Although the distance from Lautoka to Suva is not far, cruise ships manage to still arrive after sunrise with time to spare to get all the shore furniture ready for guests to disembark soon after breakfast. Our docking point in Suva is at a container wharf with shipping containers stacked up to 7 high. Next door is the central Suva bus station. Buses are the main public transport system for Fiji.
Suva
Suva is the capital city of Fiji, located on the southeast coast of Viti Levu, the country’s largest island.
Population: ~90,000 (about 330,000 in the greater Suva–Nausori urban area) Role: Political, administrative, and commercial centre of Fiji Climate: Tropical rainforest – warm and humid year-round, with frequent rain Port: One of the South Pacific’s most important ports
Quick facts:
What Suva is known for:
Government & diplomacy – Parliament House, embassies, regional organisations Education – University of the South Pacific (USP) main campus Shipping & trade – major container and cruise port Health services – Colonial War Memorial Hospital Urban life – markets, nightlife, museums, and a strong Indo-Fijian and Pacific cultural mix
Beside the bus station is a very active farmers market which seems to run day and night. The shopping centre is beyond the market. This enables us to walk to town or catch the free shuttle bus. All the tourist buses come onto the wharf to collect or drop off excursion passengers. The wharf precinct is very busy as you can imagine.
We took the shuttle bus to town in the morning and returned to the ship for lunch.
Shopping for bras can be very exposing. Want a foot massage?
Negotiating a price and what was on offer can be tricky and without much knowledge of where we will visit, at the end of the negotiation process. We “did a deal” thinking we would be departing within a few minutes. Not to be. The bus was a 20 seater and each seat represented a different deal that had to be made in order for the tour of the city to start. We waited for 40 minutes for that process to be completed. (Fiji time).
Fortunately, a tour guide accompanied us as the driver’s job is to drive and grunt. We were shown most of the cities important landmarks and buildings and made it to a waterfall up some “hairy” roads; roads that I would never consider driving our motor home on.
Lyn with the guard at the entrance to government house. Lyn’s Dad worked out of this office with fabulous view of SuvaA dessert known as Alaskan Bomb.
A tradition that used to be normal for departures by cruise boats from Suva was that the Fiji Police Band would play for 30 minutes prior to the casting off; that has been deleted from the farewell procedure which used to be a highlight.
Our next destination had to be changed due damage at the tender wharf at Dravuni Island. Near to Viti Levu is the town of Savu Savu on the second largest Fijian island of Vanua Levu. Our captain decided that was a good alternative. All these little towns on the islands are very busy with what seems to be, a town where you go to if you’re not fishing or in the garden.
The shuttle tender was quite crowded and the town only required a couple of hours to explore and experience the culture of their way of life.
We have been in overcast weather all the way from Honiara to Luganville Vanuatu. However, on our side has been the ocean. It’s amazing what a request to “stay calm please” does. (Nice to have an obedient ocean.)
Vanuatu became an independent country on 30 July 1980.
Before that, it was known as the New Hebrides, jointly administered by Britain and France under a unique system called a condominium. Independence in 1980 made Vanuatu a sovereign nation within the Commonwealth.
We crept into Luganville in the early misty hours. When the fog lifted, we were able to enjoy a brilliant tropical morning for breakfast on the outside deck of the ship.
In Vanuatu, blue holes are deep freshwater ponds formed where underground springs rise through limestone rock to the surface. The clear, pure water absorbs longer light wavelengths, making the holes appear vividly blue — almost unreal in colour. Many are surrounded by jungle and accessed via paddling up rivers or through forest tracks.
Our excursion to the blue holes took us along country potholed roads for 45 minutes. The water was blue and crystal clear. We were in a group of 20 – 30, some swam and even Lyn had some time in the cooling water.
Prior to leaving Luganville, the captain advised that he had changed our itinerary due to the buildup of strong storms west of Vanuatu and we would be missing Vila and Mystery Island. It is better to be unhappy and safe than happy and go through storms in the captains view. (Good on the captain.)
This means that we will reach Lautoka earlier by a few days but will have an overnight berth at both Lautoka and Suva. Tropical storms can be devastating and turn into cyclones and “riding” through them is not anybody’s choice.
The entertainment has been varied through the cruise with a request to not film the shows. I managed to get a shot of the last scene last night (naughty naughty).
FIJI
With the adjusted schedule, our arrival through the reef was in daylight around 3pm with a “tie up” around 5:15pm. We are in Fiji now.
As we disembarked, we were welcomed with smiles and offers of massage. Which do you take? What tour excursion is available and where to. We booked a taxi to take us to Fulton University tomorrow, where Lyn’s dad was the Chairman of the Board years ago. Oh! We took a $20 leg massage be fore getting back on the ship for the night.
Fulton University is a new campus away from the coast win a beautiful setting. With over 1000 students, 300 boarders as well as many studying in their home countries around the South Pacific. The lecturers go to those countries for intensive classroom sessions during the school year.
Administration and Library blockThe new chapel opened recently in November.
The return trip and “look around” took about 3 hours. Tonight we cruise around the island to Suva for two days and a night.
Located in Papua New Guinea’s Milne Bay Province, Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands and home to the majority of their 12,000-strong indigenous population. The picturesque island is steeped in history and is famous to many as a site of U.S. occupation during World War II. In fact, various relics of the war, including the remains of an American plane, can still be seen on this the island. But Kiriwina is home to far more than history. Here, you’ll find an idyllic traditional lifestyle, incredibly friendly locals and a fascinating social structure that’s based on matrilineal clans, with unique marriage and courtship rituals. Many aspects of life revolve around the cultivation and exchange of yams.There’s also mesmerizing scenery, from crystal-clear waters to jungle-covered cliffs. Hire a dugout canoe, hike to the burial caves, peruse exquisite carvings and explore the coral-filled offshore islands. Be sure to stop and watch a game of Trobriand cricket, an innovative spin on the game. Whatever you choose to do, it’s bound to be an eye-opening experience.
Today was going to be a wet and windy day and hoping into a tender boat to get to the island wasn’t in our thoughts. A few tender loads of passenger managed to make to the island before a fierce wind squall hit us. The captain closed down the passenger transfers and eventually ordered all passengers back to the ship. Some passengers were held in the tenders for over 90 minutes until the squall subsided to a safe level to transfer back to Noordam.
From Kiriwina islands it takes a sea day to get to Honiara port in the “Hapi Isles”; Solomon Islands. The entertainment for the evening was a Spanish Guitarist from Melbourne. The rocking and rolling of the ocean didn’t affect our smooth sailing in the Solomon Sea.
Eventually, Honiara came into sight and my heart skipped a little as a reason for this cruise is to relive our days of enjoying life here in the 80s. We have managed to “find” friends on facebook and arrange to meet during the day. As we came off the ship, the traditional bamboo band was playing the sounds of the “hapi isles”.
The Solomon Islands bamboo band. Our home on campus The office I worked at. The elementary school our kids attended.
Just nearby, Julie and her husband Kevin had been waiting to show us around our old “hometown”. We worked here for 4 and a half years 1985 to 1989, with two years at Atoifi Hospital on Malaita Island. Julie had been the head in the School of nursing at Atoifi Hospital
and is now teaching nursing in Honiara. Her sister, Encie, worked as a secretary in an office I also worked, and has recently retired from being principal of a 600 student school.
Bradley came from the western Solomons by boat to Honiara just to meetup. He had been the manager of a carvings industry at Betikama High School which was my privilege to be the CFO while also the CFO at Atoifi Hospital.
What reunion chatter the day brought as we drove around the pot holed town of Honiara. The school at Betikama High School was on vacation
Our home at Betikama high schoolJapanese war planes found on the Betikama property The Carvings shedJulie – worked with me at AtoifiDoctor Chester From Atoifi Hospital Encie – worked together in Honiara. Bradley- my carving shop manager
While living in Honiara, Lyn worked at Guadalcanal Travel agency so we dropped by for a visit. All past employees have moved on to other ventures.
The pilot has done his job.
As we left Honiara, our hearts knew that they had fond memories of the beautiful people that we had both worked with and had fun together. Thank you Julie, Encie and Bradley for being such a fun ingredient to our day of nostalgia. Keep safe guys.
Our Honiara day didn’t end at the wharf, it ended when the pilot boat headed back to the town. The pilot is Encie’s son.
We have another sea day to travel to our next port Luganville, Vanuatu.
Due to an evolving tropical cyclone, our entry into Cairns was delayed until 6pm. The seas were calm but the harbour master wouldn’t allow large ships to berth until the exact direction of the cyclone was known. It made landfall about 400 km to the south of us.
We had a plan to meet up with a travel colleague but due to our change of plans Liz changed hers and wasn’t available on the Sunday. However, after a shop around the Cairns Shopping Centre (thank goodness for air conditioning), a haircut and a few needed items, we met up with Hilary and a catchup on her goings on since last year.
Of course, we managed to partake of our favorite ice cream from Bobbins Baskin. (Would you believe, for morning tea?
Our ship departed around 6:00pm through the Great Barrier Reef and into some moderate seas with a few bumps thrown in. With my walking poles, I have an ‘all clear’ passage as other folk “get out of my way”. Yes, if you see someone coming with walking aids, you make a swift move to the left or right of the walkway, especially in the lido dining room. The next day is a sea day and we find a quiet spot in the library to play 5 crowns and enjoy what the barista does for us.
During each woken moment during the night, I check Google Maps to see our location at that point. It was noticeable when we came through the reef into the lagoon near Conflict Islands; the bouncy rocking ceased. We were back in Papua New Guinea after 40 years absent. I had never been to Milne Bay Province when we lived in PNG in the early 80s, but it’s a very nice harbour and a very busy little town. Not sure why there’s no resort here but it would be a great spot.
After we disembarked for a walk around the town, we quickly found out that most of the locals speak English. I had expected to use my limited Motu language or some Tok Pisin but the two little kids that latched onto us didn’t seem to know either. So English was the way we communicated while walking around the town. Found out later that Motu is not used at all in Alotau.
The streets are typical PNG style. Lots of broken pavements and rubbish. Noticeable are the “keep Alotau Clean bins” and the list of fines for chewing or spitting betelnut.
My thoughts went to Venice where the gondolas are moored.
The places for eating are not too hygienic so we made our way back to Noordam for lunch, cool downs and an afternoon nap. Our departure for Kiriwini Islands is for 5:30pm.
Alotau, Papua New Guinea
The sprawling town of Alotau, spectacularly located on Papua New Guinea’s southeastern tip, is an ideal introduction to the relaxed charms of the region. The capital of Milne Bay Province, Alotau is also the main port for the 600 islands that encompass the area.
The buzzing harbor, just a short walk from town, is a hive of activity, with ships, boats and canoes transporting passengers and plying their trades.The town was the site of the 1942 Battle of Milne Bay, resulting in Japan’s first defeat in the Pacific during World War II. Milne Bay was a major Allied base, and some of the war’s fiercest fighting took place in Papua New Guinea. Although there’s not much to see now, a fascinating Battle of Milne Bay tour combines historic war stories with locals’ tales of how modern warfare changed their world.
More broadly, Alotau is an excellent place to gain insight into Papua New Guinea’s cultures and traditions; don’t miss the Cultural Festival excursion in which you’ll see everything from warrior dances to gospel choirs to traditional drumming. For even more local flavor, wander through Alotau Market with its mounds of betel nuts, which many islanders chew.
Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) is a large sand island off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, known for its pristine beaches, towering sand dunes (including the world’s highest coastal dune, Mount Tempest), and clear lagoons, making it a popular destination for 4WD adventures, camping, and wildlife encounters like dolphin feeding at Tangalooma. 98% of the island is a national park, offering activities like snorkeling the Tangalooma Wrecks, sand tobogganing, and exploring its natural beauty, accessible by a 75-minute ferry from Brisbane.
What a calm sea we have “endured” for the last 36 hours as we head north up the coast of New South Wales towards Queensland; a bit like a glass of tonic, shaken but not stirred at all.
I looked out our deck door at 4:00am to find the pilot boat making its way to the ship to help the crew in the ship’s bridge navigate the sand bars of the Moreton Bay. We went through a period of graze-cruising in the early morning light with the sun threatening to show its light source and imply “I’m now in control” for the day. We had, before the cruise, decided, or should I say “suggested”, that if we were to enjoy the inventions of the Noordam Chefs, an early morning visit to the gym was necessary. The score is 1 out of 2.
We chose to miss the tender transfer to Moreton Island and to take another morning with ease on Noordam after breakfast. Our afternoon had us improving the tan on the stern deck.
Don’t the lounge beds look like rows of Starlink satellite receivers?
Looking down the atrium at midships. This deck is walked by many, especially in the mornings.
Sea days are always a good time to relax and realize that life doesn’t have to be rush, rush, rush.
On our arrival into Brisbane, we had Bob and Lyndell pick us up at the new Brisbane Terminal to spend the hours together. Bob and I started work at the same place in the 60s in Sydney. It’s always good to catch up with their lives whenever we can. Our ship departed around 4 pm and headed towards Townsville in the north.
We have a couple of clients on board with us who haven’t traveled for some time due to health complications that prevented them getting away. We are having dinner together each evening and finding some interesting menu items to choose from. They have a sense of humor too.
Our arrival into Townsville has been cancelled due to the coming cyclone, and so our itinerary may change as far as docking in Cairns for the night. Oh well, best to keep everything and all the passengers safe.
We’ve been home too long so off we go again; this time to 29 ports around the South Pacific and New Zealand. Many of the ports we have lived and worked in over the last 75 years; you’ll hear about them in the days to come.
Back in March last year, our daughter Sharlee noticed the cruise we are doing in a Facebook ad and quickly copied it to us. She and Paul would have loved to have come but 6 weeks is a bit long for those poor employed people. We depart from Melbourne Airport after a night at the motel across the road. Our brother in law provided transport from home as long as he had half an hour in our room to watch aircraft movements, for payment.
Having a hidden disability enables us to get extra special care when checking in and getting on board the aircraft; we are thankful for the “sunflower foundation” membership I have. As experienced when checking in on past cruises, we have been told the same care will be given at Circular Quay. (So if you have a hidden disability, please join the foundation by going to their website for good service, when traveling especially)
Our flight was delayed half an hour due to a problem with the braking system on the new Airbus A321-XLR Qantas has recently started receiving to replace the aging 737 they have had since before “the flood”. Yes, it is comfortable and quieter. We need brakes, so waiting is a better alternative.
The 5th Ashes test has commenced in Sydney during our flight and we just may have to find something better to do. Cricket is just another diversion from enjoying an ocean cruise, don’t you think?
Holland America Noordam 29 ports Sydney 4 January Sunday Moreton Is 6 Jan Tuesday Brisbane 7 Jan Wednesday Townsville 9 Jan Friday Cairns 10 Jan Saturday Cairns 11 Jan Sunday Alotau 13 Jan Tuesday Kiriwini Is 14 Jan Wednesday Honiara 16 Jan Friday Luganville 18 Jan Sunday Vila 19 Jan Monday Mystery Island 20 Jan Tuesday Lautoka 22 Jan Thursday Suva 23 Jan Friday Dravuni Is 24 Jan Saturday Vava’u 26 Jan Monday Nuku’alofa 27 Jan Tuesday Bay of Islands 30 Jan Friday Tauranga 31 Jan Saturday Auckland 1 Feb Sunday Tauranga 2 Feb Monday Napier 3 Feb Tuesday Wellington 4 Feb Wednesday Timaru 5 Feb Thursday Port Chalmers 6 Feb Friday Hobart 10 Feb Tuesday Burnie 12 February Thursday Melbourne 13 February Friday Sydney 15 February Sunday
Just a few pics as we walked around the ship at circular Quay
The emergency drill was fairly normal. The captain asked we all report to our muster stations at 4pm. I say “fairly normal” meaning we waited an age for late comers. It just so happens we have hardly anyone under 50 on the ship (they weren’t the latecomers). We haven’t seen any kids prams but many wheel chairs and walking sticks, no doubt belonging to our age group and bordering on “infirmories”. Yes I checked the dictionary and it is a yours truly’s word.
On our departure from Circular Quay, I used a mirror to create a different perspective of both the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Using my iPhone and placing a mirror across the lense, and with a little bit of a juggle, we can get a reflection of the objects in view. I tried this on our recent break on the Murray River and came out with some very satisfying photos.
Sydney icons on reflection
The weather has been kind but dull and a little humid. As we venture towards the heads and to ocean waters and on to Moreton Island, we inadvertently got to know some fellow travelers; a couple from Melbourne were also, like us, on a cruise of nostalgia having lived in Port Moresby, Honiara, Port Vila, Lautoka, and Nukualofa. In a short “trip on Sydney Harbour”, we made some friends with similar past roles and interests, he with a bank. Another couple on the deck rail, are from Canada and want to meet up for a meal and hear of our exploits living in Papua New Guinea and pacific islands. (We have plenty of time, six weeks, to complete that assignment). Our lives, busy at the time, now make an interesting life tapestry for others to be intrigued with our life stories and hopefully, we with theirs.
On board, is a couple of friends from nearby Yarra Junction. We haven’t traveled with them in the past and they are less experienced cruisers. Our dinner time was spent with them going through “what happens on a cruise to fill in a day”and how to use their phone in accessing the ship’s app, features of the ship and the daily program. (They are disembarking in Auckland).
We have a “sea” day on the way to our first port, Moreton Island.
We weren’t sure how we would fill in three weeks in Cairns. Our original plan was to get a ticket to Auckland to attend my late brother’s memorial service but because my carer’s (wife Lyn) passport had less than three weeks life left in it, we were unable to attend the service. Since Covid, technology has enabled the freedom of livestream broadcasting of almost anything from birth to funeral (no movie of my birth, long before there was a media to record). The livestream happened without sound for the first 25 minutes. There was sound coming through the piano mic until I managed to find a website to pass the message to include the speakers mic in the livestream. The caravan park manager in Bowen allowed us to watch the livestream without packing up in the middle of the service.
I’m immediately impressed with Cairns. It is clean with lots of space around the town for recreation and cultural interests. The esplanade stretches over 3km with space for walkers, wheeled modes of transport and a space for those who live here and need to get to work without using their cars. The grassed areas are kept mown and free of litter. There is an open area where an appropriate pool has been constructed complete with sandy beach around the edge. When the tide goes out, mudflats are exposed beyond the boardwalk. You can’t change that without major dredging works.
Each day the thousands of daily arrivals find a way to enjoy seeing the Great Barrier Reef by ferry to snorkel or dive. The “rich” take advantage of the helicopter services. Each day, a train takes tourists to the hinterland village of Kuranda or, alternatively, the Skyrail that transports users over the tropical forest.
When we travel, no day is complete without a good ice cream. Our steps are always towards an ice cream shop – somewhere – at around 4:30pm. The waffles looked too good to be left to the shopowner to take home.
Lyn’s first criteria for a good spot for the day is a beach to sit on while reading. The Great Australian Reef prevents the rolling surf that Australia is known for. Almost the entire Queensland coast has very little surf north of the Sunshine Coast.
Being spoilt by friends you haven’t seen for over 55 years is always a good thing. Hilary was at the same boarding school as Lyn in the 1960s and a friend told us to catch up. Hilary became our tour guide for a day.
We had met up with Peter and Carolyn at the Grey Nomads convention in May again and were able to meet up after their tour to Cape York. Of course ice cream is a great way to enjoy the laughter.
Many of our friends are old, of course. Thelma was in Lae, Papua New Guinea when we lived in Port Moresby. Thelma’s husband Kevin used to stay with us in his work. She is 96 now, living alone, and still driving like Jehu. Thelma was our tour guide to the northern beach suburbs of Cairns. Life would be boring if you didn’t take time to reminisce on the exciting life we all have lived.
Visitors to the top end rarely miss taking time in Port Douglas to visit where the rich take holidays. The weekly Sunday market is a busy market of locals selling their crafts and produce. We found some red paw paw and pink pomelo.
Cairns is a prominent town in the World Ironman series. Their race is known in the competition as the “race in paradise”. As with most World Series events, there were many races within a race such as age groups, junior and senior and relay teams. The main Ironman and ironwomen swam 3.9 kilometres in the ocean, road over 180 km along the road to Port Douglas and then did a full 42.2 km marathon along the esplanade that hugs the coast in Cairns. There were over 3,500 competitors from local and overseas. (That maybe why the city looked so pristine and tidy).
The trees in the caravan park where we have stayed, are very interesting casting large areas of shade for the benefit of campers. Our motor home and Suzuki received some love and care and look sparkling with a good polish to look new again (a once a year ritual). Surprise, surprise, we have purchased ukuleles to learn and jam along with others in towns we stay. The first lesson is still to be completed. That may change the face to a happy smile.
Our tour to the top end of Australia commences after breakfast today. We scored a great room on the top floor of a flash beachside hotel.
To those followers who have never been to Australia, let me explain a few Australian terms that are used freely by travellers in this great country. I’m a kiwi (New Zealander) and this is what I’ve learned in Australian culture. My wife is Australian.
Grey Nomad – many retired couples, and singles, buy a motor home, or caravan, and tour from a month a year up to 12 months a year. Some have sold their residence and banked the money.
A lap – around the perimeter of Australia is a national highway. This is driven either clockwise or anticlockwise, so you keep the ocean on the left, or the right as the case may be. We did an anticlockwise lap in 2024 which took us 7 months and 16,000 kilometres. This map gives you an idea which month the weather is good for touring.
The West – Australia has 6 states. The largest state is West Australia known as “the west”. A large portion of the west is desolate but contains valuable minerals like iron, steel, and rare minerals used in devices and batteries for electric cars. This is exported to many countries around the globe and is a major source of income for the country.
Top End – Queensland is a vast state spreading to the north towards the equator. Many grey nomads flock to Queensland to miss the southern winter. The weather from May to October is days of blue skies and warm temperatures but not overly hot. To the far north, we call the area “the top end”. This region is north of Cairns. There are no sealed roads from Cooktown and 4WD is the obvious safest way to travel. That is what we will be doing from June 18-26 this year.
There are many Australian terms which often leave visitors wondering “what are they talking about”. To improve your useable word list, come to Australia for a 6 month “go where you may” tour. The lifestyle and language used is truly enlightening.
We left our home near Melbourne at the end of April heading to an annual Grey Nomads Camp where we met up with many friends we have known or worked with over the years. Lots of experiences are relived each year we go.
Our daughter lives at Grafton, which is an hour or two north from the convention location, We spent a weekend at Brooms Head on the coast together with her and son in law. Paul’s daughter and her boyfriend camped with us. It turned out he is a diesel mechanic – just the sort of patient mechanic we needed to find the fuel leak in the generator. We now have a non leaking working generator after limping along the past 6 years with numerous professionals trying to remedy the problem along the way.
Lyn has a light rigid licence too
From Brooms Head, we made the days travel to the Gold Coast where we had the motor home serviced to ensure that facilities work freely and well. The motor home has a full length slide out and a hydraulic levelling system. Both need regular checks.
On the way out of the Sunshine Coast region is a ginger factory, a nut factory and a coffee factory; all worth a visit and a taste. The ginger factory has an emphasis on testing different ways to produce ginger based products. The ginger scones are the favourite.
Then travel to Childers where we found a great farm stay with bush walks that went for a few kilometres each. Sadly, very short on wildlife to take photos of and share. We will be back on our way south, though.
From Childers we found the Calliope Free camp again. This is a nice and peaceful river side spot for an overnighter but still a long way to travel before the start of our tour to the top end.
We had seen some fabulous colours at Clairview when traveling a few years ago and decided to take a night there this time. Ocean fishermen are attracted to this stop point on the coast. The tide was well out while we were there and the overcast skies hid the colour of the ocean. So all we could see was “mud flats”.
Our first “stoppage” caused by a train.
North of Claireview is Rockhampton where we always catch up with a fellow travel agent that Lyn had as a roommate on an educational river cruise in France and a river cruise on the Mekong River in Vietnam. After a couple of hours of coffee and chat, our next night was at a pleasant campground in Bowen.
Our next night was spent with only 2 other rigs in Ingham at the Caravan and Motor home camp; just $5 a night with no facilities. We are “self contained” so that is no problem.
During the last day of travel to Cairns, we stopped at Cardwell for the mid morning coffee and cake at the bakery. There was a major accident at the roundabout just as we entered the town involving a utility and a Jayco motor home; not a good look with ambulance already in attendance. Cardwell is well known as “the town that has crab sandwiches”. Our diet does not sit well with that sort after cuisine, which saved the sandwich artist the task.
An interesting sign for female toilets.
Fortunately, on our way into Cairns, there was a caravan repair shop that had an external door handle available to replace the broken one which broke who knows where. Weird things have shown up since having the service done back on the Gold Coast. The sliders for a large drawer have also decided not to function smoothly. We’ve learned that Bunnings have the “spare parts”.
The reason for constant daily driving this week was back at Childers, we had bad news that my half brother had taken his last breath in Auckland, New Zealand. Due to my Traumatic Brain Injury, I find I get confused when amongst crowds and need a carer, so can’t travel alone. Lyn’s passport was shortly to expire and we thought it best to get to Cairns in a hurry and hopefully we could cry for help, but “no” was the answer. The memorial service was held the day before we arrived in Cairns. He was 84. RIP David. We were fortunate to see him during our NZ cruise in January this year.
We have arrived in Cairns and have decided to stay at a caravan park and do day trips in the Suzuki, which is why we’ve had that thing dragging along behind us from home. No no, definitely a blessed idea.
The time has come to leave home soil and commence our 2025 venture to the northern tip of Australia right up to the top corner of this island continent in the southern hemisphere. Join me as we tell our story of the travel which takes us away from the winter chills of Melbourne and Victoria. This is over 4,500 km (2800 miles) from home with a round trip of over 10,000km. A long way but something that will create different mind passages to add to the memory bank. For those residing outside Australia, I hope the posts encourage you to visit this sparse, variable continent one day soon.
As you drive into this run down old mining town, you notice the dilapidated old road signs pointing you around the mine site to the town. This town was the start of a very busy village of mining workers. However, despite the mine closure, many residents were happy to stay on and keep the town active. Lyn chatted to the public toilets cleaner. She showed there was many years of history in those eyes. She and her first husband ran the pub for many years and through those swinging doors walked many personalities that make up the fragments of broken people who would have needed serious help to get back on the road of fruitful living. Many of those would have lived lonely, and in many cases, broken lives. History is written all around the messy town with only small pockets of population to keep those portions of the town in operation.
At Burra, Lyn defrosted the freezer. The wild migratory ducks from Russia, were intrigued with the ”southern” ice cream. We had visited this little village last year and found the shops were quaint, and the Cornish pastie at the cafe worth returning for.
Our last longish stay
We are members of a farm stay group and found this spot about 30 km out of Renmark. The green grass and clean heated pool were very welcoming. The relaxation button was not hard to ‘turn on’. The dessert at the local tavern was very welcome too.
Geelong and Grand daughter’s graduation
Our delay to return home too quickly was instigated by our granddaughter who told us “if you don’t turn up at my year 12 graduation, it sucks” – a new way of saying “please come”. The school is one that expects quite high standards of both behaviour and academics. She looked great and her family were proud of her.
DimboolaSon’s familyThe year 12 graduate
The returning home celebrations
It’s no secret that we enjoy ice-cream. For some funny reason, the google maps app sent us from Geelong, around Melbourne on the western ring road and over the Christmas hills region down into Yarra Glen. It so happens that 30 minutes before reaching home, we managed to turn off into the chocolatier for a brunch and the ice cream shop. Soon after, we were home. Our gardener certainly has done a good job for us, in keeping the lawns and garden looking fabulous. Thanks Gary.
Yarra Glen Chocolaterie
How did our figures turn out? For those interested, I’ve shown the route we took (the green icons are mostly places we free camped beside the highway and the pinkish icons are paid campgrounds) and the table is the costs and averages of fuel used on the almost 16,000 kilometers traveled. We were towing a 2 door SUZUKI all the way.
Thanks for following us around Australia. We hope you have enjoyed the trip as we have. For those who have done a lap before, I’m sure the memories have come back. For those who are planning your lap, I hope we have helped in your efforts to make your lap a great experience. It’s now into medical appointments and garden maintenance before Christmas. Enjoy another Christmas with your family and friends.
Our favorite location was Horizontal Falls with natures window at Kalbarri, a close second. Until next trip, live safely. (Now to do the movies and photo books.)
The beaches and coves around the South West Australia coastline, present a scene worthy of an inviting collectors post card. Each bay presents a ‘wow – what beautiful colours’ feeling. Lucky Bay Beach is considered in the top ten sandy beaches of the world so it was well patronised with 4WDs on the shore, although I waited for them to move for my photos.
The bay with a whole in the rock (twilight bay) fascinated us and we returned to get photos when the sun cared to shine brightly.
The Nullarbor Crossing
Unconsciously, The Nullarbor crossing seemed to be a hurdle that we had thought would be a major venture. Now that we have completed the crossing, we are wishing we had taken it differently over a longer period of time.
My photo of the 4 road trains at Norseman BP service centre, are a sample of the many vehicles that keep West Australia supplied with appliances, equipment and processed food; we didn’t count them but would have been a good number indeed. The roadhouse stops are busy as motorists ‘top up’ with fuel and other requirements to their liking. Lyn has been collecting hat pins and patches along the way. Some roadhouses have a small museum of machinery to display the way things were done in the ‘olden days’.
Back in the 1950s, Lyn had crossed the Nullarbor with her dad and two sisters. She was looking forward to seeing the change since then so I managed to have her at the steering wheel for the full 90 miles with just the one break. She did well and felt that ‘accomplished’ feeling at the end. Long straight stretches are common in outback Australia, but to drive the longest straight is ‘different’.
The border crossing from West Australia to South Australia is interesting. Travelling into West Australia requires a horticultural inspection to safeguard little pests that travel in honey and some other products. The inspection point for travellers from West Australia to South Australia is just before Ceduna more to the east of the state border. Golfers can make the longest golf course in the world a pleasant stroll every now and then at each of the 18 holes. You can see a fairway beyond the kangaroo picture below.
Bunda Cliffs
Inspiring views of the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight are available at various, but not many, locations during the crossing.
At a location know as the ‘head of the bight’ is a sanctuary for the southern whales that come up from colder waters in the Antarctic for calving and mating. This year, there were 52 whales born in these waters. There are plenty of view areas to enjoy seeing the whales breaching and slapping their fins and tails.
Kimba
It seems that Kimba is the most easterly border of the Nullarbor desert. We rested at Ceduna on the foreshore for lunch and on to the interesting town of Kimba; home of the Big Galah. There’s is a very busy free camping zone at the recreation reserve. The “donations for use” have been put to very good use in the recreation area for the locals. Development for those who have travelled or about to travel the long crossing, is appreciated.
In Kimba, the local ladies have taken over a large tin roofed building and made small areas to sell their wares to tourists. Not the quality of a market, better.Take a visit when you get to Kimba
Here’s a summary of the fuel usage I kept of the crossing.
Little train on the Busselton jetty and underwater observatory.
This little train is always full of people not wanting to walk the 2 km to the underwater observatory. At 1,841 metres (6,040 ft), the jetty is said to be the longest wooden structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Of course, at each end of the pier is a souvenir shop.
Meetup with an “old” friend.
A benefit of grey nomading is the times we meet up with others along the way. We met Brontë last year where we stayed in Darwin. His wife had not long gone and he won the “best dressed Christmas in July” person with a simple tee shirt, “Merry Christmas” written on it; judged by the other campers. He became everyone’s favourite. Annually, he drives his caravan to Darwin for two months of the winter. The warmer weather encourages him, and to see his daughter there. We had a lovely lunch at Kyrs Restaurant.
Cape Leeuwin
The southern tip of West Australia is where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. There sits a lighthouse which has often played a part in ensuring safety for “ships of the night” And you’ll notice a lazy cow is the kid’s favourite.
Elephant Rock
For obvious reasons, this rock is known as Elephant Rock. The waters around it show great ocean colours when the sun is shining.
Peaceful Bay
Like many of the places we have stayed on this lap, Peaceful Bay was never in our thoughts when planning the trip. However, the imagination found it an easy task to add it to the list of places to return to whenever we come over to “the West” again.
Tree Top Walk
The valley of the giants is certainly well created from a natural valley filled with giant Karri trees. Yes, commercially, the work done creating the suspended walk would be well paid for by now with a continuous steady flow of tourists. An enormous structure of steel sways with your walking motion – a little perplexing for those with balance problems, as I found out; but we both made it.
A free camp is always a welcome resting place. Peter’s brother lives on 100 acres with his very hospitable Russian wife. Des is an accountant and works from home for some Aborigine Community Services group. He has a great office lookout.
Albany Whaling Station
The whaling station used to provide work for many when it was heavily involved in capturing whales to provide whale oil, meat, and other resources which were eventually frowned upon when closure took place in the 70s. Jo, in the picture, is now a volunteer guide at the museum. At 19, he left his love of surfing in Perth to find “the wave” near Albany during a two week holiday. He’s still on that two week holiday 60 years later. He took up a job on a whaling ship and now is part of history.
Shell Collection
At the entrance to the whaling station museum is a private shell collection of a local, Hilda.
“After a lifetime amassing this spectacular collection of shells from around Australia we are delighted Hilda has trusted us to display her prized collection here at Discovery Bay.”
“60 years ago I found a really beautiful shell on Middleton Beach and that was the beginning of my collection.”
“My grandfather William Cooper worked as a whaler in Albany back in the late 1800s, so I feel very happy about all the shells finding a home at Discovery Bay.”
The display was well worth visiting to see the intricate shells lined up in their makes and sizes.
Albany Wind Farm
Albany has created a “wind farm” tourist spot. They explain the benefits of wind energy to maybe soften the sarcasm a little. However, after hearing the noise of the large fans, I wouldn’t want one in my backyard. They promote the fact that the wind farm provides 85% of the energy for Albany’s 40,000 residents. That’s not bad I suppose but longevity and recycling itself is a conundrum yet to be discovered. Any takers?
When you arrive in Perth by road, immediately you notice the freeways are wide and can cope with the traffic well. Many of them have train services running between the carriage ways; all tidy and well supplied.
Kings Park in the central area of the city, is always good to visit as much care is taken to make the grounds look a treat and even makes you feel good. The wildflowers are set in different garden beds for each region of the state.
Wildflowers
Lyn was taken with the work done on mannequins at the door to the visitors center. See how the clothes are made of many crocheted squares, circles and whatever and attached to the mannequins.
Visit to Hawkes Nest
We had a number of jobs to be done on the vehicles before heading for the south west of the state. Our first overnight stop had views out towards the ocean. We felt at ease and replenished with the hospitality from Ken and Kay.
Camping at Busselton
We moved the following day down to the coast at Busselton where we will use as a base for a few tourist days around the coastal good spots.
For over 40 years, some senior citizens of Kalbarri have taken on the voluntary effort of feeding Pelicans each morning at around 9:00am on the foreshore of Kalbarri beach. Yes, some pelicans are just as reliable as the volunteers in turning up for a feed and chin tickle or some first aid when injured from another aggressive pelican. Donations can be given and the funds raised are used to support other volunteer organizations in Kalbarri, like the fire brigade or SES.
Cliffs south of Kalbarri
As we departed Kalbarri, we didn’t know what was ahead until we made our way to the coastal viewpoints along the way. You can see from the photos just how nature has formed the various sandstone cliffs into interesting headlands and cliff faces of significance. Red Bluff Lookout, Mushroom Rock, Pot Alley, Eagle Gorge, are well worth a look.
Pink Lake – Port Gregory
Salt has often been in our view as we have traveled down the coast towards Perth. From Port Hedland where there are large commercial sized collection points down to the smaller region near Port Gregory. Although fishermen keenly fish on the ocean side of the point and harvest enormous weights of crayfish, visitors to the area come to experience the changes in color of Pink Lake where high grade salt is harvested.
We chose to take the Pink Lake Buggy Tour around the sand hills with an excellent commentary on the area and the process involved in the salt industry. As the sun rises, the color of the lake changes from deep pinks to brilliant violets and blues. Part of the color change happens due to the stage of the harvesting of the salt and the density of the algae in the purification stages.
As we were leaving the lake, I thought it would look good from the drone. About a kilometer past the lake, I found a spot to park and flew the drone 1200 meters back towards the lake before filming a few shots. You can see the color split of different age groupings of processes.
The Glass Marble – Geraldton
Friends ahead of us mentioned to stop by the glass marble that has become the icon for Geraldton’s tourism promotions.
Green Head
We found a small fishing village made up of three bays and would you believe that there was a fish and chip shop. The seagulls were happy with the leftovers after we had taken our share of good chips.
Wildflowers along the way
September and October are supposed to be the time when we’re to experience the vast desert of wildflowers. Either we have missed them or we have traveled the wrong roads.
At one wayside stop we stayed a night at, the ranger came to tell us that we should not be using the space. Interesting, there are no signs about to warn us that the sheltered, well hidden from residents, bowl of red dust and gravel, is not a camping area.
The Pinnacles – Nambung NP
After touring around the pinnacles area at Nambung NP, I got wondering how this place existed here but nowhere else on our travels. And it is millions of years old. The logic leaves me bewildered. But then, there’s no need to argue because honestly, no one really knows. The stories seem to fit so let’s set up a visitors centre and make some money.
We journey into Perth on brilliant highways, for a time of meeting old boarding school mates and adjustments to vehicles.
Found a right hand turn onto this plateau lookout and couldn’t resist pulling out the drone for a look around. Such desolation amongst such beauty; well worth the delayed arrival at the next spot.
Denham
This little town is quaint and tidy. We had visited “shell beach” on the way to this town and found lots of areas are covered in cracked shells used as a driveway topping. One restaurant which looks like a disused church, appears to be built of these cracked/broken shells made into bricks like a stone walled building.
There appears to be a strong link between this town and the HMAS Sydney II which was sunk by a disguised German raider “dressed in Dutch medical ship colors”. The German ship headed towards the HMAS Sydney and, when close enough, attacked the HMAS Sydney destroying the front of the ship with a torpedo, sinking it in a very short time, without any survivors making it to safety. 645 Australian lives were lost.
Monkey Mia
Monkey Mia is world-renowned for its friendly dolphins which visit its shores almost daily.
Monkey Mia is a conservation park area that’s a must-visit destination for families and nature lovers alike. Best known as home to the Monkey Mia dolphins, famous for their ritual of swimming to shore most days to interact with humans, and who attract thousands of people to Australia’s Shark Bay region each year, Monkey Mia is also the perfect place to unwind and to discover the wonders of the surrounding area.
For some reason the dolphins were well behaved for us and did what their trainers told us they would do; come and show off to the visitors. They didn’t perform like sea world exhibits but gracefully swam in close to us.
Little Lagoon near Denham
We had heard there is a little lagoon that exhibits brilliance in color at various times when the sun provides a mean light at different angles on the lagoon. How else to capture that display than to “put up the drone”. (What a great asset to have while traveling!)
Eagles Bluff
This bluff is very cute in a way. The head of an eagle can be seen in the headland formation.
Kalbarri National Park – Ross Graham walk
There’s a rock wallaby in there.
Natures Window
Arguably the scene we have been waiting to be part of for a number of weeks whilst coming towards Kalbarri. It’s been useful holding back in our advancing towards Perth as fellow travelers have alerted us to “what’s coming up” in our similar itineraries from Darwin. I had a BIG warning of the terrain conditions coming up when walking towards this iconic showpiece amongst the treacherous terrain around the natures window area. The warning – BE CAREFUL ON THOSE POLES. (For those who haven’t been aware, I have a Traumatic Brain Injury which has confused the balance mechanisms in my brain. Walking is now more difficult than it used to be)
Anyway, we both made it. And a great feeling of accomplishment filled our minds for a few moments. Those around shared congratulations with one walker offering to film the moment for us. Thanks, whoever it was.
Close-by is the skywalk made up of two cantilevers hanging out over the cliff edge.
We made it!!!
Wildflowers are blooming; we hope to see lots next week on our way to Perth.
A rather startling sign greets visitors to the Quobba blowholes, “KING WAVES KILL”. And I guess they have but ironically, there are no fences to prevent you getting up close to the blowholes. Only the authorities know why. Also, only the tourist board for the blowholes knows why they haven’t built a board walk, to prevent viewers testing out their balance mechanisms and abilities on the rocks leading to the vantage viewing spots. We watched for an hour on each of two days. Hearing the buildup in the chasm before the water blow, was a new experience.
We camped for a night in high winds not far along the beach in the sandhills. The location would be quite good in fine, calm, weather. The wind sent us onto “the aquarium” nearby but with the tide out, it’s a bit difficult to get into to view the coral and fish. Then it was on to Carnarvon.
Carnarvon Space Museum
As you near Carnarvon, you can’t blot the skyline out of your vision; the space museum dominates it. We spent nearly 4 hours here. Can I suggest to all who visit Carnarvon, to go experience the modules in the display? Get some photos of yourselves on the moon – if you want to don the space suits provided to make the experience more authentic, do so. This display has to be top of the ladder for displaying something instilled in all our memories the day that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Think back, where were you at that momentous occasion in history? What interested me was the fact that there weren’t numerous attempts to make it happen – the event took place without a hitch, and on the first attempt.
We also have thoughts come to mind of what has been discovered or invented during the planning of man’s walk on the moon. People with grandiose ideas bring their ideas to fruition in good time, and we benefit from their mistakes and successes. Yes, even Musk and his satellites revolving around earth will benefit the world for years to come. Thanks innovators!
Carnarvon one mile jetty museum
We didn’t have anything planned one afternoon, so decided on a brochure recommendation to visit the museum a little out of town at the dilapidated old jetty. With school holidays now finished, anything you visit is taken at your own pace; easy as you go. The history of the area has some embarrassing times and also some devastating weather sequences.
Carnarvon has a long history of being hit by devastating cyclones which have, on occasion, brought a number of deaths.
The more embarrassing times included the taking of local folk to an island because they had health problems which were seen as incurable. Most of them died as medical technology hadn’t proved appropriate treatment for the “prisoners” on an island of very sick people.
The museum includes modes of transport used years ago. There are trains, boats and farm machinery for all to reminisce on.
Our time to get home to Victoria is shrinking so we may just suddenly make fast tracks home.
Exmouth survives predominantly on water sports holiday makers; fishermen, jet skiers, divers, surfers, snorkelers, whale watchers, and those who like to swim with sharks in a controlled environment. Pre-accident, I would have jumped at the idea of swimming and diving with sharks and tortoises, but these days, I find it hard to get into water and do adventurous activity.
The town is busy with school holidays on and many families getting into the sun from Perth’s winter. Beyond Exmouth is where all the water sports and activity occur. There is a lighthouse atop the hill at the northern part of the peninsula with views to all directions. The road goes another 70km further south with lots of access points to small beaches from which you can snorkel or dive or be patient waiting for migrating whales to surface and play. There is an abundance of whales these days. Since the Japanese whale culling became unlawful, the numbers have increased enormously.
Friendly emu in the park
Yardie Creek Boat Cruise
At the end of the road from Exmouth, is a little boat that does tours up the Yardie Creek. The guy that drives the boat and does the commentary is a real oker guy with a warm sense of humour. All the kids get involved with finding the Rock Wallabies that inhabit the gorge. The kids counted around 30, some with young in the pouch.
Said to be Donald Trumps real persona A nesting Osprey
We had made the decision to return to Bullara for their Friday Burger Night before we left for Exmouth and made a booking. Their scones and cream are worth more than one serve too. Our stay ended up being for 4 nights.
Coral Bay
Coral Bay has a reputation of being busy and expensive so we just did a quick 80km day drive from Bullara. They say some units are $1000 per week and campsites near $95 per night. The sandy beach is safe for shallow swimming and snorkeling. We still haven’t ventured in for a swim in West Australia.
The rain came on Saturday morning for a few hours; enough to turn the red dust into red mud. However, apart from keeping us inside for the morning, we weren’t put out too much. Saturday evening, we found a swish Italian restaurant with genuine Italian waitresses. The girl that cared for us had a very strong accent but a great sense of humor. There are so many backpackers from Europe, South America and Japan in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions. Makes you wonder how many Australian backpackers are seeing the world in their youth.
Sundays, the town is dead. Nothing open and no one doing anything, so we found some motor home owners we have met up at various campgrounds and spent a few hours talking into the sunset. They are taking off to Karrijini in the morning and we towards Onslow more towards Perth.
On to Onslow
Always interesting when you arrive at a roadhouse or small cafe in the middle of nowhere; busy as. The cappuccino machine performs to the max to “bring drivers back to life”. At one stop, it was evident that electric vehicles weren’t on the wanted list – the recharging point had security fencing around it.
We weren’t far from Onslow and came to some roadworks. The water truck had been through to dampen the road for setting ready for a next coat of blue metal. With the speed limit at 60kph, we got through quite quickly, not realizing we were preparing both the motor home and Suzuki for the car wash. We didn’t know until we arrived at the check in at Onslow Caravan Park. My sense of humor is usually “laugh because it was funny” but Lyn is a little different “$&@?!&$”. (Disappointment written all over her face). And right after you get through the security chain, a sign that says, “No washing of vehicles in the caravan park”.
Onslow
We found the water towers at the towns entry very colourful. They were quite different in that they depicted some of the lifestyle of the locals when Europeans arrived. The paintings of the marine life was well done too.
This little town prides itself in having lots of memorabilia from years gone, on display in the little museum. The volunteers were very well versed in what made this town tic from when the region welcomed miners and farmers to the Pibara.
At one end of town, is an interesting sculpture that depicts a sun rise. We had an early morning just the once, to see the sun rising within the sculpture.
There is a sculpture along the coastal walk of paparazzi dogs. I do not know why the sculpture exists here, but there was some way-out explanation.
Onslow is in the midst of expanding its ports and access from inland for mining companies who are now eager to export minerals from “them there hills” and gas from “way out there”.
Bullara Station
This cattle station covers an area of 250,000 acres; that’s BIG. There are at least 1700 head of cattle that regularly get rounded up by helicopter for tagging and health tests. The station closes in the second week of October to spend the next month preparing the camp ground property for the cyclone season. All the old farm equipment, which is on show during the open season, has to be secured in case a BIG cyclone arrives. Reopening happens in April.
There is a “we’re happy to have you” feel about the way staff settle you into your site and advise you of just how the station works in busy season. I found a couple who are members of my facebook group “Working on the Road in Australia”. They were ecstatic to meet, of course. Haha.
The building around Bullara are all restored from original wool sheds, shearing sheds and shearer accommodation. The showers and toilets are made to “the old days” specifications; rustic and often with an ingenious motivation. There is a coffee shop and a bar in the wool shed. Scones and cream are top of the list for the morning teas prepared by courteous staff from many countries around the world. The pies use meat from the property. There are copious amounts of red dust, but it’s an experience to remember.
Fortunately, there were just the four on the twilight tour of the land side of the port. The trains laden with iron ore come in to Port Hedland each hour with 2 “rakes”. A rake is made up of two locomotives and 132 cars each containing 120-130 tonnes of ore. Most trains have 2 rakes or 264 cars and are almost 3km long. It can take half an hour to walk from one end to the other. BHP mining and processing hubs are connected by more than 1000km of rail infrastructure. From Mt Newman to Port Hedland is 426 kilometers. The operations of the mining and railway is controlled or monitored from Perth using solar power.
Dampier Salt
Amongst all this iron ore and other metals are large salt pans where salt is processed from Indian Ocean waters. The sodium concentration in the waters nearby makes good free raw materials for Dampier Salt Mines with major shareholders Rio Tinto. Fortesque owns and operates eight purpose-built 260,000 tonne capacity Ore Carriers to move the salt. Current production is 3.2 million tonnes per year.
A little poem I found on a Starlink page -Hope you enjoy it!
Karen and Bill, in their caravan so grand,
$250k worth, they’d proudly demand.
But when it came to Starlink, their frugality showed,
For an extra $20, they’d rather hit the road.
Through the Outback they traveled, so rugged and free,
But Wi-Fi was sketchy, as you’d surely agree.
Karen would mutter, “Our budget’s so tight,”
Bill’d grumble, “A hotspot? It’s just not right.”
From Sydney to Perth, their adventure was grand,
Yet, without decent signal, they’d just wave their hand.
They’d stop by a town and beg for a free fix,
While their $250k caravan stayed in the mix.
They saw kangaroos, koalas, and more,
But buffering screens left them feeling quite sore.
So next time you hear of a couple in strife,
Remember Karen and Bill and their Wi-Fi life!
Interesting though. There’s truth in that. Its interesting that much wealth is ploughed into vans and cars to tow them but the owners complain about caravan parks charging $35 a night, just for a patch of grass, while they drink 2 bottles of wine every night.
Port Hedland port tour
The movie below is our port tour of Port Hedland. I hope you gain something from the movie, there is so much happening at the port each day. The tour is organized by the Seafarers organization. They are interested in helping those who work on ships for months on end. The crew can go there knowing they have friends on shore who help make their lives just a little easier to bare. The crew can “click and have delivered” food and goods from the seafarers store. We saw a delivery to one crew on our port tour.
We drove out of Port Hedland feeling we had learned a lot about Australia that can only be learned by being there. Seeing all the industrial support given to export this nations rich mineral wealth so that Australians can enjoy the good life that this country makes available to its population made us feel humbled. Over 50% of the mineral exports reach back to every person in their wages or grants to their locality. Gina Rinehart has painted some of her trains pink and gives the profits of those trains to breast cancer research. I applaud innovators who provide freely for us to benefit.
Point Samson
We found the little township of Point Samson on our way to Karratha and decided to stay a couple of nights. Talking to a mother of two kids at the pool, she said how her husband works the mines as an engineer and she homeschools the kids. They change campgrounds each few weeks. That’s the way they have chosen to bring their kids up. Evidence of her work was shown when her daughter commented on Lyn’s pretty bathers. Wow! from an 8 year old.
Many of you know, Lyn still runs our travel agency, Grey Nomads Travel and Cruise. You can see her hard at work in her office making an Azamara Cruise booking. (Anyone jealous of her office?)
Karratha and Dampier
The mining industry is spread well in the Pilbara area of West Australia. We travelled on in to Karratha to find a modern looking town but, like Port Hedland, covered with a thin layer of red dust. The weather forecast is for rain in the next couple of days so we wonder if we will see a clean washed town soon.
Our first duty after lunch is to the visitors center. We had good words about the lady there and they came true. She guided us to the things we could do and visit while here. The first in the agenda was to go to Hearson’s Cove for the month’s “Stairway to the moon”. Many places along the West Australia coast have this every month the best known is Broome.
Dampier
Dampier certainly is a red dust village. We tried to find the shopping center and could only find a tiny IGA and a shocking pub for lunch (the tortillas were great tho). However, Dampier is more known for being another iron ore despatch port, not as busy as Port Hedland. The “north-west shelf” gas project is BIG with some massive infrastructure at the processing plant where the gas is treated before being shipped for energy sources in many countries in Asia.
We had not expected to extend our stay here to a week, but we were finding the beach suited our style. There has been constant sunshine and high temperatures. Each evening, we chose to drive a kilometer down the beach and walk in the setting sun. The west turns on a good show all along the coast and many sunsets get noticed by all those camping on beach side camps. One of our neighbours turned out to be New Zealanders. They were doing all the desert roads of Australia in a 4WD truck with accommodation built into the tray of the truck.
A guy from Perth has provided a few nights of Australian country songs and ballads, many of which, he has written. His guitar solos have been very well performed; fast and furious. Of course, he was name dropping as he introduced some of the music.
It is unusual at this time of year, but the skies seemed ready to drop some sort of storm on us, so we got away by 7:15am on the day we departed. Firstly, 9km of red dust corrugated road to the Great Northern Highway intersection where we checked tyre pressure. We had reduced tyre pressure on the Suzuki to drive the beach.
Purdoo Road House
Arriving at Purdoo Road House, we found a great little shop where Lyn became mesmerised in a thong attached to a stick to be used to smash insignificant flies who had strayed in her direction. The fuel despatch was all done by the customer unlike any fuel depot in more civilised locations. I asked the shops keeper “what brings you to Purdoo?” Both he and his wife sniggered in response. They were from Indonesia and Australians just don’t like to work in “out of the way places” in Australia’s outback. A guy parked beside us, had a starlink receiver attached to his roof rack.
Port Hedland
After setting up at our site for Port Hedland, we headed to the information centre to make bookings for the seasonal active tours that are offered. The twilight Industry Tour and the Harbour Tours are popular and very informative. When they are done, we will know so much more about the world’s busiest bulk export port.
Across the road is “The Kiwi Shop”. Being a New Zealander, I had to check it out. Open the door, and you could hear a kiwi accented conversation happening. And there it was, a fridge full of LnP. Gotta get some. And some Hokey Pokey ice cream, some of that too. And Griffins chocolate biscuits. I felt back home again; and I had migrated to Australia 62 years ago – without the need of a passport. There was also product for Tongans and Fijians too. They come to Port Hedland as FIFO (fly in fly out) employees at the port and the mines.
But what “took the cake” was the Telstra Pay Phone box in the Main Street; space but “no can talk”.
As we have moved our mindset from touring West Australia to experiencing West Australia, we are intending to stay 3 or 4 nights at each chosen location, many of them will be beaches. Lyn loves to sit by ocean waters to enjoy sunshine, her reason for the skin color change. Cable beach in Broome is well known for the sunset camel ride. We didn’t experience the camels but filmed them in 2013.
Broome is a very busy town as many travelers restock supplies to do the Gibb River drive around the Kimberleys or further north or on their way south.
Barn Hill
Not far down the Great Northern Highway from Broome is this interesting farm that cares for many campers heading north or south. The 9 kilometers of private road is not the type I would like to drive to get home each day. But that is forgotten when you experience Barn Hill for a few days. Something like flying to London in economy class is forgotten in a few hours.
The grounds are made of the same red dirt you drive to Barn Hill on; powdery cosmetic dust. The clumps of rock and dirt and shale on the coast put there by nature reminds me, in a way, of the Sacred Valley in Peru but without a plan to build a city. Commonly referred to by regulars to Barn Hill as “the lost cities”, the colors change with both the time of day and the angle of the sunlight. If you’re driving the Great Northern Highway and go past the inconspicuous turn off, go back and experience the unique landscape of Barn Hill.
Everything at Barn Hill is done differently. Even the ablution block has been built of corrugated iron. As the property only has campers in the dry season, there is no roofing on the toilets and showers; just the stars in the sky to provide privacy. There is a lawn bowls club and green. Each morning starts with the smell of freshly baked bread created at the onsite bakery. Pizza and take-away lasagna are available on order some nights. Why not drive the red dirt to experience the charm of this “camp on a cliff”.
Flying a drone has become a hobby that brings a lot of satisfaction to me. After having made many travel movies by shooting from a movie camera on a tripod all around the world while taking groups of clients on a “trip of a lifetime”, moving into drone photography has brought many a “wouldn’t I get some great shots” feeling to me, if I had a drone in the sky! But not to be. I’ve settled now with the attitude “gotta get the drone up, there’s some great photos up there”. Driving along the highways on this lap of Australia, it’s happened a few times. Enjoy!
Most flights, I do not have a plan of what to shoot. The plan develops when I see what’s in the camera. Something like “right spot, right time” intuition. Sometimes it’s “let’s try this maneuver” and out comes “Wow! That’s nice”. At Barn Hill, that’s just what happened. The incoming surf was making lace on the beach, and I was awestruck at what nature freely provides for us to capture and share. It’s there now to enjoy. I’ve watched the movie many times since completing it and yes, there is a few “could be better” spots to improve on. But I’m happy to include it in my YouTube library now.
80 Mile Beach
Moving from Barn Hill to 80 Miles Beach started with the 9 km of red dirt and finished with another 9 km of red dirt but with many more corregations. Arriving here is a relief. The camp has over 200 sites and quite a bit of grassed area. You can also drive the beach in a 4wd.
A common occurrence on our trips is to meet up with friends in out of the way places. Today was no exception as we noticed that a travel agent roommate of Lyn’s was coming to Kununurra while we were in town. We met up with “Betty” at the Wild Mango Cafe. (Yes, their Mango smoothie becomes a favourite of Lyn’s)
You will wonder why a photo of a pump and one of legs under the motor home. Before we left for the Wild Mango, we thought we’d empty out of Darwin water by doing the washing. Problem became that our water pump burnt out. Thanks to some wonderful angels next to us, at the cost of a slab of coke, we are able to continue but with a slightly different way of using our tank water.
While in this town, there’s much to see and do. It was time for a two hour flight over Lake Argyle and beyond to the Bungle Bungles. Lyn is an experienced small plane flyer but gets nervous leading up to, and during a flight. Her saviour is travel sickness tablets and the exit door on our arrival.
From altitude, Lake Argyle is an expansive lake in the middle of a drought location in northern West Australia. However, the wet season (average 800mm) changes the landscape considerably with so much water in just a few short weeks. Back in the 1970’s, the Australian government decided to harness this water to do three things: one, to use the water for a hydro power station to supply electricity to the towns around Kununurra, two, to supply those towns potable drinking water, three, to create an extensive region of irrigated farmland for fruit and vegetable crops, and large scale agriculture products like cotton. After some failures along the way, the authorities are still not sure what’s best to do.
Beyond Lake Argyle is the Bungle bungles. This region was “found” by accident when a movie making company were looking for a somewhat different location for their movie – they landed on what has become a national treasure. We were on a fixed wing single engine aircraft known as a “caravan in the sky”. I’d advise a helicopter flight from the Warmun Roadhouse would be so much more enjoyable as you can get down into the valleys to experience the effect of layers of rock that make the bungles what they are.
The Bungle Bungles
The Argyle Mine
We managed to get away from Kununurra by 7:30am. Another long day of travel in the outback of WA is very hot – it reached 44 degrees today, but no rain and beautiful blue skies. Ahead of us we came up to a caravan that had a yellow number plate with the text “Happy Wife – Happy Life”. Now that must be Earlene and Rod’s van as that was her motto given in her wedding speech.
We had a late warning from our son that his eldest son was to be baptised in the afternoon in Kew, so we hurried on to our rest area at Mary Pool Campground, a quiet spot beside a dried up river during the dry season. After setting up and getting the starlink set, we managed to watch, in the middle of nowhere, our grandson’s baptism; how great is that.
Leaving early in the morning again, we found a breakfast stop a couple of hours down the highway. Would you believe there we found an Electric Car charging station – no, there was no diesel generator supplying power, but two rows of solar panels nearby, at last. I’m not sure many cars will reach the spot too often as it was around 500km from Broome. Lyn also had some work to do and was able to use the picnic table shade to keep cool.
We had heard that Fitzroy Crossing was open after the floods destroyed the bridge a couple of wet seasons ago. The new bridge is there to stay for a long time and the road works nearby indicate that a large ‘nomadic’ campground is being created. We stopped on the side of the highway to put the drone up for some overhead shots of the landscape.
We had a diversion this afternoon. In selecting our night rest area, we read that the Ellendale Station Lagoon was a short 6 km drive beyond the Ellendale Rest Area. We called into the rest area to find a number of appropriate spots; it was good. But the remarks on the Station Lagoon wiki camps info said there were friendly cows at the lagoon and we thought “what better way to spend a night than with friendly cows?” Through the farm gate we drove, yes, lots of cows but no other campers. I was walking ahead while Lyn drove following me. I was looking for a spot which enabled us to move out quietly in the morning. Found a spot, so we drove into the area. But with the car and motor home jack knifing we just couldn’t get past some shrubs. (You can’t reverse the motor home with a car in tow, it won’t happen) I thought I had brought a pruning saw just in case. But where was it? After searching all the obvious storage bins, we had to resort to the small tomahawk axe. Chop, chop, chop, for 20 minutes, we finally made enough room to complete the Uturn. Fortunately, we were not other campers entertainment for the afternoon. And back to the rest area for the night. (Sorry, we didn’t take any photos of our ordeal – you would be laughing more than we did)
After another very hot night, we moved on towards Derby. Our breakfast stop today was at a very interesting giant boab tree. Large and leaf bare, it still provides filtered shade to a degree, to passers-by on their great adventure across Australia. Apparently, this giant boab has something so special about it that you have to give credits when whatever is written about it. On delving into the details that are mentioned, I find that there is nothing peculiar about this tree listed, other than to mention the credits. (Oh dear! I hope I haven’t contravened any said copyright.)
The Kimberley area is a kind of separated wonder of West Australia; it feels like you are in a different world – there is very little dense vegetation even though you are in the tropics. There’s an extension of the red dirt that west Australia is made of; a rusty red dust that infiltrates every nook and cranny in your caravan or motor home. Our motor home has an exhaust fan in the step well that sucks out the air to prevent the red dust coming into the living quarters. It works hard and is very effective.
After long stretches of road, some over 15km straight, we come to Derby town. Derby is famous for enormous tide variations with up to 12 meters being common. We took a quick drive out to the jetty and wharf to watch the rushing tide for the day.
Flight to Horizontal Falls
We have an early pickup transfer to the Derby Airport where our seaplane is waiting for us. There is a 40 minute flight to enjoy on the way to Horizontal Falls. The view is great and sparse. Being the dry season, the wide rivers are dry, waiting for the coming of the rains in November/December. Our pilot gives us some great vision of the horizontal falls from above before landing and transferring us to the jet boat which takes us through the first falls and stops short of going through the second; we are not allowed through due to a bad accident a few years ago. That venture doesn’t happen anymore.
After the exhilarating pass-throughs, and a morning tea, our guide for the day takes us on another venture to see a few crocodiles on the shore of an island. Apparently, a whale beached itself and crocodiles have been eating it for food. There is also a cage to take a swim on the pontoon, and blind sharks have been attracted to the cage to be fed and viewed by the staff and visitors.
What’s he got in his mouth?Kimberley Rose
The flight back to Derby was another exhilarating experience from above. Below was a colour display of the ocean; truly memorable and a highlight of our lap of Australia so far.
Derby Town
Broome is a very popular mecca for West Australian residents; a bit like Cairns for Eastern Australian residents. Lots of 4WDs pulling large caravans fill the campgrounds replenishing supplies before hitting the “real” roads of the Kimberley region. Our campground has a pool which is popular at the end of yet another hot day of driving.
Friday we had a few shops to visit and a quick tour of the town. We checked out the famous Cable Beach and noticed many 4WDs along the beach. That vision made our minds up to pick up an awning from Mitre 10 for the Suzuki to wear the rest of this lap. We intend to “beach-hop” all the way down the West Australian coast and around to Esperance (that’s nearly 4,000 km. This makes our ‘equipment’ fit and ready now.
I try to have something to talk about when setting up my weekly posts. The problem with last week was there was nothing to talk about that hadn’t been mentioned before. I’m sure you were happy to find something else to be interested in after the exciting Paris Olympics closing ceremony (we didn’t watch either the opening or closing ceremonies).
How good is this? We washed the outside of the motor home and the Suzuki before departing Lee Point for Katherine and West Australia. The inside of the motor home looked like it was ready to sell. Lee Point has been a good place to stay with our own en suite and an almost constant sea breeze throughout the day and night, making it pleasant in the Darwin climate at this time of year.
Driving in Australia can be very hot. We expect our journey in the next week or two to take us through temperatures in the low to mid 40 Degrees Celsius. With that in mind, our driving needs to start soon after sunrise and be done by mid-day. Once we turn right at Katherine, the traffic becomes sparse as we venture and find our first camp spot beside the highway. There are a few stops along the way for long distance travellers and we find one called Limestone stopover. There are over 20 rigs parked around ‘the red dust bowl’ of a camping spot.
Second Day on the road towards West Australia
The second day on this part of our adventure, starts with long straight stretches of open highway, the speed limit in the Northern Territory is 130kph, but the configuration of our rig means we have to keep around 100kph; kind of boring at times with concentration required to make sure you hear the beeps of the speedo indicating “Over the 100kph limit”. The countryside changes along the way and we feel we are entering a new zone of foliage. The Victoria River is coming up and we take a longish stop to enjoy the change of atmosphere with the river winding its way to the ocean somewhere.
Victoria River and beyond
It seemed that the Victoria River region and campsite would be a good one to take time out, for 2 or 3 days; but we can’t, as we have made bookings in Kununurra for a river cruise. We found an appropriate spot at Saddle Creek Rest Area. The starlink came out so Lyn had a good internet connection to do her work. How good is that? Working at a very remote location and doing a booking for a client to visit Europe in six months time; very much a mobile travel agent – and a Grey Nomad at that.
On into Kununurra
Meals can be an interruption to Lyns lifestyle; adjusting involved itineraries from remote locations, taking pics, enjoying the driving or the scenery as it goes by. Lyn would be the first to say that I never put pressure with the topic “when are we getting a meal?” I consider myself to just be and ’emergency cook’. Lyn does very well despite the high temperatures when the gas cooker is on the go, in 35 degree heat.
The day we arrived into Kununurra was Lyns birthday, so after set up, it was down to the local shop “Pink Rocks” shop to choose a gift. I hope you think it’s cute too. How different, a boab tree pendant!
Ord River Cruise
The following day it was my birthday, so Lyn organised a six -hour cruise on the Ord River. It turned into a ‘birthday I shall not forget’. We had just boarded the little boat (with two V-8 out board motors) and I stood up and side stepped into the aisle, to take a picture. The worst thing was I took a step backwards into ’empty’ space and down I went. I ended up with a bruise in my left butt cheek and a few broken ribs on the right side. Breathing is always difficult with broken ribs so “careful, careful” is the way to go. That put a ‘dent’ in the day but thankfully another older guy got down and helped me up while Lyn called “what are you doing down there?”.
The Ord River is the water that comes over the spillway of Lake Argyle, one big lake indeed. We flew over it a couple of days later and on to the bungle bungles. It is very impressive.
There was a wealth of wildlife that live along the river banks and in the trees. We notice the ‘freshie crocodiles’ which are a little less aggressive than their relatives, the ‘salty’. We stopped and watched a’kite’ bird sitting on its nest in the high branches, and a ‘darter’ looking into the sky to impress others she was a branch in a tree while warming her eggs. We also stopped to view a colony of fruit bats and learn that a lot of their natural work is cross pollination of plants to breed more of the same kind.
Over 300 of the 760 species listed in the Australian Atlas of Birds can be found in the Kimberley, which includes birds of prey. The Lake Kununurra wetlands and Ord River are a haven for birds and easy to explore. (JJJ Tours)
Kununurra is an interesting town. It was built because of the work done on Lake Argyle to set up a large agricultural region; there is high rainfall during the wet season which may as well benefit the agricultural industry in Australia. They have tried cotton at first but the sprays caused a lot of problems. Interesting, we met up with a couple in Queensland who were agronomists and they have ‘invented’ a way to enable the cotton industry to flourish using a system using treated seed to eliminate pests and unwanted disease in the cotton harvest.
Tropical flowers are always a draw card to garden lovers. The botanical gardens in Darwin certainly have some beautiful blooms this last week. Amazingly, even the photos app on my phone knows the names of the peculiar ones – what a benefit. There’s a few different areas to enjoy with the tropical orchids not flowering en masse at present. Since we visited last year, an interesting sculpture has been created with a crocodile featured devouring a few unfortunate fish; nature owns its own way of survival.
AmherstiaGardenia carinata
Museum and Art Gallery of NT
Not being a museum chaser, I was impressed with the layout and displays in the Art Gallery. Lots of extensive illustrations of how things have happened in the Northern Territory over the decades past. The section on the Cyclone Tracey disaster that hit Darwin on Christmas Day in 1974, was well displayed and explained. Darwin certainly got hit quickly and at phi-nominal force and speed. (Well worth a visit if you haven’t been to Darwin.)
Cullen Bay
This little bay appears to be the rich people’s Mecca in Darwin. Classy yachts and water edge homes are well cared for. We arrived in time to see the one and only lock in the NT helping a yacht into the upper level marina.
There is a lock keeping in bay, all the posh yachts at a marina.
Views around East Point
Mindil Beach Sunset Market
I must admit to visiting the market three times this trip to Darwin. The last visit, I was hoping to pick up a very colourful shirt for a friend turning 80 soon. The second visit to the market seemed to have better shirts – this time most were not so good, so no present going his way – for now. I had a foot and leg massage and Lyn had a neck, arms and back massage. Dinner was the “food in your hand as you walk” with the meal ending with cream and churros.
Darwin Military Museum
This war museum has managed to keep its grandest gun in good but not working order. It still stands in the same location it fired bombs to the Japanese airforce, as they attacked in 1942. Other weapons and memorabilia are well displayed too. I spent a long time reading the accounts of the Jews at the time of Hitlers nasty form of power. I left a penned comment “may there never be another leader again of any country, to be so greedy and inhumane”.
A few signs around the war museums for your information.
We’ve decided to separate in Darwin for a rest and to do all the touristy things in our own time. There is much to see and Lyn and I saw most of it last year and just have a few spots to add to tick off our list. We enquired about going over to Tiwi Islands and having a day of island culture and entertainment but at $490 per person, we shied away from that idea. Lee Point is a campground to the north of the city about 15-20 minutes drive. We have learned that the campground was constructed after cyclone Tracy. The builders and trades workmen lived here for two years while the massive rebuild took place.
Each site has an en suite for the ‘tenants’.
We benefit from a sea breeze for much of the day and evening. The breeze takes away that clammy, humidity feeling. Because one in our group is waiting for a medical procedure to be done at Darwin Hospital, we will be staying here for who knows how long.
Last year we chose a favorite restaurant; the Cool Spot at Fannie Bay. The reason? Fabulous rocky road ice cream. I guess you agree we have made an excellent choice. When in Darwin, don’t leave without trying one; you’ll be surprised. (I’m not getting paid to make this promotion)
While in Darwin last year, we had heard about the Darwin Waterfront and thought it was just the jetty where the Royal Flying Doctor Museum, and the bombing of Darwin exhibition is. One day this week, we ventured further and discovered a beach and water playground. Around the perimeter were many eating places, too many to choose from really. I guess the late evenings have seen numerous rowdy parties there. Above the restaurants are holiday accommodation units and motels.
Royal Air Flying Doctor Museum and Darwin Bombing memorial display
Lyn and I had visited this spot last year but it still impresses us to experience again. The bombing in 1942 was catastrophic as was the cyclone in 1974. The good work the Flying Doctor does, is worth another look and donation.
To represent the experience of the bombing of Darwin
There are a bunch of underground tunnels just under the city itself. You gain entry through a small opening near the Darwin waterfront buildings. These tunnels were built to house oil and other fuels as a storage facility instead of the large above ground tanks we see at oil refineries today. The walls of the tunnel we toured, tell of the history of the building and problems associated with having such a large storage facility that if penetrated during war, would destroy the port of Darwin. I’m not a person who always remember facts and figures associated with museums and exhibits, so I suggest you make the time to visit the tunnels when next in Darwin. Ex servicemen are treated with a discount on entry.
Hopefully, the next post will have more exciting locations to review, but we’ll wait and see.
To take this cruise, you need to buy tickets and check in at Cooinda Lodge where you are taken to the mooring site for your departure to an ever changing landscape of the Yellow Water billabong. If you’re in Kakadu National Park, it is a “must-do” evening cruise finishing off with another brilliant Northern Territory sunset. Yes, you can do a sunrise or “during the day” cruise, but the end of the day is the most popular one that you will enjoy. What are the guides looking for? Well, crocodiles would be the guides first “look for” on his list during our cruise; from the departure point, we headed straight across the billabong to a lazing crocodile taking in the afternoon sun; big and handsome, some would say.
The birdlife is exceptional with many whistling ducks and egrets wandering around the banks of the billabong, scattering as we make our way closer to their breeding grounds. One standout bird in this area is the Jabiru; skinny pinkish legs with long toes, he roams the “kingdom”, as if it were his.
The cruise wanders around the billabong and leaves the area where the brilliant sunset is best seen until last point of “take a look at this”; what brilliance the sky presents each and every evening in the Northern Territory!
Cahill Crossing – Kakadu
We had a previous notification that Cahill Crossing isn’t just for cars and trucks to cross the East Alligator River; salt water alligators also use the crossing to get upstream to catch fish for dinner lunch and tomorrows breakfast. The tide comes up stream and floods over the low concrete bridge enabling access for the alligators. This has become a popular tourist destination for tourists to view crocodiles in the wild as you can see from some of the videos. I was particularly taken in with the guy “surfing” up stream on the “tidal wave”. We stayed at a camp nearby for two nights which enabled us to see two episodes of the naturally occurring event. Add it to your bucket list; all included in the Kakadu NP pass.
Hey! Surfer Joe!
Corroboree Billabong Mary River National Park
Further towards Darwin and on the west side of the Kakadu National Park is the Mary River. This area is well known as a “wetlands” National Park with plenty of billabong birds and wildlife. It too has a large number of crocodiles to view their lifestyle and “activity” during the daylight. We took the evening 5pm – 6:30pm cruise, said to be the better cruise because it too includes vantage points for great sunset photos. There is also a sunrise cruise.
Yes, the first stop was to view a crocodile on the billabong bank waiting for something to consume. And the whistling ducks were close by. A prominent bird in this region is the Jabiru also. A nest high up in the trees revealed a Jabiru caring for its eggs, or young. There were many of these “kingly looking” creatures which make a fabulous display as they leap and fly into the sky for finding another searching pad for fresh fish and other water creatures. The video of three pelicans in synchronized movement was a surprise.
Our guide spotted a water buffalo in the distance bathing in the sludgy waters. On our appearance, the bull buffalo thought it a good spectacle to “get out of the bath” and head for greener pastures. Thanks Billy!
Darwin Black Night Air Display
For our time in Darwin, we have decided to take a rest from each other and do “our own thing”. Lyn and I have chosen a camp north of Darwin near the shore where we get a continual light breeze to keep the temperature at a bearable level.
However, on Thursday evenings the Mindil Market is a market all visitors to Darwin have to visit. So find our way to the market during the daylight was ok, but our return back would take a lot longer. We knew the crowd would be enormous as the 2024 RAAF Pitch Black exercise was to present a 90 minute flyover exercise over the Mindil Beach. This was made up of over 4,400 military personnel and over 140 aircraft from 20 participating nations. The exercise involves air, sea, and land contingents and is held each two years. Another for your bucket list in 2026. Really really good.
The beach was wall to wall people viewing military aircraft and “show-off” movements just close to the beach. The event was held up twice while people tried swimming and another sent up his drone. A definite no no at an event like this. Silly duffas.
The town of Mataranka Springs is rather small and only has the basics in shopping and commercial activity. The “supermarket” only has bread available a few days a week. Eggs for a meal are a rare event. We stayed at Bitter Springs, just 3 or 4 km away.
You do not have to make a site booking here; it’s first arrival gets the next available site. So around 8:30am, campers start arriving at the reception to commence living a Bitter Springs lifestyle. Fortunately, we were able to site side-by-side, three across. The springs are an easy 1km stroll away. They are warm and you hop in the river and float down on a “floatie” to a “get out” point and take a short walk back to the starting point for another lap or two.
Unfortunately, I must have had some bad food or nasty water and was sidelined for two days with nothing going down and everything coming up. Even the charcoal tablets were not wanted. All good now but with a looser belt.
Katherine
Katherine is a very busy town, with the gorge close by to the east, and the highways heading north to Darwin and Kakadu, south to Adelaide and Queensland and west to the Kimberlys and Perth. The supermarket is full on flat out as it is the only one to feed the thousands of tourists that drive through each day in the busy season. Fuel stations are used by all tourists to top up the fuel, for you never know when the next road house will be supplying fuel.
Some friends we met again last year, were on a mission to catch us and spend a day with us before they headed out west to Broome. Their departure from Wollongong was a month after we moved on from the Gold Coast. They caught up just as we were departing Mataranka for Katherine.
Katherine Gorge Cruise
The gorge cruise is always a bright spot to visit on a clear blue sky day, and we did just that. It is a well known “bucket list” item in the Northern Territory and offers a number of relaxing cruises at various times of the day. The rock walls offer varying colors that at different times of the day. We chose the 10:00 am cruise.
The commentary used phrases like “5.3 billion years“. It’s hard to imagine how anyone could accurately say how old a rock is or when major things happened to the region’s geography. Nothing has been written down; in fact there were no pencils and books in those days.
Look closely at Mr Crocodile
Kakadu National Park
We have entered Kakadu from the south where the roads are much, much better than the roads in many country states to the south. We found a bush camp and stayed the night with millions of stars looking down on us, proving a spectacle one will always remember. In a short period of time, you can count 15-20 satellites orbiting the earth.
Next post, we’ll have completed the Yellow River cruise and then into Darwin.
I have tried to find detail of the regular residents of the Billabong but all I got was a “quack quack”. In other words, nothing. Not even a signboard to say what types or brands of water birds come here. Do any migrate to here or just pass through on to some other breeding region? Can’t tell you. Wikipedia didn’t enlighten my mind either.
So to do better than the “signboards” just come and experience the wonder of the activities of the birdlife in this out of the way billabong in outback western Queensland.
There is strong talk amongst the human grey nomads that this billabong is being closed. The decision to close the sites for camping is to protect cultural heritage and was made following discussions held between Mount Isa City Council and local landowners.
However, it is still open to short stay Grey Nomads. This lagoon is really owned by the many varieties of birds that inhabit the billabong and make it a busy natural place to live. They make the culture of Camooweal Billabong real and full of life. They are an exhibition of how we too should get along in the places we call home. Thank you birds and nature.
I said earlier that night skies in the outback never disappoint. I wrote that before I got out of bed for today’s sunrise. I guess we have to “endure” lots more of these stunning expanses of morning and evening colour, during our time in the outback.
The Northern Territory
Barkly and Frewena Rest area
The last we saw of Queensland is Police stopping traffic to do searches of the vehicles. Don’t know why, but they were very active around the vehicles they had stopped.
For those Hawkes supporters- Barkly Homestead. No sign of any customers at three ways NT.A sleep over takes on a new meaning when you’re driving hundreds of kilometers in a day.
Daly Waters is a well known town located around the goings on of an old country pub. Yes, everything is old and mostly broken, left to rust and never to be moved; aircraft, buses, trucks, cars windmills, and anything else that doesn’t need to be used again. The owner runs around on his quad bike making sure all is happening to his plan. He is a big guy and on the back of his quad bike, he has installed a sign “wide load”. He owns 3 or 4 other camps/pubs of similar value and “mission” in the Northern Territory. The meals provided are high quality. He has entertainment each afternoon and evening. The staff are the most helpful and courteous group of young people you could want to employ. They love what they do and so does the owner. If you are in the area, plan a two day stay to enable you to take in the “different” way people live in the NT. We stayed just a few hours including lunch, but I wish we could have stayed longer for that “Daly” experience. The restaurant and shop is very different to other roadhouses.
A Jeff and Sheri Easter song for pub afternoon entertainment.
Just a few hundred kilometers north from Daly Waters is Mataranka. We have set up camp there for the weekend. More next post.
Known as the Blue Heeler, this pub is very busy with one night stays of passing nomads and farm contractors. Before arriving at Kynuna, we travelled through wide open space of grasslands and rocky mounds. The pub was very old fashioned and the food wasn’t something I would go back for again.
Our “lineup”Tumbleweeds
McKinlay
This town is known for a lot of laughs; crocodile Dundee laughs. Amazingly, while we were using the outside dining area to have breakfast, sharp on 10:00am, the doors opened for tourist business. There are many memories from the movie, all relating to the humour style of Crocodile Dundee.
The jalopy car hadn’t been brought back from the McKinlay horse races held two days before our arrival; the car standing outside the “Walkabout Creek Hotel” is a great memory we saw last year on our Darwin trip.
Crocodile Dundee PubEntrance to the ladies loo. The Library in town.
Corella Dam
We had passed the turnoff to this dam last year on our way to Darwin and the reports told us not to miss out on this hidden gem. On arrival, after shutting the farm gate entrance and travelling a dirt road just a short while, we realised this was not a one night stay but at least a two night stay location, even longer. With a blue lake before us and many spots to camp at along the shore, we made the decision to do just that.
Lake Corella is a concrete faced rockfill dam built between 1956 and 1957 on the Corella River to provide town water for the Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine. The dam originally had a gated control structure which was removed in 2004, lowering the spillway and reducing the full supply level. When full it has a surface area of 200 hectares and holds 10,500 ML of water.
Mary Kathleen Mine
Mary Kathleen was a mining settlement in north-western Queensland, Australia. It is located in the Selwyn Range between Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
With the mine long closed, the structures of the township have been all but removed. Mary Kathleen’s secrets are not hard to uncover, you’ll find the old town fountain, outline of the pool and the concrete slabs where homes once stood. Follow the road to the abandoned mine and marvel at the sheer expanse of the pit.
The entry road is good for having the motor home do the rock and roll, in slow motion. Even at almost walking pace, the motor home rocked with every divot in the road. You drive about 2km into the now ghost town of Mary Kathleen. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, Mary Kathleen was the town where the miners of the uranium lived.
There are literally hundreds of concrete slabs to camp on. We found a parking spot beside what was the floor to the cafeteria; I’m still waiting for service. I’d like some hash browns for breakfast, please.
Many countries in the world have benefited from the uranium for their energy needs but Australia has reneged on using this clean energy resource.
History tells us that politics has played a major role in allowing the operation of the mine in the past and then politics eventually stopped the mining of uranium for domestic energy purposes. Always something to “wonder why” when you’re a logical thinker, which I tend to be.
Mary Kathleen open cut mineHold on! Three in the front of the two door Suki
The night skies do justice to the statement “the heavens declare the glory….”
Mt Isa Qld.
This town has been a lead mining town for many years. The mine is central to the town’s business area.
Our mission in Mt Isa was to collect a parcel at the post office that had been sent from Tamworth to enable us to use less power on the Starlink setup. The parcel was initially to arrive on Monday next week, but came into Mt Isa on Thursday this week. Good service Australia Post.
We had a bit of a hiccup coming into the town. The steering sensors went on the Iveco and showed an error on the screen. Fortunately, the Iveco service Center was able to rectify the problem and after $330 worth of computer checks and labour, we were on our way.
There are quite a number of free camping rest areas along the Barkley Highway. We decide on the WWII Historical Site Rest Area for a two night stay. We have missed out on a stunning Friday sunset, sorry to say.
Just before Mitchell was a small village that proudly showed off a Model T Ford. It was “encased” in its own building and was extremely well preserved and displayed.
The main reason we stopped at Mitchell was because the sister’s maiden name is Mitchell. Secondly, the third sister had planned to meet up with us there and to continue the Lap 24 venture. And thirdly, Mitchell has some Artesian Heated Pools available and we thought it was time to have a shower. For those who don’t free camp, the shower amenities are normally not provided.
The Neil Turner Weir is a free camp site with more than 100 spots to park and have a pit fire. The toilet block was a long walk away, so far that when you made it to the amenity, you forgot why you were there. Age does funny things to funny people. The Friday evening sunset was a treat when fluffy pink tinged clouds filled the evening sky. Outback Queensland knows how to show off at this time of the year when the grey nomad masses pass through.
Saturday, we decided on a camp oven cooked stew. (Poking around the fire is a great stress reducer and we wished we had a homely fireplace at our place. The TV would be left alone.) Camp damper came out and was added to the stew.
Artesian pools are a great alternative to the open air bush shower and a 3 day pass for $18 became a good spend. Scones with jam and cream were on the cafe menu but we had to contend with banana bread instead of the scones.
When Lyn came in from the meal, she noticed her glasses were missing. Found, outside in the dust near the fire, with a broken frame. (More later)
Might have to get a special frame for this photo. The camp oven meal/stewThe three sisters.
Morven Qld
Arriving at Morven, you are greeted with a bright pink painted truck selling coffee and bags. The entrepreneur has become an icon in the area as “the bag lady”. Her wit and Aussie slang is an added freebie. Apparently the town used to hold goat races (the ads still show on the public toilets) but went out of fashion as time gets in the way of daily life.
Augathella Qld
Tambo Qld
Many of the free camping grounds in this outback Queensland territory will be total bog holes when it rains. The weather man is very kind to us and there’s no rain due while we are enjoying the water holes and big expansive camping grounds filled with grey nomads from the south. Tambo is one such town. However, Tambo offers chicken races each night from 5pm. The local pub sends out a bus to collect us to, go experience a different game of chicken. It’s a great way to get customers from free camping to be donors to the Flying Doctor Service. Pick them up and drag them into the eating and drinking center of the town. Oh, and while they are there, we may as well have a chicken race. The publican has washed his chooks in colored dye and auctions them off calcutta style, with the highest bidder “owning” the chook for the race, when we eventually get to the starting point. If the chook wins, the owner gets half the total money collected and the rest goes to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. To date, they have raised over $70,000 for the RFDS. (We will visit their display in Darwin in a couple of weeks). The winner tonight took away $640.
After the race, your preordered meal is ready to enjoy. The menu? Chicken Snitzel or last night’s race looser.
Now here’s a chicken race of note.
Barcaldine/Ilfracombe
Barcaldine is the starting point for the Australian Labor Party. I have to be careful here because I’m not one of the party’s avid supporters. In the Main Street are 5 hotels. How fitting! There’s a monolithic, 3 dimensional wooden structure, which replaces the old cathedral, country towns often used to be proud of when the bells sounded each Sunday morning. Today, they have a wooden clunk sound whenever the wind blows through.
Exit from Ilfracombe Caravan Park
Longreach
There’s two major tourist attractions in Longreach that all visitors make a point of experiencing. As we had visited the Qantas museum and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame last year, we had a “relaxing” day of catching up on work and flying the drone. Rod and Earlene took the tours over two days. The “sun on body” got a little bit of a workout too.
If it were to rain at the Apex free camp near the Thomson River, there would be at least 120 RVs needing to be pulled from the ocean of black mud. A quagmire of mixed up vehicles is the last thing any grey nomad wants.
The sunrises and sunsets in the outback have been special moments of sky beauty. Each has its special commitment to performing on a wide open stage. If there’s some cloud in the right form and position, why would one not want to shoot the memory.
Driving into town to refill our gas bottles, we found this exhibition of women’s bras on the fence of the local radio station broadcasting location. Must have had a fund raiser for breast cancer at some point.
You’ll remember Lyn “lost” her glasses around the campfire in Mitchell. Optometrists are hard to find in the outback and if you find one, they are only in town a day a month, or some other outback arrangement. Lyn’s was in the right town on the right day. She now has her old lenses in new frames, at outback prices.
A good 120 RVs hereAnyone for a haircut?Bras are off in this town. lol
Winton Qld
Winton is well known for the “Waltzing Matilda Museum and the history of the writer, Banjo Paterson. It’s a very tourist active town with interesting opal shops and of course, a number of quaint pubs. The outback is famous for the old pubs that all towns seem to use for not just pictures or writings on the wall, but general gabbing on about bygone days of “what and how we used to do things out here”. Each town, or even pub, has distinct characters who are symbols of those times.
We found a free camp just south of Winton that gives us a few free nights and lots of birdlife to enjoy. I hadn’t seen a spoonbill for years so spent a few walks around the weir looking for him to include in my memories of our lap.
We kept up, what has become our tradition on this trip; brilliant Friday evening sunsets. This one was glorious in a new and different way. The colour stretched from the horizon back across our heads and to the horizon behind.
We had spent a week at Evans Head last year and felt it was worth more time to explore the area. It worked out a good place to stay as one of our party had their drivers licence suspended due to an error on the GP medical report to the licence authority. The authorities needed some time to sort out the problem and correct what had been reason for the suspension. We enjoyed the meals at the surf life savings cafe; John found the lentil burgers were his favourite. The town is in need of increased retail trade to get it ‘going’ again after a long lay-off of holiday makers. There is an RSL with a busy restaurant and also the bowls club has an asian menu most nights of the week.
Evans Head NSW
While driving north towards Evans Head, Earlene called to say they passed a Paradise Motor home in a rest area, so we pulled into the same rest area and parked beside the Paradise. Paradise owners tend to have lots in common and since I run a Facebook Page for Paradise Owners, we were on to meeting up with these guys. After an hour of chit chat, we said good byes and on to Lennox Head.
Lennox Head NSW
Lennox Head is another coastal beach town in the northern part of NSW, just south of Byron Bay, the young people’s capital of Australia. We noticed each day, schools had surfing and board riding classes for sports activities; how lucky they are. An hour before sunset, the surfing zones were very busy as the sun was setting. Pelicans gracefully pass to another location to sit out until it was time to vanish for the dark hours. ‘Dive-bombing’ marine birds were very busy gathering feed for their young on their return to the nests hidden somewhere.
Byron Bay is an expensive yuppie town. There are many good eating places run by the alternative lifestyle fraternity. Housing is expensive as is the camping facilities for visitors. We took the bus up to Byron, and first strolled through the alternative, or natural, farming markets before going across to the beach to meet up with a surprise visitor from New Zealand. You may remember our story of meeting up with another guy with a brain injury, and his wife, in Zurich. Well, after Lyn posted to Facebook that we were in Lennox Head, MerryLynn noticed the post and called to say they had come to Australia for a family meetup and holiday at Kingscliff just north of Byron Bay. We had to meet again. They drove down to meet us for a meal at Manna Restaurant. What a catchup again … and the food was excellent too. The plan is to meet up again in Tauranga in January while we are cruising New Zealand.
Next are we are visiting is the south west corner of Queensland.
The rush was on as many left the grey nomads convention we had attended for last ten days. Attendees headed in various directions, some even headed home. Why would you not tour a little to see more of the great landscapes Australia has to offer before arriving home? We headed north for two hours through Coffs Harbour to Grafton to spend a few days with our daughter. Many left the convention with varying degrees of flu or Covid. We had runny noses and Lyn had a throat cough. But now we are on the mend.
Grafton is a small town widely known for the annual Jacaranda Festival. The streets are bathed in purple during November and full of Asian day tourist catching the colourful streets as backgrounds to their selfies. While there, the son-in-law cooked a very tasty meal using his camp oven expertise.
Camp Oven cooking A tight fit at daughters place in Grafton
Brooms Head is just an hour away from Grafton on the coast from McLean NSW. Our arrival welcomed us with brilliant sunshine. The campground has both powered and unpowered sites but the unpowered sites have the best location right on the beachfront. We’ve chosen the unpowered site but didn’t realise that we have a large Norfolk Island pine tree smack in the middle of our view and, the solar power source for our house batteries to top up. Lucky our daughter was joining us from Grafton in a few days so she was able to bring a remote solar panel for us to plug into and set away from the motor home in the sunshine. Problem almost solved – but we got through.
And so Brooms head is our spot for a few days Drone view of the areaLow tide allows a good morning walkAn American friend called these storks.
Once set up, we had some beautiful days with warming sunshine. The views of the ocean and coastline were clear and colourful. Pelicans entertained us as they flew around the lagoon finding a spot to fish or get away from other menacing birds. I wanted to see a morning sunrise and got up to check it out and when I went outside, there was a family of kangaroos feeding on the grass close to the beach. Worth getting up for.
I got up to shoot the sunrise. These guys made it a great sunrise shot. Drone fun Great spot to do some droning from.
Our first day of the lap was done with sunny skies and that rare feeling of “bye home, we’ll see you in 6 months”. We have travelled this road many times up inland Victoria and into New South Wales along the Hume Highway. We are more eager to get to our first camping spot at Jugiong than to take notice of what we pass. Toilet stops are frequent in the mornings but the one at Lake Nillacootie now has a coffee trailer that provides ’not bad’ coffee and chai latte. This became our first “extended” stop off.
Jugiong is over 500km from home and a regular overnight stop. There is a large recreation ground that the community makes available at a small donation fee. Camping is available along the Murrumbidgee River or on the oval. The autumn colors are still showing before dropping to become mulch for the ground. There is a cafe that provides good old country meals which we always enjoy. Some friends happen to be here and we have a good time reminiscing old days; Fred went to the same school as me back in the 60s.
Entrance to Jugiong NSWA very leafy restaurant The Sir George PubGreat place to eat and purchase quaint souvenirs Lyn hard at work in motor home using Starlink for speed
We decided to stay a second night as the morning provided blue skies again and the weather report said lots of rain ahead towards Sydney. Lyn has run a travel agency for over 30 years and now works from the motor home while traveling. She has some of the best office locations one could want for. Today was the first time we tried our Starlink internet system while traveling. It provided excellent speed and access which made Lyn happy.
On days we travel, we find it better to wake up, pack up and get going for an hour before having breakfast. We make our way onto the Hume Highway at 7:30am in the morning chill, but the promise of a good day. The Hume Highway is a divided highway and is used continuously by trucks or lorries carting produce between Australia’s two largest cities Sydney and Melbourne. Today is very busy and at times we have 5 or 6 trucks passing us at once (we travel 10 or 15 kph slower than the trucks).
Normally, we make sure Lyn is the driver through the busy city of Sydney to save $90 in tolls while I sit in the passengers seat giving directions through suburban Sydney. Today we decide to do part of the drive through Sydney paying tolls and part on a renowned section of road that used to be a very congested part of the journey. Having 5 or 6 semi-trailers around you as you’re driving can be very daunting.
We head further north up through the distant regions to the north of Sydney, and to the Pacific Highway which runs up the eastern coastline of New South Wales and into Queensland. On last years trip north, we found a new campground that is just 400meters off the highway where we stay for the night. Due the recent high rainfall, the owner of the campground requested we set up on the road to prevent ground damage in the camping area.
The following morning, we had made a meal reservation at an Artisan Restaraunt. This restaurant was built by a guy with a ‘dream’ to provide a highway stopover providing food all grown on his property. The meal is delicious, again.
While we were at The Artisan Farm, Lyn’s sister and husband caught up to us from Melbourne, and we travelled on to a free camp near a tavern for a night of rain and cards. Our short journey took us to a convention site where we will be for 10 nights before travelling on to Grafton, NSW.
A lap of Australia in our motor home GR8L1F, has been on our bucket list for quite a few years. Covid prevented us from doing it when we wanted to but we have set this year as the year for us. Many in Australia plan to do it sometime in their lifetime either as quick as possible (I’ve heard some in 3 weeks) others, 10 years. We have decided to leave near the end of April and return around the end of October. There is a map of Australia suggesting the best months to be in various parts of the country. We are going to follow that as a basic plan.
There are various ways to do the lap, but most do it clockwise or anticlockwise. Doing it anticlockwise, some say, uses less fuel because of the following westerly winds across the Nullabor plains from Perth towards Melbourne. Doing the lap clockwise uses up noticeably more fuel. Fuel prices on the Nullarbor become very high at some roadhouses.
The list of things to do before departure becomes longer as you get closer to the day of departure. We have a pristine garden, and enjoy working it, but we still like to have it in good order for the gardener who cares for it while we are away. The hedges need a ‘final’ trim, the edges of the lawn make a good yard a better yard when trimmed right. The motor home and Suzuki 4wd, which we tow, need to be washed and polished (did you hear there is less drag when the vehicles are polished?). We try to leave with only clothes for all seasons that will be used many times before, maybe, throwing them out on our return.
We were busy getting our garden ready for absolutely no one to enjoy. Isn’t that silly?
Our itinerary is only ‘rough’ as we leave, but generally, we will firstly head north to Stuarts Point in New South Wales (NSW) for an annual Grey Nomads convention we attend each year. Our daughter lives in Grafton NSW so a few days of catchup will take us there. Then our lap really begins. We plan to head up to Toowoomba, Queensland (QLD) then to central west QLD and on to Mt Isa. From QLD we will slowly move through the Northern Territory (NT) to Darwin, then across to West Australia (WA) down to Perth. In October, we then take the Nullarbor Highway back to Melbourne.
I’ll start posting a weekly blog each week. I hope you enjoy and make a decision to do the same when time allows.
great life - retired got nothing on 