in Fremantle as we will complete the last of the Fremantle Prison tours!
Tonight Harrison and I are going to attend the Fremantle Camera Club which is having their club night as a way to expose Harrison to a wider range of expertise and enable him to see that there is a lot more to photography than taking photos.
Tomorrow is our last day in Fremantle as we will complete the last of the Fremantle Prison tours!
Day 75 August 4 - Fremantle
"Prisoners are always trying to escape...either through their art, drugs or planning to physically breakout!"
Today we completed a trilogy of Prison Tours with the Great Escapes Tour and it was brilliant...our guide a former Prison Officer himself at the prison told us a myriad of true escape stories from "Moondyne Joe" a infamous convict who had a skill of breaking out of gaols to the infamous "Postcard Bandit - Brendon Abbott" who taunted the police during his 6 years on the run. We were able to see the original cells they occupied and saw how they broke out and the methods they undertook to achieve this...in addition to this we were entertained with some of the failures of inmates in their escape attempts and amazed at the stupidity of some who actually escaped to eventually being caught a few hours later. It is amazing to see this gaol but to hear what life was like as a prisoner and as a prison officer was highlight for me. The artwork displayed in some of cells was just out of this world as some inmates escaped through their art. If you coming to Perth or Fremantle in my opinion the Fremantle Prison is a must!
The other exciting moment of today was eventually purchasing a hoodie for Braiden after numerous days of looking in countless shops...he has become very attached to his black hoodie despite it being in a pretty sad state...but Braiden has been extremely loathe to replace it! Today we had success albeit a partial one...we succeeded in getting a new hoodie to his satisfaction but he still won't part with his black hoodie yet...as it has become a part of his bed wear!
Tomorrow we leave Fremantle as we head southwards to Margaret River. I have really enjoyed our stay at Fremantle particularly how the city has meshed the heritage of former times with the modern requirements of a 21st century city. The buildings and the subsequent streets in downtown Fremantle are just quite simply beautiful.
Today we completed a trilogy of Prison Tours with the Great Escapes Tour and it was brilliant...our guide a former Prison Officer himself at the prison told us a myriad of true escape stories from "Moondyne Joe" a infamous convict who had a skill of breaking out of gaols to the infamous "Postcard Bandit - Brendon Abbott" who taunted the police during his 6 years on the run. We were able to see the original cells they occupied and saw how they broke out and the methods they undertook to achieve this...in addition to this we were entertained with some of the failures of inmates in their escape attempts and amazed at the stupidity of some who actually escaped to eventually being caught a few hours later. It is amazing to see this gaol but to hear what life was like as a prisoner and as a prison officer was highlight for me. The artwork displayed in some of cells was just out of this world as some inmates escaped through their art. If you coming to Perth or Fremantle in my opinion the Fremantle Prison is a must!
The other exciting moment of today was eventually purchasing a hoodie for Braiden after numerous days of looking in countless shops...he has become very attached to his black hoodie despite it being in a pretty sad state...but Braiden has been extremely loathe to replace it! Today we had success albeit a partial one...we succeeded in getting a new hoodie to his satisfaction but he still won't part with his black hoodie yet...as it has become a part of his bed wear!
Tomorrow we leave Fremantle as we head southwards to Margaret River. I have really enjoyed our stay at Fremantle particularly how the city has meshed the heritage of former times with the modern requirements of a 21st century city. The buildings and the subsequent streets in downtown Fremantle are just quite simply beautiful.
Day 76 August 5 - Margaret River
What a beautiful place is the Margaret River area!
So far what we have seen in this area are rolling lush green hills with sheep and/or black and white cows interspersed with plenty of wineries. Our caravan park is 10km north of the Margaret River town and it is a working farm with terrific amenities, jumping pillow and plenty of animals...the boys even got to feed them late this afternoon. Another plus for this location is that we have one of the big wineries next to the farm which Barb is pretty chuffed about.
Today after we set up we visited the Mammoth Cave this afternoon to learn all about Stalagmites and Stalactites in this impressive natural cave. The cave itself is large and is self guided with headsets and goes for approximately 400-500 metres in length. We also visited a brewery this afternoon where I was able to sample a few of the local beers before heading back to the caravan for dinner preparations.
To round off our day we assembled in the barn for a drink around the pot-belly fireplace...tomorrow we will be travelling from cape to cape and stopping a few times in between!
So far what we have seen in this area are rolling lush green hills with sheep and/or black and white cows interspersed with plenty of wineries. Our caravan park is 10km north of the Margaret River town and it is a working farm with terrific amenities, jumping pillow and plenty of animals...the boys even got to feed them late this afternoon. Another plus for this location is that we have one of the big wineries next to the farm which Barb is pretty chuffed about.
Today after we set up we visited the Mammoth Cave this afternoon to learn all about Stalagmites and Stalactites in this impressive natural cave. The cave itself is large and is self guided with headsets and goes for approximately 400-500 metres in length. We also visited a brewery this afternoon where I was able to sample a few of the local beers before heading back to the caravan for dinner preparations.
To round off our day we assembled in the barn for a drink around the pot-belly fireplace...tomorrow we will be travelling from cape to cape and stopping a few times in between!
Day 77 August 6 - Margaret River
Today we set out to explore the lookouts and terrain between the two capes north and south of Margaret River. Firstly we headed south to Cape Leeuwin which is the most south-western point in Australia and where the Southern Ocean and Indian Oceans meet. It is amazing to actually see where the oceans meet which isonly approximately 150 metres off shore. The lighthouse here also is the tallest lighthouse in Australia!
After leaving here we drove through a forest which contained some pretty impressive and dwarfing trees...the road was dirt and in many instances was only wide enough for a single vehicle but the views were fantastic. We regularly veered westwards to little bays such as Hamelin Bay to check out the scenery.
After more than hour of driving we arrived at Cape Naturaliste where it is considered to be a great whale viewing area...unfortunately for us we were about 6 weeks too early and we didn't see any today...but we did see some seals for the first time! When we were approaching the whale viewing platform we could hear a unique sound that I thought was an injured dog but it turned out to be the seals competing for prime real estate on the rocks. It was amazing to see how well they blended into the rocks around them as we could only see 5-6 with the naked eye but with the big camera lense we could see in excess of 30 seals in the same area.
We completed out day with a visit to the Margaret River Cheese Factory and some wineries. The cheese was fantastic particularly the Sweet Chilli Cheese!
Tomorrow we will be going to a real life maze...who knows we may lose the kids!
After leaving here we drove through a forest which contained some pretty impressive and dwarfing trees...the road was dirt and in many instances was only wide enough for a single vehicle but the views were fantastic. We regularly veered westwards to little bays such as Hamelin Bay to check out the scenery.
After more than hour of driving we arrived at Cape Naturaliste where it is considered to be a great whale viewing area...unfortunately for us we were about 6 weeks too early and we didn't see any today...but we did see some seals for the first time! When we were approaching the whale viewing platform we could hear a unique sound that I thought was an injured dog but it turned out to be the seals competing for prime real estate on the rocks. It was amazing to see how well they blended into the rocks around them as we could only see 5-6 with the naked eye but with the big camera lense we could see in excess of 30 seals in the same area.
We completed out day with a visit to the Margaret River Cheese Factory and some wineries. The cheese was fantastic particularly the Sweet Chilli Cheese!
Tomorrow we will be going to a real life maze...who knows we may lose the kids!
Day 78 August 7 - Margaret River
"Mum and I thought we might be sleeping in this maze!" says Braiden after getting lost inside the maze with Mum.
Today we headed to A Maze'n to experience a real life maze and other olden style games. It was a terrific morning of family fun running around the maze trying to firstly get to the middle and then to get out and then play some games like bocce. It was surprising how much exercise is done going back and forth trying to locate the correct path to your goal...especially if you are running to beat the others in the family. For the record Mum and Dad were first to the middle but the boys were first out of the maze.
After A Maze'n we visited a winery and then a coffee tasting establishment before having lunch. We have visited several wineries each day we have been here and the boys have been great allowing Mum to sample the local wines but I think they are ready for a break from wineries for a while.
When we returned to the caravan the boys and Mum again fed the animals...although the horse can be a little temperamental.
Margaret River has been a great destination and I wonder what it would be like in summer as local surf can be pretty impressive as well. Our next stop will be Albany!
Today we headed to A Maze'n to experience a real life maze and other olden style games. It was a terrific morning of family fun running around the maze trying to firstly get to the middle and then to get out and then play some games like bocce. It was surprising how much exercise is done going back and forth trying to locate the correct path to your goal...especially if you are running to beat the others in the family. For the record Mum and Dad were first to the middle but the boys were first out of the maze.
After A Maze'n we visited a winery and then a coffee tasting establishment before having lunch. We have visited several wineries each day we have been here and the boys have been great allowing Mum to sample the local wines but I think they are ready for a break from wineries for a while.
When we returned to the caravan the boys and Mum again fed the animals...although the horse can be a little temperamental.
Margaret River has been a great destination and I wonder what it would be like in summer as local surf can be pretty impressive as well. Our next stop will be Albany!
Day 79 August 8 - Albany
Trees was the common theme for this day of adventure!
We left Margaret River behind us just after 8 o'clock for the journey to Albany with a few planned stops along the way. The landscape quickly changed from lush rolling hills with sheep, cows and wineries to forests containing large Karri Trees. Our first stop was to see the Gloucester Tree that stands 62 metres tall and which you can climb using what seems to the naked eye as flimsy bits of metal stuck in the trunk of the tree. The tree itself is rather daunting to look at as its sheer size dwarfs you when you get close. I was determined to climb this and after waiting for people to come down (only one way up and down) I climbed to the top for a magnificent view over the canopy of the trees as far as the eye could see. I took a photo from the top looking down but the family were so small they were almost unrecognisable...instead I posted a photo I took from half way up the tree to capture a feel for the heights experienced.
We then headed off to see the Valley of Giants which contains huge Red Tingle Trees and some Karri Trees as well. This site has a tree top walk that is about 40 metres above the ground and enables you to enjoy these giant trees from a different perspective. The swaying that occurred on the tree also gave the walk an added sensation to remember it by.
It was particularly busy day with several stops and about 400 kilometres travelled but a rewarding day all the same. We have arrived in Albany and intend to explore this town tomorrow.
We left Margaret River behind us just after 8 o'clock for the journey to Albany with a few planned stops along the way. The landscape quickly changed from lush rolling hills with sheep, cows and wineries to forests containing large Karri Trees. Our first stop was to see the Gloucester Tree that stands 62 metres tall and which you can climb using what seems to the naked eye as flimsy bits of metal stuck in the trunk of the tree. The tree itself is rather daunting to look at as its sheer size dwarfs you when you get close. I was determined to climb this and after waiting for people to come down (only one way up and down) I climbed to the top for a magnificent view over the canopy of the trees as far as the eye could see. I took a photo from the top looking down but the family were so small they were almost unrecognisable...instead I posted a photo I took from half way up the tree to capture a feel for the heights experienced.
We then headed off to see the Valley of Giants which contains huge Red Tingle Trees and some Karri Trees as well. This site has a tree top walk that is about 40 metres above the ground and enables you to enjoy these giant trees from a different perspective. The swaying that occurred on the tree also gave the walk an added sensation to remember it by.
It was particularly busy day with several stops and about 400 kilometres travelled but a rewarding day all the same. We have arrived in Albany and intend to explore this town tomorrow.
Day 80 August 9 - Albany
"It's the biggest bastard of a thing ever to happen to Albany" said Skipper Gordon Cruickshank.
These were the words from one of the employees after they were informed that the last whaling station in Australia (The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company) was closing on November 21 1978. Today this whaling station is a museum called Whale World and we spent 4 hours there being entertained and fascinated by the workings of this former and inhumane industry. The day was very much dominated by whales as we set off to explore some of Albany's man-made and natural wonders. Our first stop was to see the wind farm located along the Southern Ocean coastline and we were surprised to see just how close you can get to these massive wind turbines...in fact you stand right underneath them and take a walk through the 12 wind turbines. On our travels thus far most of these farms have been located on private property and there is no access to them. Whilst we were there we explored some of the lookouts over the coastline and subsequent Southern Ocean...and there were plenty of whales to see. The sign stated that whales are often seen here riding along the waves...and they were...just off the coastline 40-50 metres riding along side the waves. Here you are standing at such an elevated position that spotting the whales was quite easy and great to watch when they were breaching so close to the shoreline.
From here we travelled a very short distance to The Gap which is part of the rock formations that apparently was once connected to Antarctica many years ago. This is an impressive natural formation with a large chunk missing from the rock coastline leaving this gap and where the waves funnel in and come crashing into a screeching halt...boomg went the waves! From there we also viewed a Natural Bridge which in my opinion is one of the better versions of this that I have seen thus far.
Our final destination was Whale World and it was terrific. We got a free guided tour with our entry fee and the guide was able to show us the processes, the machinery (many of which still work), the structures and explain some of the characters of this whaling station. What is unique about this station is that they also have one of the former whaling boats on display and how they combined modern technology into these buildings...for example all of our movies (one of which is in 3D) were inside the giant oil vats. To complete our experience at Whale World while viewing the whaling boat...as if directed to...a pod of whales surfaced no more than 50 metres away in the bay.
On our return back at the caravan park we extended our stay another night and Barb was informed that there is a pod of whales frollicking of the beach bordering the caravan park...and sure enough no more than 40 metres from the shoreline 3-4 whales were frollicking around in the shallow water.
It was basically a whale of a day!
These were the words from one of the employees after they were informed that the last whaling station in Australia (The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company) was closing on November 21 1978. Today this whaling station is a museum called Whale World and we spent 4 hours there being entertained and fascinated by the workings of this former and inhumane industry. The day was very much dominated by whales as we set off to explore some of Albany's man-made and natural wonders. Our first stop was to see the wind farm located along the Southern Ocean coastline and we were surprised to see just how close you can get to these massive wind turbines...in fact you stand right underneath them and take a walk through the 12 wind turbines. On our travels thus far most of these farms have been located on private property and there is no access to them. Whilst we were there we explored some of the lookouts over the coastline and subsequent Southern Ocean...and there were plenty of whales to see. The sign stated that whales are often seen here riding along the waves...and they were...just off the coastline 40-50 metres riding along side the waves. Here you are standing at such an elevated position that spotting the whales was quite easy and great to watch when they were breaching so close to the shoreline.
From here we travelled a very short distance to The Gap which is part of the rock formations that apparently was once connected to Antarctica many years ago. This is an impressive natural formation with a large chunk missing from the rock coastline leaving this gap and where the waves funnel in and come crashing into a screeching halt...boomg went the waves! From there we also viewed a Natural Bridge which in my opinion is one of the better versions of this that I have seen thus far.
Our final destination was Whale World and it was terrific. We got a free guided tour with our entry fee and the guide was able to show us the processes, the machinery (many of which still work), the structures and explain some of the characters of this whaling station. What is unique about this station is that they also have one of the former whaling boats on display and how they combined modern technology into these buildings...for example all of our movies (one of which is in 3D) were inside the giant oil vats. To complete our experience at Whale World while viewing the whaling boat...as if directed to...a pod of whales surfaced no more than 50 metres away in the bay.
On our return back at the caravan park we extended our stay another night and Barb was informed that there is a pod of whales frollicking of the beach bordering the caravan park...and sure enough no more than 40 metres from the shoreline 3-4 whales were frollicking around in the shallow water.
It was basically a whale of a day!
Day 81 August 10 - Albany
Well not a lot to report today as we decided to do very little apart from reading and some odd jobs. We did however go for a walk along the beach this afternoon in the hope of spotting the whales again. The whales from the previous afternoon stayed alongside the beach all night and were there up until about lunch time when they obviously decided it was time to move on. The whales did very little apart from wallow in the waters...no breaching but it was still great to see. Another camper came down to the beach with his pretty serious model aeroplane with a digital camera strapped to the underside of one of its wings in the hope of getting an aerial photo. All was going well with the camera taking photos every 10 secs and he was doing a terrific job guiding it around with the wind...however it was inevitable that the plane ditched, hit the water and the camera was...GONE!
Late this afternoon we went for a walk along the beach and it is rather amusing as it is obvious who the Queenslanders are as we are rugged up in jeans, jumpers and beanies (and we are still cold) and the locals are in t-shirts and shorts...check the photo! The locals are obviously climatised to this weather but they must have serious concerns with us blow-ins!
Tomorrow we are heading towards Esperance and will not be sure of mobile access.
Late this afternoon we went for a walk along the beach and it is rather amusing as it is obvious who the Queenslanders are as we are rugged up in jeans, jumpers and beanies (and we are still cold) and the locals are in t-shirts and shorts...check the photo! The locals are obviously climatised to this weather but they must have serious concerns with us blow-ins!
Tomorrow we are heading towards Esperance and will not be sure of mobile access.
Day 82 August 11 - Cape Le Grande National Park (approx. 60km East of Esperance)
It wasn’t too long ago we were being forced into overflow accommodation as destinations were fully booked out and now we arrive at a destination such as Cape Le Grande National Park and it is empty and the choices are endless.
Today we travelled about 500km to arrive at Lucky Bay. It was named Lucky Bay by Matthew Flinders who sought refuge in this very spot in 1802 on his circumnavigation of Australia. This location like others was recommended to us and upon arrival we were most grateful as it is outstanding. The beaches of the Esperance area have been voted as the best in Australia particularly as it contains arguably the whitest sand on an Australian beach. After parking the van in a very favourable location (remembering we had over 40 campsites to choose from) we had a little chuckle to ourselves as we happened to park in No. 13 at Lucky Bay! The water has that sparkling aqua blue colour and the sand is so fine it is almost the consistency of flour and indeed very white. The boys enjoyed going off with walkie talkie in hand and exploring the beach of the bay. The bay is dwarfed by large granite rocks that I would imagine provide a great view from...perhaps a task for tomorrow.
Today we travelled about 500km to arrive at Lucky Bay. It was named Lucky Bay by Matthew Flinders who sought refuge in this very spot in 1802 on his circumnavigation of Australia. This location like others was recommended to us and upon arrival we were most grateful as it is outstanding. The beaches of the Esperance area have been voted as the best in Australia particularly as it contains arguably the whitest sand on an Australian beach. After parking the van in a very favourable location (remembering we had over 40 campsites to choose from) we had a little chuckle to ourselves as we happened to park in No. 13 at Lucky Bay! The water has that sparkling aqua blue colour and the sand is so fine it is almost the consistency of flour and indeed very white. The boys enjoyed going off with walkie talkie in hand and exploring the beach of the bay. The bay is dwarfed by large granite rocks that I would imagine provide a great view from...perhaps a task for tomorrow.
Day 83 August 12 - Cape Le Grande National Park (approx. 60km East of Esperance)
Today's sunrise and sunset was brilliant for taking photos!
These times of the day are the best times to be camera in hand and out taking photos and today it just happened to be the best parts of the day...the rest was dominated by showers and wind. It has been a rather strange day as it was cold, wet and windy but that did not stop us as a family climbing the nearby granite rock to take in the view. In addition to that Braiden and I took a leisurely walk around the entire bay. It was a very rewarding walk and took about 2 hours to complete. This location has been such a beautiful place to stay and being a National Park was very cheap...the weather wasn't the greatest but still the location was still amazing!
Tomorrow we are headed for Kalgoorlie for a few nights before undertaking the famous Nullabor!
These times of the day are the best times to be camera in hand and out taking photos and today it just happened to be the best parts of the day...the rest was dominated by showers and wind. It has been a rather strange day as it was cold, wet and windy but that did not stop us as a family climbing the nearby granite rock to take in the view. In addition to that Braiden and I took a leisurely walk around the entire bay. It was a very rewarding walk and took about 2 hours to complete. This location has been such a beautiful place to stay and being a National Park was very cheap...the weather wasn't the greatest but still the location was still amazing!
Tomorrow we are headed for Kalgoorlie for a few nights before undertaking the famous Nullabor!
Day 84 August 13 - Kalgoorlie-Boulder
We have arrived at Kalgoorlie-Boulder after a 5 hour drive through rain and wind where the outside temperature for the vast majority of the trip did not reach anything higher than 10 degrees. However, when we arrived at our destination the rain lifted and although still cold we were able to go explore the No. 1 business in town and that is the KCMG SuperPit. The SuperPit as it is affectionately known is a gold open pit that is almost 4km long, 1.2km wide and over 500metres deep and is just massive to view close-up. The whole family was amazed at the sheer size of basically everything...every piece of equipment has had an overdose of steriods and was jumbo sized and expensive. Today there was no blasting but hopefully tomorrow we shall see a blast from the public viewing area.
Tomorrow we unsure what to do but undoubtably it will be centred around mining in some capacity.
Tomorrow we unsure what to do but undoubtably it will be centred around mining in some capacity.
Day 85 August 14 - Kalgoorlie-Boulder
We waited, then saw, felt and what eventually felt like 10 seconds heard the BOOM of the explosives deep inside the rock!
Today we visited the Mining Hall of Fame which the boys were just fascinated with the BIG truck and particularly one of its tyres...they played for ages climbing up, getting inside and eventually getting down from the 5 tonne tyre. The Hall of Fame was quite interesting and it contained many original buildings and items from years gone by. But as good as the Hall of Fame was...the highlight was watching a rock blast deep down the bottom of the SuperPit. We must have been at least 600 metres away in the public viewing area but it was still impressive to watch. This mining stuff is just HUGE!
Tomorrow we start our trip across the Nullabor!
Today we visited the Mining Hall of Fame which the boys were just fascinated with the BIG truck and particularly one of its tyres...they played for ages climbing up, getting inside and eventually getting down from the 5 tonne tyre. The Hall of Fame was quite interesting and it contained many original buildings and items from years gone by. But as good as the Hall of Fame was...the highlight was watching a rock blast deep down the bottom of the SuperPit. We must have been at least 600 metres away in the public viewing area but it was still impressive to watch. This mining stuff is just HUGE!
Tomorrow we start our trip across the Nullabor!
Day 86 August 15 - Free Camping Whilst Crossing the Nullabor (approx. 39km West of Caiguna, Western Australia)
We have started to cross the Nullabor after leaving Kalgoorlie early this morning. The boys are very excited to be crossing the Nullabor as they have visions of vast areas of land with just dirt...even though we have told them it will be no different in terrain to roads we have already travelled. The highlight of the day was no doubts starting the 90mile or 146.6km of straight road from Balladonia to Caiguna (Australia’s longest straight road). At the time of writing this blog we have done just over 100km of this road and we have settled in at free camping location with campfire blazing. The other significant moment on this trip has been that Barb took control of the wheels for the first time towing the caravan albeit only on the straight road previously mentioned...she claims that she was just brilliant! There are about seven other groups of people with us here at this rest stop and three of these groups are joining our campfire for some general chit chat. Tomorrow we hope to be free camping again somewhere overlooking the water on a cliff face along the Great Australian Bight.
Day 87 August 16 - Free Camping Whilst Crossing the Nullabor (approx. 17km East of Border Village, South Australia)
As we often do when we know we have a long drive ahead of us we got up early and hit the road just after 7 o’clock. The boys settled back and watched several DVD’s as we travelled east towards the Great Australian Bight. The highlight of the day was being at a service station at Madura and car after car from the Variety Club Bash came in to refuel. There were sharks on top of vehicles, nutty professors, a car dedicated to the rock band AC/DC, a ridgy didge Police Car with actual Police Officers just to name a few. The Variety Club Bash looks like so much fun and obviously it is raising funds for a very worthy cause. From my understanding you must have a car that is over 30 years old and pay an entry fee and sponsors are encouraged. They just look like they are having so much fun! This bash is from Ballarat to the beautiful Margaret River in Western Australia.
We arrived at our destination just over lunchtime (Western Australian time) but with time zone changes as we have entered South Australia it was well past that. We have chosen one of the lookouts overlooking the Great Australian Bight and it is just beautiful. The boys have been out and about playing some type of imaginary game for hours and enjoying the opportunity to stretch their legs and play. Tomorrow we hope to just travel an hour up the road to another lookout overlooking the Great Australian Bight.
We arrived at our destination just over lunchtime (Western Australian time) but with time zone changes as we have entered South Australia it was well past that. We have chosen one of the lookouts overlooking the Great Australian Bight and it is just beautiful. The boys have been out and about playing some type of imaginary game for hours and enjoying the opportunity to stretch their legs and play. Tomorrow we hope to just travel an hour up the road to another lookout overlooking the Great Australian Bight.
Day 88 August 17 - Free Camping Whilst Crossing the Nullabor (approx. 27km West of Nullabor Roadhouse)
Today we only travelled about 100km along the Eyre Highway as there was a fairly strong head wind and we wanted to see some of the other lookouts along this section of the Great Australian Bight. The scenery along the Nullabor is rather uneventful with just shrubs as far as the eye can see. The weather has also been pretty ordinary but every now and then the sun pops through giving us a stark contrast against the dark clouds. Many of the lookouts and campsites along the Great Australian Bight are now closed due to fears about unstable cliff faces but the one of the lookouts that we did see was a real highlight...that was the Bunda Cliffs lookout. This scenery is very much like the Great Ocean Road but the water colours were just brilliant...also there were a couple of whales just below the cliffs albeit not doing a great deal. The downside was the wind was so cuttingly cold that you could only stay out for 5-10 minutes before you scrambled back to the car for some relief. Our free camp site was a BIG playground for the boys who have been playing some rather imiginative games. We finished the day with a very healthy camp fire.
Tomorrow we hope to spend a few hours at the Head of the Great Australian Bight before moving onto Ceduna and perhaps beyond. We also hope to vote tomorrow at Ceduna as we are not sure where we will be on Saturday.
Tomorrow we hope to spend a few hours at the Head of the Great Australian Bight before moving onto Ceduna and perhaps beyond. We also hope to vote tomorrow at Ceduna as we are not sure where we will be on Saturday.
Day 89 August 18 - Free Camping Whilst Crossing the Nullabor (approx. 22km South East of Wirrulla)
Today we started the day with a short drive to the Head of the Australian Bight. The Head of the Bight not only being an Australian landmark but is also where the Whale Centre is located and where you can see hundreds of Southern Right Whales at any given time...and we definitely did today! When we arrived at 8.30am we went through the usual formalities of a Family Pass entry to the natural marine park and then walked briskly towards the boardwalks overlooking the water...we knew we were in for something special when we quizzed some tourists who were on their way out and they stated it was an amazing experience. Once we reached the boardwalk we could see 6-8 whales within 20 metres of the coastline and puffs of warm air spouting everywhere throughout the nearby waters...I estimate there were at least 80-100 whales in that local vicinity within 3-4 kilometres. This area is where the Southern Right Whale comes to give birth and what makes it so special is that once they have birthed they prefer to stay close to the coastline with their young (like within 20 metres of the elevated coastline)...it was like a giant playgroup of whales with mothers and calves mixing with other mothers and calves.
A real highlight was watching what appeared were twins with their mother and one of these calves was an albino. Another great plus for this area was the surrounding coastline which is spectacular. We stayed for at least 2 and 1/2 hours and we would have stayed longer but our timelines indicate we need to get a wriggle on if we are to meet some predetermined commitments.
A real highlight was watching what appeared were twins with their mother and one of these calves was an albino. Another great plus for this area was the surrounding coastline which is spectacular. We stayed for at least 2 and 1/2 hours and we would have stayed longer but our timelines indicate we need to get a wriggle on if we are to meet some predetermined commitments.
Day 90 August 19 - Barossa Valley
We stayed at a free camping site overnight and this was by far the most unsettling so far as we were surrounded by trucks taking a break and regular trucks passing by...as a result sleep was a little disrupted. However, we powered on today in the hope of reaching our destination at the famous Barossa Valley. This trip was a long one but it was broken by a short stop at Port Augusta where we cast our vote for the 2010 Federal Election. This was a real bonus for us as we were dreading voting on Saturday in a foreign location and doing an absentee vote. The boys were pretty fascinated by this...voting process and it was pretty painless with no lining up and the staff very helpful.
We arrived at the Barossa Valley around 2 o'clock and it was a mad dash to get several loads of clothes that smelt of fire washed and dried before we headed to Penfolds Winery. We had some pre-conceived ideas of the Penfolds Winery but we were really surprised with how homely and helpful the staff were...and the wines were pretty good too. What makes this type of BIG winery special is that you can taste their unique wines that you just cannot buy anywhere else but the cellar door as opposed to their regular bottle shop wines.
We arrived at the Barossa Valley around 2 o'clock and it was a mad dash to get several loads of clothes that smelt of fire washed and dried before we headed to Penfolds Winery. We had some pre-conceived ideas of the Penfolds Winery but we were really surprised with how homely and helpful the staff were...and the wines were pretty good too. What makes this type of BIG winery special is that you can taste their unique wines that you just cannot buy anywhere else but the cellar door as opposed to their regular bottle shop wines.
Day 91 August 20 - Barossa Valley
Day 2 at the Barossa Valley and our first full day. It was a day where we visited 6 wineries and many of the BIG ones such as Wolf Blass, Yalumba, and Jacobs Creek. Of course Barbara was in her element and enjoyed the bountiful tastings of wine...our experience of the Barossa Valley thus far is they are more liberal with the amount of tastings of wine and have a much larger range than any wine region we have visited previously. Some of the buildings that these wineries are contained in are so old and historic it is just great to be inside them...especially when the fireplace is in full operation. Today was cold and was about 10-12 degrees all day with a gusty breeze at times. Tomorrow it is the Gourmet Barossa Festival and some of the wineries are putting on special activities with food, music and obviously wine!
Day 92 August 21 - Barossa Valley
2010 Federal Election Day and the Tong Family soaked up the Barossa Valley lifestyle. The day started with Barb and Harrison visiting the local farmer's market where they were able to taste much of the local produce. We then as a family went and visited the Barossa Cheese Factory where we purchased a few cheeses to enjoy throughout the afternoon. We did go to a winery (only one) where they specialise in fortified wines (Seppeltsfield Wines) and I really enjoyed the the muscats and tokays. We then visited the Maggie Beers Food Company where we again sampled the local produce. With all this completed we returned back to base (our caravan park which is next to the local AFL team) and wandered over to watch several games of AFL with our cheeses, breads and wines whilst sitting in the sun.
We have been very lucky this past 7 weeks as we have avoided much of the 2010 Election fanfare but the little bit we did get was during our stay in the electorate of Wilson Tuckey MP in Western Australia. Good old Wilson Tuckey (who is very old fashioned) has been a person that the boys have mimicked relentlessly these last few weeks and it has given us as a family plenty of laughs.
Tomorrow we leave the Barossa Valley and head to the city of Adelaide where the highlight will be a visit to the Adelaide Zoo to view the Pandas!
We have been very lucky this past 7 weeks as we have avoided much of the 2010 Election fanfare but the little bit we did get was during our stay in the electorate of Wilson Tuckey MP in Western Australia. Good old Wilson Tuckey (who is very old fashioned) has been a person that the boys have mimicked relentlessly these last few weeks and it has given us as a family plenty of laughs.
Tomorrow we leave the Barossa Valley and head to the city of Adelaide where the highlight will be a visit to the Adelaide Zoo to view the Pandas!
Day 93 August 22 - Adelaide
I didn't realise just how close the Barossa Valley is to the city of Adelaide but it only took about 45 minutes to an hour to get to our caravan park. After quickly parking the van we took off for a walk to the city. Our caravan park is within walking distance of the city and even closer to the Adelaide Zoo which is the main activity of tomorrow. One of my realisations of this trip is that the cities are pretty similar throughout Australia...basically shops that you find in every city just the buildings are different...if I was to do this trip again I would probably spend less time in the cities and more on the fringes or in the National Parks. All that aside the city of Adelaide is very beautiful with many older buildings and oozing heritage. It has a character that I believe Brisbane has probably unfortunately demolished many years ago. The mall had some interesting sculptures in particularly the pigs which is the subject of today's blog.
Tomorrow we will be spending the day at the Adelaide Zoo where we have had to book into a Panda viewing (due to their incredible popularity).
Tomorrow we will be spending the day at the Adelaide Zoo where we have had to book into a Panda viewing (due to their incredible popularity).
Day 94 August 23 - Adelaide
Today was a special day for more than the Tong Family as one of the Pandas called "Funi" had her 4th birthday. Despite some poor weather we visited the Adelaide Zoo today and I was very impressed with the highlight being the Pandas. The zoo has a good variety of animals and the enclosures were generally of a high standard. The Pandas enclosure was terrific with both "Wang Wang" and "Funi" being housed in seperate enclosures being side by side. It was Funi's birthday and there were television crews and photographers in attendance...with the end result being Harrison was on the South Australian news telecast. The down side of the day was we regularly swamped by school children with about 5-6 different schools visiting the zoo but hey I can't complain I'm on my long service.
We leave Adelaide and subsequently South Australia tomorrow somewhat feeling that we have not done enough justice to this part of the country...but that's just another excuse to come back another day.
We leave Adelaide and subsequently South Australia tomorrow somewhat feeling that we have not done enough justice to this part of the country...but that's just another excuse to come back another day.
Day 95 August 24 - Ballarat
Today was a good day to drive a long distance as it basically rained all day and the outside temperature rarely got to double figures whilst driving. We have arrived in Ballarat, a location that we have visited before with all intention to visit Sovereign Hill again but the weather is not good and it may mean an inside day for the Tong Family. Inside days generally means lots of reading...which Harrison will be very happy about as he gets deeper and deeper into the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Today was the first day we have had to set up camp in the pouring rain and we are very thankful for this caravan as opposed to the Jayco Swan we previously had...it would have been a nightmare setting up the Jayco Swan in today's weather. At the time of writing this blog it is getting very cold at about 2 degrees and I predict it will get colder...tomorrow's prediction is for more rain with possible hail and very windy conditions.
Today was the first day we have had to set up camp in the pouring rain and we are very thankful for this caravan as opposed to the Jayco Swan we previously had...it would have been a nightmare setting up the Jayco Swan in today's weather. At the time of writing this blog it is getting very cold at about 2 degrees and I predict it will get colder...tomorrow's prediction is for more rain with possible hail and very windy conditions.
Day 96 August 25 - Ballarat
I can describe today with just one word - COLD!
We woke with the temperature just a fraction below zero and for the entire morning it didn't get any higher than 5 degrees. As a family we headed to the tennis court with the temperature just over 3 degrees and played some tennis trying to warm up. We played tennis as long as we could before it started to rain and the game was abandoned.
The last time we were in Victoria we visited a famous bakery in Beechworth which is called the Beechworth Bakery. The owner is a successful businessman...but this was not always so with him hitting rock bottom in his early days. He has now written books and is a regular on the motivation speech circuit. Today we visited the Beechworth Bakery but in Ballarat which was also just as impressive as the Beechworth model. The rain was pretty set in by this time so we returned to indoor activities back at the caravan.
For the record the top temperature for today was 7.2 degrees.
Tomorrow we leave Ballarat and head to Sale where Barb
We woke with the temperature just a fraction below zero and for the entire morning it didn't get any higher than 5 degrees. As a family we headed to the tennis court with the temperature just over 3 degrees and played some tennis trying to warm up. We played tennis as long as we could before it started to rain and the game was abandoned.
The last time we were in Victoria we visited a famous bakery in Beechworth which is called the Beechworth Bakery. The owner is a successful businessman...but this was not always so with him hitting rock bottom in his early days. He has now written books and is a regular on the motivation speech circuit. Today we visited the Beechworth Bakery but in Ballarat which was also just as impressive as the Beechworth model. The rain was pretty set in by this time so we returned to indoor activities back at the caravan.
For the record the top temperature for today was 7.2 degrees.
Tomorrow we leave Ballarat and head to Sale where Barb
Day 97 August 26 - Sale
It has been a long time since we have had some family around us and today the family were excited to arrive in Sale to do this very thing.
We left Ballarat and the cold weather early this morning with the intention of spending the day at Werribee Zoo before driving the couple of hours to Sale. The Werribee Zoo is an open plain zoo on the outskirts of Melbourne and we as a family were pretty impressed with some of the enclosures but particularly with the open plain section where many animals interacted on the grassy plains. The boys were particularly excited by the interactive part of the zoo and I was impressed at just how close you can be to the animals.
The drive to Sale was rather uneventful apart from the boys asking every five minutes "How much longer to go Dad?" Upon arrival the boys have been immersed in play with their cousins and it is great to see!
We left Ballarat and the cold weather early this morning with the intention of spending the day at Werribee Zoo before driving the couple of hours to Sale. The Werribee Zoo is an open plain zoo on the outskirts of Melbourne and we as a family were pretty impressed with some of the enclosures but particularly with the open plain section where many animals interacted on the grassy plains. The boys were particularly excited by the interactive part of the zoo and I was impressed at just how close you can be to the animals.
The drive to Sale was rather uneventful apart from the boys asking every five minutes "How much longer to go Dad?" Upon arrival the boys have been immersed in play with their cousins and it is great to see!
Day 98 August 27 - Sale
Today for me was about enjoying being back inside a house after so long living in our travelling caravan. It was just great to be back inside a fully furnished house and enjoying the many things that we take for granted...like doing the laundry without paying 4 dollars a load to do so. I didn't spend all day inside...in fact I spent most of the morning in the back yard doing a mini backyard blitz whilst doing loads of laundry. Barb and her sister Sue did the some girly things such as getting their nails done and preparing for their Wild West Night tonight. I know Barb is really enjoying this time as she has spent the entire trip with just male company and it is a great opportunity to indulge in all things female. The boys have played all day with their cousin going from one activity to another with seamless effort. They have decided to sleep in the tent tonight in the back yard and have stripped the caravan of their mattresses and sleeping bags. It is great to see the boys spending time with their cousins as they rarely get this opportunity living so far away. I would expect tomorrow will be more of the same!
Day 99 August 28 - Sale
Today was a rather uneventful day with the boys playing with their cousins all day and the adults relaxing generally indoors. Barb and her sister Sue watched "My Sister's Keeper" and I planned, prepared and cooked a lamb dinner. The highlight for me was definitely the dinner which became a full-blown social event with 8 adults enjoying some wines and hearty discussion.
The boys enjoyed playing some Twister with Ashie and doing some cooking and even some radical dress-ups. Again they are planning to sleep in the tent in the backyard which they enjoyed doing last night.
The boys enjoyed playing some Twister with Ashie and doing some cooking and even some radical dress-ups. Again they are planning to sleep in the tent in the backyard which they enjoyed doing last night.
Day 100 August 29 - Sale
It was slow morning as we generally recovered from the night before. I decided to cook some crepes for breakfast which I located a Masterchef recipe for. I have never cooked crepes before but I do know my Dad cooks a seriously good batch of them and mine were pretty good indeed. With breakfast out of the way it was decided to overhaul two gardens in the backyard into functioning vegetable gardens. Everyone pitched in with some serious weeding and then the planting of new vegetable seedlings and seeds. The end product was pretty impressive considering what was there this morning and everyone has earnt a relaxing break late this afternoon. We are going out for dinner tonight with some of Sue's friends...hopefully not too late an evening will be had!
Day 101 August 30 - Sale
As a family we have been to Sale before and seen many of the highlights of the area, therefore we have done no sightseeing during this stay but this has been compensated by quality time with family and much good food and wine. The boys have played with their cousins till late each night we have stayed here and tonight will be no exception. The goal of today was to finish the garden work we started on the first day while the King family were at school and work. With the garden work completed by midday Harrison and I set out to get a haircut which was most overdue.
Tomorrow we be leave Sale and family behind to continue our journey with the town of Bega in New South Wales our destination.
Tomorrow we be leave Sale and family behind to continue our journey with the town of Bega in New South Wales our destination.
Day 102 August 31 - Bega
With a combination of sadness and excitement we left family and Sale behind as we continued our journey throughout Australia by heading northeast to the town of Bega in New South Wales. The trip took over 4 hours and for most of the trip we travelled through forests with rolling farmland interspersed throughout. It was good to be on the road again as ventured along countryside we have not seen before. We arrived at Bega around 2pm and after setting up the caravan we headed straight for the Bega Cheese Factory. The factory contained tasting and very cheap cheese which the family enjoyed. The factory no longer does tours due to Workplace, Health and Safety reasons so we will have to be satisfied with just tasting as opposed to learning about the cheese making processes.
Tonight Barb is missing the dishwasher that we have used for the last few nights whilst in Sale and we will have to decide where we will be going next!
Tonight Barb is missing the dishwasher that we have used for the last few nights whilst in Sale and we will have to decide where we will be going next!
Day 103 September 1 - Canberra
We left Bega just before 10 o'clock this morning for a 230km trip to our caravan park in our nation's capitol "Canberra". What I thought would be a trip of just over 2.5 hours turned into much longer as we ventured into the highlands. We quickly climbed to almost 1200 metres above sea level and for a short period we were able to see mountain ranges capped with plenty of snow. For virtually the entire trip we travelled above 800 metres above sea level and the scenery was just beautiful...the only downside being the number of roadkill and almost all of it was wombats. Obviously the wombat population must be high to have so much roadkill but I must admit I found it pretty confronting...in Australia you become accustomed to kangaroo roadkill not wombats!
Canberra as a tourist destination is in my opinion the best city in Australia and I love returning here as evidenced by this being my 3rd visit to the city. I particularly love the synergy in the city design and the number of National Buildings of significance to their respective domains. Today we visited Parliament House and also the National Portrait Gallery and have plans to see many places we haven't done on previous visits.
Canberra as a tourist destination is in my opinion the best city in Australia and I love returning here as evidenced by this being my 3rd visit to the city. I particularly love the synergy in the city design and the number of National Buildings of significance to their respective domains. Today we visited Parliament House and also the National Portrait Gallery and have plans to see many places we haven't done on previous visits.
Day 104 September 2 - Canberra
Today we visited the CSIRO Discovery Centre and were very impressed with the interactive centre. The boys were thoroughly engaged in the centre for over two hours as they went from one interactive activity to another. From the moment they walked through the doors and saw the real-life scientists working on their respective areas through the glass all they spoke about was science. As usual in Canberra there were many school groups coming and going but all of them were rather respectful and well behaved.
We returned back to base for lunch before heading out to visit the National Library of Australia, however we were disappointed to find it was just actually a library and nothing really for a tourist. As a result of this we spent the rest of the day at some local shops before returning back to the caravan for dinner.
Harrison and I went out after dinner to Parliament House to take some night photos of this Australian icon.
We returned back to base for lunch before heading out to visit the National Library of Australia, however we were disappointed to find it was just actually a library and nothing really for a tourist. As a result of this we spent the rest of the day at some local shops before returning back to the caravan for dinner.
Harrison and I went out after dinner to Parliament House to take some night photos of this Australian icon.
Day 105 September 3 - Canberra
With one eye on the weekend's forecast we set out for a full day of tourist activities. It is expected that the weekend will be very wet and windy and as a result the Tong Family endeavoured to do the outdoor tourist locations that we set out to see during our stay at Canberra. We visited Cockington Green which is a miniature town that has been created on the outskirts of Canberra. The detail that was found in their recreation of buildings and environments from around the world was very impressive and kept the boys intrigued by little quirky items such as a streaker running across a soccer pitch.
After finishing at Cockington Green we headed to the Canberra Space Station where in conjuction with NASA they continue to advance space exploration and monitoring. Here we could learn about past NASA journeys and see genuine space artefacts from astronauts belongings to lunar rovers. The drive to the space station was very exciting as we watched a sheep give birth to lambs and unfortunately some still-births.
Finally to finish the day we visited the National Museum which is dedicated to all things Australian. Here the boys particularly enjoyed playing in the K-Space area and being a radio announcer. This museum is undergoing some changes so we were not able to see one section but as always it was still well worth the visit.
Tonight we expect rain to arrive and wind to soon follow it which will hamper our activities tomorrow.
After finishing at Cockington Green we headed to the Canberra Space Station where in conjuction with NASA they continue to advance space exploration and monitoring. Here we could learn about past NASA journeys and see genuine space artefacts from astronauts belongings to lunar rovers. The drive to the space station was very exciting as we watched a sheep give birth to lambs and unfortunately some still-births.
Finally to finish the day we visited the National Museum which is dedicated to all things Australian. Here the boys particularly enjoyed playing in the K-Space area and being a radio announcer. This museum is undergoing some changes so we were not able to see one section but as always it was still well worth the visit.
Tonight we expect rain to arrive and wind to soon follow it which will hamper our activities tomorrow.
Day 106 September 4 - Canberra
During the night the rain came and throughout the day it just kept pouring down with the winds picking up by mid-afternoon. As a result of the weather we sought refuge indoors both at the shops and within the caravan. It was just a relaxing day with very little being done apart from the washing. Barb spent some time exploring the Canberra shops whilst Braiden, Harrison and I spent some considerable time within Borders Bookstore. We purchased another reading book for Braiden and at the time of writing this blog he has already finished it...all 270 odd pages worth...he has become a reading machine these holidays and by the end of the trip I want to get a photo alongisde the pile of books he has read throughout Australia. Harrison spent some time reading his book but ventured into playing his iPod and surfing the net.
Tomorrow is Father's Day and with the weather today and overnight it is expected to have snow on the highlands surrounding Canberra...perhaps weather permitting we may explore this but then again maybe we won't...we shall see in the morning!
Tomorrow is Father's Day and with the weather today and overnight it is expected to have snow on the highlands surrounding Canberra...perhaps weather permitting we may explore this but then again maybe we won't...we shall see in the morning!
Day 107 September 5 - Canberra
Private James Neighbour (Service Number - VX34789)...stated the World War Two Service Certificate of my Great Grandfather that we were able to collect from one of the computers at the Australian War Memorial. We spent Father's Day morning exploring the Australian War Memorial and even though this is the 3rd time I have personally visited this site it just gets better and better every time I visit. This time we took a free guided tour and it was just brilliant getting some in depth information about the characters and events surrounding Australia's involvement in battle and peacekeeping tours throughout the world. We probably could have spent another few hours there but this will have to wait for another time...for the boys this will possibly happen next year when their school comes to Canberra for a school camp. The highlight for me at the Australian War Memorial was definitely finding out some information about my Grandfather's war service. I knew my Grandfather served but I had no knowledge of his Battalion number or where he served and just seeing his name pop up on the computer screen really tugged at the heart strings. I now know I can request his Service Record and I shall be doing this as soon as possible...this will be important for me but more so for the boys as it also generate a greater understanding and appreciation for sacrifices made in war by Australians.
We then went to lunch at King O'Malleys Irish Pub after a short detour to the shops and then returned to shops for Barb to buy a tea set. Yes...I think after that we are seriously turning into Grey Nomads!
Tomorrow we leave Canberra and travel to Katoomba and the famous Blue Mountains where we will be spending about week before heading into Sydney.
We then went to lunch at King O'Malleys Irish Pub after a short detour to the shops and then returned to shops for Barb to buy a tea set. Yes...I think after that we are seriously turning into Grey Nomads!
Tomorrow we leave Canberra and travel to Katoomba and the famous Blue Mountains where we will be spending about week before heading into Sydney.
Day 108 September 6 - Katoomba
After years of watching the 'Great Race' at Bathurst it was an absolute thrill to actually drive the race course weeks out from this year's race...albeit towing a caravan up Mount Panorama at a very slow pace. The race course is actually a public road and driving up Mount Panorama brought on some terrific memories of races on yesteryear. The twists and turns whilst going down the hill brought on a greater appreciation of difficulties these drivers must face on race day travelling at immense speeds. After travelling the course once the family overwhelmingly decided to do it all again just to see the views at the top of the mountain again. Surprisingly for us was to see that there is actaully a winery in the middle of the race track and people's homes. We will be definitely watching the 'Great Race' this year!
We arrived at Katoomba in the late afternoon and were pretty impressed we are in a caravan park within walking distance to views of the Three Sisters. We are staying here for 9 nights to unwind and enjoy this spectacular scenery but despite this Barb and I could not wait to go and see the iconic Three Sisters as soon as possible. As with everything that is iconic it is a real buzz to see the real thing and the Three Sisters did not disappoint...we cannot wait to do some serious exploring during our stay!
We arrived at Katoomba in the late afternoon and were pretty impressed we are in a caravan park within walking distance to views of the Three Sisters. We are staying here for 9 nights to unwind and enjoy this spectacular scenery but despite this Barb and I could not wait to go and see the iconic Three Sisters as soon as possible. As with everything that is iconic it is a real buzz to see the real thing and the Three Sisters did not disappoint...we cannot wait to do some serious exploring during our stay!
Day 109 September 7 - Katoomba
For the first time in a long time we were out and about exploring a National Park. The Blue Mountains is best known for its iconic Three Sisters but we found out today there is many other endearing things to see and experience. We set out mid-morning to explore some of the lookouts and get up close to the Three Sisters. There is many lookouts walking along the track directly opposite the caravan park and they all provide spectacular views. You can see the cable cars tranversing above the valley 200m below and on this day the visibility was terrific. The Three Sisters themselves are very impressive as you get closerto them and whilst standing on the first sister you realise just how BIG they really are. We then as a family took the GIANT STAIRWAY (approximately 900 steps) to the bottom and walked our way through the rainforest to the train. This train ride is the steepest in the world and we decided today we would ride it backwards towards Scenic World at the top. It was pretty amazing the trip and well worth the money albeit it was over in a few minutes. To round off this experience we had lunch in the revolving restaurant at Scenic World overlooking the Three Sisters.
Blue Mountains - Scenic Rail Train Ride (World's Steepest)
Day 110 September 8 - Katoomba
Scenic World was the focus today for the Tong Family as we continued our adventures in the Blue Mountains. Scenic World is a family owned and run business that caters for activities that capture the scenery of this beautiful area. It has a railway, cableway, skyway and walkway that enables brilliant views of the native fauna and flora of the National Park. We started with the train ride, which we did yesterday in reverse (going upwards as opposed to going down) but this time we went down into the valley where you are able to enjoy a leisurely walk through the rainforest. The rainforest and the subsequent boradwalk was pretty spectacular as rainforest scenery goes and it enables you to experience many different aspects of this environment. We chose to go back to the top via the cableway where we were mobbed by Japanese tourists who have no understanding of a waiting line...instead marching straight to the front of the line ignoring everyone else that had been waiting in line. The cableway enabled a different view of the valley and you were able to get a much closer look at Orphan Rock as well. To round off the rides we took the Skyway that enabled us to get a closer look at Katoomba Falls and of course the valley with the Three Sisters watching over it. It is easy to see why this area is called the Blue Mountains as their is a definite blue tinge to the far away scenery and this was clearly evident today with a 100km visibility rating. We took a rather leisurely pace with all activities as there were a few sore muscles from the previous day's walk down 900 stairs of the Giant Stairway.
Tomorrow we hope to go to Jenolan Caves!
Tomorrow we hope to go to Jenolan Caves!
Day 111 September 9 -Katoomba
Over a period of time we have heard much about Jenolan Caves but even I was a little surprised at the enormity of the cave systems here. From the moment you arrive and drive through a large cave like entrance we were just amazed at the beauty and size of the caves. Today we completed two tours with the same tour guide and it is amazing what effect your tour guide has on your experience whether it is negative or positive. Obviously our tour guide had no effect on our visual experience of the caves as they are truly amazing but his delivery of information and seriously bad jokes did detract from the experience. Tomorrow we will be returning for the Adventure Tour which involves some abseiling within the caves...we had hoped to do this today but unfortunately this was booked out!
Day 112 September 10 - Katoomba
There she was staring at the tiny hole that we needed to squeeze through saying "That's not the hole we need to get through is it?"
Barb and the boys just loved this Adventure Tour as we travelled 100m upwards in a cave that opened up into large areas but then retreated into tiny spaces smaller than a 34cm television. This tour was all about getting up and close to some select caves with nothing but our headlamps for lighting. We spent up to two hours inside the cave learning about their history, minimal wildlife and formations. What I found most interesting is reading the amount of graffiti or tagging that is located inside the caves...and before you think that this has happened in recent times you would be wrong. On rock formations throughout the caves their is pencil markings dating back to 1854 and none that I saw any earlier than the 1950's. The people from earlier times would enter the cave and then leave their names and the year they were there...it was amazing to see the standard of handwriting on the rocks and in the most unusual locations. There was no doubt that the family was on high from this adventure and will leave Jenolan Caves with some pretty special memories.
Tomorrow we will travel done the mountain to Penrith particularly to see a Caravan Show.
Barb and the boys just loved this Adventure Tour as we travelled 100m upwards in a cave that opened up into large areas but then retreated into tiny spaces smaller than a 34cm television. This tour was all about getting up and close to some select caves with nothing but our headlamps for lighting. We spent up to two hours inside the cave learning about their history, minimal wildlife and formations. What I found most interesting is reading the amount of graffiti or tagging that is located inside the caves...and before you think that this has happened in recent times you would be wrong. On rock formations throughout the caves their is pencil markings dating back to 1854 and none that I saw any earlier than the 1950's. The people from earlier times would enter the cave and then leave their names and the year they were there...it was amazing to see the standard of handwriting on the rocks and in the most unusual locations. There was no doubt that the family was on high from this adventure and will leave Jenolan Caves with some pretty special memories.
Tomorrow we will travel done the mountain to Penrith particularly to see a Caravan Show.
Day 113 September 11 - Katoomba
The main focus of today was to travel down to the foot of the Blue Mountains and attend the Penrith Caravan and Camping Show. We were lucky to be in this area when this was being held and once we heard about the show we jumped at the opportunity to see it to pick up ideas and items to make our travels even better. Of course going to the a caravan show is also about looking at countless caravans and motorhomes that we cannot afford or critiquing each of them. It is amazing to see and hear the boys as they enter another caravan as they start to critique it like saying..."this one doesn't have enough storage space". We purchased a detachable clothesline that fits on the side of the caravan and few other smaller items that invariably means work for me but a better caravanning experience next time.
As we were in Penrith we decided to spend some time at Penrith Leagues Club (which is huge) albeit fully decked out in Gold Coast Titans gear.
Tomorrow we hope to relax and do very little...hopefully.
As we were in Penrith we decided to spend some time at Penrith Leagues Club (which is huge) albeit fully decked out in Gold Coast Titans gear.
Tomorrow we hope to relax and do very little...hopefully.
Day 114 September 12 - Katoomba
Every couple of weeks you need a day just to do basically very little and today was that day!
When we woke up this morning we had all intention to go visit Wentworth Falls but the general feel amongst the family was we needed a 'down day'. So as a result the boys played on the nearby oval (30 metres from the caravan) and Barb and I relaxed in the sun. The boys were most grateful for this time as it enabled them to be creative and imaginitive in a different environment...they loved playing in and around the nearby tree that fell down the other night. The last couple of days I have really enjoyed watching the semi-final NRL footy as I have had very little of this footy code as we travelled throughout Australia. You really don't appreciate how dominant AFL footy is in the vast majority of the country until you get out there and see the media coverage is close to non-existent...thank god for the internet. Tomorrow we will definitely visit Wentworth Falls but it may be dampened by predicted rain...fingers crossed.
When we woke up this morning we had all intention to go visit Wentworth Falls but the general feel amongst the family was we needed a 'down day'. So as a result the boys played on the nearby oval (30 metres from the caravan) and Barb and I relaxed in the sun. The boys were most grateful for this time as it enabled them to be creative and imaginitive in a different environment...they loved playing in and around the nearby tree that fell down the other night. The last couple of days I have really enjoyed watching the semi-final NRL footy as I have had very little of this footy code as we travelled throughout Australia. You really don't appreciate how dominant AFL footy is in the vast majority of the country until you get out there and see the media coverage is close to non-existent...thank god for the internet. Tomorrow we will definitely visit Wentworth Falls but it may be dampened by predicted rain...fingers crossed.
Day 115 September 13 - Katoomba
There is so much to see in the Blue Mountains that I believe you could stay here for weeks and not do the same thing twice...that being said we will be leaving in a couple of days. Today we explored the Wentworth Falls area and in particular the many waterfalls found there. We set out primarily to see the Wentworth Falls themselves but found ourselves taking a much longer walk than expected (3-4 hours) and saw many waterfalls along the way. The day was very overcast and at times threatened to rain but we only got wet walking underneath some of the waterfalls themselves. The terrain here is just beautiful but some of sections are very steep and walking up or down these numerous stairs can be rather tiresome with regular breaks required. After walking for many kilometres we arrived at the Conservation Hut Cafe and refueled with food and liquids before finishing our experience with a 20 minute walk to the car park. Before returning home we ventured to a well-known candy shop at Leura and rested away the remaining hours of the day.
Day 116 September 14 - Katoomba
Well we knew the rain was on its way and it eventually reached us by mid-morning giving us the impetus to seek out the nearest cinemas for a family movie. Upon investigation we also found out the local cinemas has a IMAX like movie about the Blue Mountains on a screen 6 stories high which we watched before the chosen movie being Sorcerer's Apprentice. The movie was 40 minutes long and highlighted many of the views we had encountered but added some scenery we could never achieve such as going face first over a waterfall. The movie also had a central theme about the Wollemi Pine that was miraculously found again in the Blue Mountains after it was thought to be extinct. The movie Sorcerer's Apprentice was pretty cool and complimented the many books the boys have read throughout the trip. In the afternoon I went for a final walk through the rainforest to seek out some images in the fog and rain. Tomorrow we leave Katoomba for Sydney where we explore some the tourist attractions and see the Wicked Musical.
Day 117 September 15 - Sydney
Today we arrived at North Narrabeen just north of Manly for some adventures in the city of Sydney. I have to admit Sydney is not a city I particularly like...in fact it borders on a serious dislike but for a tourist I can see it has some terrific things to see and experience. Today we reached another milestone with the total cost of petrol thus far on this trip breaking the $8,000 mark...ironically all this as the cost of petrol is dropping rapidly throughout the country. We arrived at our base at North Narrabeen just after lunchtime and after setting up we took off to look at the suburb of Manly and some transport options for our stay. It is obvious that public transport is the best way to navigate around this city as the cost of parking is just too expensive...so it will be buses and ferries for a few days.
Tomorrow we head into Sydney City.
Tomorrow we head into Sydney City.
Day 118 September 16 - Sydney
The city of Sydney has a population of 4 1/2 million people and it felt like all them were driving their cars as we utilised public transport to get to Sydney and navigate around. Early this morning we took advantage of the bus system to get to Manly and then caught the ferry to Circular Quay in Sydney in order to visit the Sunrise Television Studio. Barb and Harrison were most excited by seeing this show being filmed and finally got themselves on television at the end of the show. The stars of Sunrise remained behind to sign autographs and have their photo taken with us which was terrific. We then returned to the Sydney Harbour where we noticed that the Australian flags flying on the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge were flying at half mast in respect of the policeman who was recently killed (his funeral was today). The boys were pretty amazed to see the size of the Opera House as it was much bigger then they had thought...they also thought the Sydney Harbour Bridge was smaller than they had previously thought. With these Sydney landmarks ticked off our list we then headed to Bondi Beach where one of Braiden's favourite TV shows is filmed "Bondi Rescue". The film crews were there when we arrived but quickly finished as we had some fish and chips by the beach before the boys played in the sand for approximately 30 minutes. To round off the day we visited Sydney Tower where we undertook a Skywalk around the tower with harnesses to ensure our safety. This icon is the tallest building in Sydney and is more than double the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The walk entailed two glass floors where you can literally look over the edge of the building...and as Harrison loved doing jump and down many times...and yes it shook!
We returned back to base rather tired and worn out and in need of a few zzzz's!
We returned back to base rather tired and worn out and in need of a few zzzz's!
Day 119 September 17 - Sydney
Being an enthusiastic photographer with some pretty decent photographic equipment often brings security asking questions about your intentions. Today one of the locations we went to was Luna Park and armed with my camera and a tripod to capture family photos security quickly swamped me and asked me whether I was a professional photographer. This over zealous reaction happens too regularly and quite frankly ruined my experience of Luna Park...heaven forbid the professional photographer...he/she must feel like a criminal with the way some of these people react to them. All this aside the boys really enjoyed Luna Park and the opportunity to go on numerous rides with their unlimited passes. Braiden in particular showed no fear as he conquered every ride possible in the park. It was a busy day with us going to the Powerhouse Museum, Paddy's Markets and Luna Park with the family arriving back at base just before 11pm. The Powerhouse Museum was terrific and had two exhibitions that Barb and I really enjoyed...Back to the 80's and an AC/DC exhibit! In the last few days we have really utilised the ferries and buses and I have been pretty impressed with the public transport network here.
Tomorrow we add a little bit of culture to our Sydney trip as we take in the "Wicked" musical which will be the boys first professional musical performance.
Tomorrow we add a little bit of culture to our Sydney trip as we take in the "Wicked" musical which will be the boys first professional musical performance.
Day 120 September 18 - Sydney
Sydney was never originally part of our planning for this trip and therefore a musical was definitely not a part of this trip either. However, with the extra time available it was decided that Sydney will be a destination on the way home and we jumped at the chance to take the boys to a musical. 'Wicked the Musical' is I suppose a prequel to the Wizard of Oz and concentrates on the relationships of the witches. The storyline is very clever (based on the book of the same name) but the performances and visual lighting are in my opinion the real highlight and are just brilliant. This musical is coming to Brisbane very soon...in fact the tickets are now selling and it is well worth a look. Tomorrow will be a rest day before we leave Sydney to go to Seals Rocks!
Day 121 September 19 - Sydney
It has been a whirlwind few days in Sydney and today it was an opportunity for me to be sloth-like and do very little apart from a few jobs like the washing. Barb took the opportunity to take in some shopping at the Warringah Mall whilst the male members of the family just chilled out. Sydney has been very busy but terrifc all the same. Tomorrow we leave for Seal Rocks and in some ways the beginning of what is generally a typical holidays for us catching up with great friends and relaxing. The boys will have their friends to play with and keep them entertained whilst the adults can relax. We are definitely on the homeward stretch now and in many ways we are excited to be back home to enjoy the many things we often take for granted!
Day 122 September 20 - Seal Rocks
We have arrived at Seal Rocks for what would have been a typical school holidays with our regular holiday buddies in the Howard family. The boys are excited to be with friends again and have revelled in playing with their iPods and kicking the footy. Seal Rocks is right on the beach and hopefully with better weather we will be able to go for a swim. It was great to reflect on our trip with friends with many laughs being had.
Our holiday is quickly coming to an end and it is time for me to reflect on our holidays and I shall choose a different topic each day.
FUEL - Obviously to travel around Australia you will need plenty of fuel and we always travelled with two gerry cans as a back up. We did use these on several occasions particularly when we travelled long distances and were affected by headwinds or high inclines. At the speed we travelled and the vast distances we did we racked up big dollars in fuel costs and pretty rapidly at times. Retirees travel at a different speed as they go from pay day to pay day and work within their means accordingly but due to our timelines of only having 5 months we at times were racking up huge dollars with all the tourist attractions added on...in saying this I wouldn't change a thing as I see it as no different to racking up some debt when travelling overseas! The cost of fuel was pretty expensive in some remote places and I would hate to imagine the cost of this trip if fuel prices were to increase substantially. Our vehicle towing our van fluctuated from 22 litres to 30 litres per 100km travelled depending on the terrain and the winds...often finding a BIG road train to coast behind was a godsend!
Our holiday is quickly coming to an end and it is time for me to reflect on our holidays and I shall choose a different topic each day.
FUEL - Obviously to travel around Australia you will need plenty of fuel and we always travelled with two gerry cans as a back up. We did use these on several occasions particularly when we travelled long distances and were affected by headwinds or high inclines. At the speed we travelled and the vast distances we did we racked up big dollars in fuel costs and pretty rapidly at times. Retirees travel at a different speed as they go from pay day to pay day and work within their means accordingly but due to our timelines of only having 5 months we at times were racking up huge dollars with all the tourist attractions added on...in saying this I wouldn't change a thing as I see it as no different to racking up some debt when travelling overseas! The cost of fuel was pretty expensive in some remote places and I would hate to imagine the cost of this trip if fuel prices were to increase substantially. Our vehicle towing our van fluctuated from 22 litres to 30 litres per 100km travelled depending on the terrain and the winds...often finding a BIG road train to coast behind was a godsend!
Day 123 September 21 - Seal Rocks
The weather cleared and the boys were able to hit the beach and boogie boarding for the first time since Broome in Western Australia. It was also the first time that we as a family were also able to wear shorts and even thongs which was nice. We hope that tomorrow will also be a terrific day as it was great to see theboys being active on the beach.
POWER - Our van has an extra battery that is charged through the car whilst driving and during free camping this was able to last several days. However, the power needs of our family (being technologically dependent in some capacity) often exceeded our supply and throughout the trip we decided to purchase a generator. The generator has met our needs on the few occasions that our power needs required extra power...we investigated solar and from our opinion the generator was our best option...butin saying that further done the track we may also purchase some type of solar set up as well. In the car we also have a second battery to power our Waeco fridge which has been invaluable in more ways than one. The batteries in the car can be linked and has been a saviour when our original car battery start to fade and ultimately requires replacing...this enabled our car to still function despite an almost dead battery. This could have been a slight disaster if I only had one battery and we were in a remote area. The other bonus of the generator is that it also could also start the car if required.
POWER - Our van has an extra battery that is charged through the car whilst driving and during free camping this was able to last several days. However, the power needs of our family (being technologically dependent in some capacity) often exceeded our supply and throughout the trip we decided to purchase a generator. The generator has met our needs on the few occasions that our power needs required extra power...we investigated solar and from our opinion the generator was our best option...butin saying that further done the track we may also purchase some type of solar set up as well. In the car we also have a second battery to power our Waeco fridge which has been invaluable in more ways than one. The batteries in the car can be linked and has been a saviour when our original car battery start to fade and ultimately requires replacing...this enabled our car to still function despite an almost dead battery. This could have been a slight disaster if I only had one battery and we were in a remote area. The other bonus of the generator is that it also could also start the car if required.
Day 124 September 22 - Seal Rocks
Today was another day of sand and water with a little detour to Forster for some grocery shopping and some fish and chips. The town of Forster appears to be a nice place to visit and perhaps on another trip we shall stay there. The boys again enjoyed the beach with some boogie boarding to begin with and then playing in the sand creating imaginary sand-based worlds.
CITY vs COUNTRY - In my opinion I have enjoyed the countryside far better than the cities as the cities are largely populated by the same shops just in different buildings with a sprinkling of tourist attractions. However, our vast country is just so beautiful and different with enscarpments, waterfalls, unpopulated beaches and then there is the wildlife that I found myself being constantly amazed by what we were seeing and experiencing. The down side is that countryside is just so vast and this means lots of travel and petrol costs...however in saying that I wouldn't do it any other way the memories are priceless!
CITY vs COUNTRY - In my opinion I have enjoyed the countryside far better than the cities as the cities are largely populated by the same shops just in different buildings with a sprinkling of tourist attractions. However, our vast country is just so beautiful and different with enscarpments, waterfalls, unpopulated beaches and then there is the wildlife that I found myself being constantly amazed by what we were seeing and experiencing. The down side is that countryside is just so vast and this means lots of travel and petrol costs...however in saying that I wouldn't do it any other way the memories are priceless!
Day 125 September 23 - Seal Rocks
Very little was done today and this was exactly how we wanted it to be but we wish it was a little bit warmer. Despite the cool weather this still didn't deter the boys as they still hit the water in what the adults termed "that freezing water". For today's blog I will outline my Absolute Essentials to take on a trip like this and I stress this is in no particular order.
- Camps Australia Wide book
- Some type of power replenisher such as a generator or solar
- A decent camera and video camera
- A navigator even if it is only for knowing how much farther we have to go
- Gerry cans for petrol
- Laptop with internet access
- Thermal clothing
- A fan heater
- RACQ Ultimate Cover
- Telstra phone (we are with Optus but Telstra has a far superior network coverage)
- Camps Australia Wide book
- Some type of power replenisher such as a generator or solar
- A decent camera and video camera
- A navigator even if it is only for knowing how much farther we have to go
- Gerry cans for petrol
- Laptop with internet access
- Thermal clothing
- A fan heater
- RACQ Ultimate Cover
- Telstra phone (we are with Optus but Telstra has a far superior network coverage)
Day 126 September 24 - Seal Rocks
Tonight the Gold Coast Titans football season concluded exiting one game away from the Grand Final. It was a little surreal missing out on so much of this year's footy season especially as we have been club members since their inception. Unfortunately for us we are in NSW territory and because our Titans gear has been out for all to see I know we will be reminded tomorrow of our loss. Today was warmer and I was able to join the boys for swim and a boogie board which is the first time since Broome.
Day 127 September 25 - Seal Rocks
Throughout the trip I have posted on the website almost 1500 photos and I have regularly recieved queries about the setup that I carry. I am currently using my fourth SLR camera which is a Canon 5D mkII...it is my fourth SLR camera in the 16 years I have been interested in photography. It is a terrific camera that also has video capablities however I have not used this feature yet. I have as my main wide angle lense a Tamron SP 10-24mm which has a circular polariser attached and often I will also use a 8x Neutral Density filter as required (this is my landscape lense). The other lense is a Canon Zoom Lense EF 70-200mm which I also attach a 1.4 extender as required. I have a Manfrotto tripod and monopod which are essential for landscape photography. Photography is a serious hobby for me that when back in the real world I cannot always indulge in when I see fit...this trip enabled me to get back to something that I really enjoy and obviously provided many beautiful opportunities for me to capture. If you are planning a trip like this do yourself a favour and get a decent camera so you really can remember the trip in years t0 come!
Day 128 September 26 - Woolgoolga
With a four hour drive we arrived at our last destination on this 5 month journey in Woolgoolga just north of Coffs Harbour. We can definitely feel that we are getting closer to home and before we know it we will be madly getting the house back into order hopefully by the time we return to school and work. The boys have travelled very well considering we have done so many kilometres and their attention is turning towards getting back to friends. Our campsite at Lakeside Caravan Park is terrific with the beach within walking distance and a natural inlet bordering our campsite. The campsite is quiet with plenty of birdlife which we particularly enjoy!
Day 129 September 27 - Woolgoolga
During our stay at Seal Rocks we saw many people riding stand-up paddle boards and I made an assessment that it must be easier to use a stand-up paddle board to catch waves than a surf board. I have been saying for many years that I would have liked to learn how to surf and I suppose this desire was disrupted by a shoulder reconstruction a few years ago. With my 40th birthday approaching Barb and the boys decided that my present would be a stand-up paddle board and now is the time to go and choose one. So today I went shopping for a stand-up paddle board and one was selected from the Longboard Shack here at Coffs Harbour. Now with a few hours of use I can say it is definitely harder to use than what it looks and they are lots of fun. At the moment the surf is very choppy and the standing part is most difficult but the catching of the waves minus the paddle board is getting some success. The shoulders know they have had a workout and at the time of writing this blog I must say I am pretty tired...can't wait for the morning where I shall be back out there again!
Day 130 September 28 - Woolgoolga
This morning I hit the waves early to get some added experience using the paddle board and throughout the day I returned another two times with the boys. The body is pretty sore as I write this blog with this type of exercise being rather foreign to me and this added with no exercise apart from walking throughout the 5 month trip has created a perfect storm effect. Throughout the trip I believe I have probably gained about 3-4 kilos and I am craving getting back to the gym and playing some touch football again. The break physically has been very refreshing but the body will take a little while to get back into shape...hopefully by summertime I will be in better shape.
We now only have two full days left before we take the final drive home and obviously the end of the travelling blog. We have really enjoyed the feedback from our friends and even some strangers and although sometimes the motivation to write a blog did wane at times I am really happy that we have persevered as the memories have been captured and shared for others to enjoy.
We now only have two full days left before we take the final drive home and obviously the end of the travelling blog. We have really enjoyed the feedback from our friends and even some strangers and although sometimes the motivation to write a blog did wane at times I am really happy that we have persevered as the memories have been captured and shared for others to enjoy.
Day 131 September 29 - Woolgoolga
The rain fell with a melodic rhythm that was soothing to my aching body as I lay in my bed. The mid-life crisis of trying to learn how to use a stand-up paddle board in the surf was finally catching up with my body. I took my new paddle board out early this morning on the inlet bordering the caravan park and saw 5 small stingrays shoot off in all directions as the dark shadow of my board approached. It is amazing the difference some calm waters makes to my ability in standing on the board and using the paddle as I am definitely struggling in the surf...so much so I have reverted to catching the waves in the traditional surfing style.
The winds picked up and the weather turned nasty as the day progressed and this restricted our activities to the caravans...but no one objected!
Tomorrow is our last full day and at the time of writing this blog we have no plans whatsoever
The winds picked up and the weather turned nasty as the day progressed and this restricted our activities to the caravans...but no one objected!
Tomorrow is our last full day and at the time of writing this blog we have no plans whatsoever
Day 132 September 30 - Woolgoolga
The last full day of our holiday and we headed into Coffs Harbour for some shopping, had lunch at an RSL and returned for a surf in the afternoon. The family is getting pretty excited now as we inch closer to returning home...I personally have some mixed feelings but overall I am looking forward to returning and gaining some routine back into my life. The credit card has had a pretty heavy workout but hopefully we shall get that trimmed by Christmas time...fingers crossed!
It is amazing what you look forward to most when you return after a trip like this and sometimes it is the small things that stick out most such as two-ply toilet paper and your own bed!
I have no doubts that the whole family will be up early in the morning bellies full of excitement!
It is amazing what you look forward to most when you return after a trip like this and sometimes it is the small things that stick out most such as two-ply toilet paper and your own bed!
I have no doubts that the whole family will be up early in the morning bellies full of excitement!
Approximately 1 Week After Returning Home from our 5 Month Trip
Well it has been just over 1 week since our return home from our 5 month trip. Things are still not back in order but we a slowly getting there as we have been slowed down by the constant rain.
The family was very excited on our return trip with the boys constantly stating "I remember that..." referring to an insignificant item like a tree or building or sign...which after a while was a little annoying. Upon arrival back home the boys ran from room to room jumping on lounges and beds in a strange marking of territory like behaviour as the adults returned the caravan to its resting place until the next time. It took several hours to get the majority of items out of the caravan and car for washing and return to their respective places within our house. The lawn is still yet to be mowed due to the rain and the pool is slowly losing its green appearance as the chlorine takes full effect.
In the whole time that we were away no one in the family was sick or even had a runny nose and yet as I write this final blog post I already have a heavy head cold which Braiden had earlier in the week and Harrison possibly has the start of a cold...there must be something in that! The boys have settled back into school life and have enjoyed being with their friends again.
It appears that we have inspired many people to get out and see Australia albeit in different forms and with different locations. The real challenge for us post holiday is how to maximise the memories and enable them to last as long as possible...which takes me to the next part of this whole experience...the creation of individual Coffee Books for Harrison, Braiden and the family. This task will be undertaken probably over the Christmas Holidays as work dictates a large portion of my free time at present. Harrison is very keen to be a part of this process particular the creation of his own book!
The total amount of kilometres travelled throughout our trip was 24,090.6km, we spent over $8,000 in petrol costs alone...add to that accommodation costs, wear and tear on the car and caravan (car services), new tyres and of course entry fees into the numerous attractions and it all adds up to a pretty expensive trip, but in my opinion it was PRICELESS and if the given the opportunity to do so again I would do it all over again!
The family was very excited on our return trip with the boys constantly stating "I remember that..." referring to an insignificant item like a tree or building or sign...which after a while was a little annoying. Upon arrival back home the boys ran from room to room jumping on lounges and beds in a strange marking of territory like behaviour as the adults returned the caravan to its resting place until the next time. It took several hours to get the majority of items out of the caravan and car for washing and return to their respective places within our house. The lawn is still yet to be mowed due to the rain and the pool is slowly losing its green appearance as the chlorine takes full effect.
In the whole time that we were away no one in the family was sick or even had a runny nose and yet as I write this final blog post I already have a heavy head cold which Braiden had earlier in the week and Harrison possibly has the start of a cold...there must be something in that! The boys have settled back into school life and have enjoyed being with their friends again.
It appears that we have inspired many people to get out and see Australia albeit in different forms and with different locations. The real challenge for us post holiday is how to maximise the memories and enable them to last as long as possible...which takes me to the next part of this whole experience...the creation of individual Coffee Books for Harrison, Braiden and the family. This task will be undertaken probably over the Christmas Holidays as work dictates a large portion of my free time at present. Harrison is very keen to be a part of this process particular the creation of his own book!
The total amount of kilometres travelled throughout our trip was 24,090.6km, we spent over $8,000 in petrol costs alone...add to that accommodation costs, wear and tear on the car and caravan (car services), new tyres and of course entry fees into the numerous attractions and it all adds up to a pretty expensive trip, but in my opinion it was PRICELESS and if the given the opportunity to do so again I would do it all over again!