Notes: for those that have nothing else to do
The word mate is another Australia endearment. Coming out of the loo you are greeted as a mate, women call you a mate, woman to woman is a mate. The toilet paper is a mate; your mother in law is a mate.........!
Jurian Bay - Badgincarra - Moora - New Norcia - Rt 359 - Upper Swan - Perth
Interesting drive especially the Benedictine community at New Norcia...and they make their own great wine.
Any way it was to friend’s home in Perth that I had met at Tom Price Caravan Park. First time I've been under sheets in 2 months. Had to watch 2 nights of Aussie football but the box wine was great. Into Perth BMW for another mend on the beamer and major download off the credit card. Did get into Fremantle and visited the Maritime Museum. Perth was wet and it was the first time in all of my travels that I had to contend with rain.
Perth - Albany Hwy - Williams
This was a major change in my choice of direction as I was going to head south but just listening to the weather for the next 7 days, east young man go east.
Williams was wet going in and it was just as wet the next morning. Nothing makes your day then packing away a wet tent, single digit temps and gear.
Williams - Narrogin - Wagin - Lake Grace - Albany
Well I was heading east but when I looked at the horizon south of where I was traveling and the sky was clear and I just knew that Albany had to be visited.
Into Albany it was and the camp site was dry and it had a grassy area for me tent.....The next day was to the Whale Museum, matter of fact Albany was the last whaling station to be closed in Australia. The closing devastated the town for a number of years as the auto industry in respect to Detroit. That night another weather front moved in and patter of rain was a constant companion for the night.
Also along the Albany coast is where Australia actually separated from the Antarctic.
Albany - Jerramungup - Ravensthorpe – Lake King- Hyden
Out of Albany with wet gear again but heading some where it just had to be dry. Hyden, the site of the Wave Rock, was the night stop. Unusual but worth the trip.
The Great Wave Rock
Hyden – Marvel Loch- Southern Cross – Coolgardie- Kalgoorlie
Another morning of wet gear but just knowing that Kalgoorlie was the next stop was a plus. Caught the dirt road up to Southern Cross then east to Kalgoorlie. Most of the caravan sites where booked solid but did find a spot at the Gold-miners Caravan site on the main road. Noisy up until 1900 then come 0500 hrs the traffic is back at it again. Spent one day running the dirt roads around to the various goldmine sites (goldfield heritage track), early 1800's - 1940 but most of the buildings had been torn down and what buildings that were standing had graffiti on it (another fine American export product!).
The gold fields north of Kalgoorlie
Gold field site
With the gold field closing the last building standing is the Pub…!
The road from Southern Cross to Kalgoorlie was a trash dump. I thought for a second that someone had brought a bunch of locals over from Hawaii and contributed their local talent to trashing the roads.
Kalgoorlie – Boulder- Kambalda West - Norseman- Cocklebiddy (no way is there a name like this!!!!)
Did I mention that the Kalgoorlie brothel going rate was $125 for the room and $650 for the lady of choice for 2 hours. My question what do you do after the first ten minutes......!
To continue, moving west along the Nullarbor and the first night was at the Cockelbiddy Roadhouse. Wind was blowing 25kts or better, so it was mattress down with the sleeping bag. Come sunset the wind died down along with the flies disappearing. At actually 0041 hrs the wind came up from the other directions at 15-20 kts and all hell broke loose with tents blowing every where. I just grabbed my stuff and moved everything over to the lee side of the petrol station for the rest of the night.
Cockelbiddy Motel sun set
Cockelbiddy –Elcua- Nullarbor Motel
Crossed into South Australia with the following statistics:
Western OZ: 11,600 kms
Total mileage since Sydney: 20,838 kms
The Royal Flying Doctor’s Service emergency airstrip. You will find these airstrips on all major roads throughout the outback.
What is nice about moving east is having the sun hitting you right in the eyes. The first 2 hours you have your left hand resting on the tank bag keeping the sun from burning a small hole in your retina. Did spot 2 dozen camels heading across the highway early on but it was the only excitement for the day. Into the Nullarbor Roadhouse and it was and the backpacker’s accommodation for the night. The following morning it was heavy fog along with a 100% precipitation. Everything was wet and the fog didn't burn off until 1000 hrs.
The Michelin Icon
And the famous Nullarbor Bottle tree……..
Nullarbor –Yalata Roadhouse- Ceduna
After getting through the fog with the visibility down to less then 100m, it was a stop at the whale watch. Saw a southern right whale with calf but so far off shore that taking a picture was not worth it.
Sign to the Right Whale Watch Facility run by the local aborigine council
The headquarters for the Whale Watch
Walk way to the observation platform for the right whales which at this time of year is the birthing season.
Back on the road for another very long drive. Just getting off the Nullarbor was a blessing as you actually started to see farms, landscape and people. It was into Ceduna for the night and the bottle shop was only minutes away.
Ceduna - Port Lincoln
What a great ride down the coast with farm land, sand dunes, rocky soil, rock walls, wheat fields and a stop at Elliston. Just before getting into Elliston follow the road up to the cliffs and just a great view of the cliffs and the southern ocean at work. As you descend into Port Lincoln there is a minimum of 5 degree temp drop but its all part of this prepaid package of mine. Night was at the Port Lincoln Caravan site 6 kms just out of town heading for Port Augusta. Right on the ocean and a great place to spend the night.
Reminds you of the New England soil in Vermont and New Hampshire
Port Lincoln – Tumby Bay-Cowell-Whyalla-Port Augusta
Winds out of the north-west at 25- 45 kts with gale force winds just off shore. And you would think that common sense would have kicked in for me to stay another day at Port Lincoln....wrong. Fought the bloody winds all of the way to Port Augusta. Just a miserable trip and a very stupid move on my part.
Port Augusta was a blessing to be at but the winds where just as bad so getting the tent down was just a bit of a chore. That night the winds were down and the flies were gone and with a proper bottle of VB beer did I ever sleep the sleep of the blessed.
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